After reviewing Attente Éternelle – which you can find [here] – We Hold The Truth kindly granted us an exclusive interview. It was the perfect opportunity to dive deeper into their universe, discover their creative process, their influences, and how they bring to life this unique blend of power and emotion. From reflections on the human condition, to balancing brutality with more contemplative passages, and unforgettable stage memories, the band offers us an honest and passionate look at their music and journey.
Your lyrics seem to explore dark but deeply human themes. What emotions or reflections are you trying to convey through the lyrics of Attente Éternelle?
You’re right in noting the dark yet human side of our lyrics. We aim to highlight the struggles of the human condition, its contradictions, and (self-)destructive behaviors. By touching on depression, persecution, or imagining an end of the world based on deadly inequalities and a climate apocalypse, we address subjects that resonate directly with our audience—subjects they can relate to. The harshness of this realism fits perfectly with the intensity of the black metal we create.
When writing your songs, do the lyrics come first, or does the music usually set the tone and imagery?
Most of the time, the music comes first. But JNK, our singer, always has a bunch of ideas in development. Depending on what a new track’s mood inspires in him, he locks himself in his “lab,” fine-tunes everything, and then we adjust the structure so it matches the vision he wants to share.
Compared to your first EP, how do you feel Attente Éternelle represents an evolution in your style and sonic identity?
First, we built on what worked well on the first EP and, conversely, we didn’t stick with ideas that, in hindsight, we like less now. The result is a more coherent whole, and we feel we’ve found our style. The same goes for the sound. A recording also reflects a specific period in time, and over time, keeping only what endures lets us focus on the essence of who we are.
Your compositions feature a lot of nuance, balancing brutality with more contemplative passages. How do you maintain this balance without losing intensity?
Clearly, we’re not an ambient band. But these passages are important to create depth, a contrast with the rest. Like audio compression, if you flatten the peaks and valleys, you lose dynamics—it’s the same with a song. These calmer moments are truly there to serve the song, not as an end in themselves.
What are your main influences, from extreme metal or other musical universes, and how do you transform them into something that still feels like “We Hold The Truth”?
Some of us discovered black metal earlier than others, but we all have influences spanning a wide spectrum. You just have to see us at a metal karaoke to believe it! Even when everyone brings little touches from seemingly incompatible genres, it still ends up sounding like “We Hold The Truth.” Sometimes it happens naturally, and sometimes we have to work to make it all fit together.
Live shows seem to play an important role in your identity as a band. Are there any stage memories that stand out, either positively or challenging?
It’s hard to pick one show. Each has its own enjoyment. Maybe the concert at Le Ferrailleur, which is an important venue for us. Shows at AK Shelter in St Herblain and Kraken in Cherbourg were also incredible, with a wild crowd and that kind of concert where all the members look at each other at the end and go, “Damn, what a night!”
When you’re on stage, what do you aim to make the audience feel or experience?
There are two important aspects. The immediate punch—visual, sonic. Plenty of bands can do that. But the key is also after the show, when the audience still has the melodies and images in their head long after the last note, that’s when it’s a win. And if the message resonates with them on top of that, we couldn’t dream of more.
How did the recording process for Attente Éternelle go? Did you encounter any particular challenges in achieving such a dense and coherent sound?
The drums were recorded at Batiskaf Studio in Nantes, where we rehearse fairly often. Everything else was recorded via DI. The sound and mix were handled by Patrick at WSL, and honestly, we’re very happy with the result. The only real challenge was the waiting—when you’re waiting for your “baby,” it never goes fast enough!
In extreme metal, imagery often plays as strong a role as the music itself. How important is the visual aspect (covers, videos, stage setup) in your universe?
Visuals definitely play an important role in our style. It’s something we continue to develop, gradually adding elements on stage to enhance the mood of our songs, even though music remains central. We also worked with an artist for the visuals for this new EP. We don’t have a video yet, but it’s in the works.
How do you receive external feedback (reviews, critiques, audience reactions)? Is it motivating, or do you prefer to keep some distance?
We don’t really seek praise from critics—though of course, it’s nice to receive it. What matters most is the audience’s response. When people come up to tell you after a show how much they enjoyed it, that really motivates you to keep going.
How do you see the local and international metal scene today? Is it inspiring or more competitive?
We don’t see the metal scene as competitive at all. We make music for ourselves first, not to compare or feed ambitions. And before we love playing music, we mainly love listening to it. So we’re always eager to discover artists and hear what the ones we admire are creating.
What are the next steps for We Hold The Truth after Attente Éternelle? Can we expect a full album, new collaborations, or more live shows?
For live shows, there will be a slight slowdown due to personal changes in two members’ lives (very positive changes but time-consuming!). But we’ll channel that energy into other areas, like new songs in progress, likely a new recording, and something more… visual, let’s say, but that’s a surprise!
Many thanks to We Hold The Truth for their time and honesty in this interview. Their passion and dedication to their music shine through every word, and it’s a real pleasure to share their universe with you. Obscurium will be closely following their upcoming releases and projects, keeping you updated on the band’s next steps.
You can follow We Hold The Truth and discover Attente Éternelle on their usual social media and streaming platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Bandcamp.
