From Loreenna McKennitt and Denez Prigent to Pink Floyd and Dream Theater passing through more Heavy sounds of artists like Opeth, Emperor and Wardruna the Franch Oneiric Folk artist Thomas Boissier (Wegferend) picks the 10 records that changed his life.
01. Loreenna McKennitt – “The Mask & Mirror”
02. Denez Prigent – “Dao Dezi” and “Irvi”
03. Pink Floyd – “Wish You Where Here”
04. W.A. Mozart – “Requiem”
05. Dead Can Dance – “Toward The Within (Live)”
06. Rammstein – “Reise, Reise”
07. Dream Theater – “Systematic Chaos”
08. Opeth – “Watershed”
09. Emperor – “Anthemn To The Welking At Dust”
10. Wardruna – “Runaljod Trology”
“The 10 albums that changed my life (in order I descovered it)“:
01. Loreenna McKennitt “The Mask & Mirror” (1994):
“I don’t remember the day when I listen to this beautiful gem for the first time. I was a little child and I
was mesmerized by this enchanting voice and all the folk instruments in this album! There is something
magical in the Loreena’s music. This Dame, this Sorceress is one of my greatest inspirations!“
Loreenna McKennitt – The Mask and Mirror 1994 (remastered 2004):
2) Denez Prigent “Dao Dezi” and “Irvi” (1996 & 2001):
“Denez is a breton singer (Bretany is a celtic region in west of France) who popularized Gwerz. The gwerz
are a king of a sad and poetic songs in Bretany. Something very spiritual and melancolic. I descovered
Denez with my grand-father at age of 3 with the compilation Dao Dazi and his song “Ti Eliz Iza,” later
with this absolute beauty “Irvi” openned by a featuring with Lisa Gerrard (there is no coïncidences).
Since all this years, his voice guide me, between our world and that of the Spirits.“
Denez Prigent – Gortoz A Ran (From “Black Hawk Down”):
03. Pink Floyd – “Wish You Where Here” (1975)
“Somewhere in my childhood, I listened to this incredible masterpiece with my parents, in front of a
splendid sunset. I remember the way of the guitar sound of Gilmour propulse me among the stars and in a profound state of peace during “Shine On Your Crazy Diamond.” As a young drummer (14 y.o), I
learned the album in its entirety. Pink Floyd is my favorite band of all times (especially the 70-80’s era).“
Pink Floyd – “Wish You Where Here”:
04. W.A. Mozart – “Requiem” (1791):
“I think I don’t need to introduce this emblematic Requiem-Mass by the legendary Wolfgang-Amadeus
Mozart! It was my first concert ever, with my grand-parents, in a little chapel in Lance (east of France). I
was something like 6 or 7 years old. I was amazed by the orchestra and the choir and I remember I felt
ridiculous and small, I remember all the diferent kind of emotions released by what I was listenning to!
Something powerful, with all the Univers’ grandeur… Today, for me, the most beautiful version is that
was conduced by William Christie, played on period instruments. It was my first connexion with Classical
Music.“
Mozart – “Requiem in D Minor, K. 626: II. Kyrie”:
05. Dead Can Dance – “Toward The Within (Live)” (1995):
“Once again, it was during an evening with my grand-father I descovered this sublime live!
My first contact with the Gothic Music. This live is a strange blend of traditionnal instruments, New Age
music and Heavenly Voices. The balance between the cold and melancolic voice of Brandan Perry and the
powerfull and emotionnal voice of Lisa Gerrard. I had the luck to see Dead Can Dance twice in concert (2013 and 2019) and it was an experience that forever changed me!“
Dead Can Dance – “Rakim (Live Remastered)”:
06. Rammstein – “Reise, Reise” (2004):
“We always listened to Rock and Hard Rock music at home (Pink Floyd, Genesis, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin,
Matmatah…) but before I listened to « Reise, Reise », I never listened to Metal Music. I discovered it by
a friend of my family, in 2004, I was 11 y.o. I was scared and fascinated by the power, the heaviness and agressivity of the sound (if I known, in this time, what I’ll listen to, some years after…), amazed by the melancoly and dark poetry we can feel on this album. It was fascinating ! A blend of something poetic, brutal and provocative in the same album!
During all my adolescence I was a great fan of Rammstein and this band gave me the passion for Metal
music!“
Rammstein – “Rammstein – Reise, Reise (Official Lyric Video)”:
07. Dream Theater – “Systematic Chaos” (2007):
“Between 2004 and 2007 I listened to many Metal bands listened to by all the adolescents of this time!
(System of a Down, Epica, Godsmack, Slipknot, Rhapsody…) and when I discovered Dream Theater
(thanks to the uncle of one of my best friends) my vision of music and drumming changed forever!
Portnoy arrived to combine grooves and terrible technical feels, it was crazy for me and I remember to
have work on this songs during countless hours.
This album (not the most aclamed on their long discography) opened for me the doors of progressive
Metal and technical things to play. in hindsight is not something I still listen to, too much demonstration
for me, but this band and this drummer have changed my life!“
Dream Theater – “In The Presence Of Enemies, Pt. 1”:
08. Opeth – “Watershed” (2008):
“Here we are: my favorite Metal band ever. With my friend Marine (the graphist of Wegferend), we
discovered Opeth for the release of « Watershed », the last Death-Prog album of their discography. We
listened to « Porcelain Heart » in a Rock-Hard Mag sampler and I instant wanted to listen to the whole
album!
When I did it, I realized it was the Music I was looking for since many years. Something combining
progressive/technical elements and more profond and emotional things. More darkness, more melancoly,
more delicacy in the sound and in the compositions. I’ve found the perfect band for me and, still today, I
love every albums of their discography, I saw Opeth 8th time live in 2022 (for the XXXth anniversary
tour) and I’ll go again when I’ll find the chance!“
Opeth – “Coil”:
09. Emperor – “Anthemn To The Welking At Dust” (1995):
“During many years I don’t arrived to understand Black Metal. The dirty sound, this wrath and the blast
beats… It was not possible for me.
But one day, a friend gave me this giant album from Emperor and I tried again. What’s a kick in my face!
The orchestrations, the powerfull of the sound, the drumming, the voice and this feeling of incantations,
invoking dark spirits and primitive power… Since this moment (maybe in the end of 2011) I love Black
Metal music, I’ve accepted the raw sound and I found a form of reconfort in his dark hate. This subgenre
influenced me a lot for my composition’s parts in Wegferend.
In concert, Emperor it’s a blowing experience that I recommend!“
Emperor – “Anthemn To The Welking At Dust”:
10. Wardruna – “Runaljod Trology” (2009 – 2016):
“I cannot dissociate this three parts of the “Runaljod Trilogy.” When the first chapter “Gap Var
Ginnunga” was released I thought “okay, this is a new step in Folk Music.”
Einar Selvik tooke time, during 6 years, to resurect old instruments by archeo-reconstitutions. This
instruments, assosciated with the old Norse culture, was giving something Shamanic, deep and spiritual
“something old to make something new” like Einar saied in concert.
Wardruna clearely change my vision of music ! They remembered me we can mix spirituality and music,
we can compose new music with anciants cultures, myths, History and instruments. They reconsciliate my love for Traditionnal music and Metal. We can play both together in an acoustic way!
Wardruna – “Ár var alda”:
“In 2017, with these ten milestones (and 10 was hard to choose I could have talked about Therion,
Porcupine Tree, Iron Maiden, Primordial, Amorphis, Arkona, Solstafir, Pain of Salvation, Meshuggah and many more) I joined Alexia and Manon in their Folk project to really bring Wegferend to life, all three of
us.“
