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For the people who are not known with La Division
Mentale, could you please give a short introduction of
the band?
Cypher: LA DIVISION MENTALE was created in 1998.
The purpose was to mix the highly-rated roughness of
Metal with experimental electronic tunes. No concept, no
music labelling, just a laboratory of sounds. We have
now released ‘L’Extase des Fous’ that is some kind of
compromise between textures and violence.
Mriik: Personally, I recently joined the project; it was
in the end of 2005. I’m the one behind the vocals on the
new album…
How did things get started?
Cypher: I needed a pretext to investigate M.A.O,
hardwares, machines, etc. The bands I was working with
in the past did not tolerate everything and anything,
thus I had to create LdM. Back to 2003-2004, I stopped
some of my other projects, so I had more time to give
coherence to LdM. Then the band finally integrated Mriik
(WOLOK, DEVILISH ERA) on vokillz and we chose to invite
guests and friends for industrialized tracks (YD from
ABSENT and Bk from BABYLON CHAOS). They all made a
brilliant work. So it took about three years to compose
and shape the album, everything else only deals with
prospecting and promotion.
Can you tell me something about the bandname?
Cypher: I just wanted a name which doesn’t bound
the group to a precise musical style, while keeping a
particular identity. Nothing more, nothing less.
Mriik: I guess this name indeed goes out of the
beaten track. People can remember it for it sounds
original, strange or even intriguing.
What are your main influences, and how would you
describe your music?
Cypher: I don’t think that LdM have direct
influences, I did not create LdM to sound like such or
such band, on the contrary. We listen to many different
things, and I think you can feel it when listening to
l’Extase des Fous or Syndromes (our first demo). It’s
difficult to describe LdM’s music for me, because I more
feel it that I can define it. It deals with my blood, my
nerves.
Mriik: I must confess that Cypher made an
impressing job, he managed to create original music
without spreading obvious influences. But for people who
cannot live without comparisons, I would say that LdM is
some kind of Industrialized Black Metal. We got some
reviews about the album and they were quoting some names
such as RED HARVEST, DIABOLICUM, THE BERZERKER and so on.
Your album 'L’Extase Des Fous' came out on May 4th,
2007. Why should people buy this album in your opinion?
Cypher: …….. ? I don’t know! Maybe to greet Blood::Fire::Death
Records for such a risk-taking or to appreciate their
choice to propose something different. This album is
what we wanted to listen to, a perfect compromise
between Extreme Metal and Electro Indus weirdness. An
effort of curiosity is needed, then an effort of
comprehension. If you want to hear something different,
buy it!
It received good ratings from our webzine, but I
couldn't find other reviews (yet). How did other press
reply on it? And what about the audience?
Cypher: Everything sounds great for the moment.
Some Metal zines don’t understand why there are so many
electronic parts. They speak about ‘interludes’. But
these are not fucking interludes; they are tracks, in
the same way as the Metal tracks. These parts are not
anecdotic. They are a part of the whole, feed the whole
and give to l’Extase des Fous its particularity. This
album is nothing without the tracks created by Bk and
Yd. I will wait for the feedback from Electro zines who
should find that the Metal touch is too present, ah ah!
Globally, we are very satisfied with feedback. We were
not intending to please everybody, and it’s ok that way.
Mriik: The response has been overwhelmingly
positive till now, I’m quite surprised about this as I
was expecting some usual comments such as “how can you
mix Black Metal and Indus/Electro”, you know, the purist
bullshit. But all in all, the new album seems to be
appreciated by the Metal audience. The most important
thing is that Cypher and I are satisfied with the shit.
We play music to enjoy ourselves and we sit on other
opinions and suggestions.
What is, in your opinion, the best track on the
album, and why?
Cypher: According to me, the album is a whole.
It’s just a single piece and it was built that way.
Every part leads to the following part and it’s been
quite a while since I haven’t listened to it in another
way than on its length.
Mriik: I agree with Cypher, we can’t divide the
album in different parts, there is no best track,
everything is one.
The main point of critic against the album I had was
the amount of ambient tracks.
Cypher: As I said earlier, we simply wanted to
make a real crossover between Extreme Metal and Indus
sounds. It was time to go further, without kindness. I
have the feeling that we have succeeded. About the
future, I do not know how things will turn. It will
depend on needs for the next album.
Mriik: The balance between Metal and Indus stuff
is quite perfect. The ambient parts can help the
listener to rest for a while and escape the
aggressiveness of the Metal parts. Everything is built
upon ambiances, atmospheres and mood.
What can we expect of La Division Mentale in the near
future?
Cypher: Now, it’s promotion time. And I’m
starting to work slowly for new tracks.
Mriik: I’ll still be there to scream out the
industrialized insanity!!
Thanks a lot for your time answering my questions,
the interview ends here. Have you got any final words
for the readers?
Cypher: First, I want to thank you for your
support. Remember that ‘l’Extase des Fous’ is a real
narration, complete immersion into noise. No easy music
here. A particular experience…
Interview by: Gerardo (June 2007) |
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