"Our main motivation was to make the best album that we could, without following current trends."

These five lads from Boston's name carries a lot of history, briefly back in the day, 216 BCE to be exact, Hannibal led his troops through the Alps and into Italy, his army conquered the mighty Roman army, history's most celebrated military achievements: The Battle Of Cannae. Obviously the band chose the correct name, since 2000 Cannae have trudged their way through the wreckage and rising above the mediocrity of the NE hardcore scene. In this interview Cannae's bassist, Shane Frisby discusses the band's brand new album, Gold Becomes Sacrifice, working with producer Jason Suecof, offering some hysterical answers to the infamous Speed Round Questions in which he asks me a very challenging question. Read on.

I’ve been a fan of yours since I first heard “Anna’s Love”! Not a tune soon forgotten. Still give horns and headbang whenever, where ever I hear it!! 

J Well this is Shane Frisby (bassist)

Q: Since we are kind of the subjects of names, which history buff was responsible for the naming the band?

A: It was the originals drummers' idea; of it was his roommate's idea when he saw it on the history channel. I’m not sure, the original members keep me in the dark as to not get emotionally attached to me…bastards.

Q: What was your main motivation behind the creation of Gold Becomes Sacrifice? Any projections of its success since it was freshly released [September 6^th]?

A: I guess our main motivation was to make the best album that we could, without following current trends. I mean we could have put those “desperate for girls” moments on the CD and had a shit-load of mop headed, girl jean wearing, and man boys come out to shows. But we didn’t, and never fucking would. And success? Well, I bought a copy so I know we at least sold one.

Q: Tell the audience something about the production of the album that your audience may not have known previously. Would you change anything?

A: Well we did the album down at Audiohammer Studio with Jason Suecof in sunny Sanford, Florida. For things you may not know about it… I recorded all my parts naked, drunk, and fully aroused.

If you ask anyone in a band if they’d change something about a release you’re always gonna get a “yes”. I’m beyond pleased with the end result and every time you come out of a studio you’ve learned new things NOT to do.

Q: How was it working with Jason Suecof for the new album? Are you satisfied with the way it turned out?

A: Jason is a great producer and an all around great guy to have in the studio with you. I cant think of someone else who can make you feel so inferior musically. Aside from the constant piss breaks, trips to Krystal Burger, and trying to get his dog to stop humping me, working with him was great. We’d do it again in a heartbeat… That is if he’d have us back.

Q: Suecof seems to be the kind of producer that chooses to maintain the integrity of the artist without changing the sound instead he enhances, tweaks the artists’ production to perfection. Would you agree, please expound, and if you disagree, please explain why.

A: With Jason, he really likes to cut through the bullshit in a song. He’ll look you right in the eye and tell you that something sucks and we’d be idiots for putting it on tape. He knows how to get the job done and get the best performance out of people. He’s not there to change a band, just to take everything they want and mold it into the best work they can do. We went in with a vision of what we wanted and he knew where to take us from there….

Q: The feel of Gold is a lot tighter and much more sophisticated, light-years ahead in comparison to Horror. In your words, how would you say you have grown between Horror to Gold specifically? Was the writing process any different for the current album?

A: I think the sound is tighter and more mature for two reasons, the producer, and the new band members. We have a new drummer, lead guitarist, and bassist. Everyone had something new to bring to the table instead of someone bringing a completed song to practice.

I have my own small studio and we did all the pre-production here. So we’d basically get drunk off our asses and record shit and smash everything together to make the best song possible. This was the ideal way for us to write. Just drink, smoke, hangout, and write some fucking metal.

Q: Was there anything you felt missing in the first release Troubleshooting Death that you want to make up for with your latest release?

A: I wasn’t on that album but I’ll throw in my two cents…to me troubleshooting sounds very much like a young band making just punishing and chaotic music. I mean, some of those songs are so brutal sounding but not a lot stands out to me on that release. On this new album, we wanted SONGS. We wanted each passage to have it’s own voice. That was one of Kurt Ballous (Converge) first recordings too. He did a great job but if you listen to that CD and the new, one you’ll hear a HUGE difference in quality.

Q: As far as the cover art is concerned, it tells a very interesting story to me. What do you want the buyer to walk away with after viewing the artwork?

A: We wanted something that would stick in your mind, something if you saw it you’d instantly know it was Cannae. Originality was also a big factor. We didn’t want to be another band with a pretty girl on the cover with mascara running down her face. That’s not fucking metal.

Q: How did [photographer and illustrator] Grail Mortillaro come to do the cover art? Was the layout all his idea or was it from input from the band as well?

