Artist Bio:  Allelic is a vessel of creation of atmospheric and melodically inclined black/folk metal through fictive yet deeply personal conceptual records for the band’s Principal Investigator. The project was born in 2017 in Montréal and is now based in Sherbrooke.

Genres: Black/folk metal

Band Lineup: Principal Investigator (Everything)

Website: allelic.bandcamp.com

Most Recent Release: LP: À Contre Vent (2020) // EP: Les Berges de Minuit (2021)

Sputnik User: lalchimiste

 

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INTERVIEW

I caught up with Sputnikmusic member lalchimiste about Allelic, their influences, the latest single, and future plans.

While you’re certainly not the first artist to blend elements of folk and black metal, Allelic  still manages to sound very unique/distinguishable compared to bands of a similar ilk. I  think user reviewer DungeonBoy expressed it best when he wrote, as part of a review for  your 2018 debut EP Reverberations, “To label it ‘black metal’ or ‘folk’ would be  misleading as the two elements are more intertwined than fused.” How do you view this  balance in your music, and is there a specific focus on your part to ensure that both  genres/styles get equal representation? 

I have always had a strong connection with acoustic guitar and recurringly used instruments in  certain folk music be it flute, violin, percussions used as genuine tools for creating an atmosphere  and not as a gimmick. Same goes for BM with its classical tropes of high-gain/treble distortioned  guitars, tremolo picking, blast beats and screams. I do not try deliberately to incorporate elements  of one or another, I just try to use elements of both genres to create a specific emotion,  atmosphere and create the musical story I have in mind when writing.

The term “allelic” refers to gene variants within the same chromosome that are  responsible for different traits. Is there an intentional parallel between the name of your  project and the duality of genres utilized, or is that mere happenstance? 

The name Allelic is used to celebrate the beautiful biodiversity that the Earth cradles. It is the  manifestation of the wonderful mosaic that surrounds us, observed vividly in the phenotypic  expression of all living things through the combined influence of molecular actors from genetics  and their interactions with the environment. This magnificent diversity is fascinating to me, and I  wanted to honor that in trying to create music that was the singular expression of my inherent self.  By no means it was intended to highlight the various genres found in my music, but more of a  celebration of the wonders of Nature and Science, an overall focal point of the themes conveyed  in the music and lyrics.

When I listen to your music, I feel like I’m watching the Battle of Armageddon from the  comfort of a verdant pasture tucked away somewhere within the Garden of Eden. There’s  a very natural aura, but it’s also stunningly rich and practically celestial at times. In your  opinion, does Allelic have a specific vibe? If so, is it something you’ve intentionally  woven into the project’s DNA — the result of a clear and well thought out vision — or is it  simply the byproduct of the sheer/raw emotion that you pour into your music? 

Both Allelic LPs each contain a unique, overarching concept throughout the album with each song  or figure elaborating a part of that story. I construct each song from mental imageries of what that  part of the story would sound like and try within the best of my limited musical knowledge and  technique to compose the scenes I visualize. I know sometimes I go through an almost excessive  number of layers and a lot of details can get lost, but that is the risk I am willing to take to make it  sound big, otherworldly and atmospheric. I am honored to hear your stunning and varied  interpretations of those figures and thus give me feelings of accomplishment and validation for  what I set out to do with my music.

What artists would you consider to be your primary inspirations/influences? Tell us how  (and when) you got into these artists, and how that level of interest/passion ultimately  culminated in them influencing your craft. 

As a teen, I consumed an exclusive diet of thrash, skate punk and folk/rock from some of my  dad’s old vinyl collection which included Neil Young, Cat Stevens, Harmonium and other 70’s  classic rock and prog bands. I remember later as a young adult coming in contact with  progressive-influenced metal bands such as Opeth, Mastodon, Gojira, Gorguts and Voivod and  was blown away. Albums such as Still Life, The Leviathan, The Way of All Flesh, Obscura and  Nothingface had a huge impact on me back then and I was mesmerized by both the quality of the  musicianship and the way they achieved storytelling through their art. Later on, I remember that  discovering Agalloch with The Mantle almost 10 years ago was a complete game changer for me  and led me down the black metal rabbit whole. It is fascinating how black metal can cover such a  wide array of atmosphere and emotion : from the raw aggression of the early scene like Mayhem  and Darkthrone, the melodicism of the Swedes like Dawn and Sacramentum, the epic battles and  Viking lore of Early-Enslaved and Bathory, the dreaminess of Alcest, the mysticism and  grandiosity of Wolves in the Throne Room, the cosmic nature of Mare Cognitum, weight and  heaviness of Wayfarer and the fantastic and highly symphonic styles of Summoning and Caladan  Brood just to name a few. Also, I must mention the conceptual structure of records, the technicality  and boundless creativity found in the 70’s prog rock scene must have influenced my songwriting  as I am a huge fan of bands like Rush, King Crimson, Genesis and Yes that I discovered later in  my journey. On the folk side, you got folk-rock legend Neil Young, French-Canadian folk bands  like Harmonium and La Bottine Souriante or Sangre de Muerdago from Galicia and prog/folk  legends Jethro Tull that can each cover such a vast emotional landscape even though they sound  so different from one another and yet all tied to the folk banner. I guess a lot of it is due to the  regional identity of folk music in general, the language and instrument used which confers this  genre its uniqueness in relation to where and when it comes from. Lastly, the prominence of  acoustic guitar is key to the Allelic sound as I always had a strong connection to the instrument,  and you can easily connect the dots to the previously mentioned.

