The Seven Gates
As you will probably see, the French underground extreme Metal scene is very prolific; and day after day we can see that a plenty of interesting bands makes very good job and whit a lot of determination in my point of view! The Seven Gates is one of these bands, and its first opus will prove that this is a combo that we should trust in it; taking in consideration that some of its constituents are very known persons in the French Metal scene, we could say that this entity is on the right way through fame! So I get in touch with Vincent and Michel and look what I found for you!
Arcana Noctis: Hello Michel! How are you and how are the things going on for The Seven Gates now that your brand new album "Angel Of Suffering" has just been released and you just signed with Heavy Artillery from U.S.A.?
Michel: Fine! Yes indeed! We just started to get some feedback from people who've listened to our album and the response is amazing! And a tour is about to begin with our American label mates Exmortus all across Europe this summer that we'll pursue with a French tour at the fall of this year.
Arcana Noctis: First of all I would like you to tell us a few words about band's past, starting with the very beginning back in 2005 when you founded the band together with Vincent!
Michel: Well, actually Vince and I have known each other for many years before we started to play in the same band. And we both were sharing many points of view about Death Metal and music in general. So when we formed T7G in 2005, we exactly knew where we wanted to bring things. At the beginning, we had also another guitarist in T7G, but he never took part in the song writing as he was mostly involved with his own Hardcore band. For the same reason, he was replaced by Adrien Madrignac who I consider being the perfect partner as a guitarist, as far as Death Metal song writing goes! We also did recently welcome Kevin Ivancic on drums, since Regis choose to leave due to a loss of motivation to play this kind of extreme music. So I can tell you that we do now have what I call a "dream team", Kevin and Adrien being 100% on the Death-side of Metal!
Arcana Noctis: Your first records are a demo CD from 2006, and a mini CD "Gehenna's Sword" recorded 2 years ago, in 2007! What can you tell us about the 2 materials and what about the feedback that you received until today?
Michel: Everything went real fast! To tell the truth, the very first demo CD "All Is In All" is nothing but a mixed rehearsal, and Vincent decided to release it as a demo in order to pick some shows up. The sound is what it is, but it gained us the attention of many people into the underground scene! "Gehenna's Sword" was one step ahead, as we knew when we recorded that we wanted to release it and make a much better product to approach labels and get a deal. Once again, the response we got from it was huge!
Arcana Noctis: One year later you decided to record a live DVD! This choose that you have done it seems to me to be a little bit strange. Why did you recorded the DVD instead a full length? What else we should know about the live DVD recorded in 2008?
Michel: Well, we had a good opportunity to have one of our shows recorded, so it's pretty simple, we did it. And as the quality is good as well, we thought it would be an original way to promote the band.
Arcana Noctis: Now let's talk a little bit about your last material, band's first official album, called "Angel Of Suffering"! I would like you to introduce us the new opus by telling us all the things that we should know about it and a short introduction of each song if you don't mind!
Michel: "Angel Of Suffering" is the album I always wanted to hear as a Death Metal fan.
I'm very proud of this piece of art! We aren't the best musicians in the world, but on the other hand this never was a goal. Once again, it was written because Vincent and I did always share the same approach of this kind of music and were often frustrated not to be able to listen to something which makes you go like... "Waaah!"!!! I really do believe that writing songs is like a quest... Searching for the ideal! Each song on this album has been written in this spirit.
To present each track would be long, and perhaps a little bit annoying... But to give you a few ideas:
"Angel Of Suffering" is about the pain you seek, when you're trying to endure suffering to feel alive.
"Pressure" is about the spirit of war, the state of mind you have to reach to be a conqueror, a king.
"All Is In All" tells about the paradox of any religion and how you have to write your own truth and stick to it.
"Kingdom Of The Lost" is a dark song to me. It's about the unshaped shadow that has been flying above me for years. I can not tell you more, but it is a very personal matter.
Arcana Noctis: How could you describe the band's musical content in the present Death Metal style? I'm asking you this because I wrote the interview that you've done with the French Metallian, and you compared the musical content to an interesting combination between Zyklon and Bolt Thrower! So what's your point of view in the end?
