INTERVIEW WITH HEPTAEDIUM
We at N-Core Lives decided to do an interview with Heptaedium. Hailing from Paris, France and billing his music as Baguettecore, he recently released "How Long Shall I Suffer Here ?". Heptaedium appeared on the N-Core Lives "Glitched" comp and released two great Nintendocore albums "Kawaii!!" and "Underground Business". The interview was conducted by Travis. Heptaedium's most recent album can be found at
https://heptaedium.bandcamp.com/releases
Travis:
I am happy to be doing this interview
as I am a fan of yours. Each album you have released has been
enjoyable. We at N-Core Lives were happy to feature you on the
compilation album "Glitched". You just released "How Long Shall I
Suffer Here?” so I figured it was good time to reach out to you for
an interview. How are you?
Heptaedium:
Not too bad thanks. It's a shared
pleasure.
Travis:
One of the reasons I have enjoyed your
work so much is that it is super heavy. The guitar work in your music
is certainly a staple in the Heptaedium sound. What kind of guitar do
you use and what sort of amp/FX processor do you use in your
recording process?
Heptaedium:
Happy you appreciate. This album is
indeed way more "guitaristic" than the previous ones. It is
also more more violent, raw, direct, dark...
I got an ESP Horizon fr 2 and a Jackson
Soloist. Both tuned in drop B (B, F#, B, E, G#, C#) with fat string
gauge (12/56 ErnieBall). For this album I mostly used the Soloist.
And I also used a POD HD PRO X or the
guitar amp emulation. After messing around and experimenting you can
easily find some aggressive sounds in it.
Travis:
How did your relationship with Apathia
Records begin?
Heptaedium:
I knew this label for a while because
some of the bands I really appreciate are part of their roster
(Pryapisme =^..^= , HAH, öOoOoOoOoOo ...). Once "How Long Shall
I Suffer Here ?" finished I sent them. They appreciated my
universe and then I signed with Apathia.
Travis:
Do you mind being labelled as
Nintendocore? How do you see your music in terms of genre?
Heptaedium:
Not really but it kindles people's
curiosity. Actually I even think Nintendocore is more a movement than
a music style. I mean, there are a lot of artists self-proclaimed
"Nintendocore" who play every kind of metal. The
compilation you just mentioned is a good example, and that's pretty
great!
I often say as a joke I play
"Baguettecore" to not rack my brain. Try to explain to
someone else this kind of music... I gave up haha
Travis:
Are there any artists you are really
enjoying right now?
Heptaedium:
Yes ! Agalloch, Bell Witch, Veil Of
Maya, Frontierer, Hate Eternal, The Algorithm, Pryapisme, Venetian
Snares, Oyaarss and many many more...
Travis:
Is there anything you can tell us about
your creative process? Do you start with guitar riffs, synth lines,
etc?
Heptaedium:
It depends. Most of the time I start
wanting to express my feelings, strumming my guitar for a while,
finding some drum patterns, and then add synths.
It works like an adventure.
I very rarely start a music by the end
... Usually I start with the first riff, then the second, the third
so on... and then I see where it leads me! Sometimes it's just a dead
end, sometimes I have moments of doubts, sometimes there is a plot
twist! And I try to advance to the end of the story.
Travis:
Do you make your albums with song
placement in mind? When “If The World Would Stop Spinning I Don’t
Think I’d Miss It” I felt like it was perfectly placed in the
middle of the album. Was that intentional?
Heptaedium:
Yes, most of the time when I finish a
music I know where it will take place in the album, if it goes well
with another or not. That's my way to tell a little story, to make
travel.
Travis:
Do you have a favorite VST?
Heptaedium:
With no hesitations, Chipsounds from
Plogue. It's kind like the motherships, no, the final boss of the
chiptunes VST! It's very comprehensive! I even BOUGHT it, just to
say.
Travis:
What is next for Heptaedium?
Heptaedium:
First I'm gonna bite something because
I'm really hungry.
Eventually later in the day I would go
poop because I did not poop yesterday. Something is already knocking
at the gate.
Also, a 7 tracks EP is planned for
February 2018!
