Rise Of Caligula Interview

Rise of Caligula released their album ‘Libretto’ in the summer of 2008. Now, after a few tours and an addition of a second guitarist, the band is preparing to release their first full length album. Rise of Caligula have booked studio time in May and are leaving for a tour with Embrace the End shortly following the recording. I was able to share a few words with George Clarke, the vocalist of Rise of Caligula, about their thoughts on ‘Libretto’, what to expect for their new material, life on the road, and the band in general.

[BACKGROUND]

For the readers who have recently started following ‘Rise of Caligula', let's start at the beginning. When and how was the band formed?

George: The band officially 'formed' in November of 2006, but had come about when our previous band, which most of us shared, fell apart. After deciding to go in a different direction musically, Gary, John, and myself stayed consistent while going through minor lineup changes, eventually adding our friend Kerry on bass guitar. We recorded a 7 song EP as a 4 piece, did some touring, gained our 2nd guitarist Rob in the late summer of 2008, and now we're here.

What is the story behind your band name, ‘Rise of Caligula'?

George: I had read a book called The Twelve Caesars, which of course, featured Caligula. Found him interesting.

How would you describe ‘Rise of Caligula' to someone who hasn't heard of you guys before?

George: On Libretto, we were trying to go for a hardcore/thrash inspired metal sound. We had just decided to change our sound up and hadn't really discovered our sound yet. You can hear us being a young band on that record. On the new release, we know exactly what we're going for. Heavier, faster, and much more diverse.

[CURRENT RELEASE]

‘Libretto' was recorded at Metal Works Studio in Folsom, California and was released in 2008 on 187 Records. What kind of feedback have you received about the material and are you pleased with the response it has had thus far?

George: Actually, every review we've received has been pretty positive and yes, people that have gotten the record seem to enjoy it. Not too shabby.

What is the meaning behind the album name and supporting artwork designed by Mario Garza of Robot Plague (Suicide Silence, Destroyer Destroyer, etc...) ?

George: The album itself has an overall mood and idea to it, but lyrically, there was no central theme. More so varied subjects with a central emotion behind all of them. So, it was hard to come up with a name that I felt summed up the record as a whole. Because of that, I decided to name the record after the accomplishment that we felt it was. And that's what Libretto is.

As far as the artwork, Mario did a great job getting the mood of the record.

Lyrics were not provided as a part of the CD packaging. Does the quote on the back of the insert sum up the lyrical content of ‘Libretto' and where have you drawn your influences from lyrically for this record?

George: The quote was from a book that I was reading on French social anarchism that summed up my viewpoint then. At that time, some of us had been homeless or living poor and getting into anarchist literature. We all started developing similar opinions and because of that, Libretto deals a lot with an overall sense of injustice and frustration, whether it be personal or social. It's a very angry record.

[UPCOMING MATERIAL]

Rise of Caligula has recently added a new guitarist into the mix. How has this affected the writing process of the new record and how does it compare to the way in which ‘Libretto' was written?

George: When we had written Libretto, we lost our original 2nd guitarist a month before recording. Almost every song was revamped / rewritten and thrown together pretty easily even though overall, the writing process was pressured and had to be done quickly. Luckily Gary and Kerry work really well together. Adding Rob to the mix has worked out really well so far. He knows the exact sound we're going for, but also brings a lot of his own brand of spastic death metal to the table. This also allows us to work more with leads and expand our instrumental sections, which is a huge plus.

What are some of your influences this time around, both lyrically and musically, for the material you are about to record?

George: Musically, we've opted for a much more straight forward approach while still trying to maintain diversity. The songs are much shorter, focused, and to the point. Like Libretto, they will blend into an overall mood. Lyrically, the topics are much more personal and span the events of the last year. While Libretto was angry, this will be sad. No optimism and no hope.

If you were to compare the material planned for your full length to your previous effort, ‘Libretto', what are some of the main differences between the two?

George: As I said earlier, I would say that the two main differences would be the song writing approach itself and the overall mood of the record. Songs are shorter and much more ferocious, but also able to be expanded upon because of our 2nd guitar and the time we've had to write. The mood of the record will focus on an overall feeling of sadness and hopelessness, rather than blatant anger.

In 2008, you recorded two demo tracks, ‘Haniera Deinnah' and ‘The Republic'. Will they be featured on the upcoming record and do these songs set the tone for the rest of the upcoming material?

George: We did those two first demos as a small taste of things we had been working on and maybe the direction we were going in. Even since then though, we've progressed and written a lot more. The two songs may or may not be on the album depending on how much new material we continue to push out, but if not, I'm sure we'll put them out as B sides or at least up for download.

You will be recording your full length from May 7th to May 11th at The Atomic Garden Studios in California. In our previous conversations about the upcoming record, you have stated that you plan on recording using analog gear instead of recording it digitally. Now-a-days, many artists choose to record digitally. What are some of the reasons that you have decided to record using analog gear?

George: Well actually, with Libretto, we wanted an analog sound also. We just didn’t have access to that sort of equipment at the time, so we just tried to make the sound as natural as we could. I think 90 percent of bands we listen to record that way so all of us have really adapted to how nice a natural recording sounds. Of course, with technical death metal and such, I understand the need for digital recording, but with what we're going for, it's really not necessary. I look forward to being able to work with the possibilities of natural sound this time around.

When do you expect the new full length to be released and have you decided on a title for it yet?

George: I don't have a title for it yet, but I hope to have it released by late July 09 or so. All depends on what we can work out.

[LIVE]

You have had the chance to tour with quite a few bands such as Molotov Solution (Metal Blade Records), Name (Lifeforce Records), and Katsumoto (Uprising Records). Which tour or show has been the most memorable to you and why?

George: That's really hard. All of those guys are great. A huge mention to The Dajjal Persona who toured with us and Name also. We're lucky that all of the tours we've been on have been a really good time. All those guys in all those bands are great dudes.

What are some of the obstacles you have had while on the road?

George: Christ, we've gone through everything. Try this: touring in a 97 Aerostar with all the seats taken out. No trailer, all your equipment in the van poking you in the back while you sit cross legged pressed against the two front seats. The weather averages 100 degrees, there’s no AC, you break down in every town, and no stereo. Or this: The van you're supposed to get falls through, and you tour in a Volvo, with half your equipment stuffed in between your legs while you're forced to borrow the other half from random bands night after night. These are just the overall pictures. Believe me, Gary catalogs every day of every tour we ever go on in his notebook. There’s a ridiculous obstacle every day.

What is one of the craziest things that have happened thus far while on the road?

George: The White Rabbit incident in San Antonio. The house show in Boise. The house show in Tucson. The SF party. The LA rave. The Vegas strip. I shouldn’t disclose much more.

You will be embarking on a tour from May 15th though May 31st with Embrace the End (Century Media Records) shortly following the recording sessions for the new album. How did the chance to tour with Embrace the End come about and are you excited about playing any place in particular for this tour?

George: We played a few shows with ETE and after John moved to Sacramento, started keeping in contact with them more. I hit Jesse up one day asking if he'd ever want to tour, thinking it was a long shot, and from there we just kind of made it happen. As far as the tour, I'm really looking forward to San Diego, SF, and Portland the most. Every night should be really fun though. I'm excited just to see friends.

[MISCELLANEOUS]

What are some of your hobbies outside of ‘Rise of Caligula'?

George: Drinking. Black metal. Mind expansion. Mind dulling. Mostly Drinking.

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?

George: Support word of mouth. Tell your friends.