Why is the French scene, which is also about its pure legends, almost anonymous for so-called average metalhead outside France? Was it coincidence that Mercyless’ every album was released by another label? Do Max like all “children” of the band? Answering these and many other questions you’ll find below in merciless talk I was honored to have with the only original member of the ensemble who’s, at least in my opinion, one of living legends and founders of the extreme metal scene in France, what I invite you to do.
Salut Max! How are you and what’s happening in Mulhouse, bro? Are you ready to answer my often prying and probably even chaotic as hell questions?
Hi! Everything is fine here…and yes I’m ready for chaos!
So, let’s go! And we’re starting not from the beginning, like every normal writer did, and what would most readers or maybe even you expect, but from a case that may seem a bit odd. The point is releasing each album by a different label. What is the cause of that? Is it a result of conscious procedure or…?
We don’t really have any answers on this subject. In fact, for all of us it’s always happened naturally… We signed on quite a few labels because very often we couldn’t get what we wanted and so very often we had to stop all collaborations and change labels…
After a very good debut full-length, “Abject Offerings”, for which you’ve been waiting for a long five years, the real giant on the phonographic market in the form of Century Media became interested in you. For most bands it’d be a dream come true, and they’d stick to the claws of the label. You, however, ended cooperation with them after the release of “Coloured Funeral”. Why?
Simply because the label (in 1993) had ambitions and changes of direction in its choices of groups and style. At that time grunge was starting to be the fashionable style, unlike death metal which was already losing momentum… So century media was starting to sign a lot of strange and unattractive but fashionable groups… And bands like ours were left aside.
For a long time, you’re the only member of the ensemble who remembers its beginnings dating back in 1987. Unless I’m mistaken, none of them are active on the scene anymore. So, it seems only Stephane, who last supported the band with his guitar on gigs 2022, didn’t “grow-up” from metal and became so-called adult humans. Do you have any contact with Boris and Gerard or…?
Indeed I am the last guardian of the temple. Stephane stayed with me until 2016. But with his tinnitus problems he had to stop the group! Boris and Gerald stopped music a long time ago and I happen to meet Gerald very rarely. We started very young and our paths separated because our visions on music and our lives were too different.
I know that as for a person directly involved in the creative process the next two questions are of extremely difficult genre, but it’s my nature I like to stick a stick in the anthill. Why do you think “Sure To Be Pure” is the least appreciated album of your career?
Because it is part of a very different history of the band with very different influences and visions on music at that time. I had also left the band in the hands of other people. Honestly we really did shit and this album does not correspond in any way to Mercyless. You have to learn from your mistakes.
The previous, third, album entitled “C.O.L.D.” is also not too popular. Personally, I have no fucking idea why this is like that. Of course, they’re different from your earlier and later works, but in my opinion, you absolutely haven’t transcended the genre, it’s still metal in every element, and the music is certainly interesting as well (also or maybe even first of all from a pure technic point of view). Anyways, how do you look at them in retrospect?
Honestly this album… It’s crap… We did whatever we wanted and I don’t know why we did that!! I think this album is a serious mistake. But you have to understand and move forward without making this kind of album again. A lot of people like this album. I don’t really understand why!
In 2001, a project called Day Off Sin appeared. I read that the reason for calling it to life was the loss of interest in death metal and wishing to explore new things. However, it seems death metal didn’t disgust you at the end and irrevocably, because after ten years you in some way entered the same river for the second time and re-united Mercyless together with Stéphane. How did it happen and what feelings were you then? What was the reaction of French metalheads, especially those in more or less our age, to the news of this?
This band was just a project that had nothing to do with metal.We spent a lot of time learning in the field of production and recording with computers, samplers, etc… It was a desire and a will on our part. But we did not broadcast this music or promote it at all. We did it to please ourselves and discover new things far from death metal because it did us a lot of good. But in our heads at that time we already knew that we were going to come back stronger with Mercyless. It’s just that it took 10 years.
So that there’s no chronology in our chit-chat, let’s talk about your youngest child – “Those Who Reign Bellow”. Well, I never liked to ask questions about lyrics and I always tried to avoid them like going to heaven after death, but… I somehow feel texts are strongly connected with each other here and the order of tracks also isn’t accidental. Am I right?
You are absolutely right! Each track on this album has a position and a real definition in relation to the themes of the album. It is not a concept album but in general I use imagery and texts from religious books to make a sort of correspondence with current life and our society. To often arrive at the same observation. Humanity has learned nothing from its past. Religions, war, manipulation, hypocrisy… I make a parallel with hell and the devil. This fictional character, this myth that we always use again and again in our contemporary beliefs to make us believe that there is a bad side of man that must be avoided. The problem is that man is often the definition of the devil all by himself.
