We did a review of Transcendence's "Eternal Stream" last issue. It was an amazing release that is worthy of attention. We got a chance to talk to guitarist Philippe Coupal and here is what he had to say.
(Transcript of phone interview)
Have you been doing any shows around there lately?
Nope, because we're looking for a full time drummer.
A full time drummer?
And we're working on the presentation for transcendence. We want to make a more theatrical show. We're working on that now.
So you're background in theatre production is coming in useful now?
Sebrina's studies in Opera, so we're going to add a few things in around that in the show.
So have you had the chance to do any shows for the album yet?
Nope, not yet. We are talking with a few people in France. And we're maybe planning something for France in the next month. But it's not done yet, we're talking about it.
Are you hoping to go for a very much opera type show that'll play to a more sophisticated crowd than a bar audience?
Yes, exactly, we're not a very big show band. We want to make less shows, but make them, not really bigger, more theatrical oriented with all the light stuff and maybe stage setting and if it's possible a few costumes and things like that, you know.
Trying to recreate the adventures of Dolric in this first album?
Kind of, something like that. It is possible, but it's lot of money and a lot of work.
Where'd the idea for Dolric originally come from? This whole story idea?
The band existed in '94, I formed the band in '94, and we played a few shows in Montreal. And then we split with the rhythm section. At that time I was thinking about something like the concept [of Dolric], not exactly what it is right now, but something close to that. And it wasn't possible with the old band. So I called back Micheal the guitarist and Christian the keyboard player, and asked them if they want to join me to do that project. And I wanted to call that Transcendence, the same name as the first band... the meaning of the band name was there, I wanted to keep that. I called Sebrina at that time too, because I know her from another band, and asked her if she wants to join Transcendence full-time. At that time in January '96, maybe December '95, the concept started. We meet, Micheal and Christian, sit together the three of us, and think about a concept building around my main ideas, and evolve around that.
So you had the idea when with the original band but just couldn't get it through...?
Yeah, it wasn't possible with that style of music and those two particular musicians; the bassist and the drummer were not very open minded. Who were oriented towards [...] death metal, brutal and more gore stuff. They weren't very open minded so it doesn't fit, you know?
I noticed Christian's background, he was doing death metal as well, how did he adapt then?
Christian played guitar alone and he played, he's kind of better than me with guitar actually... but not really better, we are on the same level. And at one point when we were working with a few other bands I went to him because he was doing drawings and logos for bands and I asked him to do the Transcendence logo. When I come to his home I heard him playing keyboard, and I asked "You play keyboards", and he said "No, not really, just have fun with it, you know". I convinced him to join Transcendence a few months later, and basically that's it.
His coming in the band was sort of accidental then?
Kind of, yeah.But I was looking for a keyboard player for a few months when I heard him play, around here it's very difficult to find a keyboard player who will join a metal band. They are more oriented towards music for movies or for commercials on TV or maybe for opera or things like that. For a rock or metal band it's very hard to find keyboard players. We were kind of desparate at that time, but when I heard Christian, it was okay [you're in].
Well it turned out quite well.
Yes, very well.
You mentioned you knew Sabrina from another band, who was she with before?
I was working with Quo Vadis at that time. She was doing a song with Quo Vadis, she wasn't in the band, it was just an appearance from her. I heard her on the tape, I was kind of the manager for that band at that time, and that's how I met Sabrina. When I asked her to join Transcendence full time, she was very excited about that.
Yeah, she worked out well.
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A lot of the singing came through, especially Sebrina's, came through very emotional and the other two vocalists, I believe yourself and Christian, they came through very aggressive. Was that the style you were hoping for, aggression and melodic interludes back and forth in the album?
Yes, exactly, the two lead singers are Sebrina first and I. My voice is more clean, it's not really aggressive, but it's not opera like Sebrina. And those two vocals are the reflection of Transcendence. But we needed a more aggressive, low punch vocals, you know? ...I can't sing more aggressive, it's not as aggressive as Christian can do, so we preferred to put Christian on the vocals instead of me, so we can be more... how do I describe it, not really aggressive, but more intentional, you know? Yeah, the basic idea from the beginning was to have at least two, maybe three, vocals on the band. And mix all kind of effects on the vocals, like on "Eternal Stream" my voice is a few times mixed with effects so you can hear different things, it goes with the emotions of the music. That's what we want basically, follow the emotions of the music, follow the story. So when we need a more aggressive part we use Christian, or my vocals on effects, and when we need something slowing and etherial we use Sebrina, or maybe my clean voice.
