Interviews : Cadaveria

The split with Opera IX came pretty much out of nowhere. Black Opera was the band's strongest and most critically acclaimed release. What went wrong that made you depart the band?

Simply a personal incomprehension started inside the band. Me and Flegias didn't agree with the behaviour of the other three members and with some decisions taken by them regarding the future of the band. Things could not work in that way, so me and Flegias took the decision to leave the group.

How soon was Cadaveria, the band, formed after you left Opera IX?

When we left Opera IX we immediately started thinking [about] giving life to another band. We still had the will to play and enjoy music, and we wanted to create a "free" space where [we could] let our unexpressed ideas become concrete. After about three weeks Cadaveria was already formed. This new band represents the right dimension to express our artistic projects, with no ideological restrictions.

Did you have a difficult time finding the right people for Cadaveria, or did everything fall in place from the beginning?

To complete the line-up was in fact quite easy. We already knew Killer Bob and Frank Booth: [Killer Bob] 'cause he is the bassist of Necrodeath [the band where Flegias sings since its reunion], Frank 'cause he is the owner of the studio where we had recorded Sacro Culto in 1998. They immediately accepted to be part of the "club" and we knew they were the right people we needed to realize what we had in our mind. Killer Bob introduced Baron Harkonnen to the band, and with him the group was ready to kill.

The Shadows' Madame is an interesting title for an album. Is that how you want yourself to be described?

The album title isn't directly referred to myself, even if some aspects of this imaginary figure can be found also in my personality. The Lady of Shadows is a sort of symbol of totality. Intellectually speaking, she is the mistress of spiritual knowledge: she rules darkness and knows all mysteries of existence. She is passionate but combative, fragile but ready to fight, and finally she is a timeless entity. The album title is a metaphor for the entire album: it suggests the dark, symphonic, and powerful atmosphere of our music and lyrics, and it looks at the past, at the present and at the future.

The cover art for the new album displays some similarities to the artwork on Sacro Culto, if I am not mistaken. Both of them represent the female body in dark and mysterious ways yet, without the dull elements seen in the artwork of some of today's bands. What is your so-called "purpose" for posing on the album covers and not just employing the old-fashioned way of having someone do all the artwork for the album?

Personally I find the two covers very different, maybe 'cause Sacro Culto photos had been projected by ourselves [and I can remember all the steps and personal efforts we did to realize the work], while for The Shadows' Madame cover, we contacted an artist who professionally makes this kind of stuff. In this second case, the quality of the result is artistically superior than all our previous works.

Yes, both the covers shows the use of a real photo instead of a drawing, but it's just 'cause we prefer to reach surrealism starting from the reality of an alive body, and 'cause photos are more interesting to manipulate then drawings. I spent one month on my computer [trying] to realize all the artwork, modifying photos by Robert Gregory Griffeth [the American artist who made the photos], mixing them with the band photos, and setting all the lyrics, line by line. I didn't pose for the photos; it's not me on the cover.

Anyway the "purpose" behind all this work is the fact [that the we want] to be involved in all the aspects of the CD making, to personally follow all the work, and in the certainty to give a more global portrait of us as artists through the images we create. The visual component is very important for us, it completes the music.

What is the concept behind The Shadows' Madame cover?

It embodies the essence of the imaginary feminine presence evoked in the title: an enchanting figure with the claws to scratch, fight, and hurt.

The Shadows' Madame has more of the groove in the guitars and relies less on the keyboards, which makes it a less "gothic" and more thrash metal endeavor. Did you always wanted to write heavier songs, or was it more of a spontaneous thing, where the five of you just got together and started playing whatever came out of the speakers?

Well, when we founded Cadaveria, me and Flegias already had some ideas to start from, like some riffs, some vocal melodies, and some song structures, but the main work was done first in the rehearsal room, then in the recording studio, where every band member added his personal touch and moulded the tracks according with his own personality and style. Only after the first mixing we were able to really appreciate what we had composed in eight months of full immersion. Some keyboards parts have been taken off to let the voice and the guitars be more present and exalted and, finally, the sound is more sharp, direct, and heavy...and we like it!

The classical intro to the "Spell" sounds fantastic. What is it?

It is a short part of the chorus from La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, an Italian melodrama I like very much. I know every part of it 'cause I studied it at the art school, and I saw it so many times in theatre.

Are you a big fan of the classical music?

I'm not an expert, but my family has a discrete collection of classical music and I learned to appreciate it during the years.

What is the song-writing process like for Cadaveria? Do you come up with the lyrics and then the rest of the band puts it into the music, or do you actually write music as well?