Anyways, this album is one huge tribute to old-school death metal (also in pure music meaning) and honestly, I felt a little strange to listen to such creativity on computer and no CD or tape. You know, I just felt like I was once again in the deep nineties and this “electronic brain” reminded me that it’s only an illusion. But actually, I wanted to ask you something completely different now. What was the reason for frequent changes in line-up, especially on positions of bassist and drummer?
Nostalgia is something that reassures us and makes us feel good. We work in this old school style, because we find ourselves there and it corresponds to our aspirations and because quite simply it is the music that we know how to do best and that corresponds to us. The more time goes by the less we find ourselves in this digital and sanitized world. That’s why we put all our energy into producing this album like in the 90s! As for the change of drummer and bassist it is simply because people change and seek over time to want to discover other horizons. And over time family life and society impose certain things on us that require us to change. So very often we find ourselves led to change the personnel of the band.
Oh, I just remembered for what purpose I started to write a mini-review in the previous question. So, before I forget once again what I mean, I’ll ask a question related to certain stops with this album. Why did we have to wait four long years for it?
It’s simply the time we need to write and compose a new album. Between concerts, festivals and our lives in this society we need a lot of time and perspective to compose a good album. We like to take our time and compose in the most accomplished way possible. It takes us almost 2 years to make new songs, rework them, arrange them, the lyrics, etc… We must not forget that we are not professionals!
Are your demos still available? I mean original versions of them – cassettes, because I’m sure if someone wants to do it, they can find them online for sure. Did you once re-release them, maybe even with no mastered or so sound, on CD? As I’ve noticed, this has been popular practice for some time – especially among these more underground ensembles.
Yes, our demos are still available on the internet but on the other hand I am not sure of the versions. Over the years they are often copied! On the other hand Dolorem Recs re-released a year ago a CD containing all our demos “The Merciless Years”.
Since “Eucharistic…” covers of all your releases are basically black and white. And it seems to me that it isn’t by chance. Is this correct? By the way, tell me if my impression is that in cases of both “Mother of All Plagues” and “Those Who Reign Bellow” you’ve used paintings of the same person that have some basis and, if yes, whose works it is?
Yes, that’s right, we worked with a Mexican artist for the last 2 albums, his name is Nestor Avalos and he works exactly in line with our vision of death metal. The black and white corresponds to our vision of this style of music, it goes to the essential with this lugubrious and irreligious side that suits us so well.
After returning to the world of living, you released several live albums. Does this mean you play gigs often? They probably give you as much fun as in previous life of Mercyless, but… Have you noticed any changes in approach to the matter of maniacs to the case, attendance and so on? You haven’t been on stage in a decade, so…
As soon as we got the band back on track, we didn’t stop doing concerts because this music must be broadcast as much as possible in concert. For us, this is obvious to share our emotions with the public. We recorded official live bootlegs, but to tell you the truth, it’s not what I prefer, I’m not a big fan of these live albums. We try to play as much as possible to defend our albums and share our passion.
This is time for a bit of a provocative question. What do you think, is the current line-up is the final one and you won’t be forced anymore to search for new people willing to play in the band?
I would like to tell you that yes this is the definitive line-up and this is how the group will evolve with these members…but it is impossible to guess what will happen in the future and getting together and playing with people is not an exact science!
What do you think about ensembles who reunite only to play gigs? I don’t name anyone here of course. I don’t know, I never had luck to meet the right folk to create a band, but in my world creating new songs is an immanent part of playing in a band. Do you agree with me, or do I just talk sick shits here?
I see what you mean, but actually nowadays forming a group has become just an occupation and a motivation to end up on social networks and show yourself as much as possible, it’s sad but it’s the times that I want it, and it’s very difficult to get over it. People form groups without a goal, often hoping to become famous very quickly and earn money and become a rock star and especially to make people talk about themselves. Everything has become so superficial and soulless that it’s difficult to find your way around but those who live this passion know how to recognize a real group that plays to live this passion.
The French scene isn’t well-known outside the country, so don’t tell you it’s almost anonymous. I noticed most metalheads often look for me at least strangely and I can see they have no idea what I’m talking about when I name some legends of extreme metal coming from your motherland. And here is a little example: I said something like “Massacra is a great band” and the guy’s reply was “You pronounce this name strangely, but yes, ‘From Beyond’ is a very good album”. What is the reason for such a situation? Is it about superstition French can’t or even if they can, don’t wanna speak English…?
