Wednesday, November 30, 2011

"signs of Osiris" : THE masterpiece by LORD VICAR

Despite the programmed loss of two mammoths of Doom like CATHEDRAL and CANDLEMASS, there's no worries to have concerning the future of classic doom with new leaders like THE GATES OF SLUMBER, THE WOUNDED KINGS  and on the top of the list LORD VICAR... Obviously, for various reasons, they'll surely never become as popular but the quality is here (which is obviously the most essential) and we'll soon have to count also on newcomers like PALLBEARER, PILGRIM, STONE MAGNUM and a few others, not forgetting some long awaited new albums from ORODRUIN or BLOOD FARMERS within the next months...
Back to our brilliant finnish quartet, LORD VICAR has unleashed here an outstanding sophomore album with "signs of Osiris"... Where "fear no pain" was yet surely not an hesitant or impersonal debut as often new bands can offer, this new album  is as much characterized by maturity, than ambition and even audacity.
The style of the band didn't change much, still being deeply rooted in the crushing classic doom field, Kimi and his comrades have essentially pushed the atmospheres further with the development of longer instrumental parts, including a slight retro/psychedelic feeling and some audacious solos from Jussi and Gareth (the majestuous "child witness") who represent maybe the most original and effective rythmic section of the actual classic doom scene.
Then, what about Kimi and Chritus ? the qualities of both don't need anymore proof for a long time,  but they're not the kind of guys that rest on their laurels and offer the same soup every time !!!
Kimi has yet several classics behind him but he reached a peak with "signs of Osiris", in terms of technic and moods; tragical and progressive are now adjectives that are as important as powerful, crushing and heavy to underline the band's own identity... Chritus (ex St Vitus, Count Raven and Terra Firma... if someone still needs to know his pedigree !) is more than ever an ispired wizard, and I don't give a fuck if he sounds like a young Ozzy or an unshaven Dan Fondelius, his voice is just perfectly intense, harmonious and beautiful !
I have maybe a preference for the exceptionnal sequence of the 2 first songs ("sign of Osiris slain" and "the answer") which is yet something very impressive to start the album, but this "child witness" composed of three distinct parts confirm the band's exceptionnal sense of aesthetic heaviness and power, then "between the blue temple and the north tower" has turned my guts with its tragical riffing and vocals, then.... Well, no need to draw it longer, EACH song is essential and as catchy as the cover is beautiful and mystical ! So do yourself a favour, buy this album as soon as possible, this will be with no doubt your best Christmas present ;)
Until a few days ago I was still thinking  that "the wretch" would be my fave album of the year, but "signs of Osiris" arrived and (even if I'm not yet definitive)  it has pretty much challenged my opinion...
 Anyway one thing is sure CHURCH WITHIN is THE Doom label n°1 this year !!!

http://www.doom-dealer.de/
https://www.facebook.com/lordvicar

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

a little chat with the ultra-heavy RITUALS from Phoenix

RITUALS was formed in late 2010 in Phoenix (Arizona) featuring current members of HELLAS MOUNDS and former members of ABYSMAL. RITUALS play a blend of slow, heavy and pummeling riffs with a mixture of sonically versed melancholy melodies, and are currently working on an EP with a forthcoming release date.
This summer the band has opened for YOB and DARK CASTLE; some more recent ones saw the band playing with THE ATLAS MOTH, THOU and BATTILUS, while next ones planed will be with MOURNFUL CONGREAGATION and BLACK COBRA...Playing with such great bands, after no more than one year of existence, speaks for itself !!!
 Listening to their crushing ep, I'd say that RITUALS is indeed the kind of perfect opener for this type of soulful bands; there's a great blend of blackness, anger and refined atmospheres here too, something hugely massive and powerful which takes you alternatively or at the same time by the throat and guts, I imagine how fuckin' loud this band can play on stage !
You'd better check them out right now, because  they'll catch you up anyway sooner or later and your ears will bleed even more !!! If you need more to be convinced, their signing with ALERTA ANTIFASCISTA RECORDS (home of GRIEF, MORNE, SAVIOURS, etc...) tends definitely to confirm that RITUALS is one of the strongest hopes of the US scene !!!
In order to deepen things about RITUALS, I asked a few questions to vocalist Brandon :

