The French duo Vipère, consisting of Saros and Sans-Visage, recently released their first EP called "Sombre Marche" (review on here). According to the French black metal scene, the band is very mysterious. Musically quite interesting and multifaceted, this of course made me quite curious and so I asked the band for an interview, which they gladly did. If you want to know what Vipère is all about and want to know more about them, you should at least have a look at the interview. I think, if you like French black metal, you should have this band on your radar in the future!

Michael

Hello together! How are you?

Saros: Hey. As good as possible and glad to be here to talk with you. Thanks for taking time for us.
Sans-Visage: Hi! I'm fine, happy to answer your questions!

You are a new black metal band, about which nothing is really known. Can you introduce yourselves to us in more detail?

Saros: Yes, we're new and it's a fact that there's almost nothing about us out there. For now, we are only responding to interviews. We don't want to expose ourselves if it's not desired. We both have a musical history in other genres but it's not important here. We just want to focus on Vipère, the label and our BM projects. The thing is we were just two guys worshipping black metal and it felt logical to play together. We rehearsed for about a year, and then threw out all our tries. After that it took only a few weeks to record Sombre Marche and to decide to release it as a digital EP first and then as a CD.

Your EP "Sombre Marche" is a pretty old-school black metal release. I feel like I'm back in the 90s in parts. Is that intentional?

Saros: Yes it is. We're bored by those bands with perfect sound, perfect compositions, perfect guitar tones… We wanted to do it the old-fashioned way. Everything has been made to make you feel in your garage. And it is not a posture, we didn't give ourselves the choice. There was an emergency that we couldn't stop. We wanted to sound raw and that's what we did. Of course, there's a lot of imperfections in the songs or in the recording process. Structures or arrangements might have been different if we had given ourselves time to look back. And so what? I think songs have souls. It's a picture of an instant. I like the way we've made it authentic. When I listen to early Enslaved I'm totally conquered by those raw intros and interludes. It talks to me. I like to think that first opus are often specials because they are made with sincerity and emergency… Last but not least, it's obvious that we are both into 90's BM. We truly like the BM history, myths and legends. The band's chronology along with the evolution of the genre is amazing to study. So, it was an evidence to us to evolve in that kind of ambiance. We hope that we're not just another copy. We tried to have our own atmosphere...

I think I can hear influences like Gaahlskagg or early Ulver in your songs. What are your biggest musical influences?

Saros: Wow thanks man! Early Darkthrone, Ulver of course. The voice of Attila Csihar. But also, stuff like Mortiis, Belenos or Panphage… You can ask me that same question one hundred times and you'll have as many different responses… And that's only for the BM part. I also have massive influences from the noise rock scene or some French singers for example.

Sans-Visage: Personally, I am not influenced by these bands. My biggest influences are Dissection, Mayhem, Black Flag and more recent bands like Grafvitnir, Valkyrja or Ifernach. But when we compose, we quickly forget our influences, we do not try to sound like a particular band.

Lyrically you are rather misanthropic. Do you have a certain message you want to bring to the people?

Saros: I hate that question haha. I'm not comfortable talking about my lyrics. They are very personal. But you're right, they are kind of misanthropic. It's all about depression, fear of others, aging and so on… There's a lot of things hidden behind metaphors or stylistic figures. It's a way to protect myself from the eye of the reader and trying to still say something. Saying this, I realize that's a fucked-up way of doing things. But it's the only way. I don't care about passing a message to people… They'll find what they want in my lyrics and I like to think they act as a mirror.

Where do your lyrical inspirations come from? More from everyday life or literature?

Saros: My life. I'm almost unable to write on anything else. But I'm working on it. For example, Sans-Visage is drawing new stuff and I'm trying to write a new poem for each of his drawings. But even so, there's still a bit of me sweating in the lyrics. I would like to write about other people's lives, but I have to learn to write in the third person. Your question is welcome, because I'm currently thinking about all of this…

You run a small label called Vetus Capra, on which Vipère and Vieille Chèvre are distributed, according to my information. Are there any further plans concerning your label?

Saros: There is and there is not haha. We take things as they come...

Sans-Visage: For the moment, we do not want the label to grow. Vetus Capra is, above all, a way to highlight our projects to Saros and me. The situation can change if you want to…

What is the situation in the French black metal underground? The bands that were underground 25 years ago and in a way also pioneers for today's bands (I'm thinking of Blut aus Nord or Deathspell Omega) are now in a way quite hip.

Saros: I have the feeling that French black metal is often seen as an avant-garde. Maybe it's true in a way but I'm not comfortable with this. Of course, bands like Blut Aus Nord are huge beasts but there's a bunch of followers that do more harm than good in the scene in my opinion. I prefer my black metal raw and obscure. And in a way it's kind of a hype too. Every release is a limited edition and then there are special editions, first press, second press in splatter with a bottle opener and so on… Hmm I digress… The French black metal scene is rich and complex of course and there's different levels to discover. The very underground with small labels like Transcendence for example and the big ones like Season of Mist.

But I guess it's the same in every country, no?

Sans-Visage: For my part, I don't know anyone from the black metal scene. And it is very well like that. I need this mysterious aura to appreciate this music, it inspires me a lot. Regarding the two bands you mention, I listened to them very little, so I won't be able to talk about them... Personally, underground or not, I especially like when the music sounds sincere, and I think it is still the case with these two examples ....

Did you already have the opportunity to perform gigs in your still quite young career? Are there any plans to play concerts when the pandemic is over? Or are you doing it more like Darkthrone and avoiding gigs?

