Interview with black thrash death metal band from France - EXECUTION.
Answered Bruno (vocals), thank you!
Recenze/review - EXECUTION - Camisole (2025):
Ave EXECUTION! First of all, I have to pay tribute to your latest album „Camisole“. I haven't heard such a powerful and crazy album in a long time. I have it at home, in my car, and at work, in various formats, and I listen to it whenever I need some new energy. How satisfied are you with the album now that some time has passed, and what has the reaction been like from fans?
Bruno: Thank you and your support. I can't really answer your question right now. The album is out on Great Dane Records but not yet distributed by Season of Mist, the official release date for them is June 13th. We'll have a release party on June 14th and see how the public reacts. Yes, we understand that there are things that could have been better.
In my opinion, the new album is perfect in every way. The sound, the ideas, the cover are all great. How does EXECUTION compose and how did the new album come about? It seems to me that you have a different lineup of musicians on every album. Who has the final say in the band and is the one who says, "This song is good, so let's keep it"?
For this album, we decided to put as much as possible around the album. The cover too. We did a lot of test recording. Some tracks are old but reworked with the whole band. It's a story, a concept. So the music follows the lyrics, to give an emotion. We work together with the ideas of the lyrics for the atmosphere.
"Camisole" has a harsh, brutal sound. Raw and rough. At the same time, it's piercing and cold. Where did you record the album? And who is responsible for the mastering? I really like that the sound is organic, so real. You avoided the "artificiality" and "over-the-topness" that some bands unfortunately tend to have nowadays.
We talked and we didn't want to sound like everyone else today. Too modern, clean, and fluid, no. We wanted that raw, old-school feel. But not too old either. A lot of albums sound the same today. We have a keyboard that brings melody, and the vocals are aggressive. We have the underground spirit.
It's clear that in death/black/thrash metal, lyrics often take a back seat. How do you perceive the content of the lyrics and how are they created in EXECUTION? What are they about on the new album and what influenced them?
This story is the sequel to our album ETERNAL DREAMS. The same character is interned in an asylum. His reality is alternate. The first track, BLACK TOMB, is his vision: he sees the hospital as a tomb. He crosses the doors of the asylum. If you want BLACK TOMB would be a dark hospital. After the rest of the album he is in an isolation room and undergoes analysis and care. But there are two realities, the one everyone sees and his own. He creates his story, his fears, and he sinks lower and lower each time.
If I'm not mistaken, EXECUTION dates back to 1989. How do you perceive that time? Together with other bands, you were at the birth of something new that had never been here before. Your history is full of interesting albums that rightfully belong in every fan's golden collection. I just wonder why there aren't more recordings? Three full-length albums in 36 years isn't exactly a lot. How do you explain that and what is the reason for it?
Yes, you're right, EXECUTION is an old band, November 1989. It's a long story, I'll keep it short. I'm the only survivor of the first lineup. After that, Abigail, our guitarist, arrived 9 months after the band's creation, but we can say he was there from the beginning, right? At the beginning, we did it quickly; two demos and a vinyl album in 1992. Too quickly. I think we were still looking for the band's identity. And it's since 1995 that we found our personality. We took Sophie with us on keyboards and vocals. We released ETERNAL DREAMS in 1999. A complex album. We had a lot of changes of drummers and secondary guitarists. It was hell for us. We played shows and prepared an album, but each time a member left the band or was fired . It was the era of studios, real studios? No Cubase or Pro Tools. We had to spend as little time as possible in the studio. Time cost money. It must be said that we have two entire albums that are not recorded. But we made backups, a 9-track album "DYING ALONE" with Abigail. We keep the idea of doing it one day with retouches from the current band. Another album without a name, 8 tracks, with complicated and sometimes long titles. Today, we could do it with this line-up, more professional than before. And that's our next project, 4 of these tracks with 4 new titles.
I love your country, culture, monuments, and beautiful girls. In recent years, however, France has also been a veritable treasure trove of good metal music. You approach music a little differently than others. I like SVART CROWN, DEATHSPELL OMEGA, but also veterans MERCYLESS, MORTUARY, newcomers RITUALIZATION, SKELETHAL... there are so many great bands – how is that possible? Is it the wine? :) Do you have any other tips for us? Do you see any differences between concerts elsewhere in Europe and in your country?
I don't know if it's the wine. It's just that there are a lot more bands in France in recent years. And more professional bands than before. It's much easier to learn music today with the internet, tutorials... In the 90s, you had to work on your guitar or drum lessons alone in your little room, waiting to see your guitar teacher again the following week (lol), an eternity... But personally, I find that there are still amateur bands everywhere in Europe, and that there are still some today.
Death/thrash/black metal isn't exactly a style that's in the spotlight of fans' interest. That makes support all the more important. From the old days, I remember that you supported your favorite band by buying CDs, T-shirts, and going to concerts. But times have changed. The world is ruled by the internet and music downloads. How do you, as a band, perceive these changes? Have you had to adjust the way you operate? What about your fans, are they different too?
Yes, everything has changed, but the Death Metal scene still has fans who like to have CDs, vinyls, t-shirts, etc. I prefer to buy real CDs and vinyls, it's better than a link. But that's my opinion. We still have long-time fans and new ones.
What does music mean to you? What is it like to play extreme metal from a musician's perspective? What do you like about it and what don't you like? You can also look at this question from a philosophical point of view. Is thrash/black death metal more of a hobby or a lifestyle for you?
It's my life, my lifestyle since I was 13, when I discovered AD/DC with Highway to Hell. I immediately loved the music and the world of hard rock. The cover was fantastic for a 13-year-old kid. and then I discovered a lot of bands. and the evolution towards heavy, speed, thrash, and death. a bit like many of us. the world of IRON MAIDEN with magnificent covers. and I loved the evolution of Metal, ANVIL "metal on metal", RAVEN, VENOM, BATHORY, METALLICA, SLAYER, EXODUS, and then DEATH, POSSESSED and MORBID ANGEL.I formed my first band at 16, playing guitar with friends, "ENFER" (hell). But those were the rehearsals in my bedroom. Then I formed BAD DEVILS, still on guitar. But we had a singer who didn't want to sing, a real problem. He pretended to be a singer, a fan of MÔTLEY CRUE, POISON... but without the voice, lol. So, I have guitar and vocals...When I formed EXECUTION, I decided to only do the vocals.
It's been 36 years since EXECUTION was founded. You are a household name on the scene, you have loyal fans, you perform at concerts. Is there anything else you want to achieve as a band? What are your goals for the future?
We're going to play shows to promote the album "CAMISOLE" and write songs. We won't be here forever. 36 years is already a long time.
During EXECUTION, we participated in side projects. I was the vocalist for the black metal band BEAUTY OF DESOLATION; we released two CDs, "World Agony" and "Cold Emotions," and Abigail was the frontman of SEAEARTH and one album, "Sea of Lava."
And what are your plans for the coming months? What can fans look forward to? If you have a message for them, for labels, for promoters, here's the space...
Come to our concerts and talk with us. We love to meet people. All underground.
Thank you very much for the interview, for your great music, and I wish EXECUTION sold-out concerts and crazy fans who will tear your hands off with merchandise. I also wish you much success and happiness in your personal lives.
Thank you very much for this interview.
Recenze/review - EXECUTION - Camisole (2025):
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