A: Grail has been a friend of the band for many years and he just fit in with exactly what we wanted. He also lives close to all of us so that was another big factor, so we could have our hands in the final product. The inside picture of us is actually a few blocks from his house in Salem (witch city), MA.

We all had a say in what we wanted. I’m a huge fan of Dave McKean and his artwork, so I wanted something similar to what he did but with a twist. Grail did an awesome job…

Q: In your opinion, how do the images on the cover tie into the lyrics?

A: Well I have jack shit to do with the lyrics but in a whole, the theme is putting your all into something and getting nothing in return, compromising all that you have to attain a goal that is never reached.

Q: What is your favorite song off Gold and why?

A: I can’t give an honest answer to that. On certain days, I like some songs more than others. There isn't one that I listen to, cringe, and go “fuck, what were we doing”. I’d say ask me this in a few months and I’ll tell you exactly which ones I love and hate….

Q: Who are some of your favorite bands in and out of the scene?

A: I can only answer for myself here. Brutal Truth Need To Control and Faith No More Angeldust are my two “if I were on a deserted island and could only have…” CD’s. But heavy-wise….His Hero Is Gone, Assuck, Carcass, Napalm Death, Nasum, Blood For Blood, Ramallah, Into Another, The Red Chord, Bury Your Dead, and HUNDREDS more.

For other types of music…Minus the Bear, Hieroglyphics, Deltron 3030, Björk, Tortoise, Codeseven, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, King Crimson, Gravediggaz… and again hundreds more. But all in all mainly heavy music is in my CD rotation.

Q: Love the look of the new website, been looking for an answer to the bloody razorblade for a while now though.

A: Well the layout of the last CD Horror was of a murder scene (Sidenote: I was the killer in the photos that ended up not being used…before I joined the band!) the razor just had to do with the layout and the whole horror theme. The website will be changed all around for the new release…

Q: What mark/legacy would you like to leave on your fans?

A: I just want them to remember us for being a hard working, hard drinking band that came out every night and played their asses off…even if they was 5 kids there. We don’t cater to the masses and love and respect every single fan. Come out to a show and have a beer with us!

Speed Round Questions

Do you believe in the afterlife? NO.

If you could have any super power, what would it be? I’d want the super power that let me have any super power I wanted at that time!

The one trait you hate in a person that annoys you senselessly. People who don’t know when to shut the fuck up. Or girls with busted teeth…

Least favorite thing about yourself. Never letting myself be happy…

If you could commission your favorite band to do a Cannae song, which song would it be and who would do it? Holy shit….Brutal Truth could pick any song off of Gold Becomes Sacrifice and mangle it any way they wanted to.

If not music then what? I’m Irish…hard drinking and procreating.

What would your bandmates do if it were not for Cannae? Probably be in a financially stable place.

First car. 1988 Jeep Grand Waggoner. Best. Car. Ever.

First job. Landscaping.

Favorite song lyric. "If I speak at one constant volume, at one constant pitch, at one constant rhythm, right into your ear, you still wont hear".

Which Cannae song would sum up your life in a nutshell? The one about being a drunk and a loser.

Guilty pleasure song/CD/artist. I think my guilty pleasure is pop culture in general. I know everything about every band/performer I hate. It’s sad.

If Cannae were a cocktail, what kind of drink would it be? A drink potent enough to knock you out, take your wallet, and fuck your girlfriend.

If your job was to interview bands, name one that you would want to interview and what would be the one thing that you would want to know about them? I like the mystery that surrounds my favorite bands, so I’d just ask if they’d like to grab a beer….

More role reversals, do you have any questions for me? Is this where you envisioned your life to be at this point? Well I do not think that many humans are where they thought they'd be in retrospect as we are always on the quest to do bigger and better. Now for the non-bullshit answer, truthfully I am happy where I am today. Wish I had made wiser and better decisions; thought I would have been married with one child by now, but that was not the chosen path. Instead, I co-run FourteenG, hang out with and interview headbangers and I am fine with that. If that whole marriage and baby carriage bullshit never happens, I will not perish because I would have still left my mark somewhere, in the world of metal! \m/ *_* \m/

Q: Any last comments?

A: Pick up the new album Gold Becomes Sacrifice, come out to a show, and have a good time. Don’t take shit so seriously, life will always suck to some degree why not grab a beer and thrash it all away….see you guys on the road!

Thank you, again. Looking forward to seeing you guys on the road soon and the best of luck to you with the new album.

Thanks.

I'd like to thank Shane for taking time out in answering the questions for this interview and to Bob Deutsch at Prosthetic Records for setting it up.