YMYRGAR: The tale, so far

I have got the opportunity to do the very first interview for the YMYRGAR!

Lately, the band released their debut album "The Tale As Far". Teaser:

This is the interview :

01. Hi YMYRGAR!  I think that is your very first interview. Are you ready? Do you worry, a bit ? 

Mohamed: I'm not ready, i got to finish my cigarette..  

Rami: I want a beer and then, we could talk.. 

Ahmed: Yes, we are ready!

02. So, YMYRGAR was founded two years ago but how came the idea to found it and how have you found the line-up for the band ?

Rami: Some depressive Sunday, two years ago, while having coffee with my friend Ayoub, I got the idea that we should raise folk metal in Tunisia.. Not by bearing a sword, but with establishing a band!

Belhassen: To make it quick, our biography on Facebook contains the full hilarious story of our line-up... i think you can laugh out loud x)

03. What means YMYRGAR, for you ?

Nader: Ymyrgar it's not just a band either a name, it’s "Lomima" as we say in our mother tongue... Ymyrgar is litteraly a way of life; it’s a daily experience which provides us a mass of knowledge as it teaches us how to collaborate with each others and to manage several life issues. At the same time, Ymyrgar is basically a friendship, and helps each other to surpass the life issues matters. As Rami always say, Ymyrgar is 30% music...

Mohamed: "Lomima" is something valuable. i can't find words to describe what i feel towards Ymyrgar! 

04. October 3rd of 2014 will be released “The Tale As Far”, are you excited ?

Habib: The whole Islamic world is celebrating the Aid - Al Kabir, also called the Feast of the Sacrifice and known as the most important celebration in Islam, in a joyful mood, the same that we shared when we released the album :D

Belhassen: Seeing our hard work during these last two years becoming finally something concrete... We can't talk about excitement anymore, it's about euphoria... 

05. This record meant to be your first demo from the beginning but then, you changed your mind regarding “The Tale As Far” which becomes your debut album. Can you explain us this change ?

Habib: This change occured when we built our new home studio. We were satisfied enough with the new quality, that's why we decided to change to an album. 

Ahmed: Besides the home studio, a year ago, when i first joined the band, they had few demos. Then, we proceeded into composing and creating new songs. Then we found ourselves with a full-length album with a good quality. So we changed our mind!

06. What is “The Tale As Far” for you ?

Habib: The tale as far is the title of our first save or checkpoint in our music career!  Ahmed: As a first album, i may say that's the first gift that we offered to the listeners, as musicians and as a band.

Rami: It's a trigger event of new opportunities!

Belhassen: The Tale as Far means the huge philosophy and idea that we have about Music, but in a structured way! It translates the point of view that we have about old tales and mythological subject of the ancient. It's a concept... Written in a musical note!

Mohamed: It's a point of evolution and new vision!

07. Can you describe us the artwork ?

Nader: Too much blue!

Habib: We tryed to put the attractive element of the norse mythlogie by drawing our own Ymir, the source of all..

Hakim: The raven symbolizes the messenger of ancients gods, the one that spread our tale to the world!

Ahmed: I think that cover art is a picture which depends from the Album title and the music inside.. It relates what we already tell in the music and other hidden things...

08. So, this album is a concept. Can you tell us shortly stories for each song of the album ?

Belhassen: Yes it's a concept album... All songs are related deeply to each other. As the north mythology contains many events, the first and second songs relate the creation of the universe... The third one tells about the great war of the Æsir and the Vanir that followed the creation... The fourth and the fifth, tells about warriors who dies in battle and go to Valhalla... The Sixth tells about the death of Baldur which lead to Ragnarök... And the last song is about the ragnarok itself...

09. You are from Tunis City in Tunisia. How big is Folk Metal music over there ? I mean for bands like listeners.

Nader:: ø

Rami: I think my answer of the 2nd question explains all!

Ahmedi: In reality; we are the pioneers of the Folk Metal in Tunisia... The tale as far is the first folk metal album in Tunisia. There's a small part of Tunisian metalhead who knows famous folk metal band.

Mohamed: By the way, we aim to enlarge the folk metal community in Tunisia.

10. Are you inspired by Raï Music ?

Belhassen: Raï music is the Algerian pop music as The Mezoued in Tunisia... But, these two kinds of music don't inspire us!

11. There are some nice Folk instruments in Tunisia and around such like Oud or Qanun (zither instr.). Do you plan to include them in your future records ?

All: We already used tha Qanun in the fourth track of our album. Achref BEN AYED played these parts. We want to thank him for his collaboration! And we are looking forward to use them in the future!

12. Do some members from the band know to play these instruments or others from Tunisia ?

Habib: Actualy, I'm Learning how to play the Oud and i'm far from being a good player! 

Belhassen: There is plenty of people in Tunisia who plays these instruments... You can find an Oud or Kanoun in every music band that plays Arabic music.

13. What is your opinion on Oriental metal? Would YMYRGAR play some Oriental metal in the future ? 

Nader: I appreciate Oriental metal when it fits with the appropriate metal gender as metalcore and progressive... And i'm for playing some Tunisian folk which it's not considered as oriental :)

Mohamed: Maybe there will be some oriental metal parts in the future.

Habib: Oriental metal is for me the fusion between two different kind of music and culture. However, i'm for adding oriental or either Tunisian influence to give the world a new taste of folk metal spiced with oriental!

Belhassen: I think Ymyrgar bear a tense flavour of nordic theme and folklore.. So I would avoid all subject that can opposite to this...

14. Tell me, what do you want to show with YMYRGAR to the world ?

Rami: the Arabic world is being ignored by other... To resurrect our metal scene in Tunisia, and prove to others about a Great metal community is in the Arabic world, Ymyrgar is a great way to show it!

Belhassen: Contrary to what Rami said, Ymyrgar is not one enough strong message or a proof to be exposed to the world.. I would say that it's simply a musical Project. The futur works will give the world a straight idea about our ideology...

15. How hard is it to play gigs in your area ?

All: Absolutely yes as the metal in Tunisia is not known enough to have gigs frequently.

16. Do you plan a tour in your country ?

All: Absolutely not...

17. What are your favorite Folk Metal bands ?

Ahmed: Turisas

Habib: Ensiferum (with jari maenpa)

Hakim: Ymyrgar

Rami: I can't answer such a trap question..

Nader: Oskord

Mohamed: Folkodia

Belhassen: Besides Ymyrgar, Falkenbach

Habib: Belhassen is being a bastard, because we all love Ymyrgar...

18. Do you plan to make one official video ?

Habib: We have actually one:

Nader: it's out of my consideration.

Ahmed: Why not...

19. What are your plans after releasing your first record ? 

Belhassen: practice more...

Habib: Chill out with the fellas!

Nader: To improve our rehearsal condition.

20. Thanks for the interview, YMYRGAR. The last words are yours! 

All: Thanks krissy for this opportunity!