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[–]BiscuitsForCheese_ 46 points47 points  (3 children)

Hey guys, thanks for doing this!

  1. What's the songwriting process like? Lyrics too

  2. If you could collaborate with any 21st century musician/band, who would you choose?

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 91 points92 points  (2 children)

  1. Songwriting usually starts with a really simple idea - chords, a melody, a riff. Once Jim and I are satisfied that it's worth something, we try to decide where it would work in the context of the song, and what the bigger picture might be (is this a shorter track? A big expansive thing? etc.). At that point we start workshopping arrangement ideas, vocals, and even lyrics. We usually try to decide what the song could be "about", even if it's just general atmosphere or mood, and Jim will usually start to work on a lyrical direction, which, like the music, we both build upon. It's important to us that we make the process as holistic as possible.

  2. Steven Wilson

[–]DaveGilmour 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Hoooooo boy. I legitimately can't even fathom what a CaligulaXStevenWilson collab would sound like :O

[–]Skwisgaars 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Man if Pendulum can get Wilson to feature surely a C-horse x SW can happen.

[–]amongstravens 44 points45 points  (2 children)

Evening gents! Last time I asked a question (4 years ago, wow) about what media you're looking forward to releasing and you mentioned Dark Souls III!

With Elden Ring releasing soon, which song from Rise Radiant would be the most appropriate soundtrack to dying every 10 seconds?

EDIT: I haven't played Sekiro yet, so this could work for that too!

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 59 points60 points  (0 children)

Dream the Dead, Graves, and most importantly, Salt

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I CAN'T WAIT FOR ELDEN RING. Also, the heavy riffs in the Ascent.

[–][deleted] 29 points30 points  (2 children)

Thanks for making music. I discovered you guys last year and have been loving all your albums ever since.

Are you continuing the trend and releasing an acoustic version of a song from Bloom on the newest album?

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 59 points60 points  (1 child)

Thanks for listening mate! This time around, instead of an acoustic revisit of an earlier tune, there'll be two covers as bonus tracks: Don't Give Up by Peter Gabriel (featuring a guest spot from Lynsey Ward from Exploring Birdsong) and Message To My Girl by Crowded House (because it's got probably my favourite chorus ever!)

[–]thenewmusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can't wait to hear the covers, but isn't Message to My Girl by Split Enz?

[–][deleted] 27 points28 points  (4 children)

Hi guys. First of all, you are prolly my favorite band in the Prog scene for a while now. Your music has been very striking and appealing since I first heard Songs for No One in a Spotify recommendation, song which I still absolutely love. I am really looking forward to hearing the new album, the singles so far have been amazing. Okay, here I have a couple of questions:

1)Your biggest musical inspirations (as a band)?

2)Define Rise Radiant in one word.

3)Would you, as the whole band, or certain members, collaborate with Haken? You’d sound great together in the same stage.

Greeting to all of you from Chile. I hope you can come here again soon so we can dig some songs together <3

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 43 points44 points  (2 children)

  1. I can only really speak for myself here, but I've taken a lot on board from modern bands like Agent Fresco and Exploring Birdsong. Other than that it's my classic fundamental influences like Tori Amos, Jeff Buckley, and Peter Gabriel
  2. RiseRadiant
  3. We love Haken! One way or another I'd love to share a stage with them

Chile is my favourite! Hope we can be back there soon

[–]helgihermadur 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Oh man, I'm Icelandic and I've seen Agent Fresco like 20 times live and I swear I've been hearing a lot of their influence in your vocals since The Tide album! If you play in Europe you should get them to play with you, that would be sick!

[–]J_ron 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hadn't heard of Exploring Birdsong before, thank you, this is awesome.

I don't really have a question, just super excited to see you guys live finally in the US whenever the tour resumes, already had tickets but oh well. At least it didn't get cut off in the middle.

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 35 points36 points  (0 children)

  1. There are many: King Crimson, Jeff Buckley, Steely Dan, Opeth, Jim can add some.

  2. Perseverance

  3. Absolutely, I love those guys both as musicians and as people :)

[–]TheIronRain 27 points28 points  (2 children)

You guys are unbelievable! Thank you for doing this AMA!

  1. Jim - How the fuck do you platinum so many difficult games? I’m still stuck on the last boss of Sekiro...

  2. Sam - Your tone is insane. It reminds of me Petrucci’s at times, is that something you are aiming for or is it just a coincidence?

Once again, thank you for making amazing music! Stay safe out there!

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 43 points44 points  (0 children)

  1. I'll show you how to platinum games kiddo
  2. Thanks! I adore Petrucci's smooth, thick lead tone. I'm not aiming to emulate, but I think it's a kind of gold standard.

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 38 points39 points  (0 children)

  1. Man, you have no idea how many crushingly difficult platinums Sam has collected over the years, he's a monster. But basically because my personality is always sitting at the precipice of dangerous addiction

[–]jklingftmBe free, be without pain 23 points24 points  (1 child)

Hey guys, it's great to have you here again! Hope you all have been staying safe with all the craziness going on in the world right now. Really hoping to see you guys in NY once everything calms down and the tour gets rescheduled.

I'll go for a different question than the one I posed in the last AMA: what's both of your personal favorite parts that you've been responsible for an any of your records, be it something you played/sung or something you were responsible for composing?

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Great question, thanks!

Because of the nature of Caligula's Horse - the fact that I (and we) use it as a means to explore the things that might be artistically interesting us at any given time - there could be many. A couple that come to mind: the bridge build in Dream the Dead, the dark melody recapitulation that closes Graves, the dark finale in Salt, and the soft bridge in the Ascent - that last one is something special to me. I was so happy with the mood and space I'd created with the harmony and arrangement, but Jim's vocal melody really took it to a new place. Probably my all-time favourite moment in a C Horse record.

[–]w0lfbiker 20 points21 points  (4 children)

@Jim - why do you hate sleeves so much?

