MEAT WE’RE MADE OF – NIELS ‘COYOTE’ BANG
Design: Robin Chave “Harons”
Like for our debut EP’s artwork, we did it ourselves. We called a photographer for the professional quality, but all the artistic process came from us. This one was made to embarrass the viewers. Nobody wants to have a human head on their plate staring at them, although if it’s an animal head, that’s usually ok. Be sure that we’re not militant vegans, we’re not even vegetarians, but this artwork aims to put mankind in its place. It also connects our music with the title ‘Meat We’re Made Of’. It’s a whole. To simplify, almost all our songs have a double reading. First, you can read different stories about evil things, mad men, kinds of creatures, fantastic heroes and characters etc. But if you read with another eye, you’ll understand that almost all the lyrics are metaphors about one thing, human behaviour.
Depression. Unfortunately, it must be one of the best sources of inspiration to write what really strikes the listener. Nobody wants to hear someone happy; it makes them sad. Movies are also a huge inspiration for us. There wouldn’t have been ‘Samouraï de l’Univers’ without movies.
When composing music, we’re used to experimenting with all that comes to mind. No matter if it takes several hours to finally not do it! The same goes for rehearsals to work on different live versions of our songs. I guess we attempt to live our lives this way. Trying and experimenting with things, so we have no regrets.
Heavy music used to be a kind of cult for us as teenagers. But today, we’d say that we worship music in general. Gab started with jazz music as a drummer. Jessy used to listen to Vivaldi compilations in the car and is currently learning bossa nova music. I listen to a lot of 70s and 80s pop from different countries. (France, Japan, Spain…) It would be too long to tell the story of each of us. But of course, we find ourselves mostly in metal music, so we chose to do it. We love its energy and all its musical possibilities. We love being outrageous on stage. But the older we get, the more we consider metal music as just an aesthetic way through which we decide to make music. For example, sometimes we turn our own songs into pop songs just for fun, and we realise it works! It’s not a matter of what is metal and what is not.
For me, the only vice I have during the creative process is the creative obsession itself. Once I start working on a song, I can spend hours and hours on it. Sometimes I don’t even eat all day and hold myself back from pissing for hours! When you’ve got the inspiration, dude, you’d better not let it go, no matter the price to pay.
I recently discovered the artist Aurora. A young Norwegian pop singer. That girl sure knows how to be true through her performance. I attempt to be more like that kind of singer. Vocal technique is very important in metal music, but it’s not enough. We also need to give and express a true part of ourselves. Otherwise, we’re just some people copying the same heavy metal screamings of other singers without any personality. I have to admit. When I listen to some of our recordings, I sometimes find myself not true enough. Making useless high notes, thinking everyone will be impressed and will love it because everyone does it. It’s dumb. For sure, on the next album, I won’t make the same mistakes.
Music it’s a way to unite people. But not only at concerts or at parties for singing together. It’s also a connection with the artists. When a musician finds the right notes, a songwriter finds the words, and a singer finds the way to sing them…When they talk to you through their art, you feel connected. You think you understand them, so you believe they can understand you. That’s what humans seem to be looking for, to be understood. Because when we understand, we love.
I’m currently into ‘Italo Disco’. I discovered a genre of 80s European pop while searching for the origins of synthwave. So, Italo disco music is one of its influences. It’s often considered one of the worst music genres in the 80s, but I’d rather say it’s the best of the worst. With great synth melodies! I made all my friends listen to it; they all love it at parties.
https://animalizeband.bandcamp.com
