|
Leon Macey and Rayner Coss
| Thank you for taking the time to talk about the EP and upcoming album. I appreciate it. First of all, how's everything going on your end? Things busy in the Mithras camp with the upcoming full-length due out soon?
|
|
Rayner:
Yeah we're still busy writing new material for the upcoming album, currently scheduled for late 2012.
|
|
Leon:
We're rehearsing regularly and are still in the writing process as of right now but things are going well.
|
| -- |
| At the time of sending these questions off to you, I have not seen or received the title of the album in a press release. Have you guys just not announced the title yet and are waiting to do it, or can you say what the album's title is at this point? |
|
Rayner:
Well you can't receive something from us which we don't have! The title isn't set yet, we've only fleetingly discussed the title so far.
|
|
Leon:
We've been concentrating on the music, a lot of the tracks still don't have titles so the album title is still unknown though we've got a few ideas...
|
| -- |
| Judging by the two songs on the "Time Never Lasts" EP, is there any sort of concept behind the album that you give us considering how these two tracks seem to be kind of linked? Yes or no, Please explain. |
|
Leon:
The album breaks with the arc-story we brought to a conclusion on our last full length 'Behind The Shadows Lie Madness' and while this new record is themed around similar concepts, it's more specifically about the concept of time and the human condition.
|
|
Rayner:
The two tracks on the EP aren't linked and we're not planning to link all the songs on the upcoming album in the same way we did on previous records, especially 'Behind...' which was very structured.
|
| -- |
| It's been four years since the last album, did Mithras really take that long to come up with the material for the upcoming full-length and get it recorded? Or were the conceptual and recording periods a lot less and those years included some band downtime? |
|
Rayner:
I actually had a break from Mithras during the time period you're talking about. We were at a stage where we were finally able to play shows right before I left, then I had a break from music for a few years.
|
|
Leon:
After Rayner left, Sam Bean jumped on vocals and bass and we gigged here and there for a year and a half but I didn't get into writing any new music for various reasons. In that period I actually put together a compilation of all our old demos titled 'Sands Of Time' which was a limited edition release. In mid 2010 the live band went on hiatus and then Sam said he was probably going back to Australia. I had a bit of a break from Mithras then eventually started writing again, then in early 2011 Rayner came round to have a listen to where I was at with the new material and we started collaborating again which brings us up to the present day.
|
| -- |
| What was the writing process like for the group at this time? |
|
Leon:
For the demo tracks on the EP I wrote them on my own, but since Rayner came back we've been working on all the music together in the studio, which differs a bit from previous albums where I mapped out all the music and almost all the arrangements on my own.
|
|
Rayner:
As Leon said, we're working together on arrangements and fine tuning and fleshing out the rough ideas Leon already had recorded, as well as some band new stuff, and I'm contributing to the music a bit more this time.
|
| -- |
| With three albums down since your debut release, did the band feel the need to sit down and really try to one-up the last album, "Behind the Shadows Lie Madness", and if so do you feel you accomplished it with the upcoming album? If not, please explain why. |
|
Rayner:
It's more about the performances being more concise than previously, rather than trying to always up the quality of the material, as it's hard to quantify the quality of the albums and the concepts therein. The albums just are what they are.
|
|
Leon:
We're doing somethings a bit different on this upcoming record to 'Behind The Shadows...' and I guess thinking about it it's a fair bit different from all three of the previous records, with progressions and also regressions in styles, it's an interesting mix.
|
|
Rayner:
We're still trying to challenge ourselves, but with different kinds of challenges.
|
|
Leon:
At the end of the day we're just trying to make music we enjoy writing and eventually listening to.
|
| -- |
| The "Time Never Lasts" EP included some live tracks that sound linked together as well. Were these all from one specific live set, or are they random songs from various sets put together to sound like three tracks in a row? |
|
Rayner:
Yeah they were from a single gig, which was the last gig I played with Mithras in London in 2008, before the aforementioned break.
|
|
Leon:
I think two of the songs are in order as they were played at the show so you're probably right about them being linked. They sound nicely coherent together which is cool and it's good to finally have an release with actual high quality live recordings on it.
|
| -- |
| Does including your first official live recordings on this release open the band up to a possible live CD or DVD release in the near or distant future? Please explain if yes or no. |
|
Leon:
We've had these recordings kicking about for a while now and as I said it was great to have decent quality live recordings, recorded on multitrack so we could mix them well in my studio and get a great sound, but to clarify, these three songs are the only ones that are going to be released from this performance. The original plan was to produce a DVD of this show but we had a lot of onstage technical issues as well as some issues with the multitracks which made it impossible to use them all.
|
|
Rayner:
It's definitely a goal in the future to release better live recordings, assuming we manage to get out there gigging again.
|
| -- |
| With this EP being released, will there be a special edition for the upcoming album with additional tracks, or will this act more as a companion piece to that in order to avoid varying editions? |
|
Rayner:
The first two songs on the 'Time Never Lasts' EP are just demo versions of songs which are going to be rerecorded on the actual album.
|
|
Leon:
When it comes to the recording session for the new album we're going to rerecord the two new tracks on the 'Time Never Lasts' EP with a few minor changes. There might be a special edition of the record including the new album and the EP in one package, and I'm sure there'll be special packaging etc, depending on what route we take with the release.
|
| -- |
| Will the album be released in other editions or media platforms aside the traditional CD and now common MP3 format? If so can you give us some information? Please explain why if no other formats or editions. |
|
Leon:
I'd like to release the next album in a high resolution lossless digital format online for anyone who wants a really high quality version, as well as the obvious mp3s via legal download sites. As well as a CD package there'll probably be a vinyl version as well if we can organise it.
|
| -- |
| Looking back at the previous albums compared to the upcoming full-length, do you feel the band has grown a lot since then for the better or worse? Please explain. |
|
Rayner:
It's grown in ability and scope...
|
|
Leon:
We've definitely widened our remit from the first record to now as back then we were more of a death metal band. I guess we've picked up a lot more listeners since then too, which is nice! I'm pleased with the music we've written and the journey we've taken, even if it wasn't all enjoyable it helps you grow as a person and we've learned a lot.
|
| -- |
| Before I let you go, I would like to ask if you guys will be doing any tours to support the album? |
|
Rayner:
We're trying to recruit a more reliable live drummer right now to enable us to do a bit of touring and one off shows to support the new album once it's ready, and get the new tracks out there.
|
|
Leon:
Depending on how things work out, we'll possibly even play a few shows sooner, we've got a few new songs we're keen to give a good airing to.
|
| -- |
| Is there anything else you'd like to mention before I let you go? |
|
Leon:
Yeah, our new EP 'Time Never Lasts' is only available on CD direct from our website for the princely sum of only £5, the link is mithras.bigcartel.com and our Facebook fan page is www.facebook.com/mithrasuk
|
| -- |
| Thank you both for your time, especially getting back to me so quickly about this interview! I appreciate it, and I hope all goes well with the EP and album. |
|
Rayner:
Cheers and thanks for the interview.
|
| -- |
|
| |
