Interview Maniae

 Welcome to this exclusive interview with Maniae! With the journey just beginning, Maniae looks forward to sharing their evolving music and messages with their fans. They invite everyone to join them on this exciting musical adventure.

1. Can you tell us about the origins of Maniae and how the band came together in February 2022?

Baptiste is at the origin of the project. We met in 2021 at work. We had several conversation about music and one day he came to ask me if I would be interested by singing in a band he wanted to create. I just saw the opportunity to scream in a micro and I’ve said « yes, of course ». Tarek, the bassist, has joined us later thanks to an ad that Baptiste had put on the internet. We met for the first time in february 2022 and here we are.

2. Maniae's music is described as a blend of black, death metal, and crust with a melodic aspect. How did you develop this unique sound, and what were your main influences ?

I think the sound of our music comes from the fact there are two different composers with their own influences, Baptiste and me. Even if we both listen close metal styles, Baptiste is at the origin of crust rythmes you can listen into several songs, and personally, I am more influenced the by the black and death metal sounds.

3. From the beginning, Maniae has been in search of a drummer, but the band didn't let that hinder the composition process. Can you tell us more about how you managed to create music without a drummer and your experience using a virtual drum?

Finding a drummer is our main difficulty, but we always wanted to advance even without a drummer. So we compose all drums parts by ear an with our modest experience. The hardest part of the drum’s composition process is the writting of the breaks. Because none of us in a drummer, it’s often difficult to create and vary breaks which sounds realistic. Maniae is very lucky for having Tarek in its ranks because in his other project, Paranoïd Fantasy (old school death metal) and CxFxOxS (grind), he is used to manipulate the virtual drums. So we rely on his skills to generate the rythmic parts we will use until the arrival of a drummer.

4. In February 2023, Maniae released their first EP, "Vestiges", along with the music video for "Damnatio Ad Bestias". Could you share the inspiration behind the lyrics and the concept for the video?

« Vestiges » is an EP whose the central subject is madness in all its forms. The lyrics of our song « Damnatio Ad Bestias » deal with the post-war trauma of a soldier, the way he lives with his guilt, the fact that he hates himself since his first shot, etc. The broken white mask is the central element of our music video. The white colour symbolises the purity and the innocence of the soldier before being called up. The fact that it is broken simply symbolises his purity and his innocence are dead. There is a camera shot of the music video where I hold the mask in my hands while I yell at it. It is an illustration of the survivor of the war talking about his distress to the man he was before.

5. Madness is a recurring theme in Maniae's lyrics. Could you elaborate on the different aspects of madness that you explore and why this topic resonates with the band?

Madness is a very large topic because we are all someone’s crazy. Beyond the pathological aspect, that we develop too, the sociological and phylosophical point of view are really present in Maniae’s lyrics. We’ll be seen as crazy depending on culture, the socio-historical context, social norms (…). The perception of madness is continually evolving. We adress this subject in different in our songs. For example, « Gold Into Your Veins » adress this subject under its social context with the message that developing a thought which is different compared to a norm may send you among the parias.

There is a notion of relativity between « Clinical Messiah » and « Redempted by Suffering » because it take place in the same context : a patient in a psychiatric hospital who subits some ill-tratments from his mad doctor. « Clinical Messiah » deals with the patient’s point of view, his distress, and « Redempted by Suffering » mentions a doctor turning to madness by thinking making his prey suffer will heal his patient, by thinking he is becoming a god thanks to his work and the countless victims of his thought. So we ask the question : who is the crazy one ?

6. Maniae had their first live performance in Dijon with Mortis Mutilati. How was the experience of playing your music in front of a live audience, and how did the crowd react to your performance?

It was an excellent first performance organized by Hypogea Invictus. We have been playing in second place, between Depressive Witches, and Mortis Mutilati.

The most sincere return that we can expect for our work is the atmosphere in concert. Here, we were very well received by the crowd and passed an excellent time with a great audience and some very good bands.

7. Following your live gigs, the decision was made to search for a second guitarist. What prompted this decision, and how did Amane become a part of Maniae?

By looking behind us, we made he choice to give more depth and enrich the guitars harmony for our next gigs and recordings. The lone solution was to welcome a second guitarist. One day, I was having a drink with Erika and Léo from Mortis Mutilati and they told me « Why don’t you ask to Amane ? ». I knew him as a great friend, a nice person and a great guitarist, so he finaly came to the reahearsals and was able to play a very large part of our setlist in a short time. He showed us he was able to perform with us in Paris. He is too humble to admit it but Amane is an excellent guitarist who fastly adapts himself and a very nice guy. Having a second guitar reinforces both the melodic side and the power of the crust riffs.