* Even if I'm sure you're gonna be huge quickly, RITUALS is a new name in the scene, especially here in Europe, could you please present the band members and tell us your objectives when you formed one year ago ?
Rituals is myself (Brandon Garrabrants) on vocals, Gregory Colson on guitar, Blake Wissman on guitar, Jared Regan on bass and Andy Rich on drums.  Our objectives a year ago when this all began was to make loud music that was honest and help contribute to phoenix and arizona in general. Greg and I had kept in touch over time, him being in Hellas Mounds and the rest of us being in local bands here and there. We all wanted to be in a band that was dedicated and helped bring local/out of state shows to az.
* The name RITUALS would be usually affiliated with death or black satanic kind of bands, in your case it would be rather more something like "sonic rituals", how do you relate it to your music ?
That's the first thing that comes to most, but in this case, our name is concerning the habits and situations we as humans must face in life and put ourselves through. The daily patterns, the things we're self concious of, the pain we inflict upon eachother. The shit we all think and experience that at times is or isn't necessary.
*There's an increasing development of bands mixing sludge/post HC/doom and even Black metal all together, more currently from the USA than in Europe which is more traditionnal, what's your opinion about that and how do you situate RITUALS in the scene ?  
Traditional doom is deeply rooted in Europe so it's completely understandable that it has remained for the most part in its original form. I think the U.S. blending so many genres is a product of the great influence Europe has made on our music. I also feel it's an homage to Europe and the rest of the world when bands in the U.S. borrow from genres across the earth. We feel inspired by the bands that started it all and it's a natural progression to want to not only pay homage but create something new just as they did. I think sticking to only one genre can be a fantastic thing if it's what you are setting out to do, but we especially as a band enjoy exploring different sounds because so many bands and people have inspired us.
* The name of your songs are a bit intriguing, but maybe it's enough explicit and I'm looking for useless complications ! is "Takotsubo cardiomyopathy" speaking about medicine and "induced-compliance Paradigm" about your vision of the world ?
You're right. Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy is a type of medical condition. It's the sudden weakening of the heart muscle, which can lead to heart failure. It's said that loss and traumatic events can cause this. I wrote it about the end of a relationship and the feeling I got that I literally couldn't continue living without this person and a lot of times felt like it would be easier to be gone. Induced-Compliance Paradigm is a good an example of how I feel about the world. It's about an experiment done on students that were given a task with a reward and students given the same task and were rewarded close to nothing. The students with the large reward were dissonant and the ones with the lesser reward found ways to convince themselves to internalize their feelings. We're living this life all as if there's a final goal or milestone we're going to reach. We're conditioned to keep working and moving along as if there's a reward awaiting us. We don't realize that a lot of the time, we miss out on living because we're too busy convincing ourselves that this is happiness and forget about what we truly want. In the end, there is no big day or event that justifies losing yourself. You live once and then you're dead forever. I'd rather spend my time for myself than trying to convince myself that the montonous, daily 9-5 life is where I want to be.


* Your style is generally ultra-heavy, dark and angered but can also be melancholic and coldly melodic... how do you manage this duality ?
This mixture really became a thing of its own. We didn't set out to make music that clashed or had parts arranged a certain way. Our moods and emotions definitely came through and I think that's what has kept things moving along so well. We aren't being artificial with each other or the music. We're expressing the fucked up things we all go through in sound because we can all relate to the primitive feeling of wanting to fucking lose it and scream your heart out. It's every range of shit we all go through. The calm, the beauty and the desperation.
* You've opened for Yob and Dark Castle, how did you enjoy it ? Next gigs planed with The Atlas Moth and Thou are also very exciting, you guys have talent and surely deserve it , but are you conscious that things are yet turning out great for you ?
Those were amazing shows. As fans, that's about as good as a show can get. But to be able to play alongside bands that have had such an impact on us, we are very grateful. The Atlas Moth and Thou are going to be mammoth. Again, all of these bands have played a large part in the music we play, so a chance for them to come to Phoenix and then to play with them, is just mindblowing. As far as success goes, we are a family and we are completely dedicated to making music we are proud of. Money isn't an issue, because we don't care about it. We are very excited about the future and what it holds for us.
* Could you now present the ep and the process to get a copy and the T-shirt ? any possibility to see the ep released on CD version ?
Our first EP/LP will be available early 2012 through us and our friends at Alerta Antifascista Records. We will.also have an online store going up soon, You can find more info at ritualsmusic.blogspot.com and of course you can always get merch at our live shows too.

* Anything to add ?
Nothing much more to add other than thanks for caring enough about what we are doing to ask us these questions, this shit always humbles us, we honestly just love making music and having fun. Also thanks to everyone who has supported us along the way, we wouldn't be able to do this without all of you!
http://www.no-pasaran.org/ (Alerta Antifascista)

Monday, November 28, 2011

After anxiety and stress, then a huge relief ... it's now time to clarify our programm for ROADBURN 2012 !!!

