| What is your view of the band as far as the members maturing and expanding on ideas since the group formed back in 2004, especially between the release of Ages of Decay and Witnessing the Fall? |
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JB:
A lot of line-up changes happened since the creation of the band and each musician brought something onto the table. Now, we have a stable team since the time following the release of the first album., «Ages of Decay» and the intense touring we went through the last two years helped to increase our skills as players. I write most of the music and lyrics though, but everyone is involved when it comes to arrangements |
| Were there any inspirations for Witnessing the Fall when you guys sat down to write the music? |
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JB:
I wanted to make a record that would be extreme in every meanings of the word. The lyrics describe human's darkest behaviors, how men can hurt themselves in many ways. It was the starting point, so the riffs were meant to create an oppressive atmosphere. |
| Some members are involved in other acts, such as drummer Gaël Barthélemy being involved with a number of other groups. Do you think working in other bands affects the music of Svart Crown, or even Witnessing the Fall in general? Why or why not? |
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JB:
Bands Gaël plays with are more or less on a hiatus but the experience he had, playing in various projects obviously made him the drummer he is today. Ludo and Clément also have a project fo their own and i think it's a good thing they can express themselves with ideas that wouldn't necessarily fit to Svart Crown since i'm the main composer. |
| Where there any complications during the writing or recording of Witnessing the Fall? |
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JB:
For the writing, i recorded demos with drum programming for the other guys to practice the songs and add their own flavor. We worked on the arrangements until the recording. The drum tracking has been the most intricate part as it was really challenging for Gaël to play the songs. Otherwise, everything went well. |
| How do you feel about the production quality of the release? To me it sounded rather muddy, was that something you were going for? |
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JB:
Yes, the production on the first album was really clean and modern and we really wanted something more organic and dirt as it had to fit with the lyrical concept. However, we wanted each instrument to be understandable. We worked with three different guys to record and mix the album and all of them understood our vision and made possible what we wanted to accomplish. |
| "Of Sulphur and Fire" sounds a lot louder, at least at the start, then the other songs on the recording. Were you guys aware of it, or, again, was this something intentional? |
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JB:
«Of Sulphur and Fire» is one of the two songs i mentioned above. I wanted that kind of atmosphere on an entire song since we have some similar parts on other tracks of the album like «Into a Demential Sea» or «Dogs of God».But those songs have blasting part as well. That what makes «Of Sulphur and Fire» special. And it's the perfect way to end an album. |
| Some songs seemed like you really just abused using various changes in the pace of the music, like "Dogs of Gods". Why was there such a strong focus for some songs on the release to go from blisteringly fast to such a slow pace? |
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JB:
We didn't want classic structures for the songs but a lot of dynamics on the record. We talked about «Of Sulphur and Fire» that goes between heaviness and groove. On the opposite, «Here comes your Salvation» is mostly about speed and brutality. But for the other songs, there's a multitude of atmospheres in order to keep things surprising for the listener. |
| Overall, are you happy with the way this recording came out? Is there anything you wish you could change now, or that you wish you had time to change when recording? |
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JB:
We managed to be as close as possible as the vision we had in mind when we started the whole process. But there's never just a one way possible, to make a record. Many different possibilities can be chosen. The next one will be different for sure. |
| What made you guys sign with Listenable Records, and were there any other offers on the table before you decided to jump on board with them? |
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JB:
We had a few possibilities but Listenable was the obvious choice for us since they're one of the top french labels and are highly regarded abroad. Many great records have been released on Listenable and we knew it would work. And so far, it does! |
| Are there any specific plans for Svart Crown in 2011 once this effort hits the States, such as a music video, an extensive tour schedule, etc.? |
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JB:
We are extremely happy that the album is about to be available in the U.S. We hope to have a positive feedback. And of course, a tour would be a fantastic experience. It's sure in our intentions to do it as soon as possible. |
| Is there anything I didn't quite get to touch on that's going on, or just anything in general you'd like to mention? |
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JB:
I just hope that among all the records that come out every month, we'll make a difference. We're here to stay for a long time! |
| Anything you'd like to say to the readers and your fans? |
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JB:
Thanks to all the individuals that get in touch with us, show interest and support us. We can't wait to tour the U.S. Hopefully, this year, we'll be able to make it. Stay tuned! |
| Thank you for your time, and hope all goes well with the release of Witnessing the Fall. |
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JB:
Thanks to you for the interview. Cheers! |
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