Byatis
Wywiad przeprowadził Tomasz Osuch
Is this a new face in French brutal death metal? I’m sure that the answer is yes. Their debut album "In Dark Abysses Of Memory" confirms these fucking words! This is one of the new faces in the new wave in extreme music called – the new generation of French brutal death metal. I asked Phildar, the vocalist/guitarist of this camp about a few things. Read, listen and enjoy! Byatis debut album entitled „In Dark Abysses Of Memory" has been available for a month now, and I suppose that you are waiting for reaction to this album. Have you got any so far?
"Yes, the reactions come little by little towards us. The reviews multiply, and although different opinions, the appreciations are developing. It also appears that certain purchasers listen to already the album in loop. It is rather good sign."
Byatis plays brutal death metal. It’s a killer piece of music and you did a great job on the new album. I like your music, and in my review I highly appreciated your songs! Do you have any special expectations from "In Dark Abysses Of Memory"?
"Very content that you like that! What we hope for above all in return of the album, they are contacts. And it for that that we made a normal pulling of "In Dark Abysses Of Memory" for the sale and another pulling, hard-bound, is intended for promotion. The fact of being able dispatcher of CDs promo brings the interviews, the review... That makes it possible to be made known."
Before "In Dark Abysses Of Memory" you recorded one demo - "Race Of Cain". What was the reaction to that stuff (especially in French underground)?
"Appear that we do not like this production. In fact, those are two recordings gathered on a model. The second time that we passed in studio, we could record two titles which had only would have made light on the demonstration. We thus added the two other titles that it one had first recording and who were reproduced on compilation "Intramurock" distributed in our area. These two last are of a doubtful quality. We had a review on "Race Of Cain" where the author seemed to feel the same things. However, at the time of the concerts, we were surprised reactions of the public and pals. Of access because some of between them had the album (150 copies printed and distributed by our care), but because moreover, it was listened! In waiting of the next album!"
In the past you played different genre of music from that which you play now. You started as Trepanation and played death/grind music. Why did you decide to give up grind and concentrate on death metal? Did you release anything as Trepanation?
"Byatis was formed in 1997. The group appellait Trepanation then and played a music between the brutal/death and the grind inspired by Brutal Truth, Carcass gold Death Napalm. After changes of line-up, the group was stabilized in 1998 and became Byatis. The titles of the group, with Vincent in the battery, Phildar with the guitar, Marc with low and the principal song and Flav with the guitar and the vocal backing, were less and less grind. The compositions became increasingly worked with a search for continuity within the pieces and also as a whole."
Byatis lineup has changed a bit since then? What is the current lineup of the band now?
"Byatis is composed of Flavien to the rhythmic guitar and soloist, and also to the acute voice, then of Phildar to the rhythmic guitar with some interventions solos, like with the guttural voice. Gilles deals with bass and his brother, Vincent, of the drums. The current line-up seems to be more in phase with the impact which the music of Byatis must return."
Byatis is recommended and described as a ‘new generation of French brutal death metal’. What do you think about it? Do you think about Byatis music in this way?
"One can say that there is a new wave in the French underground. And it is true that Byatis is a recent group which forms part of this vintage. But I do not think only it is necessary to put everyone in the same unit. All the groups differ the ones from the others. When us, we play our own music, one does not try to follow a movement to correspond to the mould of what functions in this moment."
When we are talking about new faces on French scene, tell me which bands would you like to add to this ‘new generation’? Well, I’d like to say you, that without Byatis, I’m really impressed and I like bands such like Dungortheb, Kabbal and 7th Nemesis! By the way, what is the current condition of French grind and black music? Any new bands playing these genres in your country?
"After a transitory passage of the black which was very in vogue, there are two or three years, of the heaps of bands make speak about them maintaining. 7th Nemesis, Recueil Morbid, Kronos, Decline Of Humanity, ..., Byatis are bands of brutal death. But the grind holds a good place too. Recently Gronibard made speak about him well beyond the French scene. Other bands of grind, like Putrefied, occur for some time."
When I listen to "In Dark Abysses Of Memory" I hear that you are fans of technical playing of Nocturnus or Death. Am I right?
"Actually, we are fans of all the groups of brutal death. But it is true that the technique influences much our judgement with the listening of an album. It is why we appreciate also the progressive rock'n'roll like Dream Theater, Liquid, ..., but also all the guitar hero, even if some of between them aggravate us."
