RéSISTANCE interview 2008

I don’t really know how to introduce the band that follow but you must know that RESISTANCE is 1000 miles away from what is released today in terms of metal album. Their mad singer has a solid background, as well as his fellow mates: those guys never came back from the 80’s/early 90’s. Face their heavy/speed/thrash metal done the old way, with passion, blood and beers.

-Hi Nathaniel! Thanks for taking some time to answer my questions! Well, it’s not your very first intie about RESISTANCE but as I couldn’t find it anywhere let’s say it’s one among the firsts, hé! hé! So dude, tell us how this metal horde was born? Are you the first singer of RESISTANCE?
N: Hello Jim! Yeah, you’re right, this interview might well be the third interview ever answered for RESISTANCE. Thanks for such an early support. How are you doing with DEEP VEIN? Send the greetings to the other members (Cyril welcomed us very well!!).
About the history lesson, please read the little bio we have on our page at www.myspace.com/resistance667. To cut it short, the band started in 1998, and the actual line up appeared in 2005. The year 2006 sees our very first gig ever, and we were proud of opening for DEEP VEIN and ESTUARY, we still keep a very good memory from that concert, even though we were very amateurish!
I am actually the second singer in this band.

-I think some people don’t know that you’ve been a member of BLOODY SIGN back in 2002 when you released the demo “Estonian Sessions”, where you were handling the bass and doing the vocals. How much time did you stay in the band? Why did you leave BLOODY SIGN back then?
N: I stayed in BLOODY SIGN between 2000 and 2002, and then in 2003 helped them as a session bass player and recorded the “Vana Vigala Loits” album in Estonia. We are very close friends to this day. I had to leave because of my studies in a foreign country in mid 2002. Though I used to play together with the bloody sign guys in the medieval music ensemble TORMIS, and share the stage from time to time with our cover band SIFFLE CHOPES. We still meet each other on a very regular basis.

-A disappointing fact about BLOODY SIGN is that they are more known abroad than in France. I mean they have toured South America and Eastern Europe and very few dates in France. According to you why such a limited support toward them?
N: No idea, maybe because many so called “metalheads” in France are too busy listening to the last flavour of the month and have no real metal culture. Still BLOODY SIGN gets more and more recognition these days, even in France. The French mentality is sometimes strange when it comes to metal. There are die hard metal fans all over the territory, but sadly they are too few. Hopefully these last years many connections have been done, and a fine example of friendship and support between two like minded bands might well be the gig that happened in march 2008 with BLOODY SIGN and RITUALIZATION from Orléans (with INGENS members)! Check out this band, for fans of CENTURIAN, ANGELCORPSE!

-And now you’re back with RESISTANCE, a heavy/speed/thrash metal oriented band. The band is deeply rooted in the 80’s/90’s era and I guess there are countless influences impossible to mention, but to give an idea to our readers about what RESISTANCE stands for, can you name the essence and spirit of the band? Can we say RESISTANCE is a “back to the old days” or at least it aimed people to look back to old unknown bands?
N: This is written in our name… RESISTANCE stands for staying your fucking self whatever happens! Ha! In other words, we are primitive, wild, alive and kicking, we are metalheads, we do what the fuck we like to do, and if it pisses off people we don’t care. We stay ourselves, and try not to take us too seriously, even though we do this music for real! We do withdraw our inspiration from many stuff like MANILLA ROAD, BROCAS HELM, MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND, HOLY TERROR, HALLOW’S EVE. But lately we listened to various stuff like LONEWOLF (killer French band!), old ALICE COOPER, the last MANILLA ROAD album ‘voyager’ (incredibly good!), MEKONG DELTA, NIFELHEIM, MELECHESH… We’re also fans of blues (Rory Gallagher, Willie Dixon, Howlin’Wolf, Muddy Waters, etc) and 70’s hard rock like THIN LIZZY, URIAH HEEP, RAINBOW, ELF, NEKTAR…
Nah… “Back to the old days” is maybe not fitting for us. Of course we do love a lot of bands from the past, but quality has no age. We do the music we like and we are strongly rooted in a lot of classic stuff, though we’re not trying to sound “old school” for the sake of it. If people feel they’d like to discover older bands after having listening to our music, then it’s really fine. When you start discovering where the music you like comes from it’s worth the trip. That’s how we slowly but surely started to listen to some blues and rock acts from the 70’s these last years. Not to forget that it’s always exciting to discover new bands like IN SOLITUDE, PORTRAIT, ENFORCER from Sweden or HELLISH CROSSFIRE from Germany, THE LAMP OF THOTH from UK. All of them are rooted in the old ways but do it with class and knowledge, just like SADISTIC INTENT, PENTACLE and KAAMOS (rip) did!

