Gokan
In the latest years or so, the French Metal scene seems to be one of the leading forces in Europe; a land in which we can find good and bad things in the same time, the only thing being that Gokan is one of the most powerful combos raised in the new millennium! Because I started recently a new collaboration with this French label called M & O Music, I decided that it will be a very good idea to get in touch with one of the leading bands signed to Alexandre's home recording. And, in the end, all bands constituents were invited to add a few words!
Arcana Noctis: Hello everyone! New label, M & O Music, and new album, "Modes De Pensée" released just a few months ago; what will be the latest news from your camp right now?
Sbab: Not many concerts lately, just spending time staring at each other.
Vince: Not only, thanks God. We're already working on the following coming up album.
Arcana Noctis: Could you please tell us a few words about band's debut in this Metal mainstream, and why not about your past as musicians?
Vince: We all came from bands that all played quite a lot of concerts. We put that experience into Gokan's "live" life.
Scarinx: That's right; Damien (guitar) and his brother Flo (drums) who started Gokan were in the bands Clone Inc. and Gotham. Sbab was in Confront and Vince played in Skunt. Bands split up and musicians gathered with the 2 brothers in the newly created Gokan. I still lead my own band Eradicate with which we also work on new materials for a third album.
Arcana Noctis: Your first material was a 5 track CD under Gokan name! What can you tell us about its musical content and about the feedback that it received meanwhile?
Scarinx: It all came out of several music pieces created by the 2 brothers who wanted a music defined in 3 words: crude, powerful and efficient! The first 5 tracks release was recorded very fast to get a very spontaneous sound.
Arcana Noctis: You started combining usual Heavy Metal with sensitivity and aggressive lines; all these being emphasized by high technical skills! There are many that thinks Gokan could be a mixture between Texture, Born From Pain, The Arrs and L'Esprit Du Clan! Do you impart such ideas? And what could be the actual musical content of Gokan in your opinion?
Sbab: It's not so important to classify our music; to us it is part of the Metal music genre. I don't want to be meaning but ... L'Esprit Du Clan as a reference is not very likely to please us!!
Vince: I agree that we do not care to be classified. We do what we like. We do have musical influences of course (but who does not?) and we might want to be closer to such or such artists ... but to compare Gokan to these bands ... I'm not sure I see the similarities. Some people might find some, personally I don't.
Arcana Noctis: It would be very nice if you could tell us a few words about the live activity you had after the release of this first material? And what your band status was all this period passed since you were chosen to play at Le Printemps De Bourges in 2008?
Vince: To play such events or the French Hellfest or the Zénith Hall in Nantes (our home town) are very important steps for the band. We hope to tour the album "Modes De Pensée" in 2010. But so far we can't say we really "tour". For the moment we're mostly working on the 2nd album.
Scarinx: We received 3 or 4 proposals for live tour from M & O Music, but so far it hasn't been possible either for technical reasons or because of our personal planning. But we do stay open to any other opportunity!
Arcana Noctis: I suppose that you started to work on "Modes De Pensée" in the same period you had that festival I mentioned above! How the working process on, "Modes De Pensée" went on and what will be Gokan's working manner?
Sbab: Rehearsing 3 times a week, the work process put itself in place naturally. It also helps us to get ready for live appearances easily. In the near future we keep that up as it works well for us.
Arcana Noctis: What will be the main musical difference, if this is such a thing, between your first full length and that 5 track CD you released almost 5 years ago?
Sbab: I'd say the main difference is the maturity we're still acquiring as musicians and our increasing skills. But we love to keep a smooth and true Rock'n'Roll sound.
Arcana Noctis: "Modes De Pensée" consists in 12 songs and it was recorded last year in Drudenhaus Studio. The mastering and mixing processes took part in Spectrum Studio! Could you please tell us a few words about this last album and a short history concerning all its tacks?
Scarinx: The pre-production was very important for the recording of the album. The fact that Damien was in charge of the mixing was very good to the result we wanted to reach. We were able to work on a lot of details over time. I got the chance to correct and redo vocals, and I really enjoyed that. It's very different from being stuck with time deadlines when being in a "studio". I think it's been very good for the album as it is now and Damien has done an incredible good work!
Arcana Noctis: Its tracks were considered to be much deeper, more melodically and stronger than ever? Do you agree with such opinions concerning your band's first opus?
Vince: How could we say otherwise and claim you're wrong?! It's always very pleasant to get such feedback. More seriously we're quite happy with this first album. We do not like to have restraints and as Scarinx said, we always try to better our work 'til the last moment. For this album we did what we thought would be the best and we stayed musically open as the two last bonus tracks show, or the instrumental piece "L'Illusion" as well. Looking back one always thinks that things could be even better than they are. But overall we're pretty happy with the album.
Arcana Noctis: How you managed to release this material on M & O Music and what your relations with this label are? Do you plan to release more materials in collaboration with this home recording in the future?
