French death metal act The Bridal Procession has only begun. Starting as a mild deathcore act, their recent release _Astronomical Dimensions_ has turned many heads and pushed open new horizons for the band. Steve Garner elaborates on the transformation as well as the consequences of those decisions. Garner also discusses jazz records, natural hazards and French cuisine for visiting dignitaries.

CoC: There was a change in focus from your first demo _Introduction to the Procession_ to this new release. This includes your music, logo and visual themes. Was there any drastic event which added in this process?

Steve Garner: We get this question quite often obviously, and the answer is pretty simple. Back when the band started we were all sixteen or seventeen for the most part, and not incredibly skilled at our instruments, but wanted to jam. We made it happen and gathered together to write some fun-to-play songs with the abilities we had at the time. Then we parted ways with the three latter members (Raph, Ilker and JJ) for various personal or musical reasons, and because both founding members wanted to explore music for more than just "fun". So we sat down and wrote for a good couple months and _Astronomical Dimensions_ is what came out of our minds, and we couldn't be happier with the result. We spent months as a two-piece band just like the first days, and it felt good to be in control again. Then the addition of all actual members which are all our best friends made it that much more amazing to be sharing a band together.

CoC: Has the redirected style opened new doors for the band (or closed others)?

SG: It definitely closed doors on our older fans, which sucks because they were the first ones to support us, but musicians have to evolve in order to feel complete. Otherwise you will just find yourself in a rut and sound like that huge amount of bands that never change a single aspect of their music and end up sounding like a copy of their own band. But obviously, it also opened new doors for us, which we are very excited about, and hopefully some old doors might open again in the future.

CoC: Because I made mention of this in my review, I have to ask you about it. The cover for _Astronomical Dimensions_ is ridiculously insane. Is the band particularly fond of cataclysmic natural hazards? How about the breaking of Pangaea?

SG: Yeah, we are really into all sorts of atypical behaviors and events. The breaking of Pangaea is an incredible process and pretty much made it possible for the human race to come to life in a good way. Or may I say less awful... 'cause let's admit it, all of us on one and only one super-continent?

CoC: Would you say any one style dominates the band's interests or influence?

SG: Not really, as we wouldn't like to let ourselves get influenced by one or very few bands which would automatically make us sound so familiar. But bands like Morbid Angel, Nile, Vader, Dark Funeral all the way to Between the Buried and Me, Job for a Cowboy, Through the Eyes of the Dead all had their times in our stereo during the writing period.

CoC: Was there one particular album that could be considered the main influence for The Bridal Procession?

SG: I could never narrow it down to one single album, unfortunately, because there is so much to be influenced by, really.

CoC: Are you fond of any one particular band which is also on Siege of Amida? Have you had the chance to play shows with any of your label mates?

SG: I don't believe we ever played with a SoAR band, even though we were supposed to tour with Martyr Defiled a couple times, but it never went ahead. We really love Traces. But bands like Diskreet, The Breathing Process, Ingested and Ageless Oblivion are amazing too, and the rest is just as crushing, really.

CoC: I would like you to recommend me an album regardless of style... but the rules are it has to be before 1980.

SG: I'd say _Kind of Blue_(1959) by Miles Davis. Incredible artist, really.

CoC: Now I would like you to recommend me a movie from the last three years, as well as a suitable place to eat if I would ever visit France.

SG: Tough one... newer movies aren't really my thing, but let's say "Angels & Demons" released in 2009, which is the sequel of "The DaVinci Code" (2006). Both are some of my favorite movies, with two of my favorite actors Tom Hanks and Ewan McGregor. As for a suitable place to eat, you would be in France, everything is good everywhere.

CoC: What is on the horizon for The Bridal Procession? Will I be talking to a new band one year from today?

SG: No. The second album that we are writing right now definitely follows the path of this debut record. We just polished it a lot more and the result is a far more innovative, technical and appealing mix.