-You have chosen the moniker RESISTANCE but I guess you’re conscious about the existence of various bands having the same name; in France there is a hardcore band and in the US there is a thrash metal outfit. Don’t you think you could go within troubles with one of them able to argue they own the name and would ask you to change? Something similar happened to THE CROWN (RIP) who used to get named CROWN OF THORNS on their two first releases and had changed because of a fucking hard rock band.
N: Yeah, we know about that fact. The mentioned bands just happened to say hello to us and there’s no problem at all. In the end our name is written with an accent: RéSISTANCE. So people can recognize it on our logo. The guitar and bass player chose the name from 2 songs by the French metal band KILLERS! It still is a great band, with a superb last album. We played a couple of times with them and had a good time with these southern warriors! They even played the song “résistance” last time we played with them in Colmar (France). They said they had not played it since 20 years or so… They played it just as a little tribute to us. We were chuffed and banged our fucking skulls like maniacs! Haha!

-A particular characteristic of RESISTANCE is your way of singing which is not in the traditional high pitched vocals you can hear in the heavy metal. Your voice is more low and aggressive. How comes you choose that personal way of singing? Which influences lead you to that style? It sometimes reminds me of King Fowley of DECEASED / OCTOBER 31.
N: Well, I don’t know how to sing in another way. I am definitely not skilled for the high pitched vocals, and that’s not what I always want to do all the time. I have always been keen on using my voice with a lot of variety so that it doesn’t get boring or monotonous once you listen to it. Though, I know my voice is the kind of “like it or hate it” shit! Haha! Take for proof the review we’ve got on VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE. I don’t mind about people hating my voice. It’s a sign that it doesn’t leave people without reactions. Other persons told me that my voice sounded like nothing heard before, and some made comparisons with the old occult act from Denmark called NIGRO MANTIA, or even like Matthew Barlow from ICED EARTH!!! Hhahaha! I am not as good as any of these singers, but what the hell! I simply try to sing with my personality. That’s all. And I hope I can sing better and better on the next recordings, because I am still learning a lot.
So I can’t really tell I have influences, but I like the singers like Keith Deen (HOLY TERROR), Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS/CANDLEMASS), Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT), Jeff Becerra (POSSESSED), Martin van Drunen (PESTILENCE, ASPHYX, HAIL OF BULLETS), King Diamond, Mark Shelton (MANILLA ROAD), ST Andersen (HALLOW’S EVE), Ronnie James Dio. All of them have powerful voices and all of them have a strong identity.

-Your first album has been released through Emanes Records, a young French label dedicated to the traditional metal stream like doom (THE BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND), black (LORD) or heavy metal. I mean there is no modern stuff or core-ization. Was it an important fact to work with them? How did you get in touch with them? Will they release a vinyl version?
N: Indeed, we really appreciate and support Laurent and Nathalie from EMANES METAL records, for they are incredibly dedicated to the Metal music!!! I happened to meet Laurent a couple of years ago at a BLOODY SIGN gig in northern France when he was only into having a small distro. From then we kept in touch every now and then.
It happened that we played in Lille (north of France) a couple of times, and as he’s originating from this area, he saw us. And when a couple of maniacs meet each other, it might turn into something very cool… Indeed, a couple of months later, as he organized the gig with HIRAX, Laurent needed an opening band, and he thought immediately about us!!! What an honour! So we came and played for supporting him in this difficult organisation (to know more about that particular HIRAX gig from September 2007 go to http://www.myspace.com/emanesmetalrecords). Then we started to talk about our album, and quite quickly he took us on his recently born label!!!
It’s a matter of dedication and respect toward each others, really!!
For instance Laurent and Nath followed us on 4 dates during our small tour with FUELED BY FIRE. Everytime they were into it! Killer!
Yeah there will be a vinyl version of “Bang your fucking skull” in 2008. Watch out, it’s gonna be a cool piece of black gold!

