Terra Mortuus Est is out. I had the pleasure to ask Igor Filimontsev, Katalepsy’s vocalist, some questions about it.
Terra Mortuus Est album review
First of all, hello and thanks a lot for your time! Would you mind introduce yourself and Katalepsy with your own words please?
Igor Filimontsev (vocals): Hey-hey-hey! Igor from Katalepsy is here! To be as laconic as possible Katalepsy is a death metal band from Moscow and I’m a vocalist of the band. Thank a lot for having me and for all the interesting questions. I read them in the morning and all the day was looking forward to start answering. For now it is too late to go to sleep “in time” so let’s do the night interview. As I like to say during our shows: “Let’s go!”
Your new album, Terra Mortuus Est , is about to be released, how do you feel about it? How was the composition process?
Igor Filimontsev: Yeah, actually, for now it’s totally released and I’m really happy about that. Right now I can say that another book of Katalepsy novel is finished and we can start a new chapter. One thing I would like to say here – I’m very proud about Terra Mortuus Est! This time composing process was a bit different as previous. Something what was started just as an idea to work with new songs, which was slow and with a lot of arguing at the beginning at the end became a hurricane of ideas, enthusiasm and tons of hardworking. In the past we planned each and every step of the process, this time the process planned what should we do, when and where. Hahaha! That was an interesting experience for sure!
Since a while, you manage to mix heavy and groovy sound with some science fiction and dark themes, how do you link the band’s sound with your lyrical creation?
Igor Filimontsev: The first remark here that all the lyrics for Katalepsy come from our bass player Anatoly. He has great experience in that and he does it super. I more than like the lyrics, which are fully applicable for the music and which are easy to add to the composition and sing. That’s dark groovy death metal with a lot of emotions both in the riffs and words! I even cannot imagine what other themes and lyrical structures can be used and I trying to do my best to make the words obvious even pronouncing them using growls.
On the new album, I noticed of course an impressive sound, but also some hints of technicity on every songs, with a climax on Land of Million Crosses , the last song. This one is different for me, more atmospheric, it creates a special atmosphere. Is there a story behind this one?
Igor Filimontsev: Yeah, this song is special! At the very beginning our guitar player Anton provided the melody which was great because that was new for us. However, we did not know what to do with the kind of music. That’s not making a knock-out from the first notes, there is no music-wise aggression and tension which just smashing the listener, there is another magic here – the magic of melody and lyrical story. Buy the way, at the very beginning we wanted to make just an instrumental version of it but when Anatoly shown me the lyrics there were no questions that it should be a song. Not sure that you will hear something the same from Katalepsy in the future and the song will be a unique sign of Terra Mortuus Est. One thing I suggest to do before listening of Land Of Million Crosses – read the lyrics. Just do it that way and you will understand the vibrations.
Once again, Katalepsy teamed up with Unique Leader Records for this album, how is it to work with them?
Igor Filimontsev: If 20 year ago someone told me that I will be a part of Unique Leader Records release I wouldn’t believe in that. Unique Leader Records provides great Death Metal stuff from the very beginning and year-by-year becoming just stronger. We are proud to be on the label and trying to do our best to be a good part of it. Terra Mortuus Est is the third album they are released and I hope not the last one! We are just working together with no any tension. We understand what they would like to do, they fully support us. It’s looks like big good Death Metal family and it actually is!
How did your journey in Metal universe begin? When and how did you discover Death Metal and the most extreme stuff? When did you begin to sing and how did you learn it?
Igor Filimontsev: That was started more than 25 year ago when I was just a small kid who really liked to listen to the music. Different music: Hard Rock, Heavy, Thrash Metal, Classic etc etc. I extremely liked Punk Rock, Hardcore and Crossover and keep digging them through all the years! So, one day I listened to Suicidal Tendencies and a friend of mine just brought an audio cassette with words “don’t tell anything just check this out”. On one side of the tape was Cannibal Corpse The Bleeding on another one Broken Hope Loathing. I was in love with the music from the first intros. Such a lot of energy, brutality and infinite ways to make the kind of stuff I found. It sounded for me like Classic but with all the power of metal. And sure I started practicing guitar playing of Death Metal and then vocals. Just took different songs and tried to growl with them. I like to do that even now, hahahahah.There were no teachers and Internet that time so all my skills coming from big love to Death Metal and wish to make my best in the genre. Maybe I do something not correct but that doesn’t matter for me because I feeling the power of the music and don’t need anything else.
You come from Russia, how is the Metal scene here? You played a lot in Europe during the past years, do you feel a difference between Russia and others countries?
