THE PRESTIGE - Bones, Blood... and Parisian Hardcore ! (France - HardCore/Post HardCore - Interview with Alex Diaz).

Hello ! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you - your encounter with this musical universe, what appealed to you, what fascinated you and what made you want to get into music?
Hi, thanks for inviting us to answer your questions. I first started listening to rock music when I was around ten years old, especially blues and 60s–70s rock’n’roll. Later on, I got more into pop-punk because, at the time, I found punk and metal too aggressive, both musically and visually. As I grew older, I eventually discovered hardcore and post-hardcore, mainly through nu metal and bands like Deftones. What has always fascinated me about this music is its ability to express very intense emotions, sometimes violent feelings, through a kind of raw energy and catharsis. There’s also the whole visual aspect, which initially intimidated me a little, but also fascinated me, which is an essential part of the world of extreme music. Some sort of frontier between this genre and other music. To me, heavy music must but powerful and disturbing, emotionally and/or graphically.

Tell me about the band... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band?
I started playing with Thibaut, our drummer, when I was about 15 or 16 years old, so it goes back quite a long way now. At the time, we didn’t really have any plans for the band — we just wanted to spend time together, make music, have fun, and fill our afternoons. We never imagined it would eventually lead to writing albums together for more than fifteen years. I remember asking a friend if he knew a drummer, he handed me a note with Thibaut’s phone, I called him and a few days later we were playing some riffs in his bedroom.
Julien, our bassist, joined us just before we started writing our second album, Amer. Back then, we were looking for a bassist and he simply contacted us through MySpace - the good
ol’ days.  As for Fabien, our guitarist, he’s been a longtime friend. He used to play in a band we were friends with, Checkmate ; and he joined us in 2019 after filling on guitar duties on a European tour.

Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
Our sound has evolved a lot throughout our three albums. Today, I’d describe it as a mix of chaotic hardcore, post-hardcore, post-metal, and even some shoegaze influences at times. That combination is really what defines our identity. We all come from different musical backgrounds, we don’t listen to the same kinds of music, and that diversity naturally finds its way into what we create together.
If I had to give one good reason to listen to our band, it would probably be that we genuinely try to offer something different. I hope that when people listen to us, they hear something they’ve never really heard before — something that steps outside the very formatted codes of today’s metal and hardcore scene.

Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ?
For me, writing lyrics is something very instinctive. I try not to overthink the process too much. Across our different albums, I worked a lot with automatic writing in order to find a rhythm, a flow, and rhymes that feel natural and poetic. I wouldn’t say I have direct influences in my writing, although I do feel close to some French surrealist poets like André Breton, Paul Éluard, or Guillaume Apollinaire. Honestly, I don’t pay that much attention to the lyrics of the bands I listen to, at least not enough to be directly influenced by them. I’m more sensitive to vocal textures, rhythms, and the way certain singers use their voices, like Josh Scogin, Evan Patterson, Chino Moreno, or Thom Yorke. On Isthmos, I mainly tried to express the emotional density of the events and hardships I’ve gone through over the past few years — grief, separation, depression, questioning my own existence, but also the sense of rebirth that can emerge after going through something like that.

About the band's discography... Imagine someone who doesn't know your band at all and wants to get interested in.. Which release would you recommend to start with, and why?
I think I’d recommend starting with our latest album, Isthmos, because it’s the record that best represents the band’s identity today.
To me, it’s the most complete and fully realized version of what we’re trying to express through our music right now. It also marks an important step for us, because there were
lineup changes and quite a long gap between this record and the previous one, which gave us the opportunity to rebuild on new foundations.
Looking back, I see our earlier albums as more instinctive, more youthful, and more emotionally raw versions of what the band has become today.

About your latest release ?
Our latest album, Isthmos, was released on April 24 through Banshees. It was recorded live, ‘on the floor,’ produced and mixed by Amaury Sauvé at The Apiary Studio, and mastered by Thibaut Chaumont at Deviant Lab. The recording itself took around ten days, but the writing process happened over several years through different writing sessions and retreats in isolated countryside houses. The album is available digitally, on vinyl, and on CD, and there are still a few pre-orders available through Evil Greed. The artwork represents the transformation of a person into a kind of metaphorical creature. Through the hardships it experiences on this ‘isthmus,’ it accumulates layers of fabric that act both as protection from the outside world and as scars reflecting everything it’s been through. But even though those layers protect it, they also weigh it down and slow it, much like time does to our bodies and minds. The photography was done by William Lacalmontie, the creature styling by Julie Louvain, and I handled the artistic direction myself.

Future plans ?
Right now, there are a lot of things in the works, even though I can’t really announce much yet. The first major milestone for us is June 20th at Élysée Montmartre, where we’ll be opening for The Dillinger Escape Plan. They’re a band we’ve already shared the stage with in the past, and they’ve been a huge influence on our musical journey. So obviously, it means a lot to us and we’re really honored to play with them again. It will also be our very first show since the release of the new album, which makes it an especially important moment for us.

Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
Honestly, my biggest dream with this band would simply be to keep this adventure going for as long as possible with my friends. To keep playing music together, driven by passion, meeting people around the world, and traveling through music. Of course, I could mention specific festivals or bands we’d dream of playing with, but for me the most important thing is really the human side of it and sharing all of this with my closest friends. Whether it happens in a tiny club or on a huge stage is ultimately secondary. Although… playing a major festival with my friends or touring with Converge or Cult of Luna would still be pretty incredible! (laughs)

Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ?
There are so many shows that could fit into either category — or even both at the same time — because sometimes the strongest experiences can be both amazing and difficult. But spontaneously, I’d say our best memories come from the tour we did in Latin America, especially in Mexico and Cuba. Once again, what really stayed with me was the human connection: with my bandmates, the other bands on tour, and the audience. It was an incredibly powerful and meaningful experience for me. We actually made a documentary about it, which is available online here ! (Yep, see video below - Ed.)
As for the worst memories, I don’t really have one specific show in mind. Maybe some concerts where we played in front of just one or two people… but honestly, two people is a crowd right ?! (You can't be wrong ha ! Ed.)

Next live-appearance(s) ?
Hometown show in Paris on June 20th with the legend The Dillinger Escape Plan. It is our first show after the release of Isthmos so it’s going to be an important celebration for us.

Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ?
It’s actually pretty interesting because while the band was on hiatus for a few years, we saw a whole new generation of bands emerge in France. A scene that really brought fresh energy into the metal world, especially through metalcore.
I tend to avoid naming specific bands because, with all the hiatuses, breakups, and reunions, I’d probably end up forgetting someone or mentioning a band that isn’t active anymore. But what I can say is that the French scene today is incredibly rich and diverse. And more importantly, it’s finally starting to gain international recognition beyond just Gojira. It’s really impressive to see the amount of energy and creativity that exists in the French scene right now. Simply check out some playlist on Spotify or on your favourite zine and I’m sure you’ll find a French band that will crush you.

Last word is yours..
Thank you to you and your readers for the attention you’re giving to our new release through this interview. But above all, thank you for the energy you put into keeping this scene alive through independent and niche media outlets — volunteer-driven, but always fueled by incredible passion and dedication. (Awwwh, thanks so much for those nice words ! Ed.) I’d also like to encourage everyone to take care of themselves and the people around them. And if some people are going through a difficult period right now, I hope they can remember that, with the support of friends, loved ones, and healthcare professionals, it’s possible to move towards better days. Even in the middle of the fog, there can still be a light at the end of the road.