SETH (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for answering to our questions. What are you guys currently up to?
We are back on rehearsing on a regular basis and have played a few shows mainly in France. Our first show was with Bethlehem in Germany last September. We were all happy to hit the stage again all together and needed to keep on playing…!
– SETH has been inactive from 2005 to 2011. What prompted your dissolution and your later comeback?
We had talks throughout the years to possibly play again, but it wasnt that easy since I personally left abroad for a couple of years. Once back home I suggested my drummer, original member too, to rehearse again and the other members joined us. And we had this German gig opportunity last September !
– The fruit of this comeback is the re-release of your debut album, “Les Blessures de l’Âme”, which has been sold out for a long time. Why did you think it was the right moment for this reissue?
I was still in contact with Season of Mist, they had heard about us playing again so I naturally asked them what they thought about the idea. The whole staff seemed all excited in rereleasing one of the first release of their roster, so we decided to make it happen with a few new elements sush as a couple of extra songs plus new lay out..
– This re-release has come out through Season of Mist, the same label that unleashed the first pressing. Have you gone back with them just for this re-release or do you also have future plans with them?
I have no idea ! Things are going rather fine so far, the rest hasn’t been on the agenda !
– One thing that stands out off “Les Blessures de l’Âme” is its vampiric concept. How did you come up with this idea for your lyrics?
I havent written of the lyrics, only wrote at least half of the music, but as far I know, mst of the concept was thought by our first bass player and former singer. What the band wanted to convey through the music is a sense of immortality where listeners would be for ever trapped into an endless circle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Hence titles like “Le Cercle de la Renaissance..” Its not only about vampirism as you can see..
– And after so many years (over a decade actually) how do you feel when listening to your debut album? What are now your thoughts on it?
Well, what I love about this record is that everything was made genuinely, that means nothing was exactly planned to eventually come up with this and it gave a much more natural sense to the whole thing. Yet, I still find it difficult to listen to it as the sound/production is hard to handle. There were major mistakes in the mixing and it gave some kind of stereo problems. But basically, besides technical issues, I think it’s a good album for a first release..
– This re-release is a remastered version by Stef Buriez; are you satisfied with this work? As I personally think it keeps the sound of the original version but with a subtle clearer production.
Regarding the very small room to manoeuvre, or leeway, we had I think the result is indeed quite good ! We had to deal with the former master as the mixing was just out of reach..The sound is wider, clearer as you mentioned, and more bassy.
– On this opus we can also find two bonus tracks; would you mind to shed some light all these for those interested?
Sure ! These tracks were first released on our 2000 Split CD with Cultus Sanguine, also released by SOM. We naturally came up with the idea of mixing both Les Blessures de l’Ame and our two tracks from this slip CD. These tracks ‘Les Sevices de la Peste’ and ‘Corpus et Anima’ mark the actual musical gap between Les Blessures and The Excellence album. They are hence tracked in the end of the reissue album !
– You also have a new cover artwork. Could you tell us how you worked on it and what does it represent?
This front cover is actually part of the original inner lay out. The symbol is an ouroboros, two dragons biting each others tails in a circle shape. .All the symbols and both lay outs were made and drawn by our original bass player : Faucon Noir. He agreed on reworking on it for the reissue with pleasure and we also asked a friend of us to contribute to the design !
– You have recently done a French tour with GLORIOR BELLI and BELENOS. How has everything been? And do you have any other live plans for the future?
Our next shows are still planned in France ! Motocultor festival on the 17th of August ! Will see to play in Europe in October ! Touring with these two bands was great ! We played four dates, Paris was the highlight ! Its nice to play with old French bands as well…The tour was called : Under the Guillotine tour !
– Both GLORIOR BELLI and BELENOS are proof that the French Black Metal scene has grown a lot since your inception but, how do you see the French Metal scene as an insider?
The French metal scene has grown to quite a big level by now indeed. We’ve got a lot of bands (too many ?) quite active playing on regular bases. Still, it doesn’t necessarily leads to a bunch of fans being as much active. .It’s still as hard as it used to be to gather at least 250 fans for a gig. But Its true to say that we have more and more exciting bands now..
– And before wraping this interview up, something I guess some people may be wondering: will you release new material anytime soon?
Nothing is official yet, I can just tell you we’re discussing on this these days !
– That’s all from my side, thanks again for taking your time to answer our questions. If you now want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
That was a great interview ! Thanks for everything, we will keep you posted about the band’s future…Cheers!