During a few months I thought that the last edition of the legendary ROADBURN festival would have been the peak of my doomster's history towards gigs... with of course the very special show of CANDLEMASS,but also THE GATES OF SLUMBER, BLOOD CEREMONY,  PLACE OF SKULLS, VOIVOD (yet playing twice !), BLOOD FARMERS, WEEDEATER, COUNT RAVEN, EVOKEN, HOODED MENACE....
But, when first SLEEP and then shortly after THE OBSESSED have been announced for 2012, I wasn't that affirmative anymore ! and when little by little, outstanding names like ORCHID, LORD VICAR, YOB, SIGIRIYA, DOPETHRONE, INTERNAL VOID, CELSTIAL SEASON, KONG, etc... have been revealed, I changed my mind because the conclusion was fucking obvious : the best was yet to come !!!                                                        

The work and investment from Walter and his friends are huge, they really don't lack of energy, ideas and ingenuity to present such a top notch and diverse line-up with lots of exceptionnal events within the event itself  and for all that they deserve our deepest recognition.
Finally, I would like to congratulate the designer of the festival who, from year to year, always find original ideas to make very nice customed posters of the event for each band playing.

I was completely stressed during the few hours leading up to the virtual  epic war battle that happened around 10:00 last saturday !!!  but everything went almost perfectly (succeeded to get 2 pass at the 2nd try)... So every lucky owner of a ticket can now prepare with enthusiasm his own programm, that will surely need some little adaptations when the definitive running order will be ready !!!       One important thing to consider too is that it's cool to know there's many possibilities to discover new bands at Roadburn and last but not least the perspective to meet numerous cool people to share  good times with,  of course through a fantastic musical programm but also cool discussions, drinks and some of the best weed of the world !!!
ROADBURN 2012 ? The fantastic perspective of a bright musical  spring !    



Here's the programm (in red are the bands I plan to see) :

Thursday Thursday, April 12th 

Agalloch
Ancient VVisdom
Ancestors
Chelsea Wolfe
Christian Mistress
d.USK/diSEMBOWELMENT
Hammers of Misfortune
Horisont
Killing Joke
La Otracina
Lord Vicar
OM
Orchid
Priestess
Red Fang
Saturnalia Temple
Sigiriya
Spiders
Ulver
Virus
Voivod                                                                                    
White Static Demon vs JK Flesh
Year of the Goat

Friday, April 13th – Voivod’s Au-delà du Réel at the 013 venue
Anekdoten
Aun
Black Breath
Celeste
Conan
Danava
Doom
Dopethrone
End of Level Boss
Farflung
Kong
Nachtmystium (playing Instict: Decay in its entirety)                         
Valient Thorr
Voivod (playing Dimension Hatröss)
Witch
Yob (playing The Unreal Never Lived in full)

Saturday, April 14th (Doors open: 14:30)
 40 Watt Sun
 Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell
 Bongripper                                                                   
Celestial Season (performing Solar Lovers)
 Church of Misery
 Dark Buddha Rising
 Devil
 Heavy Jam (J Mascis, Mario Rubalcaba...)
 Jesu – (Justin K Broadrick Residency)
 Jucifer
 Leaf Hound – playing their seminal Growers of Mushroom
 Necro Deathmort
 Necros Christos
 The Obsessed
 Pelican
 Purson
 Saviours
 Sleep
 Tombs

Sunday, April 15th – The Afterburner (Doors open: 14:30)
Atlantis
Black Cobra
Bong
Bongripper – Satan Worshipping Doom: entire album performance
Dragged Into Sunlight
Coroner
Fleshpress
Internal Void
The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation
Urfaust
Yob (playing Catharsis in its entirety)





