Band Of The Week #0061 - Landmvrks
This week’s Band of the Week is French post-hardcore band Landmvrks, who’s album ‘Fantasy’ is out now via Arising Empire Records. We had a chat with lead vocalist Flo about the album.
How did the experience of producing 'Hollow' impact the process for 'Fantasy'?
We made Fantasy under the same conditions as Hollow, all by ourselves; the song writing, recording, mixing and mastering. So the experience of having made Hollow has allowed us to be more efficient in the studio, it has also allowed us to focus on the essentials; what is it that our music represents? What is it that what we want to transmit through it? And how to sublimate it?
You mention that lyrically, the album is very concerned with love, and particularly overwhelming feelings which can lead to difficulty in distinguishing a dream from reality. Can you remember a particular moment when you've felt like this?
Yes, there was a time in my life when I was locked in a very bad relationship that was destroying me. The moments of sadness were so strong that I sometimes thought I was really in a nightmare, and if I shook my head hard enough I would wake up. But it didn't happen, it took more effort to get out of the nightmare, and it left a mark on me. I had time to theorise this relationship long after the separation and it still influences me a lot in my life and my writing, my music.
Have there been any external inspirations for the lyrics in 'Fantasy', or do they all come from a personal place?
They all come from real life experience, it's a very intense, very violent music. I don't think I can talk about something that doesn't touch me or that doesn't concern me in front of a crowd of people, I would feel like I'm not legitimate, and I think people are touched by true and honest stories.
What's your favourite lyric off the album and why?
I'm very happy with the lyrics in “The Worst Of You And Me”. It took me a long time to write this song, musically and lyrically, and I feel like I went to the very end of what I wanted to say, to the deepest possible place without being ashamed and without any detour. It's so honest that the beginning of the song starts almost like a hip hop song with an “ego trip” style passage, which says: “Here we go, we're back, put the bass up. It's a pain that I can't stand anymore. I remember the fear but I want to live my life the way that I've chosen to.” it's a primal-esque writing, like an improvisation, a scream of distress - turn up the sound if the pain is too intense, it will do you good...
Are there any behind-the-scenes stories of the recording process?
Yes, during the recording session of “Worst Of You And Me”, I was in the booth and Nico recorded me. At the moment of recording the long screamed part at the end of the song, I made it in one take, giving it all I had. Nico stopped the recording and said to me “Ok… you just gave me the chills, you can stop there it's in the bag.” I still wanted to try again but we kept the first take.
If you were able to live in a fantasy, what type of fantasy would you like to live in?
I would hate to live in a fantasy! Most of the time dreams are scary, even if they are not nightmares they are strange and uncomfortable. That's why I often make this link with reality, sometimes real life comes close to dreams and that's why I say "This life is a fantasy" it's a reinterpretation of the first meaning of the word, it's its dark side.
You've experimented with some other band names previously, how did your current name of 'Landmvrks' come about?
Landmvrks was chosen when Nico joined the band, we decided to start a new project. It's not really a name change, it's a band change. LANDMVRKS seemed to be the right choice for our vision. The only landmark in life that makes us feel good is music, we can always relate to it.
Drawing inspiration from the track title 'Wake Up Call', what has been your most memorable wakeup call in life? What experience do you remember as being particularly impactful?
We can say that it relates to the relationship I was talking about earlier, when I decided to take things into my own hands and stop this painful relationship definitively, I really had the feeling of being reborn, of rediscovering simple things. It was a shock, it made me grow enormously, maybe a little too fast...
If fans could only take away one message from the album, what message would you want it to be?
Don't hide your pain, your sadness, or your sorrow - accept it, you're not alone, everyone has a dark side, it's the first step to fight against it.
What are the plans for the upcoming future? What are you most looking forward to?
We are doing a big release party in Marseille next month which we’re working really hard on, we’re really looking forward to it! We are also planning to do a really cool tour in 2019, in countries we've never been to and with a really great band! We want to promote this album as much as possible, and make everything within our grasp possible so that we can live from our music, because we have so many things left to say.
Feature by Athena Kam
‘Fantasy’ is out now, we have an exclusive trailer where the band talk about the album and their home town.