Saros: No, never. In the first place we just wanted to create something concrete with a record. We were not really a band until we released the EP I think. So, we were not planning to perform gigs at all. I love playing live, but it is not planned at all for now. First we do not have a live lineup and we don't want to seek people to join us. Everything will come in time if it has to. It's still something that I have in mind. For Vieille Chèvre, it's almost impossible, it's kind of an experimental project. Everything should be reworked. Maybe it would be pleasant… Honestly I don't know…

Sans-Visage: To be honest, black metal is a style that I enjoy mostly alone, on record. I'm not closed of course, but I don't think I want to play our songs live.

I want to come back to Vieille Chèvre. You are also involved there. What can you tell us about the band? Here you rather indulge in the classic French black metal à la Vlad Tepes, Torgeist or Belkètre.

Saros: As soon as I started listening to BM, I started experimenting with guitars and a mix of various instruments. Naturally I mixed up BM with my personal musical background which is noise rock oriented. Everything has been made in my bedroom without any plans in mind. Finally, I realized that all those rushes could be assembled. There was a natural coherency. It's not a 100% black metal project at all. The spirit is here but musically there is so much more. For example, I like ambient or repetitive music a lot and you can clearly hear this in the album. Of course, the 90's French black metal scene has a huge influence on me. The Black Legions are a reference musically as well as in terms of mindset. The homemade aspect is the key here. I'm also impressed by the work of Striborg. His musical independence is whole-hearted.

What about further release plans for Vipère? Sans-Visage has already let it be known that you have further plans for this year...

Saros: We just started to rehearse again. With the sanitary context it's not easy to find a way to meet up. But it has been very rich and productive. We're on our way to release something else for sure. We cannot say everything here but there will be some surprises I guess. Drawings, texts and music will be entangled in a new way compared to Sombre Marche. By the way we're very excited by our new project. There's a chance that you can hear something new by the end of the year!

Sans-Visage: We work quietly for the future, as long as we have the fire and ideas. We do not set a deadline, but yes we have already thought about our next mischief!

Which bands and/or releases can you recommend to us?

Saros: I did not follow the black metal news too much these last month's, so I do not have fresh stuff to give… I recently bought the last album of Nuit Noire. It's excellent, dark, and unique. It is a mix between BM, punk and cold wave I'd say… I have the last album of Isengard too. It's a bunch of unreleased songs from the 90's. I have not been disappointed. Oh yes! There is the first album of Warmoon Lord, really excellent. And of course, the last Paysage d'Hiver… I really like this one-man band. It talks to me so much. And last, go check Vargrav if you haven't heard of it yet...

Sans-Visage: If you are a fan of simple, efficient punk that makes you want to break everything, I recommend the Australian band Primitive Blast. Otherwise, I also recommend Ferriterium, a French melodic black metal band. I just got the last tape from Arbre, an experimental French black metal band. It's quite intimate but it's very good.

The last words of the interview belong to you!

Sans-Visage: Thanks for this interview, it's really nice to give us the floor on MetalBite as we are just getting started.

Merci beaucoup pour l 'interview!!!

The skies, the stars and galaxies beyond time, the tag team voyagers within Chaos Over Cosmos attempt to bring you the sights of all this and more on their 2nd full length album "The Ultimate Multiverse". If you're now discovering this band then you've landed on a special place within the greater cosmos. You won't be disappointed by Chaos Over Cosmos' ability to make music representative of a voyage to and from interstellar dynasties. Here's an exchange with the space crew manning the shuttle calibrated to traverse the furthest regions of the cosmos.

Alex

Thank you for doing this interview with MetalBite; how is everything in Poland and Australia at the moment given the pandemic and such?

Rafał Bowman: Thank you! In Poland people are going back to normal. It's a slow process. Fortunately, it looks like the worst-case scenario about the whole pandemic didn't happened.

Joshua Ratcliff: Australia is a very interesting at the moment with the pandemic, similar to what Raf said about Poland. Well from what I see in Australia and also from the annoying media, people just acting all back to normal like there isn't a pandemic and when they can travel across the borders. I feel we're in like our own little 'down under' bubble to the world.

How has it impacted the music on The Ultimate Multiverse?

RB: Actually, it wasn't at all. The music was 100% written and recorded before the pandemic, but even if it would be composed at the time of the pandemic, it's very unlikely for me to be influenced by such incidents. For me, music is a form of escaping from the reality, so situations (especially negative) on the World aren't really reflected in my songs. My impact and inspiration come from books, movies, science or other musicians, but not from actual events.

JR: It hasn't at all, and I do not think it would have or will. All it would have done is give us more down time to write new music

What's the meaning behind the name Chaos Over Cosmos?

RB: It represents the moods and styles of the music - there are parts that are very structured (hence Cosmos), and the opposite - (Chaos). However, honestly it wasn't a very thoughtful decision. I was excited about releasing the first album so much and I really didn't care about the name. Not a very smart marketing approach, haha.

How did the idea of the band come about?

RB: I had been thinking about doing this for a few years. I started writing some music totally for fun and after some time I realized it's not so bad. In general, writing for the first album took a very long time. It was the time when I wouldn't really call it a "band" or "album" and I wasn't even sure if (and how) I would release it. Fortunately, the whole writing process was much faster with the second album

How did the members meet?

RB: It depends on how you describe meeting. We haven't met in real life (same with the previous singer, Javier). Josh and I know each other from Reddit. Sounds like the nerdiest way to make a band haha. I don't remember exactly if I answered on his post about searching for musicians or he answered on mine - I don't know, anyway, it was in some of music parts of Reddit.

JR: As Raf said, we met on Reddit. He actually answered my post a few years back, when I was looking for musicians to make music with. However, when the ball started going for Chaos Over Cosmos, I was tied up in other musical commitments.

The Ultimate Multiverse is an excellent album even with so many musical styles incorporated. Could you please describe the creation of the album from its embryonic stages up to the final product?

RB: Thank you! After the first album I wanted to make something a bit more modern, heavier, more technical. I still have some inspirations like I had while I was writing the debut album, but I discovered a whole lot of modern bands that are very intriguing, especially from the guitar point of view. It impacted on my riffs - I feel like it's denser, sometimes odd, and filled with plenty of soloing - they are probably more shred like, than on debut album. I also changed the synth sounds for a bit more aggressive. The process started right after the debut album, in the meantime Javier left the band (that's why I released a reissued version of the debut album, with two new songs that I had finished with him on our next recording process). Then Josh joined and I wrote more tracks. We decided to divide the new music across two EPs, and then blend for the final product.

JR: With coming into Chaos Over Cosmos after Javier had already recorded two songs and the reissue of the debut album (we redid those songs) I found it quite a fun challenge and very nervous to spread the roots of my style and inspirations musically and vocally, with what Javier had done on all the previous releases. The words that rang in my mind through this whole process are of Raf saying “I want more Aggression” and “Needs more growls”.

Does the album title have any deep meaning, a cryptic reference to something?

RB: The album title comes from the mathematical hypothesis, called "Theory of Everything". Cosmology and theories from the border of philosophy, physics and mathematics are very inspirational for me. It's at the same time abstract and very logical.

Being a 2-piece band, what were the main challenges recording The Ultimate Multiverse?

RB: Time zones! It was sometimes difficult to discuss the ideas quickly because of that. Also, sometimes it's much easier to sit with guitar and microphone together and talk about some riffs or vocal lines. You can change things immediately then, in our case you have to send the ideas, wait for feedback, then eventually discuss it further. But for the other hand, there are only me and Josh and we have a good division of responsibilities - it's often much more difficult when there are three, four or five people in a band - every with own taste, ambitions and so on. I think it's easier to keep the balance in our case. 

JR: Always time zones haha It was very hard to discuss ideas and late nights or early morning, as we communicate through Facebook's Messenger. There is a bit of an English language barrier with Raf and I, at times, which can choke ideas, but we always work through it.

Were there any attempts of getting a real drummer to perform on the album?

RB: There were some attempts, but it was difficult logistically. We wanted to release it quickly, without waiting for anyone else. Also, for 90% of parts I like digital drumming and I think it fit to music very well. I can't image Led Zeppelin with artificial drumming, but I think it works well for the music like ours. Everything depends on genre and mood.

There are other musical genres featured on The Ultimate Multiverse apart from progressive/power metal. What are some of the bands and artists that inspire Chaos Over Cosmos?

RB: I listen to many different genres and artists, from tech-death to synthpop, so I can't even tell 100% what really influenced me on this album. For sure I would pick Dream Theater, Symphony X, Satriani, Scale the Summit, Animals as Leaders, Periphery, Haken and in general a whole lot of progressive, technical and shred music as my biggest inspirations, especially when it comes to guitar playing. There are a lot of inspirations from electronic music also- many different subgenres - mostly Vangelis, Aphex Twin, Tycho, Squarepusher and many more. I listen to a lot of classical music - especially Debussy, Stravinsky and Bach. Also, Penderecki, Olivier Messiaen and many more. I'm also a big Allan Holdsworth fan. I have started to listen to jazz more and more in recent years. Also, I am, and I'm pretty sure I will always be a loyal Iron Maiden fan, however probably on The Ultimate Multiverse it isn't so obvious. So long story short: prog and technical music as main inspiration for the guitar parts, for compositions and sounds - many different genres, especially electronic.

JR: Like Raf I have a broad style of music I listen to depending on my mood or what I am craving, but my main influences always come down to Metal and Metalcore vocally. However, I did want to be different on this release. Funny thing with the track 'One Hundred'. The vocals in the verse I thought Raf would hate, as the original idea for them was more me doing some rap-esqe talking vocals (Think the Lonely Island), which he loved.

It was the artwork that drew me to The Ultimate Multiverse, who created it and what does it signify?

JR: I created all the artwork for The Ultimate Multiverse. Raf told me he wanted the concept of Space and Chaos, which is the main idea for the cover. There is a story in the images and keeping in line with the art I created for the EPs. It all starts with the planets and what looks like one is about to explode or is at breaking point. You then have an apocalyptic desert with an empty city with the planet having exploded creating the backdrop, all leading to the final image of a starry night sky with the explosion small off and into the corner. It all shows the impacts on events that take place in time and space.

It brings back memories of booting up my first pc in 2000 to play games like Dark Orbit, Betty Bad and Space Bunnies Must Die to bigger games like Halo and Gears of War some years later. Likewise, what are some examples of the literature, movies and video games that helped shape the outcome of the album?

RB: I like your connotation very much! I know why you see similarities, and definitely there are some. There are plenty of inspirations in literature. Stanislaw Lem, especially with his FIasco and Solaris, Arthur C. Clarke with Space Oddysey (and many others!), Revelations Space from Alastair Reynolds, Issac Asimov (quite obvious looking at the last song's title), Kim Stanley Robinson, Neal Stephenson, Tolkien, Sapkowski. Basically, reading is my second favorite activity after music, so there are too many writers who inspire me to mention them all. Movies also are huge inspiration too. To name a few directors that inspire me - Denis Villeneuve, Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan. About games - if you're familiar with games from around the year 2000, maybe you know series like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and all those old-school RPGs - I'm glad now that we have a renaissance of games like that, but I'm not playing games very often in recent years. I was a big fan of these type of games as a kid and teenager.

