Code666 Artist Cult of Erinyes Interview is up
1. Being a new band to my readers tell us a bit how you came to be?
Corvus : Cult of Erinyes is a Black Metal entity created in 2009. Who we are and how we met does not matter. We already have four releases (a mCD, a split album, two full lengths). We focus on recording but we played 5 shows with bands like Code, Enthroned, Aura Noir, Lifelover, Aosoth, Glorior Belli etc.
2. Cult of Erinyes is a mix of post black metal, avantgarde and prog metal with so very gothic and orchestral elements? Has the sound evolved a lot?
Corvus : To be honest, I don't listen to post black metal and I do not like goth music. Not that I hate it, I just don't care. My personal taste in music is a mix between "traditional" bands (Mayhem, Emperor, Dissection, Craft, Armagedda etc.) and some avant-garde/prog bands like Code, DHG, Enslaved, Blut Aus Nord, Darkspace, Deathspell Omega etc. Our sound is in constant evolution and I'm sure that our next release will have another specific vibe. I always use different amps for each release in order to keep the sound fresh and, I hope, personal.
Mastema : I do relate with some of these influences, but not all. For instance there are no orchestral elements whatsoever in our music, and I believe what you call "gothic" mostly refers to some of the atmospheres on the record and not to specific musical elements. Undoubtedly our sound has evolved and will continue to evolve. Evolution is both necessary and natural for us. I don't understand bands who keep on doing exactly the same thing over and over (with some exceptions such as AC/DC). It's not something we really think about, like "we should be more old-school" or "we should have more lead guitar and clean vocals". There are some discussions between Corvus and me regarding the main direction of an album, which are based on what we've done before and would like to change or improve, as well as on our desire to try new things. But this process is very natural, really. You know, when you create music, there's a lot of "testing the waters": at first you follow your guts, you try things out without thinking too much about it. By doing that you immediately realize what is interesting and what is not, what fits and what doesn't. And the things that are interesting are usually not accomplished, you must work on them, improve them so that you can fully materialize the idea. You mustn't be lazy, when you find a gem of a good idea, you must concentrate on it and work until it becomes something truly interesting. Naturally, production also helps to evolve and we've improved in that area too. Contrary to popular believe, it seems, the key in that area is to have the right sound, not the biggest sound.
3. Is there a theme or story behind the tracks on Blessed Extinction?
Corvus: I can only talk about the music because Mastema is fully responsible for the lyrics. Each song is the reflect of some strong and negative emotions emerging from my unconsciousness. I always try to be as much disconnected from everything as possible. The core of each song comes from single sessions where my mind is lost somewhere, only following what has to be followed.
Mastema: There are both a story behind each track and a common theme linking all songs together (without it being a concept album, though). I won't go into each specific story, the listener should interpret them the way he wants. The common thread on the album is the extinction of mankind, but seen from a positive perspective. As a relief, a logical conclusion to the pile of filth this world has become. Man follows a downward spiral he seems unable to stop, thus this pathetic degeneration will logically end tragically. But "extinction" should be understood as an image: not necessarily the end of mankind (although it can also mean exactly that) but the end of this mankind. We strongly believe a brutal revolution with completely shake this world up one fine day and dramatically change it (and so it should). Will this happen in time before mankind's self-destruction? That is the only question that remains.
4. How did you come to work with Code666?
Corvus : They simply contacted us one year ago. I was VERY pleased with the way LADLO Productions handled our first album so it was a real dilemma. For the moment, I'm very happy to work with Code 666, they let us do what we want, the way we want and when we want. We have a 3 album deal, so it will be a long term collaboration. Time will tell if it was the best choice, but I'm confident it will help Cult of Erinyes to spread its music to a wider audience.
5. In the band I hear a lot of bands like Code, Gorgoroth and D.H.G. what influenced the band for the current album?
Corvus : The three of us have been strongly influenced by some bands, it would be stupid and pretentious to claim the opposite. But for Blessed Extinction, I felt more confident about my own abilities and I sincerely hope that we are able to propose our own "aura". However, I'm sure people will hear our main influences (Emperor, Mayhem), and I'm comfortable with it.
Mastema: Those bands are without doubt very important to us, we will actually open for DHG at the release party of Blessed Extinction on October 25th in Brussels! Code and DHG are fantastic flag-bearers of intelligent and avantgarde extreme metal and they can only be an influence to us. I would add to that more traditional BM bands. Not necessarily Gorgoroth though we enjoy a couple of their records, but certainly Mayhem, Emperor, or even Burzum and Immortal. I must admit I still relate to the Norwegian scene the most, but we are influenced by some other very interesting scenes too, such as the Eastern BM bands (Drudkh, Hate Forest, Negura Bunget, etc.) or the fantastic French scene (Blut Aus Nord, Deathspell Omega, Glorior Belli,...). I also believe our influences stem from different genres, such as thrash or heavy metal, or even southern rock. Not to mention non-musical influences.
