SyriaK, ChaotH, and Leilindel of Unexpect
Interviewed by Patrick Rennick on 2/23/2008
Transcribed by Patrick Rennick
A gallery of dolls floats silently above the main stage of the Theatre Plaza in Montréal, Canada. Some are suspended by their legs, waists, or wrists; several hang by their necks. A jester smiles wickedly next to a marionette. Horridly sneering, a stuffed monstrosity brandishes an axe. The lights dim and the nightmares are dispelled. A single white light barely illuminates a lone female. Her voice caresses melancholy keyboards, transforming the Hungarian verses of “Another Dissonant Chord” into an achingly beautiful lullaby. Shattering this brief tranquility, an aural whiplash envelops the eager crowd. A hideous, yet calculated beast is unleashed; gleefully controlled by the seven souls who have summoned it.
UnexpecT are something of an oddity to say the least ? a trait not uncommon in the oftentimes experimental Canadian scene. Their music contains an almost undecipherable fusion of styles. Yet, a solid foundation in metal has granted them an audience with the extreme community. In a Flesh Aquarium is the band’s first release on The End Records, perhaps the most progressive label in metal today. It is hard to believe that upon their formation in 1996, UnexpecT were playing thrash. Guitarist and vocalist SyriaK, recalls joining the band early on:
“Ah, it was just I was a music major and I didn't have a band to play with,” he says. “So it just seemed to me like those were guys who sounded professional and you know, at that time I was listening, actually, to this kind of metal. My vision, my musical tastes had not already been broadened, so I was interested in, you know, Megadeth, Slayer, Metallica and I saw that's what they were playing. So, I joined the band because it was what pleased me at the time.”
In 1999 UnexpecT released their full-length debut, Utopia on Canada’s Galy Records, a label known for fostering internationally lauded acts such as Cryptopsy, Gorguts, and Despised Icon. While certainly not conventional, Utopia consists of melodic black metal epics of forgotten worlds, crazed occult scientists, and other tales of dark fantasy. The album is a far cry from the band’s current endeavors. This contrast could not be clearer in the live setting this evening.
“The Fall of Arthrone” is immediately discernable from the majority of UnexpecT’s set this evening as their indefinable chaos is traded in momentarily for a soaring yarn of evil forces triumphant, complete with a fist-pumping thrash section. SyriaK smiles approvingly at the mosh pit that ensues.
Several years after their full-length debut, UnexpecT furthered their journey into the ecstasy of madness with their 2003 EP, We, Invaders. Heralding this shift were two new additions to the lineup: bassist ChaotH, and vocalist Leïlindel.
“We were in a musical project with someone else together,” recalls Leïlindel of her previous interactions with members of UnexpecT. “And they were my friends, almost. We saw each other a couple of times a year. And I was singing in other, different projects, and sometimes they were with me. And then they asked me. They just asked me like that because we were singing together and everything. So they asked me and then I said ok. I had already listened to the band before, and I knew the band, so I was really excited to join.”
“I already knew them as well,” adds ChaotH. “I was hanging out with the guys from another band called Magister Dixit. I have always been friends with UnexpecT and was always hanging out with these guys and starting musical projects with them. And so we hung out at the same parties, and that's where I met SyriaK first, and then the whole band and I had the album and everything and later they'd seen me play at a party.” SryiaK interjects excitedly, remembering the meeting.
“Actually, the first time I saw you play I was on some magic mushrooms,” he says. “And I was just like, man! This guy! He's got 12, now he's got 50 fingers! And he just blew me away with this. I’m glad that he was as good as when I heard him because, you know, [laughs].”
We, Invaders marked a turning point for UnexpecT, presenting a vision of what was to come. The band’s live rendition of “Novae” makes a case in point. Combining two guitars, bass (nine strings no less), drums, keyboards, violin, and three vocal lines could all too easily be a recipe for disaster. Expect the unexpected. All of these elements complement each other wonderfully throughout the song to create atmospheres that switch from soaring symphonic black metal, to folk, thrash, and beyond at the drop of a dime. SyriaK, Leïlindel, and Artagoth harmonize throughout with powerful operatic vocals, belching forth guttural growls in equal measure. Leïlindel presents a pleasing contrast to the vicious headbanging of her band mates with an invigorating display of contemporary dance. Yet, most astounding to behold are her piercing rasps.
“It seemed it came naturally,” says SyriaK. “She wasn’t doing any practicing, just one day she [growls].”
“It’s not like one day I just wanted to do that,” recalls Leïlindel. “It’s just, you know, I think it really went naturally. Do you remember just when? She turns to SyriaK.
“No, not exactly, I don’t have a date in mind,” he says. “One day she just started growling and we liked it. Just keep on doing that!”
Supporting UnexpecT this evening are Augury, a fellow Canadian outfit that plays an intriguing variety of technical death metal linked with equally interesting cosmic themes. Taken together, these bands offer an inspiring taste of Canada’s penchant for musical innovation. Tonight is UnexpecT’s 10th anniversary. As headliners they are allotted an extended set that ends up clocking in at nearly an hour and a half, leaving plenty of time to play In a Flesh Aquarium in its entirety.
“Desert Urbania” begins deceivingly enough with a calming piano interlude by keyboardist, ExoD, which is slowly joined by casual beats from drummer Landryx and a brief guitar harmony from ArtagotH and SyriaK. Order is now sacrificed on an altar of mania as the seven musicians weave their frenetic riffs together. Growls, shouts, rasps, and grunts drift above like a mad swarm. Recently recruited violinist Borboën solos feverishly, ushering his counterparts into a brilliant culmination that unites the crowd in headbanging. In a Flesh Aquarium illustrates a new paradigm for avant-garde metal as an album that pushes the envelope for the bizarre. It is only natural for the devoted or even casual fan to question the methods of this madness. The answer is cryptic at best.
“Well the thing is that I don’t think we try to do something,” says Leïlindel. “I think that comes with the fact that we’re already seven people that have our own influences. We all have some things in common but we also have our own little paths. And I think that makes the process, well, maybe not easier because it’s not that easy. Sometimes it’s really complicated and sometimes it is easy. But we don’t say, oh okay, maybe with that part we should try to do something like that.” It is clearly not an easy task for a band to describe the creative process, one that in music often approaches the primeval. ChaotH makes an attempt at illuminating us a bit more.
“Pretty much when we started out there were 10,000 pieces of what we thought would be good,” he says. “And then Landryx would say oh, well I think that this part should be here. And then maybe I would present a riff and everyone would build under it.” SyriaK interjects.
“Look at what I did to your riff!” he jokes. “Everyone was trying to outdo each other.”
It seems more plausible to consider In a Flesh Aquarium from the perspective presented by the band. The album began as seven separate entities. Through UnexpecT’s bizarre creative process each song was dissected, rejoined, and reanimated into a new and terrifying creation. Yet despite this unorthodox approach, the effect of this refreshingly challenging album still stands. For those who would embrace madness ? departing from the order which binds us all across the plane of our existence ? UnexpecT offer a unique escape from the uninspired uniformity that saturates the genre today. Their creative attitude coupled with a passion for reinvention is as vital to metal as the breath drawn into our lungs.