Vitrail – Interview – Occult Black Metalzine
1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Vitrail was originally founded by Simon Tremblay (guitars & vocals) in fall 2019 as a studio project. Simon wrote the 5 first tracks and then asked Richard-William Turcotte to add drums to them. Soon after, they both decided to form a band and we contacted Frederic Custeau (bass) to join the formation. From there, we promptly started to write our first album as a band.
2.So far you have released a single, ep and a full length, musically how do they differ from each other?
Musically, our first release ’’EP’’ (yeah, I know, pretty simple title!), was 100% composed by Simon, compared to our first full-length album ’’Les Pages Oubliées’’ where we all took part on the composition process. So I think we can feel more variety in the full album because everyone has put their touch to it and obviously we all listen to a lot of different musical styles, so it had an effect on the songs.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
Simon draws his inspiration from sacred texts and art which has shaped our world for hundreds of past generations. We see our lyrics as a tribute to the lost wisdom one can find through these relics. Mostly, we use religious topics, since we are from Quebec, a province where religion has had a huge historical impact.
4.All of the band members are also in other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Vitrail' that you are not able to do with your other groups?
With Vitrail, we can exploit different themes, a different imagery and mostly a different writing process. Simon’s inspiration has given the opportunity to make something different from our other bands.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Vitrail'?
Vitrail is stained glass in French. The inspiration comes right from all the stained glasses we can find in hundreds of churches in the Quebec province. The idea is that light and shadow always interlace together through these beautifully crafted sacred windows, like our music, always balancing between light and darkness.
6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The cover represents the icon of the Virgin Mary who watches over the location of the tomb of Christ in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. His face and his hands are blackened and erased by age, heat and smoke from candles, as well as by the kisses of pilgrims.
7.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows or open to the idea?
Well, as you can imagine, there’s actually no live shows in our region due to the pandemic. As soon as everything will be back to normal, we surely plan to go on stage. Meanwhile, maybe we’ll go on a virtual show soon, we’ll see!
8.Currently the band is unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Like many bands, yes, we would like to get a label that suits our style, but we’re patient to get the right offer.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post black metal?
Very positive and we’re very happy to read all the good messages and/or comments! We’ve put our best in our first album, so it’s always pleasing to see that our work is appreciated.
10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
So much to tell! Some new albums/singles will arrive soon, new projects are coming to life and some of our other bands are more listened to than ever. You can follow our personal pages to stay informed of all developments.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Due to Vitrail's broad range of influences, I think that the band will naturally keep on exploring and incorporating different genres into it's music. I think that the post-metal genre has fans that are open-minded and curious musically, which will allow us to be appreciated even though we might stray from the traditional black metal sound from time to time.
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?
We all listen to a lot of different musical styles and they obviously all have an influence on our playing. For example, I (Richard), listen to a lot of modern jazz, new progressive bands and technical death metal. Fred listens to a wide range of metal and electronic music. As for Simon, he is mostly into post-black metal and country music
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I know it sounds cliché, but I invite you to follow and/or subscribe to our social media pages to stay informed on what’s coming! We also have released our first physical copies of ’’Les Pages Oubliées’’ with our good friend Melogy Musicraft, go check this out on his website! Cheers!
https://www.melogymusicraft.com/vitrail
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