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MELTED SPACE is the ambitious brainchild of French pianist and composer Pierre Le Pape, who is known for his work in Embryonic Cells (Death/Black Metal) and Wormfood (Gothic/Avant-Garde). That a pianist and keyboard player draws from classical music resources is not an unusual matter. That one melts classical music with all kind of metal related styles and classical literature for sure is. I came across MELTED SPACE via Between, the third release of this project and - as for me - the most common one, compared to Pierre Le Papes instrumental debut album, I in fact just know one song from but which personifies the uniqueness French bands are often so known for. This turning away screams for many whys and wherefores Mr Le Pape answered very detailed ;)

Dajana: Salut Pierre. Ça va? You have just released your third effort, the mini album Between, only one year after your opulent work From The Past. That is quick. I can imagine that such epic compositions need a lot of recording time in the studio. You seem to have a creative overflow? ;) How’s the response by the media so far?
Pierre:
Guten Tag Dajana! I'm fine thank you! Only 3 days before the Hellfest so I can't wait to go there!
Yes it is very quick indeed but in fact, before releasing From The Past I had to work for a year to find a deal with a label so I didn't compose for 2 years. However, I work very quickly when I have a good story, the ideas are coming fast and I only have to record it.
The media's response is very positive. But I have to say that it's very promising in Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and France of course. I'm very happy for that because it's the first time that MELTED SPACE crosses frontiers.

Dajana: You brought MELTED SPACE into existence after a decade playing keyboards in Embryonic Cells (Death/Black Metal) and before joining Wormfood (Gothic/Avant-Garde). Was there a special moment or impulse for creating this metal opera project?
Pierre:
Certainly. I don't consider that I am restrained in my bands so I didn't created MELTED SPACE to express a frustration. I did it because I needed it; it was the only thing to do. I probably think about it for many, many years, since I was a child, because my parents made me listen to “The Magic Flute” from Mozart when I was 5 and I replayed some melodies at the piano because I loved it. So 15 or 20 years later, I found the way to mix all my influences. That's how Melted Space was born.

Dajana: Since opera usually does not come from nowhere… do you have a classical music education?
Pierre:
Yes of course, as I just said, I met opera and classical music soon in my life, my grandfather loved operas, and my mother loved the piano. I studied at the Conservatory, there I learned piano, chamber music but also theoretical disciplines like harmony, counterpoint, analysis and I studied movie scoring at L'Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. A tried jazz but I think it's not for me. I really have a classical culture so all must be written. I consider metal music as the modern chamber music, you play with people what is written and if you make a mistake, everything is endangered. So you have to perfectly play your part to make something right. Very classical concept!

Dajana: If not, what exactly brought you to the classic side of music? And where are your musical roots?
Pierre:
I have many roots musical and others: Classical, rock, soundtracks, movies, video games, books, mangas... Everything that offers a complete immersion in a whole universe or an imaginary travel. I could speak a long time on my video games collection, or my movies... I love to dive in a different world. Maybe because ours is not so funny, so with my music, I try to offer to the listener a travel in his chair.

Dajana: I have to admit I don’t know your previous releases. I just listened to two older tracks I found on the internet. From your debut it was La Voyage De Dante and I liked it a lot. It has significantly more influences of classical music, is more experimental with its electronic splashes and has a slight JM Jarre feel to me. It definitely differs from what is around.
I like Between too but I think it sounds like outputs we already know from bands such as Therion and Dimmu Borgir (for example), it is great but… sort of common, at least nothing new or innovative. So, what changed your mind towards this Gothic Metal approach?
Pierre:
Congratulations! You found one of my first influences in modern music: JM Jarre. When I was young, I wanted to play in big shows like he did and I bought my very first synthetizer to create electronic music. Then I discovered the dark side of the Force and I played in a black metal band!
Anyway, I agree what you say. In the previous album I took my time to install atmospheres, to describe characters and many other feelings, so with Between, I wanted something more direct, I wanted to compose real songs. This short album is a real transition between From The Past and the next one so I tried some things: traditional songs, acoustics songs, working with new people, promote in other countries, all to prepare the next album. So now I think that I'm ready to work on soon.
Moreover, I really appreciate your comment, because Dimmu Borgir is one of my favorite bands so I can say that I succeed to make something sounding like big productions like these ones.

Dajana: I miss a little bit this uniqueness and otherness French bands so often own (and I have a weakness for ;)) and you already displayed with your debut album…
Pierre:
Maybe for the next one... The story is completely written and I only can tell you that I can't wait to work on it!

Dajana: Can you imagine going back to the experimental and classical side of music?
Pierre:
I never close a door. And if the story needs something more experimental, I'll do it.
About the classical side, I think that is one of the best side in MELTED SPACE so I'll keep it for a long time. If you have the opportunity to discover the previous album, From The Past, I think that you'll find the coherence from the start to Between.

