Hanna Tsepesh: Salut(Hello) Matthieu Scarpa! Merci(thanks) for accepting this interview! To start this interview, tell me a little bit about Amphitryon history and who are the members, what they play etc! You are the member that founded the band and also the guy who write the lyrics right?!
Matthieu: Hi Hanna! You’re right, I founded AMPHITRYON in 1996 and I write lyrics for the band. I also play guitar and vocals. My bandmates are Laurent Desvignes (guitar/vocals), Sarah Barisèle (vocals), Gianni Leone (Bass/vocals), Barbara Haigneré (vocals/flute) and Christophe Demazeux (drums). People used to qualify AMPHITRYON as Liturgical Doom Death, especially on our last album “Sumphokéras”. Actually, we spent time creating our own music style which still evolves.
Hanna Tsepesh: What are your inspirations to create this great lyrics and what are your major bands at the moment for you?
Matthieu: I first wrote a full novel entitled “The Cycle of Ephapsaménée”. It sounds like Ancient litterature: Ephapsaménée, descendant of gods must face his fate and lead fratricidal wars. A legend with some tragedy aspects which led us to a new concept album: Sumphokéras. Besides, I really enjoy listening to Primus, My Dying Bride and Orphaned Land.
Hanna Tsepesh: Oh so cool your inspirations Matthieu! Talking about the album and your band members, you guys have a LOT of talent!!! Really, i stay very surprised with your album “Sumphokeras”, it is really great and mature album! The atmosphere that you and the band create is really fantastic, i think i listen your album 10 times and i don’t get bored because i discover new elements and new things about “Sumphokeras”, also i have to tell that the voices are really AMAZING, i like a lot Laurent Desvignes voice because is more my style in voices, but i also like the girls, the 2 of them have great and powerfull voices! My huge contratulations for all the band!!! Where did you found this voices and tell us about the album for people who don’t know this work yet…
Matthieu: Thank you so much for your congratulations! Sumphokéras is a concept album. Every parts have a great coherence: lyrics, music and artworks are all inspired from the novel “The Cycle of Ephapsaménée”. We incarnate characters for the dialogues. So we took a particular attention on voices interpretations while composing and recording. Actually, we are very proud of “Sumphokéras”.
Hanna Tsepesh:You are very welcome, don’t need to thank me it's the true! When i listen the album for the first time, i get wondering how was the studio recording for you guys, because i think that it must be somehow dificult right?! You had everything done when the band enter on studio?
Matthieu: Strictness and musicality are two indivisible ingredients when we perform our music. Many parts of the album have been composed before entering studio but we always keep flexibility for final arrangements. I think that musicians have hindsight while recording and it’s a good moment to add something fresh. It’s a great experience!
Hanna Tsepesh: I read that you guys played with big metal bands like: Sonata Arctica, To/Die/For, After Forever, Shaman, Saxon and Paradise Lost at “Rotonde Festival Of Hirson” and also you already played with one of my favorite bands, THERION! Tell me about it, did you and the guys have fun in there and with those bands?! For you, if you have to choose one band that you really like to meet and play what will be your answer and why?
Matthieu: It was really wonderful and amazing to share stages with such good bands. I especially keep in mind AMPHITRYON and THERION. Thomas Vikström sent to us congratulations right after the show and we still stay in touch. I guess I would like to meet MY DYING BRIDE to play with because of their well-inspirated music.
Hanna Tsepesh:Yeah Therion is a great band, i like it a lot too! Thomas was very nice to send that message to you guys! In terms of your album cover, MySpace and Web design, is a great job!! Who is the person who take the pictures and make this great work with you guys? Send my congratulations for the person!
Matthieu: Painter Daniel Peron realized two great unique pictures after reading “The Cycle of Ephapsaménée” so we could work out Sumphokéras artworks. We thank him heartily.
Hanna Tsepesh: Congratulations one more time Daniel and fantastic work!! tell me about concerts, did you have any concerts for now? Tell me some dates and places…
Matthieu: For now, our DVD is coming soon!! We will tour as soon as it will be available.
Hanna Tsepesh:Great news!! In France it's easy to get support from people and labels? I ask you this because some people think that France is only HIP HOP and RAP that have success in there…
Matthieu: Nowadays, many french bands are coming up. It creates a sort of dynamism and motivation. People and labels begin to support french metal bands more than ever. French metal webzine Imm3moria officially support AMPHITRYON and I often talk with fans all over the world. That’s really nice to feel this huge support.
Hanna Tsepesh: That is GREAT!!! I hope that one day the other countrys like my country, staring to doing that for metal bands, thanks a lot for your answer! Tell me, is the band thinking in the future to play in Portugal?
Matthieu: We look for playing everywhere... including Portugal of course!
Hanna Tsepesh: That's great!! Last question, do you have anything to say to Amphitryon future fans or maybe fans in Portugal?
Matthieu: You can join our official street team: www.myspace.com/amphitryon_streetteam & Many thanks for your great support!!
Hanna Tsepesh:So people you know what to do now! Thanks a lot for your answers Matthieu! THE GATES OF METAL wish you and the band all the success for this album and hope too see you guys in Portugal very soon!
Matthieu: Thanks for this interview Hanna. It was a great pleasure to answer your questions. Long life to The Gates Of Metal!
Hanna Tsepesh: Thank you, and don’t need to thank me, it was a pleasure to make this interview for you! THE GATES OF METAL will live for many many years...
By: Hanna Tsepesh