-Your first album is entitled “Bang your fucking skull”. This goes right to the point, it also reminds that metal is before all a matter of catchiness with a chorus your can sing while raising your first and banging your head like a devil’s bastard at the front row! What’s your opinion about the today metal scene? Styles and streams have changed so much. Do you find new bands worthy to be heard actually?
N: Well, I don’t know if my opinion about the actual metal scene is of any big importance, so I won’t waste my time on slashing the latest trends, every concerned metalhead should know of what I am talking about… If not, then fuck him! Haha!
But since 4 or 5 years there are more and more interesting bands popping up from everywhere and in every style. I think we arrived at the upper limit concerning velocity and technical skills in metal… So now you can see bands which are not looking only for speed or technicality, and I find it is sane and healthy for the scene to rejuvenate on the quest for quality. Of course, it’s harder and harder to do something original these days, but some bands are proposing very interesting music to my ears. And some reunions are not always so bad.
Death metal provides great bands like NECROS CHRISTOS, HATESPAWN, NECROVATION, EXCORIATE (rip), KAAMOS, ANAL VOMIT, THE CHASM, DENIAL (mex), DROWNED, DEAD CONGREGATION, INVIDIOUS, HOD, HAIL OF BULLETS, DEATH BREATH and I forget many of them.
Black metal still manages to provide interesting stuff like NIFELHEIM, INQUISITION, the return of PROFANATICA, PEST (Swe), GOAT SEMEN, THE BATALLION (Nor), SECRETS OF THE MOON, BLASPHEMOPHAGHER…
Thrash metal is knowing a new boom, and really is the new trend, but still, a few bands are bringing interesting and don’t try to be old school for the sake of being old school. But there are still very few great bands like HELLISH CROSSFIRE, the new HEATHEN, NOCTURNAL (Ger), HATRED (It).
Heavy Metal and traditional metal have known a big boom as well these last years, thanks to the KEEP IT TRUE festival. I think about PORTRAIT, IN SOLITUDE, ENFORCER, LONEWOLF, HERALD (Estonia), WITCHSMELLER PURSUIVANT and the old ones like KING DIAMOND, BROCAS HELM, MANILLA ROAD keep on kicking serious ass!!!
Doom metal has widened pretty much as a genre, and new bands like THE BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND, THE LAMP OF THOTH, HOODED PRIEST, EARTH FLIGHT are worth being checked out!
I mean all these bands play with passion, dedication and knowledge of their roots. And none of them sounds like something heard 1000 times before! I wish we can belong to that category.

-Another good surprise in “Bang your fucking skull” is the MANILLA ROAD cover “Necropolis”. Man, I didn’t know that band before but your cover gives me the will to check them. What are according to you the essential releases of them? You will also share the stage with them, right? Did they listen to your version?
N: That’s very nice to hear Jim!!! We’re happy that you felt like discovering MANILLA ROAD, for it’s a kind of band which brings you so much once you’ve entered its universe!!!
Their best releases are “Crystal logic”, “Open the gates”, “The deluge” and “their last album “Voyager”. Still all their other releases are of the finest quality you’ll ever find in the fields of epic metal.
Yeah, we played with them on the 7th of april in Colmar (France). About 120 people were there, many of them had driven for so many hours just to see that very special gig. It was the first time in France for this legendary band. FUELED BY FIRE and BATTLEROAR were also on the bill.
Mark Shelton agreed to sing the “Necropolis” cover on stage with us!!! ARGH! He and the other guys just love our album, wear our shirt and enjoy our cover very much. It was one of the best moments in our lives, you can trust me!!! The MANILLA ROAD guys are so simple, so humble, it’s almost unbelievable. They liked us so much that they invited us to visit their places and to party with them whenever we come to the USA. And next time they tour Europe they want us as opening act!!! Can you imagine that?? We’re fans of each other’s band! Haha!!! A real friendship is born that special night, and we happen to exchange messages and greetings on a regular basis until then. One word might be the right one to describe that event: MAGIC!!!