Michel: Hmm... I can not really compare. I think everyone is trying to do his best and write songs in the way he feels to be the right one, I guess... And that's just what I'm trying to achieve. With absolutely no considerations about if it sounds like people expect it to sound. It goes the same when I hear someone telling me that we are an "old school Death Metal act"... Well... I've been playing this kind of music since it was only labelled as "Death Metal", so I'm not intending to sound "old-schooled" when I pick a new idea that excites me. And I believe that I write songs above any influences, except for what speaks to my soul.
Arcana Noctis: Tell us a few words about the recording process, and tell us also why did you used Serge DeAlmeida as a sound engineer? If I'm not wrong Serge is a band member, so isn't a little bit strange to use this one instead of a professional sound engineer? That doesn't seem that Serge isn't a very professional person, but...
Michel: Perhaps we did not make it clear enough, but Serge is not really a member of The Seven Gates. As a matter of fact, he's our sound engineer and we've been working with him for a very long time, but he does not take part in the writing process.
Arcana Noctis: You realised a video clip for "Angel Of Suffering" song with the help of Stephan Goursaud and MK Production! How it looks like in the end?
Michel: It was a good opportunity to work with these guys, the clip look like an horror scene's place like "Hellraiser". It looks good with a really special ambiance. But we prepare a version more evil for internet. I think it will be ready for the issue!
Arcana Noctis: I know that you decided to sell the first copies of the CD together with DVD! Why did you choose to offer the DVD and what is all about in it? Is this DVD the live one recorded back in 2008?
Michel: Yes sir. I think the very first persons to buy the album are those who've been supporting us since several years now... and it's pretty cool to offer those guys the bonus DVD with the album! You know, I've always been a Metal fan and as a kid, I really did enjoy the limited editions of my fave albums with the little bonus that gives you the little boner! Ha-ha! The concert was recorded at La Cave À Musique in Macon (France); the public is very fuckin' HOT!!
Arcana Noctis: The cover artwork is very impressive in my point of view! What does it represents and what is the most important link between the CD booklet and band's lyrical content? Also, tell us please if do you think that this imagine fits 100% with the musical content too!
Michel: Yes. It does fit it perfectly. I really do appreciate Vince's drawings a lot.
Vincent: Thanx, I realize an RPG game called "Sanctuair" from some years ago. My texts and graphics are inspired from some important scenes of the story line. It's a horror space opera!
Arcana Noctis: Thanks to you I heard for the first time about this label called Heavy Artillery from U.S.A.! How did you get in touch with this home recording and how are the things going on with your collaboration?
Vincent: We received any proposition for the deal. Heavy Artillery was the most serious and professional! I am really satisfied about them. It's a real label, not like some ones who do that to agreement their Sunday! I am nothing against this kind of label who growing the underground, but theirs objectives are not at the same level!
Arcana Noctis: Did you received a few interesting lines from the zines, magazines and from the web sites concerning this album "Angel Of Suffering"? Could you tell us what would be your opinion concerning the feedback that you've received until today concerning band's last creation?
Vincent: We are surprised every day by the excellent reaction of the media! Ha-ha Hopes it will continue!
Arcana Noctis: Now lets get back in time many, many years ago, back in the 90s when you recorded 2 albums for Adipocere Records with your 2 projects called Daemonium and Akhenaton! What could you tell us about that period, and tell us if in the future will be possible to reactivate the 2 bands?
Vincent: Sincerely it was a very good period of my life, I was one of the first one to mix classic instruments (keyboards) with Black/Dark Metal! ...I sold a lot of CDs and received a very good response from public! The 3rd album was totally destroyed by a BUG! Maybe I'll record another one when I will be an old man! For the moment T7G take to me all my free time!
Arcana Noctis: I know that you recorded an interesting album for Season Of Mist together with Michel, former member of a much known Death Metal bands called Mutilated, under the banner of Winds Of Sirius! Are you going to reanimate the band in the future?
Michel: No. Actually, at this time my band had just split up and Vincent asked me to help him out with this project of his own but I'm not to keen on trying to bring back to life what is, and should remain dead. All this belongs to the past.
Arcana Noctis: Lets get back to your actual band in activity, The Seven Gates, and tell us what are your future plans concerning your live activity, and why not a new album? Michel: Actually, Adrien and I have been working on new tracks for the second album, and I can tell you that musically, it will be a real step ahead! Oh yes it will!
Vincent: I've got some new songs too... I think we've got 6 songs started!!
Arcana Noctis: My friend that will be all for the moment. Thanks a lot for your time, and you have the last word to close the interview as it deserve!
