CARDINALS FOLLY (Eng.)
1- Hello, thanks for answering to our questions. What are you guys currently up to?
Hails! We´ll release our second album “Our Cult Continues!” through Shadow Kingdom Records in August. We just made our live debut with the new line-up. More gigs are being planned for second half of the year. The new album is our strongest effort so far, and we´re really pleased that Shadow Kingdom was also interested to release a T-shirt bundle along with the CD. Because the cover arts are awesome. Our drummer Sebu put all his effort into those as a last gift to this band: he departed the band six months ago. But our current line-up is the best one so far and the atmosphere in the band is healthier than ever before.
2- First off, could you make some history of the band?
I started playing doom metal with a few friends back in 2004. Those were funny times. We made a few demos under the name of THE COVEN. We got thrown out of our first rehearsal place because they found all our beer bottles, it was a youth joint and we kinda like seemed sleazy as well. When we got Sebu to play drums back in 2007, I invented the name CARDINALS FOLLY and things hit a major spot for us. We made few EP´s, and after the “Orthodox Faces” EP in 2009 we got offers from labels. Then we recorded our debut album “Such Power is Dangerous!” that came out in 2011. Last year we also released “Strange Conflicts of the Past”, that compiled the EP´s together along with unreleased stuff. Handful of gigs also appeared. You know, sometimes doom metal bands say they haven´t developed at all, but in our case it´s different. We´re like a crazy uncontrollable weed that grows from random places, while spreading it´s stenchy riffs from hell. But the growth is always present and nothing can prevent this twisted force of nature. So we must go on – power walk through this doomed wasteland!
3- How could you describe your sound?
It´s heavy. But were not talking about this amplifier worship stoner doom-type of heaviness. We´re talking HEAVY METAL, not a purposeful attempt to be as loud as possible. But we also mix some epic and black metal influences into this traditional heavy doom metal sound. Our bass sound is striking and penetrative. I want to play bass like a lead instrument would be played, not just join the wall of sound.
4- What are the band’s main musical influences?
This continues the previous question nicely. As I was just thinking about our possible references. I personally like my gods of metal as: BATHORY, BLACK SABBATH, VENOM, SAINT VITUS, ELECTRIC WIZARD, REVEREND BIZARRE, BURZUM, IRON MAIDEN, PENTAGRAM, TORMENTOR, ANCIENT RITES, BEHERIT, CATHEDRAL… and I think ALL the afforementioned bands have given me something on the way. And many more, of course. I think also some martial/classical music like DEATH IN JUNE, CURRENT 93 and RICHARD WAGNER have influenced me in some weird, but heardable way. We like to do atmospheric intro tracks to our albums and they give room for experimenting too.
5- How is the feedback for your new album being?
Actually I´ve only heard positive things about the sample tracks that people have heard and commented. I think this album is pretty daring actually. It does have plenty of our unique charm, but as things tend to develop and take their own turn, this album is far from any other doom album you have heard. I easily have the guts to say that, because it´s true. You can´t jump a bandwagon here – we´re pretty fucking unorthodox on this album. Maybe as much as we can get? We do what we want. It´s NORDIC DOOM METAL HEAVINESS with gas pedal! THE CULT OF RIFF / PRIESTHOOD IN ME / THE NORDIC WRATH / MY HIDDEN HAND!
6- And are your personally satisfied with the final outcome?
We wrote all the material with our guitarist Juho, who is my writing partner in the band. Save for one part that our previous guitarist Sami composed with me before his departure. We actually composed all the songs inside six months! We had a good flow going and every track felt like it meant something. We combined our riffs and jammed together a bit. The ending result is something I never would´ve expected and yet something that sounds 100% CARDINALS FOLLY. So yes, I am satisfied. This is truly a unique album. I normally hate it when bands say that – it´s become a stale trend. But I can´t help myself in this case. I like it how we were able to stretch the borders of our work and carry the same spirit to new places. I also feel the song themes and lyrics experienced exactly the same thing.
7- How could you describe this opus in just 3 words?
Do not separate the words, they belong together: HEAVY – DOOM – METAL!
8- How has the production process for your new release been?
Our previous guitarist Sami who played guitar on “Such Power is Dangerous!” is our sound guy. We cooperate with the recording, mixing and mastering. He
no longer had the time for the band but we remained friends and he has still things to give to this band behind the soundboard. Everything went smoothly with him once again and the sound is crushing. Honestly, while I feel we completed a special album I can say that working it was just like having fun with good guys. For the past 2 years, the band has been fun. Yes damn, FUN. Our themes and our more-or-less mystical image is a solid part of the band. But one has to remember where it all begins. Stick your feet hard into the ground and enjoy blasting those riffs. That´s what should happen before anything else, and now I remember that again. I think we had many difficult years, but I had to walk through them to make something happen. Now the band is through that therapy and we are enjoying ourselves.
9- And how do you use to work on the songwriting?
I´ve always written our songs, but it works out best with a good writing partner. Right now we´re fucking strong on that department as our musical interests meet where it matters. Like I said, we wrote this album in a few months and we could´ve done more tracks surely. But we usually never dropped songs and wrote more than ended up on the album, every song must have it´s meaning. We will find out that meaning, work it through and through and finish the song with pride. We´ve written more stuff after this new album and it only keeps getting better!
10 – Finally, what are you near-future plans?
Well, now I must reveal that our next release is already almost done. It will come out in 2015. It´s not a full-length album though. We hope to get some good live opportunities. Maybe even abroad, finally? I´m sure that good opportunities will arise…
10- That’s all from our side, thanks again for taking your time to answer our questions. If you now want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
No problem. Check out CARDINALS FOLLY and you will be surprised!!! Doom metal must not stagnate, it must be as exciting and interesting as it was back in the days of the metal gods! Everyone knows what doom metal is about, but not everyone fucks around with it in strange places. We do! “Our Cult Continues!” is a doom metal album of the kind you have NOT heard yet, and thus you must do so!!! Buy those damn records, live the life, doomed and right! You can find us on FACEBOOK to follow our deeds and BANDCAMP offers you some tasters of our work. HEAVY METAL IN OUR HEARTS.
http://www.facebook.com/cardinalsfolly
https://cardinalsfolly.bandcamp.com/
