Lord Shades Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Lord Shades is currently working a lot on the promotion of the album, we’re also looking for
gigs and tours, some partnerships that could give us any kind of support, and a professional
label.
Of course, apart from that, we’re rehearsing a lot to offer the best stage performance we can
when we’re playing.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from
previous releases?

The musical sound of the new album is much more professional than that of the previous one,
even if we worked a lot on the latter. The thing is, we had better means on that second album.

We tried to be the more precise we could on the sound recording of the instruments (guitars,
bass, drums), every detail had to be perfect. Then, the sound was mixed at LSD Ton Studio,
Germany, which succeeded in giving it the deepness and powerfulness the first album lacked.
One of the biggest challenges was the bass, because we – especially Alex (bass/vocals) –
wanted it to be audible, powerful, twangy and groovy.

The samples represented the part not to be missed during the mixing of the album.
Olivier Perrin worked hard on it, and arranged it perfectly, then Lasse Lammert found the
homogeneous, precise and powerful mixing it needed.

We are satisfied of the sound of this album, even if, when we think about it, we have some
regrets, as some parts could have been ever better carried out. However, we have to remind
everyone the whole album is autoproduced, and that we’re working with what we got.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new
album?

This second album is a direct sequel to our first opus. Every album will be a chapter of the
story the band imagines step by step.

The worlds represented in our lyrics are imaginary, but they keep a kind of link with the
actual medieval era, plus a bit of fantasy and magic.
If we had to compare it, we could mention LOTR, with a more developed spiritual aspect and
much more darkness.

Our stories are made of bloody fights, journeys through fantastic worlds, encounters with
mystical characters and terrible choices our main character will have to do.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

When Lord Shades was a solo project, Alex had already established what the main character
would go through and what its universe would look like.

This name had to be simple and representative of the story.

You will certainly have to wait for some more chapters to understand why this name was
chosen…

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you
describe your stage performance?

We played at a festival named Epipapu in August 2011, which enabled us to realise what
would be Lord Shades like on a professional stage.
We did really great, even if we think we might have needed a bit more work regarding stage
performance. Anyway, it was the first time the band played on a big stage, and we were
heading towards the unknown.

Then, in December 2011, we played in a festival in Limoges (town in the centre region of
France). This festival lasted for 2 days and we were given the privilege to close the first
day. Sound, lights, audience, everything there promised a great performance. We can say
we have completed the challenge, given the excellent feedback we received concerning our
performance.

Lord Shades and its intense atmospheric and symphonic aspects offers more than a simple
metal concert, it allows the audience to travel through a dark and mystic world.

We’re thinking about the future and working our stage performance a lot. We wish to offer
the best we can and keep on playing on great stages.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

You have to keep in mind we are an autoproduced band, we do almost everything on our own
(promotion, booking, distribution). We contacted a lot of associations and booking agencies to
suggest our participation to one of their concert or tour.

Unfortunately, the answers are often negative, as the associations are often overcrowded
due to the too many bands present. We are ready to move and get available if we have an
opportunity to tour, we’re more than motivated! Sooner or later, Lord Shades will take over
the stages!

7. Can you tell us a little bit more about Blue Wave Production?

Blue Wave Production allows us to get Lord Shades known in the whole world! By
collaborating with them, we can find a number of webzines interested in writing reviews
on our new album, and thus introduce our music to a larger audience. Besides, Blue Wave
Production tries to broadcast some of our songs on different radio stations around the world.

This kind of collaboration is a great support for the band, and helps us to cope with the great
amount of promotion work we have.

8. On a worldwide level how has your music been received by fans of atmospheric black,
doom and death metal?

The international promotion just began, via Blue Wave Production. We are eager to receive
feedback from different countries.

In France, the album received top honours from the great majority of reviewers. The feedback
is quite amazing!

We know our music style, because of its symphonic and atmospheric aspects, cannot be
appreciated by everyone and we may receive negative feedback, but we have to take these
criticisms into account to move on and continue working on our objectives. Most of all, we
want to keep on evolving in our style, remaining faithful to ourselves. We don’t want to
change our music to follow the mode or do something we don’t really like!

9. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

All the members of Lord Shades give their body and soul to the project! We don’t have time
for other projects besides, because we think that if we want Lord Shades to be here for a long
time and become a renowned band, we have to devote it enough time, and even more than
that… You don’t get something for nothing!

We all live in different regions of France, but we manage to meet up regularly for the band.
Every member of the band is greatly and personally involved in the project. All the rest is
secondary.

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Our music is full of dark, symphonic, ethereal, violent atmospheres.

We’re going to keep up with this, and get deeper in this style, trying to give it another
dimension and push it more to the extremes.

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and
also what are you listening to nowadays?

Well, about that, we have to admit we’re all fans of Septic Flesh, without exception, but we
are also fans of much more violent bands like Nile, with their totally mind-blowing passages,
Krisiun, because of their powerfulness, some albums by Dimmu, Death, Orphaned Land,
Emperor, Enslaved, and many others… but who had the biggest influence on us, we really
don’t know!

12. Does Occultism or Mythology play any role in your music?

We’re all quite interested in the medieval/fantastic universe, because it totally corresponds to
the music we make. This universe, as well as its characters, landscapes, weird atmospheres, is
a major inspiring influence for our music. However, we never mention anything that has to do
with religion!

Our songwriter, Laurent Barbarit, is very keen on fantastic literature, and perfectly managed
to adapt his texts to the different atmospheres our music contains.

To be brief, we try to draw all the elements that could make our music more powerful,
enchanting, ambitious from the fantastic universe… to add a bit of magic!

We noted that the audience seems to appreciate the “literary” aspect of the band, given the
reviews and feedback we received.

13.Outside of music what are some of your interests?

The members have various interests. Nico (drums) absolutely wants to become the better
tennisman on Earth (laughs). Cyril (lead guitar) tries to ward off the attacks of the young
karatekas of his club. Alex, (bass/vocals), merges with his computer to create software and
programs that most of human beings cannot understand.

And Fabien (guitar)… we don’t really know about his other activities…

Generally, we like to spend time together with a good meal, enjoying good local wine and
cheese, and of course, eating snails and frog legs (laughs).

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

LORD SHADES is now dedicating all its time to the search of gigs in the whole world. We
would be glad to introduce our music to as many people as possible!

Thank you very much for your invitation, we hope everyone will rush to our website
www.lordshades.com/en to discover our music!!