Interviews - Aiboforcen

Aiboforcen - Séba Dolimont - Interviewed by Darrel Hughes.

Formed during the early nineties, Aiboforcen has pursued their own brand of alternative electronic sound via a dark fusion of Avant-Garde experimentation meets Industrial-Dance sensibilities.

Ebm-Techno-Electro in the embrace of the darkest Gothic shadow.

On the eve of their return to the world-wide scene and a new album, here is Séba Dolimont’s account of the past, present & future of Aiboforcen.

DH: It's been nearly four years since the last Aiboforcen cd was released, why such a delay?.

SD: Well, it's a combination of various events. But we have always said we favoured quality to quantity. It's true that 4 years is long, but this long period also allowed us questioning ourselves, polishing our sound, upgrading our equipment and maturing our song-writing and production

work.

So all in all, we think it was worth the wait, although we admit we went through many things which extended the delay in release of our 3rd CD. First of all, we had some line-up changes after the release of "Face (of) Death". Reduced to a duo, we searched for new members we found in Laurence H. (our new female singer) and Thomas D. (keys & guitars). It took us some time to find our new way of work as a 4-member band. Meanwhile our previous label went bankrupt which brought us some unexpected cash flow trouble in order to extend our home studio.

We also wasted lots of our time talking with various other labels and jamming with some producers to eventually complete the album on our own in our upgraded studio. And you know, while the months were passing by, a band is no longer happy with the initial songs, we remix them, drop some, write some new stuff. Now the album is ready and we signed to Alfa Matrix, wait & see!.

DH: Can you give an overview of the Aiboforcen line-up, how and when you all met, and what your respective roles are within the group?.

SD: Benoît B. and myself (Séba D.) are the 2 initial founders of the band. Benoît is the brain of Aïboforcen, he writes most of the tracks, cares for the mixing and final production. I write all lyrics and make all male vocals on the album. I provide Benoît with samples and sounds to reinforce the atmospheres of our songs according to the themes we treat. Thomas D. is a new member, he works on tracks with Benoît and also wrote 2 tracks on the new album. Thomas also adds guitars in the background of our compositions when we feel we need some. He has a solo-project called Delethere. Laurence H. is the new female voice of Aïboforcen.

DH: Is their a concept behind your forthcoming new album?.

SD: "Sons Palliatifs" is in fact the 3rd chapter in Aïboforcen's trilogy around "Death". Our debut "Elixir Lytique" (lethal elixir) showcased Death in a dominant position. "Face (of) Death" went one step further as we dared facing the black queen and did not fear her any more. "Sons Palliatifs" (palliative sounds) depicts our acceptance of Death, we are mentally and physically prepared to go on the other side.

DH: Where and with whom are you recording your new album?.

SD: The recordings of our album happened in 2 main phases. 4 tracks were recorded in Brussel's Metarc studio and co-produced by Jonah Hex. We really enjoyed working with him (I already worked with him when we made the INTERNAL album together for Zoth Ommog some years ago), working with an experienced producer always gives you new perspectives on your own music. Although we had after that some jamming sessions with various other producers, the rest of the album was nevertheless recorded and produced by Aïboforcen in the Alfa Matrix studio. Then the whole album was mastered at the Metarc studio.

DH: Are you collaborating with others to a greater depth with your new material?.

SD: The most important collaboration on this album for us is for sure the studio sessions we had with Jonah Hex. He taught her rigour and precision and showed us how to take some distance from our own compositions to better record and produce them. He also gave us lots of tricks on dynamics, background sounds, etc. which all in all make the difference and bring that little plus that will give a twist to your music arrangements. Besides this, we also had great moments with Implant and got pretty cool remixing work by bands like Icon Of Coil, Negative Format, Flesh Field, Mnemonic, etc. Patrice from Regenerator also sings on one song on the album.

DH: Give an insight to the title of the new album?. When do you think it will be released?.

