DEADLY APPLES – A CONVERSATION WITH ANTOINE AND ALEX
Photo by Emmanuelle-Guilbault-Daif
By Ralph Beauchamp
Antoine Lamothe Composer/Drummer) and Alex Martel (Vocals/Lyricist) make up the rock/metal/industrial Montreal powerhouse, Deadly Apples. They have just released a new single entitled “Volatile” that is both devastating and melodic at the same time. It’s the first single off their upcoming summer album, DISTRESS. The full length was produced by Lamothe and mixed by Ben Grosse (Marilyn Manson/Depeche Mode) with pre-production helmed by Michael Beinhorn (Korn). It also features collabs with Danny Lohner (NIN) and Richard Patrick (Filter).
“Volatile” is fierce. Deadly Apples have infused it with a dark and menacing sounscape. The guitars wail with aggresive riffs while Lamothe’s drums hammer with a subtle brutality. Martel’s vocals are crushing. You can feel every ounce of his cinematic heat in every word. Even though the song delivers kinetic energy, Deadly Apples have left room for rich harmonic interludes of beauty. They distribute both musical approaches with a profound ease. Their “fire” and “water” mix well. If “Volatile” is the preview, DISTRESS will be a colassal piece of art.
Antoine Lamothe and Alex Martel were kind enough to sit with AMP for this in-depth conversation.
AMP: Can you give our readers a brief histoty of the band?
ALEX: We have a bit of an unusual history but in a nutshell, the current version of Deadly Apples was formed in 2017. That’s when we started playing tons of shows and festivals. We were able to tour with some massive artists. We released several EPs and during the pandemic we started to record an album. It’s finally here and we dropped the first single, “Volatile”. The full album comes out this summer. In the meantime there will be additional singles and music videos out.
AMP: Your new single, “Vollatile”, is sort of a dichotomy. The edges are ominous and hard hitting while the center features rich textures of elegance, Was that intentional?
ANTOINE: Yes! Of course! We like contrast and extremes. It not unusual for us to express both those features. First the verse gets built up. Then the pre-chorus gets louder and bigger but when you center, it becomes melodious. It begins hard hitting but when you get to the chorus, it slips into a valley. From there, we built the manic back in. We love extremes!
AMP: The video for “Volatile” exhibits a forbidden sexuality. Who developed the storyboard?
ANTOINE: Alex came up with the idea in a black and white format. Just a basic idea. I took that and made it into something more elaborate. I liked his ideas but I wanted to push it a bit further. As to the cinematography and editing, I wanted a more duotone effect. We didn’t have a lot of money to spend on the shoot. So, we had to become really creative. We decided to go with an 80s background mixed with a latex fetish sensuality.
It was a strange setup. That’s what I liked about it. We wanted to create this dirty uneasy feeling. The whole shoot was more like a performance because we wanted to showcase the band’s intensity. Everything turned out really well and it spotlighted Alex’s cool acting ability. It focused on everything we are all about.
AMP: Deadly Apples is dropping a new album, DISTRESS, this coming summer. Can you give us some insights into the release?
ALEX: It’s a very very dark album. In different ways, both Antoine and I were going through some dark times in our lives while recording this album. It’s reflected in both the music Antoine composed and the lyrics I wrote. I think “Volatile is a good preview. There are some songs that are a little bit heavier and others that are more melodic and accessible. Even though we live in a “singles” kind of musical universe, it was still important to us to not only make sure the songs worked well by themselves but also tell a cohesive story. That we felt was a must.
In addition, we got to collaborate with a bunch of amazing artists. Antoine produced the album. Ben Grosse mixed it. Danny Lohner of NIN played all the guitars and bass. Richard Patrick of Filter added additional vocals on “Volatile”. We are very proud of this record. The reaction to “Volatile” has been great.
AMP: As you just described, you’ve collabed with a bevy of top tier talent. Is there a current artist you would love to work with?
ANTOINE: I know who Alex is going to say.
ALEX: There are a lot but definitely Trent Reznor. We are a big fan of his art. There’s so many! If you are speaking current artists, there is Ghostemane, Ho99o9 and I could go on.
AMP: What is your creative process like?
ANTOINE: I start writing on my own in my studio. That’s how I develop my ideas. Most of the times, I sing on the rough drafts. We call them the “na na nas”. On the other side, Alex is working on the lyrics. Then I combine the two and create the melody. Usually, it works. He trusts my music and I trust his words.
AMP: How would you describe the band’s internal energy?
ALEX: Dysfunctional! But somehow we make it work. The dysfunction affects everything we do including the music, videos and live performances.
AMP: Your shows have been labeled as electrifying. What is it about being on a stage that makes Deadly Apples so captivating?
ALEX: I feel many bands, especially in the rock world, get on stage and just play their instruments. That’s it. Which is fine. I have nothing against that. But for me, when I get on stage, it’s therapeutic. In a way, it’s like an exorcism. I really get into a different headspace. That’s what make the shows so intense and unpredictable. We’ve been lucky enough to open for the likes of Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie and Korn.
A lot of the times, when concert goers catch an opening act, they usually don’t give a fuck. They’re not even paying attention. What we noticed is when we opened for these larger acts, people stopped what they were doing and put away their phones. They would say, “what the fuck is this”. That’s a common comment at our performances and it shows we are doing something right. We are immediately grabbing their attention.
AMP: Do you feel the Montreal rock scene is nurturing?
ANTOINE: Not for us. I think we’ve played more in South America than our own city. For some reason, we are different from all the other bands in Montreal. Maybe Alex knows why this true.
ALEX: I not sure how to say this in English but in French it kind of goes like, “you have more success away than at home”.
ANTOINE: It’s like Celine Dion. Early in her career, she would sing in French in Montreal. Everyone was literally laughing at her. She learned English and went to the US and Europe. When she returned back to Montreal, all of a sudden, she was the best singer in the world.
ALEX: That being said, I feel there is more and more people here at home who now love our music and support what we do. We definitely see a difference.
ANTOINE: I remember going to Tokyo and having people following us with our pictures in their hands. In Peru, we were signing autographs in the street. Nobody was waiting for us in Montreal when we came back. Hopefully that will change.
AMP: What’s next for Deadly Apples?
ALEX: Our full album, DISTRESS, will come out soon. Until then we will keep releasing singles and new music videos. The next single drops March 14th. There will be some touring including festivals. Also, we will be playing Welcome To Rockville in Florida. It will be an exciting year.
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