Information
Author: Mourning
Translation: Bosj
Line Up
Peter Droneberger - Bass
Paul Droneberger - Drums
René Kramer - Guitars
Wolfgang Weiss - Vocals
Cadaverous Condition is an Austrian band that didn't emerge from the underground scene, even if they have been active for twenty years and a production which changed during the years but keeping its quality by inserting always new elements, so let's know more about them taking advantage of their new album "Burn Brightly Alone".
Welcome on our website, how is having been active for more than two decades and still looking at the future?
Wolfgang Weiss: It really feels odd, our look at the future is the same as it has always been: bleak!
But it feels good to have done what we did and followed our own path, all these years.
Your roots are based in extreme genres such as grind and death, can you tell us the story of Cadaverous Condition? How were they born, how did the evolve and what are they aiming for?
When we started in 1990 we were very much part of the Grind/Death underground scene, but came too late to gain commercial success, with our first album (1993) we already were a bit different, in style and image an we took it from there. We did a lot of weird releases along the way but consider us mainly a Death Metal band, but one with a weird twist.
An album like "Burn Brightly Alone" perfectly represents the modern extreme, it combines fast parts, elegant ambience, calm passages and also some catchy parts. How can you manage all these things together? Was it difficult to compose it and how did you write the lyrics?
It is just our natural style, we have always worked with acoustic guitars, but not in a Prog/metal sort of way, always more in a kind of singer/songwriter and Neofolk approach. We deliberately reduced double bass drum parts this time, although we in particular hadn’t that much anyway in the past I think all this fast drumming is hugely overblown, boring and over-done. It also takes out much of the heaviness in Metal music. I think the new album has more heavy doom influences than ever and of course still some odd ideas thrown in as well. The lyrics are mainly the same as always. Songs about death and love and hate and belonging and longing and occult things and times.
England, the mother country of Death In June, Nurse With Wound and Current93, marked your sound in a particular way. How did you discover your love for this scene? Which are your favorite albums?
Well, so much excellent music comes out of England of course, Scotland, too. I came across Death In June and all those bands in the early 90ies, there was a whole world to discover and I fell right in. After all these years I still love Death In June and some of the others but as a whole that scene has run its course. Favourite albums of those above, hm?
DEATH IN JUNE: "But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter" if I can only choose one!
CURRENT 93: "Thunder Perfect Mind";
NURSE WITH WOUND: "Soundpooling" as it was recorded live in Vienna, when I met them all for the first time.
For the song "We Both Go Down Toghether" you chose Mark Breyer for the vocals, a more "popular" solution for a catchier song?
No. Because Mark is a very good friend and has a voice of silver, so sad and melancholic. He released and releases hauntingly beautiful music with his bands SKOOSHNY and SON OF SKOOSHNY, both among the most underrated musical groups ever. You should definitely check this out, his music is fantastic. I planned to work with him for years and The Decemberists coverversion "We Both Go Down Together" was the perfect choice for us doing a weird duet. He sounds so great on it. He also sings some lines on "Shine Unseen, Then Disappear" one of the most important songs of the album.
The more death oriented parts have something doomy in them too, maybe the decay and the melancholy, and in some way the romanticism too. Which are the bands you listen to in about this genre?
The best Doom Metal band of all time for me is REVEREND BIZARRE. They were classic doom BUT with a twist of their own and excellent weird ideas. And they had great vocals, something most doom bands do not have. All praise to them. Apart from that I do not really listen to that much doom stuff, but I very much like the epic BATHORY material of course, some CELTIC FROST we all like, LORD VICAR is great, COUNT RAVEN, first CATHEDRAL, early PARADISE LOST (“Gothic” and “Shades Of God”), but not so often anymore. BLACK SABBATH like everyone else, too.
Are you satisfied of your work? What did you think about it after having listened to it for the first time?
With "Burn Brightly Alone" we are really very satisfied. As an artist you especially judge the sound and production of your own work and this one really turned out great this time. As I am fond of all our past songs as well, I do not like the production on all our past releases as you can imagine.
Who made the artwork? I really like the colours and that sadly hot image.
The cover photo was taken by myself.
In the modern Metal world in which mixing more genres is quite usual, how can you reach a compromise that allow your personality to prevail on this musical mix?
We do not mix genres, we wouldn’t know how to do it. It is just our style, a melting pot of influences that spews out primitive music. Sometimes aggressive, sometimes melancholic, always true.
On your website, on the area dedicated to the presentation of the album, at the end I read these words: "This Is Not Just A Compilation Of Songs, This Is Our life", so how is your life? How does it reflect on your music? Are there any moments in which you think "am I here or into a song of mine?" ?
It is what it says. These are not just some songs thrown together quickly in the rehearsal room with some makeshift lyrics on top. This is truly what we are, this is our blood, our soul, our passion. CC songs are the diary to my life. And I am more or less ALWAYS in a song of mine, these are no fantasy lyrics. This is for real.
Speaking generally, which is the worst thing in the musical world in your opinion? What is that thing that in the last two decades made the interest in buying decrease, along with the knowledge and deepening of the musical culture? I think that unluckily this is a problem of the art in general.
The worst thing in the musical world today is the band VAN CANTO and all Rondò Veneziano orchestral keyboard Metal bands with awful singers.
How was "Burn Brightly Alone" received by the critics and your fans? Did you receive any strange comments?
It has just been released and response so far has been very kind, there are a chosen few people who really are very much into our style and ideas and lyrics which like the album a lot and that is the most important thing for me. Many bands that have been around for a while cannot deliver good new albums, but we became better with age.
Did you already play your new songs in some gigs? Any comments about this?
No gigs these days.
Will you make a supporting tour? And maybe will you come in Italy too?
No gigs, no tour. Italy would be lovely, but sorry, no. If you can organize a gig on Capri, however, we could change our mind.
Which are your favorite albums of all times?
I cannot answer this question as it is too difficult for me, so I will give you my favourite albums at the moment (October 2011), ok?
BURZUM: "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss"
BAND OF HORSES: "Infinite Arms"
THE DECEMBERISTS: "The King Is Dead"
DEATH IN JUNE: "Peaceful Snow"
40 WATT SUN: "The Inside Room"
plus many more...
Who are Cadaverous Condition besides the music? How is your everyday life?
A struggle, just like the band.
Thanks for the time spent with us, the last message for our readers is up to you.
Thank you for your interest and remember: real evil is done by men in suits.
www.cadaverouscondition.com
www.facebook.com/CadaverousCondition
http://cadaverouscondition.bandcamp.com/
www.myspace.com/cadaverouscondition
