Bruno Blackstard

Insolvency

It's always a lot of fun to interview up and coming Metal bands from all over the world. For this interview, Metal Temple writer Jean-Francois Poulin was able to talk with Guitarist and Backing Vocalist Bruno Blackstard from the new French Metal band INSOLVENCY.
By Jean-Francois Poulin
March 21, 2018
Bruno Blackstard (Insolvency) interview
How has the festival scene helped you guys to evolve as a band? You guys did a lot of festivals throughout the last 5 years in your homeland.

Every of our meets has helped us to learn from all musicians and professionals we've met and to keep pushing ourselves. Music is a lot of meetings and learning by doing. What is funny is that everyone has different point of view of any subject: sound, business etc… and so mixing ideas and point of views is what we do from each meeting.

How does it feel to finally get that first full-length album out?

Feel as excited as stressed! its like our baby came out! But yeah its been a long road to get at this point, we've been dreaming and working on it for several years so we're glad its finally out, feedbacks are mainly good in France and around hoping it keep going and growing.

We all know what the horrible tragedies that happened in France the last few years, how has that affected you guys personally and professionally?

It obviously affected us. I was personally at this venue (Children Of Bodom show) one week day for day before the Bataclan attack. I'm working very close to it, like 5 minutes working and so when I woke up and watched the news I felt devastated, my colleagues were also worried I at EODM show. And several attacks happened also as you know, not related to gigs. Then we just need to keep moving forward and keep doing what we need to do despite it all. Terrorism is a big problem in our planet, same as when I watch TV, so I prefer shut it down and just live my life doing what I need and feel like to do everyday!

How is the french Metal scene? We all know about GOJIRA but any other bands from your country that really influenced you guys throughout the years?

French Metal scene is a bit more underground than in countries like America or UK or Finland. Here it's like a niche. But there is great bands and they all deserve way more visibility, there is also great up and coming promoters, so yeah it's about keeping fighting for it!  To be honest even if we do LOVE many French metal Bands, but our personal main influences as musicians have mostly been by UK bands or from Finland since we're very young.

The Helsinki 100 Guitars from Hell experience in 2015, Bruno was chosen to play alongside the great Alexi Laiho from CHILDREN OF BODOM, how did that come about?

I'm a die hard fan of COB since I'm 14 or 15 (I'm 30 years now old, fuck that). I randomly found a contest that consisted of playing and recording one riff played by Alexi Laiho and publish it on Youtube. The rules were he chose through 100 guitarists worldwide! I've been chosen between them. That was a crazy experience, playing with my favourite guitar player, have my guitar signed and being able to talk with him and to Warmen (Keyboard player) and to Jaska (Drummer). My fav band that made me fan of guitar Playing, its like if a christian meet and share holy water with Jesus!!!!!!

How did Jim Pinder and Carl Bown help you guys to shape the new album?

First these guys are as professional as friendly! We first had a lot of discussion by mails before we go to the studio, to prepare as they wanted DI tracks for the guitars and main vocal recorded in our home studio following their instructions. For costs reasons we did that way to not record everything in the studio, with keeping its quality and flexibility for sound choices. Then we've bring it all to the studio with them where we recorded drums and made the album mixed / mastered. They mostly helped us on sound choices with tests and advices they gave to us. We slightly changed some parts with their help, but yeah most topics concerned sounds and mixing possibilities and advices in general as a band.  We've been so well welcomed by these guys and had fun working with.

What were the bands that influenced you guys to become musicians?

Personally first band was Cradle Of Filth, Nightwish and Children of Bodom. Pierre would be  As I Lay Dying, While She Sleeps, Bullet for my Valentine would be also BFMV, Trivium and Metallica. Mickael is Rammstein, Dimmu Borgir!

Any bands you guys would love to tour with in the near future?

We'd love to tour with While She Sleeps or also Architects, Bullet for my Valentine too.. crazy shows we've seen from them!

What was the impact of getting distributed by Seasons of Mist brought to the band?

Its really nice to be visible worldwide so we thank them to make us visible on every digital stores and also distributed physically in Europe.

So what's in store for 2018 for the guys of INSOLVENCY?

We're preparing a new music video and tour/gigs announcement! Maybe more, only God knows!

Thank you so much for the interview and I wish you guys all the best for the future!

Thank you and best to you as well!

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