Is the style going to stay very much the same on the next album? You mentioned you were going to somehow, I wasn't sure if you were going to change the style, or the approach... how's that going to go into the next album?
Our main style is progressive atmospheric metal, and we are always going to stay with that kind of music, on the next album, and the third one. But it's going to definitely change, because we're always looking for something more, and certainly we must follow the story, but we want to follow the story you know, the emotions and all the basic elements we put on the story, so the music follows that.
Okay, what is the story progressing to now, can you tell me anything about what happens to our mighty here in the next installment?
The story is not written right now, but we got the main ideas. Right now we are [promoting] "Eternal Stream". But we start a little bit thinking about the direction of the story, what will happen to Dolric and things. Obviously what I can say is that the next ages will be more dark, not really dark, but more mean, you know? It's going to be deeper, ...how can I describe it, more pyschological. Expect something maybe not really happy. It will definitely change, [we will add] other musicians to Transcendence.
Do you plan on using the session musicians again, I noticed you had a few this time. Do you plan on getting more of them and using more instruments?
Yes, basically on the first album we wanted to have saxaphones and cello. But the saxophone player was not available at the time and cello [player], we didn't find one. Right now we are looking for one.
There are not many cello players that want to play in a metal band are there?
No, not really. We're going to stick with the violin player [...] the guitarist who does a few solos on the album is going to come back and obviosuly if we can find a cello player. And we're looking for a few other instruments, like maybe a saxophone, but I don't think so. And we're looking for a full-time drummer too. Cause it's hard...
Hard to have a live show without one?
Yeah, it's rough for the studio you know, practice like three or four months for the studio, it's really hard. If we can have a drummer on the basic composition line it will be easier, and for after we can take with us and write the music with us. It's more easy for the drummer.
Okay, is the entire band usually involved in the writing process, or is it just you and two other members, or do you try to get everybody involved in the writing?
Basically with the music, we're working with pairs, I wrote something, then I went to see Christian, then we wrote something together, or Christian wrote a basic melody or song, and he comes to see me to build around that. ...something from Michael, Micheal and I. So it's always Micheal and I, me and Christian, you know, the two pairs, and then we work with the two musicians, work around that, when the song is not really done, but the basic line of the song is. And Sebrina is adding the vocal line and a few ideas around there. It's working very well like that.
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Do you find a general reluctance to accept the progressive metal scene?
Around here, nobody bothers I think, because the scene is more like Kataklysm, Cryptopsy, and Goreguts and things like that. So it's not our scene, very different. [...]
Around here the scene with death metal is good, but around [Ontario], British Columbia, and anywhere around Canada the death metal scene is practically not existing. It's not a very good place to be for a death metal band, or a metal band. If we'd play I Mother Earth, or Our Lady Peace, or Moist, it'd be easier for us... It's working very well in Europe.
You do have a lot of support from Europe?
Yes, from France it's amazing. It's really amazing in France. We're distributed through (can't make out French label name) *something* Records and it's working very well. It's starting to in USA right now, we got a deal with Relapse records.
Do find that listeners of doom or gothic metal tend to pick up your music and enjoy it?
Yeah, yeah, exactly. We're working very well in progressive rock, cause we've progressive parts. We're still working very good with atmospheric or doom metal because it's basically it's our style. We've got a few things, where we can go and it's working there, so it's more easier for us, like that.
So most of this year you'll spend trying to get a few shows set up, and a drummer. When do you suppose we can see the next album in production?
*ooh* The album is not done yet, you can imagine, but I can say it's obviously going to be out in '98.
So '98 we can hope for a new album?
Yeah, of course, but when, hmm, good question, becuase it's not really bad, because the album is out for two months now, and it's hard to work in USA and France was a little faster.
Are you findind the reviews coming back for the album are generally very good?
Everyone is enjoying the album.
Had any negative comments about it.
Not really about the music, but one guy, I don't remember the mag, said it's basic, the guy wasn't really enjoy the stuff. He's more into the brutal stuff like Suffocation.
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But everything around the world is generally enjoying the album. It's amazing how fast it goes and how people react in a positice way for that album. It's cool for us. ...you need to listen to it to enjoy it.
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Did you know the production team for the album before, or were they new to you?
The engineer and producer [...] are the same guy. I knew him a few years before recording the album. He's not really a friend of mine, but I work with him a few times, because I was the manager of a few bands. And I worked with him very nice, he's a very nice guy, he's easy to work with. He can get you what you want. It's amazing to work with that guy.
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Anything else you'd care to say?
[Please visit our website] It's worth the trip.
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