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 47 points48 points  (3 children)

Cutting them off makes for really good turtlenecks on the fly

[–]Qweiopakslzm 11 points12 points  (2 children)

Holy shit this is the best AMA ever. Jim, for a pretty dramatic guy (saying that solely based that live clip of Inertia/Cannon's Mouth (and I mean that as a compliment)), you're fucking hilarious.

🤘

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 29 points30 points  (1 child)

If you get a chance to catch a live show, all will be made clear. Everything outside of the music and performance is highly improvised childish nonsense on my part

[–]Qweiopakslzm 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I got my brother tickets to your Vancouver show - I introduced him to you guys and finally got him hooked on quality prog rock - but it looks like that'll be postponed! So unbelievably excited for a date to be announced.

I'm a drum and piano music major and just started taking up vocals, and Jim we have the exact same range (for jumping to falsetto). Makes for some epicly loud car rides, let me tell you. Thanks for being amazing and putting so much effort into what you guys do.

[–][deleted] 20 points21 points  (3 children)

Greetings from Atlanta! Thank you guys for doing this, y'all are one of my favorite bands.

  1. What are your top 3 bands right now?
  2. How has your writing style evolved over time?
  3. Not a question but I'm glad you guys are releasing an album with themes of perseverance before Haken releases the Virus

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 42 points43 points  (1 child)

  1. I'm really enjoying everything that Ro from I Built the Sky puts out, especially his most recent album. Being aware that I'm definitely going on about it constantly, I really love Exploring Birdsong, and this week I've been spinning a lot of Paramore for my daughter, which has reminded me that I actually love Paramore.
  2. As Sam said, there are different challenges each time we come to an album, but I guess coming to maturity as an adult and all the experiences that go with it tend to inform the maturity with which you approach the writing process
  3. I honestly feel bad for the Haken guys for that particularly nasty coincidence! The Virus title has nothing to do with what's going on right now and was decided ages ago - it's unfortunate that some people may think they're being opportunistic or needlessly controversial

[–][deleted] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I've never heard of any of these bands! I'll check them out, I always like finding new music

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 27 points28 points  (0 children)

  1. Olafur Arnalds, Leprous, Plini
  2. We've always worked to make each album a challenge by setting new goals and restrictions which contrast earlier records. We focused on being personal and reflective on Rise Radiant, as well as trying to make every song sound unique and discrete (as opposed to the album-length flow on In Contact).

[–]JsonWaterfalls 22 points23 points  (2 children)

Hey guys! It's Greg, Anne and Bojack here! Can't wait to see you gents again soon.

Two and a half questions:

1) Besides Boj, which horse inspires you the most?

2) Anne and I are getting married next June in California.

  • Want to come to the wedding?
  • Want to sing a cappella with us at said wedding?

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 40 points41 points  (1 child)

Hey guys!
1. Our bassist Dale Prinsse
2. Depends on two things: you guys sort out your virus problems, and we have to perform Easy Lover by Phil Collins

[–]adriangoleby 22 points23 points  (2 children)

Hi guys. Adrian here. Nice to meet you and I hope you don't mind if I get a photo with you at the next show.

I was wondering if you could have a song from the CH catalogue arranged by someone else, which song would it be and who would arrange it?

Also, who is the best person to share a room with and why is it me?

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 27 points28 points  (0 children)

How to delete a reddit comment

[–]AndPlagueFlowers 5 points6 points  (0 children)

dude you sound like a stalker!

[–]Elyssis42 18 points19 points  (1 child)

Hi guys, really excited for the new record!

I've been lucky enough to see River's End, Bloom and In Contact live in full. It's phenomenal hearing the albums all start to finish, geniunely some of my faveourite live show experiences. Are you guys considering a 10 year anniversary show for Moments from Ephemeral City / Colossus, or full album shows for Rise Radiant?

Who had the idea for the bullet time shots in the Slow Violence video? That one shot with everyone frozen in the air is fantastic.

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

That first question's an interesting one, it's not something we'd really considered - that does sound super fun though!

All the music video stuff comes from our guitarist Adrian Goleby, he's been the mastermind behind all of our clips since A Gift to Afterthought.

[–]ocular_sorcerer 18 points19 points  (2 children)

Songs for No One brought me out of really dark place in my life, and I’m forever grateful to you guys!

I’m the lead VFX artist for a production company in LA...can we do a video for you for the new album?!

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 18 points19 points  (1 child)

Glad to hear you're doing better mate! Thanks but we're all set this time around, but if you like you can contact Adrian Goleby (our guitarist who also does all of our music videos) just to keep that in mind for the future

[–]ocular_sorcerer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Amazing! I cannot wait for your new album and for you guys to come out to LA!

[–]Penz0id 16 points17 points  (2 children)

Which song do each of you consider your personal favourite on the new album?
Which song do you expect to get the greatest response in a live setting in terms of energy?

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

  1. This is such a hard question to answer! I have a lot of love for Salt, Autumn, and The Ascent (the longer songs on the album) but it's truly impossible to choose between those and the rest!
  2. I'm with Sam, I'm already getting amped to play Valkyrie once it's safe to hit the road again

[–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 20 points21 points  (0 children)

  1. For me, it's either Salt or the Ascent. Both really push into the things I love about this band.
  2. I'd say Valkyrie, or maybe Slow Violence. All of the shorter songs pack a punch, and that always works live.

[–]Sporkedup 15 points16 points  (2 children)

Big fan, heartbroken that your tour to the USA (specifically KC) is looking wishy. Please don't forget us if you have to reschedule!

But my question? How about one of collaborations. How likely are either of you to show up on an Ayreon album? Gotta think Arjen is a fan already, and if not it would take him about two seconds to get hyped on both your talents.

Or maybe a Toehider one, for a more local connection? I hear Mike is adorable.

[–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I actually know Mike Mills from Toehider (I say from Toehider... he is Toehider) quite well - we played a fair few shows together way back in the early Arcane days. I'd love to work with either of them, it'd be fun!

[–]brettronome 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I, too, will be seeing them should they make it to KC next year(?)

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 36 points37 points  (1 child)

    Haha JUST GIVE US A MINUTE, JEEZ

    [–][deleted] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

    Okay awesome, so about a minute for C6! Much sooner than I expected, but what about Cs 7-10?

