Explore the intricate world of Akiavel, where Melodic Death Metal meets Groove, Deathcore, Thrash, and more. Uncover their evolution, challenges, and artistic journey in this exclusive interview.
1. Akiavel,
your blend of Melodic Death Metal, Groove Metal, Deathcore, Thrash, and
"old-school" Death Metal is truly distinctive. How did the band come
together, and what inspired this diverse fusion of genres in your music?
Auré
(vocals): Thank you! Our band’s style is indeed unique. We've known each other
and been friends for a long time. We've all been in different bands before. In
2018 we decided to create Akiavel, by bringing together our experiences and our
own musical tastes.
Chris
(guitar) has Heavy Metal influences, Jay (bass) likes Hardcore, Butch (drums)
loves Thrash, and I am influenced by Death Metal singing.
This is why
our music is a unique blend, because we each keep our own influences, mixing
them rather than trying to erase them. It allows us to move forward in our
music without ever getting tired or limited by a genre.
2. Akiavel
has quickly risen to prominence in the metal scene since its formation in 2018.
What challenges did you face as a band in the early stages, and how did you
overcome them?
Like many
bands around the world, we mainly had difficulties because of the pandemic. We
couldn't defend our first album, but we took advantage of the lockdown to
record a second album! It proved to us we can get the positive from a
complicated situation!
3. Led
by a female singer with an overpowering growl and commanding stage presence,
how does Auré's unique vocal style contribute to Akiavel's overall sound and
identity?
I am aware
that being a woman could be an advantage, let's say, "aesthetic" for
the band, but above all, my voice is my instrument and the fact of being a
woman was in no way the determining choice for the creation of the group. We
originally chose each other to make new music, because we get along very well,
we are heading towards the same destiny, having fun together on stage, whatever
the genre.
I work hard
to sing like this, and I hope my voice brings the rawness, emotion and power
that we put into our songs.
4. Drawing
inspiration from legendary acts such as Morbid Angel, Deicide, Obituary,
Cannibal Corpse, Testament, and Gojira, how do these influences manifest in
your music, and how do you ensure a balance between homage and innovation?
I think
influences are one thing, but creativity remains very personal.
When we
compose, each of us makes proposals, necessarily influenced by our tastes and
by the overall style of Akiavel. But in the end, and once again thanks to this
mixture of styles that is Akiavel, we always manage to create unique
compositions.
5. Akiavel
has released an EP and three full-length albums to date. Can you share insights
into the evolution of your sound and songwriting process over these releases?
The 3
albums are in fact a trilogy, all talking about injuries of different kinds.
I am very
inspired by all these subjects! The boys create the music, I write the lyrics,
then I set them to their compositions.
The first
album (V) talks about wounds of the soul, the second album (Væ Victis) about
physical wounds, through stories of famous serial killers, and the last album
(Veni Vidi Vici) deals with the trials of life, but progresses from the shadows
towards the light.
6. Akiavel
has graced the stages of renowned festivals and headlined concerts across
France and Belgium. How do you approach live performances, and what do you
believe sets your live shows apart?
Yes, we had
the chance to make extraordinary stages (Hellfest, Motocultor…), I think that
what pleases a lot (and what comes to our ears) is the energy and complicity
that exist between us on stage! If you want to make your own opinion, you can
see our performance live at the Motocultor 2023 on YouTube, or come to see us
live! (laugh)
7. The
band has partnered with leading international brands such as ESP Ltd, Ernie
Ball, DW Drums, Paiste Cymbals, SP Customs, ProOrca drumsticks, Kaptor
Triggers, and Hyraw Clothing. How have these partnerships influenced the band's
musical journey and overall experience?
We are
indeed extremely lucky to be endorsers of major international brands, like ESP
Ltd and Ernie Ball for Chris et Jay and DW and Paiste Cymbals for Butch.
All three
guys were already playing these brands before being their endorsers, so it was
really natural and it genuinely corresponds to their sound and identity. They
were happy as kids when they officially became artists for these legendary
brands!
The same
goes for the French brands of guitar mics (SP Custom) or Proorca Drumsticks,
which are brands we have always trusted and which are now, in turn, trusting us
by providing us with custom made mics and drumsticks. This is really cool.
Apart from that, we also have partnerships with Hyraw Clothing and Flibustier
Paris which are 2 huge and cool French brands with international notoriety, we
are also really proud and happy to be part of their families, alongside with
huge bands like Sepultura or Jinger for Hyraw, or Metallica for Flibustier
Paris (laughs).
8. Akiavel
is known for its commitment to artistic excellence, not only in music but also
in visually stunning album artworks and elaborate music videos. How important
is the visual aspect in conveying the band's message and identity?
Thank you
for this compliment! Yes, we indeed think that the visual aspects of our music
are very important, in terms of artwork, pictures and music videos.
From the
beginning, we thought that Akiavel, as a band, needed to have an image
different from the traditional and usual imagery of Death Metal. We felt more
comfortable, and we thought it was more accurate and closer to our music to
have a “classier” image. We wanted neither our music nor our image to be stuck
to one single style. We simply wanted Akiavel to look like Akiavel (laughs)
9. Your
latest album, "Veni Vidi Vici," was released recently. Can you
discuss the themes and creative process behind this album, and how it
represents the current state of Akiavel's musical exploration?
As I
explained, Veni Vidi Vici is the third part of a trilogie.
This album
explores what man can go through over the course of a lifetime, moving from
shadow to light. It makes your karma grow through your experience, to end on
something luminous. You can feel this gradual rise of energy throughout the
listening of the album.
Musically,
this album remains above all Akiavel, with our four individualities, and our
different influences. It's perhaps a little less cold than the previous two,
and we have added a little more of melodic riffs, but it's still our Akiavel
blend.
10. Akiavel has a strong presence on
social media. How do you leverage platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and
Twitter to connect with fans and promote your music in today's digital age?
Chris
(guitars) is in charge of the social media communication, and each of us help
him to the extent possible by also posting a lot of things on all networks. We
are very lucky to have Chris doing this community management work, he is
excellent at it.
The first
album of the band was released in 2020, at the very beginning of the pandemic,
so from the start of the band, social media were essential to spread our music
since we have not been able to play live for almost 2 years.
That is why
Akiavel’s communication is so much based on social media, maybe more than some
“older” bands, we had no other option to exist and meet our public!
11. With
the backing of respected industry professionals, how has the band's dynamic
evolved, and what advice would you give to emerging metal bands navigating the
challenges of the music industry?
Music is a
job that takes up a lot of energy and space in our lives, we have to work every
day on the compositions, the image, the public relationship, our
instruments...
We have to
make a lot of sacrifices but the crazy moments we can experience thanks to our
job as musicians are so beautiful that we are more than happy to do what we do.
It is really demanding, but really worth it!
My advice
to young bands would be: believe in yourself, and work always harder!
12. What can fans expect from
Akiavel in the future? Are there upcoming projects, collaborations, or
aspirations that you would like to share with your dedicated fanbase?
We are
currently preparing our fourth album and already thinking about the future
video clips. We have many many cool gigs booked for 2024, all in France. We
hope to be able to leave France as soon as possible to meet our international
audience!
Akiavel [Official] (@akiavel) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Veni Vidi Vici | Akiavel (bandcamp.com)
(25) Akiavel [OFFICIAL] - YouTube
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