Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

Axel (Vocals/ Storyteller): Phoebus the Knight is above all a character at the heart of a story, that of the secret order of the knights of Heliopolis, a circle of individuals sworn to uplift humanity intellectually, physically and spiritually. To this end, they fight, among other things, against the forces of evil embodied in our story by the Beast and his minions, the black mages. They swear only by the domination of humanity, and by eternal wars allowing them to feed on souls and blood.

Adrien D. (Guitar/Musical composition) : First of all, Axel did a tribute project, covering songs by Nightwish, Epica and Within Temptation. It was the seed of what would become later Phoebus the Knight. He told me about the project in the summer of 2019 and asked me to compose for the band. As a professional opera singer, I was really motivated by the idea of writing music driven by a great story and that is what Axel was proposing. We respectively composed and wrote our first album, “Ferrum Fero Ferro Feror” and then I began to search for musicians.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Axel: I met Adrien in 2017 and offered him the project in 2019. Adrien Djouadou and Noémie are currently living in Switzerland but they should move to France, Adrien Guingal is living near Montpellier in the south of France, Guillaume is living near Nancy in the east of France and I live in Paris !

Adrien D. : We asked my fiancée, Noémie Allet, who started to play bass to be our bass player and female vocalist, I contacted my childhood friend Adrien Guingal to play the guitar with me and, in front of the difficulty to find a good drummer, I typed “French metal drummer” on Youtube, ended on Guillaume Remih’s channel, was enthusiastic by his playing and sent him a message to ask him to join. Fortunately, he agreed and we are now a band of great friends !

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Adrien D. : My favorite artists in the genre we are playing are Rhapsody, Cradle of Filth, Nightwish, Fairyland and Dream Theater. They were the bases to start composing for Phoebus the Knight. But I didn’t wanted to do a copy of those bands so I went really deep into classical repertoire to bring to the music this classical vibe. Composers like Verdi, Mozart, Bach, Puccini, Wagner or Debussy are amongst my favorites. You can definitely hear some of them and their influence in “The Cursed Lord”.

Axel: Definitely Nightwish. If this group didn’t exist, I probably wouldn’t have become a musician. They embody a true example for me. I remain a huge fan of their former singer Tarja Turunen (which did not prevent me from loving Annette and Floor) who is in my eyes an exceptional singer and an example as an artist.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans ?

Axel: Since I had my revelation in 2012, I had only this desire. But it took me years to figure out how to get there. I changed my professional career for Phoebus the Knight in 2019, and for nothing in the world I will do anything else. God has given us artists the ability to create worlds, and to make others dream. Isn’t there a better present?

Adrien D. : I wanted to compose and play music since my childhood. I was already writing songs at the age of 11. When I discovered metal, my dream was to start a career with my own band. I played in several bands, Frost, Nobelium and Sentinhell, then I started to study operatic singing as my main band, Nobelium, ended up splitting. After some years of study, I started to sing professionally, I met Axel and you know the rest. I was really missing metal in my life and now, playing this style again in Phoebus the Knight and Hartlight is making me very happy.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Axel: A lot, but playlists aren’t my thing as I can’t listen to songs out of order. I have to start an album or an EP and finish listening to it before doing anything else. I see albums and EPs as a full work, just like a book.

Adrien D. : Honestly, I am currently listening a lot to “Les Noces” by Stravinsky as I have to sing on stage the bass solo part at the end of June. It is quite complicated music with a lot of odd metrics so it is good to get used to it while listening and reading the score. Recently, I also quite enjoyed the album of Angus McSix also ! It is really ear candy !

Do you sing in the shower?

Axel: Every day, it is very pleasant.

Adrien D. : Not at all ! I sing enough everyday ! Shower is to relax haha !

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

Axel: We have a lot of things planned, but I don’t know if I can announce them all. What I can tell you is that the second album is almost finished being written and composed and the novel accompanying the Ferrum Fero Ferro Feror album should be finished writing this fall. We have lots of surprises in store for you that you have no idea!

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Adrien D. : Actually, on the 21^st of June, we will release our new EP called “The Cursed Lord”. It is a 30 minutes long EP with a lot of classical music in it. It is the first of a serie of EPs that will tell side stories of the Phoebusverse and deepen its lore. In this one, the knights of Heliopolis will investigate on disparitions in the land of Ray and will end up discovering how Gilles de Rais, the lord of the land, turned to black magic and darkness after the death of Jeanne d’Arc. They will fight him to bring him to justice.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Axel: I dream of playing in Finland, going to the lands of Nightwish and Tarja would be a consecration for me.

Adrien D. : I would love to play in the Arène de Nîmes ! It’s near my homeland and it is the place where I first saw Rammstein at the age 12. They were my absolute favorite band at that time.

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Axel: It’s a terribly complicated question. Could be “Wishmaster” from Nightwish.

Adrien D. : Honestly it is impossible to answer that. However, I can quote albums that marked me like : The Number of the Beast (Iron Maiden), Mutter (Rammstein), Octavarium and Black Clouds and Silver Linings (Dream Theater), The Power of the Dragonflame (Rhapsody), Once (Nightwish), Midian (Cradle of Filth), Of Wars in Osyrhia (Fairyland) or Dum Spiro Spero (Dir En Grey). But it’s far from being an exhaustive list !

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Adrien D. : Absolutely ! I kind of like to listen to some Falling in Reverse or Escape the Fate sometimes. I really enjoy the grooviest songs by Bruno Mars or even some K-Pop like Red Velvet sometimes. I can also consider some power metal music as guilty pleasures, like the Angus McSix album I quoted before. It’s a great album, don’t take me wrong, but I can’t help but to put it in this case. Honestly, I can enjoy any music that has great arrangements and work put into it, even it’s the most candy sounding music or the most mainstream one.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Axel: In all modesty, Phoebus the Knight, Nightwish, Epica. I obviously do not specify the order of passage (laughs)

Adrien D. : I would do a Festival with all the bands I quoted and even more, and, of course, Phoebus the Knight and Hartlight !

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Adrien D. : The very first album was Discovery by Daft Punk. I still have it ! And the very first metal album was Reise Reise by Rammstein.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Axel: Of course, thank you for supporting us. Soon the project will evolve in a way that will exceed your expectations. See you soon !

Adrien D. : I want to thank all the people that are supporting us, listening to our music and believing in us ! We won’t let you down ! I hope you will all enjoy the new EP !

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Adrien D. : You can find and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and Youtube ! We also have a website that is phoebustheknight.fr where you can find all of our merch !

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Axel: Thank you very much for the time you gave us and we look forward to meeting you in concert.

Adrien D. : Thank you very much for this interview and for the work you are doing ! It was a great pleasure to talk with you !

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum