After those magnificent demos with a great raw sound, you release an album whose atmosphere and polished production have nothing in common with the pain and despair of the demo recordings. Won't this lead to an over-popularization of funeral doom, the way it happened with black metal?
Incognito1: Naturally, this was intentional, since the demos were recorded under underground conditions and it wasn't possible to get a better sound. I don't know where anyone heard pain and despair — I simply can't imagine it, because that's not the atmosphere we were going for in our demos. Incognito2: Of course the album sounds a bit different in its studio version. You have to understand, the demo recordings were made on a small tape recorder during rehearsals, and some instruments didn't come through well enough. For example, the keyboards were completely inaudible in certain parts. Obviously, it was impossible to convey the atmosphere we intended through the demo recordings, but we achieved that in the studio — and the result is our album. Incognito1: Yes, and I'd like to add that this kind of music, no matter how well or poorly it's recorded, can never become popularized.
The next question is about the band's origins. Where did the band come from and how did it happen?
Incognito1: Well, the band was born back in 1999. At that time we were playing completely different music, but after a while, listening to certain funeral doom acts, we realized there were a lot of shortcomings everywhere — many things that made them not quite proper funeral doom bands. After that, we decided to create our own vision of the style, our own standard, so to speak. This isn't about recording quality or any "technological" things — it's purely about the music itself, including the lyrics.
You hide your names and faces, yet you actively communicate on forums and give interviews to sites that have nothing to do with funeral doom. What's the point of all this secrecy?
Incognito1: The thing is, there's no real secrecy here, and this is far from the first time we've been asked. I simply believe that nobody should care about our names and faces. We are COMATOSE VIGIL, there are three of us, and we are one whole. Incognito2: In truth, it's all about the music. Music is what matters — who plays it, what their names are, what they look like — none of that means anything. Many people enjoy our music, and that's the most important thing. Incognito1: I don't rule out that we might show our faces on the next album, but as for our names and personal lives, nobody will ever hear about those. Incognito2: Just listen to the music and enjoy it.
How do you feel about the idea that you should know your idols by face?
Incognito1: I don't consider us to be anyone's idols.
Why was it necessary to run such a large-scale promotional campaign for the album, when funeral doom has always had its own dedicated audience?
Incognito2: This question is actually quite simple. First of all, funeral doom hasn't always had a dedicated audience — that audience is very small and has always been small. It shifts and grows a little, and recently funeral doom has started gaining some popularity. As for the promotion — it's very straightforward, really. If a product, no matter how good it is, isn't promoted at least a little, then nobody will hear about the album. I know our album is popular with many people, and if it weren't for that promotional effort, many of them simply would never have heard this release. And unfortunately, many of the sites we work with operate under conditions where you have to place banners on their site, or put logos on the album of the sites that support us and write reviews of our released album. I don't think there's anything wrong with that — there's no other way in our underground scene. Unfortunately, we're far from Western standards. Incognito1: Yes, and I'd like to add that the whole idea of the promotional campaign was essentially ours, and we handled it ourselves. It was all necessary so that someone would actually hear us — without it, nobody would know we exist.
Tell me, does any of you have thoughts about pursuing a solo career?
Incognito1: None of the band members have any such thoughts, since we assembled and solidified our current lineup not long ago, and so going forward, our only thought is to keep going, keep going, and keep going.
You've been making music for quite a while. It would be interesting to know at what age you started playing music — not professionally, but just in general?
Incognito1: I think our guitarist (Incognito2) should answer this one. Incognito3: Each of us started playing music at a different age. Speaking for myself, it began around 16 — I was really into guitar. Then I met the guys playing in our band; it just worked out that we found a common interest. Incognito1: Yes, we found this person and, in a way, changed his worldview and brought him into the band. As for me, I started at 14, forming my own black metal band where I played guitar and sang. But of course it was all very childish — it was funny, but it was my beginning. And what it all led to, you can hear on "Not a Gleam of Hope," which is, in fact, our first officially released record. Incognito2: As for me, I got into music around the age of 14-16. I can say much the same about myself. But I'm a keyboardist, and it went roughly like this: I started making music without finishing music school, though I consider it all a hobby — I learned everything on my own. But I don't think that really matters; it's just that through keyboards, I began expressing my personal thoughts. Incognito1: Basically, the band's development is pretty unremarkable — the same as everyone else. People love to say, "So we were sitting around, drinking in the kitchen, and that's how we started a band." Well, almost — not quite like that, but almost. None of us have a formal music education, but in principle, we've each been doing this for nearly 10 years, and here we are with this music.
Lestat: As far as I know, you were previously called SUBHUMAN ABSTRACT. What prompted the name change?