Michel: Well, I hope that all the metalheads will come and meet us on stage. Stick to your truth, never give up, bite with hate the haters and hate them more! Death Metal shall always be. Rage!
Vincent: Thanx for the interview, stay true!
Arcana Noctis: Hello Michel! How are you and how are the things going on for The Seven Gates now that your brand new album "Angel Of Suffering" has just been released and you just signed with Heavy Artillery from U.S.A.?
Michel: Fine! Yes indeed! We just started to get some feedback from people who've listened to our album and the response is amazing! And a tour is about to begin with our American label mates Exmortus all across Europe this summer that we'll pursue with a French tour at the fall of this year.Arcana Noctis: First of all I would like you to tell us a few words about band's past, starting with the very beginning back in 2005 when you founded the band together with Vincent!
Michel: Well, actually Vince and I have known each other for many years before we started to play in the same band. And we both were sharing many points of view about Death Metal and music in general. So when we formed T7G in 2005, we exactly knew where we wanted to bring things. At the beginning, we had also another guitarist in T7G, but he never took part in the song writing as he was mostly involved with his own Hardcore band. For the same reason, he was replaced by Adrien Madrignac who I consider being the perfect partner as a guitarist, as far as Death Metal song writing goes! We also did recently welcome Kevin Ivancic on drums, since Regis choose to leave due to a loss of motivation to play this kind of extreme music. So I can tell you that we do now have what I call a "dream team", Kevin and Adrien being 100% on the Death-side of Metal!
Arcana Noctis: Your first records are a demo CD from 2006, and a mini CD "Gehenna's Sword" recorded 2 years ago, in 2007! What can you tell us about the 2 materials and what about the feedback that you received until today?
Michel: Everything went real fast! To tell the truth, the very first demo CD "All Is In All" is nothing but a mixed rehearsal, and Vincent decided to release it as a demo in order to pick some shows up. The sound is what it is, but it gained us the attention of many people into the underground scene! "Gehenna's Sword" was one step ahead, as we knew when we recorded that we wanted to release it and make a much better product to approach labels and get a deal. Once again, the response we got from it was huge!
Arcana Noctis: One year later you decided to record a live DVD! This choose that you have done it seems to me to be a little bit strange. Why did you recorded the DVD instead a full length? What else we should know about the live DVD recorded in 2008?
Michel: Well, we had a good opportunity to have one of our shows recorded, so it's pretty simple, we did it. And as the quality is good as well, we thought it would be an original way to promote the band.
Arcana Noctis: Now let's talk a little bit about your last material, band's first official album, called "Angel Of Suffering"! I would like you to introduce us the new opus by telling us all the things that we should know about it and a short introduction of each song if you don't mind!
Michel: "Angel Of Suffering" is the album I always wanted to hear as a Death Metal fan.
I'm very proud of this piece of art! We aren't the best musicians in the world, but on the other hand this never was a goal. Once again, it was written because Vincent and I did always share the same approach of this kind of music and were often frustrated not to be able to listen to something which makes you go like... "Waaah!"!!! I really do believe that writing songs is like a quest... Searching for the ideal! Each song on this album has been written in this spirit.
To present each track would be long, and perhaps a little bit annoying... But to give you a few ideas:
"Angel Of Suffering" is about the pain you seek, when you're trying to endure suffering to feel alive.
"Pressure" is about the spirit of war, the state of mind you have to reach to be a conqueror, a king.
"All Is In All" tells about the paradox of any religion and how you have to write your own truth and stick to it.
"Kingdom Of The Lost" is a dark song to me. It's about the unshaped shadow that has been flying above me for years. I can not tell you more, but it is a very personal matter.
Arcana Noctis: How could you describe the band's musical content in the present Death Metal style? I'm asking you this because I wrote the interview that you've done with the French Metallian, and you compared the musical content to an interesting combination between Zyklon and Bolt Thrower! So what's your point of view in the end?
Michel: Hmm... I can not really compare. I think everyone is trying to do his best and write songs in the way he feels to be the right one, I guess... And that's just what I'm trying to achieve. With absolutely no considerations about if it sounds like people expect it to sound. It goes the same when I hear someone telling me that we are an "old school Death Metal act"... Well... I've been playing this kind of music since it was only labelled as "Death Metal", so I'm not intending to sound "old-schooled" when I pick a new idea that excites me. And I believe that I write songs above any influences, except for what speaks to my soul.