8. Amane got the opportunity to participate in the second Maniae gig in Paris in July 2023. How did it feel to have the full band lineup for the first time, and how did the addition of a second guitarist enhance your sound?

Despiet the lack of the drummer, having a second guitarist gave a feeling of completeness to the ears. The presence of Amane permited to enrich the harmonies and the guilty pleasures of Baptiste : the melodies with some thirds. And it’s true that Amane’s parts give another dimension and another identity to our songs. We were used to some atmospheres before his arrival. And now, the enrichment of the rythmic and some melodies created a different dimension for some parts of our songs. We are very satisfied and the audience of Paris seemed to have appreciated it too.

9. As a relatively new band, what are some of the challenges you've faced in establishing yourselves in the metal scene, and how have you overcome them?

First of all, we had to face the absence of a drummer and adapt our ears to the use of a virtual drum, which is a real challenge because a software doesn’t wait if you have a rythmic problem. Another problem is about our musical genre : we have some black, death and crust metal influences but we admit we play a genre which is more or less unclassifiable and it may be a challenge to perform in front of a puristic audience. We know that every body cannot appreciate us and we are okay about that.

10. How has the response been to your debut EP, "Vestiges," and what kind of feedback have you received from fans and the metal community?

For the moment, we just saw some reviews from Brutalism.com and Objectif Metal which are really positives. The main feedbacks we received are from the audience when we performed, and they show us their interest for Maniae’s project. « Vestiges » seems to be appreciated but we’re just about to perform for the third time in november, in Tours. Maybe it’s to early to draw up a report.

11. Maniae's music incorporates various metal genres. Can you talk about the creative process behind your songwriting and how you blend different influences seamlessly?

Yes, we have some similars influences between us, but we don’t use it in the same way. Most of the composition process is made by Baptiste. I composed 3 titles, and I take care about voices and lyrics. Tarek has an hardened ear and always know how to support the universe of the title with the basslines. Initially, one of us composes a first draft and everyone bring his ideas to advance the title. Baptiste, for example, emphasizes on the crust sounds and it’s easy to guess he is the main composer of « Redempted by Suffering » or « Clinical Messiah ». If you ear a countertime rythm in a song, you can be sure that Baptiste had a role in the composition process. « Damnatio Ad Bestias » is, in my opinion, the song which represents the most the blend of our composition skills.

12. Are there any specific themes or subjects that you plan to explore in your future releases? How do you see your music evolving?

For the moment, we continue experimenting some sounds. Madness is still the red thread of our lyrics. We are composing our next album, with the will to bring maturity to Maniae, in particular thanks to a concept album. It will bring a circular reflexion between lyrics, instruments, artworks, and the total band. We had the opportunity to present two new titles in Paris : « Trial by Ordeal » and « Laments of the Ruins », which announce the change of mentality of Maniae.

13. Maniae is known for its intense and energetic live performances. How do you prepare for a show, and what do you hope the audience takes away from your performances?

For our live performances, we devote our last rehearsals to the visual of the show. Maniae is an energic project and we want to convey this energy to the audience. Sometimes, I record some videos and we determin what are the key passages to work on. The lone thing I would like the audience takes away from our performance is his feelings because it testifies that the moment was real and people will keep it in their mind somehow.

14. What role does the visual aspect, such as album artwork and music videos, play in Maniae's artistic expression? How important is it for you to visually represent your music?

Maniae try to be a global project, build around the madness. It’s important to give a palpable aspect of this universe. Vestiges’s artwork, drown by Erika Asphodel (« Tata Erika » for short) has the role to portray MANIAE, the mother of madness, as something colossal, pure, unique to each and able to be our undoing. We wanted to give an apocalyptic vision of this concept, but in the same time, a majestic aspect. Matthias Macchabée’s draw, which is placed on the CD and our T-shirts, is more the own feeling about the distress and the torture felt by humans because of psychoogical self destruction.

15. As a metal project, what are your thoughts on the current state of the metal scene? Are there any emerging bands or trends that you find particularly exciting?

In my opinion, France, Germany and Quebec continue secreting very good black metal bands and maybe I shouldn’t be surpised. For example, I have recently discovered Kanonenfieber, a one man black death metal band from Germany whose the main subject is the first world war. The singer wears a german officer dress up on stage with a picklehaube. All the musicians are hooded on stage. The music is excellent neither more or less. It’s just an example. I think that this musical genre seems to have a bright future ahead of it because we are never upset.

16. Maniae has been active for over a year now. Looking back on your journey so far, what are some of the highlights or memorable moments for the band?

