Hi guys. Thank you for talking to our webzine and congratulations for your new album.

Thanks for taking the time to ask these questions.

How do you feel for this new album? Are you satisfied with the final result?

Yeah, we are, for the most part satisfied with the results. Of course, there is always room for improvement. I wish the album were a bit more sculpted, sonically-speaking, in the way that Penumbra was. However, it was our goal from the beginning to write a more streamlined album, a synthesis of, say, classic tech metal and Kraftwerk. On that level, I think we succeeded somewhat.

I have the feeling that this album is different from the previous ones. I believe that "Cortical Tectonics" is more atmospheric, without disregarding its technical aspect. Am I right and if yes, that made you take such direction?

It's definitely a different album, yes. I'm not altogether sure that I'd call it more atmospheric, but it has a very different atmosphere. The ambient sections, for instance, are darker and more otherworldly than on the previous albums. The liminal textures that mark "Reticular Consciousness" certainly come to mind.

Another point is that I read a lot of reviews that welcomed this new approach. Do you think that this was necessary; was it something that people expected from you?

The reviews have been mixed, I think, in terms of what people have wanted vs. what they expected. I recently read an interview that put down Cortical as a lesser facsimile of "Penumbra...", which suggests to me that this person has listened very little to our music! The differences in those records is huge, I think. I'm glad that some have embraced the new sound. However, they should brace themselves for an even bigger change on the next album!

After a considerable period of time are you ready to assess the effect of "Cortical Tectonics" on your career? Do you think that this album might evolve into some kind of landmark for you?

No, and I don't think that I'm qualified to make any sort of assessment of Canvas. I'm just too close to the music. As a person, though, every one of our records has been very important to me, and have represented stretches of my life.

I always wonder how instrumental artists or bands give titles to their songs. What is that makes you name a track? Is it the atmosphere of the track, it's mentality or is it something that happens randomly?

It can be the atmosphere of the song, yes. For instance, I would have never named "Interface" "Berserker Hypothesis" ! There has to be some sense of the appropriate, then, in naming a track. Sometimes, though, methods are more random. A phrase will stick out and will seem to be perfect for a Canvas title. Sometimes we're inspired by things we've read or have seen (Lyn Hejinian's "My Life" and "Bride of Re-Animator" have both served as inspirations!). But because the titles are sort of abstract in this particular context, we're afforded more latitude than would be given a vocal-led band.

Also the artwork and the whole packaging are quite plain. Have you ever thought of adding some more information, such as linear notes, in order to help the audience approach your music?

We don't want to help anyone approach our music. It's for the listener to experience. If we handed out everything, I think it would affect the degree of engagement. I've always loved really mysterious groups. Two such contemporary groups, Deathspell Omega and London-based dubstep producer, Burial, do marvelous jobs at obscuring their respective identities. I really think that this aspect gives their music a different vibe. I want to maintain some level of mystery with CS. It's not about connecting to the audience; it's about ushering them into a different sonic space.

How is playing live your music? What are the usual reactions to your music?

We usually get favorable reactions at live shows, which is odd considering that we normally play with bands very different from ourselves. We love playing live, but because of our geographic situation, we're not able to do it as often as we'd like. Next year, though, we're already planning a spate of live shows.

Have you ever felt some sort of pressure that perhaps someone from the audience might be able to judge and assess your skills?

No, we don't really register that kind of pressure. Playing live, for us, is not an exhibition, but an attempt to communicate our music in a more direct and personal way. We're not interested in jumping through hoops.

In general how hard is for you to compose and perform this music in terms of expectations? I mean that you are destined to remain underground and to address to a very specific audience. Is this something that piss you off?

No, and I can't imagine that any band in our situation would aspire to the mainstream. Instrumental music, in general, is misunderstood by popular music audiences, despite the fact that it's around them all the time (film soundtracks, classical music, accessible jazz). We have a bigger audience than I ever imagined we would, so I feel blessed to play for anyone who appreciates it and connects with it.

Do you believe that in the era of globalization people (and artists more specific) will orient towards small communities that will be more sustainable and liable? I mean that the Web2.0 applications are giving such examples and probably this might be an answer to music piracy and a means for small bands and labels to oppose to threats like this?

The commercial rubric is changing by the day, and if artists and labels want to survive, then they would be wise to adapt to these changes. It's going to be interesting to see how this situation develops, but I don't know how much it will affect a band on a small scale like CS. The major label market, though, is in dire straits. According to Rolling Stone, Rick Rubin might be the man to save music. We'll see!

What is your opinion about downloading? Do you believe that might be some benefits out of this illegal act?

People download music. It's a simple reality in this day and age. It's a shame that kids are unwilling to pay for music, but it's hardly their faults. I mean, if I grew up in an age with unfettered, unlimited, free access to media, one would be hard-pressed to convince me to pay for it! However, I grew up listening to music in the early 90s, where I was forced to seek out imports through intricate networks of labels and mail-order distribution channels. I can't describe the excitement of receiving a record in the mail for the first time. What joy! That sort of experience is lost on the ADD-addled youth of today, who are not made to wait. Also, downloading discourages deep, concentrated listening. How, I ask, can you concentrate on an album, when you have 3000 other records in queue on your hard drive? It's a sad situation, frankly.

Well this is the end of our interview. Thank you very much for sharing your time with us. I wish you all the best.

And the best to you! Thanks again for taking the time to write!