Your most recent LP, À Contre Vent, received a pretty glowing endorsement from our  resident metal staffer, Robert Garland. Prior to that, I gave The Smoke of Atavistic Fires a  perfect 5/5. Did you gather significant critical momentum outside the bounds of  Sputnikmusic, or would you consider this site to be your primary cheerleader? Also,  have you found that positive exposure in the form of written reviews has any noticeable  impact on the attention an album receives (streams, downloads, et al)? Or is it more of an  ego boost than anything else? 

I was very surprised by the critical reception for both reviews on Sputnik, especially for TSoAF.  For À Contre Vent, I did put extra efforts into promoting the record to a bunch of different blogs  and was also surprised by some of the welcoming reviews it received. I am not sure about the  impact of positive or negative reviews on the exposure as that question should be tested in a  controlled environment. My hypothesis would be that a positive review would garner more attention if you control for the popularity of the blog/website. Ultimately, I think what matters most is a way to get people to listen to your record as there is an overwhelming amount of new offerings  coming out every week. I sincerely feel that metal fans are the most extremely devoted but also  can be highly critical (in a good, constructive way!) of the music they consume on a regular basis.  What I am saying is you see the comments on Sputnik or other reviews/forums and you get mostly  straight, honest information because of the love they have for their genre and community.

The artwork you choose for your releases is consistently gorgeous. Do you have a go-to  artist for this, or do you select the images elsewhere? How does the artwork play into the  vision that you have for your music, as well as any desired perception(s) from listeners? 

First, I select paintings within the public domain, so I do not have any copyright infringement of  any sorts. Secondly, I try to choose an artwork that will be fitting of the music and concept of each  record. For example, the Hildegard von Bingen artwork I used on TSoAF tied well with the journey  depicted in the story, or the parable used in ÀCV with the Pieter Bruegel the Elder painting. I tried  to use more “obscure” painters to try and stray from the cliché of classical landscape painters that  is so common within the atmospheric-BM scene.

You’ve released both of your LPs on The Green Man Label, and you’ve offered some very  high praise for their work. Can you tell us a little about your relationship with the label,  how they’ve helped you, and perhaps more specifically, how you think their efforts have  enhanced your music? 

David Abbruscato from the label helped me greatly on so many aspects and I feel his contribution  is vital to Allelic. He did the mastering on all releases, and his work completely transformed the  mixes I initially sent him. I am truly grateful for that. As for now, I think the label is a bit dormant,  so I am not sure about where they are heading.

Last August, you dropped the single “Les Berges de Minuit.” Tell us a little bit about  what inspired the song, and whether or not we can expect to see it on a future EP or LP. 

After ÀCV, I did not play guitar for almost a year after that. Les Berges de Minuit is the first thing  I wrote after picking it back. It is a deeply personal song that I wrote specifically for my life partner Véronique. She was instrumental in my personal development, in finding my true self and  embrace my sensitive side. I feel I would not be the same person if our lives had not crossed  paths almost 10 years ago. Every day she inspires me to be empathic, vulnerable, to be  perseverant, strong and good for me and others. I composed this song and poem for her and  wanted to immortalize that by having it recorded and released with a photograph of a good  memory that tied neatly with the poem. It will not be part of a future release, it is standalone.

Are there any unexplored avenues you’d like to pursue? Perhaps a specific instrument  you’ve always wanted to incorporate, or any unexpected genres/styles you would like to navigate? Would you consider adding additional band members to the project? As best  as you can, sum up your future goals for Allelic. 

My knowledge and technical skills as a guitarist and composer are limited and I am okay with that.  I learned the very basics of drumming during several months of lessons in between TSoAF and  ÀCV but haven’t had the luxury to pursue that. It made a significant difference for the drum  programming compositions as you can hear the difference between the 2 LPs. I still wish it would  sound more human, with ideas of beats, fills and patterns be more organic and natural like a true  seasoned drummer would play. One day I would like to record my own drums, but I am faaaaaaar from that hehe!

Other than that, I started working on the third LP at the end of last year. There has been a lot of  things going in on in my personal life so the album as not progressed as fast as I thought it would,  but at the same time I am not rushed in any way. I just get very excited once I start recording and  attempt to create the album I have in my mind. It is exhilarating to try and construct that vision and slowly see it shapeshifting from mere ideas to a tangible album!

You’ve been on Sputnikmusic since 2014. Describe any ways (big or small!) that your membership here has helped you as a musician. Additionally, please offer any specific  memories you might have from your time here. Do you have any parting words for our  readers? 

Man, I discovered so many artists and expanded the genres and styles I listen to exponentially since joining. I remember being active in the comment section in the beginning and loved to read  the reviews and discussion between users as albums were released. I have fond memories of  scrolling through user generated lists or written reviews and being in awe of the commitment, but  nothing in particular comes to mind. I still discover new music through Sputnik and still read the  reviews and comments, but it is now in a much much less involved way.

I would like to thank all my fellow underground metalheads and/or Sputnikers that took the time  to listen to my music, it means so much to me to even be considered for one listen. I am excited  to share any future releases with you even though it might not be in a near future.