JR: Unlike Raf, I don't get inspired by books, as I don't read that much compared to when I was younger and movies, is more about actions and Rom-coms haha I am mostly inspired lyrically from what is happening around me emotionally and actions I see that happen to others, with changing the perspective to be more open or an illusion to something else. However, 'One Hundred' was inspired by the TV series "The 100", which I was heavily into at the time of receiving the demo of the track and 'Cascading Darkness' is inspired by the game series Darksiders and of course going into the whole Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse.

I had already been convinced from the first track; however, it was 'One Hundred' that truly captivated me, that song is beautiful and has a tranquil feeling about it. Please tell us about the theme of the track and the idea behind the instrumental composition.

RB: I'm glad to hear that. It was the first or second song I recorded after debut album. I was inspired by Blade Runner, and, which is not typical thing - more by movie than a book. I was trying to illustrate the atmosphere of the big and rainy neon city that's showed so beautifully on both movies. Instrumentally I wanted to be at the very background with the guitars on verses which makes a nice contrast with the bridges, choruses and both solos.

The riffing, vocals and ambiance on 'Worlds Apart' and 'Consumed' are among my favorites on The Ultimate Multiverse. How did these songs come to be and what were you aiming for with them?

RB: Probably the heaviest songs on the album, both recorded in A# tuning, both with main themes recorded with tremolo picked notes with a lot, I mean - really - a lot of reverb (thanks Valhalla Shimmer!). I was aiming for finding a good balance for very extensive playing (solos and some riffs) and more 'static' synth sounds.

JR: Raf wanted a follow up to'Consumed'or in other words 'Consume Pt 2' and to bring all the heavies vocally, so in a way these songs are linked. Raf does all the hard work with making the songs and I just write what I feel best suits the music, whether its heavy vocals or ambient clean vocals. We then come together and discuss the ideas

The album carries strong feelings of movement and climax; is the album in any way conceptually driven?

RB: To some point - yes. Not lyrically, but musically I would describe it that way. It was written in similar time, with similar approach, and very concrete part of my life. I think it sounds coherent. That's why I wanted to release it as a full album. It was supposed to be full album from the beginning, but lineup changes and some other things in my live stopped me from that for a while. So, musically you can say it's conceptually driven.

JR: Lyrical theme wise all the tracks deep roots are dark and about finding oneself, reflection and dealing with the chaos in your life.

Being your second full length album, what would you say stands out the most about The Ultimate Multiverse in comparison to The Unknown Voyage?

RB: It's similar and very different at the same time. One reviewer said it's like two si-fi movies, but from different decades. I think it's very true. It's similar approach in the terms of mood, but The Ultimate Multiverse is more technical, guitar driven, dense, heavier and modern while The Unknown Voyage had some ambient/psychedelic feel sometimes and musically was simpler. I'm talking about first version of the debut, without two added songs. I like classic metal influences you can heard on the debut, but in general, the second album is musically much more interesting for me. 

JR: I would say the vocals haha mostly because I am a very different compared to the previous vocalist Javier, in terms of lyrics, vocal style and abilities. However, the musicianship is also a big stand out to me

How has reception for The Ultimate Multiverse been thus far?

RB: It has been really good! Most of the reviews are very positive; I also have heard many kind opinions privately. I'm also still quite surprised about the large amount of reviews, but I'm glad that people want to check us out.

JR: I am a bit naughty and have removed myself a bit from the reception of The Ultimate Multiverse, as I have been busy working on other things. From the small amount of reviews, I have read and from what Raf has told me, it's going well. Haha, I didn't think it would actually get as much reception or traction, as the tracks have been previously released but I have been caught off guard by how many reviews are being done.

Unfortunately I don't have access to the lyrics for the tracks on The Ultimate Multiverse, what are some of the subjects explored?

JR: As mentioned before the lyrics are rooted with being dark and about finding oneself, reflection and dealing with the chaos in your life. You have 'Cascading Darkness' being inspired by the game series Darksiders and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and 'One Hundred' being inspired by the TV series The 100.

The album is limited to only 150 copies on cd why?

RB: This is our first physical release, so we don't even know if it's enough or maybe too much? However, if it will be needed, we'll definitely make more copies.

JR: It was Raf's decision to look into getting CDs. I am more the digital age or streaming the music or listening to my music collection on my computer.

Chaos Over Cosmos creates such mesmerizing music, yet there's little mention of the band. How is this?

JR: We don't really strive ourselves to be out there with the big leagues or more known bands. We are just two dudes who like listening and playing music. Chaos Over Cosmos is pretty much like the underground black metal bands, who you find out about from friends or other people.

What are your thoughts on touring should the opportunity arise, given members live so far apart?

RB: It's totally studio project, with all pros and cons. For the one hand it's comfortable to not be limited by the distance and it makes possible to release new music faster than touring bands - I find it definitely as a pros. But there are some cons and inability to play live, even very occasionally is definitely one of them. Still, for me studio albums are much more important than gigs, so I'm happy with our way.

JR: I say I would always love to tour or go live with Chaos Over Cosmos, but it wouldn't work practically. I am enjoying it being a more of a studio project and not having that added stress of touring and gigging.

MetalBite wishes Chaos Over Cosmos and The Ultimate Multiverse much success, please have the final say to the voyagers worldwide...

RB: Thank you for your interest in us and that great interview! Many thanks and greetings to all MetalBite editors and readers. Stay healthy and heavy! Wish you all the best in our strange 2020 and many great bands to listen.

JR: Thank you one and all for taking the time to check us out and t do an interview. This is a dark year and will be interesting times ahead, so Stay Safe! Stay Healthy and Stay Heavy! (I wasn't going to say Heavy, as Raf stole my thing.)