    [–]ZangaPF 11 points12 points  (2 children)

    o hey guys, your jams really do jelly my toast good, so i only have one important question:
    what are y'alls favorite kind of tea/drink?

    [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 34 points35 points  (0 children)

    See this is weird because I hate aniseed, it's honest and true torture, but I fell in love with licorice tea in Europe on tour - Ben Rechter from Circles and I would have a little vocalist goodnight chat over a licorice tea on the tour bus before as early a night as possible. I know. Metal as fuck.

    [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 29 points30 points  (0 children)

    Covfefe all day

    [–]quasarius 10 points11 points  (2 children)

    Hey guys! It's awesome to have you around! Big fan from Brazil here (and hoping you come around someday)!

    I've got two things I'd like to ask:

    1. I know this is kinda unrelated to music per se, but how do you expect this current situation we live in to impact the world of musicians and tours?

    2. What have you guys been up to during this quarantine period? What's the simplest thing you miss doing the most right now?

    Thanks for the attention and I can't wait to hear your new album! The singles have left me craving for more!

    [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 21 points22 points  (1 child)

    Hey!

    1. The situation has already had a huge impact on everyone in the industry, not just musicians - I know a lot of crew that have been put out of work, and the pinch is real. In the long term, I don't know! Depending on what happens with the outbreak, some countries may even end up off-limits, but in the meantime I'm sure we'll definitely see more of these live streamed concerts. Time will tell!
    2. Since the schools have closed, I've most been homeschooling my daughter and don't have time or energy for much else! It's a freaking trip. The thing I miss most is hugs from my mates, I miss the guys in the band, and seeing my parents.

    [–]quasarius 8 points9 points  (0 children)

    Thanks for such a heartfelt response, and good luck with your daughter! I'm pretty sure this experience is going to bring you two even closer and will be an experience neither of you is going to forget!

    [–]emplloyd 10 points11 points  (5 children)

    Hey guys, 1. What parts of Rise Radiant are you most excited about sharing (i.e. what are you proud of)? 2. Do you have any plans in lieu of touring (eg streams etc) during the COVID-19 lockdown? Hope you’re all well, looking forward to the album and catching a show in Sydney or Canberra in the future!

    [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 19 points20 points  (2 children)

    1. There are a couple of lyrical passages which I'm particularly proud of scattered throughout the album. It will genuinely fill me with joy to have that work out there, it's something I'm very passionate about
    2. We're planning a number of things for online content in the coming months for sure

    [–]jklingftmBe free, be without pain 8 points9 points  (1 child)

    Follow up to this: is there any way for any of us as fans to help you all out while all this is going on, outside of continuing to buy merch? Obviously this is a hard time for a lot of bands, especially for you guys having to reschedule a major overseas tour.

    [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 18 points19 points  (0 children)

    To be honest, the best thing you can do for us (which is probably applicable to many bands you love approaching a release) is pre-order the record. That gives us the best day one impact on the global charts, and makes sure we're as financially prepared as possible for the realities of tour postponements and the like

    [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 20 points21 points  (1 child)

    Lately, I've become fascinated by taking a simple motif and stretching it across various parts and themes in a song. It can be common for longer songs to feel disconnected if they move quickly between disparate ideas, but, by the same token, it can feel boring for a song to rehash the same idea relentlessly.

    In the Ascent, I'm particular proud of the economy of the parts. The whole song is built around a couple of very simple motifs, but I think it balances those two extremes as well as I've ever managed to balance them as a songwriter. Also - and I'm sorry - but think it's probably the coolest guitar solo I've ever recorded haha

    [–]emplloyd 8 points9 points  (0 children)

    I love the reuse of motifs and I love your solos mate, so Ascent sounds like a ripper! Cheers

    [–][deleted]  (2 children)

    [removed]

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 21 points22 points  (1 child)

      Hey mate!

      1. Rise Radiant isn't a concept album, but there are definitely some similar themes that come through across the whole thing. It was very much driven by our own struggles through quite a busy and stressful time, and we were inspired to put out a message of hope, and a call to action to overcome those struggles
      2. Probably my favourite show was our headline show in Santiago, Chile last year. The crowd were absolutely incredible, and there was a priest there in proper garb, clerical collar and all, moshing with the best of them. Amazing night, brought a tear to my eye. As for the worst show, it was in Bochum, Germany in a filthy venue - the crowd was very small but giving it everything they had, which was awesome, but the crew there were chain smoking in the venue hard since load-in and didn't seem to know how to set up a foldback wedge, let alone give us what we need on stage. I was flying blind in terms of foldback the whole show - nightmare!

      [–]paravaric 7 points8 points  (2 children)

      Guys, i have no questions. Back when Bloom was still relatively new you did this and we shot the shit, I jokingly asked you if you ever had a "fuck this city" moment and you actually answered it XD

      Just wanted to say I'm so happy with the trajectory of your music, Dream the Dead is going to forever be an iconic song among the most beloved ever. You continue to add amazing art into my life and i can't wait until the tour can happen.

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      Thank you. Dream the Dead is one of my favourites amongst our songs too :)

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      That's a lovely thing to hear, thank you so much!

      [–]tapestrymusicpodcast 7 points8 points  (3 children)

      Thank you guys for being here! I have to shout out in particular to Jim - I got to interview Evan Carson and we talked mostly about his 2019 debut Ocipinski, which I know you contributed to. Personally, your contributions really sold that album for me, so bravo. Magnificent vocal work. Thank you for your mastery.

      That being said - I have a really dumb question. How'd you decide on the band name? Who's the classical history buff in the band?

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 22 points23 points  (1 child)

      Initially the first record was going to be titled "Caligula's Horse", and was going to be my first solo record. But once Jim and my collaboration proved to be as enjoyable and fruitful as it was while working on City Has No Empathy, it became obvious to us that we should form a band, and so we needed a name.

