Page 28 - Sick Drummer Magazine Issue 27 - March 2014

SDM: Where did you record Profane ?
At Studio Sainte-Marthe, in France with Francis
Caste. It s based in Paris and I have to say that
even if the drum parts were really challenging, that
was the best studio experience I ever had. This
guy s just great, he knows the job, he implies in
the projects and he s so damn crazy. And he has a
really nice career as an engineer, Kickback, Arkhon
Infaustus, bands like this.
SDM: How long did it take you to record the drums?
Were you happy with the final product?
It took me three days to record the parts, including
the installation, the sound check and the edition.
I m proud to announce that what you hear is what
s been played, and not 3OO times! I love that drum
sound so much, it s natural and powerful, you can
feel the human being behind the kit and that s what
I absolutely wanted. And it fits to the rest, which is
the most important. I think that you can t record a
really violent music if it sounds robotic.
SDM: How were the drums recorded, with what
kind of gear?
Triggers on the kick and on the snare to capture
the attacks, and microphones everywhere for
the rest. Francis Caste is a great drummer and a
ex annihilator great engineer, his room is good and he knows it
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
perfectly. We decided to create a nice and clear
NICOLASMULLER BY: NOEL SMART powerful. We absolutely wanted to avoid clinic
drum sound, deep and singing, very natural yet
things. That was deliberated and it gave the orien-
BY: NOEL SMART
tation for the rest of the album sound. We started
on Monday, we did the sound and recorded the
title-track, then we continued on Tuesday and
Wednesday at 5.00 PM it was done. Honestly,
svart crown I didn t think I could do it so quickly. But my
teammates were great with me, as Francis. They
pushed me to give the best without stressing
myself. I thank them for that.
SDM: Did you record the drums to a click track? Do
you find playing to a click track challenging?
28
I use a click track in the studio and live, for the
samples we added on the last tour. It s more simple
with all the mixes of tempos, and I used to play
some parts really fast by the past. The click track
is my friend, even if I hate wearing in-ears live. It s
not challenging, because to play fast, you have to
practice, and to practice with efficiency, click track
is necessary.
SDM: What s your opinion on using triggers and
drum modules?
I use triggers all the time, but only for the kick. In
the studio we just capture attacks with the module,
then we mix the natural sound with the electronic
one, trying to keep as much drum sound as
possible. Live, this is different. It s a lot of triggers,
sometimes only that, and when the PA is big
enough, we mix with the natural kick. To me, trigger
toms or the snare is like heresy.
SDM: Any band or drummer have any recent
influenc on you? and who are some of your influ-
ences back when you first started?
People often tell me that my playing on Profane
sounds like Alex Hernandez style, but I m not a
fan of older Immolation. I developed every plan by
myself. Of course I have references in drumming,
like Martin Lopez of Opeth, Nick Barker or Pete
Sandoval for the extreme guys, but it s been for
long years. Guys of these days are really incredible,
drummer with modern moments.
but I m not in the same category. I m an old school
When I started I was a huge fan of Matt Sorum of
Guns N Roses. He s the drummer of my favorite
band, and he s really incredible. I also love other
drummers outside of metal, like Dave Weckl or
Dennis Chambers, Thomas Lang. But I think the guy
that brought me the most, excepted Matt Sorum, is
probably Mike Portnoy.
SDM: Do you listen to different styles of music
outside of the metal realm?
29