Interview Akiavel

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!

(4) Facebook

Akiavel [Official] (@akiavel) • Photos et vidéos Instagram

Veni Vidi Vici | Akiavel (bandcamp.com)

(25) Akiavel [OFFICIAL] - YouTube