They strike down from France. They are extreme due to what they do but also thanks to what they mix. They are able to make electronic a style, black metal, that comes from flesh and blood. Their production is darke and manages to reach a level of solemnity. We simply wanted to know more…so we talked a little to Zoé (guitars, bass, electro, production) and Max (electro, drums)…(versione italiana)
Hello there. Great job with “Les 12 Vertiges”… I really loved it… so here I come with few questions for you…Well, the label refers to you as “electro metal”… what do you say?
Zoé: I agree with that sticker. I want to keep it simple and clear. We mix electronic, with metal so… I could not say better! (laughs, editor’s note).
I actually see a lot of black metal in you, but with those brilliant French influences, that usually make your country bands very different. What is this special thing you got in France that you always have acts sounding so personal and distinctive?
Zoé: Really? For me these days they are all the same boring stuff! (laughs, editor’s note).
MaX: If you were not from Italy I would have attempted wine as an explanation but… No. Or is it just the misplaced French pride not to do things like others? I cannot say really, but… Thanks!
There is a theatrical component in your music style too. Kinda like it’s not just music, but some kind of a movie, play, whatever…
Zoé: At the very beginning, it was a book! For the first EP, we tried to do the soundtrack for “Ravage”, from French contemporary writer René Barjavel. He wrote a story somewhere between Mad Max and 12 Monkeys. We built again the following album on this concept, setting a Droste effect with two faces of a same world, one at its apogee, one in full chaos. So yes, quite theatrical indeed.
MaX: We changed our approach on “Les 12 Vertiges”, leaving the apocalyptical concept, focusing on inner, more real, experiences. But I agree that there is still a theatrical, dramatic approach in presenting each of these stories.
There are many influences ending in your sound. Ambient, soundtracks, metal and more. How do you gather inspiration to create your brand of music?
MaX: First we have very different influences from one member to another, so each time we create a new song we have to confront our different views on how it should sound… sometimes up to a bit of fight (laughs, editor’s note), till it creates something new, different from what each of us expected. That will explain the “melting of everything” aspect!
I said, in my review, that you show merciless and cynical desire to be an impact, a devastating band. How far was I from the truth?
MaX: Close I believe. The world we describe, our vision over life, are very cynical. Our live shows are devastating. And our new manager is merciless, so…
How do you compose? Synth first? Or guitar? Being you both on the electronic side and the metal side, everything could be quite possible.
Zoé: It can start from anything! Even a drum loop or “Hi Hat” pattern you know! I think that might one of the secret to keep the balance between electro and metal music correct. Sometimes you start in a metal manner with a strong guitar riff, and sometimes… you don’t (laughs, editor’s note).
MaX: I think what is important is not what comes first, but how to keep an equilibrium when bringing each instrument, and another one, and keep the balance between Metal feel and Electro. On this part the work from Zoé, which owns his own studio and crafts HERRSCHAFT’s sound from the begin to its end, has always been primordial.
Let’s talk about your lyrics… let’s talk about what you want to say with this new work.
Zoé: We just want to say that: “Experience anything you can. Experience the forbidden. Make your own idea”.
MaX: We sliced each song in one dedicated inner, extreme, lively, and experience… letting hard to enter into more details here because of their differences. I’ll let everybody read and make one’s own understanding. But the common symbol between all songs is the tree of life, present in the album artwork in many forms.
What’s next? Can you tell me why you were silent for about 5 years before coming back with this great album? And now? Tour and back to studio or shall we expect few other silent years?
MaX: After our full album “Tesla” in 2008 we had, for many reasons, personal and professional, to put HERRSCHAFT on old a bit. Zoé started is own studio, worked more for the music industry and joined The CNK. So even “Les 12 Vertiges” was started quite quickly in 2009, and we have spent quite some fucking time on it, we entered into the long, tiring and everlasting process of creating songs bricks by bricks, one after another. It was quite frustrating but at the same time, we did not feel creating a false buzz around us before everything was ready. But now it is, well… We expect to be all but silent! Especially for live, we have gathered a new line-up and are eager to bring it on the scene.
Ok, thanks for your time. Close this with few words to METALHEAD.IT readers … and your fans in Italy…
Zoé: Hi guys, we really want to come up to you this year. Help us to do that if you can, see you on the road!
(Luca Zakk)