I think about our first meeting with Tarek. We wanted to have a serious conversation about what we wanted for the band. It lasted more or less half an hour and we discovered our own ability to spiral. Our first rehearsal too was a great moment because it was the beginning of everything for us. Our first gig in Dijon with our friends of Mortis Mutilati was an excellent time as well during as after the performance. The arrival of Amane has done a lot of good for band and for morale too and sharing the stage with him for the first time in Paris too. I could speak about the week-end we recorded our music video of « Damnatio Ad Bestias » thanks to our friends Axel, our man in the shadows, Guillaume and all the Impact Evenement Crew and friends we meet at this time.

17. What are your goals and aspirations for Maniae in the near future? Do you have any upcoming releases or shows that fans can look forward to?

We would like to continue going beyond ourselves and evolving in our composition process. We hope that we’ll have the opportunity to perform on some bigger stages and fests, meet other bands and musicians and that our next production will be even better than the last, we work on it ! Our next show for the moment is on november the 24th in Tours, my childhood town, where we’ll share the stage with Skaphos and Jours Pâles.

18. How do you see Maniae's music and message evolving over time? Are there any specific messages or emotions you hope to convey through your music?

We wanted to early tighten Maniae to a concept when we started. The idea of madess was the beginning of different reflexions about the way we approach it. We wanted to relate the pain and suffering of humans through madness’ eyes. This part try to be an objective glance of the madness felt. Step by step, we begin to work on the subjective aspect, with the social aspect of madness in society, and the way people can be treaten in the name of madness.

19. Can you share any advice or words of wisdom for aspiring musicians who are looking to start their own bands or projects?

There will never be enough musicians or bands on earth. So do it. Nobody achieves unanimity. Don’t listen to your fear of failure because it exists just from the moment when you decide it. Try, succed, make some mistakes and never stop believing. I think that a music project is more about share what you feel, what you think, than a will of please everyone.

20. Finally, is there anything else you would like to share with your fans and the readers of this interview? Any closing thoughts or messages you'd like to convey?

It’s all just beginning.

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Interview Daniel Bohn

Join us for an insightful interview with Daniel Bohn, a progressive metal artist whose music takes listeners on an emotional journey. Discover the inspirations behind his unique style and the compelling narrative of his tetralogy, exploring mental illness and the power of resilience in the face of adversity. Get ready to connect with the profound themes and raw emotions in "Emotions Of The Sky."

Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music, particularly in the realm of progressive metal?

I think that adventure started as very young teenager, maybe 13? I loved listening to bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Coheed and Cambria. I enjoy music that breaks the boundaries of your standard format. Long songs and music that didn’t conform. I think that same flexibility has helped inspire its roots into me.

Your music is often described as having melodic singing and soundtrack-like harmonies. How did you develop this unique style, and what influences contributed to its creation?

Several influences, I have always been passionate about movie/video game soundtracks, and the prog nature of bands like Porcupine Tree and Between the Buried and Me. I guess taking all of that in, I crated a sound I am still developing today.

 "Emotions Of The Sky" is the third chapter of a tetralogy. Could you elaborate on the overarching story behind this tetralogy and how this album fits into it? 

The overarching story revolves around the struggles of mental illness, such as anxiety and depression and how they can shape our worlds. Being symbolic in a fantasy setting, I take these themes and explore them in a fantasy story that shows there affects on mortals and Gods, and all the pain we create from them. The hope is to help people find a way to fight and not give up.

 

In "Emotions Of The Sky," your main character experiences eternal depression and anxiety, trapped in a boundless realm by a goddess. What inspired you to explore such deep and intense emotions in your music? 

Honestly from real world situations either I have faced or witnessed. In a way, depression and or anxiety puts us in our own “Realm”of constant worry, fear or loss that detracts us from the joys of the real world. The Boundless realms places one in an actual physical realm that they must endure constant visions or machinations built from the persons anxiety or depression. Escaping it, is no easy task. Just like these mental illnesses, few survive them and even fewer escape them.

 The album seems to journey through various emotional states, from depression and anxiety to anger and revenge. How did you approach translating these emotions into your music and lyrics?

 Honestly, at least for me, I had to get in those mindsets, and really feel the raw emotion. Once that happened, I would play, write, then see what flowed through me. I wanted it to feel authentic, and raw, not “perfect”. I really wanted the listeners to feel the emotion and hear the humanity in the music.

 

Can you take us through your songwriting process for this album? How do you usually start, and how do you develop the songs from initial concepts to fully-fledged pieces?

I would say a mix. In some ways I start with a story moment and things I envision i want in the piece. In other tracks, it was an emotion I wanted to convey. Disdained Gods actually started from the drums and wrote around them to create the full track.