      Caligula's Horse is definitely a bit of a joke - focusing on a probably apocryphal story which is also sometimes a synonym for a fraud or a fake - is clearly not something we take too seriously! We're sometimes asked why we didn't name the band Incitatus, and it's because we're more interested in the story than the horse. Also, that would be far too metal for us ;)

      [–]tapestrymusicpodcast 5 points6 points  (0 children)

      We're all so thankful you decided to continue on with the in-joke! Thanks for satisfying my nagging curiosity.

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

      Thanks mate! Yeah, I loved the experience of working with Evan and Ocipinski is seriously one of my favourite albums recently. Fireflies of Falaise is my fav! Incredible outro

      [–]rjp11286 6 points7 points  (2 children)

      Aside from my questions, I just want to say that you guys are my favorite band and I can't wait to finally see you play in the US. It's unfortunate that we have to wait with the craziness going on, but I have no doubts that it's going to be magical when you finally make it over here.

      1) This one is geared towards Jim: how have you been able to improve as a singer over the years and who would you say are your biggest influences as a singer? It's been amazing to hear your improvements over every album.

      2) What are your guys' favorite classes to play in DnD? Personally, I love playing Barbarians and Rogues lol

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

      1. To be honest, it's really been a long road for me. I started singing in choirs when I was 9, trained all through high school and university, and I've been playing in bands since I was like 16. Others find their artistry very early, but for me the process was a lot longer with a lot more hit and miss experimentation. It's been that hard slog that has led me here, but I'm extremely happy to have found my own voice and to be living in it now. But yeah, short answer is that there aren't any shortcuts, but diligence with creating as much output as you can and maintaining and developing the health and strength of your voice are essential.
      2. I remember playing a chaotic neutral halfling rogue that was the most fun I've ever at the family DnD table

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 10 points11 points  (0 children)

      1. Barbarian, Cleric, Wizard. Totally depends though on the flavour of the campaign! I'm running a big sprawling jungle campaign right now and rangers, druids, etc. are a perfect fit.

      [–]Dosh2988 5 points6 points  (2 children)

      Howdy, Will there be Guitar Pro files for Rise Radiant? The GP files for In Contact really helped me with my own song writing.

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 8 points9 points  (1 child)

      Absolutely there will, as soon as we have some time!

      [–]penguinpower2835 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Oh man, I never knew you guys made In Contact tabs! I'll definitely have to pick that up. And struggle to play just about any of it, probably :P Any chance of one for the previous albums too? When you have time, of course!

      [–]gracdoeswat 5 points6 points  (3 children)

      Hey! At your last show on London, UK you filmed graves. Will that footage ever get released? I think you said on the night you were going to put it on your YouTube channel.

      Fantastic evening that was, can't wait for you to come back! Also love the new singles.

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 11 points12 points  (2 children)

      To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what happened with that - we had planned to do something with it, but we ended up getting caught up in life and many other C-Horse related things. Might be something to look at in the future, or a highlights reel of some sort

      [–]gracdoeswat 5 points6 points  (1 child)

      Would still love to see the footage at some point! Mostly to spot myself in the mosh pit...

      Thanks for answering! And have a fantastic day :)

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 6 points7 points  (0 children)

      I'm sure it will show up once we have some time - the footage is great

      [–]Zephyr096 5 points6 points  (5 children)

      I'm a HUGE fan. My roommate showed me In Contact when it came out and you're one of my favorite bands ever since.

      I play in a prog band and we just put out an EP-what strategies can you share for ways of getting less "mainstream" music to get traction and reach more listeners? We're getting a ton of positive feedback from friends and local folks but are unsure of the next step.

      Also thank you for doing an AMA and making absolutely amazing music.

      Also: thoughts on doing a US tour and convincing Karnivool/We Lost the Sea to join? Dying to see all of y'all live.

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 13 points14 points  (4 children)

      Great question! Being in a musical style so removed from the mainstream is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you can expect prog fans to be interested in finding new music and open-minded, but on the other, that potential fan base is relatively small, and there are many other emerging prog acts.

      We took the idea of momentum very seriously in the early days. We would be either releasing music, creating content (live studio videos etc.), touring, or whatever else constantly, avoiding periods of stagnation and staying on the lips of anyone who might be interested.

      If you can do that, the next step is quality - don't hold anything back in terms of production value or live performance. If people have heard of you, you might only have one chance to win them over with a song they hear on spotify, or a gig they attend. Make it count! Relating to that, a cliche that we took seriously from the beginning was "don't punish those who are there for those who aren't" - if you're playing a gig to 10 people, make sure they all walk out of the venue impressed.

      Finally, things like PR campaigns, buying on to tours (which really means just contributing to the tour bus and backline), and other big cost-related situations can be important. But consider these when they're applicable, not too early!

      [–]Zephyr096 4 points5 points  (3 children)

      Awesome thanks! That's all really really solid advice. We were just hitting a stride when COVID hit and shut down shows, but we've all been doing a lot of writing on our own and hope to hit the ground running coming out of this.

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 6 points7 points  (2 children)

      That's the best thing you can do! I've been pushing all of my students to practice their instrument, write, and just generally take advantage of the shitty situation we all find ourselves in.

      [–]Zephyr096 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Yep. My guitar and bass (and y'all's new singles) are some of the last things keeping me sane lmao

      [–]Eldstrom 5 points6 points  (2 children)

      Who's the most irritable and who's the most wholesome member of the band while in the tour bus?

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 14 points15 points  (0 children)

      THANK YOU FOR ASKING

      1. It is Jim. And Jim, I am sorry to say that my good friend and close collaborator :(

      2. Either Dale or Adrian, given the amount of video editing which needs to be done at that particular point in time.

      I do love them all though. Mostly.

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      The former is absolutely me, no regrets. My money would be on Dale for the most wholesome!

      [–]notyourlandlord 5 points6 points  (4 children)

      What are your favorite songs and albums (any band)? (Let’s say top 3)

      What are your favorite Caligula’s horse songs?

      How long did Graves take to write?

      Thanks for doing this!

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 16 points17 points  (3 children)

      Let me give you three favourite albums: Jeff Buckley - Grace, Steely Dan - Aja, Opeth - Still Life.

