Interview with Stéphanie Nolf bass player from Unsafe:

How has been "Fake Reality" received in the underground ?

The French national press appreciated our demo, we had several articles congratulating our work (in Hard Rock, Hard'n'Heavy); we've also been chosen to represent the best demo of sept-oct-nov 2001 in Metallian . We appeared also on different websites and fanzines.

However, we had echoes concerning the "has-been" side of our style, I mean that in France the Neo metal style rules and if you're not part of it, you're a bit "old fashion". A lot of other bands have the same problem and are not recognised for their musical quality as the public is influenced by fashions appearing and disappearing quickly.

How close is UNSAFE's music to classical thrash metal ? How different is the music from the one you played in ENDLESS FALL?

We -the former members of the band (Steph. & Lionel)- are influenced by the 80/90's great metal bands (Death, Forbidden, Pantera, Machine Head, Annihilator) but our style is for us more closed to "power metal/thrash. However, the tracks you heard on the CD have been composed long ago and now we've changed a little.

In ENDLESS FALL the majority of the song were not composed by us, we played a "hard-core" style.

How would you compare "Fake reality" with "Unknown Fears"?

The result is greatly different. We had a different singer (more aggressive) and we recorded "Unknown Fears" live in one day, so the quality of the product is not very good. "Fake Reality" was recorded in a studio in 5 days (+ a week for the mix) it sounds more "professional".

How has UNSAFE's music changed with Remi Tharaud on vocals?

Our music had already changed before Remi's arrival, we composed more aggressive tracks, and he added vocals more aggressive too, more inventive, which gives more relief to our songs. The main change is that he sings in French and gives an actual touch to our style. As he is also a guitar player he is more involved now in the composing process and gives us new ideas.

How is the process of composing an UNSAFE track?

I (steph.) compose most of them ("fake reality" : grief, self-destruction, enemy inside, pathetic lies), and 8 new ones on the next album we have recorded. Usually, I present the guitar riffs of the entire track to the others and they give form to the final song. They sometimes add their own ideas. However I prefer composing the entire song so as to keep a unity in the songs and between them. Remi & Luc (drums) included more of their ideas on the future album which improves the original compositions.

On "Fake reality" I participated also for the vocals especially for the speeches but now Remi writes his own lyrics. Lionel composed the more melodic tracks "wicked mind", "insignificant", we composed "nothing makes sense" together.

Which is the main element in UNSAFE : the aggression, speed, melodies ?

For us the main element is that the tracks sounds well. We've never considered these aspects separately, the tracks must be felt as dynamic, catchy and a bit technical. However the aggressive part is given by Stephanie's riffs according her influences : Napalm Death, Meshuggah, Fear Factory, Cannibal Corpse and the melodic one by Lionel who is influenced by bands like Judas Priest, Nevermore, Soilwork, Arch Enemy, Dearly Beheaded, Skinlab, Criminal.

Which are your memories on the Christmas Festival were you played with NAPALM DEATH, NAZUM and many other bands ?

Its one of our more important concert. It was funny to see Napalm Death's guitar player Mitch Harris playing sitting on his chair because of his broken leg !! Unfortunately we did not have a lot of contact with most of the bands except for Execution & No Return which are French bands that we know. We can add that we were the more melodic band playing, the entire show was cataclysmic !!!!

Which is the equipment that you use live & in studio ?

Guitars : we use a flying V Gibson, a B C Rich, a Jackson with Marshall amps. Bass : a S.G. Ibanez with an Ampeg SVT III Pro. Drums : a Pearl 2 big drums, 4 toms.

How do you see the evolution of the band in the enar future ?

We hope to find a label soon. We need one for distribution and promotion of our next album. But it is hard to find as the most represented metal styles in France at the moment are neo "teen" metal for biggest labels, and black, grind & brutal death for underground ones.

Nevertheless it is extremely hard for metal style in France as the only style diffused is Variety shows/French song (soporific music or music for lifts...) and there is a control by the majors on radios & TV which pay them to diffuse always the same stupid repetitive songs (and France is characterised by its cultural diversity !?!). We never hear about metal nowhere, except in the written press, the concerts (and they are not many) and the underground structures while there's a potential public for metal here.

Something more to add ?

Thanks for your support & congratulation for your work.

Interviewed by Federico Marongiu