Dajana: Do you already have plans/ideas in what direction MELTED SPACE will develop in the near future?
Pierre:
Yes of course! First, MELTED SPACE will tour this fall, supporting The Old Dead Tree in France, Belgium and Switzerland. I'm very excited with that! We have a lot of work but everybody is happy to do it and I think we will have a great time together.
I'll play with the following line up:

- Clémentine Delauney (Serenity, vocals)
- Black Messiah (Seth, vocals)
- Manuel Munoz (The Old Dead Tree, vocals)
- Charley Corbiaux (Ex-Heavenly, guitars/vocals)
- Brice Guillon (bass)
- Gaël Féret (Misanthrope, drums)
- myself (keys and vocals)

And I plan some surprises depending the shows.

Then, I think the time will come for a next album. It needs a lot of time and energy so I don't know exactly when I'll find this to compose, before the tour? After? But I'd like to do it as soon as possible.
Then... I don't know. In fact, I am not totally able to project myself in the future so, let's work on these 2 projects and we will see what will happen.

Dajana: You also engaged a vast array of singers. I love the variety, especially the heroic male vocals in Si Vis Pacem… And I love the epic Welcome To This World, where all voices unite. By what criteria do you choose singers? And with whom you would still like to work one day?
Pierre:
The story is the main criteria. First, I write the story and the first ideas about the characters appear. Then, I compose and I try to imagine how does the characters talk or sing. Finally, when all is composed, I have a better idea of the voice that I need so some names are coming and I see what is possible.
I'm very lucky because most of the people who I contact tell me “ok”.
So many people I'd like to work with... Someday, I'd like to work with Shagrath, Sharon Den Adel, Jorn Lande, Russel Allen or many more... I'll probably meet some singers at the Hellfest so, if the Gods Of Rock are with me, I'll maybe work with great singers whose I'm a huge fan!
With Liv and Ashmedi I succeeded to realize some of my dreams! When I was younger, I played some songs from Theatre Of Tragedy, so as a fan, it's been a pretty nice experience to work with Liv and see her singing my songs.
Both are amazing people and they really involved in the project proposing me some mix ideas, double voices or advices. I thank them a lot!

Dajana: Every of your MELTED SPACE albums is a conceptual one. Dante and Eco on the debut, the Greek mythology on the sophomore, and now it is the Roman mythology on Between. You obviously have a special liking for mythologies and classic literature. Where does it come from and what’s coming next?
Pierre:
Yes indeed, I grew up with classical literature, my parents wanted me to read a lot of great writers like Stendhal, Victor Hugo, Balzac... and my father liked peplos so the very first movie I saw was Ben Hur. Then I saw all the ancient peplos like Spartacus, Jason and the Argonauts, Ulysses, Clash of the Titans (the first)... where gods are all-presents. Moreover, I'm a great fan of Saint Seiya (a Japanese manga) that deals with Athena and other warriors of Greeks gods so these are topics that I know for a long time and that I really like. When I was a child, I wanted to be an archeologist like Indiana Jones to always be in these legends. Finally I'm not so far, I always talk about legends.
What's coming next? That's a good question! I only can tell you that we will find new characters coming from new mythologies. Contrary to the previous albums, there will be a real and complete story like in a movie with a hero, a bad guy, dramas, love, hate... A real opera!

Dajana: Such conceptual themes scream for a special visualization or (filmed) performance as the music does the same for a real orchestra. I know that’s very difficult and it is very expensive. But I can imagine that you have dreams to see your music put on stage once. What kind of production/staging would that be? An opera, operetta, kind of musical? Maybe a film score? Something completely different?
Pierre:
I think something mixing all what you said an opera filmed with 10 cameras with a real orchestra, some scenery, costumes. A big production!
Concerning the orchestra, I can tell you that it's a possibility in the future. I' m thinking about it but I know that I'll do that some day. As you said, it's quite expensive but I'm really convinced that MELTED SPACE would sounds differently with 60 people playing a score with heavy guitars and double bass drums.

Dajana: Is there generally a theme, musically as well as literally, you would like to realize if you just had the money and access to all necessary resources?
Pierre:
Many topics but I will say the Arthurian legends. I read it when I was a child and it always been something special in my mind.
I really love “Excalibur” (from John Boorrman) so why not a complete album called “The Round Table” or “The Sword”?
I always joined the Wagner's thinking with the “total art”: music is not the only thing to do when you want people dive in your world. That's why I try to make nice objects, the travel starts when you hold the album in your hands, with the artwork, the packaging and as in a child movie, you are completely sucked into this world.

Dajana: Is there a chance to see MELTED SPACE playing live one day?
Pierre:
Yes, as I said, MELTED SPACE will tour this fall, so I hope we will have the opportunity to share this music with a lot of people. We are really happy to do it!

Dajana: To come to end, Pierre, what’s you plans for the summer? Any festivals in sight with your other bands? Album recordings? Vacation?
Pierre:
Yes some fests, Hellfest in a few days and Summer Breeze in August. Waiting for it, I'll have to work on different albums with my bands Embryonic Cells and Wormfood. Certainly with other bands. And maybe the next MELTED SPACE album...
I'll have a little rest too because I'm really tired and I have to reload. I know that some nice holidays are good for creativity and inspiration so I'll try to move before composing the next album and I'll be back with a lot of new ideas!

Dajana: Thank you Pierre for spending time on all these questions. Enjoy the summer and have a great time! :)
Pierre:
Thanks to you! The same! Bye!

 

06/2013 ©  Dajana Winkel • Melted Space