En Entrevue: Vena Kava (Aversion)

Après avoir découvert le groupe lors de la troisième Messe des Morts, j’ai eu le privilège de voir jouer Aversion dans une salle plus modeste en ouverture de Panzerfaust. Venus à cette occasion défendre leur premier effort éponyme, j’ai eu le plaisir de voir que derrière les corpsepaints et les ossements se cachait quelqu’un de vraiment sympathique en la personne de Vena Kava. L’envoûtante chanteuse aux vocaux acérés a bien voulu se prêter au jeu de l’entrevue et j’ai donc sauté sur l’occasion pour faire découvrir cet excellent groupe de Black Metal qui montre une fois de plus la richesse de la scène montréalaise !

Thorium – Hi Vena! Let’s get directly into the subject! Can you present the band? How did you all meet and how is Aversion born?

Vena Kava – Hi! Aversion came to be as two different individuals from two separate countries had the same exact idea; the fundamentals were based on aggression and rawness. At the time I was living in the states and was pretty disillusioned with the black and death metal scene. It was difficult to find people who were interested in this kind of music, especially since the Boston area is know for hardcore. I decided to move to Montreal since I knew the metal scene was strong there. Me and Max Macabre found each other and from there on the team came together.

T – It’s funny that you say this. I recently read an interview of Curby, the man behind Obscene Extreme festival, and when he came with the idea of the festival outside of Czech Republic, he wanted to organize something in North America. It happened that it was very complicated and everyone was telling him to come to Montreal instead. It seems there is something special about the metal scene over here. Since you experienced other places, do you have any idea why Montreal is so unique when it comes to extreme metal?

VK – I speculate that there are many factors that create such a strong scene here. Montreal really reminds me of Europe in the sense that there is a lot of art happening all the time and I find that people respect artists and musicians much more here compared to the States. There is also mutual appreciation between musicians here, I think we all help to support each other’s music. We are not here to compete against one another, but to help grow the scene strong as a unit.

T – I can’t agree more! Being from Europe myself, I am still impressed how much the scene is great and alive here in Montreal.

But back to you now!

Let’s try the “tell me what you listen to and I will tell you who you are” thing. What are your personal influences? What bands do you dream about at night?

VK – My personal influences are varied, but generally speaking I have always been influenced by Rammstein, Leonard Cohen, Fear of God, and Behemoth. I have been listening a lot to a band from Poland, Furia, and I’m really into atmospheric doom lately. I think it’s the Doom that comes about in my dreams. Oh damn, I forgot one of my other huge influences… Skinny Puppy!

T – Great ones! It is always a good starting point to be open minded this way, otherwise the black metal scene would look too « closed ».

About that, I saw that you played in a more doom oriented festival in Toronto recently (Doom Over Toronto – ndlr) which means, even if it is still metal, that you have been given the opportunity to play outside of the black metal sphere. I took part in Grimposium recently where they spoke about the negative image black metal has suffered and how it was difficult to play in some places. Did that happen to you? Have you ever had trouble because of being a black metal band?

VK – The doom festival was the first time we played a show which was not tailored toward black metal. It was rather a stoner like crowd and as expected everyone was super polite and open minded. However, I was surprised to shock people, after my performance many told me they have never heard or seen anything like this. I guess black metal is such home to me that I forget that it is rather not the most well known genre. I have never yet experienced any anti black metal sentiment, but I know it exists. At the Doom metal show, I’m not sure if Aversion made things any better, it seems every show we play there is some sort of accident that blood is drawn, and this was also the case for the doom fest. Maybe after all the intense summoning, there is electricity in the air that just manifests these happenings.

T – What do you mean exactly by « blood is drawn »? What happened?

VK – So it seems like every show we play somebody gets randomly hurt and ends up bleeding all over the place. It is never intentional and always random. At the doom fest my bass player and his friend did a cheers and accidentally broke the beer glasses. They both got pretty bad cuts on their hands from the glass breaking and literally both bled all over the place as the blood would not stop, so the room was full of blood everywhere. So always some incident like this, I have a story for every show.

T – That’s really strange… Well I think it contributes to the legend of the black metal scene somehow!

Now another topic you have probably been asked about a lot : women in black metal are gathering more and more fans. From giving an erotic and dark atmosphere in pictures and videos – nobody forgot the video of Mother North by Satyricon for example (go watch this piece of BM history if you forgot – ndlr) – to the success of Myrkur as a one woman project. It seems like women are more and more part of the black metal scene. Are black metal heads becoming open minded?

VK – This is something I really would not be able to tell you. I have never heard of the band Myrkur. I’m sure it is a well known band in black metal. But honestly, I live so much in my own world that I don’t even know what’s going on in the planet. I don’t read about music, I don’t read any news on the Internet period. If it were announced it was the end of the world I would not even know it. I barely even draw any inspiration from music so I’m not familiar with a lot of black metal or any musical trends. I have no idea what people are thinking and if the metal heads are becoming more open minded. I’m so hyper introverted that I don’t even go out; I think people only see me when I play a show hehe. Some people even ask me if I really exist, so this is why I’m don’t have any answers to this question. I’m just out of touch with these things!

T – Haha, all right!

This leads us to the last part of this interview. Now that your first full-length album is out, what are the plans for the band in the close future? Any chance to see you playing in Québec or elsewhere? If not, do you have any music related plans personally for the winter to come?

VK – Right now we are in the process of writing new music, we have several songs already and will be releasing the new album next year. Aversion will play shows next year but with a whole new set; we are going with an even more aggressive feel this time, it will be a surprise. As for me, I may be reviving my studio project Killing Moon, but with an industrial metal feel. I may also collaborate on some music with others if time permits. But 2016 will be a very good year for music.

T – Great, I really liked you last show, I can’t wait to see the new set! Thank you very much for your time and we will see you soon for the new album then. Any last message to the fans?

VK – Thank you, it was a pleasure! As far as the new album and our next show… it will come fast and hard so prepare for Aversion as you have never seen us before!

Tenez vous informés de l’actualité du groupe via leur website, Facebook et Bandcamp !

© Jee Sws of Silver wings studios

Auteur: Thomas Mazerolles