Catamenia - "We wanted to kill the wolf!" - INTERVIEW

1.Congratulations for the new album 'Cavalcade'. You have released album just last year. Isn’t it too soon for a new one?
Ari: Thank You! In many other band’s case it would be, but we have used to this working tempo. Actually this time we started composing much earlier compared to most of past albums. I been always wondering how the hell some big names can spend over a year in studio and get nothing proper done? Let’s say that if we would be punished to wait three years before next album and one of those should be spend in studio, most likely that kills us in boredom. Or, there would be not double, but triple album with 140 songs, heheh.

2.What is the meaning of the title 'Cavalcade'?
Ari: In this case you had to inspect word ‘Cavalcade’ from whole different aspect than it’s meant to understand. Like in title song last line of chorus goes: ‘Broken heroes on the wings of history, watching another sorrow’s cavalcade’. As it always has been, that no one can conquer and rule without spreading innocent blood and destruction. We wanted to dig this little sting from celebrated victor’s heart and put it back as blades of conscience while all he killed are watching. It’s strange how books and stories introduces all the genocides and ravages of cultures as polished and are shown as great deed. Of course history is written by rulers, but let’s read the small text between the lines. We hit back and make people imagine those things from aspect of dominated one, what an nice view! Actually same thing is with present day, except now the force is money besides blade and of course as a horse of Troy works still good old religion. And still, no progress in learning from past! You can fall in one day, no matter how strong you are. Let’s take USA for example. They were so busy with negotiations for trademark of God, that they forget to pay the debts which their economy is leaning on. Now, about rest of the world owns them. So trust to that God of yours now!

3.I've noticed that the artwork of the album does not have wolves this time. This is something new for you, do you change the path?
Ari: Yes, we wanted to kill the wolf! In some point we realised that there is about ten bands using wolf as a trademark and that’s not unique anymore. Our music was changing and we decide that what the hell, let’s shake it for good then! This releases us from weight of past’s obligations and gave us a freedom to move to any direction we wanted. Now we have at least shown that it’s not the wolf who plays and makes the music, hehe. So, now there’s only nine bands with wolf as a symbol, hahah. Maybe…there is something new anxiously waiting behind the corner to be introduced as our ‘trademark’. See, no pressure with that either anymore, whatever will happen it happens then.

4.Can you describe what emotions and atmosphere will bring the new album and say something for each song (if possible)?
Ari: The golden point of this album would be that it carries you thru all emotions with their variations. Even thou it sounds simple on first listen, there are so many layers and meanings in musically and lyrically that it takes several listens until it opens fully. Best what you can get from this album is that on every listen you find something new or think other ways lyrics you thought you knew already. I don’t want to put words into people mouth or tell what you should feel and think with the songs. That would spoil the awarding feeling of discovering something new, sorry, heheh.

5.Days before the official release, I've found your album posted in some download sites, the bands normally hate this, but dont you think that this is some kind of advertising for you?
Ari: Eh, this is something that these days happens every time when band is releasing album. You just had to live with it, not fight with it (except lost case Lars Ulrich ). Of course it has good and bad sides. For us, cause we are not worldwide superstars, that is good promotion. Someone who wouldn’t normally ever bump to our music might crash with it this way. On the other hand, the quality of CD’s on download sites can be total crap. Also, with downloading you won’t help artists to continue their careers and support tours. The thing is, that more people buy real copies, we have chance to do tours and of course that can help us to get paid from work we have done. The ideal way to use download thing would be that people listen music from there, and if you find something you really like, then you go and buy real copy to support that artist. Of course there are cases when someone fights with surviving without money. I fully understand that he more likely buy the bread instead some CD. Actually, in those cases it is great if they get even little better day with music they like.

6.Did anything change for one year (between Time Unchained and 'Cavalcade') in Catamenia and in your lives?
Ari: Yeah, I think musically we are more mature now. Something unexpected just click and we changed our direction, all in good ways. Also we don’t use so much alcohol anymore. I calculated that we use ten percent less booze now. This comes ‘cause Riku quit drinking, yes yes, I know that it should make fifth, about 20 percent, but rest of us try harder now  All the respect to him for that. It’s not an easy task to be sober in this kind bunch of alcoholics. I see that as one reason for our musical evolution. Maybe it’s time to all of us to get sober!

7.I know that you are "far far away" from the black metal label (you've said that to me like a thousand times in the last interview :D), but I must ask what is the genre of 'Cavalcade'?
Ari: Oh shit! Now it’s even harder to categorise us. I don’t even try . Or hell yes…we play BlackNordicDarkMelancholicPowerMelodicTrashPunkShitClassicTripAlcohol-Metal! I’m not sure about that Trash, but what the heck, there it is mentioned anyways. Seriously, what about Melodic Nordic Metal?

8.Did you have any side-projects now?
Ari: No, I have already too much with my two dayjobs plus this. Our drummer Mikko has couple of sidekicks called Corpse Molester Cult and The Undivine.

9.So many line-up changes over the years,I think this is the best formations for the moment. What do you think?
Ari: Yes, this is THE line-up! Somebody lately said that ‘This time if someone gets los or leaves the band, it sucks big time!’. That sentence came after our ex-keyboardist desiced to stay in Moscow after one of our Russian tour and former vocalist missed his flight at Paris airport when we were going on a tour in Canada.

10. About two years ago when Mikko and I spoke on the phone, he told me that the next time you play here, he will bring me some finnish girl hidden in his backpak. Is there any chances...for the show again, not the girl?
Ari: Hahhah, well Mikko can’t get girls other ways than hijacking them into his backpack! Would be awesome to play there again and there are good chances for that. We are currently negotiating for few tours so there is possibility to gig/ gigs there. Let’s keep our bottles crossed for that!

11.It's kind of tradition lately - every band to release bonus DVD with their albums. Don’t you have enough video material to do it?
Ari: Hahhah, our video material is spreading around the Net! We hope that someday we can do another Live-DVD, because old one is bad and it doesn’t represent Catamenia well enough anymore. Also there are different plans for our tenth album and it will definitely contain shitloads of bonus material thru all these years. That’s something to keep you on your toes, right, hehe?

12. With this freezing cold in Finland, you must be really depressed. Is this the main stimulation for the music you create?
Ari: Nah, it’s only minus 16 degrees and that’s not so cold. Seriously, of course this northern dimension has it’s own influence on our music. But I see that the main thing is that there is right guys in the band. Like thru Catamenia’s history, if someone doesn’t fit perfectly in band, he won’t last long!

13. Any future activities?
Ari: Rehearsals of live set! Rehearsals of liver, that it won’t get used to this easy ‘not so drunken’ life! Rehearsals of live set! Rehearsals of liver…You know the drill!

Thanks for the interview.
You are the best !!!
Ari: Thank You Niko! Hope to see you soon on tour. We’ll pack some random Finnish girl at Helsinki airport to Mikko’s backpack for you 
Cheers!