 Your vocal performance on the album is particularly captivating. How do you prepare and maintain your vocal abilities, especially when dealing with such emotionally charged material? 

It’s actually tough. I have always struggled with vocals. In some moments you get in the moment, and the music literally takes over you and you get performances that are exactly what you want. The trouble is, sometimes it's hard to get there, and it takes practice so you can replicate. Sometimes, I will take raw vocal takes, where I literally scream or sing gibberish to get in the vibe.

 

Progressive metal often incorporates complex musical structures and intricate instrumentation. How do you balance these elements while ensuring that the emotions and storytelling remain at the forefront? 

There definitely is a balance. Personally, you don’t need things to be complicated just to be complicated. Sometimes simple is better. That being said, having intricate parts and complex situations can add flavor and richness to a track. So i always try to evolve by having these moments blend in with simpler ones.

Are there any specific musical or lyrical themes in "Emotions Of The Sky" that hold personal significance to you? 

Absolutely, The Red Blight is a cumulation of so many aspects of music that I love. Especially the 5.40 ish mark when the track turns, and pulls in that black metal vibe. When the blight is spreading and corrupting the land and its inhabitants, it's just so dreadful. It really pulls in the emotion and just a ton of energy.

 

As a singer-songwriter, how do you tackle the challenge of creating a cohesive narrative across an entire album while maintaining the integrity of each individual song?

 That is definitely a challenge. I do have sometimes listen over and over to a section I am working on to really try to find a great way to naturally progress. I think having moods or themes that can bring in the emotion and feel fresh, yet similar is key.

 

The album explores a protagonist seeking revenge against the goddess who trapped him. How does this quest for revenge influence the musical direction and atmosphere of the songs?

Well, anger and disappointment are definitely motivators. But foremost, the goddess is spiteful and jealous of her own sister. In her mind, destroying the world her sister made, was a way to punish or inflict pain on her. I think more importantly, the main protagonist knows they must take the burden on to stop her. They know they decide their fate, not the gods.

 

"Emotions Of The Sky" is the third installment in the tetralogy. How do you approach connecting the narrative threads from the previous albums while also introducing new elements and progressions?

Colors of the Land and Emotions of the Sky are very much a back to back sequel. The story continues right after, and brings us into new perspectives with new elements to add the story and world building. The Black and White Sea, is much more of a prequel, or a way to learn of ones past and the pain the protagonist had. Connecting them, can be challenging, as the lyrics only tell a small amount of the story. So much more is in the music and visual art. So making a call back to the Kahn in Silver winds, or other small connections lyrically or musically to show they are all in the same.

 What role does St. Louis, Missouri, play in your music and artistic expression? How does your environment impact your songwriting? 

Honestly, I haven’t really thought about it. I would imagine it affects it for sure. But i’d hope that no matter where I live I can pull in the surroundings into my art.

 Your music often engages listeners emotionally. How do you hope your audience will connect with the themes and story of "Emotions Of The Sky”? 

Ya, we are all different, and experience things in vastly different ways. I hope that Emotions of the Sky, invokes emotions from the listeners, and they can feel it in the tracks.

 

Moving forward in your music career, do you plan to continue exploring the tetralogy's narrative or venture into different creative territories?

Well, the story isn’t finished yet! But, for now, I will keep working on social media content for Emotions of the Sky and jam with fiends. As for whats next release wise, I want to take a little break from the concept. I think next, I will write an album of just whatever I am feeling. Each song is its own piece and not part of a full story. I have some grooves I would like to sing about, that do not fit the current concept project. I think these would be a total blast to release. So stay tuned for those!

 Finally, what message or experience do you want your listeners to take away from "Emotions Of The Sky" and your music as a whole? 

Overall, mental illness is a terrifying and serious thing. There is nothing to be ashamed of, and we're all in this together. We all have demons so to say, and the best thing we can do is fight them, grow and be our best selfs. 

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Interview Embers ignite

In this exclusive interview, we delve into the world of Embers Ignite, a one-man metal project. The mastermind behind the project, Rick, takes us on a journey of inspiration, setbacks, and creative breakthroughs that led to the creation of the debut EP.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your one-man metal project, Embers Ignite, and how it came to be?