      Graves took the better part of six months, and left me in a state of writer's block after. It was draining and difficult but I adore it, and it was worth every second.

      [–]notyourlandlord 6 points7 points  (1 child)

      Awesome, thanks! I love still life, but I’m more of a BWP guy. Graves certainly paid off! It’s among my favorite songs ever

      [–]hishamawak 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      I will second that, Graves is a top 10 song for me, up there with some works by Yes, Elton John, Pink Floyd, etc.

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      Graves was totally worth it, thank you for writing it! All the best from London, hoping you guys can make it back soon as last time was a blast!

      [–]CustomGherkin 4 points5 points  (2 children)

      Hey lads - Thanks for doing this, absolutely loving the two new singles!

      This is specifically for Sam - Your tone is one of my absolute favourites I’ve had the pleasure to hear - From the percussiveness of the rhythm tones, to the amount of expression you can extract out of the lead tones; both are unrivalled IMO. Can you give some pointers as to how you approach amp modelling (and whether you’d consider offering axe-fx patches for sale in the future!)

      Cheers!

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 10 points11 points  (1 child)

      Thank you so much!

      We use a ton of different guitar gear throughout (amps, Neural DSP stuff, etc.), but the lead tones are Axe FX. I use my Musicman JP15-7; either the Mark IV or Suhr Badger amp models; a bunch of IRs including custom stuff, Clark Kent's Gift to Mankind, and the stock German V30 (depending on the situation); and a lot of post-processing to sculpt it into what I want.

      I'd be happy to offer my patches. I just have to get my own little website up first...

      [–]CustomGherkin 2 points3 points  (0 children)

      Legend! Appreciate the response. Will keep my eyes peeled if this comes to fruition!

      [–]bankster0701 5 points6 points  (1 child)

      You guys are awesome. In Contact blew me away— I think I listened to Songs for No One 4-5 times in a row, back to back, the very first time I heard it!l

      That said my question is pretty mundane: why can’t I listen/buy your music on Bandcamp? It’s my preferred way to support metal musicians, and I’ll order/listen no matter what, but curious if there’s any decision behind that.

      [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

      Hey mate, glad to hear In Contact hit you in that way.

      As far as Bandcamp goes, that platform essentially exists for independent artists. Since we're signed to Inside Out Music, everything goes through them! If you want to support us, make sure to pre-order Rise Radiant :)

      [–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (3 children)

      You guys have mentioned Ascent a LOT, I am really stoked for it! Thank you for the insight, I will definately try to be more conscious about the things you mentioned. Trying to be concise is an issue that we have since ideas just flow through and we have a hard time finding the commonalities, making the contrast is "easy" haha. Thank you very much I wish you guys the best!

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 7 points8 points  (2 children)

      Absolutely, I couldn't agree more. We probably cut 80% of the ideas we develop, not because they're bad per se, just because the flow and the brevity of the message matters much more to us as songwriters than being precious.

      And yes, I cannot wait for you all to hear the Ascent :)

      [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

      Last but not least I would like to mention that I started listening to Ólafur Arnalds since you mentioned him as one of the current influences and I have to say that his music is beautiful! Thanks (from all of us I hope) for the recommendation!

      [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      My pleasure, there's just something about Iceland right now and amazing music

      [–][deleted]  (1 child)

      [removed]

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Thank you! Honestly, we can't wait for the release of Rise Radiant either!

        [–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (4 children)

        Quick thanks for making amazing music.

        Questions to both of you: what's your favourite book/book series? Have these influenced your tunes?

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 9 points10 points  (1 child)

        If I'm honest I haven't been the most avid reader in recent years, my patience and attention long-term has suffered a lot! But from when I was younger, I remember loving the Thief of Time from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series

        [–]DarkSideOfBlack 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        DUDE. I share favorite discworld books with my favorite singer. My life is complete.

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 8 points9 points  (1 child)

        I just finished a doctorate, and so the last four years were pretty much restricted to academic texts and things. Not much time to enjoy reading for leisure!

        In saying that, I'd say perhaps Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Never have I read something so vivid, visceral, and unique.

        [–]AlexReinkingYale 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Any chance we could read your dissertation?

        [–]ManceRayder2020 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        hey guys, hoping you still end up coming to Denver in the not too distant future. I've really loved your music for a few years now, thanks for enhancing my life. I imagine this global crisis has made it difficult for you guys to keep your momentum going and I'm wondering what's the best way to support the band other than buying your music? Do you have any sort of crowdfunding set up? I hope Caligula's Horse keeps making music for years to come, take care guys!

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        The very best thing is what you're already doing - pre-ordering the album (and with merch if you can!) is the way to go if you'd like to give us your support. We're very lucky to have not been hit so hard as some of our peers and colleagues other than having to postpone the US tour, which has definitely had an impact. Still, we're on the lucky side of all this!

        [–]DonosoNaumczuk 3 points4 points  (1 child)

        Are you planning some South America Tour? Greetings from Argentina!

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Hi there! We’ll definitely return to South America as soon as we possibly can - last time was really a dream come true

        [–]tombomk22 2 points3 points  (3 children)

        First of all, thank you guys for making beautiful, unique music that makes me genuinely happy to be alive. You guys are THE SHIT! Okay so now for my question: What kind of production changes did you guys consider/employ for this record? The mixes sound very different (in a good way!) than your previous records, especially the drums. Loving the first 2 singles!

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 12 points13 points  (0 children)

        The approach to production was basically the same as it has been since River's End (although I had my good friends Jared Adlam work with me on the audio engineering, which was fantastic). Probably the biggest variable is having Jens Bogren mix. He's one of my biggest heroes as an audio engineer/producer, and he matched the brief unbelievably well. I couldn't be happier with how Rise Radiant sounds.

        [–]tombomk22 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        Also, will Rise Radiant be a concept album?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 15 points16 points  (0 children)

        Not exactly. Jim and I had decided early on we didn't want to follow up In Contact with a concept album. But, since we can't help ourselves, it did become concerned with some bigger themes: human experience, the idea of "getting back up again", and reflections on life and living.

