I met Count Bergaby (Olivier Bérubé Émond) when I became aware that someone in Montréal was printing GOREMENT shirts and, naturally, I had to get one. Who prints GOREMENT shirts in 2016? In North America? Only a true Metal nerd. As a musician, his work in SHEZMU, WARSLAVES, PALMISTRY, SADOMAGICKAL SEDUCER, HEXETH and PÉNOMBRE demonstrate that he is comfortable in a wide variety of Heavy Metal subgenres and that he is a true student of the genre. In addition to playing in a zillion bands, Olivier also runs his own label, THE ALCHEMY LAB RECORDS. Check them out for some great new releases!
-Cédric N.
Name five songs that you consider “perfect songs” and explain why or what they mean to you.
To me, perfect songs often come from another era. From a time when bands and songwriters put a lot of thought in their sound and image, to find the perfect recipe and their own originality. Which is different than today, where bands openly and shamelessly copy their idols’ songwriting and imagery.
Dreamer Deceiver – JUDAS PRIEST
The Show Must Go On – QUEEN
Christian Woman – TYPE O NEGATIVE
Prelude in E-Minor (op.28 no. 4) – CHOPIN
Jewel Throne – CELTIC FROST
(Five songs only is way too few to cover the sheer amount of perfects songs)
Which music genre do you listen to the most? List your five favorite albums in that genre.
Definitely Heavy Metal and its sub-genres even though I listen to any genres except Trap/Reggeaton.
Heavy/Speed:
DIO – Holy Diver
JUDAS PRIEST – Sad Wings of Destiny
MOTORHEAD – Ace of Spades
MANILLA ROAD – Crystal Logic
CIRITH UNGOL – Paradise Lost
SPELL – For None and All
CELTIC FROST – First two LPs
Doom/Funeral:
BLACK SABBATH – Master of Reality
CANDLEMASS – Nightfall
SAINT VITUS – Born Too Late
CANDLEMASS – Epicus Doomicus Metalicus
PAGAN ALTAR – Jugement of the Dead
MOURNFUL CONGREGATION – Tears from a Grieving Heart
THERGOTHON – Stream From The Heavens
Death/War Metal:
BESTIAL WARLUST – Blood & Valour
DISMA – Towards the Megalith
INCANTATION – Onward to Golgotha
DEATH – The Sound of Perseverance
BÖLZER – Hero
BLASPHEMY – Fallen Angel of Doom
DEMILICH – Nespithe
DIOCLETIAN – Gesudrian
Black Metal:
GORGOROTH – Antichrist
DARKTHRONE – Under A Funeral Moon
FUNEREAL PRESENCE – The Archer Takes Aim
EMPEROR – In The Nightside Eclipse
PRIMORDIAL – Where Greater Men Have Fallen
ISENGARD – Hostmorke
BATHORY – Hammerheart
VENOM – Black Metal
Thrash/Crossover:
SLAYER – Reign in Blood
CARNIVORE – Carnivore
CARNIVORE – Retaliation
METALLICA – Ride the Lightning
VOIVOD – Rrröööaaarrr / War And Pain
DROID – Terrestrial Mutations
Rock:
BLUE OYSTER CULT – Self Titled
THE BEATLES – Abbey Road
OFFENBACH – Traversion
LYNYRD SKYNYRD – Second Helping
CREAM – Wheels of Fire
JIMI HENDRIX – Electric Ladyland
Your five favorite rappers of all time?
NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
MF DOOM
OL DIRTY BASTARD
ICE CUBE
NAS
WU TANG CLAN
What’s the album you’ve listened to the most in your life? Do you still listen to it?
Probably IRON MAIDEN – The Number of the Beast and of course, from time to time.
Five hardest riffs of all time?
MERCYFUL FATE – Curse of the Pharaohs
INCANTATION – Entrantment of Evil
BLACK SABBATH – Into the Void
JUDAS PRIEST – Heading to the Highway
BLACK SABBATH – Symptoms of the Universe
What are some of your favorite song lyrics? Lyrics that have been important to you or that had an impact on you?
The whole ION DISSONANCE album Solace.
Do you have a favorite setting or place to listen to music?
Metro and at work. I can listen to music pretty much all the time so I always have time to catch on newer releases.