Sunday, November 27, 2011

"30 weight" by GIDEON SMITH & THE DIXIE DAMNED

There's bands which we consider too rare, others too under-rated, but concerning GIDEON SMITH and THE DIXIE DAMNED it's immediately both that come in mind, yeah too fuckin' rare and under-rated !!!
Maybe too quickly ranged in the box "Southern Rock", the style of the band is more rich and  stripped than one can imagine, especially on this new album "30 weight" where the general mood is darker than usual, for my greatest pleasure !
I read here and there the word GOTHIC regarding this developed aspect on this new album, I would rather say there's new sounds in a music (that remains deeply and simply AMERICAN ROCK'N ROLL) which could remind a bit  what we called here "english rock" from the mid 80's with the likes of JOY DIVISION or  the darkest early hours of  THE STRANGLERS,just simply  dark and catchy sounds,without any tendencious and/or reducing GOTHIC image, which in my opinion seem far from the GIDEON's identity and authenticity.
At first, it could seem a bit strange to hear these guys covering "I bleed black" (ST VITUS), but this last just a few seconds and  is simply one of the best cover I've ever heard, one of  the most personnal in its interpretation but most faithful in the spirit, so haunting, disturbing. All in all, it seems then not so surprising, but nearly logical that they choose this song cause it's pretty much in the vein of the album and the Maryland Doom style presents similarities with the band's main characters : a simple and authentic taste for raw and heavy rock'n roll ! Sure there's differences in the pace of the songs, but where starts doom music exactly ? is it necessary slow and/or epic ?!!! This is more a question of hypnotic heaviness in my opinion and GIDEON knows something about it for sure !!!
His voice is even more beautiful, often described as a cousin of Jim Morisson and Elvis Presley, his performance, here more than ever, leads him right among contemporaries like Peter Steele and Glenn Danzig... This is just my honest opinion, but this guy has really something special in his voice, he's definitely a brilliant modern gloomy crooner !
The bluesy southern feelings are not  abandonned at all, just more subtle but still deeply rooted with well balanced rythmic and hot stoner like melodies like on "love of the vampire" and "born to the highway".
I've never been on the road in the States yet, I was yet dreaming of it about fifteen years ago while listening KYUSS or FU MANCHU but (with years passing) things have been a bit eroded with them and  for quite some time I was waiting for something new, then "30 weight" came out recently and the dream revived... well , hum, the trip is planed for 2014, so GIDEON, stay wild and free but please come down here before to play this excellent piece of rock'n roll !!!

http://www.smallstone.com/
www.facebook.com/pages/Gideon-Smith/156407677779456%3Fsk%3Dinfo

Friday, November 25, 2011

upcoming releases from SEPULCHRAL VOICE rds, THE home of European underground Ripping DEATH METAL !!!

In terms of DEATH METAL, I'm maybe not as much informed and updated as I was some long years ago, when the movement was at its peak in the early 90's, but I actually know one thing : SEPULCHRAL VOICE records is certainly THE best EUROPEAN label concerning quality underground true/back to the roots DEATH METAL...
Judge by yourselves with the list of bands they've released or are soon going to release : GRAVE MIASMA, NECROS CHRISTOS, EXCORIATE, VENENUM, DEGIAL, CHARON, INVIDIOUS, HELLSPAWN.... !!!! who else could globally deliver such great ripping and evilly brutal stuff ?
I had already presented you VENENUM a while ago, you have now to know that their album will be soon released, just as  CHARON "Sulphur Seraph" (debut album) and DEGIAL (s/t debut album)...
On November 30th will be released the split ep CHARON / HATESPAWN, not to forget the INVIDIOUS ep released on tape format and finally NECROS CHRISTOS "triune impurity rites" double vynil version to be repressed ! 


HATESPAWN (germany)
song from the split album with Dead Congregation


INVIDIOUS (sweden)
song from the ep 2011 "in death"


DEGIAL (Sweden)
song from demo


and now let's have a little reminder on the oldest bands from the label :


                                                          GRAVE MIASMA (uk)
                                             song from the mini album "exalted emanation"

                                                        NECROS CHRISTOS (germany)
                                            songs from the album "doom of the occvlt"


                                                           EXCORIATE (germany)
                                               song from the album "on pestilent winds"


http://www.sepulchralvoice.de/

Thursday, November 24, 2011

an interview with Martin Missy from the swedish epic doom rockers OBRERO

Coming from Sweden and formed around Martin Missy (also former and actual singer in the returning PROTECTOR), OBRERO has recently released what I consider as one of the very best DOOM albums of the year "Mortui Vivos Docent" on night Tripper Records (from Sweden too)...
Despite maybe deceiving apparences, this band doesn't come from nowhere and for sure won't remain a project without tomorrow; basically OBRERO's style is some kind of fresh and original retro 70's heavy rockin' doom but definitely not the way we're used to now for about two years (with the likes of Graveyard, Orchid, etc...) and as I precised "basically", I would add : "not only..." !
 It's maybe a bit hard to imagine but this could be an hybrid son of CANDLEMASS, TROUBLE, THE OBSESSED, early PENTAGRAM and CATHEDRAL, brought forth in a decadent evening dedicated to the hallucinated 70's and to the heaviest and most epic Metal of the early-mid 80's !!!
Sweden's heavy rockers/doomsters are often very tight and inspired musicians and there's absolutely no exception here, the guys are all extremly experienced, inspired and make obviously proof of a communicative enthusiasm, which will satisfy as much the fan of twisted mid-tempos and groovy parts, as the fan of heavy and epic moods... Finally I'd like to insist on Marty's vocals which are really exceptionnal and impressive in terms of harmony, power and charisma; just listen the Youtube video below with the song "the wolve's hook" and you won't fine any single little argument that can contradict this appreciation !
Oh sure this band isn't really wellknown for the moment, but I'm sure they'll become big in no time, so believe me they deserve your support right now...
Well, now let the mighty Martin speaks about the album,  the ambitions of OBRERO and its future :