SD: "Sons Palliatifs". It's based on a pun in French since palliative cares is "Soins Palliatifs" in French, our mother language. The albumis due to be released in mid-October on Alfa Matrix (distributed world-wide by EFA Medien GmbH). Like all Alfa Matrix releases, there will also be a strictly limited edition of our album available only via the label's website for our fans. It will be a box-edition with a bonus mini-cd featuring exclusive alternative mixes of album tracks by various bands including Yendri, Flesh Field, Nightmare Lodge, Aïboforcen, Delethere, etc, plus signed photographs. The label accepts preorders because we expect these box-sets to be sold out very quickly!.

DH: What has been the best part of making this new album for you?.

SD: Hmmm, that's a tough question. I think there are several moments to highlight. The best of all was sure the final production and mix of the whole album and the selection of the track list altogether. Other exciting moments include our funny photo sessions with famous photographer Jean-François Soyez or yet our studio session at Metarc in Brussels. The worst of all was a 4-day jamming session with Talla 2XLC's previous producer Vernon B. in his studio at the Music Research lab: a real insight to hell and our eventual decision to search for another label.

DH: Give an insight to how you become signed to the new Belgian label Alfa-Matrix?.

SD: Two members of the band belong to the label personnel, the choice was easy, although we had some other offers from other companies. Aïboforcen's new album fit the Alfa Matrix label concept and the four members felt very comfortable there with some very promising label mates.

DH: To what extent is your involvement with other Alfa-Matrix management activities, etc.

SD: It's true that Benoît cares for all design and concept activities for Alfa Matrix, while I myself care for the label and artists management. But the label is based on 4 people and all decisions are taken by the whole team. It is also part of the concept that it is not because label members happen to release their music on the label that they receive a different treatment from other signed artists. Everybody is equal in and at alfa matrix!.

DH: As you are also the Editor of possibly the greatest alternative music magazine on the planet of all time: SIDE-LINE, how do you schedule your life to fit in so much work?.

SD: Thanks for the nice words about side-line. I am indeed publisher and chief editor of side-line. I started this 12 years ago now and don't have any single good reason to stop it, especially with the steady growth and extension of our activities. It's true that all I do is time-consuming and demands a lot of time, but I’m some kind of a workaholic. I think it's nothing but a question of being well organised and working with the right people around you. Side-Line is a big team of motivated and active people without whom the publication of the magazine would simply be impossible. The same goes for Alfa Matrix or yet Aïboforcen. It's a productive combination of various brains. But I can guarantee you that although weeks still unfortunately only count 7 days of 24 hours, I still find time for my private life and my family.

DH: How does all the time you invest in your music related activities affect your personal life?.

SD: Well again, when you are well organised, it's all possible!. Of course there are some periods that are more hectic than others, especially 2 weeks before the release of a new issue of the magazine for e.g, and most recently with the setting up of the Alfa Matrix label. Let's say I am also lucky that my wife is also a very active person and we manage to combine our agenda's pretty well to make lots of things together. You must know that besides my various "musical activities" I also have a full time job because it would be totally impossible for me to live on music only.

DH: Who are your greatest musical hero's, past and present?.

SD: Hero's is probably not my favourite term, but if there is one band I have always been fond of and still regularly listen to from time to time, it's Fad Gadget and I recently had the chance to catch them live in Belgium, and all I can say to any electronic musician is: "watch, listen & learn!". Frank Tovey is a real complete artist and a terrific performer. Credits also go to The Young Gods who managed to develop their own style of music with strong personality. And on a more "commercial" side, Madonna is for me the only international artists who deserves her success. As far as newer bands, I would definitely mention Icon Of Coil from Norway who accomplished more on one debut-album than some artists managed in their life-time. But only one name is very restrictive because there are so many talents around nowadays. Think of Ladytron, Hungry Lucy, System 22, etc. But read side-line, we enjoy writing about all of them!.

© 23-09-2001 - Copyright Darrel W Hughes.