Damien: I have to admit it was the only label that answered positively to our music so we did not really have a choice; but in the end it appears that Alex (the Boss of M & O Music) does a very good marketing job for the band and the album, and to top it all he also got us a national distribution deal with Mozaïc Records for our very first album. For the next one we hope to be able to produce it ourselves again in our own studio, but we'll try hard to do much better!!!
Arcana Noctis: Meanwhile you played interesting live events such as Bourges Spring Festival, Jeunes Charrues or mighty French Hellfest last summer on the main stage! What could you tell us about such important steps from Gokan's career and what should we expect from your band in the future?
Vince: We really loved to play these events!! For the people who came to see us live as well as for the challenge it was for us at the time to appear at such events. Being in the studio and rehearsing for these dates gave us a very intense period of time that brought us even closer to each other as a band. As far as the future is concerned, one does not always get what one wants ... if we could we'd be playing all over France in festivals and venues, we'd tour Europe, Eastern Europe, Romania! Got contacts for us?! ;-)))
Arcana Noctis: Being released since a while I suppose that "Modes De Pensée" received quite interesting reviews until now! Try to reveal us a few aspects about people's thoughts concerning this material, and what you still expect from this album in the near future?
Scarinx: When an album gets released, you let it out in the open and let it follow its own path, you can't control its destiny, and you can only enhance it when on stage and promote it in interviews! The listeners and audiences give real life to it! It's true we got very positive feedback so far and after the concerts people share with us their impressions about our show and they mostly love what they got! This entire good vibes are very important and very rewarding to us!
Arcana Noctis: Do you have some new ideas for a future material; or you want to tour as much as you can and then preparing a new material?
Sbab: As Vince said, we do not play a lot of live concerts right now, and that gives us time to work on the 2nd album; but we're gonna try to take "Modes De Pensée" live on the road with us as much as we can in the near future.
Arcana Noctis: In the end, what will be your other future plans? And what should we expect from Gokan from now on musically speaking?
Sbab: A second opus a bit more powerful filled up with Rock'n'Roll!
Vince: Exactly. We're also gonna try to musically even more open our sound, melodies and rhythmic. We'd like to add more solo guitar parts as well.
Arcana Noctis: That will be all for now my friends. Thanks a lot for your time that you spared with me. If you have something to tell your fans or to our readers feel free!
Sbab: Buy the album; It's perfect for love making!!!!
Vince: :-))) Not only, it's also great for headbangers, good to piss your annoying neighbor off. In a few years it'll be a lovely beer bock :-))) Thank you very much to you and Arcana Noctis.
Scarinx: Yes, thank you very much for this interview and for you interest for the band! Long live Arcana Noctis!
Arcana Noctis: Hello everyone! New label, M & O Music, and new album, "Modes De Pensée" released just a few months ago; what will be the latest news from your camp right now?
Sbab: Not many concerts lately, just spending time staring at each other.Vince: Not only, thanks God. We're already working on the following coming up album.
Arcana Noctis: Could you please tell us a few words about band's debut in this Metal mainstream, and why not about your past as musicians?
Vince: We all came from bands that all played quite a lot of concerts. We put that experience into Gokan's "live" life.
Scarinx: That's right; Damien (guitar) and his brother Flo (drums) who started Gokan were in the bands Clone Inc. and Gotham. Sbab was in Confront and Vince played in Skunt. Bands split up and musicians gathered with the 2 brothers in the newly created Gokan. I still lead my own band Eradicate with which we also work on new materials for a third album.
Arcana Noctis: Your first material was a 5 track CD under Gokan name! What can you tell us about its musical content and about the feedback that it received meanwhile?
Scarinx: It all came out of several music pieces created by the 2 brothers who wanted a music defined in 3 words: crude, powerful and efficient! The first 5 tracks release was recorded very fast to get a very spontaneous sound.
Arcana Noctis: You started combining usual Heavy Metal with sensitivity and aggressive lines; all these being emphasized by high technical skills! There are many that thinks Gokan could be a mixture between Texture, Born From Pain, The Arrs and L'Esprit Du Clan! Do you impart such ideas? And what could be the actual musical content of Gokan in your opinion?
Sbab: It's not so important to classify our music; to us it is part of the Metal music genre. I don't want to be meaning but ... L'Esprit Du Clan as a reference is not very likely to please us!!
Vince: I agree that we do not care to be classified. We do what we like. We do have musical influences of course (but who does not?) and we might want to be closer to such or such artists ... but to compare Gokan to these bands ... I'm not sure I see the similarities. Some people might find some, personally I don't.
Arcana Noctis: It would be very nice if you could tell us a few words about the live activity you had after the release of this first material? And what your band status was all this period passed since you were chosen to play at Le Printemps De Bourges in 2008?
Vince: To play such events or the French Hellfest or the Zénith Hall in Nantes (our home town) are very important steps for the band. We hope to tour the album "Modes De Pensée" in 2010. But so far we can't say we really "tour". For the moment we're mostly working on the 2nd album.
