Das Interview mit Paulo J. Mendes über das neue Album „Obscurus Perpetua“ von seinem Projekt Caedeous (English Version)

The background of the new album "Obscurus Perpetua, how it was created and about the future of Caedeous

Artist: Caedeous

Herkunft: Lisbon, Portugal

Origin: Symphonic Black Metal, Extreme Metal

Link: https://www.facebook.com/caedeous

Band members:

Guitar, Bass, Drums – Paulo J. Mendes
Vocals, Growls – Thomas Blanc (D.M.)
Female Vocals, Soprano – Josephine W.H.

The review of the Obscurus Perpetua album can be found HERE!

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
Hi Paulo, I’m very happy to get the opportunity to do an interview with you. You are a composer and multi-instrumentalist and have done various projects such as movie trailers and soundtracks, as well as orchestral and metal projects. Then in 2014, you started your latest project black extreme metal project. How did you come up with the idea to form Caedeous?

Paulo J. Mendes:
Hello Sandra, thank you so much for inviting me to Time for Metal. I’m very happy as well, it’s an honour and pleasure. Well, Caedeous is like a projection of my inner desire and passion for doing metal music. I passed over nearly ten years of my life doing trailers, orchestral and soundtracks. I wanted to reach my inner self again and so due to the passion of extreme metal, Caedeous was born. It was a calling to be very precise, can not put any more words in that.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
For your songs, you play all instruments (guitar, bass, piano and drums). You are a real multi-talent. When did that start and how did it come about?

Paulo J. Mendes:
Well, the story goes back to when I was eight years old. Back then my mom purchased me a Casio piano on Christmas in 1989. I did not even know how to play, but the experience of my mom (she knew some songs that she learned when she was little as well), was enduring. From there I got passionate about music and went to piano classes. And at the age of 13, due to my passion for Metallica, Iron Maiden and Slayer, I wanted to play the guitar as a frontman and sing (singing is not my thing). So my grandparents purchased me a cheap guitar (Encore) and a Marshall amp (20 watts valve state), and once again a new journey was to be.

Later in my life, I played in several school bands and projects from Grunge, Rock and Metal. There I finally recorded my first album with a Power Metal band. I learned to play bass and program drums and had my first experience with musical DAWS and studio recordings.

After that, I wanted to pursue a production and composer life, so I took the time to carefully study orchestral composition at our musical conservatory classes. From there I started my career in which I successfully landed several Hollywood trailer music placements and boutique songs for TV Shows on Discovery and History Channel. Even composed several B-Movie soundtracks and shorts. In that time I also did a full trilogy of orchestral albums entitled Elementia which is comprised of three studio albums. They were a success.

All of that musical experience led me to do what I also like, Metal. Caedeous was born.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
Today your new album Obscurus Perpetua will be released. You invited Thomas Blanc and Josephine W.H. as session musicians. How did the collaboration with these two musicians turn out? Will you continue Caedeous with them?

Paulo J. Mendes:
Yes, Tomas Blanc and Josephine WH will be continuing with Caedeous. Back then I was looking for someone to be the vocalist for Caedeous, and I was lucky to meet Tomas Blanc. He was available to be hired as a session vocalist and Josephine W.H. as well. The collaboration experience we have endured and made over the recordings of Obscurus Perpetua was phenomenal. Both of them are so unique, amazing talented vocalists with a solid background and professional experience. I can’t describe how much I praise them. They are now a solid pillar of Caedeous‚ sound. An experience that started as session recordings and now became the lineup. Big kudos to them!

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
You say that Obscurus Perpetua will be a new milestone for Caedeous and will mark a new era. Please explain how you meant that.

Paulo J. Mendes:
It means that the sound that was pursued over the first album release was discarded and that a new musical concept was born, a more mature identity of what I was looking for. The concept of an extreme metal duet of vocals between female and male was born as „The Beauty and the Beast“, as you can listen to all over the Obscurus Perpetua album. This new milestone and composition process is the roadmap for the next Caedeous albums, the new milestone which departs from the old (Domini Tenebrarum).

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
On your website, you have already announced that Obscurus Perpetua will contain eight tracks in total and some orchestral counterparts as bonus material. How many bonus tracks will there be?

Paulo J. Mendes:
Well, it’s a very good question, Sandra. I could potentially create about 12 bonus tracks since some songs were excluded from the album due to budget constraints. Also, all tracks were recorded in orchestral format. I decided to release three tracks on Bandcamp as a gift for those who wish to support us. There is a planned release, an orchestral counterpart of the Obscurus Perpetua. It will be named Orchestral Sessions Of Obscurus Perpetua and has all tracks from the album in that format with vocals on top. A creepy horror experience is guaranteed.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
The story of Obscurus Perpetua is about the sins of humanity, involving battles between heaven and hell. What made you choose this theme for your concept?

