The creation of Bloodorn is complete, with a debut album!
Led by French guitarist Nils Courbaron (Sirenia, T.A.N.K., live for Asylum Pyre…), the project also counts on Mike Livas (vocals, Silent Winter, Prydain, ex-Rhodium…), Francesco Saverio Ferraro (bass) and Michael Brush (drums, Sirenia, Magic Kingdom) to create Let The Fury Rise, released by Reaper Entertainment.
The album kicks off with Overture, a short introduction that lays the foundations for the band’s sound thanks to some well-crafted guitars, but it’s with Fear The Coming Wave that the album really gets underway, leaving a solid rhythm to accompany motivating vocals and some sharp leads. The epic Power Metal influences are perfectly exploited by the musicians, who don’t hesitate to place some majestic keyboards to reinforce their riffs, like the more joyful ones that appear on Under The Secret Sign, where the vocalist also lets loose and becomes much more directive. The instrumental is not to be outdone, offering an aggressive, frantic approach before moving on to catchy, jerky riffs on Rise Up Again, a track where we notice a few saturation points in the leader’s voice, creating an almost martial atmosphere. Whether the final is very slightly calmer, Tonight We Fight! unsurprisingly returns to the obvious aggression suggested by its name, sometimes offering a touch of modernity in its Old School roots, then it’s with God Won’t Come that the band really surprised me, almost adopting Melodic Death tinges, especially during the furious accelerations and when the composition welcomes screams as well as its guest. Forging The Future (With Our Blades) keeps the band’s rage alive, once again offering a choppy martial approach mixed with an obvious mastery of each instrument, particularly on the devastating leads, before Let The Fury Rise takes a few seconds to moderate before letting go of the reins again, while keeping control of its charge. A few backing vocals accompany the vocalist, who once again outdoes himself on the eponymous track, then the musicians place a few mysterious harmonics on Six Wounded Wolves, giving violence a somewhat different shade. The soothing break finally lets us catch our breath before the frenetic final, then it’s with Bloodorn that the band continue to feed their epic sounds while offering a unifying panel of voices. To my great surprise, it’s a cover of Square Hammer by Sweden’s Ghost that closes the album, making this track, which I’ve known for almost eight years and abhor, listenable. Of course, we recognize the more danceable touch of the original version, but in the end, the track fits right in!
Although rooted in Power Metal, Bloodorn shows more modern, aggressive influences on Let The Fury Rise. The musicians don’t fail to push their riffs into their most extreme sonorities, creating here a truly motivating war anthem!
80/100
A few questions for Nils Courbaron, founding guitarist of Power Metal band Bloodorn.
Hello Nils, and thank you for your time! How could you introduce your new band Bloodorn without using the word « Metal »?
Nils Courbaron (guitar): Hello, and thank you for this interview. Well, to stay simple, I wanted to create something powerful, even violent on certain passages, while keeping a catchy, melodic feel.
How do you relate the name Bloodorn to your music on this project?
Nils: I had a very precise vision of what I wanted. The idea was to find something that respected the codes of the style, without going too far in the direction. I wanted a name that was easy to remember, easy to chant and once again impactful. There’s a whole delirium of violence in the lyrics. Inspired by the Viking torture of the « blood eagle » (blóðörn in Old Norse, and for the record, it was my wife who came up with the idea for the pun on Blood), I think the band’s name fits perfectly with the band’s music.
Could you also introduce the Bloodorn line-up? How did you meet and recruit the members?
Nils: I met the guys on the road. Michael, the drummer I’ve known for almost 10 years, whom I brought into Sirenia in 2018, was a session player just like me. Then Francesco, Freedom Call‘s bassist, whom I met at a fest and kept in touch with on social networks. The only one I really met in person afterwards was Mike. I was looking for a guy with a timbre a la Beast In Black or Judas Priest (Tim Owens period) capable of stratospheric highs but also able to play heavier stuff like Pantera. So I came across his Youtube channel and was literally knocked on my ass. We began by working on covers together from a distance, as the project started in the middle of COVID (Ghost‘s Kiss The Goat and Journey‘s Seperate Ways). I should add that even back then, we had our covers mixed by HK from Vamacara Studio, whom I include in the team as he played a crucial role in our desire to sound more aggressive than other power bands.