-The feedback about “Bang your fucking skull” seems quite positive: you’re soon gonna tour with FUELED BY FIRE and play a date with CAGE, MANILLA ROAD and BATTLEROAR in April. You also will record two new tracks (one for a compilation and the other for a split EP with HIRAX). How comes all these opportunities?
N: Move your ass because nobody is waiting for you! Hahah! That’s the way we do our thing, and it works. The most important is to always do it seriously, to work a lot, to have the right contacts, and especially to enjoy what you do to the maximum, and then people start to recognize you and slowly but surely opportunities come along. We owe a lot to EMANES METAL and HELL’S ASS (Kalevi from BLOODY SIGN is behind this great association and organizes great gigs) for the HIRAX and MANILLA ROAD gig and to our friend Gilles for getting the opportunity to tour with FUELED BY FIRE.
Next to come is playing in Germany, Southern France (Hail Alexandre and Darquos from PYRENEAN METAL!), Greece (if everything goes well), and then composing new songs for a mini concept album about a very grim novel by Lewis called “The monk”. A dream would be to play at the KEEP IT TRUE festival in the future!!!!

-You have been the editor of Mutilating Process Zine with only 2 issues but a real underground spirit. Do you find it exaggerated to say this Zine is now cult (or kult?), ahaha?! Why did you put an end to Mutilating Process? Do you think one day you could come back with a 3rd issue? How many copies have spread of each issue? Do you think zines have still a chance and a use in the nowadays metal scene?
N: Yes indeed, it’s an exaggeration to say that this zine is “cult” in anyway. At least, I don’t feel it this way. It was just a pile of paper filled with interviews of bands I like and support, done in a very amateurish way, but done with heart and dedication. I quit doing it because at one point I started to lack the motivation, the time and the money. Still, why not releasing a third issue, let’s say in 20 years! Haha! Just kidding, I have no idea. Maybe the virus comes back someday, but for the moment I am very busy with my band, my job and my private life. In the end only time will tell if there’s a new issue supposed to come out in the future.
I sold and gave between 300 and 500 copies of each issue, maybe even more. I don’t really know.
Yeah some zines still have some interesting things to say and to show, be it paper (best) or virtual zines. SLAYER mag is still around, VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE is still appealing to me (even though they could more picky with the stuff they review sometimes), your zine is growing better and better, CADAVEROUS SMELL does a great job dealing with the so called “exotic scene”, NIHILISTIC HOLOCAUST is still alive and kicking, CERBERUS from Finland is also a pretty interesting publication, same goes for ISTEN, or NECROMANIAC, not to forget BLOOD OF THE ANCIENTS and ANCIENT SPIRIT TERROR.
Somehow it’s the same situation with fanzines and music. There are too many of them in the scene of today, most are crappy and soulless, but you can still find jewels here and there, if you are enough curious and dedicated.
-When you were heading Mutilating Process, did some bands never reply to your interviews? I must sadly say that I sometimes have troubles to get some inties back as the guys forget, are too busy or fucking lazy bastards, I dunno… Are there unreleased interviews that were planned for a third issue of Mutilating Process?
N: I don’t remember a band which never answered to my interview. Maybe it happened, but I really don’t remember.
No, no unreleased interview. I did some other interviews which are not appearing in the paper zine but which you can check out on the VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE website. The ones with HEADHUNTER DC, NUCLEAR ASSAULT (2), FUNERUS (different from the one I did in my second issue), and that’s it I guess.

