SOURCE – You signed with Season of Mist Records for the first album – how did this take place, and what do you believe they can offer that takes some of the burden off promoting the release totally on your own?
Auré (Vocals) – We actually signed with Mystic Production for our first album, “V”, to be released on 20 February, Season of Mist is in charge of the distribution of the album.
Jay (Bass) – In my former band, Scarlean, we already had this Mystic/Season team that worked very well for us, so, when we decided to create Akiavel, it was an obvious choice to first contact them, and they immediately believed in our new project!
SOURCE – Where do you see the major differences between the newest album and your EP? Were there any surprises, obstacles, or challenges that had to be worked through from the initial songwriting sessions on through to the recordings and final product?
Jay (Bass) – The EP was initially considered as a demo-test, we wanted to see how the 4 members (we had no drummer at that time) would go along, and how the music created by these 4 very different persons, having so different musical backgrounds, would sound like.
The EP was released in December 2018, and the Akiavel style was born. A genuinely brutal and melodic death metal.
Auré (Vocals) – Yes, the result was pretty easy and obvious, we were very happy of the way these 3 songs sounded like, and, apparently, other people thought the same.
Jay (Bass) – Butch (drums) joined us just after the release of the EP, and we immediately begun the writing of the songs for the new album.
With the addition of this fifth musician, his different influences and his very own way to play drums, the new songs turned out to sound more brutal and rawer than on the EP. The songwriting process was very natural, each musician having the opportunity to express him/herself freely, and the album was completed fairly quickly.
The recording session took place at Artmusic Studio in the South of France, and we are really happy with the sound we managed to keep all along, an energy and a power that may be a bit lacking nowadays in Death Metal albums. We really wanted to come back to the old fashion sound of the 90’s, and to mix the best of the sounds we had in mind from all our influences (hardcore, thrash…).
Auré (Vocals) – And we had the chance to have the visit of our dear friend Julien Truchan (Benighted) during the recording session, and he did this amazing featuring on the song I&Me, you should definitely check it out!
SOURCE – What are your memories surrounding the video shoot for The Witness?
Auré (Vocals) – The shooting took place over two days, first in this crazy tattoo parlor owned by a friend of us near Marseille, and then a second day for the live filming in a very cool music studio.
Jay (Bass) – The great Mr. Cana Photography, a good friend of us, directed this shooting in a friendly and professional way, so for us it was just a bunch of fun moments between friends doing funny things!
SOURCE – What types of goals do the members of Akiavel set for themselves as to where they would like to take this band over the next year or two? Does it get harder and harder to establish a foothold in the metal landscape considering the number of bands fighting for limited attention and entertainment budgets in this instant technology, social media driven landscape?
Auré (vocals): the band is fairly recent, and we have already accomplished a lot: an EP, a full album (on a label), a first music video (the second is being shot within the next few days and the third will follow in a couple of months). We now only want to spread our music and play live in Europe and all over the world!
Jay (Bass) – There are thousands of excellent bands in the metal industry, and, given the huge offer on this “market” it is indeed hard for most of them not to get lost into the social media “magma” and to manage to make their way through national or even international recognition.
But on the other hand, social media in 2020 allow an easy access to people and countries bands could not have reached before. Without Internet, you would not be interviewing a French band on the month of the release of its first album.
Auré (Vocals) – We think that if the way songs are written (and played live!) is good, genuine and talks to many people, then the lights may quickly be shed on a band…
SOURCE – What do you consider some of the biggest challenges that Akiavel need to break through and overcome to ascend up the ladder in terms of a bigger following to develop a stronger presence within not only the French scene, but the international landscape?
Jay (Bass) – All Akiavel members have an extensive experience of live concerts and tours, all from their past musical lives. The challenge is for us to jump as quickly as possible to biggest festival and stages, and to get as soon as possible an international recognition (again, with the help of social media, at first).
Auré (Vocals) – This means being implacable and flawless during our live performances, but also have a very efficient management who helps you make the best choices in terms of opportunities, visibility etc.
SOURCE – What types of hobbies, activities, or interests do the members of Akiavel have away from the music that they use to recharge their batteries and renew their personal energy so to speak? And how do you balance the work/life/family activities with the band?
Jay (Bass) – Being around 40, all five members have families and kids, and are very concerned with the balance between their personal, professional and musical lives. We must also take care of our bodies and mind!
Some of us do a lot of sport (like boxing), other have very dense but exciting jobs, some do music recording and mixing for other bands…
Auré (Vocals) – We are all very different in our personalities and personal lives, but once we are together on a stage, the bonds are extremely strong, things come together very easily and we play the music we all created and we all love, this is Akiavel!
SOURCE – What worries or concerns you most about the current world that we live in today? If you had the opportunity to change anything about the world, what would you like to change and why?
Auré (Vocals) – Could we change the part of human beings which, for mere questions of ego or emotional wounds, make many of them act so aggressively or stupidly?
Jay (Bass) – Should people respect themselves, each other and our environment a bit more, things would go a lot better…
SOURCE – What is planned for 2020, outside the release of the album?
Jay (Bass) – Live performance everywhere, to promote our album and show France, Europe and the World how powerful, strong and violent Akiavel sounds live!
Auré (Vocals) – Yes, apart from the 2 new music videos we will shoot shortly, we will concentrate on the live performance, we are really eager to play our album live! Of course, ideas for the second album are already popping up…
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