Doomed Confessionary: Clem & Chris (Subterraen)
Photo by William Lacalmontie
Subterraen is an atmospheric sludge/post-sludge band from Nantes, France.
Released on April 12th, 2024 via Frozen Records, new album »In The Aftermath Of Blight« marks the beginning of a new era for Subterraen. The band re-emerges from a two-year long writing process with a completely revamped line-up and the firm intention of breaking away from the conventions of sludge/doom metal.
Written to be radically different from its predecessor, »In The Aftermath Of Blight« proves to be more complex and skillfully written. The album benefits from a much higher production value and combines the aggression and atmospheres of post-sludge with the melodies of doom metal. Inspired by bands such as Pallbearer, Neurosis, Yob and Paradise Lost, Subterraen consciously distances itself from its influences to create a unique sonic identity.
Subterraen are Clem aka HLVT (rhythm guitar and does vocals), Chris aka KKP (lead guitar), William aka BMR (bass, vocals, synths) and Matt aka MLV (drums).
Can you say a few words about your band?
Clem: Sure thing. We’re an atmospheric post-sludge band from France. I started Subterraen as a sludge/doom duo back in 2017. The original idea was to play blackened funeral doom, but the band evolved into its own thing over time. However, I feel like we were just two guys playing a collection of slow riffs together up until we recorded our first album, »Rotten Human Kingdom«. That’s when Subterraen really became a band with a defined sound, an artistic vision, and serious work ethics, mainly thanks to Chris who recorded the album and joined the band shortly after.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Clem: There is a part of me that wants to say that finding the right lineup has been the biggest challenge. Finding the perfect balance for a band is pretty difficult, especially once you start getting a bit older and life gets in the way. That being said, Covid almost killed this band. There was two years between the recording and the release of our first album. Then it came out in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. It was complicated to practice and impossible to play shows. I got to a point where I thought I might as well just stop. But writing music is not really something I choose to do or not do. I just have to do it, and I’m too stubborn to give up.
Chris: I think finding the right people and keeping the band together has been the toughest challenge too. We all live quite far from each other. Which already makes things difficult.
The fact that we’ve also managed to make it through Covid, the successive departure of two band members and a change of label is also no small feat. Not to mention all the ups and downs in our personal lives. Getting this second album out was quite a challenge.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Clem: The thing I am the most proud of when it comes to Subterraen, is that I’ve always made a point to work with people I respect and admire. The idea of creating something with people I value personally and artistically is essential. The person in charge of the recording, mixing, mastering, and artwork are all hand picked because they fit within a very specific vision. I consider myself lucky, and I am extremely proud to have been able to work on two albums so far with people I hold in such high regard.
Chris: Even if this album is far from perfect, I’m really proud of it. Artistically, it’s the first time I’ve had to dig so deep into my resources, I’ve really put everything into it. I really feel that this record defines me, it’s almost like a DNA imprint.
What was your biggest regret?
Clem: My biggest regret regarding »In The Aftermath Of Blight« is that Matt (drums) wasn’t able to be in the studio with us. He had a some serious health issues before getting in the studio. He actually could have died from it. I think he got out of the hospital the day before we started loading our gear in the studio and he was in no capacity to play drums at this point. We ended up using his cleaned-up pre-production tracks, which is why you don’t see him in the video studio report we released. I really wish he could have been there with us, but there was no way we could move the studio dates in such short notice.
Chris: When it comes to the band, I don’t regret anything, I don’t really want regrets in my life. I feel like I have the right people by my side, and that there only positive things that can come out of this.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Clem: We haven’t been able to play a lot of shows with Subterraen, partly because of Covid, but also because we have pretty busy lives. The release show we did for »In The Aftermath Of Blight« was our best in my opinion. It was our first show with this line-up and we sounded really good. I always have some sort of out of body experience when I’m on stage with Subterraen. It feels like I’m not there and I don’t really remember shows. Probably because I have to focus on playing guitar while doing vocals, maybe because being on stage makes me very anxious and I block it out. So it’s hard for me to judge. Based on the videos I saw, I know it sounded really tight.
