Vision Éternel Interview for CenZu Zine

Editor’s Note: This interview was published on June 10th 2009 for CenZu magazine. 

-Hey there, how has the year begun for you? Have you had a lot of time developing material Vision Éternel?

The year has been great so far. Not only for Vision Éternel, but also for a lot of my favorite bands getting back together this year. But its also a year of re-issuing for Vision Éternel. In February the two EPs were released together under the compilation “An Anthology of Past Misfortune” on Frozen Veins Records, and now this summer each EP is getting a re-issue on cassette tape on Winterreich Records. Other than that, I have been working out ideas for a load of upcoming releases, but these actually have to do with collaborations. The only one I have officially announced was the split 7″ with Ethereal Beauty, that’s been in the works for nearly a year. That will come out on Abridged Pause Recordings.

-First off, I need to say your material reminds me of bands like Dark Sanctuary, Raison D’être and like some parts of my own band [ówt krì]. How would you describe your own music and what do you think of these comparisons?

Well to tell you the truth I had never heard of these bands until you mentioned them. For the sake of answering your question fully, I checked them out. Honestly I see no resemblance in the music. I would describe Vision Éternel as an emotional ambient concept. Some may go further and say its shoegaze, some may say its post-rock, and personally when I set out to find what it was I was doing, I stumbled on the term “ethereal”.

-Another thing that sprang into mind is: why this style of music?

As I started to mention in the previous answer, when I started out doing Vision Éternel in January of 2007, I was still really into my black metal phase. So I wasnt aware of most of the effects that were used in studios. When I was working on new Vision Lunar songs (that’s my other band, very atmospheric black metal type of thing), I came across the reverb effect on Sonar. I had never used it, and I loved it from the first try. So I ended up jamming what would become Love within Beauty, and writing an EPs worth of material. I still didn’t know what kind of music I was doing, I was just calling it “ambient” since it was the only thing I knew came close to it. Then I did some research to try to find out what exactly was this thing I was doing. Of course I landed on the entire roster of Projekt Records… But I dont think Vision Éternel is necessarily a shoegaze or ethereal band…

-On that note I’m also interested in what bands you see as influences to your music and what do you listen to normally? Are there any records that you always return to?

As far as music that has influence Vision Éternel, there is none. I have never been influenced to compose any Vision Éternel songs after listening to anyone elses’ music, in fact to prepare myself for recording Vision Éternel, I listen to Vision Éternel beforehand. The only true influence for Eternel, is a series of heartbreaks. My favorite bands are very far off from what my musical genre and compositions are. My all time favorite band is Faith No More, then I would have to say Chamberlain comes in second and Elton John in third. Those are very alternative bands, yet I mostly listen to hardcore, post-metal and black metal. So I couldn’t tell you that those musical influence are there for Vision Éternel. My other bands, that’s another story.

-So, there are some Canadian bands I’m really interested in hearing your opinion on, so if you would be kind enough to rate them from 1-10 and give some explanations: Devin Townsend, Dream Theatre (aren’t they from canada?), Unexpect, Vision Éternel.

Devin Townsend and Unexpect, I couldnt careless. I used to really like Dream Theatre back in high school, but they’re not from Canada. Vision Éternel of course gets a 10.

-I have to be honest and let you know I don’t know a whole lot about your band. Could you tell me a little about Triskalyon and how it turned into Vision Éternel, but also a little about the differences in these two bands.

Triskalyon is hard to explain, and I haven’t found the exact explanation for it. It wasnt a band, it was a regroupment of bands. It was a very French thing to do then, like “Les Legions Noire”, “Team Nowhere” and “H8000”. What it was was just all of my bands and all the bands of my close friends regrouped together under the Triskalyon banner. Vision Éternel was just part of the group. Triskalyon broke up and Vision Éternel was the only serious band to come out of it, so I kept the Myspace page for it.

-I really need to ask you where the band name Vision Éternel comes from. In some way it is very suitable for this type of music, but also it seems somewhat predictable.

Since I have already explained Triskalyon, it will be easier to explain this. All the solo projects that were in Triskalyon were named Vision something. I named this one Vision Éternel because it was with an obsession I had on one of my ex girlfriend. I couldnt get over her. Anyway, the spelling is intended to be like that because its neither french nor english, somewhere in between.

-You’ve been working with a few labels, can you tell me how this came about? What would you see as the positive and negative sides in your co-operations?

VE started out under Mortification Records, which was a net label that I ran back then (it since folded). The two EPs were released on that label because back then I felt no one would be interested in investing in Vision Éternel, not a label, not any fans. And I also just wanted it to stay very personal. I was then offered to re-issue those releases on CDs by various labels but wasnt interested. The only one that I could come up with an idea about was Frozen Veins Records. We put out the compilation of both EPs with some unreleased material on it. Really awesome guy and I hope the label will go far. Recently I was given the chance to work with Winterreich Records. Its a pretty big label for the black metal scene, having re-issued many important albums on cassette tape. I just hope that Eternel will someday fit in that roster of important bands. The latest label I have been working with is Abridged Pause Recordings. That’s my new label, and it will be putting out the split 7″ vinyl with Ethereal Beauty. I would have to say that I really enjoy having worked with many labels. It gets you a lot of new exposure, and each label takes your band to new places.

-What would you see as the greatest advantages with the Internet for a young band? How have you utilized the World Wide Web in your career?

I think mp3s are both one of the best and worst things for a band. Of course I am a strong believer in the mp3 download. It’s so great, but it kills the artists in the end. I know that a few years back many bigger labels didnt have respect for digital labels, and some people still feel this way. but some of those net labels are really getting somewhere, and not to make publicity for them or anything since I havent worked with that label at all, but Lost Children is one of the bigger and best ones out there. As I mentioned earlier, the first two EPs were released digitally, so it got us a lot of good exposure. But it takes non stop work in promotion.

-One thing I’ve noticed myself is that by only dealing on the internet as band, you get very little feedback. Have you received much feedback on your music? How has the public reaction been?

I’ve had a decent amount of feedback about the music, but I cant say that it has been that much. Most people dont really bother to leave comments or reviews or even a quick star rating… And anyone spending their days downloading music that says “im too busy, I dont have the time for that” is a fucking liar and a lazy bum! I think people should have more respect for the bands that let you get their shit for free. It used to be you needed a ride to get to the store to get the album, and you needed money to buy that, and while you obtained those things you did more word of mouth promotion, than you are doing now sitting in your little computer room getting free music and isolating yourself. That’s enough philosophy for now.

-Now last but not least, I want to thank you for your patience and wish you all the best for the future. Do you have any final words, requests etc.?

If you like the bands, give feedback! It’s important. And now my promo slot: check out my label, Abridged Pause Recordings. Thanks a lot for the interview, it was a pleasure answering it!