|
 SOPOR AETERNUS
an
interview with
Anna-Varney Cantodea
Would
you mind telling what have you been doing in the last few months that
deserves to be know? How are you feeling at the moment?
Thank you. I
am fine at the moment... What I've been doing during the last few
months? Basically nothing more than hiding from the sun and the heat,
spending most of the day down in the vaults, cleaning bones, reading
books... Well, you know, typical summer activities. But I hardly think
you want to hear anything about this, do you?
How did you find the right persons to perform your music? Is this
Ensemble of Shadows one big family for you (like close friends)?
Tell me more about this relation between the music you compose and the
people who help you performing it.
I think there is a little misunderstanding here, as it seems you are
confusing The Ensemble of Shadows with the musicians I am
recording with; those are two completely different "groups"... But that
mistake seems to happen almost on a regular basis. The musicians are
"just" some people I have gathered (or "found") for the studio/recording
session (usually for one particular album); this might seem a little
hard, but essentially it is true. I have no further contact with them
than during the process of recording itself... And that is rather
important to me, as my work requires a certain distance. For the most
part, I send them the notation for the material to be recorded a couple
of days before the actual session - so that they at least have a chance
to take a look at it and perhaps go through it once or twice - but I do
not give them any further information (well, maybe apart from the
tempi). When we eventually meet in the studio (only one musician at
a time), I give them the instructions on intonations, atmosphere, etc.
(and correct them if necessary). Sometimes people are a little scared
when they first come to the studio, because they do not know what to
expect, but after only a few minutes, their fear dissolves and one can
sense a certain "presence" in the room. After the session, most of them
confess that they really enjoyed it a lot and that - despite the
seemingly frightening darkness and "strangeness" of it all - it had been
a very beautiful experience for them.
The Ensemble of Shadows, on the other hand, is entirely
immaterial (very spiritual... and most of all very intimate); but that
is all I am going to tell you about it.
 You've
recently released Dead Lovers' Sarabande (Face One); what is your
opinion on this latest effort in comparison with the previous ones (a
natural evolution or just different)? I've noticed that the use of
classical instruments increased, so this factor was probably important
to you, wasn't it?
I feel I am getting closer to the essence (step by step) - both
musically and spiritually (if you know what I mean).
According to my feeling, Dead Lovers' Sarabande (Face One) still
has some... weakness, here and there (one or two mistakes), but with
Dead Lovers' Sarabande (Face Two), we have eventually received and
recorded an album that I would even go and buy it myself (if I wasn't
involved with Sopor Aeternus). That might seem very strange to you... it
might sound like I would not really care about our previous albums, or
that I am of the opinion that they are somewhat crap... or worthless,
but nothing could be farther away from the truth. Todeswunsch - Sous
le Soleil de Saturne, for example, is an album that I always liked
very much... and still do, but the difference with Dead Lovers'
Sarabande (Face Two) is that I can, for the very first time (!), sit
down and listen through the entire album without going through all the
pain again! It is almost as if it had been received by someone else
instead of me...
Even though each single album is something complete within itself, it
appears also - if you take a closer look - like a sequel to the previous
one(s)... and this is not only because it follows chronologically, but
also because it is based on them and my experiences... as my life (or
shall I say, existence) continues... similar to a (constant)
stocktaking. At least that's what I thought for a while, until I
discovered that it actually goes a lot deeper than just that. In fact,
each single album is a (spiritual) "preparation" to the ones that
follow... which, in return, are impossible to imagine without this
previous material as their basis. Discovering this, I recently
understood why The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller album has been
so very important. To my own shame, I have to admit that for a very long
time, I felt that this particular album had been the worst thing I have
ever recorded... honestly; I mean, the overall quality (for a
semi-professional studio recording) isn't the best, my voice sounds just
terrible, the artwork isn't exactly brilliant either... and so on and so
on. Apart from the lyrics itselves, I really felt that this CD was a
complete waste of time. But after I had recorded the Dead Lovers'
Sarabande (Face One), it eventually dawned to me that I was taught
an important lesson here...
 If you had to point out something
in which Sopor Aeternus differs from other bands, what would that be? In
your opinion, what are the key elements that make Sopor Aeternus so
original?
How am I supposed to answer this question? I have really no idea...
However, each time I have a chance to listen to current compilation CDs
or tapes, I find that, in comparison, the music... or rather the entire
atmosphere of Sopor Aeternus is far more "fragile"... vulnerable, if you
will.
Would you mind giving a more detailed analysis behind the meaning of
Sopor Aeternus' symbol? From what I gather, there seems to be two
numbers completing each other (a 4 and a 5); are these any specific
numbers which fit within the concept of your music (I also found that
this symbol holds traces of astrologic Saturn symbology)?
