Interviews: NOCTURN

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Melodic Death Metal/Black Metal band, NOCTURN, from France. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Vince (vocals/gtr): The band was named differently at its beginning, but it was not a serious name. We wanted a name that relates about something darker. I proposed a few ideas, the guys prefered Nocturn among other propositions.

Seb (keyboards): It was been a long processing time to chose this name. We tried a few other ones but we finally decided to choose this.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Seb: When I was a teenager, a friend of mine stole to his big brother a VHS of Guns N Roses (Welcome to the video) and it was my first contact with Hard rock music. Since that time I knew I would like to play in a band. Then I discovered black/death styles and thought it would be fun to play it.

Vince: I fell into distorted guitars at 12-13 years old when I discovered Scorpions, Deep Purple, Van Halen, Clapton, Iron Maiden, etc ... I discovered something that could aggressive and beautiful at the same time and it surely defined my taste for metal music. ...Then came heavy, speed, thrash, black and death, and grind metal. We always wanted to play something dark, speed, but with no limits in songwriting influences or orchestrations. Black and death metal are present in our music, but also backing of heavy/speed metal, thrash metal, classical music...

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Vince: At the beginning yes. The first guitarist was Seb's brother, the previous singer and the drummer were old friends, but we had to change members and evolve several times in our history. I'm proud of our current bandmates, they're the perfect team.

Seb: The original line-up was a indeed only formed from old friends, but time has gone and only Vince and myself, the 2 founding members of the band, are still from this era. We had to change members a few time as almost every band.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Vince: I can't have only one !!! Death, Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian if I must reduce)

Seb: Hard to mention only one !! "Jean-Michel Guns' N Borgir"

Sophie (vocals): The Agonist is perhaps the one that has influenced the way I sing the most.

Léo (gtr, bck vocals): Pantera, Nikki d, Jamiroquai, Nougaro, Tal Wilkenfeld, Esperanza Spalding, Thievery Corporation,, Mozart et Chouchou.

Math (bass): only one is hot nah The Doors , Archspire , Mastodon , Ulcerate ... that's OK ?^^

Flo (drums): It was Led Zeppelin with the legendary John Bonham who made me want to play drums, with their album I II III IV which are purely musical prowess and which despite everything, Also with the influence of Deep Purple and Black sabbath were more or less the pioneers of Hard Rock which made it possible to create metal. Otherwise except Led Zeppelin, I have in my drums a big influence of Muse, Red hot Chili pepper, Rolling Stone, Avenged Sevenfold, James Brown, Dream Theater, Bob Marley, ... In short, I don't really have any favorite groups but here are the groups which allowed me to have good techniques on the drums.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Vince: Music is sometimes a materialization of special feelings. And sometimes it simply flows when playing guitars.

Seb: Inspiration comes from life experience and my feelings at some specials moment of my life.

6. Where was your last gig act?

Vince: At La Brasserie Pirate, in Haute-Savoie, in december 2019.

Seb: me too

7. Whom would you like to feature with?

Vince: Public ;) I don't know, many good bands in France. Maybe some like Xaon, Akiavel, Monolyth, or why not dreaming Jinger, Arch Ennemy or Kataklysm.

8. Whom not?

Black metal bands with excessive make-up and smelly pork blood flowing upon the stage, with low level of playing.

9. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Vince: No particular stage fright as far as I know, but it's normal to be anxious. Specially if for some reason you have already failed in a previous live date. You need to reduce anxiety and stress of the situation by breathing deeply, knowing your songs perfectly that your fingers could play without thinking about it, so as your crew. You must have a good sound return system, if you can get an in-ear return to avoid stage issues. If mastering your environnement is not enough, don't look at the public, look at the wall behind them , or at your instrument! 

Seb: Don't think, just go

10. What bands have inspired you the most?

Vince: Death, Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Angra and Cradle of Filth.

Seb: Emperor, Mustis, Cradle, Manu le Malin..

11. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Vince: Kissing requests after signing albums are always weird.

12. What do you think of your fans?

Vince: I love them !!

13. What do you think of our site?

Vince: I like your site Breathing the Core. The page is really exhaustive about emerging bands in all kinds of metal in the world, this is clearly the work of someone passionned by metal and centered on the underground scene. We're proud to join forces soon! Good and nice job.

14. Something add?

Thanks again to our producers Rob and Arnaud, and to all the artists involved in this project. I hope you and your audience will enjoy this album. Thanks to you and to Breathing the Core for your interest, and hails to your audience ! Cheers