-I sometimes feel you retired from the scene a bit like if you were tired of it. Why such a long period of silence between the end of Mutilating Process and the birth of RESISTANCE? Were you threatened by bands you gave bad reviews in Mutilating Process, ahahah, I don’t think so? Seriously, have you ever thought the actual scene suck so much you didn’t want to deal with it anymore?
N: Yeah in a way I was tired of the scene, but I never got away from it, I just enjoyed being just a fan, and I spent my time discovering even more great bands from the old days like NUCLEAR DEATH, DROWNED (ger), NECROVATION, BROCAS HELM, SIR LORD BALTIMORE, DIAMANDA GALAS, a lot of blues… I mean it’s very cool to be a music fan, because you never stop discovering tremendous stuff many people tend to forget.
About my harsh reviews, I don’t regret what I said and I still stand behind them. I know the concerned bands reacted very badly to my words, and I don’t give a shit about them. Some did a little attempt to threaten me, but in the end nothing happened. Not really interesting in the end.
Nah, I never felt like quitting the scene, for I always found bands (active or not) still able to keep my attention and passion at its best. It’s just a matter of moving your ass and to look for the quality stuff in an overcrowded scene filled with mediocre bands and individuals. This way I discovered bands like KAAMOS, NECROS CHRISTOS, and I don’t waste my time on useless bands.

-You’re also responsible for some artworks for NECROVATION (EP and Split EP with CORRUPT), logo of Mutilating Process Zine, and probably more… Do you still draw artworks or logos for bands, zines or whatever? Do you like artworks done by computer?
N: I am not an artist at all, I just give my contribution to people I appreciate and I never ask money for my drawings. I just ask to get at least one copy of each item released with my drawings (shirt, cd, lp, etc).
Yes, recently I did some artwork for BLOODY SIGN, RADEMASSAKER, BLASPHEMOPHAGHER, and I am now drawing stuff for a vinyl compilation to be released on EMANES METAL RECORDS entitled LONG LIVE METAL!!! I also draw some stuff for a HIRILORN collection to be released for the almighty Shaxul of LEGION OF DEATH records, a guy I highly respect!
I should also draw some stuff for a local death metal band called TORMENT PAIN. If you like AUTOPSY, early DEATH and INCANTATION, they should do the trick, they are very good at what they do!
Naaaah, usually I don’t like computer artwork, though some exception might be seen here and there. No real example in mind at the moment, sorry.

-I know you’re a huge die-hard fan of ASPHYX and I guess you’re more than excited by the band’s return, right? What do you think of Martin Van Drunen’s side project HAIL OF BULLETS? Give me your actual favourite top 10 releases.
N: Indeed, ASPHYX is definitely one of my alltime fave bands. I was lucky to see the band 2 times since the reunion, and I was amazed when Martin van Drunen dedicated the song “the rack” to me at the PARTY SAN festival in 2007, in front of 15000 maniacs!!!
I am friends with the ASPHYX guys since a couple of years now, and there’s definitely a strong bound between us. I am also a big PENTACLE fan (as you maybe know Wannes Gubbels from PENTACLE is also part of the ASPHYX reunion and used to sing on the “on the wings of inferno” album by ASPHYX and on the “feeding on angels” album by SOULBURN).
Martin told me once that if he ever got back his feeling for good old death metal it was partly thanks to me and our long phone chats we had on a regular basis. It was a proof a true friendship and we have a strong respect for each other. It’s kinda hard to describe, because it’s a real friendship, it’s not just a fan and an artist, you know?
I really do appreciate HAIL OF BULLETS, and I think the scene needed such a band going back to the basics without sounding flat and uninspired like so many bands. These guys have the right attitude and knowledge for this music and it shows! The demo was already killer, and I guess that the album is gonna crush some cenotaphs! Haha!!!