The French duo Vipère, consisting of Saros and Sans-Visage, recently released their first EP called "Sombre Marche" (review on here). According to the French black metal scene, the band is very mysterious. Musically quite interesting and multifaceted, this of course made me quite curious and so I asked the band for an interview, which they gladly did. If you want to know what Vipère is all about and want to know more about them, you should at least have a look at the interview. I think, if you like French black metal, you should have this band on your radar in the future!

Michael

Hello together! How are you?

Saros: Hey. As good as possible and glad to be here to talk with you. Thanks for taking time for us.
Sans-Visage: Hi! I'm fine, happy to answer your questions!

You are a new black metal band, about which nothing is really known. Can you introduce yourselves to us in more detail?

Saros: Yes, we're new and it's a fact that there's almost nothing about us out there. For now, we are only responding to interviews. We don't want to expose ourselves if it's not desired. We both have a musical history in other genres but it's not important here. We just want to focus on Vipère, the label and our BM projects. The thing is we were just two guys worshipping black metal and it felt logical to play together. We rehearsed for about a year, and then threw out all our tries. After that it took only a few weeks to record Sombre Marche and to decide to release it as a digital EP first and then as a CD.

Your EP "Sombre Marche" is a pretty old-school black metal release. I feel like I'm back in the 90s in parts. Is that intentional?

Saros: Yes it is. We're bored by those bands with perfect sound, perfect compositions, perfect guitar tones… We wanted to do it the old-fashioned way. Everything has been made to make you feel in your garage. And it is not a posture, we didn't give ourselves the choice. There was an emergency that we couldn't stop. We wanted to sound raw and that's what we did. Of course, there's a lot of imperfections in the songs or in the recording process. Structures or arrangements might have been different if we had given ourselves time to look back. And so what? I think songs have souls. It's a picture of an instant. I like the way we've made it authentic. When I listen to early Enslaved I'm totally conquered by those raw intros and interludes. It talks to me. I like to think that first opus are often specials because they are made with sincerity and emergency… Last but not least, it's obvious that we are both into 90's BM. We truly like the BM history, myths and legends. The band's chronology along with the evolution of the genre is amazing to study. So, it was an evidence to us to evolve in that kind of ambiance. We hope that we're not just another copy. We tried to have our own atmosphere...

I think I can hear influences like Gaahlskagg or early Ulver in your songs. What are your biggest musical influences?

Saros: Wow thanks man! Early Darkthrone, Ulver of course. The voice of Attila Csihar. But also, stuff like Mortiis, Belenos or Panphage… You can ask me that same question one hundred times and you'll have as many different responses… And that's only for the BM part. I also have massive influences from the noise rock scene or some French singers for example.

Sans-Visage: Personally, I am not influenced by these bands. My biggest influences are Dissection, Mayhem, Black Flag and more recent bands like Grafvitnir, Valkyrja or Ifernach. But when we compose, we quickly forget our influences, we do not try to sound like a particular band.

Lyrically you are rather misanthropic. Do you have a certain message you want to bring to the people?

Saros: I hate that question haha. I'm not comfortable talking about my lyrics. They are very personal. But you're right, they are kind of misanthropic. It's all about depression, fear of others, aging and so on… There's a lot of things hidden behind metaphors or stylistic figures. It's a way to protect myself from the eye of the reader and trying to still say something. Saying this, I realize that's a fucked-up way of doing things. But it's the only way. I don't care about passing a message to people… They'll find what they want in my lyrics and I like to think they act as a mirror.

Where do your lyrical inspirations come from? More from everyday life or literature?

Saros: My life. I'm almost unable to write on anything else. But I'm working on it. For example, Sans-Visage is drawing new stuff and I'm trying to write a new poem for each of his drawings. But even so, there's still a bit of me sweating in the lyrics. I would like to write about other people's lives, but I have to learn to write in the third person. Your question is welcome, because I'm currently thinking about all of this…

You run a small label called Vetus Capra, on which Vipère and Vieille Chèvre are distributed, according to my information. Are there any further plans concerning your label?

Saros: There is and there is not haha. We take things as they come...

Sans-Visage: For the moment, we do not want the label to grow. Vetus Capra is, above all, a way to highlight our projects to Saros and me. The situation can change if you want to…

What is the situation in the French black metal underground? The bands that were underground 25 years ago and in a way also pioneers for today's bands (I'm thinking of Blut aus Nord or Deathspell Omega) are now in a way quite hip.

Saros: I have the feeling that French black metal is often seen as an avant-garde. Maybe it's true in a way but I'm not comfortable with this. Of course, bands like Blut Aus Nord are huge beasts but there's a bunch of followers that do more harm than good in the scene in my opinion. I prefer my black metal raw and obscure. And in a way it's kind of a hype too. Every release is a limited edition and then there are special editions, first press, second press in splatter with a bottle opener and so on… Hmm I digress… The French black metal scene is rich and complex of course and there's different levels to discover. The very underground with small labels like Transcendence for example and the big ones like Season of Mist.

But I guess it's the same in every country, no?

Sans-Visage: For my part, I don't know anyone from the black metal scene. And it is very well like that. I need this mysterious aura to appreciate this music, it inspires me a lot. Regarding the two bands you mention, I listened to them very little, so I won't be able to talk about them... Personally, underground or not, I especially like when the music sounds sincere, and I think it is still the case with these two examples ....

Did you already have the opportunity to perform gigs in your still quite young career? Are there any plans to play concerts when the pandemic is over? Or are you doing it more like Darkthrone and avoiding gigs?