Scarinx: We received 3 or 4 proposals for live tour from M & O Music, but so far it hasn't been possible either for technical reasons or because of our personal planning. But we do stay open to any other opportunity!
Arcana Noctis: I suppose that you started to work on "Modes De Pensée" in the same period you had that festival I mentioned above! How the working process on, "Modes De Pensée" went on and what will be Gokan's working manner?
Sbab: Rehearsing 3 times a week, the work process put itself in place naturally. It also helps us to get ready for live appearances easily. In the near future we keep that up as it works well for us.
Arcana Noctis: What will be the main musical difference, if this is such a thing, between your first full length and that 5 track CD you released almost 5 years ago?
Sbab: I'd say the main difference is the maturity we're still acquiring as musicians and our increasing skills. But we love to keep a smooth and true Rock'n'Roll sound.
Arcana Noctis: "Modes De Pensée" consists in 12 songs and it was recorded last year in Drudenhaus Studio. The mastering and mixing processes took part in Spectrum Studio! Could you please tell us a few words about this last album and a short history concerning all its tacks?
Scarinx: The pre-production was very important for the recording of the album. The fact that Damien was in charge of the mixing was very good to the result we wanted to reach. We were able to work on a lot of details over time. I got the chance to correct and redo vocals, and I really enjoyed that. It's very different from being stuck with time deadlines when being in a "studio". I think it's been very good for the album as it is now and Damien has done an incredible good work!
Arcana Noctis: Its tracks were considered to be much deeper, more melodically and stronger than ever? Do you agree with such opinions concerning your band's first opus?
Vince: How could we say otherwise and claim you're wrong?! It's always very pleasant to get such feedback. More seriously we're quite happy with this first album. We do not like to have restraints and as Scarinx said, we always try to better our work 'til the last moment. For this album we did what we thought would be the best and we stayed musically open as the two last bonus tracks show, or the instrumental piece "L'Illusion" as well. Looking back one always thinks that things could be even better than they are. But overall we're pretty happy with the album.
Arcana Noctis: How you managed to release this material on M & O Music and what your relations with this label are? Do you plan to release more materials in collaboration with this home recording in the future?
Damien: I have to admit it was the only label that answered positively to our music so we did not really have a choice; but in the end it appears that Alex (the Boss of M & O Music) does a very good marketing job for the band and the album, and to top it all he also got us a national distribution deal with Mozaïc Records for our very first album. For the next one we hope to be able to produce it ourselves again in our own studio, but we'll try hard to do much better!!!
Arcana Noctis: Meanwhile you played interesting live events such as Bourges Spring Festival, Jeunes Charrues or mighty French Hellfest last summer on the main stage! What could you tell us about such important steps from Gokan's career and what should we expect from your band in the future?
Vince: We really loved to play these events!! For the people who came to see us live as well as for the challenge it was for us at the time to appear at such events. Being in the studio and rehearsing for these dates gave us a very intense period of time that brought us even closer to each other as a band. As far as the future is concerned, one does not always get what one wants ... if we could we'd be playing all over France in festivals and venues, we'd tour Europe, Eastern Europe, Romania! Got contacts for us?! ;-)))
Arcana Noctis: Being released since a while I suppose that "Modes De Pensée" received quite interesting reviews until now! Try to reveal us a few aspects about people's thoughts concerning this material, and what you still expect from this album in the near future?
Scarinx: When an album gets released, you let it out in the open and let it follow its own path, you can't control its destiny, and you can only enhance it when on stage and promote it in interviews! The listeners and audiences give real life to it! It's true we got very positive feedback so far and after the concerts people share with us their impressions about our show and they mostly love what they got! This entire good vibes are very important and very rewarding to us!
Arcana Noctis: Do you have some new ideas for a future material; or you want to tour as much as you can and then preparing a new material?
Sbab: As Vince said, we do not play a lot of live concerts right now, and that gives us time to work on the 2nd album; but we're gonna try to take "Modes De Pensée" live on the road with us as much as we can in the near future.
Arcana Noctis: In the end, what will be your other future plans? And what should we expect from Gokan from now on musically speaking?
Sbab: A second opus a bit more powerful filled up with Rock'n'Roll!
Vince: Exactly. We're also gonna try to musically even more open our sound, melodies and rhythmic. We'd like to add more solo guitar parts as well.
Arcana Noctis: That will be all for now my friends. Thanks a lot for your time that you spared with me. If you have something to tell your fans or to our readers feel free!
Sbab: Buy the album; It's perfect for love making!!!!
Vince: :-))) Not only, it's also great for headbangers, good to piss your annoying neighbor off. In a few years it'll be a lovely beer bock :-))) Thank you very much to you and Arcana Noctis.
Scarinx: Yes, thank you very much for this interview and for you interest for the band! Long live Arcana Noctis!