Chris: For Subterraen, there isn’t much to choose from, so I’ll say the last one, which was the first time we played with this new line-up.
Personally, I’d say playing the Roadburn festval in 2012, but that’s a page long since turned.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Clem: I think what surprised me the most when it comes to the current state of the music scene is the importance of social media. It is extremely convenient to know when bands are releasing new material or are touring just by looking at Instagram, but social media takes way too much space. There’s a lot of stuff out there about “making reels and posting content to grow your band’s following”, or “curators” who ask bands a financial participation to get into playlists. I find it really gross to be honest. This is going to make me sound like an old man, but all of the band members have been around for a while. This whole thing is not something we equate with music, and I don’t think any of us in the band like it very much.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Clem: I’ve been listening to the new Glassing album on repeat for the past two months. I get really monomaniacal when I find something I like. I think it comes from the days when you had to buy CDs. As a high-scooler you didn’t have that much money to spend, so you’d stick with one or two albums for a while. I’ve also been revisiting Cult Of Luna’s discography lately. I’ve been obsessed with »Vertikal«. It’s a really dark and atmospheric album that just puts me in a trance. I love the way it sounds, too. I’m basically addicted to it at this point.
Chris: I’m currently revisiting the entire discography of Devin Townsend, Russian Circles, Mastodon, Failure, Type O Negative.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Clem: I think one of the best piece of advice I’ve ever gotten was from William, who plays bass in Subterraen. We’ve been making music together since we were teenagers. He is a much better composer than I am, so his input is extremely valuable to me. I used to be very self-conscious about my writing, because it’s hard for me to come up with a simple, straight-forward structure for a song. He once told me that this is the kind of thing one absolutely shouldn’t worry about, because the ultimate goal is to write something that sounds good to you. It really helped me not to overthink everything.
Chris: The 40% rule is the most important piece of advice I’ve ever gotten. If you can’t play something at 40% of your ability, it won’t sound good, and generally you’ll miss the original intention.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Clem: I’ve always had a soft spot for lowbrow hardcore bands. I usually listen to it when I’m by myself, especially when I go on runs. If I go for a longer run, I’m all about slow build-ups and atmospheric music. If I want to pump myself up for a faster run, I’m definitely going for in-your-face hardcore bands like Hoods, Shockwave, CDC, that type of stuff. I think it counts as a guilty pleasure.
Can you say something more about the music scene in Nantes / France?
Clem: The scene in Nantes, and the overall French scene are doing really well right now. Frozen Records, our label, is doing a lot to keep the scene thriving by organizing shows and promoting local bands. It is also an awesome record store. Any music lover who has the opportunity to go there absolutely should. Eddy and Paul (who run Frozen Records) are very dedicated, great people. I’ve also been seeing a lot of new faces at shows post Covid. I don’t go to shows as often as I used to, but it’s great to see a new wave of people who want to keep this scene alive and growing.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Clem: As I said, we don’t play shows very often due to our geographical and personal situations. We’re currently working on booking a small French tour for the end of the year and we’d like to play some summer festivals next year. So, if you’re reading these lines…
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Clem: We just started working on new material. I’m feeling pretty inspired and I have a few ideas for the next album. »In The Aftermath Of Blight« really set the direction in which we want to go. We want to push ourselves and experiment more with melodies, dynamics, and soundscape. We’re also going to be working on the live aspect to make it even better and more immersive.
Chris: Exactly this, play more shows and work on the new album.
How can people best support your band?
Clem: Bandcamp is where it’s at! Purchases on Bandcamp basically go straight to financing the next album. Of course, coming to shows is the next best thing.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Clem: We really appreciate everyone who has been supporting us following the release of »In The Aftermath Of Blight«. We put a lot of work into it, and it’s a real privilege to know that we’ve created something that resonates with people.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well