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

We only found our band name after we started playing together. The first “name” for the project was “Rainbow Ponycorn” but we obviously needed something a bit more serious considering the type of music we’re making ^^.  We couldn’t really find anything so our bass player made a list of idiomatic expressions (words or phrases that only exist in one language) to choose from and “Esprit d’Escalier” was one of them. It’s an old saying that means “finding what you should have said after the fact” and we thought it was a fun one.

We started in early 2018, quickly released a self-titled demo and played a lot of local gigs before releasing our first album “Predictable Anomalies of a Lunatic Geometry” on February 29^th 2020. Then COVID hit and we took the time to work on some new material.

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

We are all from around Orléans in centre France. I (Renaud) started the band with my long-time friend Vincent on the bass, then I met Baptiste at a concert I was playing with another band and we instantly hit it off very well. Last but clearly not least, I found Matthieu online through a message board and he was very enthusiastic about the project. Needless to say, this was the start of a great friendship and a great musical emulation that pushed us all to new heights in terms of musical ability.

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

Every member has a different musical background and varying tastes but in terms of the influences you can hear in our music, I mainly like post-hardcore and experimental stuff (Dillinger, Mars Volta), Baptiste is a jazz and prog-head (Haken, Neal Morse, Dream Theater), Vincent likes post-rock (Mono, Explosions in the Sky, Sigur Ross) and Matthieu is into jazz and extreme technical metal (Obscura, Archspire, Beyond Creation). Now that we mostly write and compose as a band, I believe all these very different influences can somehow be heard in our music.

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

We have all played in several bands before and we all have multiple projects. Although this is not how we earn our living (except for Matthieu who recently became a professional musician), I’m sure we would all like to become professional at some point, provided our different projects get enough traction ^^. But even if that doesn’t happen, music will always be an important aspect of our lives, that I’m sure about.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Manchild – Eels

Comeback Kid – Do Yourself a Favor

Spectres de Mouse – Mouse on the Keys

Sleep Token – The Summoning

Doja Cat – Demons

Kublai Khan TX – Swan Song

Trapped Under Ice – Pleased to Meet you

Dua Lipa/Calvin Harris – One Kiss

Chimaira – Inside the Horror

Blur – Girls & Boys

Clara Luciani – La Chanson de Delphine

TOPS – Anything

The Mars Volta – Graveyard Love

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

Our goal is to promote our newest release by playing as many live shows as possible next year. To this end, we are currently booking two tours that will see us playing in Belgium/Germany/The Netherlands/Switzerland, and maybe even Austria/Hungary/etc…

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

We have already been working on our next album for a few months and although no track is ready to be released just yet, we wrote quite a lot of stuff already and we plan on playing some new tracks when we tour Europe next year.

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

The Royal Albert Hall! A legendary venue that’s been played by countless legendary artists over the years. It would really be an honour and a privilege to play there someday 😊

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

It’s a tough question to answer but in terms of how it influenced me and how I still come back to it after all these years, I would have to say “Mechanical Animals” by Marilyn Manson.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

I listen to a lot of mainstream music, especially R&B/Hip-Hop. I really love Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Doja Cat (her last album is such a banger) and bad-bitch music in general ^^ I don’t feel that guilty about it but it sometimes surprises and perplexes the people I meet ha-ha.

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

Well, this brings us back to “Mechanical Animals” by Marilyn Manson ^^ It’s the first CD I bought with my own money and it really changed my world because of all the imagery, on top of the amazing music. I later discovered David Bowie and understood the influence he had on Manson (especially for this album) in terms of concept, image, photography, fashion, everything… This translated into a strong desire to create art that is coherent through every media you know? I believe what we create is not only about the music, it’s meant to create a coherent universe which embodies a philosophy, a way of thinking or a vision of the modern world… Whatever you want to call it ^^ The music is the central part but the lyrics, the videos, the artworks, the stage presence, the narrative aspect of it all… to us, it all must blend into one big coherent work of art, with purpose and meaning.

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

That’s a simple one ^^ Thank you all! We are really, glad that our music resonates with you and that we were able to connect through art 😊 This is only the first part of our journey 😉

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

https://www.facebook.com/espritescalier

https://www.instagram.com/esprit_escalier_band/

https://www.youtube.com/@espritdescalier1343

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Fok S. on behalf of Omenloth

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

The name Omenloth is an old inspiration. It comes from the word Omen, which is of Latin origin and –loth, which is an archaic form of the word ‘loath’. It means something like “Bad Omen’ and it has to do with a bleak feeling concerning the nature of mankind. And Tolkien!
The members are old acquaintances. It’s been thrilling to have the opportunity to create music again with friends that I hadn’t worked with for 20 years. During these years we have all been involved in various bands from thrash metal to goth.

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

We are based in Greece, in Ioannina city. There is a nice little story about that: The name, general concept and some first riffs were born here, some 20 years ago. After a relocation, we essentially resumed that initiative. Two of our members are located in Athens though. I just had some songs composed and called my old friends to share the concept and make this real. It felt like completing a circle.

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

I‘d say the main inspiration is the 2^nd wave of Norwegian Black Metal. Of course it’s filtered through our own, more personal music journeys both as musicians and as listeners, which resulted in a certain pluralism in terms of expression. I still enjoy bands like Emperor, Arcturus, Ulver, early Septic Flesh, the more-sophisticated type of stuff. Nothing bad about pure, raw black metal though!

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

I just bought a guitar as a teenager because I liked the sound of it. Then things came naturally, finding other like-minded people, jamming-practicing, composing, rehearsing, recording. My favourite part of this journey is when ideas are being formed into songs, new music, new ways of expression and feeling, maybe. It’s magical to have something from nothing.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Hmmm, Drapsnatt is a band I discovered recently and fell in love with. Dodheimsgard is always interesting, new album and all. Alcest too. My favourite albums are still from the 90ies though.

Do you sing in the shower?

I prefer playing my guitars and they don’t like water haha.

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

We’ve been silent for a few months, working on new stuff –composing and preproducing. We are not the kind to spam social media anyway. There is going to be a new single out, in the form of lyric video, preparing the way for the next album next year.

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

Yes, adding to the above answer: the new stuff is more heavy and homogeneous, but the Omenloth pluralism will be there. It sounds angrier.

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

I’d like to play at Beyond the Gates festival, I like both Bergen and the bands there.

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

Wow, if I had to choose one, it would probably be Arcturus- Aspera Hiems Symfonia,

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Not guilty at all, but I guess 80ies pop would fit in that category. “You spin me round”, “Self control”, great stuff haha.

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

Bathory, DarkThrone, old Ulver. I cheated three times there. Ok, I’d love to watch Metallica in the Master era too.

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

Yes! It was Iron Maiden – A real live one on cassette and my first CD was Guns ‘n’ Roses – Use your Illusion I. I still have the CD, not a clue what happened to the Maiden tape…

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

I would like to thank the people who have contacted us directly. I hope you feel the same connection with our future material too, though, I got to say, this is not our primary goal.

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

Sure, thanks for this:

https://www.facebook.com/Omenlothband

https://omenloth.bandcamp.com/album/omenloth

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

Much appreciated, thanks to The Metal Asylum for your interest. Till next time!