GOROD DELIVERS!! Check out our interview with Julien Deyres
Following up on their critically-acclaimed album A Maze of Recycled Creeds and the incredible thrashy EP, Kiss The Freak, technical metal icons GOROD are set to release their upcoming 10-track album, Aethra, on October 19, 2018 via their new international label, Overpowered Records. Aethra marks the 10th release from GOROD. The album is available to pre-order digitally via Amazon, iTunes and Google Play, and in several physical formats via Overpowered Records’ merchandise site.
Produced and recorded by GOROD guitarist/mastermind Mathieu Pascal in his own Bud Studio, mixed at Dugout Studio by the outstanding Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Behemoth, Decapitated, In Flames) and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory at Obey Mastering (Decapitated, Nightrage), Aethra is poised for Album of the Year status.
Pre-Orders Available Now via Amazon | iTunes | Google Play
Rene Botello had the opportunity to talk to Julien Deyres from Gorod about the new album!
- Your new album is due out in Oct, what are you most excited about this release?
Julien: Hey! I am super excited about this one because we just made our very best album so far in my opinion. We brought couple of new stuff in the compositions which turn to be a bit more “tragic” than usual, but the typical Gorod’s touch is still there. Now that homework is done, it is time to go on tour!
- How long was the recording process and did you have any songs when you came into the studio or did you write all the songs on site?
Julien: This was the fastest writing process that the band ever experienced (Except “Kiss the Freak” which was only an EP). Mathieu started to compose the first riffs in the end of November 2017, vocals recording sessions were finished the 8th of April 2018. So it means that only 4 months have passed from the beginning of composition until the end of the whole recording. Moreover, “Aethra” is a 10 tracks full length album including a lot of complicated stuff and new experimentation. Spontaneity remains the main things about the whole writing process.
- What was done differently this time around compared to your previous albums and was the change, if any, intentional?
Julien: Aside from the extreme emergency of its creation, we dared to put many different elements we never experienced that much previously. Catchy parts are willingly more catchy, as well as vocals which sound more “honest” and straightforward as I had no time to over intellectualize anything. Drum sound is absolutely huge and clear at the same time, and guitar work remains fully respected although the whole thing sounds less than “music for guitarists” as it used to be. Many things are intentional, but others remain non-mastered because of, or thanks to this super fast writing.
- You music is very technical, do you find writing a song in this manner more challenging to play live?
Julien: Mathieu is and has always been the main composer of Gorod’s music. Even if he loves complicated music, writing something clearly technical has never been the point. This is just the way he creates music naturally. Mathieu is a musician who is very inspired by psychedelic, progressive Rock from the 70’s, just like King Crimson and also by crazy musicians like Al Di Meola, Chick Corea, Django Rheinhardt… Concerning death metal, his first highlights were Death, Carcass and Coroner only to mention few. And in my opinion, he never really thinks if it can be challenging or not that his songs have to be performed live. For him, this a natural way to play, for all the musicians he met, playing Gorod’s music was freakin’ challenging, hehe!
- You just released a new single The Sentry, is this caliber of musicianship of what fans expect on the upcoming album?
Julien: We chose to release this song first because we thought it was a nice way to introduce the global things to all. Even if there is no other song that sounds like “The Sentry” in this album, it shows a little bit of new stuff we started to experiment. All songs of “Aethra” are absolutely different and have their own particular features. “The Sentry” is a great song for live performance, but this is not my favorite of the album even if it remains a great one.
- With your new release do you feel your sound has been perfected or do you feel like you should push yourself with each album?
Julien: I joined the band in 2010, so it means that I was a fan concerning the 3 first album, and now I am playing on the 3 others. “Leading Vision” has always been my favorite… and now, I feel like “Aethra” is finally the one that is better than “Leading…” but mixed other newer stuff. But as musicians and music lovers, we all try to push ourselves to better horizons each album, but it cannot work all the time as we remain simple human beings, hehe!
- Are there any tour plans or festivals you can talk about at this time?
Julien: Yep! I So next plan is a Euro tour with our dear fellows of Beyond Creation and also Entheos and Brought by Pain in November 2018. I am currently discussing about touring in the US in spring 2019… So excited but that’s all for the moment. Working hard on it!
- Will there be any bundle packages or special editions that fans can order now or in the near future?
Julien: I hope so, yeah! But the label is the only one who really knows what will be available concerning bundle packages. Nothing special is on the pipe yet, but stay tuned on our page, hehe!
- Any last parting words of what fans can expect from GOROD very soon that we haven’t covered yet?
Julien: Mmm, we are not that much complicated dudes. Now that the album is done, we need to tour and meet you all for real, and you can be sure that we will do our best to hang out with you and rock the stage until the… Nope, there will be no end! Cheers to you all and see you on the road!
FOLLOW GOROD ONLINE:
www.facebook.com/gorodofficial
www.instagram.com/gorod_official
GOROD is:
Julien “Nutz” Deyres: Vocals
Mathieu Pascal: Guitars
Ben “Barby” Claus: Bass
Nicolas Alberny: Guitars
Karol Diers: Drums
