GORGON is undoubtedly a reference
in the French scene and a cult act from the black metal scene of the early
90's. The band is back after a time of lethargy with "The Veil of Darknesss",
a dark, violent and raw album, the way it should be. Chris, founding member,
kindly answered the following interview ...from the unknow depths.
Hi Chris, good to have Gorgon back 18 years after your last full-length, what
took you so long? J
What happened with the band since 2001?
In
2001 we have known line-up problems so we have stopped our activities even if it
was not “official”. During the next years I was contacted by the band OTAL to
make as split album with them, but after years of
silence, this
CD is only out in 2011, released by
three French labels. Moreover,
the same year the Mexican label Rex
Bagude productions released a CD compilation of the band originally for the South-American market. In addition,
in 2018, the French labels Triumph Ov
Death and Analog Spleen Records
have re-issued the 1992 demo on vinyl format limited to 300 copies.
You will attack with the new album “The Veil of Darkness” next month, can you
comment about your feelings and expectations towards its release? How long have
you been working on these songs and ideas?
So many times
during the last years I have seen guys who claimed play black metal where I
only seen musicians not involved, and fast metal without dark feelings. Over time I
started to think to a return and one day this decision was taken. I told him to
a guy which distribute metal stuffs and few days later I received a proposition
from a label, then few others propositions. In December
2017 I reserved the recording studio for June 2018, everything was supposed to
be ready for the deadline. The album was totally composed during this period,
December 2017 to April 2018 with only fresh ideas, no old stuff. I have
composed 10 new songs and Hreidmarr (ex-Anorexia Nervosia), helped by his
friend Jon. have created a track as introduction. I have asked him in December
2017 and he has immediately accepted. He was the first guest on this album.
Tell me about the recording process, If I´m not wrong you played all the
instruments except for the drums.
Yes,
as I play all instruments, I thought it was easier to do all the work
by myself, but for drums I have paid a session drummer who made a great
job. He has recorded his parts in 1 day. So, excepted the introduction, I have
recorded all the guitars, bass and vocals. The Italian famous singer Cadaveria
from the band Cadaveria also appeared on a song. Her
appearance was the only musical thing she has made during this year.
The album sounds furious, raw and powerful and certainly evoking the past,
the production really kick ass. The first track instantly hooked me and
reminded me of the ferocity of “Tower Of Gargoyles”, so your roots are intact;
and with a title like “Still Six Six Six” one could say it sounds like a
statement…
By the fist
song “’Still Six Six Six”, I wanted to send a clear message: The Gorgon from 1995 which played “Tower Of Gargoyles” is
back in 2018, but with a better production for sure. Sebastien Camhi, our sound engineer, studied with
Eddie Kramer (producer of albums from Jimi Hendrix, Anthrax, Kiss) and Andy
Wallace (“Reign in blood” and “Seasons in the Abyss”- Slayer, “Arise”, “Chaos A.D.”
and “Roots” - Sepultura, “Nevermind”- Nirvana) and his studio called ArtMusic
was exactly what we need. He listened a lot Norvegian black metal bands in the
90’s.
Does the character, the perspective and the attitude of Gorgon nowadays
differ much from the early days? What would you name as your influences during
the period of silence for this new album?
I
think that with our hindsight we have another perspective of the scene but our
attitude has not changed. We are still against trends and it’s not because in
2018 a lot of guys thought black metal is only blast beasts and corpse paint
that we’ll follow this way. We are our own identity so I don’t think we are
specially influenced by new bands. Our inspiration
has not changed throughout 28 years, it’s still black metal in all kind of
forms (fast or slow, melodic, raw,…)
What can you tell about the lyrics? Is there an overall theme to the songs, or
do they each discuss different topics? What´s behind a title like “The Roots Of
My Fantasies”
This song mentioned is based on a voyage in the other world. Each song
has its own theme even if witchcraft and black arts dominate here. It’s
classical lyrics for a band like us and it’s the only way to conceive black
metal for me. I’m not narrow minded and don’t want to impose my vision, but so
many bands are off-topic with political or social lyrics.
Tell us about the cover artwork, who
was responsible for the concept and drawing?
It’s a tattoo artist called Stef Dess and the concept
makes really “middle-age” for me. Exactly what I need with my songs about
witchcraft and darkness. He has first made the drawing of the cover and called his
work “The birth of the Antichrist”. He contacted me by mail to offer his
talent, and I accepted with no regret so far. He has also made the 2 drawings
of our new t-shirt.