The band formed in 2007 but just recorded the debut album in spring 2011, how did it come that it took 4 years to release an album with such experimented guys like you ?
At first we never thought about a record deal. The band was kind of a a rehearsal-room-project in the beginning. It was first when we had written and recorded a bunch of songs that we looked a little bit further.


What about the release “volume 1 : tales from the old west and beyond”, was that your demo ? Encyclopedia metallium says it came out in September, after the album really ? or maybe it’s released in a special edition (CD or vynil) ? This includes 12 songs of which none is on the album, how can you explain that ?
Yes, "Volume 1..." is our demo (released on CD) and contains the songs I mentioned in my first answer. Somehow it never got released though. And when we released "Mortui Vivos Docent" we thought it could be kind of cool when we release our demo after our debut-LP. I don't know if any band has done that before...? Probably, but nothing that I have heard of.

Your singing in Obrero is very different from what you previously did with other bands, did you have to work some particular aspects vocally wise ?
It took a lot of practicing to get the voice to sound like it does on "Mortui...". If you listen to the demo "Volume 1...", you can hear the difference. My voice was not as good / trained back then.

The lyrics deal with fantasy stories in environnments of hate, battles… Where do you find inspiration for that ? How do you manage to write such harmonious lyrics with this awesome epic touch like on “the wolf’s hook” and “svantovit” ? do you write them after the song’s composition is finished ?
I get inspiration from books, tv, cinema and real life. I usually write down an idea when I get it, and save it for when its time to write lyrics for a new song. The music always is wirtten first. After that I sit down, write the lyrics and then develop the vocal harmonies.

Any particular reason about the fact that the lyrics are not on the same order as the songs in the CD booklet ?
Hahaha, that was a mistake by the company that printed the booklet. We had sent them everything in the correct order.

Sweden has maybe the most productive scene in Europe concerning stoner and heavy rock, while the doom scene isn’t as active, especially considering that Candlemass will soon end, where do you situate OBRERO and do you think you could have an interesting place to take ?
Very difficult to say. We just focus on one day at a time. At the moment we're writing new songs. Then we will record them. After that it's time for the booklet / layout. And so on. We don't think that we ever could get as big as Candlemass, but if it should happen, it would of course be cool.

In your opinion, which song of the album represent the best the sound of OBRERO ? “svantovit” has everything representative I think : very catchy heavy rockin’ doom but also extremely heavy and epic with almost heavy/thrash riffs in the 2nd part (nice amazing 80’s touches), all that with a massive production…

That's very difficult to say as well. I think my favourite song is "Charles the Hammer", but I'm not sure if it has everything in it that represents Obrero. You may be right that "Svantovit" might have all the aspects of Obreros music in it.

What about your deal with Night Tripper ? Here’s your chance to give all details to guys who’d like to buy your album, especially tell us about the vynil version please… Are you in contact with both other bands from the label ? Is it just a one-album deal ?
We will release at least one more album on Night Tripper Records. We got in touch on Myspace actually. Cronis from Night Tripper Records liked us a lot and signed us right away. We are very happy that Cronis also decided to release "Mortui Vivos Docent" on vinyl. There still are a lot of fans that like to buy LPs in that format. We have no contact to the other bands from the label (yet).

What about gigs ? was the release-gig really your 1st one ? Any plans yet settled for 2012, maybe some summer festivals?
Yes, the release gig in Stockholm on the 23rd of September this year was our first gig. We haven't recieved a lot of offers for gigs yet. When we get them, we'll take a look and see what's possible (we all have jobs and other bands to regard and some of us also have families).

What about the comeback of PROTECTOR ? Was it a natural collective decision or was it maybe also the result of many fans requests ? After your departure from the band in the late 80’s, PROTECTOR turned out more into death metal stuff, what can we expect exactly for your next album ? Do you have yet contacts with any label for a 2012 release ?
We had been playing live with the Protector-coverband The Protectors for 5 years, when we decided to write new material and reactivate Protector again. Before that I asked Hansi Müller, who founded the band back in 1986, if it was ok with him. The new songs will be Thrash Metal, with a little touch of Death Metal here and there. We are in contact with some record companies for the release of a full-lengh LP next year, but nothing i decided yet.