Saros: No, never. In the first place we just wanted to create something concrete with a record. We were not really a band until we released the EP I think. So, we were not planning to perform gigs at all. I love playing live, but it is not planned at all for now. First we do not have a live lineup and we don't want to seek people to join us. Everything will come in time if it has to. It's still something that I have in mind. For Vieille Chèvre, it's almost impossible, it's kind of an experimental project. Everything should be reworked. Maybe it would be pleasant… Honestly I don't know…

Sans-Visage: To be honest, black metal is a style that I enjoy mostly alone, on record. I'm not closed of course, but I don't think I want to play our songs live.

I want to come back to Vieille Chèvre. You are also involved there. What can you tell us about the band? Here you rather indulge in the classic French black metal à la Vlad Tepes, Torgeist or Belkètre.

Saros: As soon as I started listening to BM, I started experimenting with guitars and a mix of various instruments. Naturally I mixed up BM with my personal musical background which is noise rock oriented. Everything has been made in my bedroom without any plans in mind. Finally, I realized that all those rushes could be assembled. There was a natural coherency. It's not a 100% black metal project at all. The spirit is here but musically there is so much more. For example, I like ambient or repetitive music a lot and you can clearly hear this in the album. Of course, the 90's French black metal scene has a huge influence on me. The Black Legions are a reference musically as well as in terms of mindset. The homemade aspect is the key here. I'm also impressed by the work of Striborg. His musical independence is whole-hearted.

What about further release plans for Vipère? Sans-Visage has already let it be known that you have further plans for this year...

Saros: We just started to rehearse again. With the sanitary context it's not easy to find a way to meet up. But it has been very rich and productive. We're on our way to release something else for sure. We cannot say everything here but there will be some surprises I guess. Drawings, texts and music will be entangled in a new way compared to Sombre Marche. By the way we're very excited by our new project. There's a chance that you can hear something new by the end of the year!

Sans-Visage: We work quietly for the future, as long as we have the fire and ideas. We do not set a deadline, but yes we have already thought about our next mischief!

Which bands and/or releases can you recommend to us?

Saros: I did not follow the black metal news too much these last month's, so I do not have fresh stuff to give… I recently bought the last album of Nuit Noire. It's excellent, dark, and unique. It is a mix between BM, punk and cold wave I'd say… I have the last album of Isengard too. It's a bunch of unreleased songs from the 90's. I have not been disappointed. Oh yes! There is the first album of Warmoon Lord, really excellent. And of course, the last Paysage d'Hiver… I really like this one-man band. It talks to me so much. And last, go check Vargrav if you haven't heard of it yet...

Sans-Visage: If you are a fan of simple, efficient punk that makes you want to break everything, I recommend the Australian band Primitive Blast. Otherwise, I also recommend Ferriterium, a French melodic black metal band. I just got the last tape from Arbre, an experimental French black metal band. It's quite intimate but it's very good.

The last words of the interview belong to you!

Sans-Visage: Thanks for this interview, it's really nice to give us the floor on MetalBite as we are just getting started.

Merci beaucoup pour l 'interview!!!

The skies, the stars and galaxies beyond time, the tag team voyagers within Chaos Over Cosmos attempt to bring you the sights of all this and more on their 2nd full length album "The Ultimate Multiverse". If you're now discovering this band then you've landed on a special place within the greater cosmos. You won't be disappointed by Chaos Over Cosmos' ability to make music representative of a voyage to and from interstellar dynasties. Here's an exchange with the space crew manning the shuttle calibrated to traverse the furthest regions of the cosmos.

Alex

Thank you for doing this interview with MetalBite; how is everything in Poland and Australia at the moment given the pandemic and such?

Rafał Bowman: Thank you! In Poland people are going back to normal. It's a slow process. Fortunately, it looks like the worst-case scenario about the whole pandemic didn't happened.

Joshua Ratcliff: Australia is a very interesting at the moment with the pandemic, similar to what Raf said about Poland. Well from what I see in Australia and also from the annoying media, people just acting all back to normal like there isn't a pandemic and when they can travel across the borders. I feel we're in like our own little 'down under' bubble to the world.

How has it impacted the music on The Ultimate Multiverse?

RB: Actually, it wasn't at all. The music was 100% written and recorded before the pandemic, but even if it would be composed at the time of the pandemic, it's very unlikely for me to be influenced by such incidents. For me, music is a form of escaping from the reality, so situations (especially negative) on the World aren't really reflected in my songs. My impact and inspiration come from books, movies, science or other musicians, but not from actual events.

JR: It hasn't at all, and I do not think it would have or will. All it would have done is give us more down time to write new music

What's the meaning behind the name Chaos Over Cosmos?

RB: It represents the moods and styles of the music - there are parts that are very structured (hence Cosmos), and the opposite - (Chaos). However, honestly it wasn't a very thoughtful decision. I was excited about releasing the first album so much and I really didn't care about the name. Not a very smart marketing approach, haha.

How did the idea of the band come about?

RB: I had been thinking about doing this for a few years. I started writing some music totally for fun and after some time I realized it's not so bad. In general, writing for the first album took a very long time. It was the time when I wouldn't really call it a "band" or "album" and I wasn't even sure if (and how) I would release it. Fortunately, the whole writing process was much faster with the second album

How did the members meet?

RB: It depends on how you describe meeting. We haven't met in real life (same with the previous singer, Javier). Josh and I know each other from Reddit. Sounds like the nerdiest way to make a band haha. I don't remember exactly if I answered on his post about searching for musicians or he answered on mine - I don't know, anyway, it was in some of music parts of Reddit.

JR: As Raf said, we met on Reddit. He actually answered my post a few years back, when I was looking for musicians to make music with. However, when the ball started going for Chaos Over Cosmos, I was tied up in other musical commitments.

