Interview NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

At L’UZINE in Rennes, a revered venue for metal music, Redha Menassel meets Mathieu Bonfardin and Marlène of the Nantes based atmospheric doom outfit NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. Their debut album Brief Is The Light, released in 2024, earned notable attention, and the band are now preparing their second record, expected around October 2027.

Redha : Mathieu, Marlène, good evening. You are due on stage in roughly an hour. How are you both feeling at this moment ?

Marlène : Very well indeed. I am genuinely happy to be in Rennes. This is the first time NDE have played outside Nantes and its immediate surroundings, so we are expecting something special

Redha : No nerves at all ?

Marlène : They usually kick in about fifteen minutes before going on stage. For now, I am completely fine, everything is still under control

Redha : Same question for you Mathieu

Mathieu : I would be lying if I said I was completely relaxed. Right now I am fine, but about half an hour to an hour before going on stage, when the previous band finishes, I can feel the pressure gradually rise. Still, everything will go well

Redha : The NDE project began as a solitary endeavour during the Covid 19 lockdown. Can you take us back to that moment ?

Mathieu : In May 2020, during the first lockdown, I suddenly had a lot of time working from home. I had long wanted to compose my own music. I had played in five or six bands before, but never really as a composer. I realised I already had everything at home, guitar, drums, piano, so I started building riffs and seeing where it would lead. I wrote a few pieces and the project slowly took shape until January 2022

Redha : Was that idea already present before the pandemic ?

Mathieu : Yes, for quite a long time. I had the desire to create something that truly belonged to me

Redha : At first, did you imagine a solo project or already a full band ?

Mathieu : It was not initially intended to become a band. But as the material developed, I understood it needed to exist on stage with real impact. That is when the idea of bringing in other musicians naturally emerged

Redha : And you eventually meet your first vocalist, Anne Soazig Couëdel

Mathieu : Several singers had tried out before her. I was not even certain I wanted a female voice at the beginning. But when I heard Anne, it became obvious. That was exactly the sound I was looking for, a gothic doom direction with a clear lyrical female voice, no male vocals

We then formed the band with Frédéric Paume on lead guitar, Jonathan Prudhomme on rhythm guitar, Anne Claire Lambert on bass and myself on drums. The first rehearsal took place in May 2022

Redha : So that marks the official birth of NDE

Mathieu : Exactly. We then rehearsed intensely for a year. In parallel, I completed the album composition, and we played our first concert in June 2023 in the Nantes region during la Fête de la Musique on 21 June.

Redha : Was it difficult to move from a solitary home studio process to a collective project, opening your personal universe to others ?

Mathieu : Not necessarily easy, no. But I was fortunate to work with people who were genuinely motivated and who understood the artistic vision. In the end, everything came together quite naturally.

Redha : In 2024 Brief Is The Light is released. The album explores rather heavy subject matter

Mathieu : If you ask me why I chose those themes, I honestly could not give you a definitive answer. I became interested in near death experiences, a subject that has always fascinated me. To tell that story, I imagined a woman victim of domestic violence who finds herself suspended between two worlds. It allowed me to explore both the paranormal and emotional trauma. I have always been drawn to series such as The X Files, so that universe naturally influenced me

Redha : In 2024 Anne leaves to pursue other projects and Marlène joins the band. How did that meeting happen ?

Marlène : Very simply, through an online advertisement. At the time I already had a band, but I was looking for something more serious and better aligned with my voice.

Redha : What were your musical influences ?

Marlène : I come from a classical background, piano training. When I entered metal in my early twenties, I discovered symphonic metal. Like many girls of my generation, Nightwish was a major gateway into that world.

Redha : I cannot avoid the long standing debate that has fuelled endless discussions online for decades. Between Tarja, Anette and Floor, who do you consider the greatest Nightwish vocalist ?

Marlène : Floor Jansen, without hesitation. She is extraordinary. Her versatility is remarkable. I am fascinated by what she can do vocally and on stage. What is most impressive is that she seems to do it effortlessly, even though we all know the level of work behind it.

Redha : How did your integration into the band unfold ?

Marlène : Mathieu had a very precise artistic vision. I had to understand his internal framework and rethink certain aspects of my vocal approach. We took the necessary time and eventually found the right balance. Today it works very well. Sometimes things simply need time to settle

Mathieu : To be honest, during the first audition we were not fully convinced, not because of her level, which is excellent, but because she interpreted the material differently from the first singer. After detailed feedback and a second audition, it became obvious. It was her

Marlène : I arrived with my own influences, more oriented towards power metal. I had to adapt my identity to fit NDE. Mathieu’s guidance helped me enormously.

Redha : Let us move to the second album. Where do things stand ?

Mathieu : I did not pause. I finished the first album in September 2023 and started the second in October. The composition is now complete. We are currently in the mixing phase.

Redha : That is often the most difficult stage

Mathieu : Yes, because it is the longest, while all you want is to finally share the result. I believe there will be a significant qualitative step forward compared to the first record.

Redha : What themes will you explore this time ?

Mathieu : It remains centred on the same character. This time she finds herself lost between past, present and future.

Redha : Still a concept album then

Mathieu : Yes, ten tracks. Marlène has contributed a great deal. Vocally there is a clear evolution, especially in the choirs. We have introduced new instruments, cello, organ, blast beats, faster and more aggressive passages. It is no longer strictly traditional gothic doom.

Redha : Has the creative process become more collective ?

Mathieu : Much more. Several members have contributed compositions. Four of the ten tracks were not originally written by me. Everyone also takes part in mixing decisions.

Redha : So it is no longer Mathieu and friends, but a real band

Mathieu : It has always been a band on stage, but now it is also a band in composition.

Marlène : The first album had strong qualities, but when one person writes everything, certain patterns inevitably repeat themselves. Now different sensitivities meet. For me it is far more stimulating, both in lyric writing and vocal work. I have truly been able to express myself.

Mathieu : An important point is that Marlène wrote all the lyrics for the second album. She had complete freedom, which allowed her to adapt the texts precisely to her vocal lines.

Marlène : I had much more freedom. I could write directly in response to the music and develop my own approach.

Redha : Is a release date already set ?

Mathieu : October or November 2027, most likely. We still need to complete recording and then handle everything with the label, videos, lyric videos, artwork, booklet and promotion

Redha : When will NDE play in the Hellfest ?

Mathieu : If you have Ben Barbaud’s number, feel free to pass it on, I will call him immediately, laughter. Every musician dreams of Hellfest. But before that we need more touring and more visibility outside Nantes. We remain in a fairly niche scene. I hope the second album will help us move up a level, but I prefer to stay realistic

Redha : A final message for your Algerian fans

Marlène : It is a beautiful journey. We make this music because we love it. We try to do it as well as possible and to enjoy the process. What comes next will come

Mathieu : Thank you to our Algerian fans who already follow us. Keep supporting us, listening, and following the band’s news. Five years ago I could not have imagined being here, with two albums, a label, releases in Japan and the United States, and such talented musicians around me. If the journey continues, that is wonderful, but we are already very proud of how far we have come.

Interview by Redha Menassel 

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