Sanguine Glacialis is a project like no other. Since their inception in 2010 and unleashing the unique Dancing with a Hanged Man album in 2012, they have survived lineup changes and the continuing evolution of their compelling music. Music that is surprising and driven by a darkened uncompromising heart. The one constant has been Maude Théberge – (Vocals & Keyboard) and after a long delay their stunning, confounding yet always extreme new album Maladaptive Daydreaming is finally available.
Maude:''Yes, it’s been 6 years since our last release! There was a pandemic in the middle that made the process a little longer, but since Sanguine Glacialis is pretty complex, it’s a long process to write a new album anyways. It’s a different album, yet you can definitely hear the Sanguine sound through it all.
The passion to keep Sanguine Glacialis alive?
''It’s a unique band that has so much to offer and that has the capacity to reinvent itself constantly. As a writer/composer, I can basically do whatever I want, so it’s very important in my heart!
Maladaptive Daydreaming is quite the ride. Was it important to make each track distinctly unique yest also incredibly extreme?
'' The writing process makes the songs unique without having to make an effort. We compose what we think sounds good and then we all contribute to bring the songs to a next level, and that’s how you get very unique songs that are always extreme!
Is the songwriting process a natural one?
''It’s a very natural process as we compose what we think sounds good without trying to respect a style. The fact that we all have very diverse musical tastes brings many styles naturally in our songs.
The idea for the title track to combine Polka? With extreme metal!?
''It wasn’t even intended this way! (ha-ha!) It just happened to work great and sound good. Extreme metal is our base and then we can mix pretty much anything with it and it works!
I’m guessing that your listening library is pretty extensive.
'' Definitely. All five members listen to many different styles, going from metal to classical to jazz to pop to rap, etc. We are very open minded musicians that like to explore different styles, so that’s why you can find so many influences in our music.
Yet is pure metal as well!
''What we all have in common is our love of metal music in all its different forms and genres, so writing metal music is what comes the most naturally to us. We don’t necessarily want to be the heaviest or fastest band, but since we all love this music, it’s only natural for us to use it in our music.
The juxtaposition of beauty and brutality and opposing forces?
'' It’s one of the aspects of metal that I love the most. I absolutely love hearing distorted guitars and blast beats with orchestrations. Symphonic metal is one of my first loves, and to me it really combines beauty and brutality. Then if we talk about my vocals: I really love female singers that are able to both scream and sing, so it’s something I always wanted to use in my music.
“Resignation” is not a surrender or giving up?
''Indeed, Resignation is about accepting who you are and moving forward accepting this instead of trying to be someone you’re not.
The polar opposite is ‘’ Sing for our silence/Scream your own revenge” from Immuration?
'' I always write in metaphors because the words can have different meanings to different people, and I absolutely love hearing about the different interpretations people give to my words. Immuration is about confinement, either for real (like the pandemic) or in your own mind. When you’re confined, you’re alone (mostly), so you’re in silence. “Sing for our silence / Scream your own revenge” is inviting the confined to sing, to escape silence, and to scream, as a revenge for being confined.
The importance of being free to explore our best possible selves without the judgment/condemnation of others and society at large?
'' Yes indeed, it’s a message that can be found in the lyrics. Talking about mental health, it’s a subject that can also touch people that don’t have a mental health problem. We all feel judged/condemned by society to a certain point, and it’s important to never lose who you really are.
Maladaptive Daydreaming ties directly into your album artwork?
''The album cover is a visual interpretation of the lyrics of the album actually. It goes hand in hand with the back cover of the album: On the front cover, the character sees beauty. On the back cover, you realise she saw this in her head only, as she’s on the floor covered in blood in reality. Her view of her reality was completely different than was she was actually doing. Maladaptive Daydreaming is a condition that makes you lose contact with reality as you’re too often stuck in your head, dreaming.
Your lyricism is honest yet subtle.
''Definitely. I write about subjects and emotions that I experienced in some way and transform them into stories. It’s very cathartic and therapeutic for me since it’s so personal.
Your vocal style ranges from soprano to pure hellfire! The importance of your using your voice as an instrument?
'' I love the voice and everything it can do to portray a story. I usually interpret more than one character and give voice to others as well, so the different vocal styles also enable me to do this. I do use my voice and vocals as another instrument and compose the vocals like I would compose a violin line or else. It’s also an emotional release every time I sing the lyrics.
How does one be ‘’Seen” in the darkness around them?
'' I think the trick is to accept yourself the way you are. It makes the darkness around less intimidating.
How did you get drawn into extreme music?
'' I started with Evanescence and Marilyn Manson and quickly went to Cradle of Filth, Anorexia Nervosa and Slipknot when I was about 11 years old. I fell in love with extreme music and during my childhood I knew that’s all I wanted to do with my life, so I started practicing and eventually studied in music. I always listened to a bunch of different styles, so the idea to combine with other styles came naturally. We wanted to make something different than everything you can hear, but it came very naturally to us.
Top 6 albums of all time?
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Maude: Wow that is a hard question. I think I’ll go with my biggest influences:
1. Cradle of Filth – Midian
2. Between the Buried and Me – Coma Ecliptic
3. Slipknot – Vol 3: The Subliminal Verses
4. Marilyn Manson – The Golden Age of Grotesque
5. Evanescence – Fallen
6. The Agonist – Lullabies for the Dormant Mind