Well my actual top 10 (why only 10? Haha) release would be:

ASPHYX- everything
PENTACLE-everything
KAAMOS- everything
NUCLEAR DEATH- carrion for worms
MANILLA ROAD- Crystal Logic
Rory Gallagher-everything
GOREAPHOBIA-Demented omen of masochism 7”
MERCYFUL FATE-Melissa
SOLITUDE AETURNUS- Through the darkest hour
NIFELHEIM- Servants of darkness

But there are many more albums and demos I enjoy lately

-Give me also your comments about those releases:
KING DIAMOND “Give me your soul… please”
N: The story is maybe one of the less interesting written by the KING. Still, I found it musically very good. Yet I prefer “The puppet master” album in his recent ones.

PENTACLE “Under the black cross”
N: This band definitely has something on its own and I like it. Wannes is a very dedicated guy and the passion sweats through all PENTACLE releases. I like this album very much, and the songs kick major ass on stage. Still I like the “Archaic undead fury” 10” even more in their recent releases. But my alltime fave PENTACLE release is the “…Rides the moonstorm” album! Utterly brilliant!

DEATH BREATH “Stinking up the night”
N: Fucking killer and refreshing, yet old school as fuck! It blows away many recent death metal records, their “Let it stink” mini is also very convincing!!! A band that really does bring a useful kick in the ass of our extreme scene!

KRONOS “The Hellenic terror”
N: Not of any interest for me.

DAGOBA “Guilty of being faggot trends”
N: Same answer.

-Let’s go back to RESISTANCE (because your pals would think you fucking focus my interest, ahaha!). You told me recently that you planned to play with those drunk-ass hippie tramps from THE BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND, if possible, and if that infamous BottleBen doesn’t die from overdose or strong alcohol consumption. Don’t you know that touring with those morons is dangerous coz there are cursed each time they travel some places (breakdown is the most often shit happening to them!) Are you not afraid, ahahhahah!??
N: Hahaha! I think we’ll see what each other can take at the LONG LIVE METAL FESTIVAL on the 10th of may in Lille (France). We’re gonna see THE BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND perform on stage and then we’ll teach them how to drink! Héhéhé!!! They seem to be the coolest guys ever, especially Tos and BottleBen! For sure we’d be damn happy to play with them someday in the future… It will happen, it’s a certainty!
And I guess we can scare people sometimes as well as we are also heavy drinkers!!! Héhé!

-As I’m running out of questions I’m gonna ask you a famous question you used to ask during all your inties in Mutilating Process Zine, ok? What’s your very own definition of metal in general? And if metal was a beer? (Please don’t ask me money for the copyrights!!!)
N: No that’s a very inspired question! Haha! Well, then I guess it’s now time to answer to these questions…
My definition of metal:
It is something bringing energy and a very good way to release your anger and bitterness. It definitely is an essential part of your life as soon as you’ve understood it and in no way is it music for brainless sheeps in quest for identity. No life is possible without beer and without metal! Ha! It is my way of life, I breath it daily at its fullest and it keeps me alive no matter what!
If metal was a beer:
Schlenkerla Rauchbier from Bamberg, Germany! It’s a very strong and special beer tasting like smoked ham. Very weird and heavy, but once you’ve tasted it, you’re addicted. A beer for people with balls! Haha!

-So I’m reaching the end of this chat. Thanks a lot Nathaniel! Keep us making bang our fucking skull to death. You can add anything you want. See you on the road!
N: Well, thank you so much for this interesting interview Jim. Hope we meet again in a near future! It really is rewarding to see people like you paying attention to our archaic noise! Ha!
For those who didn’t fall asleep during the reading session of this intie, you can get a taste on who we are and how we sound like at http://www.myspace.com/resistance667 or contact us at resistance667@hotmail.com
The vinyl version of the album is to be released in mid 2008. Watch out!!!!

BANG YOUR FUCKING SKULL!!!