It leads me to ask you the exact nature of OBRERO for you guys, as all of you are invested in various other bands, is it just a side-project ? Does it imply a lot of organization to satisfy all camps ?
Obrero started out as a side-project, but now it has become the band nr. 1 for all of us. Well, I have two nr. 1 bands now. :-)
The other bands (again with the exception of Protector) are not that active, so we have a lot of time for Obrero.

After all those years, do you still feel German, or definitely Swedish or just European ?
My mother is from Sweden and my father is from Germany, so I've always felt half-swedish / half-german. But I also feel European.




http://www.myspace.com/obreroswe
https://www.facebook.com/#!/Oberoswe
http://www.myspace.com/nighttripperrecords
sv-se.facebook.com/.../Night-Tripper-Recor...

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

new merch available and awesome live Photos from BARABBAS


The amazing french Doom quartet BARABBAS announce the release of some merchandising (T-shirt and patch) ; while the CD is still available, the band is looking for distributors and gigs too !
Talking about gigs, they'll be opening for THE WOUNDED KINGS next March (06th) in Rennes...
Finally, here come some top notch photos of their recent gig at "les 18 marches" (November 13th)... this can give you more than a precise idea about how looks like one of their sonic masses !
So please now SUPPORT  BARABBAS and the french DOOM scene \m/




http://www.reverbnation.com/eglisebarabbas
http://www.myspace.com/eglisebarabbas
http://www.reverbnation.com/eglisebarabbas










Thanx to Karine Sohier for this very nice work !
Watch out for all the photos of this gig on their FB page...

Monday, November 21, 2011

interview with BLOOD RITES (french Doom/Stoner/Sludge GIGS promoter in Rennes and Paris)

After a Webzine Editor (Ed Barnard from Doommantia), a Radioshow Programmer (Bob from The Soggy Bog show), here's now an interview with a Gig Organizer : I've named BLOOD RITES from Rennes (and Paris)... This young association is specialized in Doom/Stoner underground gigs and has yet serious references in less than one year and a half of existence, having organized awesome gigs with RAMESSES, ACID KING, YOB, HUATA and BARABBAS, MONARCH... And this is just the beginning, there's indeed yet nice projects for 2012 !!! Let's read what Maryline and Fernando have to say about this exciting adventure :

 As an introduction, could you please present yourselves Fernando and Maryline ?
Maryline : I'm native from Rennes (Brittany's capitol), 28 years old …
Fernando : 31 years old, Portuguese living in Paris ...

How did the project to become gig organizer did mature? Did you have previous experiences in this domain ? Was it before all to satisfy personal wishes (see Acid King in Rennes, for example) or only to respond to a request from fans of doom and stoner not much served here in France and particularly in Rennes ?
M : Fernando came to live in Rennes during some time between 2008/2009, and the bubbling of concerts in Paris  was lacking him a lot ... not easy to land in a "small town" and not always possible to combine the round trip with Paris...
Then, there's been one day this fatidical sentence "Bha! put up an association and make all those bands come here and play in Rennes!"
The idea matured, we had a great reflection together, we had no real experience in the organization of gigs, but we'd been yet for quite a long time following underground gigs and saw more or less precisely how things had to be managed. So we didn't take much time to embark on this great adventure !
Although I am from Rennes, I didn't knew much people listening to doom and stoner, a few people sure but not enough to fill a hall ! So we did it for us two in some way at the beginning and now we find more and more regular people from concert to concert and it's a great pleasure to see them happy like that! sharing the passion ...
F : As just said Maryline, we started from the observation that there was clearly not enough gigs here. Thus, we set up the assoc. initially just for fun and pleasure (basically see some of our fave bands), and then seeing the same heads quite often, we realized that we could do something more serious.
The audience is here now, present and motivated, either in Rennes or Paris and it motivates us to move forward and offer interesting programms !

Are each one's duties precisely shared or more pratically does Maryline work for Rennes and Fernando for Paris?
M : It has never been exactly defined, it just all happened naturally like that ... we know each other qualities very well ; first rule is concertation about bands, those who would like to come, those who have written to us, those who are on the tour pormotors list that we receive ... Fernando handles contacts with foreign bands, considering the poor quality of my English, he also takes care of  the gig venues in Paris. So I'm more working with the french contacts and all the rest, I take care of food and drinks, lugging the material ..
F : yeah, I must admit that Marylou ends up with the how to say ... the boring job, because I have personally no means of locomotion. 70% of the job, in the development of a date, is based on her shoulders. She takes care of shopping, cooking, etc ...
The day of the concert I try to take care of everything, which is simply impossible... She's more than a great help! We alternatively stay at the entrance, so that each of us can see a part of the organized gig. My role is really basic, I contact bands or tour promotors, etc. ... I negotiate, just cool sitting in front of my PC!

