1. The band was born in 2006, did you have any musical activities before Lutece? I think that you handle your instruments pretty good.

Denosdrakkh: Hailz to you Under! Hesgaroth and I used to play in a black metal band called Dark Requiem(www.myspace.com/darkhordes).

2. You are quite new in the scene, your music is not that known. I want to ask you that you introduce yourself and also your music

Denosdrakkh: Well, my role in Lutece is the composition. I play each instruments, which includes guitar, bass, keyboards and some other acoustic instruments which may appear in a forthcoming second album...It’s a project composed of two very close friends, based both in Paris/Dublin and born in march 2006. Lutece was the name given to the nowadays Paris by Jules Cesar during the conquest of Gaul, in 52 BC.

Hesgaroth: I provide the vocals and write the lyrics. I also mix intros and outros, in other term I try to convert Denosdrakkh’s composition into words and ambient.

3. Lutece is playing Pagan/black metal with slight addition of ambient. That makes you original. I think that history and nature are quite important to your music, Am I right?

Denosdrakkh: We’re not really playing Pagan/Black metal. I would more use the word Epic...but that’s only categories. We’re harder to classify.

Hesgaroth: But you’re true, historical events and European mythologies have a large place in Lutece. All the lyrics deal with that, the characteristic example is Alesia. I don’t think that Lutece can fit in only pagan/Black category.

4. You are only two-man band, are you interested in of someone addition?

Denosdrakkh: I think that if one day we chose to include another member in Lutece, it would probably be someone playing some kind of whistles, or violon in order to enhance the folk side of our music.

Hesgaroth: Lutece is a two-man band and if we add someone it will be session musician.

5. Are you planning some live gigs?

Hesgaroth: Not yet. It’s hard to manage with Denosdrakkh in Dublin and I in Paris. But we did lives with our former band and we like it, so why not next year.


6. Hesgaroth: Not yet. It’s hard to manage with Denosdrakkh in Dublin and I in Paris. But we did lives with our former band and we like it, so why not next year.

Denosdrakkh: You’re right for the various influences, and I m particulary attracted by very melodic motives. It has to sound different from the other bands, so I m trying to include a very personal touch, based on a musical background made of Celtic music, traditional folk, black metal and electronic music, hence the word World Music you used.

7. Every mythology has its own gods and sacred/holy beings. Do you believe in some kind of divinity?

Denosdrakkh: Not really divinities. I m living in Ireland and because of the landscapes and the wonderful nature surrounding you, it’s easy to understand why some people are still praising Ancient Gods… However I don’t share the neo/urban/paganism ideology.

Hesgaroth: You can feel something special in some forest, springs or ruins. We are not “praising” Ancient Gods but honoring their memory and our heritage.

8. You come from France, are you really frenchmen? Do you remember some important milestones of french black metal scene? There is not much bands similar to Lutece.

Hesgaroth: I’m not totally Frenchmen, I’m half Spanish. Even if they aren’t very similar to Lutece, there is very good French bands in Pagan/Black such as Himinbjorg, Wargasm or Belenos. And let’s not forget Spain with Berserk for example.

Denosdrakkh: Various European blood in my veins.

9. I hear many musical instruments in your music, on which of those "Untypical" you can play?

Denosdrakkh: Not much because my keyboard does it very well ;). As said above, I only play guitar, bass and then keyboards. Our music, as a band such as Summoning or even Graveland, has a really strong electronic side, which reinforces the ambient/epic atmosphere.

10. France is one of the countries where musicians don´t fear experiments (blut aus nord and spektr for example). Do you have your own idols or bands, which inspired you somehow?

Denosdrakkh: You’re right. However, I don’t feel very close to those bands. Anyway, I enjoy the work of French bands such as Himinbjorg, Aes Dana, Crystalium…and I find the Eastern European scene really deadly.

Hesgaroth: French scene is very dynamic and creative. The initiative of Mordrek (www.myspace.com/gloomybetrayalcom) to produce the compile “Black Storm” is a pretty example with a wide range of black metal styles and influences. The last album of Malleus Maleficarum is also a good example of experimentation.


11. France is known for their "Accursed poets" like Baudelaire and Verlaine. Do you feel influenced by them? How important are books for you?

Denosdrakkh: Not at all. They were sniveling and weak people. They just found their salvation through poetry and drugs. I fuck that. We are strong and proud enough and will never recognize ourselves through such weakness. Moreover I m fed up with all stupid and uneducated craps who say they read those guys, only because it’s “trendy” to say so.
I try to find the time reading one or two books a month, and appreciate the works of authors such as Gautier, Dumas, and Stendhal.

Hesgaroth: We do not compose under absinthe’s effect… We are not very touched by “black romantics” with writers such as Baudelaire and his well-known “Les fleurs du mal”. We do not recognize ourselves in this kind of “Accursed poets”.

12. Talking about experiments, you don´t fear of use of electronic music, which is not typical for black metal. There is also wolf howl on album does it emblemize something? Strength? Do you feel as strong person?

Hesgaroth: We aim at creating a special atmosphere, and a wolf howl can emblemize many things. Concerning our strength, we take our forces directly through great Irish beverages.

Denosdrakkh: We feel Strong enough to lead our life as we want to!

13. Nowadays, many patriotic bands are raising Is Lutece patriotic too?

Hesgaroth: If we have to claim something is that European history does not begin 2000 years ago. We are proud of our history and our immemorial roots.

Denosdrakkh: Not patriotic, nor nationalist. We don’t want to mix politics and music.

14. You signed up to english "Triple Silence records". Are you satisfied with their efforts?

Denosdrakkh: They did an amazing job for us and we’re really thankful for the confidence they have in us.

Hesgaroth: We are very satisfied so far! Triple Silence records trusts us and gave us an opportunity to develop Lutece. Many labels are not willing to give a chance to some bands because they are looking only to bankable issues. Triple Silence really works with us and has supported us since the early beginning.

15. Thanks for your answers; I wish Lutece prosperity for many years ahead and not only in musical life!

Thanks to you Under! Longue vie à Mortem Zine!