Ah! Ah… What a level. I think that culturally France is a country apart with a knowledge of rock culture far below what is done abroad. We don’t speak English very well, and people prefer folk music and rap in French to metal in general. And with the advent of social networks it is getting worse and worse. The new generations are not interested in old bands and want to consume what they find on YouTube. There is, as you say, a real lack of knowledge and curiosity on the part of people who are supposedly from the “metal” scene. It’s sad but unfortunately so real!
Would you like to ask me about something? I know I’m probably fucking all over the line, but that’s actually secular tradition of interviews I make to reverse roles at the last perceived moment and force my interlocutors to such abysses. And I don’t want to show you even a shadow of mercy, so…
Ok… I like it. Don’t you think that there are more and more opportunistic and calculative people in death metal and black metal, who are just there to seek credibility with an extreme scene that does not recognize them? (I’m thinking of the pseudo rock stars who play in mainstream bands and who form death metal bands and who explain to you that it’s the music they listen to and love?)
Yeah! First of all I have to tell you I call such individuals in only one word. This word is: posers! And they should be eliminated from the scene as fast as possible, with all determination and all means! They kill what we love and dedicate our lives to. Anyways, I, to be honest, can’t get those idiots and why the hell they fuck around about their love to especially extreme kinds of Metal. I mean, their motivation. Well, maybe this is some sick will of making us “good citizens”? My answer is “No fuckin’ way!” Metal always was, is and will be elite music and that’s it! I think modern technology is also responsible here. You know, sometimes I think it is too easy now to find new music. Of course, for us this is a huge plus. I tell you honestly, most of the ensembles I reviewed I found on the internet. And I’m afraid if there wasn’t the net I’d probably never heard even a word about them, don’t even mention the fact I never ever had the possibility to listen to tons of great albums,demos… But at the same time I’m aware that this universality of access to the music may be a treat. Such idiot of some mainstream band can listen to it and think “well, that’s quite easy to play, vocals I do in studio and thanks to it I reach new fans without huge work”and some of us, Metalheads, are naive and give faith to these idiocies and get excited that this or that turned out to be one of us. And I somehow feel this is mostly about, let’s call them, passive listeners from younger generalizations. But I met a guy my age, who was like that, too. But it is impossible to take an old bear on artificial honey! We who were active in the nineties and sent tons of flyers in every entire letter will never do it!
How did you start to listen to metal music and what it means for you? I heard once a slogan “Metal isn’t only a music, it’s a lifestyle”. Do you agree with that?
When I was younger, I didn’t recognize myself in the music I heard, so I turned to something more aggressive and corresponding to my teenage aspirations. So I started with punk music and then little by little I turned to heavy metal then the big turning point towards the end of the 80’s death metal, and that’s where I found my true motivations, it was new, disturbing, without concessions. For my part I can say that this music is a lifestyle far from the standards of music and the conformist attitude of this disgusting society.
Let’s pull this topic a little. When, after a long time of passive listening to the music, you decided to learn to play guitar? Was it easy to assemble line-up, find rehearsal room and so on? In what conditions did you record your demos?
From the moment we were very motivated and we wanted to make music like our idols, we decided very quickly to buy musical instruments and form a group. Very young and in another era we made our weapons without learning much but with motivated friends like us we placed small ads, found a rehearsal room and so on we evolved, grew and kept this anger to be able to make the music we love. All this took much more time than today and to validate your music and your group you had to record a demo. At that time the studio was very expensive and you had to be ready so, we had not so much time and we had to go to the essentials. So we built our sound and our style for all these years.
My knowledge about the French scene isn’t very huge, but I still have the impression that most bands rooted in the eighties, and still active, come from northern France. Is it really so and why?
Hum? Not only that there are a lot of bands from that era that come from everywhere. There was a very important scene in the East, with Crusher, Inhumate. In Paris with Massacra, No Return. In the South with, Agressor, Catacomb etc…
Well, I’m not sure what your opinion is about it, but I think this interview should end. Probably it’s like that, because I have no idea what to ask you more about. Hhahha… So, what will your last words be?
Ah! At the same time we saw a lot of things! A big thank you to you for your support and congratulations for your investment. Thanks to those who have supported us for all these years and I hope that we can do a maximum of concerts to share good times. Take a look at our pages to listen to our new album and support fanzines, radios, labels etc… And the underground in general! STAY EVIL!