Igor Filimontsev: The scene in Russia is not so big, let’s be honest – it’s small. But it’s strong! There are a lot of great bands and I can see how the scene is moving forward to be as big as European one. The main difference here is amount of people involved in all the stuff. In other words, we need more people in our metalhead community to make a new step and I believe we will do that in the future. At least we are trying to do our best in the context!
I know that Covid-19 fucked up a lot of things, but do you already have plans for the future you can tell us? Like videos, touring or something else?
Igor Filimontsev: Yeah, that was a great punch! But nevertheless we don’t have a choice and should move forward no matter what. So, for now we are preparing for a brand new album presentation shows in Russia and thinking about new tours. I wish to each and everyone to have the situation solved because that’s the only way we can back to the ordinary way we like. Touring, open-airs, Metal parties with friends etc. I truly believe that everything will be OK!
How do you manage your schedule between your personal life, your job and your bands? Was your schedule affected by the Covid crisis?
Igor Filimontsev: Music is my hobby, which is just going after my family and work. Yes, I would like to spend more time making music but sometimes even don’t have the opportunity at all. I like that I can do it in the mode I have because I really need it to be fully happy. When Covid was started we stopped all the rehearsals together and until now did personal practicing at home only. There is nothing special here on our side. I believe all the bands have the same situation and not just only bands – the crisis affected to all the fields of activity on the planet.
How do you feel before getting on stage? Maybe you have a special warm up ritual or something before unleashing the beast inside of you?
Igor Filimontsev: I’m nervous. I hate to wait the time when we start playing. I just want to be on the stage right here and right now. That’s a good feeling and that’s great that it’s still with me. The beast just doing different gym exercises to make the body prepared for the movement because the beast is not so scary actually, hahaha. Even cute kittens can growl. I never tried to be so serious and dark on the stage. The only one goal for me there is to have some fun and make people feeling the same.
Maybe you have some advices for beginners who would like to learn how to sing?
Igor Filimontsev: There are quite a lot of online lessons to start and make the progress faster but remember don’t try to sing like your favorite vocalist after the first try. Do it step-by-step and you will see the result very soon. And remember doing small portion of practicing everyday is better than have a month break and whole day growling after that. If you really love the music and do your best you will sing better than everyone!
What was the best tour memory you could tell us? And what was the worst one?
Igor Filimontsev: The worst one is actually when I was very ill during the tour. I had could with a high temperature and sore throat. I even don’t remember how I did the shows because the main goal was to be on the stage and the same. That was not so easy. But all the active actions on the stage and hot shower after did the job and I repaired very quick. I remember the first day I had the temperature and just slept on the back of the van. To say that I feel like sh..t is to say nothing. So, just imagine my bandmates made a stop near the cemetery saying – Igor, go out the van, we have found a good place for ya! That’s everything about friendship in the band, hahhahah.
The best one is my first show with Katalepsy in Germany. That was Extreme Fest Open Air and that was the first experience of such a big stage for me. Fantastic feeling! Will never forget the trip! Everything was new for me and totally great! How bad that the festival does not exist anymore.
Is there a meal you could associate the band’s music to? Could you tell us the recipe and why?
Igor Filimontsev: It’s not one dish for sure. It’s a big table with different ones. You can eat them both or just only one but you shouldn’t be fast. Just taste it with no rush and you will see that after that you are interested in another one. You can eat it alone or with a lot of friends. You can try it again and again and you will find something new every try. For now I understand that Im very hungry, hahahahaha.
Last question: imagine you can create a tour with Katalepsy and three other bands. Who would you pick?
Igor Filimontsev: Such a great question! Let’s make fantasy goes at first:
Suicidal Tendencies – because that’s the best band ever,
Integrity – I can listen to the music infinitely,
Suffocation – one and the only with the music I can recognize after the first note.
Good set in my not humble opinion, hahahaaa. To be serious, that’s just a pleasure for us to tour with different bands who like the music the same as we do. New people, new friends, new experience and new emotions which just making our shows better.
Thanks again for your time, and for your music! Maybe you have some last words for European fans?
Igor Filimontsev: Thank you too! Those were great questions and I answered with a great pleasure! For sure I every time have something to say to metalheads all over the world! Guys thanks a lot for your time. Hope you like the interview. If you still have questions that’s easy to find us via Internet and ask all the stuff you are interested in personally. We will answer for sure! I wish a lot of strength and health to you and your families! Remember, together we can do a lot of good things and cope with any situation and crisis. Keep listening extreme music to be charged! Hope to see you all very soon my friends! Keep on rocking! Bye!