Interview with Causing The Exile!

Band: Causing The Exile

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Genre: Deathcore

Q: Where did the band name "Causing The Exile" come from?

Well, I guess I should have a cool and intelligent answer to this question. Really, you should ask our guitarist Ruben Andresen about that. He came up with it in April 2012, when we had finally decided to change our name from "Misery Circus".

We actually changed our name one week before entering the studio to record our EP. I remember Ruben suggesting the name "Causing The Exile" after a show in Hønefoss, Norway. For once we all agreed on something, being that CTE had a nice ring to it, and it stuck. I'm very happy with it, even though I later on discovered to my ignorance that there are several other deathcore bands with the word "Exile" in their names. Well, what can one do!

Q: Your new EP Dawn of The New Era recently released, how has the feedback been?

It's been great, really. I guess not so many people have actually heard it, seeing as we're a strictly underground band. But those who have heard it tend to think it's great, and we are gradually starting to get a little more attention. It really is a great feeling, to finally have this EP out after so much seemingly endless work.

We spent about six months from start to finish working our asses off and spending a lot of money we didn't really have. It is actually selling a lot more outside Norway than in our home country, especially in the United States. I literally jump with joy in my chair every time we get a new order from some country far away. It is an amazing feeling of accomplishment, to me at least.

Q: You've played a lot of live shows, which one has been your favorite thus far?

If I said they have all been great, that would be a big fat lie. We have had quite a few shows, yes, but the problem is that Norway has no deathcore scene. We will definitely be hitting other European countries once we have a little more money and a bigger reputation.  But there have been some good ones, sure.

A couple of good ones at Revolver and Café Mono, two bars in Oslo. We had a great road trip to Arendal in March last year, plus a few cool gigs in the Buskerud Region. Those last ones I mentioned have been the best, really. I have a feeling that future gigs will be a lot cooler. We have written a good deal of new material, and recently we started playing with a click track live, which improves our "tightness".

Q: Causing The Exile started in 2011, why didn't you release an EP sooner than 2012?

Isn't that quite fast, though? I mean, we started playing together in August 2011, Ruben joined the band in January 2012 and we were busy playing gigs, practicing and writing songs. We entered the studio in May 2012, and I think it was perfect timing. Any sooner and we would have a very immature sounding EP. We needed time to evolve and find ourselves, and in many ways I think we are still doing that. I am very proud of "Dawn Of The New Era" to this day, and I think it is a very good start to what will hopefully one day be an extensive discography.

Q: What is the underground metal scene like in Norway?

To be perfectly honest, I think it is awful. Terrible. There is no culture for going to concerts anymore, unless it's Bruce Springsteen or Metallica or some huge international band. Underground bands struggle to get gigs at all, even the crappy gigs that nobody really enjoys that much. Bands like Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Oceano and Veil of Maya are forced to play in a small club (a cool one, but still) with a capacity of about 150 people when they visit Norway, and it's not even sold out. Trivium, Upon A Burning Body and As I Lay Dying played in front of a half-empty venue last year.

In other European countries like for example Germany, these bands play in front of thousands of people. We have been having a hard time getting gigs, and getting paid for the ones we have played. Greedy bastards. I love Norway and I would never live anywhere else, it's just that being a Norwegian deathcore band just isn't easy!

Q: You're currently signed to Red Line Records, how has the experience been with them?

The Red Line guys are great! We're actually just signed to a limited deal, meaning that they distribute our EP via iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and Wimp and get 12 % of the income. We aren't committed to a great deal, and neither are they. But those guys, Marius Melleby and Joakim Steen, have been great! 

They are the same guys who work in Red Line Studio, where "Dawn Of The New Era" was recorded, and they really busted their asses to make us extremely picky and particular musicians happy with the final product. I think we roughly went through 30-40 mixes of the EP before we were finally satisfied, and these guys never complained. I tip my hat to Red Line Records.

Q: Do you have any shout outs to give to the readers?

What should I say here? I guess "BUY OUR EP!" or "CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK" or whatever will do, no? I really have nothing even slightly original to answer to this last question, I'm sorry! Thank you!

Answers provided by: Elias Pellicer, Drummer of Causing The Exile