Let The Fury Rise, your debut album, is about to be released by Reaper Entertainment. Have you had any feedback on it yet?
Nils: I’m really excited! I came across them when I was just starting to canvass labels, and I’m really pleased with what they’ve done. It’s a very recent label, but it’s made up of a team of passionate, experienced guys. I’ve had offers from other labels as well as rejections, and most of the time it’s because the style seemed too « in-your-face » for a band they’re trying to sell as « Power Metal ». At Reaper, they didn’t shy away from the idea, and they immediately grasped the spirit of the project! They work really well. So I’m very excited, but no longer anxious, because their work is so incredible. I’ve only got one thing to say, FOLLOW THE REAPER!
How would you sum up Let The Fury Rise in three words?
Nils: Powerful, catchy and new.
Let The Fury Rise is your first album on the Bloodorn project. How did you go about creating it?
Nils: I’d had a few ideas for a while. But I’d been so busy that I’d never had time to sit down and compose « for myself », apart from a few isolated releases for my solo project. This time, I didn’t want to do a « solo project », I wanted to make my dream come true, namely to create a Power band while including everything I’ve grown to love over the years, particularly Extreme Metal! The only thing was that in all my previous bands I’d never written any lyrics, and Mike Livas mainly does covers and didn’t feel like writing lyrics at the time… So I got in touch with Johann Cadot, who I’d worked with in the past for his band Asylum Pyre on studio and live sessions. So we worked remotely. I also called on my friends Morten Veland, the boss of Sirenia (ex Tristania) for orchestrations, and Déhà from Dropdead Chaos for some arrangements and backing vocals. Once again, everything was done remotely, with HK in charge of mixing, and we’re more than happy with the end result!
The first track we heard was Under The Secret Sign. Why did you choose this track to introduce the album?
Nils: Well, it’s the perfect track to introduce the band. I don’t know if I’d say it’s the most representative of the band, but it’s got the essence of the band. It’s fast, it’s gritty on some parts, it’s hard-hitting all the way through, and every musician is featured prominently in the track! It’s also melodic and catchy, so we were unanimous in our choice of this first track!
I also noticed a greater vocal diversity, including a female voice on God Won’t Come. Can you tell me how this track came about?
Nils: Well, just like the others, it’s just that for this one, the riffs were very Black Dahliesque. I love The Black Dahlia Murder, so I wanted to see what a style like that would sound like with heavy vocals. The choice of guests was made at the same time. I really wanted to make a package for this track. It’s the most intense track on the album, the most complex harmonically and structurally, and the fastest. It’s not the only one with a breakdown, but it’s the baddest on the album, I think.
The last track on the album is Square Hammer, a cover of the Swedish band Ghost. How did you pick this song?
Nils: To be honest, I’ve already covered this track with my friend Alessia from Era (ex Temperance). I did Kiss’ The Goat with Mike… The answer is simple, I’m a big fan of the band. I chose to rework my old version a bit to adapt it to Mike and Bloodorn because I regretted that the old one went a bit unnoticed – lack of promotion etc…
I know it’s a difficult question, but do you have a favorite track on this album? Or the one that seemed the most natural to compose?
Nils: That’s a bit tricky, but I’d have to say Let The Fury Rise. A bit like Under The Secret Sign, this song perfectly defines the spirit of the band. But it’s got a bit more of a prog feel to it, and Mike is sparkling throughout. Even if it’s the same tempo, I think that live it will be perfect for headbanging and laughing on stage with the guys (except maybe Mike who might not have enough breath to sing and laugh haha).
The artwork was created by the illustrator Rusalkadesign. What were your requirements for Let The Fury Rise?
Nils: I’d already worked with him on T.A.N.K (Think Of A New Kind). His work is incredible, he works fast and every time he hits the bull’s-eye! Basically, I told him what I said above in questions 1 and 2. I just added that I wanted a monster because, while we wanted to offer something more modern, we’re all Maiden fans and we wanted our « Eddie« . From a marketing point of view, having a mascot is really cool for merchandising and stage visuals. I gave him a few historical anecdotes, as I’m a history buff, and Rusalka created this magnificent artwork. I love the back of the CD with the dimensions, it’s really gross!
