www.metalblade.com
www.myspace.com/end1freefr
www.end.1.free.fr
Mika(Bass): Thanks !
Q. Can you tell us about Hydra Lernaia how the collection of songs takes the listener on a journey of an incurable disease that tortures the heart of man.
Mika:Pretty theatrical way to say it isn't it?!! In fact, the collection of songs takes the listener on a journey of an incurable disease that tortures Mathieu's (singer) own heart! It's very personal to him, he talks about his own feelings concerning several emotions that I guess we all feel?! If the listener feels the same while listening to the songs it's a great, it's kind of soothing idea thinking that we're not alone face of these fears and doubts in life.
Q. How does Hydra Lernaia explore nine human feelings as many-sided problems that present new difficulties each time one aspect of them seems to be solved or overcome?
Mika: As a symbol, Hydra is a disease that evolves despite the efforts made to fight against. Starting from that point he wanted to write about human feelings like that. Hate, devotion, doubt or even the passage of time are considered as emotional feelings impossible to solve nor to control. All these feelings that finally make human consciousness what it is.
Q. What motivates or inspires the band to write their incredible lyrics are they based on man’s destructive nature politically, religiously and socially and do all the band members contribute to the writing of Eryn Non Dae’s songs?
Mika: Simply life. Everyday problems, human relationships, communication between us, the poor estate of present world, for the moment it's very self centered, but writing about these matters is something he should deal with the next songs, a kind of opening compared to Hydra Lernaïa which is very personal, his next lyrics seems to have more consideration for what's surrounding him, I believe from what I saw in rehearsal...
He is the only one writing but he always shows and asks us our opinion about a way to improve it, I feel very concerned about his lyrics but I rarely dare to go deep into it with him, writing lyrics is something so personal that we can't talk about it as a guitar riff you know!
Q. Has there been any challenge in the laying of the song tracks and recording to produce the bands unique, groundbreaking powerful sound for Hydra Lernaia and did the band have anyone helping with the mixing and mastering of this Album?
Mika: First of all we've been helped by Mobo from the Conkrete Studio who is the guy we've been working with for our EP, he has recorded, mixed and mastered Hydra Lernaïa. Before going to the studio we recorded some kind of demos for each song to be sure about every details, so the challenging part was more into trying to make it as we had it in our head, there was only a few things that we had left unfinished just to let things happens, in the song called Pure there is this weird low sound in the middle that we knew about wanting it but it was like “we'll see how to make it when we'll be in the studio” or the instrumental one called Lam Tsol Oua on which we used an old stereo tape recorder to capture a guitar part Yann had recorded in , we tried to recorded it from the amp as the other guitar tracks but it just didn't worked as well as the old stereo tape with a microphone in front of it ! So i don't know if this album has a “unique sound” but I can say that we were pretty conscious about the way to make it, even if it's far from perfect.
Q. Do all the band members share the same influences for their music and are they open to try new things or ideas to their sound?
Mika: There are of course bands we like in common but we all listen to a lot of different stuffs, and I have to say that I feel lucky about that when it comes to bring ideas for the songs but most of all, we, in the band are running after emotions I think, I mean it's more about feelings and what we want to express in a part or in a song that leads us to try things more than thinking about this band or that artist. And I really hope to carry on that way, as the musicians we're trying to be, we're very aware about our needs to stay open minded and curious about music and artistic expression.
Q. Will you be producing any musical videos from any of Hydra Lernaia song tracks?
Mika: Absolutely! The song “The Decline And The Fall” will be associated to a visual experience, it's very far from a classic metal video, we had'nt seen the final cut yet but only 2 minutes and we're very very happy from what we have seen, maybe it's already online at the time you publish this interview maybe not.. Concerning another one I think it's difficult since we really want to propose something special each time but we never knows.
Q. Are there many extreme Metal Bands in France and is Metal a popular genre of music, are there lots of clubs and places to play live shows in France what is the music scene like in France I’m curious?
Mika: It's hard to sum up since it depends on the city, there are many and many bands of all kind of metal here, everyone here has seen that metal becomes more and more popular since we heard about bands like Metallica or ACDC on national tv shows or in national news papers but we can't say popular by the ways given to metal bands to make something in this country, playing in a metal or rock band is very often considered as refusing to have a “true job” or making “true studies”! But it's a huge discussion we could have... There are not too many places to play, big venues that only a great international band can fill up because french people don't come to see French bands playing, Gojira is the exception! Or we have crappy bar where it's hard to show something good from a band and where you have to pay your own beer when you play with your band! Things have really to evolve with that, it seems very different in Belgium or in Germany for example. But maybe someone else could have a totally different opinion about that, these are my own vision it's very personal...if anybody has heard about Gojira, there's a few of French metal or rock bands that deserves to be mentioned like Hacride, Scarve, Symbiosis, Tang or Doppler. But I just can't sum up what is the music scene like in France, you have to come !
Q. Curious what music festivals or venues come to mind as being Eryn Non Dae’s most memorable or favorite?
Mika: I guess we could agree about a Little Open Air Festival we played in Ribadavia/Spain where we've been welcomed as kings ! Everyone was so nice, and the city so beautiful, it's always a pleasure to discover local food, local usages with people smiling and very welcoming, the scene was in front of a castle, it was really a great moment we'll never forget these lovely people!
Q. What’s the bands focus for 2009 will they be touring to promote Hydra Lernaia or is the band working on new songs?
Mika: Since Hydra Lernaïa is ready since a moment now even if you discover it now, we already have a few songs for the next one, we don't want to compose in a hurry when time will come for us to record the next one but we are looking for shows and for a booking agency to permit us to play the most we can, this is our greatest wish I think... Playing live is the reason for the band to make this.
Q. Can we see Eryn Non Dae come to Canada in the near future for a North American tour?
Mika: I wish we could already be there, we definitely hope for it but it's always about money... May your local booker/promoter hear me..
Q. Before we wrap up our interview does the band have any shout outs to friends and fans?
Mika: We hope to meet all of you soon or later, and a big hello to everyone that take time to listen to music sincerely!! Merci beaucoup !!
I want to thank Eryn Non Dae and Metal Blade Records for this interview.
Horns High you rock.
HMTV Canada
HMTV Canada
Mika: Thanks for your very interesting questions !!
Take care
Mika
Mika
