Despised Icon Are Proud of Quebec Heritage

Posted on Sep 15th 2009 7:00PM by Amy Sciarretto Comments

In the province of Quebec, there are a few rogue sects of Canada's French minority who have proposed seceding from the country altogether. Death metal heavyweights Despised Icon hail from Quebec and are proud of their heritage -- but they certainly aren't secessionists! "There is a minority of Quebec that wants to split, because they don't fit in with the rest of Canada, who are English. But once you get out there and see something else, I think that I don't want to separate," guitarist Ben Landreville told Noisecreep during an office visit.

Vocalist Alex Erian concurred, saying, "I feel like I am more like someone from Quebec than from Canada. I see the differences. We have a different culture with our ancestors and our background. My dad's side of family came over from Egypt to Quebec and learned French, but nowadays, a lot of people who immigrate to Quebec get by by only speaking English. So the French language is beginning to die out, so that is an issue. I understand, but still, I don't want to be crazy about it."

Erian also showed us his hockey scar, which looks like an inverted smiley face. "It's like a smiley face that is bummed up, since it's upside down," he said. "I used to play hockey, but I got too manly and checked someone and broke my elbow. Then I discovered metal, and sports weren't cool so cool anymore. I played drums and recently, like a year or two ago, I started playing hockey outside with my friends every winter when we are not on tour. I am not the biggest fan, but I support the Montreal Canadiens. We have nothing else! No football team! And we lost our baseball team. I miss that."

The band's latest headcrushing opus, 'Day of Mourning,' is due out Sept. 22 on Century Media.

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