6. Where do you see Black metal heading in 2013 is it becoming more underground or changing into something all its own again?
Mastema : We don't pretend to be some kind of "spokesmen" for black metal. Black metal has become multifaceted and I'm not necessarily opposed to that. One thing is certain, there are way too many BM bands in the world nowadays. A vast majority of them is absolutely uninteresting and should cease to exist. It seems many people have very low standards and are content with rehashing what the old Norwegian or Swedish bands were doing in the early 90's without emotion nor soul. Regarding the direction BM will take, I believe it will take numerous directions. There are some traditional, old-school bands which I find extremely pertinent today, such as Taake, Mgla or Drudkh. But there are bands that mix BM with other influences which I also find extremely interesting: Code, DHG, Negura Bunget, Blut Aus Nord or Aborym are a few examples. There really is no recipe nor guidelines, BM has always been about precisely the opposite of that: no rules, complete liberty, true emotions raw honesty. Authenticity doesn't follow any rules: it's either there or it isn't! I only have one hope for the future, which is that the weak will be eliminated and only the honest and bravest outfits will be celebrated.
7. What is the band listening to anything that would throw our reader for a loop?
Mastema : Baal doesn't listen to much music at all, I believe. Corvus and me like many bands with very different backgrounds. Black metal, naturally, but also thrash, progressive, industrial or progressive music, or even classic or southern rock. I listen to almost any type of metal... which doesn't mean I like everything! I believe you have to know what you don't like before knowing what you do like. Hell I even listen to pop once in a while and I'm not ashamed to admit it.
Corvus : The Beast of The Apocalypse (Henosis), old Anaal Nathrakh, Wormlust, Drudkh, Rattenfanger - just to name a few.
8. Are you fans of the digital age or do you miss the 90s underground extreme music world of trading and paper zines?
Corvus : You'll find pure shit and pure quality on every support (Internet, magazines, fanzines). Internet is not the main issue. The way people are using it is just wrong. Humanity seems to have lost its ability to FOCUS on something like reading a whole book or listening to a whole album. That's a shame and I'm sure History will speak about our generation as the beginning of the end of an era. You'll find more devotion in fanzines but some webzines are excellent.
Mastema : Pretty funny question because it's like you think we're old geezers, haha! We are quite young, we're not even 30 except for Baal. So I've never experienced tape trading or anything related to the "old days", I was born too late for that. But once again, I think the whole debate around technology focuses on the wrong things. It doesn't matter if you use digital technology or the most advanced tools in audio recording. What matters is that you use it right! I don't care too much for overproduced albums because they often hide poor musical qualities. But there are many incredible albums with a thick sound! Same thing the other way around: it's easy to have a horrible "garage" sound and call yourself "true", but it doesn't mean anything if your music sucks (which is often the case with such bands). Technology is and should always be nothing but a tool; what truly matters is the quality of the music and the heart you pour into it. A brilliant artist or a brilliant record will always be brilliant, whichever tools are used.
9. Is image and ideals as important as the music for Black metal or does the music do all the talking for the bands that matter?
Corvus : Image, ideals and music are strongly connected. A bad image can literally destroy all the hard work you put into your music. Don't get me wrong; I HATE bands that hide their lack of talent with a pseudo ideology and/or a strong image. Liars will always show their true nature and I hope the audience will make the difference between posers and bands that have a specific aura.
10. If you could make a long form Dvd for the band what would you want it to look like and would it be live show or a written story with music as the back drop?
Corvus : I would ask Dolmanseh (the dark spirit behind our videos who runs Thousand Lost Civilization) to make one video for each of our songs. I'm still amazed with what he did for Insignificant and The Glowing Embers and I would be honored to see more of his work on our music.
11. Do the members of Cult of Erinyes record or perform in any other bands or projects?
Corvus : Yes! Our drummer Baal is playing drums in Rodeo Machine, which is a chaotic rock band with some electro elements. I'm starting two other black metal entities, very different from Cult of Erinyes. It's way too soon to talk about it, because other people are involved in them, but I'm sure we'll be able to unveil some music in 2014. I have shitloads of songs in other musical styles so maybe I'll try to record them in a proper way with some other musicians. Time will tell.
12.What is the music scene like where you are from ?
Corvus : It's always difficult to say because I'm not a guy that goes to a lot of shows etc. However, I strongly recommend Emptiness, Monads, Yhdarl, Dehuman. Just to name a few.
13. Thank you for your time any closing thoughts here..
Corvus : Thanks to you. And thanks to those who listened carefully to our past and present releases. Hails!
Mastema: Thanks for the interest and the interview. Thanks also to our fans and to anyone who'll give this record a listen. Cult of Erinyes has plenty more to come, stay tuned...
Comments