The song-writing process of The Shadows' Madame has been quite strange. First, I recorded a long series of vocal melodies on a small recorder and I gave the tape to Frank Booth. The majority of the guitar riffs were born this way, transposing my vocal parts on the guitars, harmonizing, and arranging them. At the same time, I wrote all the lyrics. My ideas have been the first input for other ideas coming from the other band members, and along the time the songs have been manipulated, contaminated and revised, and finally they reached a steady configuration.

Your lyrics, for the most part, deal with things that are of occult and witchcraft. Is that something that is relevant to you in life outside of the band?

Obscurity is part of myself. The lyrics are very personal, so it is natural [that] they deal with my interests, my believes, my memory, and my credo. Magic itself is seen from my individual point of view, in relation to my personal experiences. The main themes of The Shadows' Madame lyrics are the energy inside and around us, the power of spirit, evil, death...

Would you say that this time around, Cadaveria created music that is a bit more accessible to a wider audience of metalheads?

Our music is a variegated mix of different influences, and the different musical background of the band members is the main responsible of this. Maybe the fact [that] our sound is not easy to define and doesn't belong to any precise genre, enables our music to reach a larger entourage of people. You just need to be a bit open minded...

The Shadows' Madame contains influences anywhere from thrash to death to even black metal. What is your favorite genre of music to listen to? What contemporary or older bands?

Death, Dissection, and My Dying Bride are on the top of my list. Then Mercyful Fate, Devil Doll, Iron Maiden, classical music, Rammstein, At the Gates...

There is a large increase of female vocalists in the metal scene. Yet, while most of them try to cherubically bore everyone to death, a few of the women-singers take things to a new extreme. I think that you are one of the best female singers in the extreme music, because your vocals sound real and nothing is forced. How do you feel about more women finally getting the recognition for singing not only in goth-metal, but also in death metal or even black metal bands?

Let me say we must work double than males. There are still some dull people who don't succeed in appreciating a girl just 'cause she is a good singer and they prefer to look at her tits. I thank you for your compliments on my performance.

What vocalists did you look up to when you first started singing?

The only one I knew was Sabina Classen from Holy Moses, but I cannot say to have a unique and precise source of inspiration. I don't like to imitate other singers; I find more interesting to experiment on myself. Also, since [everyone's] voice is different, you must work on your own voice, trying to develop you potentialities and to expand your limits.

With a new album, the band has a new look, which is quite reminiscent of the more renowned metal acts like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, especially in the leather department. Did starting a new band have anything to do with the change of style, or do you simply like leather clothes?

Yes, first I like leather clothes, secondly, now I'm free to wear them! This is another sign of my reached freedom. Other Opera IX guys didn't like vinyl and latex stuff... The look of Cadaveria, the band, is what better represents how we are now, but I like to joke with my appearance, so I cannot exclude [the possibility that] I will modify my look in the future.

It definitely gives the band a more rock-star image.

Maybe, but believe me, we still are in the very, very underground!

Lately, Italy has had major success in the power metal scene, with bands like Labyrinth and Rhapsody gaining international recognition. Where do you think a band like Cadaveria stands as far as the fans and the record sales?

What we do gives us a great satisfaction. We enjoy the music we play and this is the most important thing for me. The rest comes after. Anyway I think the success of a band and the international recognition are not measurable in relation to the number of sold copies only. If I receive a positive feedback from a fan from Japan, South America, Portugal, or USA, this is a success, 'cause it means my energy arrived that far.

Is it accurate to say that there is a big metal scene in Italy?

It is correct to say the scene is growing...

Do you think you retained most of Opera IX fans for the Cadaveria project?

Our fans are 50% old Opera IX fans, 50% new fans, people who start following Cadaveria 'cause they like what we are doing now.

How do you feel about playing live? It would seem that Cadaveria's music would work out perfect in the live setting.

We made our first live date on April 15th in Milan. It was a showcase of Cadaveria and it was great 'cause the sound was perfect and we have been able to realize the scenario we had in our mind. Next date will be in May in Rome, then it is possible we will take part in some open air [during the] Summer.

While the band probably takes a lot of your time, what do you do outside of the band? Interests? Do you have a job?

Music is one of the most important thing in my life, but unfortunately it is not the thing that allows me to eat every day. I have a job that avoids me to be in economical troubles and that allows me to satisfy my material whims. Apart from music, I'm totally enraptured by cinema, especially by old black and white mute movies. I studied cinema at university. I love David Lynch.

Is there something that you really want to accomplish as a singer or as a musician that hasn't happened yet?

To totally transform my mental delirium in music. I'm working to let this happen on the next Cadaveria album. Beware!

What are the bands' plans for the future?

Well, some live dates, a video and a new album.

Cadaveria, thank you very much for this interview. Please feel free to add anything you would like as a parting comment.

My end is my beginning. Visit www.cadaveria.com