Meurtriéres is one of the most treasured secrets from France. And the epic metal band is back with their debut full-length “Ronde de Nuit” via Gates of Hell Records. Singer Fiona and the guitarist Olivier took some time to bring us back to the Middle Ages.
Meurtriéres album production
Hi Fiona and Olivier Voyou, welcome to Femme Metal Webzine. Thank you for taking the time to check out this interview. How are you?
Olivier Voyou: I’m doing fine, thanks! Surviving a metal-melting heatwave now known as Summer in Lyon aha.
Fiona: Hi, Thanks for your interest! I don’t know what Olivier is talking about, in Paris, we haven’t seen the sun for weeks…
On August 25th, the debut “Ronde de Nuit” was released via Gates of Hell Records. What can you share about its production?
Olivier: We recorded the 7 songs for “Ronde de Nuit” again with our friend Bruno Germain, in his comfy home studio. Additionally, another band’s friends took care of the mixing and the mastering was done by Julien Louvet.
The debut of Fiona
Above all “Ronde de Nuit” marks also the début of Fiona on the vocals. How and when did you join the band?
Fiona: I joined Meurtrières in March 2021. A mutual friend told me that the guys were looking for someone to do the vocals. I was a little hesitant at the beginning and she told me instantly “Stop thinking, DO IT!”. Well… I thought a bit and I went for it! haha
After a few emails and sounds exchanged with them, we saw each other in Lyon and we had a great time. After the shitty year we just had, we all wanted to go back to clubs to listen and play rock music. Then we took a year and a half to cook “Ronde de Nuit” but I heard from wise people that slow cooking is often the best!
After all “Ronde du Nuit” represents the beginning of your collaboration with Italy’s Gates of Hell Records. How did you two cross paths and partner up for this release?
Olivier: Hum, actually our previous record was already released through Gates of Hell Records in July 2020. We had no label when we recorded the songs, we just put them on a Bandcamp page and immediately tons of labels wrote us about a physical release. We felt comfortable with our mail exchanges with Bri and Enrico and that was it.
Meurtriérestwo singles: the title track and “Rubicon”
“Ronde de Nuit” “is the natural transition for a band gaining more confidence in Meurtriéres songwriting abilities” states the press release. Despite the lead vocalist and both musically and lyrically, which main differences can you notice between 2020’s self-titled EP and the upcoming one?
Olivier: When we recorded the first EP, we only played a handful of shows and were not so confident with our instruments. We still are not confident but we play better thanks to all the gigs we’ve done after the COVID dust settled. But stylistically speaking there are no big changes between the EP and the LP.
Out of “Ronde du Nuit”, two singles have been already released that is the title -track and “Rubicon”. Which insights can you share about these two songs?
Fiona: These are two very different tracks from the LP that I particularly like. One was brought by Olivier and the other by Flo. When you know them well, you understand where their inspirations come from! I’m touched by what they produce together, it’s intimate and, it’s an honor for me to add my layer. These are very strong pieces with progressions in the music, and the lyrics. We tell stories with beginnings and -obviously- unhappy endings. Both tracks deal with societal issues: one on labor exploitation, the other on government violence. Unfortunately, topics that work as well in 2023 as in the Middle Ages…
The cover artwork
“Ronde du Nuit” literally from French means night watch. Also, the cover artwork offers a sneak preview in those terms. From a lyrical point of view, what the listeners should expect? And which is your preferred song from the LP?
Fiona: As I said, the LP is quite dark. I didn’t want to write songs with brave knights and crowned kings. Our characters are losers for whom nothing works as they would like. Stories are fiction that have been strongly inspired by great paintings. In conclusion, It’s for this reason that I wanted a painting as artwork.
About my favorite song, difficult to say, it changes all the time! I can say that I’m quite proud of “Chevaleresses du Chaos”. This is the last text at the last minute before the vocals recordings. I see myself at the studio exchanging the lyrics with Xavier because a word that I wanted to use did not exist in the French dictionary! Oops!
Sometimes urgency brings interesting spontaneity!
Olivier: The artwork is an original painting by a good friend named Ivan Brun. I don’t have a favorite song on the LP, I just think the songs I did not write are really bad. The record would have been better with just my guitar tracks and nothing else.
The debut EP proves to be almost sold-out and almost impossible to find. Are you planning to re-print this release for better distribution?
Olivier: The first EP will never be repressed again.
New plans for Meurtriéres
After the release, what is in the pipeline for Meurtriéres? Any chance of a European tour? What are the next band’s plans?
Olivier: We have several gigs planned in France, Belgium, and Germany in the coming months. We’ll play everywhere our drunken devilish horses lead us!
So, Fiona & Olivier, we’re almost at the end. Please be free to say hi to your fans and listeners. Merci beaucoup for this interview.
Olivier: We don’t have any fans, we just have fellow music lovers and headbanging-ragers. Please meet us at the bar or, at the front of the stage where the fun is happening! Take care everybody and…. En Garde!!!!
Fiona: Just like Olivier. Fuck rockstar bullshits! Also some peace but a little bit “EN GARDE !” of course.
