Jugulator’s Imperator Insector merges sci-fi-inspired apocalyptic themes with thrash and black metal influences, featuring Algerian guest musicians. This ambitious project showcases the band’s evolution and dedication to the Algerian metal scene.
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1. Congratulations
on the release of Imperator Insector! Can you tell us about the inspiration
behind the album's concept and how it ties into the theme of insects?
Thank you, the inspiration came from science fiction cinema, I am a big fan of the planet of the apes and alien for example, and as our first two albums talk about a decadence of humanity, we decided to end this trilogy with an apocalyptic atmosphere, we chose insects because they are a real species that exists in our world, so the fear is really felt.
2. This
album features a unique twist with a second disc that includes the same songs
performed with guest musicians from the Algerian metal scene. How did this idea
come about, and what was the experience like working with so many talented
artists?
The idea was born
from the concept itself, we have to face
an unprecedented threat,so we need an army to help us save the earth, so the
guests came as reinforcements.
the experience
was very interesting and enriching, we were excited each time we received the
tracks from the guests to see the result, it's a very special feeling to listen
other artists play and sing in your songs, it's a very special feeling for
them. gives another color, another approach, so CD 1 is a discovery of the
album , CD 2 is a rediscovery , the talent of these musicians enriched the
album.
3. The album blends influences from 80s German and US thrash metal. Can you share which bands or albums were the most significant influences for Jugulator during the creation of Imperator Insector?
Everything can
inspire me, film music, video games music ,but also the bands that I listen to
, the thrash metal from the bay area, I am also a big fan of kreator and
annihilator, but there are also touches of black metal in this album, because
as a teenager, I had a small period of black metal, I retained some
compositional gimmicks that we used here to accentuate the atmosphere of terror
that the album described in its lyrics.
4. The track Imperator Insector stands out as the title track of the album. What is the story or message behind this particular song?
this is the
eponymous song, it is a description of the war leader imperator insector, in
this song, a narrator presents this creature to us, he describes his ambitions,
how he is seen by his army and especially what he thinks about irresponsible
humanity, the horrors we do on earth and that’s the driving force behind his
invasion campaign.
5. You’ve been a band since 2014, and this is your third full-length album. How has Jugulator’s sound evolved over the years, and where do you see your music heading in the future?
the music evolved
to something more aggressive and progressive, in the first album we were with
the aim of making fairly classic but effective thrash, in the second we began
to enrich our compositions with slightly more complex structures, and in this
one we released the horses while having fun foraging on the black Metal side of
the force.
6. With over 90 minutes of music and 21 guest musicians contributing to the album, what were some of the challenges you faced during the recording and production process?
The challenges
are mainly the deadlines, you have to do it well in advance, there is also the
method, for example we asked the guitarists to send us two takes, one on direct
imput and one with their sound, we try to first mix with their sound because it
is part of the musician's touch, but if the take is not suitable, we are forced
to fall back on the DI take and try to find a similar sound ,but finally we mixed the takes with the sound of the
guitarists.
Same thing for
the singers, you have to check the takes, if they are not suitable, you ask to
do it again, so you have to manage all that while respecting the deadlines,
there is also the headache of mixing well because each sound is different, the
challenge was how to integrate that into the song and make it sound good.
7. The album artwork by Mustapha Harraoui is striking and complements the album’s theme. How did you collaborate with him to bring your vision to life visually?
mustapha is a
very talented graphic designer, we worked with him for the previous albums,for
this one I gave him a description as usual,I said , I want a big mutant insect
monster that decapitates a human, with a background of a completely devastated
area, with swarms of insects attacking, all this in a fluorescent green
atmosphere to show the radioactivity and nuclear , the result is in front of
you, a very beautiful cover.
8. Lamine Amrane handled the mixing and mastering of the album. How important was it to have someone within the band take on this role, and how did it impact the final sound of the record?
I must say that
we are very lucky to have him with us, just like Ziri our bassist who was in
charge of the video part of the first two albums, Lamine is self-taught, he
learned to produce alone, he was very motivated to do it, he is a very open and
eclectic person, he immediately understood the direction we wanted to take in
this album, I remember that we spent two months just on the sound of the snare
drum, I followed his advice to the letter in the sound recording, he was sure
of the result,he is also an ultra perfectionist, we often had a situation when
I said to him: it's good, we'll keep this version , two days later he sent me
another one saying : please listen again I corrected micro details, I had never
noticed these details lol.
And frankly we are very satisfied with his work, I can never thank him enough.
9. The
Algerian metal scene has been growing steadily over the years. How do you feel
Imperator Insector represents Algerian metal on a global scale, and what do you
think the future holds for the scene?
I hope that this
album will show the world that in Algeria, there are groups who work hard, with
passion, the 19 Algerian guests are there to show that Algeria is full of
talent, I hope that this will motivate other bands to make albums, we need more
presence of bands in Algeria.
10. Tracks like Radioactive Mutation and Atomic Insecticide have intense titles. Can you delve into the lyrical themes of these tracks and what you hope listeners take away from them?
Radioactive
mutation talks about the mutation phase of contaminated insects in infected
focus (the previous song), it announces that a new species was born because of
nuclear bombs and chemical waste caused by humans.
what listeners
must take away? is the construction of the song, the first part is thrash, we
tell what's happening, then we let the instruments speak with the groove part
in the middle and the sudden switch to black metal , this part clearly tells us
that they did it ! they have mutated!! We're in trouble! their size begins to
change, they have more arms, more wings, we let the listener imagine the scene
through its soundtrack.
for atomic
insecticide, it talks about the questioning of humans, who have finally found
the weapon that will allow them to triumph, in this song, humans recognizes their
errors, they understood the lesson, now we will have to pay by sacrificing
ourselves for the good of all, to save our species and our planet by promising
to stop the horrors we committed in the past.
what listeners
must take away? A fuckin wall of death part after the “GO” in the middle of the
song.
11. You’ve
played alongside various guest musicians on this album. Are there any plans to
perform Imperator Insector live with some of these artists, and how do you
envision the live experience for this album?
It's worth
considering, it would be great, we're going to see the technical possibilities
for that, maybe during a special concert to celebrate our 10th anniversary this
year! it will be an honor for us to share the stage with such talented
musicians.
12. What’s next for Jugulator? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or other projects in the works that fans should be excited about?
we are looking at
the possibility of doing a tour, and yes, we are working on a new music video,
we hope it will be positive, it's never easy but we believe in it.
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