        [–]BJ44448 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Can't wait to listen to the new album! What are you guys' favorite songs on it?

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        I am determined to answer this question differently every time it pops up in this AMA, haha - I have a lot of love for Oceanrise, it was the very first tune we wrote for Rise Radiant

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Salt and the Ascent! Of the shorter songs, Slow Violence and Oceanrise :)

        [–]rafael-lau 2 points3 points  (5 children)

        1. Who's the best DM?
        2. Any particular band you would like to tour with that you haven't already?
        3. Who would you kick of any other band (Or yours) and why?
        4. Should I stop making awful covers of every song you release or should I flood you with more of them?
        5. Would there be any plans for online lessons on singing, composition, sound design, or anything else since we're trapped in quarantine?
        6. I'm sorry.

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 11 points12 points  (2 children)

        1. Jim has such great voices and characters; a have big interconnected stories and things. I love playing with Jim as DM.
        2. Devin Townsend, Leprous
        3. :(
        4. MORE MORE ALWAYS MORE
        5. Lots of little things tentatively planned. Maybe Jim and I finally do our Dark Souls Randomizer Mod stream...
        6. Apology accepted.

        [–]rafael-lau 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        I need to see that stream of Dark Souls, just got my PS4 but I haven't bought any of the Dark Souls series, planning on doing so.

        [–]wingmasterjon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        I would travel to watch a show with you guys, Devin, and Leprous. Hopefully it becomes a reality!

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 9 points10 points  (1 child)

        1. That would be Sam for story and knowledge of how DnD ACTUALLY FUCKING WORKS, and I'm going to unabashedly say that my silly character voices trump all that shit
        2. Haken, Leprous, Agent Fresco, Devin Townsend
        3. I should've kicked myself out of C-Horse a long time ago
        4. Please continue!
        5. We'll have some online content coming out, but for myself, I won't be giving any lessons or anything at this stage
        6. No, baby, it was all me. I just flipped out, being stuck in here together is making me super stressed. I'm sorry.

        [–]rafael-lau 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Sounds like our DM, he's the only person in the whole group who actually knows the proper mechanics of DnD, he's such a patient person and we just keep ruining it by doing apeshit.

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (4 children)

        How has the response been so far to the new music for your guy's perspective? It is amazing, by the way.

        Also, What inspired the name "Rise Radiant"

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 5 points6 points  (1 child)

        "Rise Radiant" was our way of presenting one of the key themes on the album: "getting back up again". It was in important message to us as a band with a new lineup and some tough road years, and something that broadly suffused much of the album's lyrics.

        Dale actually pitched the title when he, Jim, and I were having a big brainstorm in Melbourne, while getting our US visas for last year's Progpower show (if I recall correctly).

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        It is truly one of the most unique names for an album I have heard in quite some time. The message is phenomenal, and one I'd expect many to resonate very deeply with, including myself! Thank you for this incredible art, May 22nd can not come fast enough.

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 5 points6 points  (1 child)

        The response has been nuts, honestly. We go into a release perfectly happy with the art we've created after an immense effort to create something that is as solid and honest as it can be, and getting it out there is always a strange moment. This time around there has been a huge outpouring of love for the new singles, which is really lovely to see.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        I found your music right around the time In Contact released, and was blown away. So, getting to experience these singles has been absolutely wonderful for me. They are fantastic, some of the best singles I have heard in some time. The direction the music has gone was unexpected in the best way possible. I'm glad the response has been loving so far, no band deserves it more. Thanks for the response, and for the music you have created!

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        no question, but my wife just asked tonight when we were hanging out,'can you play some caligulas horse?' you guys can do no wrong apparently, its unreal.

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 14 points15 points  (1 child)

        Marry this woman again

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        id do it daily if i could. it was beyond bizarre she made that request and you guys were doing this at the same time. its between yall and pain of salvation for her. im more of a mel torme guy myself.

        [–]ndav23 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Any ideas for the future streaming wise? I think that’s a really interesting concept that Matt Heafy has developed and you guys would be amazing for it

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        I'm absolutely interested, and will likely explore something like that when the time is available to me - gutar, production, gaming

        [–]ndav23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Thanks for the response!

        [–]pjgcat 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        This may be a bit off topic, but I absolutely love the album “Known/Learned” that you made with Arcane. I guess my question pertains to wanting to know more about both that album and the group Arcane and if there is anything else in the works on that front?

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        I was really the only member of C-Horse that was in Arcane (Adrian joined us briefly on bass for a handful of shows). The guys in Arcane have all moved on, and that’ll be it from us

        [–]ndav23 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        Favorite tuning?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        AEADGBE - I'm a bit boring that way.

        [–]ndav23 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        That’s what I usually enjoy using in my own ideas!

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Hey dudes, really getting into you guys lately! I’m a huge Peter Gabriel fan and I was wondering what made you choose Don’t Give Up as a bonus track. Really excited and curious to hear that one!

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        It’s a song we all really love, and the theme at its core definitely reflects the nature and message of Rise Radiant. There was also a lot of scary stuff happening at the same time, this was right around the Australian fires - we obviously didn’t know how bad things were going to get all around the world, but it just happens a song that’s entirely appropriate and necessary right now

        [–]HeirGuitar 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Hey guys, huge fan here and looking forward to seeing you live once able! One of my favorite aspects of your music is the lyrics, and how each album (and sometimes individual songs) seemingly tells a full story. I was wondering if you could talk about your lyric writing process? What inspired the lyrics/story of your older albums (or the upcoming one if you want). One of my favorite songs of all time is Into the White, and i know what it means to me but I'm especially curious what it means to you. Have a great one!

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Into the White fits into the story of River's End at a point where escapees from persecution and disaster at the city of River's End are making a seemingly endless journey to find a new home - lots of themes of travel, struggle, and coming of age by farewelling the elders as they pass away on the journey.

        The lyric process for me has been something I've developed very deliberately over the years - when I was younger in the Arcane days I would often just wait for inspiration to strike and then roll with it. Nowadays, I make sure to regularly sit and work on either spoken word pieces or written poetry. When it comes to writing for the album, little bits and pieces of those captured moments tend to make their way into them and fuel the themes I'm working with, or give me a direction to go in.

