Catacomb Interview (Ben Bussy)

For the most curious within the Death Metal of the 90s, “In the Maze of Kadath” (1993) was an interesting demonstration by Catacomb in those years, and many of us expect a full-length production in those years. But the band decided to shut down their activities a year after they released that demo, so the band was left as one forgotten in time, and only those living in a certain era of time remembered that demo. So after a few years they would come back with their EP “We Shall Inherit” (2001), but within a time when Death Metal was hidden in the media, so again the band disappeared and nothing was heard from them until in 2020, when they would release a new song called "The Great Dreamer" and the following year it was the same way with "Hallucinated Mountains". So, the band began with a little more activity, and with this idea they present their first album called "When the Stars Are Right" after 33 years of having formed as a band. Due to this new release, Metallerium had an interview with former bassist Ben Bussy.

Para leer la entrevista en español: Entrevista a Catacomb

Metallerium: Welcome people from Catacamb to Metallerium pages. It’s a great pleasure to talk with you about Catacomb, this first album “When the Stars Are Right” and more things related to the metal world.  We will begin by asking a question asked in many interviews, why did the band decide to return in 2018 with a renewed proposal and not continue the legacy of more than 30 years ago?

Catacomb: Hi , finally the stars are aligned. The band started in 1990 ,So it was a time when we were young with a lot of freedom, yes we were quite productive at that time with several demos, concerts, tours, and indeed some new songs for an eventual album.But after several line up changes, and the lives of each one, family, work, took a lot of us away from the Catacomb project. The group itself never really stopped, there was an EP (We Shall Inherit) in 2001 and several compilations (The Years of Morbidology) with live and reh tracks. So with Tony we felt the need to finally give CATACOMB this history album to finish the work started

Metallerium: I remember when I heard Catacomb with your demo "In the Maze of Kadath" (1993) and that date I really loved their music, but then the band decided to retire from the Death Metal world in 1994. Why did you decide to close the doors of the band a year after a tremendous demonstration?

Catacomb: As we told you previously about the lives of each one, family, work, Catacomb has never really ceased all activity, Tony for example has always composed pieces for Catacomb even during the moments of sleep of the beast. But the lack of availability of everyone has meant that we have not released new material at this time.

Metallerium: After this demonstration I saw innumerable comeback ideas, sporadic concerts, some productions, but all using the concept of Lurker, Kadath and obviously Cthulhu as the band's mascot. So, why did the band decide to make the most of that concept of Cthulhu, Lurker, etc. and not take the next step as you did in this “When the Stars Are Right” in those years? What was missing to take the next step?

Catacomb: Catacomb has always based these lyrics on the works of HP Lovecraft, it is really the literature that has marked us since our youth. Ia Cthulhu Fhtagn!!! we did not stink at that time finalizing a signature with a label, the lack of time and involvement of everyone, the time was not the same either, we have less means than now, whether financial or material. ...and our approach to music has also evolved a lot.

Metallerium: Speaking a little about this topic of H.P. Lovecaft and Cthulhu as part of the band's lyrical inspiration. What is the main reason you take this horror theme within your influences? And how do you see the legacy of this writer within many extreme metal bands? Is it good or bad to saturate this concept?

Catacomb: We really like the atmosphere of HP Lovecraft's writings, and the Cthulhu Myth was always at the center of our activities when we were younger, whether it was reading HPL or role-playing around this universe. There are indeed a lot of things in metal around the writings of HP Lovecraft, we have always made our texts around that, we like it, we will continue. I don't think the subject is saturated... he has a lot of things to write again about the myth of CTHULHU.

Metallerium: Going more into the path of this new album "When the Stars Are Right" and as I said in the web review. They presented an album that has nothing to do with their past, but Cthulhu and the old logo are still with the band. Therefore, why did you want to keep these two aspects within a completely renewed format? What is the meaning of these two elements within the ideological concept of Catacomb?

Catacomb: we do not have the impression that we have changed, there has necessarily been an evolution in the way of composing, it is normal in almost 30 years, CATACOMB remains CATACOMB but with a few more years. And as I told you above, we have always written on the basis of Lovecraft, we like it ... we will continue ..ahahah

Metallerium: "When the Stars Are Right" is a very versatile album, because there are symphonic parts, brief industrial parts, quite a level of technicality on drums and guitar. So, what are your biggest influences for the creation of this new album? Were you based on the concept that everything in the past was better or did you use some current ideas?

Catacomb: In fact Tony is a music professional and has played in a lot of metal and non-metal bands and for my part, I actually did not produce any music during these sleeping times. so Tony brought his diverse musical culture and I brought my ideas which gave the compositions of the album. If I had to give influence they would remain the same as he was "years old... Morbid Angel, Nocturnus... and a few others .

Metallerium: One of the details that is always interesting to know is how they again managed the connection with Dave Rotten to edit this first album, because the first time you had contact with him was in the 90s with Drowned Productions, and now you are under the tutelage of Xtreem Music. Could we say that the aspect of eternal friendship was never broken and the conversations continued during all these years of silence? And before publishing this album with him, did you have any proposal to do it through other labels?  

Catacomb: We first worked on our old tracks, to give them the colour of today. Nico from the Xenokorp label (FR) offered to release these cult tracks on a superb EP ( Back to unknown Kadath )picture disc, which we obviously accepted. After this we started to compose this new opus which took us a bit more than a year. Nico from Xeno had health problems and couldn't release the album, we contacted Dave from Xtreem music, who then said yes, perfect, the circle was complete

Metallerium: We are very close to finishing this interview ppl from Catacomb, for which. What are the future plans that the band has for this new album? Maybe some tours in the United States, Europe or who knows in Latin America.

Catacomb: We already have a lot of material for the future... of course we will surely do some concerts and other events.

Metallerium: Talking about other topics and moving away from Catacomb a bit. It is well known that the French Death Metal scene of the 90s did not have a big impact in this world, and few names were able to pass the fence of time like Catacomb, Supuration, Massacra, Mercyless, No Return and a few more bands. So, what do you think is the reason why in the 90s, France, being the art capital of the world, did not have a forceful extreme scene? And what do you think of the change that Gojira gave to your scene, placing them in the eyes of many well-known and independent labels?

Catacomb: I especially think that in France we lacked structure (label, tour manager, supervision) in the years 1990 - 2000, things have evolved a lot now. Later, the Black metal movement took pride of place in the metal scene and I think it's good to have a spearhead like Gojira !

Metallerium: Well, ppl from Catacomb, it was a huge pleasure to talk with you. This new album is a beast! Love this new one and you can read the review on our web. Maybe you have something to add to your Latin fans and Metallerium followers.

Catacomb: thank you for this interview and don't forget that the stars are aligned now.... IA Cthulhu IA Agza-thoth IA Hastur IA Yogsothoth ... they are comming....