The Ultimate Multiverse is an excellent album even with so many musical styles incorporated. Could you please describe the creation of the album from its embryonic stages up to the final product?

RB: Thank you! After the first album I wanted to make something a bit more modern, heavier, more technical. I still have some inspirations like I had while I was writing the debut album, but I discovered a whole lot of modern bands that are very intriguing, especially from the guitar point of view. It impacted on my riffs - I feel like it's denser, sometimes odd, and filled with plenty of soloing - they are probably more shred like, than on debut album. I also changed the synth sounds for a bit more aggressive. The process started right after the debut album, in the meantime Javier left the band (that's why I released a reissued version of the debut album, with two new songs that I had finished with him on our next recording process). Then Josh joined and I wrote more tracks. We decided to divide the new music across two EPs, and then blend for the final product.

JR: With coming into Chaos Over Cosmos after Javier had already recorded two songs and the reissue of the debut album (we redid those songs) I found it quite a fun challenge and very nervous to spread the roots of my style and inspirations musically and vocally, with what Javier had done on all the previous releases. The words that rang in my mind through this whole process are of Raf saying “I want more Aggression” and “Needs more growls”.

Does the album title have any deep meaning, a cryptic reference to something?

RB: The album title comes from the mathematical hypothesis, called "Theory of Everything". Cosmology and theories from the border of philosophy, physics and mathematics are very inspirational for me. It's at the same time abstract and very logical.

Being a 2-piece band, what were the main challenges recording The Ultimate Multiverse?

RB: Time zones! It was sometimes difficult to discuss the ideas quickly because of that. Also, sometimes it's much easier to sit with guitar and microphone together and talk about some riffs or vocal lines. You can change things immediately then, in our case you have to send the ideas, wait for feedback, then eventually discuss it further. But for the other hand, there are only me and Josh and we have a good division of responsibilities - it's often much more difficult when there are three, four or five people in a band - every with own taste, ambitions and so on. I think it's easier to keep the balance in our case. 

JR: Always time zones haha It was very hard to discuss ideas and late nights or early morning, as we communicate through Facebook's Messenger. There is a bit of an English language barrier with Raf and I, at times, which can choke ideas, but we always work through it.

Were there any attempts of getting a real drummer to perform on the album?

RB: There were some attempts, but it was difficult logistically. We wanted to release it quickly, without waiting for anyone else. Also, for 90% of parts I like digital drumming and I think it fit to music very well. I can't image Led Zeppelin with artificial drumming, but I think it works well for the music like ours. Everything depends on genre and mood.

There are other musical genres featured on The Ultimate Multiverse apart from progressive/power metal. What are some of the bands and artists that inspire Chaos Over Cosmos?

RB: I listen to many different genres and artists, from tech-death to synthpop, so I can't even tell 100% what really influenced me on this album. For sure I would pick Dream Theater, Symphony X, Satriani, Scale the Summit, Animals as Leaders, Periphery, Haken and in general a whole lot of progressive, technical and shred music as my biggest inspirations, especially when it comes to guitar playing. There are a lot of inspirations from electronic music also- many different subgenres - mostly Vangelis, Aphex Twin, Tycho, Squarepusher and many more. I listen to a lot of classical music - especially Debussy, Stravinsky and Bach. Also, Penderecki, Olivier Messiaen and many more. I'm also a big Allan Holdsworth fan. I have started to listen to jazz more and more in recent years. Also, I am, and I'm pretty sure I will always be a loyal Iron Maiden fan, however probably on The Ultimate Multiverse it isn't so obvious. So long story short: prog and technical music as main inspiration for the guitar parts, for compositions and sounds - many different genres, especially electronic.

JR: Like Raf I have a broad style of music I listen to depending on my mood or what I am craving, but my main influences always come down to Metal and Metalcore vocally. However, I did want to be different on this release. Funny thing with the track 'One Hundred'. The vocals in the verse I thought Raf would hate, as the original idea for them was more me doing some rap-esqe talking vocals (Think the Lonely Island), which he loved.

It was the artwork that drew me to The Ultimate Multiverse, who created it and what does it signify?

JR: I created all the artwork for The Ultimate Multiverse. Raf told me he wanted the concept of Space and Chaos, which is the main idea for the cover. There is a story in the images and keeping in line with the art I created for the EPs. It all starts with the planets and what looks like one is about to explode or is at breaking point. You then have an apocalyptic desert with an empty city with the planet having exploded creating the backdrop, all leading to the final image of a starry night sky with the explosion small off and into the corner. It all shows the impacts on events that take place in time and space.

It brings back memories of booting up my first pc in 2000 to play games like Dark Orbit, Betty Bad and Space Bunnies Must Die to bigger games like Halo and Gears of War some years later. Likewise, what are some examples of the literature, movies and video games that helped shape the outcome of the album?

RB: I like your connotation very much! I know why you see similarities, and definitely there are some. There are plenty of inspirations in literature. Stanislaw Lem, especially with his FIasco and Solaris, Arthur C. Clarke with Space Oddysey (and many others!), Revelations Space from Alastair Reynolds, Issac Asimov (quite obvious looking at the last song's title), Kim Stanley Robinson, Neal Stephenson, Tolkien, Sapkowski. Basically, reading is my second favorite activity after music, so there are too many writers who inspire me to mention them all. Movies also are huge inspiration too. To name a few directors that inspire me - Denis Villeneuve, Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan. About games - if you're familiar with games from around the year 2000, maybe you know series like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale and all those old-school RPGs - I'm glad now that we have a renaissance of games like that, but I'm not playing games very often in recent years. I was a big fan of these type of games as a kid and teenager.

