Equilibirum have just finished up an extensive European tour with melo-death titans Dark Tranquility. Whilst the tour did not hit UK venues, I got the opportunity whilst over in Paris to have a quick chat and a few beers with the lovely people from Equilibrium after their performance on stage to a packed out La Machine. Big thanks to Claire for organising this and also to tour manager Makki for sorting everything out on the day with es and also rescheduling.
We’re coming to the end of a very long tour for yourselves. Does it get more difficult as tours go on to deliver each night or do you find that you get the energy to perform each night from the audience?
Robse: For me I can say I still have the power and energy to perform each night like the first day. I don’t know how as I drink a lot of beer and eat a lot of different food each night but I’m fit and can still give a lot of power on stage.
Dom: We also have to it that we don’t get totally wasted every night on the tour. We have some beers and then we go to sleep after that. We save our power for the show and don’t really party much afterwards.
With it being 2 years since Armageddon, have you started work on the new album?
Dom: Yes, we have indeed. We don’t have a release date for it yet and I don’t think it will be done this year. Maybe in 2019 it will be released. That’s the reason why Rene is not here with us on this tour. He’s working on the new album as he does all the writing for the albums. I think the replacement we have for him on this tour has been doing really well.
If you mind me asking, how did you get endorsed by ESP guitars, Dom?
Dom: I’m not a founding member of Equilibrium so this occurred before I ed. I’ve been with ESP guitars for about 8 or 9 years now. I dropped them a message and applied for an endorsement which they were more than happy with. Over the years I slowly upgraded my endorsement and before we started this interview I was actually just messaging them about maybe getting a new guitar. I love the guitars and am really happy to be endorsed by them.
And yourself, Robse, how did you get involved with EMP?
Robse: I just be myself and wear a lot of the EMP clothes. Sometimes I model for them and it’s good fun.
What have you guys got planned for the next six to 12 months?
Dom: We have a few festivals planned in the summer.
Robse: Not so many, about 6 or 7.
Dom: We also have 2 possible offers for tours which are further afield which we’re not sure if we can do due to the new album but we will see. It would be cool to get them.
What would you say is one ambition that you have yet to achieve as band?
Dom: I think it’s impossible to set your goals. Of course, as the band gets bigger the goals get bigger and you always want more. At the end, even after you have achieved the goals, you still have goals that you have yet to achieve! When I was younger, I had goals of “Oh I would like to play at Wacken and I would like to play at Summerbreeze” and now that I have done those I’ve got more goals!
What would you say is your favourite beer to drink on tour?
Robse: Erm, for me I would say yesterday and today was Leffe. I had a Belgian beer yesterday which was really nice. We have a lot of shitty beer in but I do enjoy a nice cold beer.
Dom: I don’t really drink a lot of beer, I prefer Jack Daniel’s with coke. I don’t mind Heineken as you can drink it and you don’t have a full stomach after drinking it.
If you had to create your own beverage to take on tour what would it be?
Robse: It would be a beer. It would be tasty, 6%, just big bottles and it would have a mini-fridge on the bottle as I like cold beer.
Dom: For me, because I’m not that picky it’s a bit more challenging. I’d just go for a simple Jack Daniel’s and coke in my own style though.
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