Vampires, Death, Abhartach
– an interview with Cape Of Bats

Pale Creation‘s Nick Fiction did a very interesting interview with Francis Kano of CAPE OF BATS and asked me to release it on CVLT Nation. There’s no need for any more introducing words:

Nick Fiction: I recently had the opportunity to listen to my friend, Francis Kano’s new record entitled Transylvania. Before I personally interviewed him I gave it several listens to get the best idea of the emotion and story that his band CAPE OF BATS were trying to convey. Before the interview began he explained to me the story that inspired the music. Here is what he had to say.

Francis, would you mind introducing to readers the band members names and involvement in this record?

Francis Kano: I’m Francis and I wrote all of the music and lyrics around fall and winter last year. It wasn’t until the death of summer this year when I was in America we got to record it. Cassidy McGinley drums and also helps flesh out the song’s structures. She records and mixes all of our stuff in her basement. Matthew Geary wrote and played the piano featured.

You mentioned to me that the record is a concept one, could you elaborate on this?

Lyrically, the record is conceptual of my fellow Irishman Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which before the plague known to us as “Twilight” was what people initially thought of with the word vampire. This is particularly relevant to me as from my house in Glenullin, county Derry in Ireland, I can see the grave of Abhartach. His story is regarded as one of the oldest vampyric legends in Europe and some scholars such as Dr. Robert Curran (an essay of who’s is included with the record) believe this legend had an impact on Stoker whilst writing Dracula.

I was very interested upon reading that the grave of Abhartach can be seen from your home in Ireland. Can you please explain to readers the influence this grave has had on your music and story?

People here are still very superstitious of the grave, which consists of a huge burial stone accompanied by a hawthorn tree. Hawthorn trees are generally avoided as they are believed to be ‘fairy trees’. If the people are afraid of fairies here you can imagine what they think of vampires. Abhartach was a true vampyric tyrant who demanded blood upon resurrecting after being slain several times by a warrior leader of the O’Cathain clan. It was not until O’Cathain took advice from a druid that he knew how to keep him ‘dead’ in the grave they all fear today. I grew up with this superstitious aura looming lightly over the area as a child so it has always influenced me creatively.

After listening several times I really fancied the piano work and your explanation of how and under what circumstances it was recorded. Will you please tell readers exactly how this happened? I also noticed how you began and ended the record with these ghostly piano pieces. I am assuming this was done to be cinema-esque?

The piano was written and played by Matthew “Eerie” Geary, musical extraordinaire. It was recorded on an old out of tune piano in Cassidy’s house. A violent death took place in the specific room where the piano happened to be and I personally believe such things to hold significant influence. As a conceptual record I believe a cinematic approach was appropriate so you are totally right with that.

I must say I really enjoyed the broad area of music covered from ghostly piano parts to raw, almost thrashy Black Metal. It seems to be highly influenced by several genres of music. Are their any specific bands that you would say who have influenced this record?

I love any true dark music, and those which balance several styles uniquely are my favorite such as many bands from LLN, like Vlad Tepes, Black Murder, Mutiilation or Brenoritvrezorkre and even bands like Christian Death, Mighty Sphincter and Samhain. Cassidy and I also love dark thrashing punk like Zouo, Septic Death and Born Without A Face.

You mentioned in your overview that this record is almost an apology of sorts? Would care to elaborate on this?

The record is an apology in that O’Cathain, said to have slain Abhartach, would be an ancestor of mine! So I am pretty regretful of this for sure.

I have seen the album cover and have heard a brief description of its origin and meaning. It’s a fascinating piece, knowing the story and then listening to the accompanying music. I find it to be very unique and amazingly interesting. Please describe the process…

The record cover was taken near the grave in Glenullin by Steve Farrow, with me posing as an aspiring Abhartach maybe? Dwid Hellion then did his incredible grimification, giving it a somewhat LLN look, who we are both huge fans of and, as I said, I believe were a huge influence on this specific record.

Can you let everyone know when is the release date, record label, release format and of course, how to get one?

The vinyl record should be available for direct order from the very start of 2012 from our own label Grim Winds, and Dwid’s Holy Terror label which we are beyond psyched to be on. We are pressing 300 on black, and 200 on a special color will be available from Holy Terror. Grim Winds’ link is http://vladcore.bigcartel.com

Francis, I’d like to thank your for the opportunity to interview you for this release. It’s truly an interesting concept for a musical work, with music is awesome to go with it.

Honored Nick, everyone shouldn’t sleep or else stay dead if you haven’t gotten Pale Creation‘s Twilight Haunt 12″ limited reissue from A389!