The Conspirators of the Occult

In our latest (and greatest?) music feature we chat to Conspirators of the Occult. Check out the interview below, and for more check em out here!

VOLTCASE "THE CONSPIRATORS OF THE OCCULT" INTERVIEW:

Hello there! Welcome to Voltcase, how are things?

Thank you for the welcome. The Conspirators world is always boiling with activity some good some bad almost all of it leans towards the disturbing yet entertaining. Things are always in constant motion even when our world seems to be still. Under what appears to be the most stagnant of waters there is always something coiled ready to strike at the Erebus Estate.

So, how would you describe your sound to a stranger in three words?

Most of us wouldn’t. Although you could say "It's Eerie Listening" because of the influence and priority of heavy ambient tones.

Can you tell us a bit about this new CD you have coming out on Dead Beat Media?

We are very pleased to be associated with the "Dead Beat Media" label and the people who started it and the label "Razorback Records". We have had several unexpected setbacks to overcome. None involving Dead Beat Media. They have been very supportive. We are now on track and finishing things up. The material for the Dead Beat Media CD will of course draw heavily on underground horror films and the Occult but will also be very eclectic and include sounds that range from experimental to what we consider traditional.

Being a UK based 'zine, have you guys got any plans to play over here, or have you been here before?

There may be Conspirators in the UK or any random location. We collaborate with many people who we find interesting and talented but at the moment all energy is being focused on the recording. Our main concern is creation and documentation right now. There may be an ensemble created for promotion but that is not an immediate plan. Of course we would play a live show anywhere for the right price or cause. If we had the proper funds we would play the UK any time.

Can you let us know what your main influences are? And are there any smaller acts out there that we might not have heard of that you think we should check out?

There is so much media we have been exposed to, and all of it has been an influence in some way. But the genre of film soundtracks especially horror of the late 70's seems to be a huge influence. Musically some of our influences are Black Sabbath , Mahavishnu , Penderecki , Jacula , Zappa , Frizzi , Beefheart , Skinny Puppy , Goblin , Slayer , and many more come to mind . A lot of the things that seep into our compositions come from the influence and respect of any artist that has been brave enough to achieve success through their own originality. People like Evel Knievel , Kenneth Anger, Immanuelle Kant , Bruce lee , Ayn Rand , Hunter S. Thompson , Crowely , Frazetta , Lovecraft , Sammy Davis Jr. , Don Van Vilet , are all people who have seemed to set standards that anyone should aspire to .When it comes to underground artist there are way too many great musicians to name here that deserve attention. We strongly recommend Enslaved by Owls, MJ - 12, Slasher Dave, Anima Morte, Smoholla, Andrew M. Scorti, Aluk Todo, Heritech, Phlegeton, Butthole Lipstick, Shadows Remember His Toil, the Hypodermic Eye, Nine, Aastyra and anyone on Razorback Records or on our links page at "cotocult.com" . Also the Territo Tributum is a soundtrack tribute project that covers mostly theme music.
The side projects of the Conspirators members Rev. Blackbone (fusion) , Bethlehelle, (instrumental) Urbain ( dark electronic ambient), . All are on myspace and elsewhere.

There seems to be a lot of religious / Cthulhu-type imagery & themes running through your work, what occultists, fictional or non-fictional, inspire you the most?

We have had brushes with many interesting personas over the years. Maybe the most controversial was our acquaintance with Carlo Gesualdo. After a few meetings with some of the Conspirators and receiving a few gifts from us he seemed to become a little mad. Rasputin was a very entertaining man. We had some interesting conversations with Georges Ivanovich Gurdjieff. Grant Morrison is one of the known living artists who we respect. The imagery and audio of the CotO are of course metaphors and symbols that are to be loosely interpreted and invoke simple reactions to complex themes. Of course it is meant first and foremost as entertainment but if it leads to any other discovery that would be welcomed. We have been burned many times on quest to be enlightened and ended up enblightened so we neither encourage or discourage anyone interested in seeking unconventional information. The longest toe gropes the hole and it never hurts to have a mole.

Any rock-star style stories that you can tell us about? Ever thrown a TV out of a hotel window, for example?

The CotO are a private sect and keep most of the more humorous stories amongst ourselves. There are hints to some of our activities in the blogs and on the website. No tales of riding in a kung fu urine stroller come to mind at the moment.

If you were interviewing yourself, what question would you ask yourself? And what would the answer be?

I am not sure. Existentialism is painful at times. I am so self centered I wouldn't listen to a thing I had to say.

So, what have the Conspirators of the Occult got planned for the rest of the year?

The Dead Beat Media CD is the most important thing, which will be finished very soon. Then we will hopefully be working on a split with Enslaved by Owls, and collaborating with Ora Serrata a french label / net label. We will keep creating to the best of our abilities and explore as many avenues as possible with sound and art. There will be sculptures, CD's and all types of media for sale and share on the website. We will stay true to our interest and taste even when they change. None of us want to end up a werewolf puking cats.

And finally, the question that we ask everyone that appears in Voltcase - what does the word 'Voltcase' mean?

We have a "Voltcase" in one of the rooms at the Erebus Estate. A gift from Tesla. A small box able to generate enough electricity to power the whole estate. It has been put to use on a few occasions but it is suggested that it be left alone for fear of explosion and the rumor that is actually a portable version of his death ray.