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The Distrolution / Distrolution Merch team had the chance to participate in the Hellfest Festival from June 19 to 26, 2022. The program included concerts, meetings... and several interviews, which you can find each week in FR version on Distrolution Merch and in EN version on Distrolution! Discover without further delay our interview with the French band Forest in Blood!
Hi Forest in Blood, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Can you introduce your band to us?
Barth: We're Forest in Blood, we've been around since 1998. We met after the World Cup.
Elie: Yeah, normal (laughs)
Barth: No, that's not true (laughs). We met before! We were young at the time, and then it went pretty well. We toured a lot, we signed with a Dutch label and toured Europe for several years. Then after that, we were a bit tired.
Elie: A little break of a few years.
Barth: So we took a little break of about ten years. We must have stopped around 2005... No, more than that. 2008 or 2009!
Elie: 2008 yeah, we stopped!
Barth: For the 20th anniversary we said "Come on, let's get back together", because some friends got us to play at a festival. They told us "Come on, for the 20th anniversary, in Rennes, it's the superbowl". They said "Oh come on, for your 20th anniversary!", so we got back together and then, we had a great time!
Elie: So we started again!
Barth: Then we created an album that was very well received, then a second one that was even better received. And now...
Elie: We're preparing the next one!
Barth: So, we're planning the third one. And we'll see what happens!
What did you do during those 10 years of break?
Nech: Weddings, children (laughs)
Elie: Weddings, children.
Nech: We took the opportunity to practice what we couldn't practice.
Elie: There you go... Work too, incidentally!
Barth: (laughter) To earn a bit of a living.
Elie: To stabilize.
So, did you always have the idea of reforming the band in the back of your mind?
Barth: No, but we're childhood friends.
Nech: And it never really stopped either.
Barth: Yeah, we played a little bit, but that's it. We're childhood friends, you know.
Elie: We continued a little bit as a foursome, we made a mini CD. But then we quickly stopped. In 2011, we released a 5-track CD, and then... we didn't do anything after that.
And so, you who started in 1998. Comparing your beginnings and today's scene, how much has it changed in your eyes?
Elie: We were paid in francs, already! (laughs)
Barth: Yeah, and it was much worse! No, it was perhaps more violent. There were people, but society was more violent towards metal.
I think in terms of band management, it was also completely different. Today, when we see how important social networks and digital are...
Elie: Back then, there was Myspace!
Barth: (laughs) That's all! No but it's true, that's all. And it was crap!
Elie: There was no Internet. Everything was done by phone, I had someone's contact, you called...
Barth: There were paper webzines, old-school style!
Elie: The classified ads...
Which still exist a bit today.
Barth: Yeah, but it's rare!
Elie: And the small musician ads, like "Roger, bassist, looking for a band in the 77 area".
Barth: Yeah, that's it! We mostly saw each other in rehearsal rooms. There were very well-known rehearsal rooms in Paris, Luna Rossa, certain places, or Mains d'Œuvres, and all the bands played in these places and we shared our stuff with No Return, then with NFZ, with A.S. Dragon (laughs). In fact, all the bands, whether it was pop, very well-known pop or whatever, we all rehearsed in the same place. So we shared the premises with Kick Back...
It was a completely different management from today.
Barth: Yeah, it was more human! We were closer. After that, we were always rehearsing. We rehearse less now. Back then, we had nothing else to do!
Nech: We didn't have anyone at home complaining.
Barth: Yeah, totally! (laughs)
Let's talk about your latest album, "Haut et Court", released in 2020. How long did you work on it?
Barth: It's a bit of a special project. Actually, we were a bit overwhelmed, so we said to ourselves, "We need to release an album" and we wrote it in two weeks! Well, I won't hide from you that we didn't all know everything. On the day itself, we were like, "Oh yeah, that's pretty good!" (laughs).
Elie: But it's a great exercise!
Barth: So, we wrote everything in two weeks, but we did a month of recording. We took our time at Andrew's place, because we knew each other well. So we really worked on the arrangements with the sound engineer, all together, because we were discovering a bit of what each person had written on their own.
Nech: We were sending WhatsApp messages like "Hey, I did this!". "OK. Well, I did that!" (laughs). No, but on the recording day, sometimes, I would finish the drums, and they would call me saying "No, that's not right..."
