1. Sending greetings from the Czech Republic, from Austerlitz to be more exact. I a bit hope that you know my town a from the history of your country as it is connected with Napoleon and the Battle of the Three Emperors...? Anyway, how are you doing these days?

Dobrý den! How could I ignore Napoleon's tactical masterchief of Austerliz? I'm doing great actually, and I'm just coming back from a few days of vacations in Praha. So, I'm in the perfect mood to answer to these questions...

2. I assume that this is your first interview for our republic, so I would like to introduce your band as well as possible. Could you please introduce WORMFOOD to the Czech readers who have not came across it yet? I do not mean to ask you for a boring biography, but for a few interesting facts and some news. ;)

Well, I don't want to disappoint you, but we already gave interviews in the past for czech medias, like SparkMagazine, and recently Parat Magazine. But I'm pleased to answer to czech interviews, and always touched by the great support from our czech listeners. To summarize, Wormfood is a french avantgarde metal band with strong gothic/doom influences, founded in Rouen (upper Normandy) ten years ago. We recorded five studio cds (plus some live material, or appearances on various compilations), and gained some public recognition with our baroque album entitled „France“, produced by Axel Wursthorn (from Carnival in Coal), and released on the cult italian label Code666 in 2005. Then, three of us joined Carnival in Coal's live line-up in 2006, till the band's split-up. Then, for almost three years, Wormfood focused on the composition and recording of „Posthume“, featuring special appearance by our friend Paul Bento (Carnivore, Type O Negative) on sitar and electronic tanpura. We encounter various obstacles during this period, that led to a radical line-up change in 2009. Then, „Posthume“ was finally released in january 2011, through MalaFortuna/Season of Mist. The band's current line-up, including myself, is now fully based in Paris and features members of Embryonic Cells, Melted Space, Borgia, Abstrusa Unde...

3. Before we start about the more current issues, I would like to take a look in the past. You released three full-length albums in three years. When taking their quality into consideration, that was a good start for sure. How would you describe those years when it comes to the music itself? I guess that after such a long time, you have things to say...

Well, I believe your count isn't accurate, I'd better say three full-lenght in ten years (because on five records, there are two demos : our first „Untitled“ in 2001, and „Jeux d'Enfants“ in 2004). Well, that makes about three years per album, which seems quite honnest, isn't it? Wormfood's music is always complex to compose, arrange and mix, and the writing of lyrics can take me a lot of time. By the way, the inspiration between two albums has to refresh, especially when you find your topics in the real life. But I've been lucky, life has been such a disaster for me during these last years that I've gathered enough inspiration for two or three more albums!

4. A year later you released a demo and then an era of silence came. What was the reason behind it and how did you spend that time?

I'm not sure to understand what you're talking about... But I guess it isn't easy to follow our chaotic carreer, especially from a foreign country! In 2009, when „Posthume“ has been finally recorded, the band went through really tough times : mainly, it appeared that no record label was really interessed -at this time- in releasing the album. Many tensions then appeared between the members of Wormfood, and I finally put an end to the original line-up. Then, after a few months of reflexion, I decided to ressucitate Wormfood and release the album.

5. This kind of takes us to the present, to be exact - to the days after releasing your new album „Posthume“. How do you feel nowadays? I guess that there is quite a lot of attention coming your way. Have you been receiving many reactions about your return to the scene?

I feel quite confident, people seemed to expect the release a lot, and the feedbacks on „Posthume“ are enthusiastic. Even if it's too early to know if it will be a commercial „success“ or not, I have the feeling that we won't lose too much money with this release! What surprises me a lot, is the support we're gaining from foreign listeners : Czech Republic, Germany, Asian countries, USA... Each day I get fans messages from all around the world. I never thought that Wormfood's music would have reached people so far from France.


6. I would like to know how much time a band such as WORMFOOD spends by promotion...? Interviews, communication with the label... is this difficult?

We benefit from a french promotion agency's services, which helps us a lot to spread our music in the medias, but, I'm still working on Wormfood's promotion on a daily basis, mostly over the web. It's a real passion, so it isn't difficult, but I have to admit it became a part-time job. And, apart from the band members, many people are currently working on the project : production, graphism, distribution, tour booking, photography... we're pretty well surrounded!

