CATARACT

We will never be emo

CATARACT – one of the leaders European hardcore scene (having the doubts – look at the title of interview) in the first quarter of current year had increased his discography by the next album. We can’t of course to overlook his premiere and the following talk with the vocalist Federico exposes the more of details connected with the new album of Swiss’s…

-…You have titled the new thing simply “Cataract”. Usually in these kinds of cases the musicians talks about essence works, about the albums, which bestly defines the nature of their undertakings…
We have decided for this title mainly reasons the tenth anniversary of existing our band in this year. We wanted to accent it, so this title seemed the best for us. We wanted to emphasize too, that even after the parting with our two musicians we still stays the same band, going the same way like always. This title had to be for all of us the kind of positive impulse, the symbol of rebirth, the new beginning. I think, that’s it exactly.

-You have mentioned about the line-up changes, which you have got last times. The band have left two of musicians, who were in band since the beginning – the bassist Michael Henggeler and guitar player Simon Fülleman. Which kind of influence had it for your band?
If I would say, that neither, it would be a lie. Especially in case of Simon it was a very big loss for us, because he was very important part of CATARACT, having a big influence, what had ever happened. Unfortunately, in one moment our opinions about the way, which CATARACT should to go in future, were very different. Although we were the friends since many years, our next cooperating was in a few circumstances impossible. As well to him like to Michael we wish good luck and we are sure, that their new projects will be noteworthy. Fortunately, we have found their successors very fast and in this moment the new line-up of CATARACT is really very stable.

-The new album is the best confirmation for the actual form of the band. I dare to admit, that wasn’t yet so brutal, immediate and knock-outing record in your discography. Really the strength on “Cataract” album was aim of CATARACT after more progressive “Kingdom” album?
We loves simply this sound. Every of us plays in this band that’s why, because the playing can to clean us up from the negative emotions. You know, that’s of course a tag, working since a many, many times, but in our case it has a very measurable result. We doesn’t write our music for it’s brutality. That’s something very normal for this band, the same like shitting or breathing for the each of men. We can’t to calculate it, so if our previous album had a more progressive sound it means, that we wanted then to play a more twisted riffs. We couldn’t however to think about our albums in categories, that for example “this should to be heavier, and this here faster or more technical”, this all simply happens and nothing more. Usually we needs a strength rhythm, fucking heavy riffs and angry vocals, that’s exactly the whole fucking CATARACT. Additional on every of new albums appears itself a some more melodic things or another kinds of details. We don’t forget about it, that stagnation can to be deadly, so we tries to develop our art. So, in a way “Cataract” is the next step forwards and also a very characteristic album for us.

-Hardcore was ever a voice of the street, a music for the people frustrated by their reality. Forgive me, but ordinary Swiss citizen with Rolex on his hand and with the high state of account, fits rather not to this picture. Even when it sounds some stupid, what makes in this situation your transmission so credible?
You have a right, a life in rich Switzerland doesn’t provide daily the same problems, what in another more poor countries, but it means absolutely not, that here we haven’t them. Maybe some people sees us only in categories of the kids from the rich families with pockets full of cash, but the reality is some another. The themes our lyrics treats about personal problems, being a very strong reason of our daily frustrations. Besides, we don’t isolate ourselves from the rest of the world, and here’s really to write about the much of things. There are however the questions, which refers all of us, not only the concrete countries. I think, that as the world’s citizens we have a much of reasons to complain.

-In so far as your previous album had a more metal sound, here I have the impression, that you came to the roots of hardcore back, so following by the traces of the New York-protoplasts of this art. Which are your impressions?
You know, I don’t know myself what to think about it. It’s very difficult to analyze the own creation in objective way, all the more so as the opinions, which we meets daily aren’t univocal. The ones says, that “Cataract” is the most metal album in our discography, the others sees there very strong influences of old hardcore scene. The same was however in case the reviews of “Kingdom” album, sometimes reading it, I had the impressions, that these people says about the absolute different albums (laugh). I don’t know, why so different opinions, but I have got already accustomed to it. Returning to your question, in my opinion there are no dramatic differences between those albums. “Cataract” seems to be more rhythmical differenced, we have here as well the slow fragments as the fragments based on blastbeats, besides in the question of sound, that’s not so pure like “Kingdom”, what is a very positive side. This album is simply more complete.

-The producer was of course the next time Tue Madsen and must to truly admit, that I can’t to imagine in your case someone other. Are you going to Antfarm that’s why, that this guy “is simply the best” or are you simply the lazy bastards, taking the line of least resistance?
(laugh) We have discussed about it many times and taking into consideration the other options, we decided that’s no sense to complicate it. We knows Tue since many years, we thinks he’s the one of the most talented European producers and his works to this day are the best confirmations. Besides, Tue perfectly knows what’s up and which kind of sound CATARACT needs. He is except of all open minded guy for every of suggestions, what I consider as a very good thing. Three weeks, which we have spent in Denmark, working with him by the recording of our album were very good and useful piece of time. On the social ground we understand ourselves too, being like the old, good friends. Tue is hardcore man in the full sense of this word (laugh). That’s very important, it lets to create the friend chemistry, which is very needful by the work. We are very satisfied from those session and I think, that our next album we will record in Antfarm too.