Assassin’s Blade – Interview –
Interview
Hello, Welcome to Acier Doux , How long has the band been together ?
We have been together since 2014, so 3 years.
Is there a particular story behind the band name ?
We didn’t have a name for the band when we started and we couldn’t find a suitable one. I later came up with the name and we decided to go with it. It sounds very much 80’s metal and that fits the music quite well I think.
Since your band is underground in the initial meaning of the word, an introduction to you music would be necessary ?
We play classic metal, heavy metal sometimes speed metal. It is the music closest to us and we really enjoy writing and playing music in that field. Our vocalist, Jacques Bélanger, is the former vocalist of Exciter so of course we get some comparison to them but we play more along the lines of Iron Maiden or Crimson Glory. Despite the number of bands existing I still believe that it is possible to create something somewhat unique if you put your mind to it.
The music of Assassin’s Blade was always Heavy and Speed , or almost always. Was your goal to be as this way to play as possible ? If the band had appeared a few years later, do you think you might have used blastbeats in a so extensive manner? In the mid to late 90’s it was the way to be the most extreme ?
I think the style of the band would have been the same even if we formed earlier or later.
The band originated from, Canada/ Sweden, Were there cool Heavy metal bands in your area back then? Maybe there was something like a scene with bands worth the neckbreak ?
Locally, here in Sweden, the scene is very limited. There are a lot of bands from other parts of Sweden but we do not have that much contact with them.
Your debut album ” Agents of Mystification ” Was released by Pure Steel Records. How did it happen and are you happy with the release ?
Andreas from Pure Steel contacted us and wanted to sign the band. It seemed like a good idea so we went ahead with it. Generally, we are very happy about the record: great cover, great songs and performance !
Comparing the current metal scene to the 80’s, do you regret anything ? Maybe paper fanzines keep a place in your heart ? Maybe you loved to pile tapes over tapes, until it reached the roof ? Don’t you feel sometimes, the underground communication was more efficient in the 80’s/ 90’s, even though there were fewer And harder possibilities to communicate ?
There are two sides to every coin. It was a lot harder to find other metalheads and to find new music before but the bands that made it had a better chance of getting big. Nowadays it is much easier to find new music but the amount of bands and records today is overwhelming.
What’s the most memorable show you guys have played and where are you scheduled to hit the stage in the near future ?
We did our debut gig at the Metal Magic Festival in Denmarkin July this year. It was a great show and we can’t wait to get back on stage. There are plans for a tour in 2018 which I really hope will work out.
How important are lyrics for the band ? Who writes them ? What kinds of themes inspire you guys to write about ?
The lyrics are important, however they should not overshadow the music. I write most of the lyrics and the other guys put in a word or so here and there. I usually take inspiration from books I read. On the album, inspiration was taken from “If on A Winter’s Night A Traveler” by Italo Calvino, ” Erstratos” by Jean-Paul Sartre and “Runaway Horses” by Yukio Mishima, for example.
Are there any countries you’re interested in touring or performing in ? Why ?
Every country ! Of course it would be great perform in countries outside of Europe and North America, just to see the culture and experience another part of the world.
How do you think your music will progress in the future ?
The music will not progress so much in the sense that it will change direction but obviously we will become better writers and players and that will affect the music. I, for one, am really interesting in seeing where our music will take us. Get back to me in ten years and I will answer!
What are the next steps for your band ?
Right now, we are in pre-production of our second album. The songs are written and we are working on the arrangements. Hopefully in a few weeks we will be able to start recording. We plan to have it out by mid/late 2018.
Thanks for your time answering my questions. I wish you the best of luck ! Please close the interview in any way you like
Thank you very much this interview and I hope anybody reading it who is into classic Metal will check us out ! See you on tour !
Interviewer : Speedskullcrusher
