Behind the emergence of an intriguing genre of music are the trio of Matthieu Kirby, John Fine, and Hugo Peix, currently known as TSS. The French metal band with a twist of K-pop were known to earlier fans as The Summer Sadness and took on more of a synthpop sound before shortening their name and producing heavier music. They’ve just released their first full-length album, END OF TIME, under Fearless Records with features from Windwaker and CVLTE and songs such as “Something in the Way” and “KILLING ME.”
I had the chance to interview TSS and ask them about their inspirations, collaborations, and their new album out today. Be sure to catch TSS on tour here.
MSM: How are you feeling upon the release of END OF TIME?
TSS: We're really excited about the album release. The songs we've unveiled so far have been really well received, and we're really proud of the ones that come with the album. We've worked really hard on it and we've managed to find our sound and our identity, but also our team with our new label on the one hand, which supports us and gives us incredible freedom, and the artists who work with us.
The music videos for “KILLING ME” and “SOMETHING IN THE WAY” are very similar in concept, both taking place in a rundown lab/hospital. What’s the story behind this?
As you may have noticed, both songs were filmed at the same time, in the same locations. We wanted to recreate a Ghost in the Shell or Final Fantasy VII feel in these two clips, and the setting lent itself perfectly to this, with the spaces between hospital and abandoned hangar, the cables, the suspensions, and also through our outfits.
What was it like collabing with CVLTE for your song, “DEAD!”? How did you connect with each other?
We've been friends with CVLTE for several years now. We're big fans of each other and we've been saying “we've got to do a feat together” for as long as we can remember! So when the opportunity finally presented itself, and the song fit, we went for it. We shot the video in Riga, Latvia, and invited Aviel, the singer from CVLTE, to join us. It wasn't the first time we'd seen each other, but it was great to meet up again. In fact, we'll be playing live with them for the first time in Japan at the end of June, a few days before the album's release. It's a dream come true.
Which song on the album means the most to you?
We all have our little favorites. For my part (John) I think "So Long My Friend" is the most unique song in our repertoire. It's particularly touching for me. We started composing it years ago, and the track has evolved so much since then. We've almost completely redone it several times. For my part (Kirby), it's our single "Killing Me." It's sort of a combination of the style of music, vocals, theme, lyrics and structure that I've always wanted to achieve. The result is exactly what I wanted TSS to represent, and the track has been extremely well received. It's also the track during which I feel the strongest connection with the audience at our concerts.
What made you shorten your name to just TSS in 2021?
At this point in our career, we were changing styles, moving from singing in English to singing in French, and also targeting a predominantly French audience. We wanted to give the band a modern touch with an original name, easily pronounceable by everyone, whatever their mother tongue. But we also wanted to keep the idea of The Sunday Sadness.
How do you decide which lyrics to write in French and which to write in English? Do you write in one language and then translate to see what fits better?
John usually sings in French and Kirby in English. The reverse can happen, as on "Fantasize" or "Notes In The Dark," but that's generally how we proceed.
How did you come up with the blend of goth and K-pop for your aesthetic? Who are your influences in those styles?
We all grew up in the alternative universe. Whether it's visual kei or new metal, with Dir en Grey or Linkin Park, we've always looked to bands with very specific clothing and aesthetics. K-pop is a kind of consecration of style and beauty, and as we're a bit of fashion addicts, it was obvious to us that it was a model to follow. We also liked the way K-pop groups present their members and give them importance. Freeing ourselves from the concept of “the front man and the others” in a way. As for the gothic inspirations, they just come from our personal tastes. We just think it's too beautiful. There's no claim behind it. Pure visual beauty.
What inspired the switch from synthpop to metal?
As mentioned above, we grew up with metal. In fact, the very first songs we wrote for the band were emocore. We wanted to explore the world of synthpop, even embrace pop. Then we went back to our roots. It was quite natural, and I think we're better at what we do today. Maybe more sincere too.
What was it like touring with bands such as Set It Off and Point North?
It was incredible. It was our first real tour and our first dates outside France. We were scared because we were the first openers on the tour. We were “the little ones.” In the end, everyone was incredibly kind to us. Whether it was the band members or their crews. We learned a lot from them too, they have a lot of experience and it shows. It was really impressive. The way they played with the audience and so on. They became friends and we have indelible memories together.
Where do you hope the release of this new album will take you? (In terms of success, opportunities, etc.)
Our next objective is to tour the USA. We hope the album will enable us to tour in good conditions! The dream would also be to reach the ears of our favorite artists. Maybe collaborate with them or follow them on tour. We hope the album will take us a step further.