Your debut album, “The Lady Rides A Black Horse” burst into the scene 23
years ago. What are your memories of the recording process, the response and
reviews after the release?
This
album has received good reviews from zines and mags as moreover it was the
first for a French black metal band. The recording sessions have been made near
our town with a guy and his personnel studio. We have known some troubles
during the mix as the guy has cancelled sometimes but after all these years, we
are rather satisfied of this first album. As usual for us, it was with a new
line-up, and contrary to what is noted on the booklet of the CD, it’s me who
have made all the guitars parts. The other guitarist was in the band since few
weeks and was not ready at this time, which was not the case on the next album
where we both we made our own parts.
What inspired the album title and the album cover? Can you tell more about
that photo session?
I
found this tittle one day during a travel and it means “Death rides a black
horse”. The “Lady” is “Mrs. Death”. At this period, we decided to use a photo
than a drawing for the cover, so we have made this photo session in a local
cemetary by night. If I’m right, it’s me who took this photo. Among all the
photos, we have kept this one showing the Death which kill an angelic symbol.
We came back to this cemetary for other things later…(hmmmm...I am intrigued - Chris)
How do you look back at the album nowadays?
You
have to consider I have known all the line-ups changes, and these guys on it
don’t play in the band since a lot of time so it seems rather old for me and a
bit “primitive” musically. Even if I have no regret as it was the best we can
offer, here and there, I’ll be pleased to change some details. It ‘s also our best-known album.
What are your memories of from the French scene back then? Were you in touch
with bands such as Mutiilation, Vlad Tepes or the infamous Les Légions Noire?
What was/is your opinion about them (LLN)?
I was
only in (good) contact by mail with Mutiilation at their beginning. We have
also played with Maleficum Orgia which was among the firsts French black metal
bands. Excepted Osculum Infame and Malveliance (which will become Count
Nosferatu) later, I was not specially in contact with French bands or just
during 1 or 2 letters. About Les Légions Noires, they send me 2 times death
threats in 1993: 1 by phone and 1 by mail. Then they stopped, I don’t know why.
I’ve never wore a complaint of course. I’ve read recently by a guy from their
town, who know them personally, that the children behind Vlad Tepes stopped
their bullshit due to a police investigation. May be. In all cases they are overestimated
today where as in the 90’s almost no one knew them.
Tell me from your point of view the most significant differences between the
underground of the past with that of nowadays? Is there anything you miss from
the old days?
The
spirit has changed in which concerns the black and death metal bands, I don’t
know about thrash metal or grindcore. In the past, the music was in our blood,
in our veins, may import if it was technic or not. Today, it’s musicians who
play these styles were as before it was maniacs involved. The level has
increased but the integrity has disappeared. For most of them it must be taken
in the second degree, it’s a clean and correct music. Of course, it exists some
exceptions. Moreover nowadays, it’ too easy to listen and judge a band. In the
90’s when we bought a demo tape or a LP, sometime we bought it based only on
the artwork because it was evil, dark. I’ll do it for “I.N.R.I.” (Sarcofago) or
the first Dark Throne as example. You listen to it again and again because you
waited for it, you spent money. Today, as all is free on the web, you can
listen all what you want but you don’t give a chance to a band if you don’t
like it in the first seconds. To conclude a thing that has not changed in
France is the crowds to undergrounds gigs. Popular festivals have a lot of
people but it’s really difficult for small concerts.
Are you aware of new bands and releases in the French scene? What bands do we
have to take a look at?
With
the free facilities of the web, as noted above, I listen of lot of new releases
from French bands to have an idea of them and I’m in contact with some as
Totale Angoisse or Council Daimonion. I’m very particular about music, so I
prefer not to use names.
Sometimes it usually happens that there are bands with the same name, usually in
different countries or even different continents, but are you aware of another
band called Gorgon...from France!!! They were formed in 2013. Did you had any contact
with them?
I have
contacted them one time, few years ago and they answered me they choose this
name as my band was not in activities!!!!! (What a ricicule reasoning - Chris) With such a view, they may have
called their band The Beatles or Led Zeppelin. Imagine in some months, when
Slayer will have stopped its career, do you think a new American band called
Slayer will be taken seriously? When I started the band in 1991, it was not
possible to know if somewhere in the world another band have the same name.
