Quien mueve los hilos?: Interview with CAULDRON

The Band: Cauldron

Country: Canada

The Men: Jason Decay (vocals, bass); Myles Deck (drums)

https://www.facebook.com/CAULDRONmetal

Interview by Vpower

Cauldron is a Canadian Heavy Metal band with three very good albums in his pocket and a forth coming next year. They are not new in Metal, and as you will read in a few moments, they miss a little the 80s and the tapes and they have travelled a lot. Well, they don’t need much introduction, they have a legion of fans and currently they are one of the big bands in Canada. So, I do not bother any more and leave you with them, they are such characters that I think you will enjoy so much as I did preparing this interview.

By the way, just a second, yesterday they revealed the track listing and cover art of the new album in their Facebook. To prepare this new attack they were back into the Lincoln County Social Club recording studio in Toronto, where they recorded two of their previous albums, "Burning Fortune" (2011) and "Tomorrow's Lost" (2012). Good vibes. This is "In Ruin" track listing:

01. No Return / In Ruin

02. Empress

03. Burning At Both Ends

04. Hold Your Fire

05. Come Not Here

06. Santa Mira

07. Corridors Of Dust

08. Delusive Serenade

09. Outrance

By the names, I would swear they have cooked the songs in the same cauldron as ever, a delicious broth.

Hello guys, I think you are not lying under the sunshine in Honolulu right now... So, what are you busy with? May be composing your new album?

Myles: Hello Alberto. Mostly we're busy with getting the paper work together for our big North American tour in January with Enforcer and Warbringer. We're also busy hustling, trying to make a few bucks so we can survive. We recorded the new record, In Ruin a while ago but we were going through a change in record labels which took a very long time to sort out. But we did it! And finally we're ready to release this new album.

Nice to hear so. What will be the orientation of the new album “In Ruin”?

Myles: The new album continues with the tradition of the previous Cauldron records. It's heavy, it's got songs on it and it sounds great. Best sounding record Cauldron has recorded to date.

Is there a release date already?

Jason: January 8, 2016 in North/South America on The End Records and January 29, 2016 in Europe on High Roller Records.

If you have to choose between all your works, what is your favorite?

Myles: Not counting the newest, Jay and Ian would choose Tomorrow's Lost. I (Myles) would choose Burning Fortune.

Jason: They work there way backwards, newest to oldest for me.

You are three guys in the band, you are not the first band to do it and you will not be the last but, going to the origin of the matter, why did you opt for a one guitar band instead of two?

Myles: Nobody else was tall enough to be in Cauldron.

Jason: Its something we've thought about many times but I have pretty much always been in 3 piece bands with one guitar player so I am very comfortable with it. It also helps set us apart from other bands, I believe it is way more dangerous to be a 3 piece; there's less room to hide your mistakes. We're also big fans of Rush, Venom, Raven, and Motorhead!

Hahaha the height is big problem, sure. I am also big fan of Coroner, magic 3 again. Canada has always been a great source for Metal, you have legends as Annihilator or Razor for instance, but we also have promises and realities as Cauldron. What’s going over there? What do you have for breakfast, if you understand what I mean...?

Myles: Not sure. My guess is that since Canada is a big country and the communities are isolated, kids get to spend a lot more time by themselves listening to music, learning to play their instruments and learning how to write cool songs.

Jason: Yeah, I think the winters help keep you indoors with your guitar and amp. Voivod.

And winter is coming… Some years ago I saw you touring through Spain and Portugal with Canadian buddies Striker, you are kind of friends or it was mere coincidence?

Myles: Coincidence. Although we are friendly with those guys. They live on the other side of Canada so we don't get to hang out very often.

Jason: They opened for us on an early Canadian tour when they were known as Vinyl Spine. We also shared some mutual friends at the time so we just kept in touch. They were one of the harder working Canadian bands who were also going to Europe so we decided to team up with them for a European tour.

You are young, you are happy to be born in the Internet era or if you have the chance you would choose the 80s and you will wear shoulder pads and cassettes in all your pockets? Well, in fact it seems to me that your look is very vintage... what do you think?

Myles: The internet blows. It takes all the mystery out of being a band. Bring back the 80s. We all grew up listening to music before the internet was a thing and it seemed like a much better time. And the way we look as a band, it's just the way we feel. It's got nothing to do with trying to be vintage. But we don't relate to short hair bands.

Jason: I was not born in the internet era, I'm 35 fucking years old! Only a few years ago I was still taking a walkman and bag of tapes on tour with me.

I discovered Cauldron in a live show, a warm-up show in fact, in Germany presenting your EP “Into the Cauldron”, but I don’t remember what festival. Please refresh my memory and tell us about the sensations you had at the time.

Jason: Keep It True in 2007 maybe? We went over and did some gigs with Twisted Tower Dire. That was a very fun experience, what a trip!

That’s it, exactly! It was a big surprise to see three tall Canadian guys delivering the goods that way. .. If I had to select the distinctive elements of your music I would point out Jason Decay vocals and your ability to deliver old stuff with a fresh taste

Myles: Other than the vox, that's a pretty vague description of the elements don't you think?

Jason: Yeah I never hear the end of my "voice" but I am personally a fan of character singers, or singers with attitude rather that the out of the box type vocalists. Kai Hansen is one of my personal favourites.

Hahaha Jason, I guess Myles just feels a little jealous beacause I mentioned your vocals but not especifically his great work on drums…Well, next time we’ll talk about that. When you started Cauldron up you thought you would reach this far?

Jason: Was not sure. We always wanted to but felt that because of our style or where we were from might be holding us back. However, we made it to Europe and everything after that has just been a bonus!

Yep, not all bands can jump the Pond. Let’s change a little the subject. What do you prefer: a good hamburger or a Spanish delicous omelette? An Irish beer or a Spanish red wine?

Myles: I'll have the burger and beer combo please. With fries on the side.

Jason: Depends, I'll take the Spanish omelette for breakfast or lunch and the burger for dinner. If Irish means stout, then I'll rock the Spanish red wine please!

Myles, we run out of french fries, you must get along with the boiled potatoes. Your favorite movie?

Myles: The Killer Inside Me

Jason: Rock & Roll Nightmare, Zombie Nightmare, Black Roses & Rocky 4.

Your favorite book?

Myles: The Killer Inside Me

Jason: Rosemary's Baby.

God, I have to review “The Killer Inside Me”... Do you have some obsession when you are touring? Flowers in the room, hundreds of towels, a stage full of beers..., whatever?

Myles: If I requested a stage full of beers then I would have to share with the audience. Let's move those beers back stage!

Jason: .Towels? Towels are for Testament. We're lucky if we get a 6 pack!

OK, beer with boiled potatoes for Myles. If you were back in the 80s you would like to share stage with?

Myles: Dokken, Angel Witch, Samhain, Candlemass. Those are a few of our faves from that era.

Jason: Metallica, Priest.

How is the composition process inside Cauldron?

Myles: If we told you than the secret would be out.

Hahaha too much Coke may be… What are you plans for the future?

Jason: More gigs, more tunes!

So, keep an eye on Cauldron’s Facebook, then. Thank you Cauldron for this chance to know you a little better, fortunately you are a little crazy, let me tell you, apart of a great band, and nowadays that is very important, I believe, to not go totally crazy. We will be waiting for singles or new songs previous to the release of your new album.

Myles: Thank you! Vinyl is patches!

Jason: Thanks for the interview and support, hope to see you soon!