Arcana Noctis: Tell us a few words about the recording process, and tell us also why did you used Serge DeAlmeida as a sound engineer? If I'm not wrong Serge is a band member, so isn't a little bit strange to use this one instead of a professional sound engineer? That doesn't seem that Serge isn't a very professional person, but...
Michel: Perhaps we did not make it clear enough, but Serge is not really a member of The Seven Gates. As a matter of fact, he's our sound engineer and we've been working with him for a very long time, but he does not take part in the writing process.
Arcana Noctis: You realised a video clip for "Angel Of Suffering" song with the help of Stephan Goursaud and MK Production! How it looks like in the end?
Michel: It was a good opportunity to work with these guys, the clip look like an horror scene's place like "Hellraiser". It looks good with a really special ambiance. But we prepare a version more evil for internet. I think it will be ready for the issue!
Arcana Noctis: I know that you decided to sell the first copies of the CD together with DVD! Why did you choose to offer the DVD and what is all about in it? Is this DVD the live one recorded back in 2008?
Michel: Yes sir. I think the very first persons to buy the album are those who've been supporting us since several years now... and it's pretty cool to offer those guys the bonus DVD with the album! You know, I've always been a Metal fan and as a kid, I really did enjoy the limited editions of my fave albums with the little bonus that gives you the little boner! Ha-ha! The concert was recorded at La Cave À Musique in Macon (France); the public is very fuckin' HOT!!
Arcana Noctis: The cover artwork is very impressive in my point of view! What does it represents and what is the most important link between the CD booklet and band's lyrical content? Also, tell us please if do you think that this imagine fits 100% with the musical content too!
Michel: Yes. It does fit it perfectly. I really do appreciate Vince's drawings a lot.
Vincent: Thanx, I realize an RPG game called "Sanctuair" from some years ago. My texts and graphics are inspired from some important scenes of the story line. It's a horror space opera!
Arcana Noctis: Thanks to you I heard for the first time about this label called Heavy Artillery from U.S.A.! How did you get in touch with this home recording and how are the things going on with your collaboration?
Vincent: We received any proposition for the deal. Heavy Artillery was the most serious and professional! I am really satisfied about them. It's a real label, not like some ones who do that to agreement their Sunday! I am nothing against this kind of label who growing the underground, but theirs objectives are not at the same level!
Arcana Noctis: Did you received a few interesting lines from the zines, magazines and from the web sites concerning this album "Angel Of Suffering"? Could you tell us what would be your opinion concerning the feedback that you've received until today concerning band's last creation?
Vincent: We are surprised every day by the excellent reaction of the media! Ha-ha Hopes it will continue!
Arcana Noctis: Now lets get back in time many, many years ago, back in the 90s when you recorded 2 albums for Adipocere Records with your 2 projects called Daemonium and Akhenaton! What could you tell us about that period, and tell us if in the future will be possible to reactivate the 2 bands?
Vincent: Sincerely it was a very good period of my life, I was one of the first one to mix classic instruments (keyboards) with Black/Dark Metal! ...I sold a lot of CDs and received a very good response from public! The 3rd album was totally destroyed by a BUG! Maybe I'll record another one when I will be an old man! For the moment T7G take to me all my free time!
Arcana Noctis: I know that you recorded an interesting album for Season Of Mist together with Michel, former member of a much known Death Metal bands called Mutilated, under the banner of Winds Of Sirius! Are you going to reanimate the band in the future?
Michel: No. Actually, at this time my band had just split up and Vincent asked me to help him out with this project of his own but I'm not to keen on trying to bring back to life what is, and should remain dead. All this belongs to the past.
Arcana Noctis: Lets get back to your actual band in activity, The Seven Gates, and tell us what are your future plans concerning your live activity, and why not a new album? Michel: Actually, Adrien and I have been working on new tracks for the second album, and I can tell you that musically, it will be a real step ahead! Oh yes it will!
Vincent: I've got some new songs too... I think we've got 6 songs started!!
Arcana Noctis: My friend that will be all for the moment. Thanks a lot for your time, and you have the last word to close the interview as it deserve!
Michel: Well, I hope that all the metalheads will come and meet us on stage. Stick to your truth, never give up, bite with hate the haters and hate them more! Death Metal shall always be. Rage!
Vincent: Thanx for the interview, stay true!