That’s why it existed a lot of bands called Killer or Killers as example. But
in 2013, you could search in the web, just like they did I’m sure, and for a
French metal band as them, used the name of another well-known French metal
band, it was really stupid as they knew our existence. For a band in Malaysia
or in Africa, without computer, why not, but not from the same country. They
could have named their band Gorgone or Black Gorgon, it was not excellent but
different at less.
How did the signing to Osmose come about?
In the 90’s, Osmose helped us with the distribution of
our material (demo, E.P., albums) so the band was known for them. When I have
decided to record new songs, few labels have contacted me and Osmose was among
them. The boss asked me to listen some songs to judge and I have sent him 3 of
them (rehearsal versions of course). He appreciated and make me a proposition
which contained the best conditions, so we have decided to work together.
All comes naturally and so far, they are deeply
correct.
Gorgon´s first two albums and your 1992 demo “Call From Unknown Depths” will
be reissued soon, can you unveil some details?
It’s
the first time I’ll talk about. So, all the artworks are finished, we just
waited for the new masterings before to send the stuff to the pressing. Each
artwork is different than the original but in the same spirit. It’s common to
see a vinyl version with the same cover than the CD version, but as it was a
new print, we have made a new cover that I have approved. To conclude, as the
demo is ever out recently in vinyl, it will be only a MCD version. The 2 first
album will be out on CD and vinyl.
Are you still in touch with the band´s ex-members?
I’m
still in contact with Eddy (drummer on “The spectral voices”),
who play now in a heavy metal band as guitarist and Cyril (bass player of the 3rd
and 4th album). Some weeks ago, I have met Brice (guitarist from
1994 to 1998) never seen in 15 years. He lent me photos used for the re-release
of the old albums. At the last summer, Joël, bass player on the first 2 album
is here for holidays, in the South of France, but as he lives in the West
of the country, we share sometimes few lines by mail. Only Eddy is still an
active musician.
For our section, it was songs from my archives. From our demo, 2 songs
were recorded later in a new version for our first album and 2 only exist on this
demo. One of them is now on this split CD for the first time. As we had time
during the noise settings of our first album, in 1994, we have recorded 2
covers: 1 from Burzum which is on this split CD and a cover of Venom never out
I think. 2 others songs came from these sessions: a song released before and
another one in a raw version (that you can find on our 3rd album in
a definitive version). You have also an alternative mix from 1997 from a song
which appear originally on our 3rd album and an unreleased song from
the sessions of our 4th album in 2000. Since the summer of 2005, all
was ready (artwork and music), few labels were interested but this split-cd did
have some problems, and finally came out quite some years later.
This cover was
an idea of our first drummer even if this song was unknown at this time. I
pre-ordered the album at DSP and only few maniacs knew this band. It was not an
influence at all but we have played this song in concerts in the era 1992-1994.
Burzum was absolutely not so cult than today. It was just a band with an album.
I’m remembered that I have received a letter from him in 1993.
What´s the strangest place and the most shocking place you have been?
I
don’t know if it’s the strangest place I have seen, but in November I have
“visited” an old English cemetary not far from here. Near all the cross were
broken, a lot of graves opened, no maintenance. This was abandoned even if
there was a guard. The guy who show me this place told black masses were
performed in many occasions in the past and some others things I can note here.
I really found this place beautiful, calm (as you can imagine) and beyond time.
What will be the next steps for the Gorgon? Will you join forces with session
musicians to play live?
I have
contacted a drummer and a bass player but actually we have never made a
rehearsal to judge if we are on the same way. To recruit a second guitar player
will be nice too for live performances. So, in the next weeks we’ll see if they
are the good ones but it will take time before to be ready. I also continue to
compose new stuff as I really hope a new album will follow this one. And as in
some months I know I’ll have to promote the re-release of our back catalogue, I
will be busy a large part of 2019.
Thanks you for your time, last words are yours...
“The
Veil Of Darkness” is a new chapter for the band and I really thank all the
support that I have received so far from zines, webzines, radios and fans. One
year ago, this come back was a gamble and I was in front of a blank page. I
have played guitar again and again to find good riffs and soon you could listen
the result this work. The plague is ready to be widespread.
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