Nicolas De Dominicis, Yves Campion

Nightmare

Some of you are familiar with the sound of Nightmare. Some of you just remember them as the one being the opening band for Def Leppard's Pyromania tour. We manage to get in contact with them and learn more about their new album Cosmovision. Read here what Nicolas De Dominicis (guitars, vocals) and Yves Campion (bass, vocals) told us. Enjoy...

By Makis Kirkos

• March 29, 2002

Hi guys, congrats for your latest album Cosmovision, sounds 100 % Nightmare.

Nicolas DeDominicis: Hi, Metal Temple and first of all thanks for your congrats about Cosmovision.

Let's start with the most common question for an Internet magazine: Would you like to tell us what is your relation with the Internet and what is your opinion about mp3s?

Nicko: I think that mp3 can help the bands in a certain way, for them to get precognition, but on the other hand it's bad for the market and for the labels... Sometimes it's hard for the fans to get the CDs so Internet is a way to listen to them.

Nightmare's history starts in 1979 (correct me if I wrong), could you tell us, how is the situation with the band (line up etc.) nowadays?

Nicko: Nightmare's history has begun in 1979 and you can find our complete biography on our website: www.nightmaremusic.com, now the situation has changed with the line-up, Jeannot Strippoli, our guitarist, left the band in February for personal reason, it was not very easy for him to conciliate job and music, tour dates etc... but he will be forever our close friend, the new member is Alex Hilbert, a young axe-man (23 years old), he's simply incredible!

Cosmovision sounds as a symphonic power metal album, do you agree with this term?

Yves Campion: It can be symphonic in a way, as we're using some choirs in that vein, but on the other hand we wanted to keep the power of heavy metal in the riffs and I think the combination of both have been quite successful!

Why did you choose SoundSuite studios and Terje Refsnes for the production? In my humble opinion, Refsnes is more known for his work with metal bands that belong into different kind of scenes. Did you want this album to sound differently?

Nicko: For the first time, we recorded a cover song for a famous french band Trust for a Tribute and then we decided to choose the SoundSuite as we fit with the producer, Terje, perfectly at first contact. In fact it was a deliberated choice to work with a producer who has the experience of recording different styles of metal, as Terje is more well known for producing in gothic style, so he brought something else to us compared to a pure heavy metal producer... For that reason we decided that we couldn't have worked with someone else!

Jean-Pascal Fournier, is one of the most experienced artwork artists, and he prove it once again by design your album cover. How did you get in contact with him?

Yves: It was very easy to get in touch with Jean Pascal because he simply lives in the same town with us and we knew him for quite a long, he's one of our friends. He's started to get a name by drawing covers for Immortal, Bewitched and recently Edguy, so we couldn't call someone else, it's easy to understand!

I think your compositions move into more simple forms but at the same time this album sounds more technical than the previous ones, do you agree?

Nicko: I think the technical side is maybe the addition of the choirs and the keyboard parts added by Terje, but yes, you're right the basics are quite simple in overall... We didn't want to think about how our music could have sound at the end, it simply comes as it is in the end, we just did it with our own feelings!

What are the subjects of your songs? Tell us a few words about them (Their main story, not the deep meaning).

Yves: There are different topics about all the unsolved riddles of our planet, Earth. The most intriguing ones are the mysteries of Nazca of Peru from where we got the inspiration for the cover. A link between the past and the future this line and the designs on the desert Pampa, that mankind cannot explain, is the song Cosmovision. Another song is about Egypt (Necropolis), another about the riddle of the city of Atlantis (Riddle In The Ocean), another one is about a travel in time (Behold The Nighttime). There are no link between the song and it's not a concept where the songs follow one main theme but the overall feeling is about all these riddles.

Is there any relation between the cover and the lyrics?

Nicko: For sure, it's 100% Cosmovision, JP Fournier has listen to our song before starting to paint the cover and he was quite inspired to say the least. We trust him totally as he is quite talented when it comes to this kind of designs!

Why have you chosen Cosmovision for the album-title?

Yves: As I said before it's a song relating a link between the future and past! The past being the Incas and the future is the space ship! In fact the term Cosmovision by the Incas people is a relation between the astrology and the lines of Nazca that is predicting the future of our planet!

Some songs include catchy tunes, melodic vocals and choruses. Is that the secret for a successful album?

Nicko: Maybe, we tried different things at the same time... There is no secret to write catchy tunes. It's just a matter of natural feeling...

Are there any touring plans?

Nicko: In 2001, we've played with Saxon on their french tour, we have played with Grave Digger also. In 2002, we will fly to America for the first time to appear at the NJ Metal Meltdown IV with Manowar, Saxon, Cannibal Corpse etc. (Find more info at: www.metalfest.com). After that, we will embark on a french tour with Heavenly, we will also open for Blind Guardian in France and last but not least, we are confirmed for the second time to play in Wacken.

What do you consider as the best experience for the band's career? (Was it, the one being the opening band for Def Leppard's Pyromania tour?)

Nicko: It's sure that it was a really good moment with Def Leppard, we were young and very impressed by them, but many years later, our first show in Wacken 2000, was something memorable also!

Where do you think the band will be in, let's say, ten years from now ?

Nicko and Yves: On the road again... No its a joke! Who is able to predict the future? I guess nobody!

Do you think, you are more experienced now for the kind of music you play?

Nicko: The maturity of the band has changed, as we now take the time to think when we are doing things and not rush like blinds... It's fairly important when it's time for composing new songs for example!

You are into the music industry for more than 15 years now, what's your opinion about the future of the metal scene in Europe and in world generally?

Yves: It's hard to say because there are so many styles emerging now compared to what we had back in the 80's... Death Metal, Grind, Black, Heavy, Speed... It's always a circle and things are rounding up again and again !

Some general questions now. Apart from music, are into any other kind of art?

Nicko: Collect some french wine.

If you could jam with any musician, dead or alive, who would you choose?

Nicko : No doubt... David Gilmour.

Which are your favorite 5 albums?

Nicko : my favorite 5 are Van Halen - 1, Pink Floyd - The Wall, Y.Malmsteen - Marching Out, Whitesnake - 1987 and Iron Maiden - Powerslave.

As my final question, tell us, what do you consider as the best reason why a metal fan should buy your album.

Nicko: This album will be a collector's item soon...

Thank you guys.

P.S For tour details please contact,

Moncorger Jeep

tour Manager NIGHTMARE