Sorry, but I am certainly not going into detail here. However, I
think it is safe to say that the name of the symbol (our logo), is Jusa
- at least that's how "we" call it. And even though it is not really
composed of two numbers, 4 and 5 do represent it to a certain degree
(confusing, I know, but that's all I can tell you, sorry).
Comment the terms:
-
Suicide: escape from pain;
- Religion (is it really necessary?): yes, of course it is
necessary. Please do not confuse religion ("re-ligio") with any
institutionalisation like the (so-called) Christian Church - as those
are merely instruments of power, submission and control (nothing more).
"Re-ligio", on the other hand, is the realisation of our own spiritual
connection with the entire universe... the demand to learn and therefore
grow and develop - both emotionally and spiritually;
- Self-mutilation: Depends on the situation... but usually a visual
manifestation of (an) inner pain;
- Poetry: essential to our existence (there lies enormous power in
poetry...);
- Holocaust: horror beyond words;
- Blood and Sacrifice: depends on the situation...
 What
kinds of music do you listen to and what are your favourite artists, or
composers? Do you spend much time listening to music? If so, in what way
does it influence your life (if at all)?
Whenever I am asked this particular question, I find myself being a
little insecure, as I certainly know what kind of answer is expected.
But "artists", "composers" or even "genres" are not the criteria in
which I define my musical favourites. "Truth" and "necessity" are the
aspects that are important to me (this is my person definition of
"avant-garde" art). I am not going to reveal what recordings exactly
have touched my soul, because that would be far too intimate... and I
also feel that uncovering those albums would be almost sacrilegious (if
you know what I mean).
Music has such an importance in my life... I couldn't live without it;
well, perhaps I "could", but I would not want to! As far as I remember,
the motto of this year's Love Parade, in Berlin, has been "Music
is the Key"... a leitmotif that holds some very important truth, my
dear!In this commercial context it appears rather banal, but if you take
a closer look at it, you'll experience that the potential of music is a
very powerful one, indeed! Being non-material and purely vibrant, it is
sometimes the only power that could break through even the "greyest",
most "petrified" aura of a human creature... and touch the wounded that
lies hidden in this dungeon within! Think about it...!
How's your everyday life? Do you follow any specific routine or daily
rituals (perhaps some strange hobbies or habits you would like to
share)?
Well, yes... there is a certain daily... routine, if you will. But
what exactly do you mean when you say "strange"? The so-called
strangeness of a person or a situation, is always defined by the
perception (and attitudes) of the beholder...! So I guess that, in my
case, it would be regarded as strange if I was collecting stamps or
something of this kind...?
What is it that inspires you when composing new songs (it must be a
truly inner voyage, in a spiritual sense? Is there anybody in special
you want to reach with your music?
Actually, this is a very difficult question... because does anybody
really know where exactly the divine gift of inspiration comes from? On
the other hand, it seems safe to say that "everything" (!) which we
perceive with our senses - regardless of whether this happens
consciously or not - has also an influence on our life... and therefore
on our creative work as well, of course!
There is a special intention of working in secret behind all things - as
nothing ever happens without a reason or motive. I believe that is so
for all lyrics and music... in a certain moment and position within the
continuum of space and time, a special melody or "music" is already
assigned. The consequence of arising from this idea, is the circumstance
of having no real choice regarding the selection, instrumentation and
final sound of "our" music, since its appearence is automatically
defined by our own individual way of being (consciousness) in the very
moment of the invocation of the song. Indeed, the artist's interaction
with her/his entire (spiritual) environment - and the lyrics that is the
"name" of the song of poem - actually seems to create this definition.
If one keeps in mind that equal things always attract each other, allow
me then to illustrate these thoughts by using the following model: try
to imagine an empty room; at its centre, a peculiar source of light is
sending out its rays. The source of light shall be the essence of the
song upon which we have chosen to focus. Attracted by the
characteristically pulsating rhythm of this light, the perhaps strange -
yet still corresponding - entities, or energies (however one prefers to
call them) enter the room as they follow our invitation, leaving their
traces behind whilst moving through it. Those entities, or energies, are
the exact equivalent to the instruments and voices of the song; in fact,
they do represent them. If we take a closer look at the resulting
scenario after a certain space of time (that is, the room), the traces
that have been left behind and the source of light all together as a
whole... then from this picture we may perceive a symbolic equivalent of
the moment when music and lyrics unite. It is, of course, important to
capture the very moment of the highest intensity, in order to be as
close as possible to the true essence of the song and therefore also to
the emotion one attempts to express in the first place.