Paulo J. Mendes:
When I was composing the second studio album Obscurus Perpetua, I went through a lot of pain. That time I thought about how it would be a soul could go through the nine circles of hell and pass the sins of humanity. Those thoughts and the idea of always trying to fight the darkness inside was like a struggle between Angels and Demons. So the concept was born and the result is Obscurus Perpetua. Even the tonality of the album and aggression comes out of those dark spots I was going through at that time. It was not a choice, but a path and experience of life that led me to this road where we are now.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
Many bands choose to do multi-part albums. Will there also be a sequel to Obscurus Perpetua?

Paulo J. Mendes:
Yes, all Caedeous albums are conceptual in design and the story being told on the second studio album Obscurus Perpetua will continue in the next ones. The third studio album is already planned and being recorded as we speak with a darker story.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
What inspires you the most when it comes to songwriting and which bands have influenced you the most during your career?

Paulo J. Mendes:
A lot of bands have influenced me over the years, a lot of musical styles as well. In terms of metal bands I have to shout out for Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, Emperor, Dark Funeral, Bal Sagoth, Catamenia, Sins Of Thy Beloved, Tristania and so many more. Most recently I am addicted to listening to Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septic Flesh.

Also due to my background as a composer for trailers and movies I have a lot of influences from Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
What are your plans for the next years with Caedeous?

Paulo J. Mendes:
I have several plans for Caedeous for the next years. The first one is the third album Malum Supplicum which is already composed and being recorded as we speak in drums, guitars, bass, piano and orchestra. It will be released in 2023. I also have a clear picture of where I want to go as well for the fourth album maybe in 2024 or 2025. Furthermore one of the future goals and ambitions is to finally take Caedeous to live show performances in major metal festivals over the next years. The lineup is now expanding for that to move forward for the third studio album.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
What specific goals do you want to achieve this year?

Paulo J. Mendes:
This year the main goals are to promote the second studio album successfully, and move forward to the third studio album. Due to the pandemic instability and the international nature of project Caedeous with the lineup being geo-localized over Europe, no plans have been made regarding a possible live performance except for live streams and official music videos.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
In the last two years, almost all events have been cancelled due to the pandemic. This year, more festivals and concerts should be possible again. How do you assess the situation?

Paulo J. Mendes: 
I still think that the Covid-19 instability factor is very high and risky due to new strains that are showing up in a continuous cycle of months even if less than it was once before. Hopefully, a second-generation vaccine and medicines comes out anytime soon to stop this once for all.

I also think that is good to see festivals and concerts start to pop out again with safety regulations in place which can spin the live music industry again. However, since the risk factor is still high, I am afraid of how the upcoming festivals will turn out.

For us as musicians, bands or projects and technical personnel from shows, this pandemic issue has been tough, since a lot of our active income comes from shows, merch selling at the venues, etc. The royalties of Spotify, Apple Music, etc. are too short to live with as passive income, they pay very little per stream, even if it’s played by millions. Also, imagine that a band has a scheduled show for day X and it is cancelled, but you had already paid for all the logistics and you get zero funds in return, it is horrible.

Wishful thinking is that everything normalizes once again, so we can move on, however, the world will never be the same again. Things have changed, better for some, worse for others.

For me, Covid could go away and never come back. This is just a simple horror story played before our eyes on all levels.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
Can you imagine performing live with a symphony orchestra, like Dimmu Borgir at Wacken Open Air 2012?

Paulo J. Mendes:
Yes, most definitely. It is also one of my Caedeous goals for the next years. Caedeous albums are born into orchestration and even composed as that in several orchestral mockups and pianos. They are the soul of Caedeous. Playing Caedeous live with a symphony orchestra is on the roadmap, hopefully, it happens. If it is on Wacken even better, which is also one of the goals.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
Are there any special events in your life that you would like to tell Time For Metal readers about?

Paulo J. Mendes:
I have some special events in my life that have shaped me to be who I am today. Things that I would not change a bit, even if they were full of pain, anger, sadness and frustration. They were lessons that shaped me and made me a stronger and better human being. Those events range go from bad musical experiences in the industry but also in my personal life where I lost people which I miss a lot. Beyond that, the birth of my kids was the best thing that has happened and they also shaped me into another whole level of human feelings.

Time For Metal / Sandra R.:
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer my questions. I wish you continued success with Caedeous and hope you achieve the goals you set for yourself.

Paulo J. Mendes:
Once again, thank you so much Sandra for taking the time. Thanks to Time for Metal for the support and to all who read this and listen to Caedeous, \m/ thank you so much!