1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
The idea of I C No dates back 15 years ago, I've always had the idea of creating a black metal oriented project (even if we can define ourselves as post black, I accept it very well, it's coherent). Life and work have meant that I haven't worked much on my instruments. Following covid, I threw a lot of stuff out and I started to build up my music and set up a home studio. A lot of the riff of the EP even dates from my fasttracker 2 period (the geekiest will understand...).
The project on EP was led by me, Ksar : all instruments, compositions, mix and mastering. The vocalist is Orcus (the heretic), I think he is a very talented guy with a lot of inspiration and disruptive ideas. I was helped by Matteo Bressan for drum programming because mine was not good enough, and lyrics by Mc Grungy.
2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
Like i said before, we are between black and post black metal. Lot of influences from different genres for me. I'm quite eclectic in terms of music style actually. My brother is very well versed in gangsta rap, my favorite singer is Maria Callas and I start the day with grindcore or black! I have days with goa/trance and classical music but I'm coming back to metal in all ways, all styles combined. I'm against the dripping conservatism that typically molds the black metal scene. I'm looking for atypical, unstructured music, imbued with madness. Black metal served as a crucible for me to talk about it because I really want to vomit against this world, but I'm not trying to stick to the expectations of a basic black man guy who like again and again and again (and again(!!) the same shitty post of Euronymous in Facebook. Time is coming for evolution.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
We are exploring all the darkness in our contemporary world. I don't like modern keywords. I think that global warming, climate change, pollution, politics or social issues are the main and hot subjects that everyone must talk about. On I ferrugineo Cochlearia, we are talking about rare-earth elements that we can find in your smartphone by instance. Lyrics are absurd but powerful in this song, because the situation is totally absurd and a disaster for everyone. Empaler le maitre de la mélée is about fucking management style in our society that slave all people but with a nice talk about freedom, Bullshit ! Scrum master, agile methodology must die (if you are computer scientist you will understand), On achève bien les idoles is about a big demonstration in France in the town of Lyon where Orcus the vocalist was near to put a bomb on the head... Logghoraine is a french word game / words fusions between Logghorée and Haine (logghorée = a lot of talks without interruption, haine = hate), it was about my ex work in private banking where I was in the deep hole of myself. Elizabeth Bathory, I think you know that girl ! All lyrics are written by the almighty Mc Grungy, yes we have a dedicated lyricist, we are proud of that. He was the singer of black / death band Rawwar a few years ago.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'I C No'?
The bizarre name of the project comes from the following observation. I say no to today's world, for me, for young people, for everyone, but I wanted to avoid a name like 'the suffering denial of death'. As a result, a more bizarre name came. I C No, a play wording in Franglais: I C No, i say no, i see no. It is fashionable to be in denial, but it is also necessary to act for a useful purpose. To see, to hear, to defend oneself intellectually against the current pitfalls. I'm no longer a yes man, but a no man in short. The logo is inspired by a tattoo that I share with my wife.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?
L'enfer des autres, c'est moi the EP title, is allusion of the french philosopher Sartre (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_Sartre) with his work "l'enfer c'est les autres" (hell, is others) but... he was a big jerk in my eyes, so I give him a little booger as I pass... Other people's hell is me, it's like waiting for an ill-intentioned guy (a mad guy!) on a street corner. That guy could be you tomorrow. This guy is also that guy who is taking the violent climate change on his face (losing his children on a massive fire maybe?) and hasn't done anything concrete to deal with it. He is dealing with his fate. He's angry and he wants to steal from you to survive. Sweet irony.
7.The band members live in both France and Switzerland, what impact does this have on the musical style that you play?
No impact ! I guess more our ages differences but definitively, it was a bug strength. Orcus has a lot of DSBM influence and shoegaze but also like singing in alternate way death or black metal. sometimes in pig squeel. For me, i have more experience as listener but like i say in second question i'm listen what i like, i don't wanna be close in jail for a music gender. We are mainly focus on our work to deliver the best work in fact we don't compare ourselves with french or switzerland band.
8.On the ep you also did a 'Tormentor' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?
Few reasons for choosing Tormentor ! It's really fun to play first, i also like a lot the Dissection's cover (aah Dissection, i like a lot a lot Reinkaos! Storm and Somberlain of course, but the risk on Reinkaos is enormous, i like risk). We say no, i say no..No to the story of the countess, too much dumb thing on this women, so we wanted to make this cover to think about the truth behind the myth. We don't change too much lyrics (in french, rhythmic placements are also different) but we believe, are you sure about the story, did you verify ? No, no and no !
9.The physical version was released on 'Crypt of Dr. Gore', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
This label can be considered as a true underground label. You can help when you have time, you can discuss, it's a very good organic entity with a good spirit. DIY of course, but friendship is the clue, music, loudy music of course ! Also very good releases, look with Gergovia, Cryptic Process, Horoh, Gummo ! Excellents releases with a powerful background in death metal, brutal death metal or grindcore. https://sites.google.com/view/cryptofdrgore/merch-distro/c-o-d-g-records?authuser=0
10.On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
Not a lot of reactions for being honest, we don't have facebook or instagram, just streaming platforms. But for the moment we have positive returns by bandcamp, mail or reviews, some good criticism for being better musicians too. It's hard to spread his work actually but we keep the faith to say No to everyone. Let time take his time.
11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Yes! We are currently working hard on the recording of a full length album. We got a real drummer, Orcus is totally possessed with his vocals (really...) time to hear something different in black metal ? I think we are. Lyrics are just perfect with Grungy that take time to create singular texts with deep meaning. I think these lyrics are the closest to poems and slam (yes slam). Compositions are extended, coming to doom to heavy to brutal black, and running with the death part. We are proud and impatient to give this album. We thought of releasing it in the first quarter of 2025.
12.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?
For this EP, i was deeply with Deathspell Omega, Diapsiquir, Paramnesia, Reigan-Do, Elseetoss or Gorgoroth. I like to come back regularly with Deicide, i don't support the thrash style (boring to play first). I like hearing a lot of stuff even if it's not metal like I said before, it's a good source of inspiration. On the next release, there is a song with some Django Reinhard riffing look alike. I think we all precedent questions, you can see i'm really strange with that side of me. Orcus is normal ! But are we really normal ? fuck normality. No ! Again.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Stay curious musically or intellectually, be gentle with your nearest family, listen to death and black metal. We are in the final apocalypse on this fucking world, open your eyes to survive !
Thanks a lot Occult Black Metal Zine for giving me the opportunity to talk.
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