Cardinals Folly-Interview

Interview with Cardinals Folly...

1. Hello guys!!! Well, Cardinals Folly; Wicked doom since 2004. Formerly know as The Coven. Can you please tell us what have been changed since 2007 when Sebbath (the new drummer) joined?

M: Hello Alex. It depends on how you look at it, but basically not much has changed, more like improved. Our previous drummer was more like a session man for us, and it was a completely new experience to play with motivated drummer who shares most of our views. Essential thing about making this doom metal is the will to do it. It’s never been stronger. There’s a new heavy vibe in the band: therefore new moniker too.

2. Cardinals Folly is a quite bizarre moniker. What does this name represent to you and why did you decide to change the name "The Coven"?

M: There’s probably like 20 The Covens in the world, as you probably know. The name would’ve become a serious burden in some point. I still think it described our previous material quite well. Unfortunately you can’t always have your way in this music industry. Luckily the new vibe in the band with new line-up made the name-change easy for us. Cardinals Folly is a name from rapidly declining world of old secrets, that’s all I’ll tell you now. Knowing the name allows people to study it if they’re interested. I have found it quite sad that *some* people in *some* certain web-sewer that should have *something* to do with doom metal seem to have no appreciation for the dark times in the 70..s. Nothing new of course. Poor the tribe denying it’s own roots. Though I’ve heard also some rumours about doom metal’s root being in Skepticism and Thergothon... :-) But these people probably mock our name without having a clue about its origins... which is even more sad yet common. I like to pay tribute to our musical forefathers and one of my biggest passions. No more, no less.

3. We all know N.W.O.B.H.M. (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal). Now N.W.O.F.D.M. (New Wave Of Finish Doom Metal) has been added. Can you please explain to us what the meaning of that is? Is it maybe a way to express the slow, true, pure, mournful doom that we all know from finish bands like Reverend Bizarre, Minotauri and Fall Of The Idols?

M: I don’t know if those bands would like to refer their music that way. I’m not that interested either, it’s our own thing for now. Originally we had made up this "N.W.O.F.D.M» alliance with another Finnish band that was also formed few years back. Unfortunately their story ended quickly so we’re pretty much alone on this as far as I know. Nothing new on this doom metal path: alone we stand. Wandering Midget guys were joking something about it too though...they do fit in the description: fresh Finnish doom metal outfit.

4. I have noticed that while changing the name of your band from The Coven into Cardinals Folly, you automatically changed a bit your way of playing. I mean the concept is the same: true pure traditional doom, but with better vocals, more heavy guitars and better production. Where do you think, this improvement came from?

M: It happened by itself. There was no point to try continuing from where we stood earlier because the input is so much wider now, with three serious members in the band. More ideas are coming in and the input is wider. I’ve never viewed this band as "Mass for the depressed" or "Mournful funeral manifestation". Ha-ha, I actually ended up making MDB examples... we’re more like "Blues for Satan" ... "Plague of the wasteland" ... "The living hell that time forgot!". There’s plenty of that love for the old school in us. No posing and pretending. I write the lyrics by myself but song writing we finish as a group and everyone brings something to the song. This new heavy feeling in the band is the biggest change; it’s all in the mind. When Sebbath joined we just ignited like a gun in Solomon Kane’s hand. Heavy guitars we’ve always needed but those production things have really not been so easy with our limited resources. We’re still growing with the new line-up but the difference is that now I can’t see the limit: expect us to obey our urges, but always stay doomed. I’m sure there are many who wish to see us fail but we intend to be thorn in the eye of such.


5. As I can see, as a band, you worship and you are influenced by bands like Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Pentagram, Reverend Bizarre and Saint Vitus. Are, all three of you doom metal fanatics? What other bands and generally what other kinds of music do you like?

M: I suppose you could call us all doom metal fanatics. Black Sabbath was the mother root, Pentagram and Vitus are the biggest shapers of the genre for me personally. Then there have been some pioneers of these "new waves", like Cathedral back in early 90..s and Reverend Bizarre’s perhaps the latest doom phenomenon. Most of the listeners seemed to feel we were trying sound like them on our The Coven demos. I can understand it, because nowadays people can’t really see beyond the so-called obvious. My musical taste is quite wide nowadays, ranging from Wagner’s operas to neo-folk, even noise. Guitarist Von Lusting likes blues. You can hear it from his playing too... Our drummer Sebu, as an old-timer (hah haa) even listens to Finnish old dance music called iskelmä along with old prog stuff... Doom is where our interests meet.

