Greetings and thank you for this talk. The ep comes out 11/11 at 11 AM UTC in remembrance of the end of WW1. We have been silent for several years and plan on doing more now that we got these 4 new songs out.
2.Recently you have released a new ep, what are some of the things the band has done different musically on this recording that you where not able to do on your previous releases?
It is Rigor Sardonicous to the fullest extent, perhaps a little more grown as bands do over time.
3.This is your first release since 2012, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Life happened and I got involved in another project, Teloch Vovin, so the focus was not on RS. Otherwise Rigor Sardonicous has been quiet for that time.
4.The band has been around since 1988 but has a lot more heaviness than the doom/death metal bands of that era, do you feel you were ahead of your time?
In some ways yes. We did what we did because nobody else was doing it. We found that the slow parts of many death metal songs had this intensity and energy about them but they were usually just transitions in songs so we built our style off of that primarily.
5.The band has been around for 30 years, what is it that motivates you to keep going after 3 decades?
We still feel largely the same with the same amount of hate and anger so we need it to help us deal with this miserable world. And still there is nobody that sounds like us and we consider that a good thing.
6.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Death and all death things death-inspired. For this ep the first song “The Smiling Dead” is about WW1 as was “Blood Of The Seraphim” from our 2007 release “Amores Defunctus Tuus Mater”. The second song “The Hound” is based on the H.P. Lovecraft tale. The third song “The Unsepulchered Dead” is about going out into the world and dealing with the living dead of this life, and the last song “Intereo Parum Infantia” is about dead and dying children and these lyrics were left over from our 2008 album “Vallis Ex Umbra De Mortuus” which is based on that theme.
7.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Rigor Sardonicous'?
The name from Glenn, the founding member of Rigor Sardonicous, after reading a short story titled “Mr. Sardonicus” and we have toyed with that title in many ways in some of our song titles. It is a blend of the dead and smiling.
8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?
This was an impromptu design that a fan created many years ago and we felt this was a good opportunity to utilize it.
9.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We were never a live band and have played only a few shows since Glenn hates performing. This is the reason why we released “Vivescere Exitium”, a free to download show from 2009.
10. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Not at the moment, though I enjoy performing live but if it can be arranged to do a show I will, but likely never a tour.
11.Currently the band is unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
This is our first release since our early days that we did a self-release. Between 2004 – 2012 all of our releases were through labels. This ep came about suddenly when a recording session for my other band did not go as smoothly as was expected and in the meantime while waiting for that I got inspired to resurrect Rigor Sardonicous.
12.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of doom and death metal?
We have been rightly hailed and intensely despised. We never fit so well into the mold that people expect and some thought we were a joke. Like all worthwhile artistic endeavors one should do it for themselves and then allow others to discern their own manner of intent regarding it.
13.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
It is hard to say exactly when another release will be issued but it will happen. This ep was composed over a weekend but expect more of what we do.
14.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We are influenced by the same and that has always been varied and this includes non-metal sources. Whatever piques our interest may apply to inspire Rigor Sardonicous but primarily it is the lack of it that moves us the most.
15.What are some of your non-musical interests?
I love going out in nature, hiking, and climbing mountains in solitude. And porn, just like everyone else reading this…
16.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you to all who choose to bear us. Find us on the interwebs on Bandcamp, where all of our music is available, along with the ever-distressing facebook.
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