Let The Fury Rise is released on the Reaper Entertainment label. How did the contact and collaboration with the label go?
Nils: Oops, I think I’ve already answered question 4. For the record, at first I had no answer, whereas with all the other labels I had at least a yes or shit answer. So, offended, I sent a message on instagram haha. They replied and we realized that my emails were in their spam folder…
You’re already involved in other projects, but how do you manage to differentiate each musical identity? What are your influences, and who do you think are the must-have bands on the scene today?
Nils: The differentiation is pretty simple, to be honest. I’m perfectly capable of managing several projects. It’s organizational work, but my other bands are cool, whether it’s Sirenia or Dropdead Chaos. They all know how important this project is to me. From a songwriting point of view, it’s even simpler. Dropdead Chaos is a team effort, so we’re all involved, and with Sirenia I only have to compose the solos. Bloodorn is my baby and I’m free to express myself in any way I want. Now I just have to hope it works haha. My influences are wide-ranging. I’m a sucker for Iron Maiden and Children Of Bodom, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Rhapsody and Beast In Black, but I’m also a fan of Fleshgod Apocalypse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Necrophagist as well as Madonna, Murray Head and Abba (you can see Jean Michel DJ tour bus coming haha). As for unmissable bands, the thing is, the market is saturated and there’s plenty of good stuff out there, but I’d say Beast In Black, Powerwolf, Fleshgod Apocalypse, I can’t wait to see the new The Black Dahlia Murder despite the fact that we miss Trevor. Dynazty, that band’s a blast too! Ad Infinitum, Melissa is THE star of the circuit!
Do you have any plans for the rest of Bloodorn? In the short term or longer?
Nils: We’re working on the album release in close collaboration with Reaper, who’s doing an exceptional job! I’ll answer the next question, but it’s obviously a question of going out on the road. Then, as soon as I’m ready, I’ll write the rest, because we’re not stopping there! The feedback so far is more than cool!
Do you think Bloodorn will be taking to the stage any time soon? If so, how are you preparing for this event?
Nils: Well, yes, that’s the main goal! The first was to sign the band so we could promote the album properly. As for the set-up, we’re all professional musicians and we’re scattered all over Europe, so weekly rehearsals obviously won’t be possible, but to tell you the truth, that’s just as well, because it’s a pain in the ass haha. On a more serious note, given our geographical location and our schedules, we’re aiming to tour and play festivals. As you can imagine, given the complexity of the songs, we still have to rehearse. We’ll end up in a place like Paris, Florence or Athens, and rehearse like crazy for a few days before hitting the road. A residency with the sound and light engineers to put on a show worthy of the album!
Are there any musicians or artists you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Nils: Yes, there are lots of them! First of all, I’m sad I didn’t have my Emma from Sirenia on the album, she’s such an incredible singer, and then there’s Chiara from Moonlight Haze and Avantasia who is literally spellbinding! I’m a fan of Flamenco, I do a bit of it too, and I discovered it when I met them in the queue before boarding a plane to the Faroe Islands Opal Ocean! I’d love to have an interlude with them, for example. And I’d love to hear some badass orchestrations from Francesco Ferrini of Fleshgod Apocalypse.
Do you think you’ve improved as a musician with this album?
Nils: Definitely! This album is technically torture haha. But it’s a real challenge and I’m proud of the result. I have to admit that I’ll validate my progress once the first concert is over, but yes, writing 10 songs like that makes you progress.
What bands do you dream of playing with? I’ll let you imagine a show for the release of Let The Fury Rise with Bloodorn as opener, and three other bands.
Nils: I think a Dragonforce, Beast In Black & Bloodorn line-up would be a big hit. So I’d like to take this opportunity to add that I like Dragonforce, but I haven’t drawn any more inspiration from it than that. I know they’re called « Extreme Power Metal », but I find Bloodorn to be more Extreme. After all, there are undeniable similarities, but that’s not the point. So yes, I think this set would be a big handful!
That was my last question, so I’d like to thank you for your availability, and final words are yours!
Nils: Well, thank you for this interview, the questions were very interesting, so don’t hesitate to follow us on social networks and share our work. Can’t wait to blast your faces on stage as soon as possible! <3