Do you have an absolute all time favorite band or musical artist? What makes them so special to you?
Lemmy Kilmeister. Freddie Mercury. Rob Halford. Ronnie James Dio. All singers, I was greatly influenced by them younger, I was also a singer before everything else so that might be the cause.
What are your ten favourite albums of all time (all genres)? Name a standout track on each of these albums?
Top albums of all time are always nostalgic…
METALLICA – Masters of Puppets (Title track)
DIO – Holy Diver (Shame on the Night)
BB KING & ERIC CLAPTON – Riding with the King (When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer)
ION DISSONANCE – Solace (She’s Strychnine)
JUDAS PRIEST – Sad Wings of Destiny (Genocide)
MOTORHEAD – Ace of Spades (Bite the Bullet)
TYPE O NEGATIVE – Bloody Kisses (Christian Woman)
BLUE OYSTER CULT – Self Titled (She’s As Beautiful As A Foot)
MAYLENE AND THE SONS OF DISASTER – I, II and III (Caution! Dangerous Curves Ahead)
CARNIVORE – Carnivore (Legion Of Doom)
Do you remember the first time you really appreciated an album or a song?
I was maybe 7 or 8. I was raised with classical and Opera music. VIVALDI and PAVAROTTI if I remember correctly.
What were you listening to in elementary school? then in high school? How much of that music is still a part of your playlists today? How have your musical tastes evolved since?
Elementary school was SUM 41, NOFX, DIO, METALLICA, a bunch of local punk and hardcore bands as well. Then I have fell in the Hardcore wagon during high school, contributed to the scene and shows during that period of time. I was only signing then so Hardcore was a great way to express myself and learn music. It didn’t take long before I left the “core” scene and I got back to heavy metal – learned more about its sub-genres.
What beloved music do you share with your parents?
Classical, opera, folk and country music.
Most memorable show you’ve ever seen?
Most memorable: METALLICA on the Plaines d’Abraham in Quebec City (2010-2011?)
Most Impressed: ANTHRAX
What music or artist has been the most influential to you as a songwriter?
Okoi Jones. Peter Steele. Brian May. Chuck S. Frederic Chopin. Dollar Brand. Dave Brubeck. Lemmy K. Rob Halford. Tony Iommi. BB King. Buddy Guy. Randy R. Van Halen. Etc…
Though my inspiration usually comes from human history, different cultures, books, philosophy, anthropology, etc.
What is the most impressive band you’ve toured with? The one that you just had to watch every night? Did you learn anything from them/by watching them?
LUGER. A local heavy metal band. They taught me not to give a fuck live and just keep the attitude on stage. Always a pleasure to see them live.
Do you have an artist that you love in a genre that you don’t usually listen to? What makes them stand out?
16 HORSEPOWER. Folk / Alternative band with true power in their words and sound.
Do you have any controversial/unpopular music related opinions that you would like to defend?
AUTOPSY is overrated, I think they are very very very boring. (without wanting to hold back anything from them, they changed the game.)
Turbo never got enough credit. In my top 5 Priests album.
What albums have been on heavy rotation lately?
The new RITUAL NECROMANCY. Both albums from BLOOD INCANTATION, they are in my rotation since they came out. MALTHUSIAN’s new single. PERDITION TEMPLE. The New MOURNFUL CONGREGATION. VOIVOD – Nothingface…many others.
Is there anything (new album, tour) you would like to promote?
SHEZMU – MLP 12” Breaching the Tomb out on Oct 12 via Iron Bonehead / Les Fleurs du Mal.
SHEZMU mini tour with Spectral Wound in November (Québec/Ontario).
Another SHEZMU release with our newcomer bassist – winter / spring.
SADOMAGICKAL SEDUCER LP 12” – Testicular Torture via Crypt of the Wizard Records this fall.
Either a WARSLAVES EP or LP this winter. We dont know which release we will let out first.
PALMISTRY LP this winter.
HEXETH have a split coming with VOID TENDRIL (UK) and a compilation LP as well.
PÉNOMBRE are playing with INFERNO this fall and we will release a 7” split with BASMU.
I also have my own Record Label that is coming out. We are releasing the new IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT on tapes soon. www.thealchemylabrecords.com
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