Robex Lundgren virkblogg.

What´s the name of your band? NIGHTCREEPERS.

How was the band formed? It appears to be at first a solo project but it became a real band in 2006 and we started making gigs in 2007.

Can you tell about your band? Sure, NightCreepers is a french folk metal band composed of six musicians. We're playing a sort of mixed black death metal with sampled symphonic/world orchestral parts. Our lyrical concept is based upon a world of our creation named "Svingeheim" (which is also the name of our 1st release).

Where are all band members from?/ Who does what in the band? We're all from France, 5 of us are based around Paris and the 6th one lives in the South of France. Arnaud at the guitars/choirs, Fabien at the bass, Vicken at the drums, Raphaellen on the keyboards (also webdesigner, photographer and concept artist for the band), Matis works as an orchestral arranger and live sound manager for the samples and myself (Vincent) at the guitars/vocals. I'm also the founder and main composer for the band.

What was the ambitions of the band when you started? We just wanted to rock out the local stages and get some recognition with our passion. It finally came out great and the result is we're still making it because that's what we are into.

Could you explain your music to someone that haven't heard you? In short terms, it could be a "fusion folk metal" as we are mixing a lot of metal subgenres and various orchestral/world parts. The vocals are harsh but we also have tons of clean parts within the choruses and verses. Our new album "Hreidd" is even more like non-linear stuff with progressive atmosphere, subit changes and acoustic interludes. I don't really know how to give it a summary but I guess "fusion folk metal" is what seems to be the most accurate definition.

Where was your first gig? Our first gig occured in our hometown: Conflans-Ste-Honorine (France)

Where was the latest gig? Two weeks ago in a small town called "Iteuil" (France)

Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? I'm mostly assuming these three roles but my mates also help for the composition and Matis does all the orchestral arrangements.

Who has the best since of humor in the band? We're all misfiring clowns in our own ways, but we suck at telling jokes. Except when it's about a drummer being bashed by a guitarist, and vice versa .

What's good/bad with the band?/What genre do you feel you are? We've had our ups and downs just like any other band but I feel like we've got a common goal and a different approach. Don't know if it's good or bad.

Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? It has evolved in a manner I can not explain. It was obvious and also out of control. Our songs have a course of action which takes place in a medieval fantasy universe. It generally deals with the concept of existence, facing the quandaries of life, finding ourselves, leading rows of warriors to the battlefield, etc. The constant back drop is at the same time epic and dramatic (which also sounds like a picture of real world... but cooler),

Do you write your own material or mainly covers? Own songs. We did have some cover tunes in our live setlist when we started playing together but we quickly set it aside to focus on our own material.

Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? Yup, already about to release the 3rd one. There is "Svingeheim" which was the first one, then "ALPHA", and the upcoming album will be "HREIDD".

Do you have any clips on YouTube? We've just relesed a small acoustic clip in the purpose of a teaser but we don't have any music video for now.

Here's the link for the teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozAJv-aDFaM

How old are you?/What got you started in music? I'm currently 24, and as far as I remember, I started to mentally exist when I started making music, while I was only physically a shape of living before this. I'm actually doing my best to not losing it. Such a hard thing because music does not pay well.

At what age did you start playing? 13. Holy shit, more than ten years. You made me old with this question.

How old were you guys when you first stood on stage? About 15 for most of us.

What year was the band started? 2006 with its first line up.

Best/worst gig you've played?

Best gig with Korpiklaani & Trollfest at "le Bikini" (Toulouse / South of France).

Worst gig, II don't know, I remember a small venue called "Zorba" in the middle of Paris but there was also other small bars we did that were not really fun. We are not cut for bars, we better express ourselves on real stages.

What places will you be playing in in the imidate future? Probably in other nice venues in France. We're currently booking gigs in Dijon, Gif-sur-Yvette and some festivals (which I still can't tell for the moment).

Where have you played from then till now? We did some. The full list is on the website, It would really take too much time to enumerate it all but our main stages were at "Le Ferrailleur" (Nantes) with Turisas, "CC John Lennon" (Limoges) with Fleshgod Apocalypse, "le Bikini" (as said above), "La Locomotive" (Paris), "Le Fil" (Saint-Etienne) and some nice local festivals such as "Triel open air" or "Lezard'os fest" with great bands such as Decapitated, Aborted and few others.

Witch band is the best you´ve seen? That's a good question. I've seen so many talented people over the past years. I think in terms of efficiency my last "punch in the face" was Fleshgod Apocalypse.

Is it always the same songs live? We have our favorite setlist that's for sure, but we try to vary as much as possible.

