Sheer Division's upcoming EP Saalammbö blends alternative metal, stoner, and grunge, with sci-fi influences and dark humor, delivering an intense, cathartic listening experience.
1. Your
upcoming EP "Saalammbö" is set for release on October 21, 2024. What
does this project mean to you, and what do you hope listeners will take away
from it?
The project
was to return to what first connected me to rock and more precisely to metal,
its energy, its rhythm, its evocative power.
I hope
listeners will find themselves in this catharsis and feel this little release
that music can bring you.
2. You
describe your music as a mix of alternative metal, stoner, and grunge. Can you
elaborate on how you blend these genres and what influences have shaped your
sound?
As a
metalhead I can listen to really extreme or technical stuff like thrash and so
unconsciously I absorb it, but It seems that in the end I always end up
favoring simplicity and melody with a catchy riff.
Then
obviously there are the vocal and technical constraints, I definitely don't
have the voice of a screamer or growler, but that's good because for me the
power of metal is in the winning trio guitar / bass / drums, the aggression
must come from there, the voice comes then in counterpoint.
So yes,
when we have to put a label on our music, so that people have a little idea of
what we are, stoner, grunge and alternative metal are perhaps the closest
things to it.
3. The
lyrics for your songs are crafted in French and draw inspiration from sci-fi
and fantasy artists like Asimov and Lovecraft. How do these literary influences
impact your songwriting process?
My father
introduced me to science fiction with Asimov very early on and since then I
have been hooked.
I am
fascinated by the infinite possibility of universes and situations that lead to
profound philosophical reflection.
For a song
like Saalammbo I developed a whole story and a universe of which we can already
glimpse something in the video clip.
It's
important to have a background when developing a story even if it's just in a
song.
it creates
a consistency, an invisible structure that we can feel
4. You
incorporate elements of dark humor and nihilism into your lyrics. How do these
themes manifest in your music, and what message do you aim to communicate?
This is my
punk heritage, ninihilism is the despair of the romantics.
This is
where my dark humor comes in, my nihilism is an idealism that happily crashes
against the concrete wall of reality.
and believe me or not, the message is positive
5. you
(Jérôme Simonian) produced and mixed the EP, while Raphaël Léger handled the
mastering. How did their expertise contribute to the overall sound and quality
of "Saalammbö"?
I worked
for a long time in a venue called Mistral Palace (in fact I participated in its
creation) as a live sound technician, so I had the skills to record, mix and
produce and I knew exactly what I wanted. Raphaël as a mastering engineer
brought an external ear to refine the sound and bring the necessary final touch
that I was waiting for.
6. The
artwork by The_Red_Plague adds a visual dimension to your music. How important
are visuals to your overall artistic expression, and what do you feel the cover
art conveys about the EP?
I love
science fiction and fantasy illustrations, especially those from the era of
heavy metal magazines or 2000AD. Many bands have already borrowed their
imagination for their covers, and to illustrate the title song of Saalammbo the
work of the_red_plague seemed perfectly designed to me.
I know the
cover art can mislead the listener into thinking they're going to come across a
death metal band.or whatever… but for me This illustration is perfectly adapted
to the content and the universe of the record.
7. You mentioned wanting to awaken the “awful pimply teenager” in your listeners. Can you discuss what this concept means to you and the kind of audience you hope to reach?
When you're
young, you're covered in acne, angry and rebelling against society, but with
time, you forget the injustices and fall into line. I just hope our music can
reawaken that spark in the listeners' hearts.
8. What
can fans expect from your live performances? How do you bring the energy of
your recordings to the stage?
Tightness,
powerness, energy and fun, We've been rehearsing for a while to be ready to
smash everything
On stage we
are 2 guitars, Xavier Chaquet and myself and on bass we have Marie-Hélène
Rattin, the drums are entrusted to a midi programming machine into which I have
injected possibilities for improvisation.
We are
still looking for a Drummer but we haven't found it, it remains a very
demanding instrument which does not allow for approximation.
9. With
influences like Red Fang, Helmet, and Deftones, how do you ensure that your
sound remains unique while still paying homage to your inspirations?
Once again
these influences are only there as a reference, these are bands that I like a
lot but my musical spectrum extends from prince to Slayer,
I
assimilate those influences and transcend it in my music which then becomes
unique. It's not wildly original but it's a creative process that many
musicians are familiar with.
10. After
the release of "Saalammbö," what are your plans for the future? Are
there any upcoming tours or new projects in the works?
We are a
young band and the next step is to make ourselves known and therefore to tour
while recording. I think we will keep the EP format but maybe release a 6-track
next time.
the
production of a second video clip is also a project, I made the first one and
had a lot of fun so I hope to continue in this direction
11. How
do you engage with your fanbase, and what role do they play in your creative
process and development as a band?
At this
stage we have a very limited fanbase, everything remains to be done, we are
counting on word of mouth to be able to gather an army, or at least a division
;-)
12. Is
there anything else you would like to share about SHEER DIVISION or the
upcoming EP that we haven’t touched upon in this interview?
Share the
clip and like it, I think it's an excellent entry into our universe, then you
can discover the other tracks which each have their own style.
Thanks you
for you support !
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