Hard rock metallers Cathercist have been touring relentlessly since the release of their latest album "As Hope Expires" have got a whole lot more lined-up for the rest of this year! Guitarist Taylor Roberts discusses the album, plans for new tunes and touring a whole lot more!
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Cathercist, and how long the band has been together.
Taylor: Hey how’s it going? My name is Taylor, I play guitar and do back-up vocals in Cathercist. We've been together about 4 and a half years.
2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Taylor: We say Gulfport, MS. which is where we originated, but some of our members are from Mobile, AL. So in all, we are from the Gulf Coast. As far as locals, there aren't too many from our area anymore, but one of our favorite local bands would have to be Arkos based out of Hattiesburg, MS.
3. Tell me about As Hope Expires?
Taylor: Well, “As Hope Expires” is our follow up record to "The Untimely Death of Zack Sawyer", both of which are available on iTunes or physically at cathercist.com. We recorded it in Miami at Bieler Bros Studios over the course of one week, with a few fly dates for our vocalist to Wisconsin to compete his tracks. It's definitely a more mature record for us. We strive to get better with every record and improve ourselves as musicians. I can't wait to see what the next one pushes us to write.
4. Is there any story or concept behind the As Hope Expires,title?
Taylor: The basic concept is the post-apocalyptic/post war theme. Our song “Hope in Darkness” is where the title actually came from. Like the start of the track, you can hear the alert sirens you hear in those types of movies where some type of war/natural disaster is happening. Once you hear those sirens, you begin to feel kind of hopeless (hence “As Hope Expires”) and the rest of the song follows suit, yet on the chorus you begin to find a way through all the hopelessness.
5. Who produced As Hope Expires, and what was it like working with them?
Taylor: We worked with Matt LaPlant, whom we intend to do a follow up EP with! It was fun yet strenuous to say the least. He pushed us to write better if we were stuck and to really play something to the best of our ability. We actually said he should change his studio name to "One More Time Studios" haha. Just when you thought you have the perfect take, he'll come back with, "Yeah that was really good, let's do that one more time." But in the end it really made us better players as far as recording is concerned.
6. Who did the cover art for As Hope Expires, and how much input did you have on it?
Taylor: Tim Fox, based out of the UK. And we basically gave him the idea of what we wanted based on the theme of the album, which was the post-apocalyptic theme. We worked back and forth until we got something that we were completely satisfied with.7. Select two songs from As Hope Expires, and what inspired the lyrics.
Taylor: “Everything Has Changed”: It's about the downhill slope we all have to face when you cut ties with someone close to you that you care about. All the promises you make to each other just don't seem to matter anymore. But, sometimes when you can't communicate effectively, it's the best thing.
“Hope in Darkness”: It's about the spark we're all grasping for to know everything will be okay. Whether, it be a friend, or an idea… We need it to move forward. No matter what seems to be crashing down around us, you can't give up.
8. Do you guys have any new music in the works in terms of a follow-up?
Taylor: Absolutely! We've actually been writing for quite some time, it's just a matter of weeding through all the ideas to get something solid that everyone feels strongly about recording.
9. What are your songs about? (What specific themes do they cover?)
Taylor: It kinda varies, we don't necessarily have a common theme or concept. We write what we feel at the time, whether it be anger, joy, depression, bliss, or whatever emotion is present at the time of writing.
10. Do you write your own songs? (Discuss the songwriting process in detail.)
Taylor: Yes absolutely! It's kind of an ever-evolving process! Someone will have a riff or even an entire song idea/skeleton and we just kind of go from there. We do our best to give everyone a shot at trying something different within the song, because we all hear things differently. Which can lead to some feelings getting hurt here and there, but in the end, we usually come up with something everyone is happy with and feels a part of. Everyone gets a say so and a chance to try their ideas and see how it turns out.
11. Who are your musical influences?
Taylor: We have quite a wide variety, ranging from Metallica to Bruno Mars! Some others include, Sevendust, The Misfits, Lamb of God, Disturbed, All That Remains, Papa Roach, Envy on the Coast, and Protest the Hero. It's all a pretty big jumble of influences thrown into the melting pot. Ya know, I really think we have an advantage these days because we have such a wide variety of great music out there to draw inspiration from, but it's almost a curse at the same time! Because you have to separate yourself from everyone else out there!
12. How have the gigs you guys been doing this year been?
Taylor: They've been going pretty well! We've been on tour quite a bit since November of last year. We have a little time off with a few good shows in between. Some of which are with 10 years and Twelve Foot Ninja, as well as a Headlining show at the House of Blues in New Orleans, LA at the end of this month.
13. How do you promote your band and shows?
Taylor: Word of mouth, Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Bands in Town, Instagram) and through networking. If we are coming to your town we will find a way to let you know!
14. Describe your show, visual and musically for us.
Taylor: Well, currently we are revamping our entire show! I'm extremely excited for what we are trying to do with it! I can't reveal anything yet, as it's all still being worked on/built! But, after all is said and done, we want to create more than just a musical performance. We want to have a visual experience that you take home with you, and have to tell your friends about the next day! We have some really neat things in the works and I'm excited to see it all come together.
15. What plans do you guys have for this year?
Taylor: Recording more music, and Tour, Tour, TOUR! We love being on the road and traveling. It's always great to make new friends in other bands on the road, as well as meeting new people face to face every night.16. What advice would you give to fellow bands, who want to do what you're doing?
Taylor: Well, first thing I would suggest is finding a group of like-minded individuals. You definitely need to surround yourself by people that feel the same about music, writing, and touring, like you do. Secondly, I would say don't release a demo that your buddy wants to record for you for free so he can get experience. Take your time, write music you would enjoy listening to yourself, and then save up some money, find a decent studio and cut 3-4 songs that you would be proud to let anyone listen to. Third, I would say get out there and play your ass off, and by that I don't mean the same club that's 20 minutes down the road from your house every weekend or every other weekend. Branch out to different places, make connections with other bands so you can do show swaps, and build a name for yourself regionally.
17. Any final words of wisdom?
Taylor: Be cool to EVERYBODY. You never know who you are talking to, who you are dealing with, and who could potentially give you a shot later on down the road. People remember your words and actions. Also, this process isn't an overnight one. Be ready to put in the work and be poor for a while, haha! If you're not in this 100% it's just a hobby, which there's nothing wrong with at all. But if you have the rock star vision in your head, be ready to give up everything to pursue your dream.
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