Rigor Sardonicous Interview

The shadow of death looms in every facet of the deeply morose music of doom merchants Rigor Sardonicous. Behold as the secrets of the band's dark sonic motives are revealed in an exclusive conversation with The Gauntlet...


The Gauntlet: How does it feel to be on the Tribute to Skepticism?

Rigor Sardonicous: It is always good to help get the name out. It is also nice that album will probably be more sincere than many of the tributes that have been released.


The Gauntlet: How did Rigor Sardonicous find its way onto this tribute?

Rigor Sardonicous: We were offered another compilation by one of the labels involved of which we were going to do 'God of Thunder' by KISS. That failed to see fruition and, thusly, fell apart. After we learned of this we were asked for a track for this tribute. 'God of Thunder' will be on our next release.


The Gauntlet: What song are you performing? How did you decide on this one particular track?

Rigor Sardonicous: We will feature 'Chorale', off of the album 'Ethere'. This is my personal favorite from the band and so I chose to cover that song.


The Gauntlet: People may think you are a funeral doom band because you are appearing on the Skepticism tribute album. Would the tag "funeral doom metal" fit your band well?

Rigor Sardonicous: No, and overall I do not prefer that label. There are too many titles and labels for music and I think the scene has sustained complications as a result. There is a great deal of division and this "me against you" attitude. In the end the art and integrity of many bands' music is questioned ineptly. I feel that the Relapse catalogue had a fair portion of blame in this. We often describe our sounds as Raw, Apocalyptic Doom. That is not a label, just a descriptive phrase. Overall we accept the title of Doom.


The Gauntlet: You use an organ on the album's introductory track "Exordium." This organ sounds very similar to the sounds heard at a church or funeral. Did the music at funerals make a lasting impression with you to the point where you needed to create that sound and or mood?

Rigor Sardonicous: I was a licensed Funeral Director, more appropriately titled a Mortician, for a while so I do have first-hand experience with this and I guess it have an outlet in me. The sense is of an otherworldliness that cannot be comprehended by most of the mundane. On our site there is an essay I wrote entitled "Several Myths and Facts Regarding the Joys and Gratifications of Necrophilia". It is worth your time to read.


The Gauntlet: You have a section of your website titled "A rebuttal" directed towards people who "bemoan" your vocal style. Can you please explain this to our readers?

Rigor Sardonicous: Our style of Doom is heavily influenced by Death Metal. It is not the frightened apprehension of living, but rather a frightening and bleak dread of the unknown. Our vocal style is pitch-shifted and this degree of guttural depths brings many people out to complain to us and they come across like whining brats. This is Metal and Doom is Metal. If it is not to someone's preference, that is fine. However, when these people start to sound like parents and other outsiders it can be disturbing so we decided to beat them to it.


The Gauntlet: Let's talk about your new album "Apocalypsis Damnare." What does your album title mean?

Rigor Sardonicous: It translates to 'doom of the apocalypse'. The title fits the album very well.


The Gauntlet: All the songs seem to be about or the Grim Reaper. Is "Apocalypsis Damnare" a concept album? If so, what is the main idea for this work?

Rigor Sardonicous: Not so much as the album but the band overall is it's own concept. The truest doom is the ultimate end of all things.


The Gauntlet: What is your own personal belief about death?

Rigor Sardonicous: Death grants an incredible exploration of imagination and it is good to exercise this. Survival is a possibility but I will not be able to ascertain that until that time.


The Gauntlet: Do you believe in the Grim Reaper as a symbol of death, a mythical being, or an actual instance of anthropomorphic personification (death in the flesh)?

Rigor Sardonicous: It is most decidedly a stark and dreaded symbol of death. In the mind, if nothing else, it is very real.


The Gauntlet: "Apocalypsis Damnare" has a low-fi production. The drums are very metallic sounding and the vocals are quite low in the mix and convey an inhuman sound. How do you feel about this album's sound? How did you attain this sound?

Rigor Sardonicous: I handled the production of that album and overall we are pleased with the sound. We definitely do not want a clean and polished production for any of our releases and we disdain the abundance of such recordings to a great degree. The idea with us is that we are looking to have the low frequencies bombard you. The sound is not muddy or unclear and if the vocals were too high in the mix then they would shone above the rest of the music. It is intended to be served as a whole and growth will always follow. We use a drum machine, a detail that we used to be highly criticized for, yet with the immense rise in the use of drum triggers that point very often gets overlooked.


The Gauntlet: You guys appeared at the Day of Doom festival in July. How do you feel about your performance?

Rigor Sardonicous: Actually, we did not perform like we had intended. There was a lot of uncertainty with the tour that was supposed to go along with the festival and it not pan out as we had desired and needed it to.


The Gauntlet: What can doom fans expect from Rigor Sardonicous next?

Rigor Sardonicous: What shall follow will be more, plain and simple. We will not and cannot alter our focus. We will grow but we will not change. To do otherwise would mean the death-knell of the band. Our next release, 'Risus ex Mortuus', shall be released early 2006 by Endless Desperation Records from Russia. We hope to have another release later this year which would be on Paragon Records. Feel free to seek us at www.smilingdeath.com. There is enough to keep your attention. Be thou faithful unto death. Thank You.


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Tags:  Rigor Sardonicous   , interviews

Darren Cowan    December 06, 2005