Interview Lafayette

Formed in Lyon by former extreme metal musicians, Lafayette blends raw aggression and deep melancholy. Their debut EP Deliver Us channels emotional intensity through high-speed metalcore with heartfelt precision.

1. Lafayette was formed in Lyon in 2024. What brought you together at that specific moment, and what sparked the creation of this project?

All four of us had bands in the extreme metal scene. These projects had been around for some time but had lost their real momentum for progress. During an evening conversation, we talked about: "Hey guys, why don't we start everything from scratch?".

That's how LAFAYETTE was born in 2023.

2. Your debut single A Soul With A Gun immediately set a powerful tone. What message or emotion were you aiming to convey with that track?

The 2 main emotions we seek to convey in our music are: Violence and Melancholy. We have tried to maintain that contrast as a guideline throughout the composition of our first album DELIVER US.

3. Your sound blends screamo, metalcore, nu-metal, and other post-90s influences. How do you strike a balance between raw aggression and emotional clarity in your songs?

We mostly trust our ears. If what comes out of the studio suits us, we keep it; if we don't like it, we throw it away. This balance between aggressiveness and emotion comes quite naturally, to be honest.

4. Your first EP Deliver Us is set for release in March 2025. What can you tell us about the writing and recording process? Is there a particular theme or narrative running through the EP?

We composed all thos tracks over the last 6 months of 2023. The writing mostly took place in the studio, where we were all together to exchange ideas, discuss and create. The songs came together quite naturally.

The themes addressed are quite in line with the music as the songs mainly talk about complex romantic breakups and the different emotional states that those who experience them go through.

As you can see, we remain in that emotionally intense register.

5. You cite influences like Alpha Wolf, Architects, and Norma Jean. What have these bands taught you about channeling emotion through heaviness?

Those bands are a small part of our influences, but they are a good wrap of what our music conveys. The main lesson we draw from that “new” scene is particularly regarding sound production. In these very contrasting styles, bands can quickly encounter technical difficulties to convey the desired emotion. Those bands have shown us that it is possible to sound very percussive while also conveying a lot of emotion.

6. You've already shared the stage with bands like LANDMVRKS, RESOLVE, and BLACK BOMB A. How important is the live experience to Lafayette’s identity?

We all come from a live-oriented scene, so this is a big matter for us. We invest a lot of energy and work to make our live performances impactful. We are at the beginning of the adventure, so we still have a big step to take on this.

We are currently thinking a lot about scenography so to offer an interesting live experience to the audience. We'll see where it takes us, but we are not setting any limits.

7. You’ve got an exciting run of shows and festivals in 2025, including Sylak Open Air and Nuclear Fest. What can audiences expect from a Lafayette live show?

Watch out, LAFAYETTE plays very fast! Bands that explore high tempo with such a brutal rhythmic approach are rare in those metalcore/hardcore genres. Our shows usually leave a mark on that specific point.

8. Your music sounds both technically precise and emotionally intense. How do you maintain that energy and sincerity in the studio environment?

We are continuously searching for new equipment, new recording techniques, and new composition methods to succeed in conveying this emotion despite some parts being quite technical.

One of the major strengths of LAFAYETTE is our ability to provide hard work to master songs to perfection. It requires a lot of hours of practice, a lot of hours of rehearsals, and a lot of hours in the studio, but we are convinced that it pays off.

So far so good ? Yours to tell !

9. Lastly, what do you hope listeners take away when they first hear Lafayette and your upcoming EP Deliver Us?

We aim, like all groups, for a 'wow effect'. More sincerely, we hope that people feel emotions when they listen to our music.