Incognito3: I'll have to answer this one, since I came up with all the names — both the current COMATOSE VIGIL and the former SUBHUMAN ABSTRACT. Basically, without thinking it through, the first band name was chosen, and after that I noticed that all right-wing organizations writing in English very often use that exact term "subhuman" — meaning "sub-humans," in the context of genocide. And since our band has absolutely nothing to do with that, we started having some problems, because some people assumed that the theme of genocide was somehow connected to us, which it absolutely is not. And then one day the new name just came to mind, and it was immediately and unanimously approved by all band members.
And what does your current name mean?
Incognito3: What does it mean? I'd rather say it perfectly suits our musical compositions. But if we're talking about the meaning, then literally, COMATOSE VIGIL is a semi-delirious state that we essentially find ourselves in from time to time during rehearsals. And we were especially deep in it during the recording sessions. These words came to me at a rehearsal. Generally, at rehearsals we play at a faster tempo to get through more material, and after about three hours of that kind of rehearsal, the words COMATOSE VIGIL came to mind. Although the band name isn't really that important — you just have to call yourself something. Incognito2: I'll add from my side — since I have some connection to medicine — COMATOSE VIGIL is actually the official name of a certain medical condition. Literally, it's the delirium of typhoid patients, or roughly speaking — delirium. Comatose vigil means a person is not in their normal consciousness, yet they're speaking productively while seeing hallucinations. Incognito1: In other words, positive and creative delirium. Incognito2: That is, everything they see and say comes not from their consciousness, but from some unknown place. Incognito1: I hope that we too can impose that kind of consciousness on someone.
And here's a question: what style does the band play? It might seem obvious, but still...
Incognito1: (laughs) I'd like to say that our label, without asking us, labeled us as majestic funeral doom — though the word "majestic" always makes me think of power metal. I'd rather call it monumental funeral doom, but I won't commit to anything specific, since our future work won't necessarily look like it does now. These prefixes like "majestic" or "monumental" can change — we play funeral doom, and that's it, if you're familiar with the classification. Incognito3: I'll say for myself that I couldn't care less about style names or sticking on labels. We play music that comes from the heart, from within ourselves, and that's the most important thing. We'll evolve, but the way we feel it.
Which bands do you like most — that is, which have had the greatest influence on your work? What bands do you look to when shaping your sound?
Incognito1: I'd like to say that none of the band members actually listen to funeral doom. Reading one of the first reviews, I found that we were called a cross between SHAPE OF DESPAIR and SCEPTICISM. That hit a nerve, simply beyond words. SCEPTICISM is just a bunch of random sounds, completely unmusical — I don't know what there is to listen to. As for SHAPE OF DESPAIR, that band seems way too polished and poppy to be called funeral doom, at least to me personally. We listen to more eclectic music. I, for example, prefer to listen to black metal, or something dark, or fairly harsh ambient. That suits me perfectly, and that's exactly where I can draw inspiration for COMATOSE VIGIL compositions. And I think that, with a few exceptions, we don't really sound much like anyone. If there are disputes, please write to us on our site, point out our mistakes or tell us who we ripped off, if that's what bothers you. WE DON'T MODEL OURSELVES AFTER ANYONE. Incognito2: I can only add regarding the musical side that not a single funeral doom band has influenced our work. Speaking for myself, no band has influenced my work. What influences my work is only life — emotions, feelings, experiences tied to life. That's the collective creative force of our entire band.
Lestat: Having listened to your first demo, when you were still called Subhuman Abstract, as well as your demo already as COMATOSE VIGIL and your latest release, one gets the impression of a repetitive repertoire. Do you have any material beyond those four tracks that appear across all your demos and the latest album?
Incognito1: Well, it was all the same material — how can you judge it as repetitive or varied when all those demos represented the same album that you can now finally purchase? Of course we have other material, and we have a lot of finished work, but I can't say more about what we'll be doing in the future. Incognito2: I want to clarify that COMATOSE VIGIL never released any official demos. Those were simply rehearsal recordings made for ourselves, which got passed around to friends who liked this music. Then it all snowballed and the recordings started spreading. The band never released any demos, neither as SUBHUMAN ABSTRACT nor as COMATOSE VIGIL.
Tell me, who in the band writes the lyrics and music, or do you bring in outside material?
Incognito3: (laughs) Well, there are no outsiders in our band — nobody participates in our work except the three of us. Naturally, as the vocalist, I write the lyrics, and the guitarist and keyboardist write the music, splitting it between them. I'd also like to clarify: I'm both the vocalist and the drummer, and the keyboardist also plays bass. As for someone else's lyrics — I simply couldn't perform them.
Lestat: Are you planning to release a split with other funeral doom acts from russia or the CIS? For instance, a split between LAKE OF DEPRESSION, NOCTURNE, QUASAR, and SOURCE OF DEEP SHADOWS is being planned soon.
Incognito3: No. In any case, that's a question for our label. And it's not even just about the label — to be honest, we don't even know about domestic funeral doom bands, since we have no contacts with them. And in general, we want to release full-length albums — those splits are pointless. Incognito2: Splits are absolutely pointless. I'll lift the veil of secrecy a bit and say that we already have half the material ready for a new, more mature full-length album.
