helpalongyourway.com

Thycatafalque.hu:

1.       On your site there is picture of Szerb Antel from 1937, can you tell us about this picture - who is it and what does the caption say?

All right, we need make this clear. Antal Szerb was a Hungarian scholar, a Professor of Literature, a magnificent mind killed in1945, practically beaten to death by his own countrymen with gun-stock in a concentration camp because of being born Jewish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antal_Szerb).

Besides writing the still authorative History Of World Literature and History Of Hungarian Literature he published several amazing novels, among them JourneyBy Moonlight in 1937 which happens to be one of my favourite readings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_by_Moonlight_(novel)). In the original version of the third album of Thy Catafalque ‘Tűnő Idő Tárlat’there’s a citation from the novel in Hungarian in the inner cover artwork. However there is no picture of Antal Szerb himself neither in the cover, nor on the website.  The photo you might think of is in fact my great-grandmother’s picture when she was 18 in about 1917. She’s on the inner cover and on the website as well.

2.       Also there is one picture of what appears to be a man with a hat on - looks like Killing Joke - what is the concept that is being conveyed?

That one is the original cover artwork of ‘Tűnő Idő Tárlat’. A photograph takenby Tamás Féner in the ‘70s. The photo appeared in a book entitled Budapest Ballet, that’s where it came from. It catches a moment from a ballet performance. For me it represents nothing else but the disappearing time and our fragileness within it. The title of the album is ‘An Exhibition Of Vanishing Time’ translated into English. There’s nothing to do with Killing Joke here.

3.       Is this man you - what thoughts were going through you mind during the photo?

Sadly  I don’t know he is actually.

PreviousReleases:

1.       2004 Release has much more electronic elements, was this intentional to get awayfrom the black metal sounds of Microcosmos or Sublunary Tragedies?

It was sort of natural progression. I became more comfortable with keyboardsand programming so it was easier to use them. We had had lots of keyboards evenon our first demo tape so it wasn’t that new. The guitar riffs however changed a bit. We just didn’t want to be another epic black metal band among the hundredothers at that time. We wanted to express ourselves without any rules. That’swhy we went Hungarian from English on that album as well.

2.       Who were some of your biggest influences for the older material?

All things black metal. And William Shakespeare.

Rengeteg:

Rengeteg is new release out on Season of Mist Records date US January 10, 2012

1.       Classifiedas Avant-garde Metal...

Yeah, that’s it, I don’t know any better. Do you?

2.       Sinceyou, Tamás Kátai recorded all the instruments as Guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards,programs - how long did it take you to record the album into a finished productfor release?

I need to mention that I did only the harsh vocals. All the clean male vocalsare delivered by Attila Bakos (Woodland Choir, Taranis). Female vocals are by Ágnes Tóth (The Moon And The Nightspirit), and cello by MIhály Simkó-Várnagy.The rest was me. The whole process, writing, recording, mastering, everthinghad taken about one and a half year. It could have been much faster though, butI need to work as everyone else to earn some money so I could work on the albumonly in my spare time after finishing my daytime job. But I did everything alone from writing the music and words to nailing the artwork and finding arecord label. It’s just me in this game and some guest musicians.

3.       Canyou translate the titles of the songs for us from your native Hungarian to English for our English speakers?

The title ‘Rengeteg’ means vast, trackless forestin ancient Hungarian. The song titles are Black Fields (Fekete mezők), EastWind Rising (Kel keleti szél), Trilobite (Trilobita), Stone Knocking (Kőkoppan), Iron Mountains (Vashegyek), Lunar Module (Holdkomp), My Blue Shirt Waving(Kék ingem lobogó;), The Rain, The Rain, The Rain (Az eső, az eső, az eső;), BareTwigs Eventually (Tar galyak végül), All Flesh Is Grass (Minden test fű;).

English translation of the whole album can be found here:  http://www.metalstorm.net/bands/lyrics.php?album_id=55793&band_id=&bandname=Thy+Catafalque.

4.       Feketemezők - starts off with a heavy doom death metal roar like I have not heard in years!  Did you plan this monstrousintroduction to the album or was it happenstance?

It wasn’t the first song to be written for this album, that was Vashegyek, but as soon as I recorded this track I knew that itwas going to make a perfect opener. There’s energy and weight in it that tramples down everything.

5.       Trilobita- Did any of the Scandinavia avant-garde type bands like Solefald influence this track or any part of the album?

I wouldn’t say so. Everyone comes with Solefald so I should go and check their latest albums at last. In fact I’ve got only their first two records and I like them, but never followed them after. Something says I’ll enjoy the newer stuff as well. Anyway Trilobita has its roots more in Hungarian folklore, the second part of the songs is clearly influenced by VHK, a Hungarian legend, my favourite band and I’m a bit surprised no one has evermentioned it from my homeland yet. Yeah, you may say that the first part issomewhat similar in mood to some Scandinavian music and in a way I tend toagree. I would say Borknagar anyway around Quintessence if I had to.

6.       Kőkoppan - sounds like a movie score, what was your intent with this track?

No, but it turned out like that. It’s really like music for a Hungarian film.

7.       Vashegyek- So Did Ágnes Tóth record the female vocals on this track?

Yes, of course it was her. And did a brilliant job.

8.       Holdkomp- did any of the industrial and gothic classic bands like Laibach and Sistersof Mercy influence this track?

I listen to those bands occasionally, but that song has a retro space vibe forme, I aimed to catch that mood. The sound sample you hear twice in the middleof the track is a signal of the Soviet radio and television back in the timesthe Soviet Union had existed. Holdkomp, Lunar Module is also a symbol of thatworld.

9.       Mindentest fű - did you use keyboards in this recording?  Sounds like old school Amorphis - which is awesome by the way.