Barth: We need to change!
Nech: "You need to change that again". Okay... you redo an entire drum track. But well, it was cool!
Barth: Yeah, and besides, we were working... I don't know why, but just before the lockdown, we were all working a lot! So we were all alone in the studio with the sound engineer doing our stuff, then the next one would come and add their touch, etc. Afterwards, we had decided to do something very raw, very stripped down, and we think it came out well. Everyone thought the sound was great on the last album.
Artwork by Herve Costa
In terms of composition, writing... Do you work as a team or does everyone have a predefined role?
Barth: Actually, we have a guideline, we have a subject. We all know the subject. Then, we share the compositions, minimum 3 per musician roughly. And then, we mix everything, we say "Yeah I like that, yeah that doesn't work". But especially, now, the new thing is that we've integrated Alek.
Alek: Hi!
Barth: Who was already with us on the other dates, he's been following us for a long time and now, he's joined on vocals with us doing backing vocals, he gave his opinion, he wrote lyrics, etc. So now, we're 6!
So your integration went well?
Alek: Pretty well, yeah! Actually, the first time I saw them, it was Pierre Acedo who was...
Barth: On bass.
Alek: He told me "Oh, we just need to take a few photos, do a couple of things, you'll see, it'll go well". I left completely wasted on rum, like crazy! And actually, I had completely forgotten, but the next day, I realized that I had agreed to do some dates with them to follow them, do some PR, create content and all that stuff...
Barth: That's a good technique!
Alek: I fell for it, big time! So, the atmosphere suited me because I had the chance, as a creative, to choose the groups I want to work with. And in fact, the advantage is that we have a lot of affinity beyond the band with Barth, in our respective professions. All the creative and strategy professions, etc., came together in Forest. We apply things we do outside and that's what has given us good results, statistics, to make our album known. And always consult each other. We were talking about WhatsApp etc. We're in constant contact about everything that's happening.
It's a real team effort.
Alek: Yeah. So, the integration went well, since I'm in the same cohesion, in the same thing, you know. And the atmosphere is really good. We're having a great time!
I'll ask him when he's alone, maybe he'll change his tune (laughs)
Elie: Yeah, I think so too!
Barth: Get me out of here, get me out of here (laughs)
Nech: Nech is an a**hole, he spends his time yelling at me (laughs)
Alek: I got hit by a drumstick (laughs)
Barth: And not in the head! (laughs)
We're at Hellfest. How was your concert on the Hellstage? How did you feel about the atmosphere?
Barth: We have to admit that it's a difficult stage, the Hellstage. People aren't there, they're not waiting for you, etc. But we still had quite a few people who had come to see us specifically. The price of fame!
Which is gratifying!
Barth: Yeah, that's it! After that, we know how to reward our audience... With giant aperitifs! We had a giant aperitif with bandanas for the heat, so we had a good party. And actually, well... It was packed with people! (laughs). So we did a concert and it was... packed with people! It went super well!
Wasn't it too hard with the heat?
Barth: No. No, honestly, it was fine! Then after that, we had lots of photos, lots of videos that came out... We had BFM that featured us... BFM live, the first band. That's it, we did the job!
Photo: Facebook page of Forest in Blood
Let's conclude this interview with an important question... Rum and your band, it's quite a love story. Can you explain it to me?
Barth: What do we love about rum?
You have partnerships.
Barth: It's Saint James who offers all these good drinks. And at the same time, our Martinican is...
Elie: It's the factory from my hometown, so there you go, I represent.
Barth: Yeah, that's right, plus it's made in Saint Lucia, isn't it?
Elie: Sainte-Marie!
Barth: Sainte-Marie! Well, that's where his parents are.
How did you set up this partnership?
Barth: We called them!
Elie: We called them, yeah! (laughs)
Barth: We told them "We're doing this", and they were like "Yeah, that's cool". I think they enjoyed being there.
Elie: They're not specialized in that niche, so they were excited about having a metal band. Plus, it fit with the piracy, rum, concept...
That was my last question. I'll let you have the final word for our readers!
Barth: Come listen to us on Spotify etc. It's the best thing!
Elie: There you go. Make music, tour, share...
Barth: On all platforms. And then, when you've liked it, come to a concert and we'll buy you a drink!
