CARONTE (Eng.)
– Hi, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to? How is everything doing right now with CARONTE?
Hi, thank you for asking us to explore some details of our latest work. Church of Shamanic Goetia has just been released and we are curious to know if our message will be received, how and by who. We are waiting to see who will pick up the symbols and will take them at the gates of the temple.
– First off, as I guess some people won’t know about you yet; could you please make some history of the band and tell us the meaning behind its name?
Caronte was formed about four years ago. Me, Henry and Tony saw Mike play with a psychedelic band of our town, Shinin Shade, and we immediately hired him for this project.
The name Caronte comes from Dante’s Divine Comedy, a novel with strong characteristics hermetic and esoteric, the greatest literary work. Caronte is the one who brings damned souls across the river Hades, if they had received proper burial.
– Later this month, on Samhain, you will release your newest album. What are your expectations on it?
Of course you are right, we have deliberately chosen the Samhain to release our album. We would like that this album arrives at many people as possible, and that these people may to be part of it and get in touch with us and our philosophy.
– Even though «Church Of Shamanic Goetia» is just your second album, I think is an opus that steps away from the most obvious musical influences (shown on your debut), and a solid own identity draws nearer. Do you feel like with this release you’ve found the actual sound of CARONTE?
When we started writing this album all of us in the band were in a very particular time in our live. Stress, exertion and weakness have left our minds in perfect condition to create and establish a strong connection between us. In our rehearsals room and not this connection has grown and is come out this album , to which all of us are really fond also on an emotional level, all people near the band have noticed this. I believe that this is the sound of Caronte more than ever.
– One influence I think is still present is that certain ELECTRIC WIZARD flavour, but you also mix really different elements so, what could you say have been the main musical influences for CARONTE?
We are influenced by 70s rock ‘, from the other bands of the doom scene, from heavy metal classic, we are influenced by some dark band and some experimental drone / ambient / noise. That’s what you can find in our van when we go around playing. We have played with Electric Wizard several times, and I have also had the pleasure of organizing some of their show in Italy and, of course, we have their albums on our van at full blast!
– The cover artwork holds a lot of symbolism. Would you mind to tell what does it represent personally to you and how did you work on it?
The symbol of the philosophical and esoteric beliefs that you can see on the cover of this album is thinked by me and made graphically by the person who has always followed our graphics, he is Tumulash (Fides Inversa, Kult). It is a symbol that embraces every meaning of philosophy, alchemy, shamanism and the occult (with a focus on Hinduism and tantra)
– Digging deeper into this opus, focusing on the album’s title. How much has the Ars Goetia and Lesser Key of Salomon inspired it?
Ars Goetia and Lesser Key of Solomon are two essential books to approach the meanings contained in this album, and in these lyrics. They have a magical power that open up even the more clouded minds if analyzed with due care. This is an album with references to magic and contain a new interpretation of some esoteric concepts. It ‘s the result of year of studies.
– It also seems like you take inspiration from the Easthern philosophy and doctrines according to songs such as «Handecheyapi» or «Black Mandala», is it actually like this?
During the course of studies on shamanism I came across and enjoyed the Native American culture and that of Hinduism and tantra.
They are very present just because the esoteric theory of the Church of Shamanic Goetia refers to a combination of concepts from three schools, Thelema, Shamanic and Tantric.
Delving into these readings I had to read the philosophy of the East and the West.
– In fact your lyrics have always death with occultism and philosophy, and this time you make no excepcion. Due to this I would like to know where do you draw inspiration to create your compositions on a more conceptual sense.
Our lyrics depart from the rooms of Theosophy. His concepts related to some anthropological studies, magical and shamanic led me to theorize a new way of see all things and a new way of mixing several powerful magical elements that are found in each of these practices. Church of Shamanic Goetia describe the path of a proselyte of this philosophy in seven steps (7 songs) where he becomes from man to god, with knowledge.
– According to the Interent you are inspired by the works of Aleister Crowley. What other occultists and philosophers are an important part 
of CARONTE?
Helena Blavatsky, Eliphas Levi and the order of the Rosacroce, Alice Bailey,Native American culture, the writings of shamanism and tantra. The other schools with particular emphasis on those related to Satanism.
– All this about «Church Of Shamanic Goetia» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Fuckin Shamanic Doom
– This has been your first album with Ván Record, a bigger label compared to your previous one. Do you think this time the album will reach more people?
Definitely. All of us in the band are fans of Van Records from long time . We have album and limited editions of Devil’s Bloood, Castle, Urfaust, Necros Christos.
We love all her artists and we are really proud to be part of it.
– Last 2013 you were a Fenriz’s «Band of the Week». What did that suppose for the band?
I’m sure that this thing of Fenriz has helped to shift the focus on us. I am the first to discover interesting bands on Band of the week. It was great for all of us.
Underground that supports underground is the future.
– And finally, what are your near-future plans?
We just returned from some dates in Germany, Austria and France the promotion of the new album. We are now focused to plan a European tour for next April and before of the end of the year will come out ‘our second video for the song MAA-kherû’s RIBIRTH and we’ll announce other interesting stuff.
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Stop thinking, take your time, inhale, exhale. The cosmos is inside you.
