Photos by ©Daphnea Doto / Solweig Wood
(We proudly present Comrade Aleks‘ excellent interview with Benjamin Guerry from the French band The Great Old Ones, whose new album is set for release in January by Season of Mist.)
As you noticed, there were almost zero interviews with Lovecraft-influenced bands in the previous two months. Hard times for those who follow the Cult, indeed! But the patient ones will be rewarded, as Season of Mist proclaimed that the fifth release of French black metal heroes The Great Old Ones, Kadath, will be released on January 24th!
Fifteen years of boiling activity, four full-length albums behind, a damn lot of live rituals served – the band has solid luggage and this entire experience was reworked and channeled through a concept album based on Lovercaft’s most psychedelic and bizarre Dream Cycle.
Benjamin Guerry (guitars, vocals) is the only founding member who stood at the dawn of The Great Old Ones and who remains its mastermind; it was sheer luck that we’ve caught him and got the interview done in the most operative way.
Hail Benjamin! How are you? What’s new in your lair?
Hi! We are fine thank you. In full promotion of our next album which will be released on January 24, 2025. We can’t wait to reveal it in its entirety to the world!
As you say, the band’s fifth album Kadath is about to be released, so accept my congratulations. But, first of all, there are six years between Kadath and Cosmicism. What slowed you down?
A lot has happened in these almost 6 years. Firstly, there was the covid period, we had to find a different rhythm. And secondly, we worked a lot on our concert film based on the movie The Call of Cthulhu, which required a lot of work from each member. We would have liked to present it more often, but it was time to work on the next album. It was a fantastic experience, and I hope we can release it on blu ray one day.
Honestly, I skipped The Call of Cthulhu concert film, so I beg a pardon (before The Great Old Ones). Can you shed some light on this work and reveal its essence and its prospects?
When the pandemic arrived, there was a period during which only seated concerts were allowed. We therefore thought of offering this concert film in order to bring the public a Lovecraftian experience that would be adapted to this.
This film was obvious. Silent, in black and white, with a very particular aesthetic, is for me the best direct adaptation of a Lovecraft short story.
The idea was therefore to offer a totally original soundtrack, in the style of TGOO. So we composed each passage so that it fits perfectly with the images. It was a titanic job, but we are still very happy with the result today. There are also some passages that are quite original for TGOO, such as a jazzy passage, to accompany an archaeologist meeting in a private club. We loved the exercise.
The Great Old Ones released five full-length albums for its 15-year career, and that’s a pretty good result. How do you value the band’s progress through these years? Do you feel that everything was done right and you reached a kind of optimal position?
The band has become stronger and stronger, whether in terms of composition, technique, and stage presence. Each member has grown individually along with The Great Old Ones as an entity. We try, with each album, to offer an evolution of our music, and to never offer exactly the same thing twice. This is very subjective, but I feel like we’re moving forward every time.
About the optimal position, we still have many paths to explore, and I don’t think we have finished our journey yet. We don’t look at the past, and are focused on the future.
Are there things which you would avoid to try with The Great Old Ones? May it absorb one day sympho-black influences or turn into a totally post-black piece?
We don’t really have a limit. Any style of music that seems coherent to us could be used. I love classical instruments, like I love analog synths, and I don’t mind incorporating them as arrangements.
However, we already offer music with multiple layers. This should not be superfluous, nor to the detriment of the work of composing the guitars. But for one song, I would really like one day to be able to have an orchestra recorded. Used well, this could be fantastic.
I just found that the band’s lineup changed dramatically since the Al Azif release in 2012, with only you left from those times. How much did these changes influence The Great Old Ones?
It’s true, there have been a lot of lineup changes, and I am indeed the last original member. All the departures were for different reasons, sometimes good, sometimes bad. However, each time the band came out stronger. But I’m definitely a bit of a tyrant (laugh)!
The Great Old Ones has always been my project, and I am the main composer. So the departure of a member has never really profoundly changed the DNA of the band. On the other hand, each new member brought with him his own artistic sensitivity, allowing for a renewal and creating a new dynamic. I’m really happy with how things are going today.
How did you recruit the new lineup? Did you search for the like-minded persons or was professionalism of some kind enough?
Several criteria are important when we recruit a new member. Of course, there is the notion of experience and technique. We all need to be able to trust each other, be diligent, and professional.
But there is obviously the human notion. We spend a lot of time together, and therefore must get along well, and have the same goal for the band.
Even if the lineup has changed a lot, The Great Old Ones remains a human adventure.
You based the album’s lyrics on Lovecraft’s The Dream Cycle. How did you build the album’s entire concept around the story? Did you search for some new instrumental decisions to channel its vibe properly?
Indeed, this time we did not base ourselves on the myth of Cthulhu, but on what is called The Dream Cycle in Lovecraft’s work, and specifically the short story The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. We wanted, while remaining within the main concept of the band (Lovecraft’s work), to change and take inspiration from a less popular aspect of H.P. Lovecraft’s work. And because this short story is not pure horror, but rather fantasy with elements of horror, our approach had to be different. Each passage of each song follows Randolph Carter’s quest, the characters he meets, the trials he goes through, and how it impacts his emotions and mental health.
It was also necessary to transcribe the marvelous landscapes that Carter admires, and this resulted in an album that was sometimes brighter than our previous albums, but always with a sense of drama, because the more the protagonist’s quest advances, the more danger and madness approach. All this makes for an epic and varied album.