The 1st gig you organized was Ramesses (+ Huata) in Rennes in 2010: not a big deal financially, but an encouraging start anyway?
M : Yeah the first gig was RAMESSES with Terrifarmer (rip) and  HUATA. In fact we saw and enjoyed Ramesses at the Purple Turtle in London, we're devourers of RAMESSES, they perfectly illustrate our musical tastes! We had great time with them and it soon became obvious to start with them .. We started with just a few contacts, but good ones ! Then we added  HUATA who are faithful servants of doom, we try to help them as much as we can, and  Terrifarmer who did a great show, but unfortuantely they don't exist anymore.
The audience was thrilled by this sound coming from beyond the grave; I think we didn't immediately realized the enormity of the set! we met a lot of doom fans etc. .., it was very rich in contacts that night, it is also that gigs in Rennes ! people who enjoy their time, like to tell it to you and just thank you, that's nice and   gratifiying for all the job accomplished !l!
F : Sure we lost some money but that's absolutely nothing compared to the happiness of the present people ! The performance of RAMESSES was outstanding and impressed very much, people quickly saw that we intended to organized quality gigs.

Then came ACID KING last March in Rennes, with Carlton Melton who provided a superb first part, excellent gig again even if we could have hoped more people again?
M : Sure that ACID KING and CARLTON MELTON is a gig that will be eternally engraved in our memories ! indeed not that much people ... you know both bands are so fuckin heavy, it's maybe not that easily accessible to anyone .. The day after  they played in Paris, in front of 130 people! Rennes is much smaller than Paris, so it was not that  bad in the end !
F : Yes it is all a matter of scale, hahaha! It had risen very high this night ! : p  The most important thing is to see people happy at the end and with bands like that, only true addicts are  moving ! And when  people really involved in  the underground community come, enjoy the gig and thank you, it's just like if the box was full!
Bruno from the Mondo Bizarro,  what a man believe me, he was like a kid this night, waiting his turn for a photo with Lori ... he has brought his vinyls for some autograph! for us, that's been a real successful evening!

Last month, this was the turn of  YOB / DARK CASTLE  in Paris, much people and an absolutely awesome performance from the Oregon masters... great memories and a great satisfaction I guess ...?
M : Yes, with Fernando now living in Paris again, we wanted to make a try in Paris (anyway YOB in Rennes would have done about 80 like Acid King, which unfortunately wasn't possible to cover the costs). So we did this one in co-production with Stoned Gatherings, a great evening !
F :  Yes, an unforgettable evening! Great moments with unconventional bands and really simple individuals ! The total support of the whole audience, with some guys even coming from Poland and Sweden, has deeply pleased us !

The french doom scene finally awakens slightly and I think 2011 has particularly marked the emergence of three new bands whom you organized a new gig for last month (HUATA, BARABBAS and MHÖNOS) how was this show (I'm still bummed not to having been able to come)? With The Bottle Doom Lazy Band and Stangala, one can  feel solidarity and a positive mindset between these bands, how do you see thingsevoluting for this (still too confidential) french doom scene ?
M : This gig at the Pixi in Paris didn't happen as it was planed at all; to make it short, the boss of the bar wanted all bands to pay their drinks... also during the sets, as there wasn't much people drinking at the bar, he suddenly decided to stop everything; MONARCH couldn't even play anything, MHÖNOS set was reduced in time ... an epic evening but very formative for us ! Luckily BARABBAS offered an awesome set that night, they'll be coming in Rennes in March 2012 !!!
F. : One thing is certain our fave musical style becomes more and more popular here and we're not going to complain! Some bands are actually emerging and there's some real quality! For the bands you mentioned, respect to all of  them ! They are now exisiting for quite some time and don't give a fuck about trends ! A true friendship unites these bands, a real respect too, some haved toured together in the past and have also faced the same problems...

