Hi, first off all I just want to congratulate you with the release of "Altered State of Consciousness". 
How's the feeling? 

We are fine, serene and confident about the future. Things appear to be positive about our first release. 

At once, when I hear the name, I think science fiction, mathematical, technical music.
Indeed this suits the music at some point, and the visual part of the album (the booklet) shows it clearly. 

Yes, we chose this name for it has a science fiction feeling, and a metaphoric meaning, free of interpretation. For most of the songs, we kept this dual approach, cause we think important to let imagination be part of music. And we did the same with the artworks for a cohesion. About the technic part, we try to stay the most simple as possible, we just think some prog moments mixed with mid tempo can sound well. 

Would you care telling us about the elaboration of the concept for the band, and for the album? 

Being interested in SF and science in general, and open minded about non conventional theories, Stéphane and me thought that it would fit our need for a new band (different from Inborn Suffering, our other one). As we wanted something more melodic death than doom, with a rock groove, this was the perfect moment to combine it. In fact in the begining we formed a band named Mislead, but there wasn't precise idea or concept. The formation splitted up, and it's only then that Fractal Gates was born with a full universe to explore. Time after time we found various subjects linked to Science/SF, to begin a sort of story, like a concept album, all over the songs. For this reason we decided to add 5 short ambiant tracks, just for the immersion to be more accurate. Some lyrics are more metaphoric than others, like The Eclipse, compared to The Encounter in which some people could see their own experience. Every page of the booklet represent some of the visions we had while composing. 

Your musical upbringing and background? Your contact with the milieu as audience? 

Fractal Gates source of inspiration comes from the death from the 90', and from the actual melodic death doom. If we have to mention bands that inspired us more or less, it should be Insomnium, At the Gates, Amorphis, In Flames, Katatonia... But when composing we don't want to sound precisely like a band or a style. We just wanted to "sound like" swedish melodic death in the production, it is done in studio, not in composition. We have eclectic tastes in music in general. For exemple, trance music. But if you make trance you won't try to sound like In Flames. If you make melodic death you don't want to sound like Van Buuren. About the audience it begins slowly to grow. We began promoting the album more than a month before the release date, and already a lots of fans bought the digipak. Often, they like the fact that for a french band we sound different. Well, we sound swedish I guess. We thanks them for their support, and whish to see them in live the sooner possible! 

Your most memorable concerts, what moves you in music or live performances? 

Seeing Anathema, Desire, Saturnus, was very intense. Septic Flesh and Amorphis will stay in my mind as the live band with the best, and more powerful growls. And a special remembrance for The Birthday Massacre, which has been a unique experience. We would really like to see Shape of Despair, Insomnium, Ajattara, Draconian, Rapture... But some deserve more patience than others. And by the way, I think the best shows are the ones with just the light things, rather than the fire, explosions, lasers... Talent comes with simplicity. If you want to see special effects, a clip or a movie is better. That's the part of business parasiting the metal scene.   

French bands have seemed to gain a lot more interest from abroad this century. What can the reason be, according to you? 

Maybe the world is having more attention to the French metal scene, but it's not our case. I'm glad that formations such as Gojira, encounter success outside France. Though our favorite bands remain almost all in scandinavy, in particular Finland and Sweden. The reason why someone likes a music is personnal, and music taste is subjective. For me, French bands like Alcest, Amesoeurs, Himinbjorg, Carcariass, developped somehow a particular ambiance, in which technic, structures, melodies, styles, are part of the charm, rather than distinctive parts of personality. Some people like only a band if it sounds original for them, and spend their time comparing what they think are the influences with it. I think that's a pity, the essence of music should remain a leisure, a means to disconnect, to travel. 

Back in my days in Paris, I've been bothered by what I call a sectarian attitude, that consists in being a part of a clan, where one stands for their compatriotes in other bands, in a rather exclusive way.
Can you relate to this, and can you give a possible explanation to it? Can one for example blame this on the fact that the French metal scene has been on the edge of metal during long years (see previous question)? 

I guess those sectarian attitudes exist in every country. There are the ones who think that, for exemple, Black Metal is the only true metal style, and that the others are shit, and that fans of these other inferior styles are inferior to them. There are also the national fans only, supporting only their compatriote metal bands. A mix of both must exist, I let you imagine how cool it must be to speak with someone like this. 

Girls in metal? Any feelings about it? 

Girls should stay in the kitchen. No seriously, we're not fan of lyrical and theatral female vocals in general, but we really enjoy some like The Gathering, Draconian, Theatre of Tragedy, Avrigus... Female and male vocals can be used in dual in a same song, and if it's done with harmony it can be really good, no matter the style. I prefer the growls, but clean female vocals are often more beautiful than male, more sensitive. Some bands like Eternal Tears of Sorrow, For My Pain, used female vox on rare songs, and it adds a really touching dimension. These are my favorites from these bands. 

Many thanks for your time, and good luck in the future.
Your last words?

Keep the flames of innocence, simplicity and empathy. Enjoy the purity of Present.