Cauldron

Toronto, Canada’s Cauldron formed out of the ashes of heavy metal powerhouse, Goat Horn. Although Goat Horn had a strong underground following, the group never had the big label backing that Cauldron has recently found. After releasing the self-produced EP “Into the Cauldron,” the group caught the attention of the decision makers at Earache Records. In April, Cauldron releases its first recording bearing the Earache stamp - “Chained to the Nite.”

So far, critics have given “Chained to the Nite” a warm response. It is an album of distinct metal nostalgia, one of strong hooks, powerful riffs, and a toned down vocalist (no ball-squeezing highs). Writers and metal heads alike have already been given a sneak peak of “Chained to the Nite.” Earache’s “Heavy Metal Killers” compiled a list of some of the best new bands that play an older metal style. One of the featured tracks was Cauldron’s “Chained up in Chains.”

Cauldron’s main man on the mic and master of low tones—Jason Decay spoke with Metal Mayhem about the group’s beginning, his perceptions of their releases, and where the band is headed. Kick back, have a couple of brews and read about a band who believes in keeping the spirit of true heavy metal alive!

Metal Mayhem: Cauldron is a fairly new group. Please tell our readers about how the band formed?
Jason Decay: Cauldron formed out of what was previously Goat Horn. Goat Horn met its untimely death in June 2006 due to a blow up between me and the guitar player. I had no intentions of quitting what I was doing, so a few days later I sent out an email saying that I was looking for a guitar player and Ian got in touch. He flew out to Toronto to audition and we knew right away he was the right guy. And within two months, we were playing a gig that was originally booked as a Goat Horn gig.

MM: You and Steel Rider (drums) both played in Goat Horn. You also play in Kill Cheerleader. Does Cauldron represent a creative outlet not allowed in the other groups?
JD: No. I did two tours with Kill Cheerleader, but that was never my priority. Cauldron is exactly what I want to do and has been my priority since before when we were Goat Horn.

MM: Cauldron plays a more traditional style of metal that harkens back to 1980s heavy metal and thrash. What groups inspired you to form Cauldron?
JD: Well, Goat Horn actually! But seriously, I guess between the 1980s Metal Blade "Metal Massacre" scene and the "new wave of British heavy metal “pretty much sums up what we're inspired to play.

MM: Speaking of old school metal, you were one of the featured artists on the “Heavy Metal Killers” compilation. How do you feel about being part of this compilation?
JD: It feels pretty good to be a part of something where I actually like most of the bands we're associated with. It’s good to see a collective of likeminded bands coming out of the wood work and banging together, finally...

MM: Your Earache debut “Chained to the Nite” comes out soon. How do you feel about the finished product?
JD: Pretty good, I'm quite proud of the fact that it defies what you're supposed to do, or what is expected of a "metal" band in 2009. Fuck what year it is, this is the kind of heavy metal record we want to hear. It’s a pretty human record and I like to hear the human element of a band, not some quantized drum, vocal-tuned computer shit. This is a real record, whether the listener thinks we're good or not. I can't wait for it to come out and get on tour. We also have skeletons for a whole new record written, which I'd like to get to once we've toured the shit out of this one.

MM: How does this album compare to your first recording, the “Into the Cauldron” EP?
JD: It’s twice as long and maybe more emphasis on the songwriting and melodies this time around, but then again “Restless” was quite melodic, I guess it’s pretty much just a continuation of "Into the Cauldron.” It’s a better rounded representation of the band.

MM: Are you excited to have your music placed in the same catalogue as classic groups such as Napalm Death, At the Gates, Cathedral, Carcass and Deicide?
JD: Yes, very much so, especially Carcass and Cathedral. It’s an honor to be squashed between them in the Earache catalogue!

MM: What is the story of your getting signed to Earache?
JD: I guess we were making a bit of a name for ourselves from the reviews of our EP and our successful trip to Europe in April 2007. Earache got in touch to see what our plans were for our next record, and offered their services if we were interested, which we were. We were also talking to a couple other labels at the time, but at the end of it all, Earache met us on the most common ground.

MM: I heard a couple members of Cauldron were fined for public intoxication. Is Cauldron a band of wild drunkards?
JD: We like to drink. We like to have a good time with the bottle, but sometimes the law doesn't want us to. Usually they just make you dump it out, but I think they're getting sick of these long hairs extending their privileges, at least in our neighborhood. They're starting to put their foot down, and the last time Chris and I had to take the hit.

MM: Tell our readers about Cauldron’s first visit to the UK.
JD: Well, we tried to make the most of it after getting food poisoning from some slick restaurant that Earache took us to. I guess after that we weren't really in full effect, but we still had a pretty good time. It was a pretty cool and sort of un-planned trip to the birthplace of heavy metal. We played a couple shows, one quite surreal gig with our buds ANVIL at the Sheppard's Bush Empire. We played to a crowd of unsuspecting chaps there to see the Anvil movie, and another club gig with GAMA BOMB. Other than that, we just pounded the English beer into us and did a slew of interviews and photo shoots to coincide with the European release of CHAINED TO THE NITE in April.

MM: What is the tour circuit like in Canada?
JD: Well, besides Ontario and Quebec, it’s pretty long and far between! I mean, we've conducted some pretty successful Canadian tours, especially on the east coast, but you gotta watch out for those long drives across the prairies. Last time we just skipped the prairies and flew out to the west coast, did four shows, saved ourselves a week of driving and still came out on top.

MM: What are you future plans?
JD: Back to Europe in June, US in the summer, and hopefully by then just more touring to tour the shit out of this album before we crank out the next one next year. We’re doing that and just sitting in front of the record player with a case of Schlitz.

Darren Cowan