Cygnus Rock band in La Cátedra del Rock (interview/podcast)

This will be a special review, dear Reader - but we are living in special times! And honestly, it was high time for that.

This time we have an interview - a podcast episode, to be specific - with our beloved rockers, Ruxx and Deneb. The interview was made by the two hosts of La Cátedra del Rock, a program of the radio station of University of Santiago de Cali. They have this very praisworthy tradition to invite local bands to their studio every now and then to talk to them and introduce them to their listeners. Our favorite men got the chance on 25th October (if I'm not wrong) to sit down in the studio of La Cátedra del Rock and have an approx 1-hour-long, hilarious, adorable and totally funny interview.

The FB-post of La Cátedra del Rock about the interview. On this image you can see everyone's favorite bassist and drummer in the company of the two hosts, Sandro Buitrago and Carlos Guinand as well as three members of Rising 4 Die, a metalcore band from the same city, Cali

Before the interview would start, Ruxx and Deneb make sure - and it's something you, dear Reader must know as well - that Cygnus is the one and only band in Colombia right now that plays Viking metal. 

One of the many reasons why they are special.

They very kindly and hilariously explain why they picked this genre despite being totally and absolutely European

keep in mind, dear Reader, that the historical and cultural impact of ancient Scandinavian tribes is an everyday subject for us all over Europe, but in South America, where the culture is determined by completely different influences, it is really something special that a group of people decide to play metal that has very heavy influences from a certain era of European history along with folk music elements that again rooted in a certain, relatively small - and special - area of Europe. All this in the heart of South America.

Have I mentioned that they are superheroes?

not to mention that their songs are all in English.

Upon my experiences so far, what I have seen in earlier interviews, discussions and different online surfaces, there are certain issues/questions that always pop up. This goes for every artist that ever had any public conversation during their career, regardless of their art or genre. Of course, Cygnus also has got these issues, after the no. 1. (namely why they play Viking/Celtic folk metal in Colombia) the no. 2. is always the influence of the great Spanish folk metal band Mägo de Oz.

I have an idea for everyone out there. We make a list of these "favorite issues/questions regularly asked from Cygnus" and whenever any of these pops up during an interview or any sort of public appearance. we drink. SKÅL! 🍻

Here comes a simply adorable part of the interview, when the humble chronicler of these lines simply got a screaming/fangirling attack as Deneb explains that they are in fact friends with the members of Mägo de Oz.

Yes, I know more about it than you.

No, I won't tell.

It's My Precious.

😒

Then they explain the similarities and differences between the music of Cygnus and Mägo de Oz (in short: both bands play folk metal, but Cygnus focuses on Viking themes in their lyrics and add a lot of symphonic elements to their music, while Mägo de Oz has got only violin and flute). Deneb finally denies the charges that they might be a simple copy of Mägo de Oz.

I have witnessed it numerous times that Cygnus was trolled by deaf, dumb, uneducated idiots who charged them being an English-language copy of Mägo de Oz. This is what happens, dear everyone, when you just consume music without brain and heart, and you can't make a difference between an orange and a contrabass bow. Learn from it and if you have nothing nice to say, then just kindly shut the fuck up.

Then the other two members, Jota and Andrés F. Bernal are introduced to the listeners. "The Criminals Who Take Part In The Band", as Deneb describes them perfectly

resulting again a heavy load of screaming from your humble chronicler

then they tell a bit about the symphonic orchestra, too, that accompany them at their live performances. As Deneb says "we want to show the audience that we are not merely just a studio band".

Since this interview was recorded before the band's performance at COP16 Colombia, the hosts asked them about it.

COP16 Colombia was a long series of events about environmental protection and biodiversity that took part in Cali, Colombia this year. During its almost two weeks at the end of October there had been discussions among world leaders about the reservation of biodiversity and let's hope they could make practical agreements that are more than a few words written on a piece of paper. And meanwhile the politicians and community leaders had meetings, there was a vast, rich row of cultural events with music, performances and all that can give a glimpse of the great cultural and natural diversity of this beautiful country. And yes, our favorite rockers were a part of it. Because rock - and especially Cygnus - is an essential part of culture. You know: water, fresh air, food, shelter, Cygnus.

Deneb and Ruxx very enthusiastically talk about it, and let's be honest, it's really a great thing that a rock/metal band was invited to a cultural event where the scene consists of salsa and traditional South American music. In such an ambient, dear Reader, playing metal is like a crusade

this pagan kind, not the Christian

and they discuss a bit about the message of their newly released song and video What Have We Done and their mission with it.

