Cage9, based in Los Angeles, is comprised of Panama transplants Evan Rodaniche and Gustavo Aued on guitar/vocals and bass respectively, L.A. native Jesse Beltz on guitar and from Phoenix, AZ, Gordon Heckaman. The following is an excerpt from a recent interview with the band regarding their new album:
Cage9 has recorded four albums since moving to L.A. and we spoke with Evan about their latest release, "Survival Plan."
Q: What's the theme of the new album... where did the title come from?
A: "It seems like all you hear about these days is talk of fear and what's going to happen when the world self-destructs sometime in the very, very near future. So as an artist I felt it was my duty to accurately imitate life and compose an album or guide, if you will, on how to survive your own worst case scenario - as random, mundane or impossible as it might be. I was probably equally excited about making the album art as I was recording the album. Our theme icon is a play on the gas mask, universal sign for "oh shit." We revolved all our images around one of us dressed in a tattered business suit and gas mask, performing everyday chores from mowing the lawn, getting gas, surfing, taking vows...etc., to kind of illustrate and at the same time poke fun at the fear that we are constantly barraged with on warning labels, news reports, the internet...wherever lawyers feel there is a need. A survival plan is what you would supposedly need to maximize your chances of making it out of any given unfortunate and/or lethal situation intact."
"Our survival plan, as dark as the subject might seem, is supposed to make you laugh at the whole f'ed up way our world feeds off negativity and maybe even realize that we should spend less time fretting over what horrible thing might happen to us in the next 20 years and devote a minute or two more towards taking advantage of what is happening right here, right now, in front of us, as-we-speak type thing."
"I based alot of my lyrics on the concept although the whole album doesn't necessarily reflect the theme, there are hidden clues and meanings to yes, formulate your very own survival plan - should your existence stumble upon any fateful twists or turns...during the 70 or so minutes you might happen to be listening to this album anyway."
Q: We heard you have a few special guests on the album?
A: "Gordon, Gustavo and I also dabble in the ways of Powerman 5000, by this I mean we play in PM5K as well as Cage9, so I've been naturally looking for a song to invite Spider to sing on. 'That's When I Fuck Things Up Again' had his name all over it. More specifically, it needed Spider's signature "HEY!" before the 2nd chorus...and we went from there. I actually originally wrote that song thinking it might become a Powerman song but later was overcome with greed and kept it."
"Wes Borland, whom we are friends with as well as fans, put out some great music with his new band Black Light Burns where he sings as well as plays guitar. He's got a very twisted, meloncholy vibe so I asked him to lend some air to the 2nd verse of 'Worst Case Scenario' that needed something to push it over the edge of weird. He does this chorus of whining that comes in afterwards - when he first showed me, I literally fell out of my chair - it sounded so awesome. I had originally asked him to do a whistle solo there but he claims he does not possess whistling skills."
"Mikey, from Godhead, is a shredder of a guitar player and I've been dying to have him do something on one of our songs forever. I gave him a few of the tracks and he chose 'Over and Out' himself. He sent me the solo he had written for the song as a voice note via cell phone where he's playing to the recording in his living room or something and ripping his solo out loud. I love it cuz it ends with him saying something like 'oh yeah, that's the one!'"
"My only other skill in this life is recording and producing. Mandy sings in a band whose album I recently did called Cursed Lullaby. In our song '2:30 and Anxious,' I had originally sung some falsetto vocals on top of my low verse vocal lines but decided it might do well with someone whose voice naturally is high - a girl. Mandy was my first pick cuz even though she mostly does different levels of gutteral barking on much of Cursed Lullaby's album, I've heard her softer, gentler, non-metal side."
Q: DSN Music is featuring the song 'Horsey' from your latest release "Survival Plan." Where did the title 'Horsey' come from?
A: "Horsey is actually the working title for this song - it more describes the galluping, bouncing feel of it...as often happens, we couldn't lose the working title after hearing it for months. You hear my voice intro it in the first few bars which was another studio guide that we couldn't bare to ax. As I type this, a police helicopter is shaking the seat in which I sit as it circles overhead searching for the murder or whatever. This happens a lot here where I live in Echo Park, L.A. Anyway, metaphorically or not, I was inspired to write a song about the relationship the denizens of Los Angeles have with the pilots of 'ghetto birds' - do they really care about us? Or is it just big brother watching over the sheep. Whatever their motives, sometimes you just want them to go away. If you listen carefully, the percussion sound in the verse is a helicopter blade chopping up the smoggy LA sky-line."
Q: Triple Vision Entertainment in Japan has licensed four of your albums, and Cage9 has toured there. What are the fans like there?
A: "To be honest, one of my number one motivators for recording and finishing "Survival Plan" in any kind of timely fashion (it already took over 8 months) was Japan. Our last album "El
Motivo" did really well over there thanks mostly to our amazing record label that promoted the hell out it, but after actually touring there we were just blown away by the support the fans gave us, and knew we needed to deliver a good follow up. As much as I love playing in the states and in Panama, ask any band - if Japanese fans like you, you're living the dream!"
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