Before putting my questions to you can I just say congratulations on making and releasing a fine album.

Thank you, it is always very nice to hear that :-)

It’s always exciting to be introduced to new musical talent so for the benefit of our readers could you introduce yourself?

Of course, I am Hugues Lefebvre, 24 years old, and I live on the French Riviera near Nice. I began the things with music when I was 6 at the Antibes music academy. I only discovered heavy metal when I was 16 with bands like Iron Maiden, Helloween, Dream Theater, Angra… At 22, I was in a cover metal band, but was a bit tired to play other people song, so I decided to create  a new band in a progressive metal way, where I will do everything by myself except drums. Anthropia was born at that time.

Your album is a concept album. I personally loved it and commend you for being artistically brave and driven enough to make it. Where did the idea for the album come from and how long did it take you to put it all together?

I met my good friend Quentin Borderie a few years ago. He created a great fantasy story and proposed me to listen to it. I was not a huge fantasy fan but just said “Why not?”. And I was completely captivated by his story and immediately thought “Damn, I have to put it in music!”. So after some work with Quentin about dividing the story in chapters, I decided to make nearly one song per main chapter. It was very interesting to see what musical idea will fit with such or such chapter, and after nearly one year of this work and composition the demo album was ready. Some may say that one year is quite long, but for this time I took my time and at the end I’m very happy of all the songs on this album.

You play all the instruments yourself except drums where you have used Damien Rainaud.He is a fantastic player how did you link up with him?

I met Damien maybe 5 years ago, we played together a couple of time and it was fun, cause this guy’s completely insane. When I started Anthropia I immediately thought that he could do the drums. He is quite young (21 years old) but he plays drums like no one. Actually I am very happy about the musicians I gathered now (Damien, Yann, Nath and Julien), they are very good players, we are about the same age (21 to 25) and we get along very well together. The perfect team!

I believe you have read my Hard Rock House review. I tried to get across to our readers how spectacular I feel this release is. On every play it rewards the listener. There is some fabulous riffing and arrangements. I could hear Queen,Metallica,Sabbath,Maiden and Dream Theater influences. Which bands first aroused your interest in music?

As a teenager I was a huge fan of Sting, especially the old albums, post “The Police”. It is only in high school that I discovered Heavy metal with classic bands like Iron Maiden, Helloween, Megadeth. With Angra I met the “progressive metal way”, and also more progressive metal bands Dream Theater, Symphony X. Recently I listen to a lot of old prog rock bands like Yes and Genesis. So nowadays I think that MY style of music is a mix between metal and those old prog rock bands, therefore my favourite actual bands are Ayreon and Pain Of Salvation. I’d like very much to meet Arjen (Lucassen) and Daniel (Gildenlow) for real, these guys are really idols for me.

You play some very tasty and exciting guitar on this album. You have a gorgeous meaty sound and the soloing is inventive and totally non clichéd. Could you describe your recording process and what guitars and effects you used?

Actually we began the recordings with the rhytm guitar, because this is the main intrument in Anthropia. So that I was really free to change structures or riffs recording it. Then came the drums, bass, solos, and the voice. It is true that Anthropia is very guitar oriented, that’s because this is really my favourite instrument and as I said earlier I play the guitar since nearly 20 years (I began by the classical one at 6) so as far as I remember I always had a guitar nearby. I guess that you can’t completely get rid of your first love even if you try to! For the recording I used a Jackson flying V, a Dean guitar and an ENGL amp.

Are you a self-taught guitarist and which guitarists inspire you?

I studied classical guitar maybe 10 years in the Antibes music academy, but from an electric guitar point of view, yes I am self taught. I had to learn again guitar no longer with nails but with the pick. Of course it was really easier because I had all the classical skills already in hands. But I remember that was really a hard time to master the pick.

For the guitarist, hmm for the classical one I’d say Antonio Lauro (I play his third Venezuelan Waltz on “The desert of Jewels”), Roland Dyens in a very contemporary style… and many more. In the metal scene, I’d say Kiko Loureiro and Michael Romeo.

The album is part of a trilogy. Have you started work on the new music and if so have yourself and your record label pencilled in any release dates?

I indeed began to work on the next Anthropia album, but actually it won’t be the Ereyn Chronicles Part 2. I’d really like to explore different atmospheres, eras, type of stories, just to make the fans travel. I don’t want them to believe that Anthropia only “knows”  about fantasy. The next album will be in a very contemporary world, and the story will be also actual. The Ereyn Chronicles is indeed a trilogy, but who knows when will the third part come. Don’t misunderstand me, I always finish what I began, but I will write the following of the Ereyn Chronicles when I feel the right moment.

As mentioned earlier you have handled all instrumental duties apart from drums on this release. Have you considered bringing in other musicians for the upcoming releases to help you record?

Well good question. I didn’t make up my mind yet. This is sure that I will stay “Anthropia’s main guy”, I have a lot of ideas and I exactly know what I want and what I don’t want in an Anthropia album, but yes, it would be quite interesting!

Could “The Ereyn Chronicles” ever become a viable live unit?

Yes, it already is. The band is ready for the live shows, and we wait now for some tour dates. We are all very excited about it as you imagine. The live versions of the songs will be quite different from the studios versions, because of course everybody in the band will add his personal skills to the songs. Well can’t wait for this!

A fun question I like ask is if you could form a band using any musicians from past or present who would you put in your line up and why?

Hmm only 4-5 persons? This question is too hard. At the vocals I’d say, Russel Allen, Daniel Gildenlow or Bruce Dickinson. At the guitar, well like I said Kiko Loureiro, John Petrucci or Michael Romeo. At the bass Jonh Myung, at the keyb Jordan Rudess and at the drums I’d say John Macaluso. Anyway, with such guys in my band I just wondered what the hell I am doing among them. :-)

If you were stuck on a desert island which five albums would you like to have with you?

I’d say a Genesis album, certainly Foxtrot, Close to the edge from Yes, The perfect element by Pain Of Salvation, The Human equation from Ayreon and maybe an album that I don’t know at all, but that has a great reputation. I know the others from A to Z so a new one would be a good idea no?

I compared you in my review to being a new Arjen Lucassen. I have had the pleasure of meeting Arjen and seeing him live with “Stream Of Passion” project. He has released many concept albums and like yourself is an multi instrumentalist and arranger who artistically has a vision and follows it through. I wonder are you also a fan of Ayreon and Arejens musical approach?

Absolutely, like I said I’m a great fan of Arjen. I’m not sure that our music is very similar, but his musical approach is great from my point of view. For me, being the sole composer feels really comfortable, and I guess he feels the same way. You don’t have to struggles hours with the other members about such or such idea, you just do your own :-)

Well anyway, I can’t wait for the next Ayreon album, I saw  on his website that he worked on this new CD and I’m sure that he will deliver us a great album as always.

Finally thanks for taking time out to answer these questions. Have you anything you would like to say to the readers of Hard Rock House?

Thank you to all the fans and all people who get interested in Anthropia, it means a lot to me. I’d just like to say that the tour is coming soon and the next album won’t take too long to be released, so… stay tuned!