Jzovce was created in Summer 2019 after a tragic experience. I started writing and recording and an entire album was done in one week. After that I thought the project could be something much more than just a one shot of anger and sadness and I decided to explore new aspects of composition.
2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past ?
As the project evolves little by little I was focusing more and more on the black metal aspect of the writing and of the sound. For this new album, Kezdet, I wanted something more raw, more bleak and more "in your face", so I spent hours and hours working on the sound before the recordings and hours and hours on the mixing and mastering to give the album the energy and dynamics it deserved. I also spent more time on the arrangements and more generally on every guitar part, every drum sound, every field recording, to really have a complete, well balanced album. It is very important to take the time to work, lots of "artists" don't really take it nowadays, they just write a few riffs, shit-record them and mix everything with reverb and lo-fi eq and say "yeah this is raw black metal we are fucking true", you are a fucking imposture yes.
3.The new lyrics are based on The Blair witch project, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this film ?
Actually, the lyrics aren't based on Blair witch, I only used some samples taken from the film. This particular movie has haunted me since its release in 1999. I consider it as one the best found footage movies, and simply as one the best movie ever. Everything is right, from the characters to the filming, to the forest, the house and the witch we never see. I have seen it dozens of times and every time something new appears, something that was there since the beginning but that I've never seen before, as if the witch didn't want me to see it until now. I've read lots of books, essays and articles about the making of the film, the story, the legend of Black Hills, even a book containing all the police and journalists reports which are supposed to be true.
4.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored over the years with your music ?
With Jzovce, I am focusing on the dark, horrific and vivid conflict between man and God. I am kind of a mystical artist in some way, not a believer but I am very interested in the representations of the Gods, the hidden meanings of all of this, the secrets of the creation. The primitive aspects are what keep me going, as well as the haunted forests, the magical energy behind the rituals, the essence of witchcraft.
5.With your other musical projects you have also worked with other musical genres, do you feel this had made you a better musician ?
Absolutely. It's all about working and trying to improve myself, to go further and not being satisfied of doing the same thing in the same way. Working on different genres of music allows that improvement, it helps going away from the boundaries the music and yourself have put, then you can see things differently and reach another level of composition.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Jzovce ?
Jzovce is a no word. It doesn't have any proper meaning as I made it up. I didn't want to have a real word when I started working on the project, I wanted something intriguing but mostly something that people cannot refer themselves to. With a name with real words, you are telling people what to expect, a made up name has that unknown feeling which is much more interesting. The same goes for the tracks and albums names, some of them are totally made up.
7.With your musical projects you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians in the future ?
I am. I already did collaborations with other artists and I am doing it with Jzovce as well. A bass player has worked with me on the upcoming album (which will be released later this year), he put some different dynamics on the songs and made them a bit groovier ! Also, the talented Golem Mecanique recorded some voices and electric hurdy-gurdy for a concept album to be released in 2023.
8.How does the music of Jzovce differ from the other solo projects that you are a part of ?
The only other project I'm working on now (I've put the other projects aside and I don't think I will exhume them) is the very first one, under my own name, Thomas Bel. For this one, I used to focus on experimental, ambient and folk and the more time passes by the more it becomes doom folk, the key being to keep it raw and simple : acoustic and/or electric guitar and voice. On the other hand, Jzovce is meant to be black metal, raw and primitive. It contains lots of different elements, layers of field recordings, home made percussions, samples from films, tons of repetitive riffs and instinctive drum patterns, to create a unique and visceral atmosphere.
9.You also run Distant Voices, can you tell us a little bit more about this label ?
Distant Voices is a small record label founded in Summer 2012 to release black metal, ambient and other obscure music in very limited handmade editions. Every release is made with fine and soft papers to create unique and beautiful objects. It also features special and artist editions in extra limited quantity including more works on papers and textures, fabric, hand writting, photographs, ..., as well as editions of poetry books, art prints, t shirts and patches. Distant Voices is independent and artisanal. We do our very best to use recycled papers only.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of depressive black metal ?
Well, I don't know... I don't consider Jzovce as depressive black metal but I can understand how one can. I don't really have any contact from people who buys or listens to my music, I guess they are as isolated and unable to communicate as me haha, but the very few I met have told me great things about my music.
11.What is going on with your other musical projects these days ?
I am working on a new album which is going to be instrumental and filled with abyss. There are also some new folk songs in progress that might end up on another album. I am also trying to find some places to play, I recently did a show after 9 years off stage and it felt really nice so I decided to go on this way and play live as much as possible. Some shows are already on discuss as we speak.
12.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future ?
Hopefully I will be able to go further on all the experimentations I have started in order to become a better artist, a better person, to improve myself and my art.
13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays ?
Wow that is a difficult one ! There are tons of bands, artists from so many different genres who have influenced me and they still are, I won't be able to make a list... let's just say that today I mostly listen to Funeral Mist, Infernal Coil, Whispering Sons and The Devil's Trade but it's going to be very different next week haha !
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts ?
May the night be your love
https://distantvoices.bandcamp.com/
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