Doomed Confessionary: Belwil Domadora (Domadora)
Photo by @fujifilmfrance
Domadora is an instrumental heavy psych trio hailing from Paris, France.
With over 10 years of existence and five studio albums acclaimed by critics, Domadora is an undisputed reference in the French psychedelic and heavy psychedelic rock scene. After sharing the stage with legends like Pentagram, Yawning Man, Earthless, and Baroness, the band returned in 2025 with a highly anticipated new album »Indian« that promises to push the boundaries of their unique sound.
The new full-length album stands out with its improvised, organic music, built through successive waves of intensity. The instrumental improvisations, true calls for total surrender, aim for a musical transcendence that immerses the listener in a world of raw emotion. The new lineup, a guitar-bass-drums trio, brings a dynamic that fuels the band’s sound, driven by sonic power and visceral energy. This lineup change redefines the band’s essence while staying true to its core.
Domadora consists of Alexis Assaleix on drums, Franck Clunet on bass and Belwil Domadora on guitar.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Domadora is a heavy psychedelic rock band formed 10 years ago, based on the concept that each track is entirely improvised, making every version unique.
Our aim is to create a sense of trance and dizziness in those who listen to us, using a heavy, powerful sound that alternates between deeply atmospheric passages and intense, violent phases. This contrast of moods is designed to disorient and lead into a trance those who know how to let go when listening to music.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
The greatest challenge for the band has always been finding musicians who truly embrace this mindset, and who understand that music is a reflection of their emotions. You have to be willing to strip yourself bare to play this way. So, the human aspect has always been our most complex challenge.
Additionally, it’s about finding people who can set their ego aside, who play for the others and for the improvisation, not for themselves or to show off.
What can you be most proud of so far?
We are proud, after all these years, to have released six albums filled with musical richness and emotional experiences that go beyond the ordinary. Each track is meant to be a sonic painting. It would be amazing to take some of our sounds and transform them into visual art, just to see what it would generate!
We’re also proud when people come to talk to us after the shows and share what they felt – that they traveled through the sound and were completely carried away. Those moments mean everything to us.
What was your biggest regret?
It’s very hard to say, because there are many. Some are human choices – moments when we were too kind to disrespectful people, or too harsh with people who were just clumsy. Some were about gigs that were really terrible but we accepted anyway, or even a poorly organized tour that we turned down, which might have ended up being amazing.
But in the end, there are very few regrets – everything has been fully embraced.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
In general, concerts abroad – outside of France – have always been better. The welcome is warmer, people are less complicated, more easy-going, open, honest, and genuinely passionate about music. So far, the city where we’ve been received the best is Berlin, a few months ago at Supamolly. It was amazing. The way people welcomed us and the energy they brought allowed us to completely let go on stage, which led to wild improvisations, like untamed beasts we were taming in real time. We played without limits, with endless inspiration. That’s the kind of moment we live for as musicians.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
A few years ago, on stage in Paris at Le Trabendo, we had the audacity – true to our improvisational spirit and the way we play without knowing where it might lead – to invite an Afro-dub singer, a female rapper, and two friends (a guitarist and a percussionist) to join us on stage. We launched into some wild improvisations that took on a voodoo-like dimension, and the trance became deep. The audience’s reaction was incredible – almost shocked, jaws literally wide open. Sometimes, magic happens, and we don’t know why. You just have to jump in, and the magic takes care of the rest.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Domadora, Black sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Rage Against The Machine, Kendrick Lamar, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Nessun Dorma with Pavarotti etc…
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
“Don’t try to impress – try to express.” This simple sentence changed everything for me. It reminded me that music isn’t about showing off skill, speed, or control. It’s about honesty. The moment I stopped trying to play well and started trying to play true, everything clicked. That’s when the real connection happens – with the sound, with yourself, and with others.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Let’s just say there are riffs only played behind closed doors, chains that aren’t exactly for guitar pedals, and chords sealed more by teeth than by words. There were nights when even silence was too scared to come in, and mattresses that knew my demons better than my dreams. But hey… rock was never meant for sober souls.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Paris?
As I was saying earlier, we prefer playing outside of Paris, where all the cool spots are getting shut down one after another, and the vibe is slowly freezing over. It makes me genuinely sad.
Also, we prefer playing abroad rather than in France – even though it’s a beautiful country I truly love – because the general mindset here feels sick. Gigs go unpaid, there are always complications with everything, nothing flows naturally, it’s all about appearances and surface-level bullshit.
Okay, not everywhere and not everyone, thankfully. But the trend is there.
Just one number: after the release of our album, we had a lot of plays, streams, digital sales, etc. And France – our own country – ranked only 75th in terms of album plays. That’s insane.
French people have issues. If we had lied about where we’re from – like if we’d said “we’re from San Diego” – the little Stoner Music scene would be kissing our ass. And honestly, that mindset in France really pisses me off. People need to just keep it real. With everything. Always.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
There are plans for shows in 2026 across Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, and more.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
We have a lot of music waiting to be recorded. We’ve found abandoned places where we’ll go play, generator-powered.
Destiny will decide the future of the band – whether the way the world works can still align with the way we work.
How can people best support your band?
The best way to support us is simply to listen – and let yourself lose your footing in our music. Travel with it, and tell us about the trips it took you on, when your mind drifted away.
Go to our Bandcamp page, where all our music lives, blast it loud, in the dark silence of the night… and float.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Yes, listen to the music as it comes – with humility and simplicity. Everyone has the right to choose how they listen. Dive into the details of the arrangements, discover the subtle touches, or just hold on to the energy. Move, or lie down, dream, drift away.
Be humble, kind to others, at peace. Do good. Respect differences. Be passionate about people who are different. Be love – and gentle violence.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well