An Interview with Caecus

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES

By: Geoff Teach

A lot can happen in the span of three years: Relationships can be formed in earnest and then wholly dissolved, entire continents can move another seven-and-a-half centimeters, and even full wars can be started and ended, bringing massive change to the countries who waged them. Consequently, much has also changed in the world of Caecus since I was first introduced to the Champaign, Illinois-based atmospheric tech-death quintet in 2013. Back then, most of the members of what was known as Empyrean (rechristened Caecus in 2014 due to legal reasons) were still fresh-faced-but-highly-talented young men attending their local high schools. Their debut album, Aesthesis, was the definition of “D.I.Y.”, as it was entirely self-funded and recorded, with the majority of the album being laid down at the residences of either Kenny Johnson (guitars) or Dakota Harrison Roberts (bass/producer); and ironically, these same two gentlemen also happen to be the only two original members left in Caecus’s lineup, as yet more changes included the additions of new vocalist Nathan Baker in 2014, and guitarist Evan Dale and drummer Kaleb Luebchow in 2015. And now, here in 2016, to much critical acclaim comes the coup de grâce of Caecus’s evolution, the recently released The Funeral Garden (Independent)...and although I may once have been one of the few journalists in the world covering Caecus way back when, the release of The Funeral Garden has certainly changed that, too.

Highly touted and pushed by such large and notable webzines as Dead Rhetoric, No Clean Singing, and Metal Injection, The Funeral Garden has already made major waves throughout the international metal community since its release in late May. Thankfully though, despite all of this new and sudden attention, all of the members of Caecus were once again more than eager to answer some questions for me about the new album, the bevy of changes, and what’s next for this constantly evolving troupe of brilliant musicians (I previously interviewed Caecus in 2014 while still writing for Rock in Chicago, see link here).

“Continued maturation and evolution will always be a given with this band,” says Kaleb Luebchow, whose skills, combined with those of fellow newcomer Evan Dale, have breathed fresh life into the band. “The additions of Evan and Kaleb have helped shape our sound tremendously,” explains Kenny Johnson, “They are great musicians who are always adding input and bringing a lot of fresh ideas.” Fellow founding member Dakota Harrison Roberts agrees, saying, “Those two have fundamentally changed the nature of our sound and outlook. Evan shaped a lot of the lyrical themes and concepts throughout Funeral Garden, and Kaleb is fantastic to be around, both as a drummer and a friend. It’s been an honor to record his beastly playing!”

And just as important to the overall sound of Caecus and The Funeral Garden is Dakota Harrison Roberts himself. The vast majority of the new album was recorded, edited, and engineered by the prodigy producer-in-training, and vocalist Nathan Baker stresses his importance to the band, saying, “Dakota is absolutely vital to everything we do. From production to live performances, everything that he does helps solidify us.” Evan Dale goes even further by adding, “Without Dakota burning the candle at both ends, Funeral Garden would never have [become] a reality. It’s one thing to write an entire record, but it’s a whole other multi-leveled mission to get that record recorded and produced. He’s our M.V.P., for sure.” Roberts cut his teeth during the Aesthesis sessions, but it is on Funeral Garden where his burgeoning talents as an engineer have begun to truly emerge. Organic, rich, and with just the right amount of rawness, only the drum sessions of The Funeral Garden were laid down in an actual studio (Chicago’s I.V. Lab Studios). The rest was tracked at the home of Kenny Johnson, where the band has set up their own mini-studio. Luebchow, Johnson, and Roberts all have experience or schooling in music production, but Luebchow still gives his bassist most of the credit for how Funeral Garden’s sound turned out: “I can’t appreciate Dakota enough for all the work he’s put in these past few [years]. His engineering skills have been extremely vital to any success we’ve had.”

Caecus's Dakota Harrison Roberts lays down the low end at a 2015 live performance.

Correspondingly to said success, Caecus’s new offering has brought this up-and-coming act a multitude of praise. Starker, darker, and divergent in sound and feel from its predecessor Aesthesis, The Funeral Garden is as much about life as it is death. “We have to learn to let parts of ourselves pass away in order to create space for life renewed,” explains Roberts, “The natural cycle of decay and rebirth should be met with acceptance rather than resistance.” Now, this surprisingly penetrating insight coming from one twenty-one-year-old is shocking enough, but then fellow lyricist and composer Evan Dale (who turned the big two-one himself not but a month before the writing of this article) also adds his intelligent reflections about the meanings behind the album’s lyrics and imagery. “The Funeral Garden is about rebirth and the struggles of change. We all have imperfections, and sometimes we wish we could permanently erase our flaws. The album represents a place where one can mentally and physically emerge as a new and better person; metaphorically killing the old self. But whether or not this place exists – or that such a change can be made – is completely up to the listener.”

The beautiful album art for The Funeral Garden, independently released 5/31/16.

And so, much more than just an amazing collection of atmospherically-adorned tech-death songs, The Funeral Garden is also meant to be a transcendental vehicle of personal transformation – if only you allow it to take you away in its cold, deathlike embrace. Caecus’s latest effort is currently available in digital format only, but plans for physical copies (along with all other manner of goodies and swag) are already in the works, so be sure to download your own copy today, and keep your eyes peeled for lots more to come from these rising stars very soon!

To listen to all of The Funeral Garden in its full and glorious splendor, just press play below!