7. Now, let's get to your latest record which saw the light of day not long ago. I would be interested in the difference in the composing process when comparing „Posthume“ with the previous albums. „Posthume“ when compared to, for example, „France“ seems to be on a different level in many perspectives. It seems that the break was somehow beneficial for you...

First, the main difference is that our former drummer Alexis Damien and keyboardist Tim Zecevic left the band in 2006, after the release of „France“. They both had a strong personnality and musical universe, so after their departures, we decided to bring the guitars to the foreground and to write something darker and adult, and composed for live performance. My personal life collapsed at this time, and I decided to focus the lyrics on my „story“. Not in an accurate, autobiographical, way, of course, but I found some inspiration and energy in my own melancholy.

8. „Posthume“ is without a doubt a concept album as it does not seem as shattered and torn as the previous releases. What is that what „Posthume“ is hiding deep inside? What topics do you tend to follow and what is your goal when writing the lyrics?

„Posthume“ is all about the treason and loss of a beloved one. It deals with love in its darker aspects, self-destruction, disease, addictions, loneliness. It's also a „posthumous“ album because the old Wormfood „died“ in so many ways. What is my goal? To affect people.

9. When it comes to the language on the new album, you used your mother tongue only. How shall one understand this move? You used English in the past... Yet I must say that French sounds very canorously and adds a completely different and fresh touch to the music.

Well, in the past I already used english mixed with french. You know, I've always been influenced by french litterature, and this time, regarding the intimate topics, I felt I had to do this risky move with „Posthume“. Anyway, in order to satisfy our foreign listeners, we're publishing english translations of the lyrics on our official website: http://www.wormfood.fr/lyrics.html.

10. What is your stance on playing live? Are you planning any live performances for the new album? I hope that it is not too daring to expect at least a small tour outside of France?

Of course we're looking forward to perform these songs live, and we're currently booking gigs. We'll begin on stage in March. We're seriously thinking about touring outside french-speaking countries... I especially enjoyed playing at the Brutal Assault with Carnival in Coal, so I hope they'll be interessed into booking Wormfood someday.

11. Last few years, France has been enormously productive and strong, so to say. I would even say that almost anything French that gets to me catches my attention. How do you perceive the present musical scene in your country and how would you compare it to the music coming from the rest of Europe or world in general?

Honestly, I don't have enough critical distance to define what make french bands so „special“ to the rest of the world. Regarding Wormfood's „case“, we always claimed our attachment to the french music, poetry, painting and litterature. This cultural heritage is part of our identity.


12. If you do not mind, I would like to ask you on a bit more personal level. What do you usually do in your free time? What is your biggest hobby besides music? Grutle of Enslaved, for example, told us about his love for fishing...

Honnestly, between the band and my other activities, I don't have a lot of free time. I try to travel as much as possible to discover new cultures and inspiration, I read, go to the theater or museum exhibits, practice argentic photography. And I think I'm not that bad at … cooking!

13. I also can not go without asking about Carnival in Coal as it is one of my favourite bands. Your performance on Brutal Assault in Svojšice was utter brilliance! Therefore, the disbanding was really difficult to bare for me. I would like to ask you if you could say a few things about it, what were the reasons?

As I said before, I loved our time in Czech Republic, these are my best tour memories! Regarding the disbanding, I believe -it's not an official statement, only an assumption- that Axel Wursthorn and Arno Strobl had the feeling of some artistic achievement with this project, and agreed to end it at the „pinnacle of fame“. But they're both still very active musically.

14. So, if there is anything else that you would like to share, please, do it now and use as much space as you wish, feel yourself at home. :) Thank you very much for your time and for the interview. I wish you and the band all the best and maybe we will once meet at a concert!

Thanks to Mortem Zine staff for helping Wormfood's music to be better known in Czech Republic. I really hope we'll perform live in your country in a near future! I suggest your readers to visit www.wormfood.fr and join our pages on Facebook, Twitter, or Myspace. There's also an international mailorder for the new album, through our label MalaFortuna: http://malafortuna.bigcartel.com/product/wormfood-posthumer. If you downloaded and enjoyed it, please buy „Posthume“, in order to help us to keep recording new albums. Děkuji !