“We made our dream come true. I’m still on cloud nine!” Stephann Monceau, singer of the Laval heavy metal band Darken, struggles to come down. This Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 11 a.m., he and his four musicians set foot on Mainstage 1, the main stage of Hellfest, an unmissable festival for all metal lovers which takes place from June 27 to 30, 2024 in Clisson, ( Loire Atlantique).
“I felt intense joy”
The greatest have performed on this stage: AC/DC, Gun’s and Roses, etc. In a few hours, the group Metallica, headliner of the 17e edition, will come and perform there. “As a musician who has been playing in a band for over 25 years, being able to step onto Mainstage 1 is a real accomplishment!” rejoices, HP alias Henri-Pierre Bohers, bassist of the group. Another feat: this is the first Mayenne group to be able to play there.
Seven songs in 30 minutes
Stress could have overwhelmed them. Stephann Monceau, for his part, did not feel “only happiness! » In front of thousands of festival-goers, Darken played for 30 minutes, “not one more”seven songs taken from their latest album Welcome to the light. A set that the group has been preparing relentlessly for months. “As soon as we knew we were going to perform at Hellfest, we worked extra hard and rehearsed a lot, raconte H-P. All this work allowed us to arrive on stage very calm.” During the concert, not a single addict. “Everything was perfectly put together.”
Henri-Pierre Bohers will remember this unique experience as one of the best moments of his life. “The moment I played the last chord, I felt such intense joy. I looked up and saw all these people with their arms raised, screaming. I felt all the emotions in a split second. »
Writing the second album in progress
Ready for a 2025 edition? “But completely!” say the two members of the Laval heavy metal group in a burst of laughter. “We won’t ask ourselves the question twice, it’s a big yes,” outbids Stephann Monceau. We’ll have to wait a little longer to find out if Darken will be on the bill at Hellfest 2025.
In the meantime, the group is preparing other projects: “We are already working on writing the second album, announces the singer of the group. And then, we want to do dates and be invited to important festivals.” Attention fans: Darken will be taking to the stage at the V and B Fest’de Château-Gontier on August 24, 2024.
