MELTED
SPACE is the ambitious brainchild of French pianist and composer
Pierre Le Pape, who is known for his work in Embryonic Cells (Death/Black
Metal) and Wormfood (Gothic/Avant-Garde). That a pianist and keyboard
player draws from classical music resources is not an unusual
matter. That one melts classical music with all kind of metal
related styles and classical literature for sure is. I came across
MELTED SPACE via Between, the third release of this
project and - as for me - the most common one, compared to Pierre
Le Papes instrumental debut album, I in fact just know one song
from but which personifies the uniqueness French bands are often
so known for. This turning away screams for many whys and wherefores
Mr Le Pape answered very detailed ;)
Dajana:
Salut Pierre. Ça va? You have just released your third
effort, the mini album Between, only one year after your
opulent work From The Past. That is quick. I can imagine
that such epic compositions need a lot of recording time in the
studio. You seem to have a creative overflow? ;) How’s the
response by the media so far?
Pierre: Guten Tag Dajana! I'm fine thank you! Only 3 days
before the Hellfest so I can't wait to go there!
Yes it is very quick indeed but in fact, before releasing From
The Past I had to work for a year to find a deal with
a label so I didn't compose for 2 years. However, I work very
quickly when I have a good story, the ideas are coming fast and
I only have to record it.
The media's response is very positive. But I have to say that
it's very promising in Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium
and France of course. I'm very happy for that because it's the
first time that MELTED SPACE crosses frontiers.
Dajana:
You brought MELTED SPACE into existence after a decade playing
keyboards in Embryonic Cells (Death/Black Metal) and before joining
Wormfood (Gothic/Avant-Garde). Was there a special moment or impulse
for creating this metal opera project?
Pierre: Certainly. I don't consider that I am restrained in
my bands so I didn't created MELTED SPACE to express a
frustration. I did it because I needed it; it was the only thing
to do. I probably think about it for many, many years, since I
was a child, because my parents made me listen to “The Magic
Flute” from Mozart when I was 5 and I replayed some melodies
at the piano because I loved it. So 15 or 20 years later, I found
the way to mix all my influences. That's how Melted Space was
born.
Dajana:
Since opera usually does not come from nowhere… do you have
a classical music education?
Pierre: Yes of course, as I just said, I met opera and classical
music soon in my life, my grandfather loved operas, and my mother
loved the piano. I studied at the Conservatory, there I learned
piano, chamber music but also theoretical disciplines like harmony,
counterpoint, analysis and I studied movie scoring at L'Ecole
Normale de Musique de Paris. A tried jazz but I think it's not
for me. I really have a classical culture so all must be written.
I consider metal music as the modern chamber music, you play with
people what is written and if you make a mistake, everything is
endangered. So you have to perfectly play your part to make something
right. Very classical concept!
Dajana:
If not, what exactly brought you to the classic side of music?
And where are your musical roots?
Pierre: I have many roots musical and others: Classical, rock,
soundtracks, movies, video games, books, mangas... Everything
that offers a complete immersion in a whole universe or an imaginary
travel. I could speak a long time on my video games collection,
or my movies... I love to dive in a different world. Maybe because
ours is not so funny, so with my music, I try to offer to the
listener a travel in his chair.
Dajana:
I have to admit I don’t know your previous releases. I just
listened to two older tracks I found on the internet. From your
debut it was La Voyage De Dante and I liked it a lot. It
has significantly more influences of classical music, is more
experimental with its electronic splashes and has a slight JM
Jarre feel to me. It definitely differs from what is around.
I like Between too but I think it sounds like outputs we
already know from bands such as Therion and Dimmu Borgir (for
example), it is great but… sort of common, at least nothing
new or innovative. So, what changed your mind towards this Gothic
Metal approach?
Pierre: Congratulations! You found one of my first influences
in modern music: JM Jarre. When I was young, I wanted to play
in big shows like he did and I bought my very first synthetizer
to create electronic music. Then I discovered the dark side of
the Force and I played in a black metal band!
Anyway, I agree what you say. In the previous album I took my
time to install atmospheres, to describe characters and many other
feelings, so with Between, I wanted something more
direct, I wanted to compose real songs. This short album is a
real transition between From The Past and the next
one so I tried some things: traditional songs, acoustics songs,
working with new people, promote in other countries, all to prepare
the next album. So now I think that I'm ready to work on soon.
Moreover, I really appreciate your comment, because Dimmu Borgir
is one of my favorite bands so I can say that I succeed to make
something sounding like big productions like these ones.
Dajana:
I miss a little bit this uniqueness and otherness French bands
so often own (and I have a weakness for ;)) and you already displayed
with your debut album…
Pierre: Maybe for the next one... The story is completely
written and I only can tell you that I can't wait to work on it!
Dajana:
Can you imagine going back to the experimental and classical side
of music?
Pierre: I never close a door. And if the story needs something
more experimental, I'll do it.
About the classical side, I think that is one of the best side
in MELTED SPACE so I'll keep it for a long time. If you
have the opportunity to discover the previous album, From
The Past, I think that you'll find the coherence from
the start to Between.
Dajana:
Do you already have plans/ideas in what direction MELTED SPACE
will develop in the near future?
Pierre: Yes of course! First, MELTED SPACE will tour
this fall, supporting The Old Dead Tree in France, Belgium and
Switzerland. I'm very excited with that! We have a lot of work
but everybody is happy to do it and I think we will have a great
time together.
