Interview - DYSYLUMN

If you're unfamiliar with Dysylumn, see here first.

This interview is with Sébastien Besson, the band's vocalist and guitarist.

1. Occulation is one of the best albums of 2018, how has the response been so far?

We did everything possible to have the new album released in digipak before the Ravenous Altar Festival event (Cult of Fire, Grave Miasma, Grave Desecrator, Throane, Serpent Luminis and us), and the bet was successful! We had a lot of positive feedback about the album. For the moment few reviews, but it has been uploaded to the Odium Nostrum YouTube channel which has given us a huge visibility.

2. How would you describe your sound?

I think that our sound is very heavy, almost monolithic at times. But at the same time it is very spatial, aerial and dissonant.

3. Could you talk a little about your lyrical content?

The lyrical content is about cosmogony, the abstract universe, chaos, nightmares, and hallucinations. Lyrics are written cyclically, the end is the beginning. They are like an endless abyss.

4. It’s a clichéd question, but who are your main influences (if indeed you feel you have influences)?

My main influences are dissonant and obscure bands such as Blut Aus Nord, Grave Miasma, Skàphe, Tukaaria, Arizmenda, Irkallian Oracle, Muknal, Serpents Lair... But we don't look like any of these bands.

5. You appear to record as a two-piece, but perform as a five-piece... who are the additional live members, and do you have any plans to record as a full band in the future?

Camille (Oliver Kaah, Y I Y), the drummer, lives in Germany; and me in France. At first, it was impossible to organize concerts because of the distance. So, I decided to create a live line-up to produce Dysylumn on stage: Enno - Drums (Poisoncharge, Temple of Worms, Purgatory Unleashed); Xahaal - Lead Guitar (Malepeste, Ominous Shrine, Grande Loge); Ash - Bass (Masamsed, ex: Osirion); Naâl - Rhythm Guitar (Triste Terre); and me - Rhythm Guitar (Ominous Shrine, Abyssal Vacuum). When Camille is available, he can replace Enno on the drums. We have no plans to record as a full band, because the music would no longer be the same.

6. Is there any chance you’ll be playing in the UK any time soon?

I would like to, but we need the contacts to do it.

7. Do you have any other future plans you can share with us?

Yes, in October there will be a split with Malepeste (black metal band from Lyon) named  "Ce qui fut, Ce qui est, Ce qui sera" that will be released by Goathorned Productions. There are some preview tracks on Bandcamp. In November we will play with Acherontas in Paris. In parallel, I'm working on a new EP from my side project Abyssal Vacuum, which is cavernous and deep black metal. The first EP is out now.

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