Do you like listening to classical music? Lots of musicians are usually talking that this kind of music can be an inspiration for them. In this way they are able to develop their skills and later their music can be influenced by classics in some way. And what about you?
"Yes, we like and respect this kind of music. The traditional type-setters are the Masters of the ffitting of the instruments between them, and the harmonization of the notes of each one. No other style of music exploits as much the development of topics in the melody. One could quote considerable works like the Bach series or works for piano of Satie, but there are also Mousorsky, Mozart, Verdi? These guy were geniuses of the music, whereas we do nothing but try to be a Master of one instrument. We can thus only appreciate their ideas and be inspired some."
Can you explain all the events concerning your recording session? I know that thanks to Skull Fucked the album was re-recorded. Was it caused by sound which you and Skull Fucked weren’t satisfied with at first time, or maybe there was something else? However, "In Dark Abysses Of Memory" finally sounds great!
"It is with sigature of the contract with Skull Fucked that it was decided to re-record the album. The first version was a complete autoproduction, with the cellar like studio and a PC like counts of recording and mixing. It was clean, but the sound did not "killer enough". We are thus to pass by again in studio, in Midnight, during ego of February. And the result was indeed much better."
Marc (Vocalist/guitarist) left Byatis after the first recordings of the album. Why did it happen? I suppose it wasn’t a good situation for you, but thanks to this event, you decided to do vocals, and you are the main vocalist in Byatis. I have to say that with two vocals Byatis music is more interesting!
"Marc left the band in June 2002, after the first own-recorded of the album. It was thus necessary to take again a bass player and a singer, and this within a rather short time, for the exit of the album. Gilles, who was an already bass player in Trepanation, then joined the group. Phildar taken song. This formation was ready in two months and it changed the impact of the music of Byatis. Thus, the voice was even re-recorded before it is not question of the re-recording of all the album in studio."
Skull Fucked Prod. is the label set up by Fred from Inhumate. It seems that he supports the underground scene all the time! Have you known him for a long time? How did it happen that you decided to work together?
"Quite simply because it was the first label which contacted us, after having had the demo "Race Of Cain". The second reason is that one of the two guys who carry out the label plays in Inhumate, one of the most famous french grind band. The third reason is that we appreciate a lot their philosophy. Promotion is the main aspect of our contract. It's very important and thanks to them our name begin to be known outside of our region. They also buy adverts in magazines that we couldn't afford. They're also in charge to distribute the CD. However, this album is still an self-production and we also participate to promotion and distribution."
I know that you signed with Skull Fucked a promotion & distribution deal. Why didn’t you sign a normal deal, and decided to self-release your debut album instead?
"The own-produced album was abandoned because it would not have had a rather strong impact within the framework of promotion. It is true that we had not made the album in this direction at the beginning, it was more to put our titles on CD and to pass to another thing. The contract that we signed brings us of promotion, publicity and the addresses to distribute. It is a good screw of inch and part of this job less significant for the band. One can thus devote oneself longer to the music."
I think that you are searching for a label. Are you in negotiating process? Is there any good deal for Byatis waiting out there?
"The search for a label forms part of the various steps that we realize with CDs promo. The re-recording of the album was made in this direction. Remain to await the label who would be interested by a young band of the North of France."
You play lots of shows. What is the response to your live music? Who did you played recently and with whom will you play in the nearest time?
"We try to make at least a concert per month. If it is more, it is so much better. The public has, it seems to us, always appreciated our services, although it could not compare with the album and that it could not know our music apart from our live, of "Race Of Cain" and the titles available on the site. We made an excursion sympathetic nerve in shift with Blairville, lately. However, it is the "Splendid" which is the largest scene that we pressed recently. It was in first part of Aborted, Scarve and No Return. If not we have some dates of envisaged here at the end of the year: November 8 in Red Bar in Boulogne with Antagony, November 14 at Panic of O (Mechelen - Belgium) always with Antagony, and on December 21 in Killer Fest in Strasbourg, where Obscenity will occur normally."
That’s all, thanks for the intie Phildar. Let’s finish with the question about second album. When can we expect it? Are you preparing some new stuff?
"We want well to advance after this long period spent for the exit of "In Dark Abysses Of Memory". It will be an album concept with a composition close to that to Nornes. We began the writing of the texts."
