Interviews: Sectile

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Progressive Metal band, Sectile from Ireland. 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?

Gabriel Gaba - The name came from 'Opus Sectile' which is an ancient art form to create mosaics by putting together tiny pieces of cut stone in various colours to form a bigger image. The kind you see in Greek/Roman ruins or on a church's ceiling. It certainly did not come out 'just like that', we spent a good deal of time thinking about potential names before we decided on that one.

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

GG - I am not even sure what genre do we play? We usually describe it as a mix of prog, post rock and classic heavy metal, but it's also none of those things... it's the common denominator of our individual music tastes and influences, we didn't really plan to 'play this genre' for a specific reason, it happened naturally when the band got together.

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

GG - Our guitarist Mark and our bassist Cormac have been good friends since school, but they'd never played in a band together before Sectile. They had the idea to start the band and the rest of the members, who did not know them or each other, were found online.

4. Each band member favourite band?

GG - The only true and possibly confusing answer here is 'Mortician', for all of us. 

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

GG - I suppose that if you're an avid music listener and you play an instrument, sooner or later you will start to write songs because the music you listen to becomes 'part of your DNA' in a sense. So it happens naturally, with your emotions serving as a catalyst. Similarly for the lyrics, I read a lot of books and articles, watch a lot of movies and series, listen to a lot of music and podcasts, keep up with the news and I'm always thinking about all of those things, and discussing them with people, so they permeate your brain and eventually may end up inspiring the lyrics.

6. Where was your last gig?

GG - Curiously, our last gig was our debut album launch in our hometown Dublin at a venue called 'The Grand Social', playing a headline set of the album in full. That was in February 28th 2020, it was a very exciting night, but unfortunately COVID-19 hit Ireland shortly after and the first lockdown started, so we didn't really have a chance to tour the album, which was a big letdown.

7. Where would you like to act?

GG - We would like to play anywhere where there's people interested in listening! Obviously, as any new band, our collective dream is that one day we will be able to play a world tour in all of the big venues and festivals, and that's what we will work towards. Let's see what the future holds!

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

GG - Some favourites which come to mind would be Opeth, Leprous, Steven Wilson, Black Peaks, Intronaut... and of course the aforementioned Mortician.

9. Whom not?

GG - I suppose there's a lot of bands with members who are neo-Nazi, ultra-nationalist and stuff, which are being 'named and shamed' online. I'd rather not be associated with any of them.

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

GG - Stage fright is something that happens with every musician every time, regardless of years of experience, because there are a million ways a performance can go wrong, and you don't always have control over that. The fear usually subsides a few minutes after the show starts, you simply forget about it as your body and mind kick into gear and you focus on the music.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

GG - I think the ones we mentioned previously are pretty good examples!

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

GG - Our fans are usually very polite, never had issues. There was a funny story once when a local 'personality' let's put it this way, came to our merch desk, grabbed one of each item there, said 'thank you' and walked away with them, assuming they didn't have to pay. We actually had to chase them and ask for payment.

13. What do you think of your fans?

GG - Love'em, they're the best.

14. What do you think of our site?

GG - It's great, very comprehensive and a nice source of info on all sorts of bands. There's a lot to discover.

15. Something add?

GG - Just want to thank you and the readers for the interview! If anyone wants to listen to our music our debut album 'Falls Apart' is available for streaming on all platforms, or if you're feeling generous you can purchase it from sectileofficial.bandcamp.com . Also, follow us on instagram.com/sectileofficial and facebook.com/sectile to keep track of what's coming! Our second album is pretty much written and we're just waiting on this pandemic hell to end so we can go back recording and playing gigs! Thanks! Gabriel Gaba / Sectile