Guillaume Bideau – Vocals for Mnemic

1. Tell us about the forthcoming studio album "Sons Of The System".

GUILLAUME: Well it was recorded last year between September and October. We’ve composed it in around 10 months. Tue Madsen produced the album with us and he mixed it. We have a warmer sound than in the past and it’s also more organic. It’s wide and diverse with a lot of experimentations sound wise and music wise. But it of course sounds like Mnemic with all its ingredients. It’s brutal and catchy but you can also find some atmospheric songs like ‘March of the Tripods’. We are really proud of this new album.

2. Mnemic is a different name. How did the band come up with that?

GUILLAUME: That’s Mnemic’s very first singer who found this name. It has a Latin origin and it refers to the memory. That’s all I can say because I was not there, hehe… I personally think it’s a cool name though!

3. Mnemic’s music is also different. What makes Mnemic different than many hard rock and heavy metal bands?

GUILLAUME: It’s really hard to be original these days. That’s what we try to do. Mnemic is a mixture of industrial, death, hardcore and power metal. It has its particular way of building riffs. Whatever if it’s complicated it always have to groove so anybody can headbang on our music, hehe.. We also use a lot samples to create different atmospheres. "Sons Of The System" is a good example. We want to be heavy and catchy.

4. "Sons of the System" is Mnemic’s fourth album. What makes the fourth album different from the first and second?

GUILLAUME: We all have grown older and are different people with different influences. Much more diverse. It’s more mature and focused. I guess that’s pretty much it. We don’t really ask ourselves this kind of question.

5. Are there any particular topics the band likes to tackle in the lyrics?

GUILLAUME: Mircea and I are the ones who write the lyrics on “Sons Of The System”. It's our own vision of the world. The system... Personally I describe the society as it is today through my eyes and own sensibility. But most of the times in a very subjective way. I like people to be able to suggest different visions of the lyrics I write. Mircea does pretty much the same in a less subjective way but this is more his vision of the future in 50 or 100 years for example. We talk about some revolt against a greater evil.

6. You joined the band in 2005. What things changed by you becoming the singer?

GUILLAUME: In 2006 to be exact. I guess there are probably more clean vocals now, hehe. I don’t really know what has changed because of me. The whole band has changed through the years so it would be impossible to say how Mnemic would be today if Michael has stayed. But maybe I bring a more power metal touch. Something less complicated and straight to the point, I don’t know. But for sure I’m not the one who brings the death metal touches, hehe.

7. What’s more important to Mnemic, how heavy the music is or how catchy is the hook?

GUILLAUME: Both are as important for us. It can’t be one without the other.

8. At times there is almost a dance quality to Mnemic’s music. Do you also hear that and is it intentional?

GUILLAUME: Hahaha!!! It’s a funny critic. If it’s the case it’s not at all intentional but it cannot be other than good. Music is made for the people to move on. Whatever if they headbang, mosh or dance!

9. Touring plans for 2010?

GUILLAUME: We are actually working on this. We are about to get confirm on more festivals and we’ll be visiting Spain and Russia very soon. We already refused some tour opportunities because we want to pick up the right bands to tour with. A tour with good crowd potential. But we’ll be doing a European tour soon. We are also working to tour the US.

10. What hard rock and heavy metal music do you listen to?

GUILLAUME: Well I don’t really listen to that much Metal. But the bands I listen to are these days Nine Inch Nails, Filter, Alice in Chains and that’s pretty much it. I never listen to Death Metal. I mean music where there are no clean vocals. Otherwise some of my favorite bands ever are Pantera, Rage Against The Machine, Guns n’ Roses and some of Devin Townsend’s project like “Ocean Machine” for example.

Official website: www.mnemic.com