Afterwards 

well, I think we can call it "favorite question/issue no. 3.", so let's drink, everyone! SKÅL!!!

the band tells about their main musical influences in Viking metal. They mention spiritual as well as musical influences like Heilung or Ensiferum, and then one of the hosts asks a very interesting question about the possible influence of Bathory, as the no. 1. pagan/Viking metal of all times.

This brought up a bunch of memories from my teens in the early 90's, when listening to Bathory required a sort of courage, as it was very dark and extreme in every sense. I remember exchanging copied cassettes of Bathory's albums that had an awful quality, but still it was a kind of treasure, because at that time they were very rare. 

Yes, I had at least one of these. I confess, I copied it to myself only as a kind of curiosity, but I never became their fan, even though I loved extreme metal at a time. Bathory was simply too awful and low quality for me to be able to appreciate it.

But as Ruxx explains, Bathory and Cygnus indeed might have a slight similarity with focusing on Viking themes in their lyrics, Cygnus's music is folk metal, with folk elements and folk instruments. 

Here comes a small discussion about Viking-themed songs within the genre of metal and bands that play Viking-themed songs but couldn't be further from the music Cygnus plays. Deneb adds that the Viking-themed songs of e.g. Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin had a great influence on them (even though it's not folk, but Viking-themed, as he underlines), then Ruxx comes up with the example of Amon Amarth, that plays Viking metal, but definitely not folk metal (he even does a perfect presentation of that blood-spitting death metal they play).

The hosts then ask our beloved rockers about the 5 Viking-themed albums they have released so far. Deneb 

let's drink, everyone!!! SKÅL!!!

tells about the challenges of writing Viking-themed folk metal; how much they have to be careful about not to repeat themselves, not to repeat anything other bands or musicians have already made. Afterwards - specified by the hosts once again that Viking metal is basically a European genre - the band tells about their European fans

LOVE YOU!!!! 💓

while in their home city, as Deneb says, almost no one knows them.

Then came an interesting question: where does the band see itself in 5 years? "Well, I believe we'll be alive then, too", replies Ruxx immediately and then both him and Deneb agrees that they want more albums, more videos, gigs and generally that their music may reach wider horizons.

Grammy Award, heading Rock am Ring, having a collab with Luar na Lubre or the Wiener Philharmoniker on one of the upcoming albums and so on... aim the Moon, even in the worst case you land among the stars 😉

They talk a bit about gigs in particular; some old memories come up about touring around the whole country years ago, sharing stage with several great local names. Then the hosts asked our rockers how fans can connect them through the social networks; Deneb immediately told about the band's web site, as their main online headquarters

and yes, he had to spell the name "Cygnus", because you're all so deaf and illiterate out there, that you can't even write down your own names correctly 😒

as well as their Instagram and YouTube channel.

At this point came one of the top moments of the interview.

Host 1: I think there's another band named Cygnus, they are from Guatemala.

Ruxx: [says an untranslatable word joke in Spanish; I won't write it down here, because you wouldn't understand it anyway]

*general laughter, Deneb gently warns everyone about dignity*

Deneb: A hug from us to those guys, but let's face... the originals are sitting here 😎✌🏽

This.

I remember I was walking outside listening to this podcast. It was way after sunset, very cold, the temperature was around freezing point. And when these wonderful people cracked these jokes, I had to stop, and I didn't even care that someone might see me or hear me, I burst into a laughter.

I fkn love these Colombians, you know.

Then Deneb suggested to just google the band's name and their social media sites as well as their Spotify-profile will automatically pop up.

After listening to "Fenrir the Wolf" and discussing about the great impact of Dream Theater on the band's music, they talk a bit about the rock/metal scene of the city as well as about other local bands. Deneb - with tangible diplomacy and kindness - says that every band has their own potential to add something to the scene, even though it's rather full and there are bands that have been playing for years. And since rock in general is not really popular in the area, the bands need to be highly professional to be able to give something extra to those who like the genre. Quite a lot of factors are missing, as he says, but bands like Rex Marte have a great potential.

At the final part of the interview there's a discussion about the challenges of being a producer, whether it's easy or not ("Whatsapp-mixing" made me scream again)

top moment of the interview no. 2.: Deneb talking about the "experiences" of a Croatian label

if you know, you know

while Ruxx making censorship-sounding mouth noises

I was done, in the middle of the street at a freezing cold Eastern European night

Here you can listen to the podcast episode with Cygnus on Spotify:

As for iVOOX, I can only link the episode, I can't embed it. It's here.

Enjoy, love it, share it and love every single piece of it!