Kamra is a collective of faceless musicians who identify only through their music than the individual. Their music is a collaborative voice of disorder, mayhem, discipline and thought. Their latest release continues the atmosphere and extremity that began with Conversing With Ghosts, the undefinable Cerebral Alchemy
What is the speculative thought that is Cerebral Alchemy?
''Cerebral Alchemy, as such, is a very broad term that captures a few strings that
intertwine and pull Kamra together. It nicely follows what “Conversing With Ghosts”
represents, as the EP title. Despite it looking quite straightforward, it is less so, it is
not meant to be taken literally. What is literal is merely the atmosphere that brings
out ruminations about the past. But, to not dwell too deep on the EP, “Cerebral
Alchemy” is similar, as it wishes to pull the images from the very literal meaning, but
wrap them and transmute into something new. It combines the “flow of thoughts,” the
“world of words”, the allegory of “Death Eternal” etc. It is more to be read within the
texts and less to be defined as a discipline. It is in all senses the chemistry of the
brain as well; the synapses and emotions. It is exoteric and esoteric simultaneously
at times, for what is our reality, if not what our brain perceives? It is a room that traps
one’s existence. It is already an extension of life by itself.
Is the power of thought and actions more important than the individual?
''It is the same.
And the music is how you identify yourselves?
''Also, a building brick within who we are and how we might be, who we were and who
we seem to think we were.
The vocals and their various styles are a reflection of the internal chaos?
''The vocals are an expression of spontaneity, unshackled freedom, emotion. Chaos
yes, but not internal chaos. There is no connection to the internal chaos or
separation of different poles within.
is it a musical madness that has no cure ?
''Perhaps, if madness is the word for tearing down the barriers of expectation,
spontaneity, individual freedom, and free expression of emotion. That sounds about
right. As to the cure? Each of us have a “Kamra”, a den, to repurpose as a closed
ward to nourish this kind of madness.
Should music be demanding rather than 3 minutes of banality?
''Nothing is demanding. You only impose demands on yourself.
Musically you have progressed beyond the boundaries of traditional identifiers.
''Have we? Hard for us to say. We are defined by the past yet strive to thrive in
spontaneity.
Is it more important to be true to yourselves rather than extreme for its own sake?
''It is not mutually exclusive. Sometimes extremity is the ideology. However, we do not
perceive “Kamra” being extreme. It is us.
What is Art and its relation to the thirteenth hour?
“What is Art” cannot be answered or even discussed in this format. So, let us
presume that every individual’s interpretation of art is “Art” here. And its relation to
the thirteenth hour is very simple. The thirteenth hour is a concept of reality that.
defies the expected, it puts in question all-existence. And this is something.
imagination does and dreams do. What is art without imagination?
Do you let anything into the thought process that is Kamra ?
''No.''
A touch of psychedelia to go with the blackness?
''Sure, atmosphere, experiments, but mostly our own minds and loops of thought are.
what might make the psychedelic environment in the blackness.
the weirdest album in your collection?
''There are many weird releases in my collection and I don’t really know where the
“weird” starts. I’d definitely point out two tapes that I have from Umdhlebi, Istra
Nokturna and Belial Rituals. Also, there’s an interesting Finnish project Overdose.
Support that I happen to own one of a limited copies of Never Betray The Book -
Live in Vastavirta.
Top 6 albums of all time?
This one is a hard one, impossible to pick, but let me try, focusing only on more.
metal releases:
Bathory - Blood Fire Death
Morbus Chron - Sweven
Morbid Angel - Covenant
Mournful Congregation - Monad of Creation
King Diamond - Abigail
Stargazer - Merging to the Boundless