Thrashing Rage Fanzine - 1994

MISANTHROPE

Two years after the spilt CD with TORTURER, MISANTHROPE is back with its real debut album, "Variation on Inductive Theories". The brutal techno sounds have now paved the way to an emotional and melancholic doom death metal. A musical evolution which didn't change MISANTHROPE's ideal: only creation in pure hate...

Could you first tell me why did you part with MISANTHROPE's ex-members?

Well, after spending more than one year and a half in the army, we asked ourselves about a future that was nonexistant. Indeed, it's very misanthropic to form a band, to play on stage... We had to part ourselves in order to avoid friendship with others.

Since the release of "Hater of Mankind" LP in 1991, MISANTHROPE has progressed a lot musically, from a brutal techno death metal to a doom death metal full of nuances. How do you see this evolution.

Yes, in 1990-91, we were more brutal because at the time it wasn't the trend, that is to say, there was no big support from the press like today. What a shame to see bands like HYPOCRISY, RESSURECTION or GORGUTS. Where is MORBID ANGEL and IMMOLATION's real hate? When "Hater of Mankind" was released, many people didn't understand us and it's only today that this recording is being recognized. So more than two years have been necessary so that the audience may enjoy this L.P. Regarding "Variation on Inductive Theories", it's the same thing. Though it has been quite praised, many people don't accept our musical creation a well as the meaning of our lyrics. We turned our thoughts towards other musical horizons, towards a richer feeling and emotion. You're not the same man when you are 23 and when you are 20.

Some of your lyrics are written in French. Don't you think it will disconcert or even bother some listeners?

I feel bored with English as a universal language. It's only in France that the bands refuse to express themslves in their own language, even in a few songs. Look at MASTER'S HAMMER, DARK THRONE, PAN-THY-MONIUM or gods NIGHTFALL. They all refer to their own language. At the time of Louis XVI, French was the most spoken language in Europe because it was seen as the most poetic means of expression. In the future we will feature more and more lyrics written in French because it's my language and because French is more noble and less hybrid than English.

You are the band's unique songwritter. Don't you think your compositions may repeat themslves in the future? Others represent a source of creativity wich is not inconsiderable?

Absolutely not. I'm the band's unique songwritter because it's developped naturally and not because I have a too growing ego. I'm a very modest human being, you know. Musically speaking, I advance very rapidly and there will be as much difference between "Hater Of Mankind" and "Variation On Inductive Theories" as on our next LP. So there will be no repetition but only creation in pure hate.

You play in a band , you run a label as well as a distribution list. These activitites must take you a lot of time, isn't it too much work?

Yes, it is a lot a work but I do nothing else. MISANTHROPE takes me a lot of time and I help Séverine at Holy Records as much as I can. I spread about 70 hours for all these activities. I'm not the kind of man who hangs about. When I do nothing, I fond myself again in a deep rest and I analyse my mistakes, the goal of my hate and I dream of a utopic world: the Renaissance ofter the human genocide, in a world where misanthropy would be abolished.

Now, let's go back to 1993. According to you, what are the outsanding LPs of this past year?

NIGHTFALL "Macabre Sunsets" ans its amazing symphonical doom death, the Norwegian gods from GODSEND and the "As The Shadows Fall" LP, THE GATHERING "Always", ASTRAL RISING "Abeona Adeona", MASTER'S HAMMER "The Filemnice Occultist", KRAKKBRAIN "Innercut" and we're waiting for the release in May 1994 of the somptuous SEPTIC FLESH "Mystic Places Of Dawn".
Thanx Laurent for those questions, join our sect and keep the faith only in yourself.