What has been the best/most promising gig so far? They are all promising if there are people who planned to come. Any touch or any feedback is always appreciated.

How big crowds do you usually play for? 100-200 people is nice for us. Our biggest concert has sold for about 1000 tickets and it dates back to 2009.

What are the plans for the rest of the year? Releasing the friggin 3rd album and play it loud.

Where do you usually play? Average local scenes and festivals. Sometimes smaller clubs, but rarely.

What are your goals with your music? We don't want to just exist, we want to inspire and make people become aware of their position in this world. Everyone has a great potential locked in the deep inside. We're truly digging it and we want to burst it out.

When did you decide to go all in for the music? It dates back to 2003.

Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? I think we are mostly inspired by modern bands from our age.

What are your sources of inspiration? Humankid essentially (tales, folklores, old tribes) but also nature (far away places, out of control and compelling strength, jagged benchmarks...).

What's the first step when making a new song? It is so obvious that I can't remember. I scarcely decide to begin the process of composition, it calls me through hatred, mind ramblings or (very seldom) strong motivation upon a specific subject.

As for the technical steps, it often starts with a theme in which keyboard melodies, guitar riffs and drum patterns are already set up and ready to go. Lyrics are the final step of the operation.

How do you feel about the downloading of music instead of buying albums? That is a good thing but people need to spread the word. Don't be selfish and share it to everyone if you like our music !

What would be your dreams for the band? I wish we could make a decent living out of it but this looks like an outdated dream regarding the current situation of the bands.

Besides your own music, what genres and bands do you listen to?

As far as I'm concerned, mainly orchestral music composers, progressive, fusion jazz, death metal and djent.

Few names: Bill Brown, After the Burial, Brian Tyler, Born of Osiris, Wintersun, Aborted, Scott Henderson, Guthrie Govan...

What do you hold most dear? Anything that triggers interest and motivation.

What would be your greatest fears for the future? I fear that the everything will continue without changing anything. Things really need to move on.

Have you been part of any other projects? I've been drumming for another folk metal band as well as smaller rock bands. Also been doing some guitars for a black metal band and singing for a hardcore band. None of these bands still exist but each and every experience has got its goods (and bads).

What do you work with outside of the band and the music? I try to make my way as an independant producer and also through music licensing. So it's still related to music.Vicken (drums) is a music teacher, Raphaelle (keys) works as a graphic webdesigner, Arnaud (guits) works in IT.

What would you do if there was no music? I might have done my legate in sport jobs (especially fitness/bodybuilding), my second greatest passion.

How important are your fans? They are the one source of motivation. You don't make music for youself, you have to share it.

What's the funniest/most memorable thing a fan has done for you? Two years ago we played in Normandy at a small but very nice venue and there was a German guy in vacation in France to see his girlfriend. He really liked our show and kept on buying me drinks throughout the evening.

How often do you rehearse? 1 to 4 times a month.

Where do you rehearse? Really depends, various places.

Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? The Hreidd's Path, Death to the Hypocrite (from the upcoming album)

What do you feel is the best live band you've seen? Wintersun.

What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? Respect for those who believe in it.

Do you have any webpages?

Sure, feel free to check out the following:

http://nightcreepers-official.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NIGHTCREEPERS.OFFICIAL

Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Do not give up. Do your own thing.

Describe your show, visually and musically Theatrical, warlike, melodic.

How do you view the musicindurty of today? Shitloads of wealthy copycat beat makers and popstars for a few talented people that really deserve their notoriety. Promotional bucks are the key. When you pay X to diffuse your artist 15 times per day, it is obvious that you reduce the range of possibilities and you make people have to pick up their "favorite style of music" within a preconceived, small and ridiculous panel of artists. It tends to spotlight only few genres whereas other people have to make a hell of a noise to get some recognition for what they are doing.

What advice would you like to give other bands? Again, don't give up. Do not listen to those cynical haters like me !

What are the biggest obstacles for a band? The promotional approach is the biggest one. You need to be heard and you're not alone. The beefsteak is very small and there are many starving creeps around it.

What is best/worst with playing the clubs?

Best: Close contact with the public.

Worst: Loss of the theatrical purpose of the show.

Whats your Pre-show ritual? Warming up the muscles, having a fresh beer (or good whiskey), warpaint on the face and here we go.

Do you have anything to add? Thanks for your interview. This might be one of the biggest I've ever answered. Questions were fun and I hope to hear more from you soon.
Best regards, Vincent "Haarath" / NIGHTCREEPERS