You have some nice projects coming next spring with THE WOUNDED KINGS and LORD VICAR + ORCHID ... hoping to place French bands as openers too and double dates with Rennes? How do you see the development of things?
M : Projects for 2012 are being in the works and the first to be concluded concern  THE WOUNDED KINGS : March  03rd in Paris with XXXX and 6th in Rennes (at The Mondo Bizarro) with probably BARABBAS and The BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND...
Then on May 11th, we'll do EIBON, COLLOSUS and MHONÖS always in Rennes.
Indeed we always try to introduce a French band, local or not, to provide them a stage, a cool event, it's a real good trade because they bring their friends and are happy to share a show with a wellknown band. Just like for HUATA which has had opportunities to play with Ramesses, Electric Wizard, and Aluk todolo with Monarch, as I often say this is always good for their experience.
To decide whether they'll play in Rennes or Paris, that depends of several  things, the desire of the bands above all, their rates, the availability of the venues ... it is a case by case, but rather an advantage for us to have two attachment points.
F : Concerning ORCHID and LORD VICAR it is too early to confirm the date in Paris (scheduled for April). I'm still waiting for news of their tour promotor; but in all cases this seems difficult to provide this set to Rennes ... they just have a very few dates available to play in France, so just Paris would be yet fantastic !
As for bands opening for The Wounded Kings, Maryline has yet said everything regarding Roahzon! (Rennes in Brittan). For Paris, I'm waiting for confirmations from the other bands I want to see playing... Hush, for now!
As said Maryline, we always try to place a local or national band, it's important to let people know that we also have nice bands here ! And finally yes it is an advantage for foreign bands to know that we are on two different cities, if they're interested that's two french dates guaranteed for them.

Fernando is maybe more connected to doom while Marilyn is more into Stoner, am I wrong or not ? It is not easy to mix pure Doom and pure Stoner, because without denying or  ignoring each other or being rivals so far, both scenes don't mix that much together in France, unlike other countries like the USA, England or the Netherlands .... what 's your opinion about that ?
M : I have an ear that was formed with great blowing rock n' roll like Rose tattoo, Motorhead, Ten Years After, Janis Joplin ... so yes I like it when it shakes and so I love Stoner but I am equally a fan of doom, heaviness and greasy slowness. We always kept a common thread in the selection of bands ...
Just for fun and my own pleasure, I organized a small gig at the Bar'hic in Rennes, alone to a smaller scale, with JUMPING JACK and MISSINGMILE. It was a solo test and it has been pretty successful, so I think to reiterate that !
F : We have different tastes, but the Holy Riff (as says Rodolphe from Barabbas) gathers us in our quest for decibels!  Some purists will say that both musics should not be mixed, but we absolutely don't give a shit about that! Could they be Doom or Stoner, we do organize gigs for bands we enjoy, that's all.

The venue "les Combustibles" in Paris where YOB played recently is a pretty cool place, do you prefer working with a venue over another (for musical and human conditions especially)? How is the collaboration with Stoned Gatherings going  for the organization of some concerts?
M :  The place offers pretty good conditions. Sure, the scene suffers from  a lack of space, but we managed to install all the material ... the only problem is the lack of visibility for a part of the audience, after the 4th row it's a bit complicated to see easily the scene.
F : Yes great place, good conditions for the bands and nice site! The agreement with Mathieu from The Stoned Gatherings was all natural, no worries at all for the date of yob! We'll certainly work again together in the future if there's good occasions like this one...

Beyond financial constraints, what causes you the most difficulties: administrative constraints, material constraints or maybe specific requirements from some bands ?
M : The financial constraints are of course the main thing but beyond that, we always try to give everything to host the bands in the best possible conditions, for example we need a minimum of cooking material to eat for sometimes more than 15 people! it also takes time. but with good sense and organization, it seems I'm ok for that, just considering Lori swallow her jambalaya! hahaha, we even had  Ronan (singer of HUATA) to bless the pie ...! So everything is ok !

Beyond the pleasure of the fan to be able to see some of his favorite bands,  do you have time to share good moments with the musicians?
M : The evening goes always super fast, but we always find time to chat with them, when eating or after in most cases; we also leave the entrance alternatively to enjoy some moments of  the concert, of course it's not the most optimum, but it does not matter, if we'd like to, we can still go and see the band to another gig, just for our own pleasure !

Can a band like KINGS DESTROY or DOPETHRONE who'd like to play in France in 2012  contact you directly or you are working specifically with tour promotors ?
F : Any band can contact us, fortunately we do not work exclusively with tour promotors. I do not like too much when there's intermediaries . After it's obvious that we need to enjoy the band and that the required are affordable and realistic.
We're still waiting for news from DOPETHRONE, I just know that they'd come without any material, just hands in the pockets, but if we really do it, there will always be someone to lend material ...

Thanx a lot to you and all the best for the future,  anything to add ?
M + F : Thanx a lot to the fans who come at gigs and to the bands who trust us. Thanx to you Stéphane for your support !
F : “Take the Slow Boat to save from Drowning!!”