And when will this new album come out?
Incognito2: Even our label couldn't tell you that.
Well, if half is ready, can we expect it soon?
Incognito2: Here's the thing — I think we can announce an event that should take place in late spring or early summer of this year. We're currently preparing to perform at a doom metal festival that will be held in moscow, featuring only doom metal bands. Since there are only 3 of us in the band, we're going to start rehearsing with session musicians. Incognito1: Yes, right now we'll be busy with rehearsals with the new musicians, so there's no time for creating new material — we'll have to put that off. But I hope that by late summer or early fall, we'll get down to recording the new album, which might come out next year. Incognito3: I'd like to add that the material exists, and there's quite a lot of it, and we'll be working it through thoroughly.
Lestat: You mentioned that you'll be performing in moscow. Doesn't that contradict your idea of secrecy and a certain "facelessness"?
Incognito3: The secrecy and facelessness that some people imagine... Secondly, who said you'll be able to recognize us? There will be twice as many of us — about 6, maybe 5 people; we haven't decided yet. And besides — come and see for yourselves, and maybe afterwards in real life you'll recognize us, or maybe you won't. Incognito2: Folks, don't overthink it. Just listen to the music.
Interesting — maybe you'll wear masks, a la KISS?
Incognito3: Maybe we will, but not a la KISS. And why is everyone so interested in this particular question? What we do first and foremost is make music. Why does everyone care more about faces than music? That's what I can't understand.
Lestat: Lately funeral doom has been developing rapidly, with new bands popping up like mushrooms after the rain. Isn't this a new wave of mainstream in extreme metal, like what happened in the early '90s with black metal?
Incognito2: Why was this question directed at us specifically? I don't understand. We have no way of knowing how many bands are appearing or how mushrooms grow after the rain, for that matter.
How often do you play live, when is the next show, and which clubs do you perform at?
Incognito2: We don't play live and never have. As I already said, a performance is planned for this year at the moscow Doom Festival. We can't give a more specific date or venue, but all information will be published on the website.
Surely each of you has a composition from your work that's closest to your heart. If so, which one?
Incognito2: Mirrors of Despair — personally, it's very close to me. Incognito1: The closest one to me is Cataracts — more effort went into it than any other. Incognito3: Since I wrote the lyrics for all the compositions, they're all dear and beloved to me. And anything I'm even slightly unhappy with doesn't make it into our work. Incognito2: Each composition is so individual, so unique — we don't have any similar-sounding tracks.
Does your musical activity interfere with your personal lives?
Incognito1: Naturally, certain inconveniences arise, but it's all too minor, and I believe I manage to balance my personal life with my, let's say, studio life just fine. There simply has to be understanding, or nothing will work. Incognito2: Music is born from life, from personal life. Who knows what our music would sound like if all we did was make music, without working, without any personal life. Incognito3: I want to say that each of us burns for this music, for this band, and here we want to pour out all of our pain.
Tell me, can music of this kind generate enough income in russia to not have to work?
Incognito1: (laughs) No, in our country that's impossible. Of course, we all have jobs, and it doesn't bother us in the slightest. It's even somewhat more interesting in the sense that this isn't a hobby — it's something worth working for.
Does your band have a motto, or does each of you have a personal motto you live by?
Incognito3: Our motto for everyone is COMATOSE VIGIL — that's it!
Is there a difference between admirers and fanatics for you? If so, what is it?
Incognito1: I don't think there's any fundamental difference. I have a very positive attitude toward admirers, though I've never seen any and have no idea who they are. I can say the same about fanatics. Well, fanatics are sick people — something's not right with them. Every person should be an admirer if they want to be. If someone calls themselves a fanatic, it doesn't mean that's what they actually are — it's just a word people have gotten used to and throw around without thinking. Honestly, when I hear the word "fanatic," I picture crazed football hooligans smashing each other's faces — that's what a fanatic means to me. A band should have admirers. That's it. And we treat them extremely well — we send out discs and do practically everything ourselves. And I hope things will be even better going forward. Incognito3: No matter how dark a band may be, you need admirers. Obviously, this isn't done just for ourselves, but for someone else too.
Well, the last question — tell us about your creative plans for the future.
Incognito1: We want to bury!
Bury whom, and why?
Incognito1: Well, if this music is called funeral doom, then accordingly, we should be burying someone. Let's not get into who we're burying, like other bands do. We're all burying someone — maybe even ourselves beneath all of this. But the main thing we need to do is grow and develop as musicians. But I guarantee that our style won't stray far beyond these boundaries.
Well, it's time to say goodbye. Thank you for the interview, farewell.
CV: Well then, huge greetings to all the fans, and we hope that soon we'll have something new to please you with. Best of luck to everyone.