I'll play with the following line up:
-
Clémentine Delauney (Serenity, vocals)
- Black Messiah (Seth, vocals)
- Manuel Munoz (The Old Dead Tree, vocals)
- Charley Corbiaux (Ex-Heavenly, guitars/vocals)
- Brice Guillon (bass)
- Gaël Féret (Misanthrope, drums)
- myself (keys and vocals)
And
I plan some surprises depending the shows.
Then,
I think the time will come for a next album. It needs a lot of
time and energy so I don't know exactly when I'll find this to
compose, before the tour? After? But I'd like to do it as soon
as possible.
Then... I don't know. In fact, I am not totally able to project
myself in the future so, let's work on these 2 projects and we
will see what will happen.
Dajana:
You also engaged a vast array of singers. I love the variety,
especially the heroic male vocals in Si Vis Pacem…
And I love the epic Welcome To This World, where all voices
unite. By what criteria do you choose singers? And with whom you
would still like to work one day?
Pierre: The story is the main criteria. First, I write the
story and the first ideas about the characters appear. Then, I
compose and I try to imagine how does the characters talk or sing.
Finally, when all is composed, I have a better idea of the voice
that I need so some names are coming and I see what is possible.
I'm very lucky because most of the people who I contact tell me
“ok”.
So many people I'd like to work with... Someday, I'd like to work
with Shagrath, Sharon Den Adel, Jorn Lande, Russel Allen or many
more... I'll probably meet some singers at the Hellfest so, if
the Gods Of Rock are with me, I'll maybe work with great singers
whose I'm a huge fan!
With Liv and Ashmedi I succeeded to realize some of my dreams!
When I was younger, I played some songs from Theatre Of Tragedy,
so as a fan, it's been a pretty nice experience to work with Liv
and see her singing my songs.
Both are amazing people and they really involved in the project
proposing me some mix ideas, double voices or advices. I thank
them a lot!
Dajana:
Every of your MELTED SPACE albums is a conceptual one. Dante and
Eco on the debut, the Greek mythology on the sophomore, and now
it is the Roman mythology on Between. You obviously have
a special liking for mythologies and classic literature. Where
does it come from and what’s coming next?
Pierre: Yes indeed, I grew up with classical literature, my
parents wanted me to read a lot of great writers like Stendhal,
Victor Hugo, Balzac... and my father liked peplos so the very
first movie I saw was Ben Hur. Then I saw all the ancient peplos
like Spartacus, Jason and the Argonauts, Ulysses, Clash of the
Titans (the first)... where gods are all-presents. Moreover, I'm
a great fan of Saint Seiya (a Japanese manga) that deals with
Athena and other warriors of Greeks gods so these are topics that
I know for a long time and that I really like. When I was a child,
I wanted to be an archeologist like Indiana Jones to always be
in these legends. Finally I'm not so far, I always talk about
legends.
What's coming next? That's a good question! I only can tell you
that we will find new characters coming from new mythologies.
Contrary to the previous albums, there will be a real and complete
story like in a movie with a hero, a bad guy, dramas, love, hate...
A real opera!
Dajana:
Such conceptual themes scream for a special visualization or (filmed)
performance as the music does the same for a real orchestra. I
know that’s very difficult and it is very expensive. But
I can imagine that you have dreams to see your music put on stage
once. What kind of production/staging would that be? An opera,
operetta, kind of musical? Maybe a film score? Something completely
different?
Pierre: I think something mixing all what you said an opera
filmed with 10 cameras with a real orchestra, some scenery, costumes.
A big production!
Concerning the orchestra, I can tell you that it's a possibility
in the future. I' m thinking about it but I know that I'll do
that some day. As you said, it's quite expensive but I'm really
convinced that MELTED SPACE would sounds differently with
60 people playing a score with heavy guitars and double bass drums.
Dajana:
Is there generally a theme, musically as well as literally, you
would like to realize if you just had the money and access to
all necessary resources?
Pierre: Many topics but I will say the Arthurian legends.
I read it when I was a child and it always been something special
in my mind.
I really love “Excalibur” (from John Boorrman) so
why not a complete album called “The Round Table”
or “The Sword”?
I always joined the Wagner's thinking with the “total art”:
music is not the only thing to do when you want people dive in
your world. That's why I try to make nice objects, the travel
starts when you hold the album in your hands, with the artwork,
the packaging and as in a child movie, you are completely sucked
into this world.
Dajana:
Is there a chance to see MELTED SPACE playing live one day?
Pierre: Yes, as I said, MELTED SPACE will tour this
fall, so I hope we will have the opportunity to share this music
with a lot of people. We are really happy to do it!
Dajana:
To come to end, Pierre, what’s you plans for the summer?
Any festivals in sight with your other bands? Album recordings?
Vacation?
Pierre: Yes some fests, Hellfest in a few days and Summer
Breeze in August. Waiting for it, I'll have to work on different
albums with my bands Embryonic Cells and Wormfood. Certainly with
other bands. And maybe the next MELTED SPACE album...
I'll have a little rest too because I'm really tired and I have
to reload. I know that some nice holidays are good for creativity
and inspiration so I'll try to move before composing the next
album and I'll be back with a lot of new ideas!
Dajana:
Thank you Pierre for spending time on all these questions. Enjoy
the summer and have a great time! :)
Pierre: Thanks to you! The same! Bye! |