Thursday, June 27, 2013

Your Last Wish Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
-First of all, we're a female-fronted melodic death metal band from Montreal, Canada. Your Last Wish was formed in 2003, and we released our self-titled debut album in 2007. From that album, guitar player JF is the only remaining member still in YLW.  Roxana (lead vocals) joined the band in 2009, and Dave (lead guitar) in 2010, so we can say that our actual sound has been like what you hear on the new album "Desolation" since 2010. We released the 2nd album "Desolation" independently in the summer of 2012, and since we inked a worldwide deal with Maple Metal Records, it was re-released by the label in 2013.  We're an "in-your-face" type of band 'live'.  The stage presence during our shows is very important, and we want people to remember us not only for our music, but also for our energy when playing live.


2.How would you describe your musical sound?
-It's mostly a blend of very aggressive melodic death/thrash metal. The Black Dahlia Murder meets Exodus with some pretty heavy riffs!


3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
-Philosophical topics; the way we see the world today, and where it could lead us. In 'Mutation' and 'Desolation', Roxana sings about how mankind is gradually killing itself, and is the main reason for its upcoming destruction. In 'Autistic Mind', we take the listener into an autistic kid's mind, and how he sees the world around him.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
-There's no real meaning or inspiration behind the name 'Your Last Wish'... When the band was at it's embryonic stage, we were looking for a good name and a friend suggested "Your Last Wish" and we really liked how it sounded. It's as simple as that!


5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
-We where lucky enough to share the stage with Kalmah in 2011; it was in the biggest venue we played and it was almost full. It was a really nice experience and playing with such a big band, you just sit back, enjoy and learn from the best. The same could be said when we shared the stage with Unexpect, in 2011 also. We would describe our stage performance as energetic and intense. So far, we believe our presence has been getting better at every live performance we play, and after each show we look back and try to figure out how to make the next one even better.


6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
-We have no tour scheduled as of now, although we'd like to start with a small tour in the eastern provinces of Canada in the Fall and see where this takes us. We'll be playing in Montréal in mid July, and we'll be filming a new official live clip from the show.  Aside from that we started talking with some promoters, but only one date has been confirmed so far, that of a Toronto show in September.


7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic death metal?
-So far we've had really good comments. The most common comments we've had were concerning Roxana's vocal and how strong they were. It's pretty encouraging when reading different reviews, to see that most people have really enjoyed our latest album and say that we're ready for the "Big Leagues".


8.Are there any other musical projects going on these days?
-Dave is also playing in HolloW, which is a popular melodic black metal band from Montreal. Aside from that, nothing too serious for now. We all have some solo projects we're working on, but nothing that's even close to being released.  Our main focus is the success of YLW !


9.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
-Faster, more melodies and heavier parts. The latest songs we wrote where "Crisis To Creation" and "Desolation" and they are a good example of the new Your Last Wish direction.


10.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
-When it comes to writing the songs; At The Gates, Nevermore, Slayer and Black Dahlia Murder are JF's main influences.
System Of A Down, Lamb Of God, As Blood Runs Black, Miss May I, Skeletonwitch, Architects are Steven's biggest influences on drums. 
Roxana's vocal aren't influenced by any band in particular, but old school Death Metal has been a big influence on her.  Right now she's experimenting and learning some Tibetan singing techniques, which gives you a good idea of how wide the possibilities are with your vocal cords. 
Dave learned the guitar while listening to bands like Tool, Opeth and Metallica so they all had a big influence on his playing, and so has Exodus (being a big fan of thrash metal) and Death. Louis has been influenced by old prog rock and jazz for his bass playing technique.

Curently on JF's playlist are bands like Between The Burried And Me, Periphery, Nile and Ihsahn; Steven listens to The Ghost Inside, While She Sleeps, I The Breather, Vanna; Roxana is currently into bands like Immolation, Bolt Thrower, Anata, Hypocrisy and Beyond Creation (great new band from Montréal) but she's very open minded and likes to listen to jazz, classical and other styles of music; Louis listens to Anciients, Intronaut, Russian Circles, etc..


11.Outside of music what are some of your interests?
-JF is into sports, mostly hockey and running, board games and good beers; Steven likes Rollerblade, longboard, rats and movies; Roxana is also a fire artist so she likes to manipulate and breath fire; she also likes dancing and acting (she studied dramatic art); Dave is into Rollerblading and used to like freestyle skiing but he hasn't had the chance to ski recently; Louis likes good beers, riding a bike and fixing old electronic equipment.


12.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
-We are all very passionate about music; we do this because we love writing new songs and performing them live to see the audience reaction. If you like a good mix of melodies and brutality in your music give us a listen, and tell your friends about Your Last Wish. Being an underground band, the fans are our greatest publicity! If you want to support us, go check the Maple Metal Records website where you can purchase our latest CD release or a shirt.  Also look for a new release from YLW to hit stores in 2014! Keep listening to great metal music!


Thank-you very much for taking the time to interview Your Last Wish.

Questions answered by JF Gagné
Your Last Wish - guitarist

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