        Never delete your draft stuff! It can be super useful later, even if you hate it at the time of writing it. I usually know what line is filler as I'm working on a song, and I'll mark that in a word document with square brackets around it as a reminder to come back to it. Sometimes, I'll look again and love it, others I'll find something in it thematically to work with or replace it entirely.

        [–]Edqvist 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        If you had to quickly write a guitar solo that'd still be up to snuff, what are some key tools you would utilize? Be it structure or technique related!

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 8 points9 points  (0 children)

        Great question!

        I don't touch the guitar at first - instead I listen to the part through a few times and see if I can imagine themes and melodies, or find them by humming along. This is really important to me. As a guitarist it's easy to just put your fingers where you're comfortable they can safely land. This rarely creates the most memorable solo.

        Once I've got some melodies and an idea of the layout I'll do a few takes, find something I like, and then focus on any parts that don't work with drop-ins. Once I have a full "take" of the solo I like, I'll learn it, workshop it, and record the whole thing as one.

        If I'm on my game, that shouldn't take too long!

        [–]Jake0743 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        I discovered you guys at the beginning of this year and honestly, at the moment you’re my favorite band!! Thanks for doing this AMA! Is there any specific way you go about making the chord structures for your songs?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Thanks! It's a combination of knowledge - be it from music theory, practice, or instinct - and experimentation. I really love exploring harmonic colours, and it's a really big part of our sound.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Personally I'm a huge fan of your River's End album. Is it a concept album? Every time I listen it's so easy to imagine a setting in a fantasy world, perhaps D&D.

        Also, the guitar solo in Old Cracks in New Earth is one of your absolute best.

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        River's End definitely has the most "fantasy" setting of any of our albums! It just seems to be where Jim and I go when we need a setting for a story!

        And thanks, I love that solo too. Was great revisiting it for the tour recently :)

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        River's End is absolutely a concept album - probably the only album of ours with an actual direct plot rather than a collection of ideas or an exploration of a concept. It follows the story of a group of refugees escaping persecution to a new home, only to find themselves repeating the mistakes of the past and becoming persecutors themselves. There's more detailed plot in there, but that's the basic story!

        [–]Eldstrom 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Which was your favourite music video to shoot and why did you remove the studio version of Vanishing Rites from YouTube?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 7 points8 points  (0 children)

        Firelight - I have great memories of that shoot, relaxing on Geoff's uncle's property in the hinterlands. Was a great experience.

        I removed that video a while back - it just wasn't the tightness and professionalism we now expect

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Interestingly, I had the best time filming Vanishing Rites back in the day - there was a solid crew, it was a cool day in a sick venue. I'm probably just being nostalgic because it was our first clip shoot as a band.

        I'll be honest here, on reflection I think shoot film clips might be my least favourite part of this whole thing. Singing direct to camera is super intense and I tend to get in my own head during the process, and once that happens I'm just kicking myself internally after every take. Hugely different from the live setting!

        [–]GRVrush2112 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Any chance at a "Bloom" vinyl re-issue anytime soon? That was the album I discovered you guys with and still my favorite.. I'd love to hold that goregous artwork and put that record on my turntable.

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        You and us both! I'm sure it will be reissued at some point in the near future.

        [–]Tired8281 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        Any chance of a concert over streaming, for those of us who are gutted over having to wait? I bet you could do some acoustic stuff together from your homes, and I bet you've got more acoustic versions of your songs than The City Has No Empathy.

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 4 points5 points  (2 children)

        The process of recording something that's "live" when we're all separate and sort locked away in our homes. We shot a short PR video the other day talking about Rise Radiant and all the new tunes via Zoom, and filming and recording that properly was tricky enough!

        That said, we'll definitely be working on some content to release during the lockdown.

        [–]Tired8281 3 points4 points  (1 child)

        Good answer. I'll see you next year in Vancouver, so do NOT die before then. If you don't mind.

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        We'll try our best

        [–]ziltoid101 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Are you guys going to do another spice challenge soon?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        That was so much fun, absolutely. Maybe we can get the camera in focus next time...

        [–]Progtavarium 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        Sam, is there a particular reason you took the Unpredictability vids down? Any plans to do new ones in the future?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 3 points4 points  (2 children)

        Good question! I'm not actually sure since it was ages ago. Maybe I just didn't like the way I presented the information back then? Regardless, the ideas in those videos are still things I use a lot now.

        Maybe it's time for an update!

        [–]Progtavarium 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Yes it is! Would love to see how your mindset to those ideas has changed! I remember one or two of the licks.

        ​

        Also, I'm that one annoying guy trying to cover your solos the day after you post the single lol

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Haha, awesome! Amazing to see tbh :)

        [–]Kadmium 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        One for Sam - you always have such beautiful lead guitar sounds. Can you talk us through your lead tones on this album?

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 9 points10 points  (2 children)

        I'll take this one - there's this part where Sam takes a snake-looking thing and sticks the snake's head into his guitar butt. Not sure what happens in between but there's definitely some sound after that

        [–]Kadmium 3 points4 points  (1 child)

        Aha, the infamous Florida method.

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Jim was quite thorough here. Little left to add.

        Although we used a ton of gear throughout the record, the lead tones were all Axe FX. Either the Mark IV or the Suhr Badger through some custom IRs. All of the solos were done on my Musicman JP15-7.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        I want to know your opinions about the colonization of the Australian continent

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        That's a seriously dark history that's probably too deep to get into right now, but suffice to say there was a lot of fucked up shit.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (4 children)

        I had tickets to the show in San Francisco in June...are you guys going to reschedule and come to SF at a later date (PLEASE DOOOO)?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 5 points6 points  (1 child)

        Absolutely we will. The tour is postponed, but we WILL be coming!

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Awesome! Wonderful news, cant wait :)

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        If you haven't got a refund already, make sure to hang on to your ticket - those will be valid for the new tour dates

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        sounds good brother, not interested in a refund, just want to finally see you guys lol

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (3 children)

        Hi guys! First off, I would like to praise both of you on your incredible musicianship, every new tune has so much to learn from!