6. One live album in 2005 and 2 EP's as The Coven, while preparing a new EP under the name Cardinals Folly during 2008. What else should we expect from you? Maybe a gig in our country or a full length album after the signing of a contract with a label?

M: There’s one gig probably coming up soon here in Finland. Hopefully. It’s not easy to get gigs around here, especially with this marginal metal of ours, but it won’t keep us from fighting. Luckily there are few underground alliances forming gigs today in Finland... Full-length album is a distant dream, but if the opportunity represents itself, we are ready for it even now. Let’s release this "Heretic’s Hangover" EP now and see what it brings... anyway, we’re going to record something again next summer. It will have a certain theme. Whether it will be used on split release or something, time will tell...

7. Tell me please, a few things about your country. Freezing winds, thousands of lakes and woods. Is your weather a nice influence for you? I guess your climate can help you to express easily what you want. Is it true? If not, explain us please where your lyrical does and musical inspiration come from.

M: My inspiration can vary, but honestly I can’t understand why people complain about our darkness and cold weather like it would be some life-long penalty that brings out the suffering prophets in us. It’s part of our Nordic heritage and I would never want to give it up as long as I live here. Extreme conditions can bring out the worst in us too, but can you imagine medieval Vikings using excuses like that? It’s just the current trend about blaming others. I don’t think my output would be that much different if I was living in caribia. Then I might write about petro gods and witch doctors, but that’s it. I can believe our Nordic heritage is nevertheless somehow present in the music. Still, if someone considers Finland to be such a grim place, he should see some of the others...

Usually I write lyrics after I’ve been inspired by some book I read. Sometimes it’s a movie. Sometimes it’s this humankind that grows weaker every day. I prefer combining literature and history. To be honest, I’m bit of a pervert, and I often write about things I could do in some other world for my personal satisfaction if I was simply to cause changes occur according to my will, which is the same as practicing magic. Musically our influencers are obvious for doom metal people, already mentioned earlier here, but often they also come completely outside metal in a weird way. Here in our cauldron at Cardinals Folly, history, occult, dark side and our impending doom become one.

But that theory of yours is true in some ways. I do enjoy having four seasons in our country and it inspires you different ways, in many not-so-obvious ways. Eternal summer or winter would knock me out of my boots. Right now I’m sad that we won’t have a white Yule here. No snow to roll in...Perhaps I should write a depressive doom metal tune about that... hmm! I think you’re right after all...

8. In case someone liked your songs and wants to purchase your EP's even as The Coven, what does he has to do? How can fans contact to you? Are there any sites where your albums are available for download?

M: I don’t know about the download thing. We don’t share our releases complete for free. I am a record freak and I want to make music for myself and release records for the people who take interest in them, not some fucking files on their PC hard drive. I think we can all agree on this. If you’re interested in getting a real CD with cover arts and booklet that you can use to relate with the material and make it a complete experience, you should be happy because we rip no one off. I’m not going to chase our downloaders with shotgun around the city like some people do (Odin bless their cause!) but I won’t help no one either in a foul quest like that.

One song is up at myspace to get a listen / www.myspace.com/cardinalsfolly / our only contact address at this time is cardinalsfolly@gmail.com ... mail there with your order/question/inquiry/anything. I still don’t get myspace but it’s alone more useful in internet promotion than all other possible pages together. I view the net as a good tool for promotion, not a shopping place to get stuff for free...so why not get aided by the devil in this matter... he rules the byte space!

9. Well guys, unfortunately, we have reached the end of our quest. I am thankful for your acceptance to make this interview possible. How would you like to complete this interview?

M: I’d like to thank you Alex for your good questions and wish you good luck with Forgotten Scroll! And for anyone who takes interest in heavy true doom metal with historical dark sides, occult and primitive power, enter the Cardinals Folly! Our new digipak EP "Heretic’s Hangover" will be out in a matter of weeks, you can order it from the address I gave earlier. It includes 3 songs plus opening and closing ceremonies with ruggedly beautiful cover arts by Sebbath. The Right Hand of Doom will swing for the heretic kind, devil rides out again and crusade against the blind masses continues! Greetings from the trenches. Be forewarned.




Cardinals Folly MySpace