Well, the first part has no keyboards at all. Right before the clean vocals kick is, there’s that pretty fast thrash-like riff and there’s some synth thereto make the sound more dense. Under the clean vocals, also. And of course the second part has a layer of some analogue synth, yes.

10.   What programs did you use - or is that a secret?

I record in SAWPlus and Cubase. For the guitars and bass I used Guitar Rig 3VSTi, for keyboards it was my old synthesizer, a Korg N5 and plenty ofdifferent VSTis as well.

11.   As far as the drums/percussion, did you record that yourself or was that basedaround programming and loops?

Obviously all the drums are programmed. It’s XLN Addictive Drums. Sometimeslive drums come much better but I have no possibility to record that and Imanaged to create a distinctive sound contributed by the programmed drums, tooso I’m fine with it. I can do whatever I want with drums, it’s comfy.

12.   Asfar as the lyrics, did you write all them yourself?

Yes, I penned all the lyrics, just like the music.

13.   My favorite instrument of choice is guitar - tell us all about your guitar setup?  The tone is monstrous like that ofearly Rammstein and Mid-Career Napalm Death and Caliban.

Thank you, that’s nice to hear. I have a seveng-string Ibanez RG7321. Replaced the original bridge pick-up to a DiMarzio D-Sonic 7 which makes a notabledifference.  I usually tune down to A,using .68 D’Addario strings. The guitar goes into a small mixer for some gain,nothing else and then into my normal, home PC and the Guitar Rig software.That’s where it gets the distortion and that’s it. I have no amps, no guitarpedals, not even a proper sound card, I use the integrated one.

14.   On average how many guitar tracks does each song have on it?

All the rhythm guitars are played four times, so four guitar tracks are laiddown, plus the solos and other additional stuff, usually played dual.

15.   Do you plan to tour live with a band or just yourself and a laptop?

I don’t tour, don’t even play one gig, never did. Now it’s just me in the bandwith Attila singing as a guest vocalist. Recently he decided to focus on hisown activities, so he isn’t around any more meaning I’m absolutely alone. It would be too much hassle to organize a whole band to play this stuff on stage.And honestly I’m much more interested in composing and recording than playinglive. Anyway I always got better and better propositions, so one day I might go for it, but if that happens, I’d like to have a real band on stage, not just me and a laptop. That would be totally lame.

Hungary from your perspective:

1.       Tell us what you enjoy most about being a Hungarian?

It’s our language, literature and music. Our so rich culture. You know I was graduated as a teacher of language and literature and I’m quite interested inthem and do enjoy speaking and reading Hungarian. That’s my native tongue.

2.       Are all your ancestors from Hungary or other parts of the world?

As far as I know my ancestors were Saxon German artisans from Transylvania. At least I have birth and baptismal certificates from the mid 19th century confirming it.

3.       What is your favorite dish from any time of the year, holidays, or birthday celebrations?

All things green. I don’t eat meat.

4.       Whatis your occupation, other than being a multi-instrumental musician and singer?

I’ve been staying in Edinburgh, Scotland for four years now. Back in Hungary Iwas a teacher. Here I just finished working in a printing factory and now I’man interpreter and translator for a social enterprise. It’s almost like beingunemployed anyway, so I need to find something urgently. By the way, all the clean vocals are by Attila. Sadly I can’t sing, only scream sometimes.

5.       What do you think is the worst social or economic problem in Hungary?

I don’t live in Hungary, thus I might not be the best person to answer thisquestion.  What I know is that I’d reallylike to go home, but everything seems to be worse than four years ago, when Ileft Hungary and all my friends, even my closest family keep telling me to staywherever I am. That’s terrible.

6.       What do you think is the best aspect of the Hungarian Culture - music, food,festivals?

Just come here and look around.

7.       What little known fact about Hungary do you think readers of this interview shouldknow?

We eat cottage cheese with sugar and it’s magnificent. Once you try potato noodle balls filled with sweet cottage cheese, you’ll never want to have cottage cheese any other way.

Your life in thoughts:

1.       Has anyone ever told you that your life bears eternal significance?

No.

2.       After we die, what happens?

Have no clue.

3.       Have you ever felt the need to search for something or someone, but did not know who or what?

Yes, it has happened before. As a kid I remember feeling several times that I needed to do something, to create something but never knew what exactly andhow. Later I got my gadgets, computer, camera, instruments so I had my tools to build shape for my urge to create.

4.       How important is human life to you? (first thought that comes to your mind)

All life is important.

5.       Do you think television and radio just exploit the negative aspects of life?

I don’t believe in that. However I haven’t had a telly or radio for ages. Occasionally I watch BBC iPlayer on the net and that’s pretty cool, I like their programmes and find them interesting and precious. It’s just you have to think and select. You are not forced to feed your brain with trash, switch off your TV if you don’t want to watch it, simple as that. I don’t give a damn about it for example. 

6.       Aside from music, what brings you the most joy in life?

I love to find the beauty in life and it is there, just watch. I love life.

7.       If one day you woke up and could not record or play music - what would you do and why?

I would keep on with photography, writing, anything. I would keep on living.

8.       If one day you see yourself as famous as Mozart and Beethoven in this lifetime,how would you handle all the fame and fortune?

Hah, first of all that would be quite unfair towards all the real musicians out there. But if that would happen by some deus ex machina, I’d like to lead a comfortable, happy and full life. Fame doesn’t bother me though.

9.       Oneof my favorite questions I like to ask right now is - do you think you will see the culmination of a one world government given that there is a European Union,push for Asian, African and American Unions?

Don’t know, really. European Union right now is in deep trouble anyway and that doesn’t point to a rising united world government. I hate walls separating different nations.

Thank you so much for your time.  It means a lot to us- the journalist and the fans.

Let me thank you, sir! Great questions!