Cyclops Cataract Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Scott - I have been working with some riff ideas for the next release. It's going to be a while until they take shape as songs. No rush

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

James - The album is just a more mature and better-thought step on from the EP. As that EP was a first offering, it felt like we were finding our feet and first developing an understanding of what direction we were looking at. The album has cemented it a bit further and as a result has allowed things to be busier (e.g. substantial amounts of layering) as we knew better what we were trying to do.

3.What where some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explored on the album?

Craig -It's a mix - Anti-fascism, Cyclops mythology, kraken and a COVID ish end of the world theme for Contagion

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cyclops Cataract'?

James - I love it because it is a common affliction only made so much worse by circumstance.

Scott - I like the play on words. It's a tongue in cheek name. Hopefully it's memorable.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The artwork was by an artist called Waking Sky of Tree. I found the artist on Deviantart and thought the work perfectly reflected our music. The images are have quite a dark theme that also incorporate a lonely appearence. The character who appears in the artwork has a stag head. This was perfect as we have have plenty of deer in Scotland. It was a very lucky find and I was delighted when the artist agreed to let us use some of the imagery. I'm a photographer so the visual side is important to me.

7.Once the pandemic gets more under control, are there any plans for live shows? 

James - I am looking forward to the idea of performing this stuff live. There is a great energy to it even if stripped right back. Of course we’d want to be able to deliver the full experience, but with the constraints of band members it’ll require a good bit of practice to work out how best to recreate the tracks.

Mark - Absolutely, once the situation with playing gigs post-pandemic is more clear and when we’re confident that playing live will be able to match the standard we have set with the album.

8.The new album was released on 'Planet K Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Scott - We signed with Planet K Records recently. You can tell that they're just as passionate as we are about heavy music. Although they're based in Italy and we're in Scotland, the contact has been great. They have been really promoting our music and we greatly appreciate that. We hope to continue this relationship.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

Scott - The reaction has been great. I'm really proud of a recent review that compared us to Imperial Triumphant. Although we don't really have jazz elements, we certainly don't try to adhere to typical song structure ideas and it's been great that this approach hasn't been lost on people. Although we're abstract, we do have a vision.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

James - I’d like it to stay relatively close to what ‘The Bestiary’ does for a little while I think – it seems somewhat unique with the blend of brutal and ambience and the way it goes together.

Scott - Yes, I agree with James. Certainly my rough ideas for the next one indicates another abstract adventure.

11.What are you listening to nowadays?

James - Lots of Sylosis of late, more-so than any other band for the last while actually. Also always the staple diet of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera. Arch Enemy, The Agonist, Infected Rain and Jinjer have been relatively frequent as well come to think of it!

Scott - I listen to a lot of Madder Mortem, they're such an underrated band. Also Strapping Young Lad, Devin Townsend, Ulver, Fear Factory etc.

Mark - Aesthetic Perfection, Crossfaith, Freak Kitchen, Mono Inc, Eisbrecher, 3TEETH, Hitari, Matt Hart. Mostly angry Industrial and some Goth stuff.

Craig - Sisters of Mercy, Bjork, Drumcorps, Pupil Slicer, Anaal Nathrakh, Christwvrks, Author & Punisher, Dawn Ray’d, Portrayal of Guilt

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Cyclops Cataract/The Bestiary/Planet K Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Cyclops  Cataract  are  a  band  from  Scotland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "The  Bestiary"  which  was  released  by  Planet  K  Records.

  Ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  grindcore  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  some  nature  sounds  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  some  clean  playing  and  progressive  structures,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Scottish  Folklore  and  Legends.

  In  my  opinion  Cyclops  Cataract  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Baobhan  Sith"  "The  Devil  Of  The  Sea"  "Second  Skin"  and  "The  Final  Night".  8/5  out  of  10.

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