It’s difficult to reflect all the Dream Cycle’s story in one album, so how did you decide what to include in the album and what to leave overboard?
You’re right, and that’s also why we decided to only adapt The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. Fitting the entire cycle would be impossible over an hour of music.
And even in doing so, it was necessary to make elipses in the story. We endeavored to properly transcribe the important passages, while highlighting Randolph Carter’s feelings in each situation he experiences during his quest.
Moreover, sometimes this has been reversed. “Leng” for example, a 15-minute instrumental song, corresponds to a passage of a few pages in the story. But the fact that it is instrumental leaves room for imagination.
Did you meet any technical difficulties this time during the recording of the album? And, also, how smooth was the session in general?
We don’t make music that’s the easiest for the listener to access, and the same goes for us when it comes to recording. Attention to detail is important because there are multiple layers, discreet but essential arrangements. We spend a lot of time with Francis, our producer, refining every sound, every effect, and making sure we produce the most accomplished album possible.
But working with Francis is always a pleasure, and he does everything to find the best sound, the best approach to honor our compositions. And this time, he surpassed himself. Kadath’s production is exactly what was needed. On the other hand, he will tell you that it was the most difficult album he worked on. (laugh)
Will it be more difficult then to perform Kadath live on stage?
On the contrary, I find that the songs on the album have the intensity and epic sense that will make them excellent live songs. We have already performed “Me, The Dreamer” a few times live, and despite its almost 11 minutes, the feedback from the public was excellent.
We can’t wait to introduce them to you!
There’s the song “In the Mouth of Madness” in Kadath. Did you base it on the brilliant John Carpenter’s movie with the same name? How does it fit the album’s concept?
The title of the song is a direct reference to the fantastic film by John Carpenter, of which I have always been a fan.
However, this only concerns the title. In The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, this song takes place when Randolph Carter can finally admire the faces of the ancient gods, and thus continue his path towards the city he absolutely wants to reach. However, he will sink into the underworld, and will have to manage to escape from this place of perdition, in order to escape madness and death.
A lot of bands are inspired by Lovecraftian mythology. All of them play in different genres, and I guess that Russian Ultar is one of those which is closer to The Great Old Ones genre-wise. Is it a bless or a curse? Don’t you think there are too many bands who pay tribute to H. P. at the moment?
To begin with, it’s our choice. So if it’s a curse, we chose it (laugh).
But I don’t think that’s the case. Each band brings their own vision of Lovecraft’s work. And these visions are often different. On the contrary, I find it enriching, and clearly shows that Lovecraft can be adapted in many ways. Some focus on pure horror and evil, but I always found that there was a form of beauty in Lovecraft, something cathartic as well. The fascination with the cosmos, the abyss, everything that has a size beyond comprehension, is an important element in his stories. There are therefore many aspects to explore, enough for multiple bands and artists to draw inspiration from it.
There’s also an alternative approach to interpretation of the Cthulhu Mythos – like the one Arkham Witch provides, for example. I mean a kind of dedicated and lovely touch of these topics with humour. Do you accept such an attitude to the canonic stories?
I have absolutely no problem with that. Lovecraft’s universe is also present in literary and cinematic adaptations, sometimes with a little derision.
As long as a project is done with passion, and not with a purely commercial objective, it is always one more tribute to the master of Providence.
Did you ever think to base an album on works of other authors like Arthur Machen or Clark Ashton Smith who were spiritually close to Lovecraft?
We still have much to explore in Lovecraft’s work. But we are not closed to adapting other authors who are close to him. Moreover, on our previous album, Cosmicism, the song “Carcosa” is directly inspired by The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers. It’s a small disloyalty to Lovecraft, but without really being one, he himself having been very inspired by the work of Chambers. We will see in the future!
What’s the project Day of the Fisherman?
Wow! A name from the past. It’s simply the name of one of my old music bands, which mixed screamo and black metal. But it has been more than 15 years since the project stopped. However, I keep very good contact with the former members, and I learned a lot with them.
What are you plans for the release’s support with gigs? Is there a chance to start an entire tour? Is it necessary for you?
Yes, we are currently working on a French tour, as well as a European tour. Studio work is essential, but live performances are really what we prefer. The songs take on an even greater dimension and power, and we always do our best to offer a true Lovecraftian journey to our audience.
And we can’t wait to defend Kadath on the road, the gigs should be intense.
How do you see the practice of supporting new releases with tours in Europe nowadays? Does it prove itself yet? Does it grant some satisfaction and keep the band from losing money?
Doing as many tours as possible is a goal for us. We love playing live, and going to new cities. It is true that today it is becoming more and more difficult. Production costs are very high, and organizers are becoming more and more cautious. But there are always fighters who keep the scene alive and who are ready to take risks.
Did you ever play solo-gigs with The Great Old Ones? Is it good or bad for the band?
If by “solo-gigs” you mean doing a concert where we are the only band of the evening, that has never happened. I think if we had to play two or three hours, it would be exhausting for both the audience and us (laughs). But it could be an incredible experience. This would require a very varied show with a gigantic scenography.
Thanks for the interview Benjamin! I wish you all the best in your somnambulistic quest and further promotion of Kadath. Would you like to add a few more words to worshippers?
Thank you for this interview. We hope that Kadath will take you far into the Dreamlands, and that you will emerge from Randolph Carter’s quest with all your sanity.
In any case, keep dreaming!
https://www.thegreatoldonesband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/thegreatoldones
https://thegreatoldonessom.bandcamp.com/album/kadath