Well, first of all, I am creating the music for myself, for a deeper
understanding of my own spiritual path... my existence and the world in
general. Having said this, I must also admit that as soon as an album is
completed (and released) I do want people to buy (and like) it... and,
hopefully, understand what I am trying to say (that is, to a certain
degree... or, at least, be interested in it).
 Dreams
seem to be an important element in Sopor Aeternus' music: do they
influence or help you in any way through your life and attitudes?
Wouldn't you agree with Poe and say that life is "a dream within a
dream"?
Yes, of course they do; I often refer to them as The Theatre of
Seven Hells... and they are far more (to me) that just a source of
inspiration. You are absolutely right... they do give me advice for my
life (but please forgive me if I do not want to go into detail here).
"The creation" of our entire universe is the "dream" of a "being": a
"creature" that some of us call God... and that "lives" in a "state"
understood as the "negative existence". This is the one "big dream" we
all share, in which we all live. But we also live our very own
individual dreams as well, created by our ideas, attitudes, complexes,
wishes, etc... and it is this perception that creates the individual
dreams in which we live (Maya, the grand illusion... or the veil of
Isis). I think one might describe it something like this: we all live on
the same planet - but in different worlds (do you understand what I am
trying to say?).
One thing I'm sure most people would agree with, is the artistic way
you look on your photos - a friend of mine even says they are worth of
being in an art gallery, due the intense emotions they bring to one's
imagination. What do you feel or try to express when being photographed?
Thank you. You know, on the one hand it is almost a funny thing
(well... at least from a certain perspective). Just yesterday, Alex of
Apocalyptic Vision told me once more of some person that he met, who in
all seriousness felt that "my look" would be totally disgusting... and
that she would never want to have anything to do with (people like) me.
She had never heard a single note of our music and even refused to
listen, as she was 100% sure that it could only be sick and disturbing.
However, when he finally convinced her to, at least, try it once - and
gave her a copy of Dead Lovers' Sarabande - she was absolutely
surprised how "very beautiful" (her own words) the music is (well,
"perception").
Our visual performances (of which photo sessions are also an important
aspect) are based on Ankoku Butoh (meaning "Dance of Darkness"),
a Japanese dance form which, in retrospect, had its birth in the
Kinjiki performance ("Forbidden Colours"), in May 1959. The short
piece was based on Yukio Mishima's novel and was performed without
music; its images, however, had a tremendous effect: a young boy
(Yoshito Ohno) was dancing a scene of sodomy with a living chicken which
he, getting closer to the orgasm, strangled between his thighs. Then out
of the darkness of the stage, a man (Tatsumi Hijikata) followed by a
boy, trying to win his favour. In the western world, Ankoku Butoh
has often been interpreted as an artistic reaction, or attempt to come
to terms with the atomic blasts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (the dancers'
white bodies, the agonisingly slow movements, the shaved heads, the
bandy legs, the foetal positions, etc.). But it's a lot more than just
that... it is, in fact, deeply spiritual - a philosophy and a way of
life as well. It conforts us with the dark(er) side(s) of (human)
nature... and if we only dare to take a look at it, it even reveals its
hidden (as often denied) beauty. When I was first introduced to it in
the early eighties, the main reason why I immediately fell in love with
it, was the chance to eventually have found an adequate way to express
the pain I was suffering from... and which, as I felt at the time, had
never really been visible before (apart from the fact that I realised I
was looking like an Ankoku Butoh figure anyway). Preparing for a
performance always requires much energy from me, as it is nothing that
you do in passing! I am not going to confine your imagination by
defining what "I" was/am trying to express, even though I do, of course,
have something very specific in mind when performing; but as I said
before, "it is your own way of being that defines your perception... and
it is this perception that defines the world in which you live." So
whatever you see or sense within Sopor Aeternus' images, is fine with
me... because it is obviously the right thing for you in that moment.
 Are
you satisfied with the overall support, promotion, album artworks and
release dates that Apocalyptic Vision has been providing? How's their
assistance to all this?
Apocalyptic Vision is a very small independent label. The positive
aspect of all this, is that I have 100% control when it comes to the
artwork of each CD, etc... which is, as you can probably imagine, the
only possible way for me to work! After all, I am the only person who
fully understands what stands behind Sopor Aeternus and its symbology
and absolutely no one (!) is ever allowed to interfere, as the entire
project is based on psycho-spiritual work... or spiritual "development"!
Another aspect of being with an independent label is (of course) the
"money thing"... or, to be more precise, the lack of money... which
consequently means that sometimes our creations are confined, or limited
by the amount of money we can afford to spend... but that's alright.
How do you view civilisation and how do you cope with the
comercial-oriented society we live in?
I don't.