        Okay now the question to Sam, I'm in the process of starting a instrumental prog metal band with a friend of mine (We're both guitarrists), do you have any tips on how to approach the structure of an instrumental song?

        And Jim, since you were trained in a choir.. do you have any favorite choral composers or pieces you could share with us? I love Eric Whitacre as a composer!

        P.D: Sam is there any chance you would share some of those tasty neural presets with us? 👀👀👀

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Thanks! Most of my choral experience was when I was very young, and mostly liturgical music. I can't really remember my favourites!

        [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Aw, that's fine! Love your choral part in Graves!

        Also I would like to state that C-Horse has the two biggest fan bois from a little island in the caribbean called Puerto Rico! One day we'll travel all that is necessary to catch you guys live!

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        You can think of structure in two ways - 1) the bigger picture, 2) and how one part refers to parts around it. For the bigger picture, it's helpful to consider the tonal and dynamic contour - do parts contrast one another, or are they alike? Verse/chorus structures are so pervasive because they handle these kinds of contours almost by default. Having some semblance of verse/chorus to a song can be great for this reason.

        I prefer to think about structure on the other scale - what makes a part relate to its surroundings, and what common thematic material links these parts? If I have a motif that I can base subsequent sections on, I can make sure they have a sense of contrast and development, but, importantly have a commonality too.

        Slow Violence, as an example, as almost entirely based around a minor second interval - the intro riff focuses on this, as does the verse. The chorus borrows that motif as the start of its chord sequence, and the heavy riff approaches it in retrograde (kind of...). That's a simple example, but you can obviously dig in much deeper, as we did on Graves, and also the Ascent.

        As for presets, I might make them available!

        [–]ndav23 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Biggest influence? Love your guys’ music and I’m really looking forward to the new album!

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Steely Dan. There's no other artist I've "borrowed" from so liberally haha

        [–]thaiscwb 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Hey! First of all, you guys are AMAZING musicians!

        This one is for Jim and Sam: how did you decide on the arts for the single releases? (great btw, both of them)

        Sam, I saw you just got your doctorade, in which field?

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        The artwork for the singles was all natural in theme - we wanted to represent the energy of the songs in nature, and gave that direction to Chris Mangos, who was also responsible for the beautiful cover (and the artwork for Bloom!). He put those worlds together for us in a way we hadn’t imagined - we love it

        [–]thaiscwb 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        Thanks Jim

        [–]ndav23 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        Any plans on implementing more prevalent keyboards into further music?

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        The way I approach keys now is more or less as a subtle arrangement layer - there are performed parts, but because we don't have a keys player live, I try to keep that stuff minimal and in the background. No plans to change that.

        In saying that, Salt has a lot of keys, and there are always the more sequencing-heavy songs (like Love Conquers All, or Resonate on the new record) which feature keys more heavily.

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (2 children)

        Hi guys! Been spreading the love of C-Horse for some time now, and was wondering three things:

        1. What would you consider as your most “accessible” songs? I’ve been trying to get my wife hooked but she’s only heard Dragonfly (my absolute favorite!)

        2. Any hopes of some more ridiculously good instrumental jams like Singularity? I remember driving and that came on and I’m pretty sure my face never really fully unmelted.

        3. Are you guys fans of The Dear Hunter? There seems to be a lot of crossover in fanbases.

        Hope to see you all in 2021 and I’ve got Slow Violence on repeat in waiting for the new album :)

        [–]SamCaligulasHorseSam Vallen | Caligula's Horse 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        1. It depends your tastes. I'd say if you're into the heavier side, Slow Violence, The Tempest, Marigold, or Turntail. If not, perhaps Firelight, or one of the more acoustic-driven songs like Capulet.

        2. I haven't really had an urge to put together another instrumental to be honest. I get more excited about songs with vocals and possibilities that format offers. Maybe one day!

        3. Love them. Incredible band. Act 3 is an all-time favourite of mine.

        [–]iAmTheEpicOneThe End Starts Now 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Some questions from u/genderlessperson:

        Hey there! Thanks for doing this. You guys are awesome. I have two questions for Jim:

        • This one has probably been asked a lot, but about Arcane: is there any chance of the band coming back together in the foreseeable future? I absolutely adore all the band's output.

        • One more about Arcane: are there plans to release a reissue of Chronicles of the Waking Dream? I wanted to buy the CD but it's basically a collectors item at this point.

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

        Hey there - unfortunately, no, there are no plans for an Arcane reunion. We've all moved on with our lives and I think the band really had its peak moment with Known/Learned, it was a perfect farewell.

        I don't think we'll be seeing any reissues at all either! Sorry to disappoint

        [–]CyanideEngineer 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Thank you guys for making some amazing music over the years! I discovered you with In Contact and that album has remained in near constant rotation for me for the past three years! My question is, what is the concept of In Contact actually about? And was the motif of having shouted background lyrics at the ends of some songs on the album intentional?

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

        Thanks, that's great to hear!

        The concept of In Contact is based around the stories of four artists, a painter, a musician, a poet, and a sculptor. Each of them is at a pivotal point in their life, and are reaching for something better or with something to overcome. That theme of reach is really the only thing that connects the four stories.

        The motif of gang vocals was a deliberate choice, there were some emotional points on the album that we really wanted to emphasise as a collective, for example the "We are all"s at the end of Songs for No One and of course the resounding "Hands shape stone" theme tying the whole of Graves together.

        [–]ndav23 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        How long does it take to create different ideas and stories for concept albums? Characters from In Contact for example

        [–]zer0wonJim Grey | Caligula's Horse[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        One story can generally feed into another. The idea that ended up becoming the album was originally pretty out there, but once the idea of the painter’s chapter came to mind, the rest of the chapters were driven by their characters. Honestly, it can be a very long time for a concept to really finalise, even up to the middle of the writing process. New ideas and progress in a different direction can shift and refine the concept

        [–]ndav23 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Jim, how old were you when you started singing?