Interview with Loic from Belenos for Ideon Antron Magazine No6 (in English)

·         Thank you for having this interview with us! Let’s begin with the classic question!
Can you give us the history of Belenos from the very beginning till today?

I founded Belenos in the end of 1995, so 16 years ago. I started as a one man band. For several times I had musicians at my sides playing in the band for live concerts but nowadays I am all alone leading the band. I play what we may call black metal in the Scandinavian style but with more Celtic tones and: de facto I play Celtic black metal. I live in Britanny, in the northwestern region of France. To this day I have recorded 7 albums and I am writing new material for the next one which should be released by early 2013.

·         Are you in touch with the French pagan music scene, or this is a journey you make on your own? (please tell us some things about)

I assume that the French pagan scene has few groups. I know some like Bran Barr, Nydvind, some are more recent and follow the trend of folk metal like Nightcreepers. But if you compare France to Finland, there is a huge gap between both scenes. Some like Aes Dana are defunct, some others are almost unknown. I feel I am the lonely guy in such a trip.

·         Can you tell us about Yen Sonn Gardis? I have read that the lyrics are in Breton
Why did you came up with the idea? Is it on a similar way many bands do to write lyrics on their native language-something that became almost a trend- or there is a special reason?

I now sing in Breton because it is original to do so. When I sang in French as of 1995 it was quite peculiar and bold even deemed not fitting to the style. Nowadays, it has even become the norm, sort of run-of-the-mill if you scream and grunt in French. So I decided to go beyond what has become the norm and to try something unusual: change the language I sing in as it is barely understood in my country. Breton is a regional language spoken only by 200,000 people. It’s even less that Icelandic!!! It had been a long time I had such an idea because change the language is like learning how to play a new instrument. It’s experimentation and it gives one more goal to create something new. To my knowledge no French band uses Breton and even so, nobody knows such group.

·         By my opinion, Belenos could be much higher on the music scene that it is right now.
Was it a decision of yours not to chase opportunities outside France? For example I found many friends in Hellas that were totally unfamiliar with your work, but they have found very interest your work when they heard it!

Belenos is quite well-known in France but not enough. It’s my choice to stand back in the “backstage” while so many other bands show off to compensate for the poor quality of their compositions.

You should not forget record companies and the role they play in it, some only supported my band. It’s quite hard to make yourself known overseas when things happen as I just said before.

I would like to add up one thing. Belenos belongs to the very little Pagan metal scene along with Drudkh and Temnozor’. If you take time and do some search over the Web you will notice that this scene is in between traditional black metal and folk metal remains quite an outcast style. Therefore it is not a style and hopefully it is not one! That is why Belenos is not this well-know across the borders.

·         As a Pagan my shelf, I find very touching when I hear songs that comes out of Tradition and Old Faith. Do you find the Values of this era log forgotten or do you believe that once again renaissance will come out from the same roots as some centuries ago did?

All I can say to you is that our modern values stand on emptiness, on virtual cash. Look at Greece, this is what happens but France is not fully shielded either. Everybody and everything are going so fast and intense. Globalisation is heresy, I have always thought this way, it’s a counter nature evil, this destroys Nature and without Her we are nothing, we owe Her everything. This world is getting lost into a very extremely intricate maze from which it will be hard to get out. So I am more into the past and I feel more impressed by self-sufficient cultures respecting the harmony given by Nature. I simply cannot bear these ugly cities mushrooming and destroying like in catastrophe scenarios. It’s just appalling!

To my, being a Pagan and unbaptized is to refuse any monotheistic religions being back in fashion, it’s about self respect and respect to Nature, being totally free in bliss and leading a life of quality. 

I remember my shelf as a teenager ( I am 33 today) when it was really difficult to find new releases and listen to new bands. Then the bands, the lyrics, the outfit meant really something. Today you just click on pc and there is music..Do you believe that this is “killing” the feeling of the listener?  

I am of the same generation as you and I agree. The Internet has been a great breakthrough and it has been a positive change for music. If the Internet were to disappear, it would be like a world without oil, everything would fall down. After all, not everything is bad: the Internet is a good means to communicate and make the promotion of your band. Beforehand, it was quite hard to discover new bands now there are so many heaps of information and bands that you get lost! I don’t know if you share my point of view: the Internet has been the means for so many bands to become popular or famous. I now remember the short lists when I wanted to order CD or cassettes. Cassettes are now relics and CDs are the sole support for music.

  

S    Supposedly that in Hellas, a Pagan Festival was made. But not the usual gig. I am talking about less electricity on the music instruments, somewhere on the fields, with many books on stores besides on cd’s  and all things that could make a gig far more than a simple concert. Do you believe that Belenos could play in such a Fest? This is a tricky question! I’m trying to arrange such a Festival in Hellas for years now!

This kind of modest festival craftmanship and medieval/fantasy oriented is an interesting project. I have been to the Belgian festival ‘Trolls et Légendes” in Mons even if metal is not the genre played over there. Cernunnos Festival takes place in France where Belenos played in 2010 for 900 fans. It looked like a medieval feast, banquets with medieval drinks and beverages, people wearing clothes of these times, activites and fights. Speaking of music, you could attend gigs with Arkona and Angantyr. If such event takes place in Greece and that I and my musicians are ready to come over and play, I am your guest!

I have seen that you write new music. Do you have some words to tell us about your new work?

I am in the process of finishing the writing of a new album, yes. It should be entitled “Kornôg” and I think it will be ready for recording within one year even less. Perhaps it will be released in early 2013. In terms of music and genre, you can still recognize my style but with a more avant-gardist touch than ever before.

I hope through this interview many Hellenes will get to know you! Please send any message you like to our readers and please pass some information about where we can find your cd’s! Believe me is really hard to find in my country! 
Thank you deeply for your time! 

It’s been ages I haven’t had any news from Greece! If you want to buy my records, it seems that Northern Silence (in Germany) has still found no distributing company. So you should order abroad, directly from Germany.

You can find other things related to Belenos and black metal visiting the following links:

www.belenos.biz and www.northern-silence.de