Tell me what persons or things create the following feelings and
emotions on you:
- Guilt: myself;
- Stress: people;
- Love: I do not know;
- Happiness: I can't remember;
- Melancholy and Depression: everything;
- Misanthropy: myself;
- Hate: emotional inattentiveness;
What's your opinion on underground fanzines? Do you feel they help
supporting you?
I do not get the chance very often to read any kind of magazines,
because (admittedly) they usually do not contain much that interests me;
most of them are a waste of paper... sounds unfair, but it's often the
truth, unfortunately. Generally speaking, those magazines and fanzines
do not have the potential to support bands and labels to a certain
degree (perhaps even "push" them), but they do cover only a certain
area... and therefore reach only a limited amount of people. In Germany,
there are hardly any underground fanzines left... but I remember the
early days, when we decided to release our material... and very often we
heard (from other people who have tried it before) that it would be
absolutely pointless to send a demo (or whatever) to this or that
fanzine, because they wouldn't feature it anyway, due to the fact that
editor doesn't "personally" know you! Well, excuse me, babe... but I
think some people failed to understand the idea of a fanzine here!
Nowadays we have stuff like the Orkus magazine, in Germany... and one of
the things I like about it, is the fact that even an absolutely unknown
newcomer band with nothing more than a cheesy tape to offer, can be
found right beside a famous major band... getting the same amount of
coverage - and that's what I call underground orientated!
 Lyric-wise,
I would say that Sopor Aeternus is very rich and full of beautiful
moments of cold nature. On Dead Lovers' Sarabande, you express
lots of love, as well as desperate, sad and insufferable feelings; in
fact, the entire album seems like a mixture of sombre, dark visions upon
certain affairs. Would you mind giving more insight on the lyrical
concept (since it's partially written in German)?
I am certainly not going to explain the lyrics here... and I truly
hope that this is not what you are asking of me! I never really
understood what people like about Sopor Aeternus' music... what exactly
they see in it... especially since at least 50% of the it is
sung/written in German, a language which most of the international
listeners do neither speak nor understand. Admittedly, I was even a
little affraid that some parts of Dead Lovers' Sarabande (Face One)
would be boring to some people, since the main weight and focus lie on
the lyrics... I felt that the ability of getting into the music depended
entirely on their understanding. You might wonder now, that if it is
really "oh so important" for me that others understand it, why haven't I
written them in English in the first place? Well, the answer is very
simple: each song "works" only in a "certain language"! But I won't let
you stand in the rain completely... the metaphorical language of Dead
Lovers' Sarabande (Face One) deals with euthanasia, homo-erotic
necrophilia, loss and the Jungian descent into one's own spiritual
darkness.
I've also noticed the use of Saturn in your lyrics: what does it
represent for you?
Forgive me... but that is too personal.
One of the tracks on the album is called The Sleeper, which
was a poem originally written by the arch priest of gothic horror, Edgar
Allan Poe. This isn't the first time you use his poems, so I assume you
are a fan of his works?
I am not a fan of anyone or anything... however, Edgar Allan Poe is
truly the arch priest of gothic horror!
 "Death
is certain, life is not": what's your view on this sentence? Do you
think there's really such a thing as Existence? Do you believe in theory
of Reincarnation?
The way I perceive it, there is a lot of truth in this sentence.
Indeed, we all die one fine day... that's inevitable: but how do we fill
up the time span between the moment of our first and final breath? Do we
"live"... or merely "exist"? The question is, what do we do with the
time that it's given to us on this beautiful planet (and it truly is a
beautiful planet)? Do we dare to use it... or are we simply wasting it
in fear? The main difference between Life and Existence, is that
Existence is about being passive... undead! Life, on the other hand,
requires consciousness, courage and activity. It is our own decision...
each time we are born again on this earth (I do not have to "believe" in
reincarnation, because it is a fact, darling).
How would like to say goodbye to your earthly existence (describe the
perfect atmosphere and your frame of mind at the moment)?
In perfect consciousness of the moment...
Earth, air, fire, water and spirit: what do these elements represent
for you? Do you believe that the laws of Magic can alter one's own life?
These elements represent what they represent! I mean, you cannot
choose their meaning. The laws of Magic are the laws of the cosmic
universe... and understanding these - which can only happen step by
step, I believe - does "automatically" alter one's life, yes; as soon as
one discovers that everything is connected, then he or she can start
seeing and treating things (and people) differently... more respectfully
(well, hopefully).
If you had supernatural powers for just one day, what thing(s) would
you change in yourself, or in the world in general?
I am perfectly aware of the enormous temptation that would go along
with this gift. I do not know what I would exactly do... it's
hypothetical, anyway.
www.soporaeternus.de
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