JR: Unlike Raf, I don't get inspired by books, as I don't read that much compared to when I was younger and movies, is more about actions and Rom-coms haha I am mostly inspired lyrically from what is happening around me emotionally and actions I see that happen to others, with changing the perspective to be more open or an illusion to something else. However, 'One Hundred' was inspired by the TV series "The 100", which I was heavily into at the time of receiving the demo of the track and 'Cascading Darkness' is inspired by the game series Darksiders and of course going into the whole Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse.

I had already been convinced from the first track; however, it was 'One Hundred' that truly captivated me, that song is beautiful and has a tranquil feeling about it. Please tell us about the theme of the track and the idea behind the instrumental composition.

RB: I'm glad to hear that. It was the first or second song I recorded after debut album. I was inspired by Blade Runner, and, which is not typical thing - more by movie than a book. I was trying to illustrate the atmosphere of the big and rainy neon city that's showed so beautifully on both movies. Instrumentally I wanted to be at the very background with the guitars on verses which makes a nice contrast with the bridges, choruses and both solos.

The riffing, vocals and ambiance on 'Worlds Apart' and 'Consumed' are among my favorites on The Ultimate Multiverse. How did these songs come to be and what were you aiming for with them?

RB: Probably the heaviest songs on the album, both recorded in A# tuning, both with main themes recorded with tremolo picked notes with a lot, I mean - really - a lot of reverb (thanks Valhalla Shimmer!). I was aiming for finding a good balance for very extensive playing (solos and some riffs) and more 'static' synth sounds.

JR: Raf wanted a follow up to'Consumed'or in other words 'Consume Pt 2' and to bring all the heavies vocally, so in a way these songs are linked. Raf does all the hard work with making the songs and I just write what I feel best suits the music, whether its heavy vocals or ambient clean vocals. We then come together and discuss the ideas

The album carries strong feelings of movement and climax; is the album in any way conceptually driven?

RB: To some point - yes. Not lyrically, but musically I would describe it that way. It was written in similar time, with similar approach, and very concrete part of my life. I think it sounds coherent. That's why I wanted to release it as a full album. It was supposed to be full album from the beginning, but lineup changes and some other things in my live stopped me from that for a while. So, musically you can say it's conceptually driven.

JR: Lyrical theme wise all the tracks deep roots are dark and about finding oneself, reflection and dealing with the chaos in your life.

Being your second full length album, what would you say stands out the most about The Ultimate Multiverse in comparison to The Unknown Voyage?

RB: It's similar and very different at the same time. One reviewer said it's like two si-fi movies, but from different decades. I think it's very true. It's similar approach in the terms of mood, but The Ultimate Multiverse is more technical, guitar driven, dense, heavier and modern while The Unknown Voyage had some ambient/psychedelic feel sometimes and musically was simpler. I'm talking about first version of the debut, without two added songs. I like classic metal influences you can heard on the debut, but in general, the second album is musically much more interesting for me. 

JR: I would say the vocals haha mostly because I am a very different compared to the previous vocalist Javier, in terms of lyrics, vocal style and abilities. However, the musicianship is also a big stand out to me

How has reception for The Ultimate Multiverse been thus far?

RB: It has been really good! Most of the reviews are very positive; I also have heard many kind opinions privately. I'm also still quite surprised about the large amount of reviews, but I'm glad that people want to check us out.

JR: I am a bit naughty and have removed myself a bit from the reception of The Ultimate Multiverse, as I have been busy working on other things. From the small amount of reviews, I have read and from what Raf has told me, it's going well. Haha, I didn't think it would actually get as much reception or traction, as the tracks have been previously released but I have been caught off guard by how many reviews are being done.

Unfortunately I don't have access to the lyrics for the tracks on The Ultimate Multiverse, what are some of the subjects explored?

JR: As mentioned before the lyrics are rooted with being dark and about finding oneself, reflection and dealing with the chaos in your life. You have 'Cascading Darkness' being inspired by the game series Darksiders and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and 'One Hundred' being inspired by the TV series The 100.

The album is limited to only 150 copies on cd why?

RB: This is our first physical release, so we don't even know if it's enough or maybe too much? However, if it will be needed, we'll definitely make more copies.

JR: It was Raf's decision to look into getting CDs. I am more the digital age or streaming the music or listening to my music collection on my computer.

Chaos Over Cosmos creates such mesmerizing music, yet there's little mention of the band. How is this?

JR: We don't really strive ourselves to be out there with the big leagues or more known bands. We are just two dudes who like listening and playing music. Chaos Over Cosmos is pretty much like the underground black metal bands, who you find out about from friends or other people.

What are your thoughts on touring should the opportunity arise, given members live so far apart?

RB: It's totally studio project, with all pros and cons. For the one hand it's comfortable to not be limited by the distance and it makes possible to release new music faster than touring bands - I find it definitely as a pros. But there are some cons and inability to play live, even very occasionally is definitely one of them. Still, for me studio albums are much more important than gigs, so I'm happy with our way.

JR: I say I would always love to tour or go live with Chaos Over Cosmos, but it wouldn't work practically. I am enjoying it being a more of a studio project and not having that added stress of touring and gigging.

MetalBite wishes Chaos Over Cosmos and The Ultimate Multiverse much success, please have the final say to the voyagers worldwide...

RB: Thank you for your interest in us and that great interview! Many thanks and greetings to all MetalBite editors and readers. Stay healthy and heavy! Wish you all the best in our strange 2020 and many great bands to listen.

JR: Thank you one and all for taking the time to check us out and t do an interview. This is a dark year and will be interesting times ahead, so Stay Safe! Stay Healthy and Stay Heavy! (I wasn't going to say Heavy, as Raf stole my thing.)