Music has been part of my life ever since I can remember. I grew up listening to all sorts of music and started getting into heavier music at the age of 9. I started learning guitar as a teenager (playing along to Metallica records with tab books) and since then I’ve always played for my own enjoyment, jammed with friends and been in a few bands over the years. I've always created music in one way or another and have always listened to music as a fan. I left my last band, Incidium, in 2011 after being with them for about 6 years. We played live gigs a lot and recorded a few demos at home which we gave out at shows, but I always wanted to properly record, and release music and it never happened with them for various reasons. After I left the band I ended up taking a few years out from playing guitar/music at all after that. Looking back, it was a sad and dark time for me personally but a necessity - I was burnt out and needed the time away from guitar and music.

In time, I started to play guitar again on and off and came up with loads of riffs and ideas but never really finished anything. I talked to others about starting bands, but nothing ever came of it. Then, a few years back I decided to make myself write and finish songs on my own and not rely on others. The songs became the start of what was to become my debut release. However, during this time, covid hit, I got married, we moved to the countryside, and we started a family. Music took a back seat once again until August 2022 when my son started sleeping through the night and I started to feel a bit less like a zombie from a lack of sleep and I began to have a little spare time again. I sold a load of unused music and photography gear I had lying around and used the money to buy a new guitar (a Schecter C1 SLS Elite Evil Twin if you were wondering) to inspire and with the promise to myself that I would finish writing the songs, record them and release them.

So that’s what I did. I tweaked the song structures, tempos and lyrics a little, I recorded the bass and guitars myself, programmed the drums and did the artwork myself. I’d never done any more than a bit of backing vocals previously, but I’d gone this far on my own so I thought I’d have a crack at vocals too, so I did those all myself too. Originally, I was going to mix and master it myself too, but I thought that if this was to be the only music I was going to release, I should get some help making it sound as good as it possibly could - so I hired someone else to do it in the end (enter Thomas Berdal Audio - who did a great job).

And that was it. Embers Ignite was born!

Your self-titled debut EP is described as offering "crushing brutality and groove-laden death metal." What can listeners expect from this release, and what themes or ideas are explored in the lyrics?

It’s heavy, it's dark and it’s raw! I find it hard to describe and pigeon-hole my music but due to the vocal style (or lack thereof 🤣), I would have to say it is fundamentally death metal with a vein of groove and melody running through it. Not long after it was released, I heard it described as “groove-laden death metal” which I think sums it up quite nicely. A few others have said it's more melodic death metal. In truth, I think it's somewhere in between, and probably varies between songs too. The riffs are a mix of death metal and melodic metal riffs (with harmonies etc…) but there’s not a huge amount of lead lines which I typically associate with melodic death metal so I lean more towards the death mets

Musically, the opening track has a fast-paced melodic riff as the centerpiece and feels more melodic death metal to me. The title track “Embers Ignite” is a slower, more groove-orientated death metal track. Then there’s an instrumental track probably more like Iron Maiden / In Flames - driven by melody and groove and then the final track has a real thrash feel in parts with a bigger, more epic chorus.

Lyrically it’s a mixed bag too. As these songs were written and re-written a few times over quite a time frame they all have a different subject and feel. The first track, “Into The Darkness”, is about depression - about how it lives inside you, waiting to emerge. About never having control over it and about it ultimately consuming you. “Embers Ignite” was written after watching the film ‘Silent Hill’. I guess it’s about torture to some extent, being ripped apart by the fear and pain, about it turning to hatred and about that hatred fundamentally changing you as a person (and the world). A more classic death metal feel to this one for sure, both lyrically and musically. The third song, “…From The Ashes”, is the instrumental. I never set out to write an instrumental, but I never wrote any lyrics I was happy with for it. The more I listened to it the more I felt it could stand on its own. A mid-tempo ‘verse riff’ with a harmonised part, a melodic ‘chorus’ section, a different feel midsection breaking into a melodic solo and dropping into a groove section before looping back to the original concept. This track always felt a bit more uplifting to me hence the name – it was like the hope of the Phoenix rising from the ashes in the otherwise dark, fiery, bleak EP. And then the final song is “The Curse Of Man” which is about humanity being a curse on the earth, a virus, bringing about the end of the world. Cheery stuff eh!?

How would you describe your musical style and the influences that shape your sound, particularly in terms of death, thrash, groove, and melodic death metal?

As I mentioned earlier I’ve always loved music and from a very young age was always exposed to different genres growing up. Rock, indie, pop, punk, blues, soul, reggae, prog etc… I always loved how it could enhance or even change your feelings /mood depending on what you felt and what you listened to. I can’t say I always loved all kinds of music, but I was aware of it and what it could do. The first time I heard what I would call ‘heavier music’, I was 9 years old and it was Iron Maiden's “Number of The Beast” album. Instantly I was blown away. I  loved the guitar melodies and harmonies and the galloping bass and drums. Not long after I heard Metallica's “Ride The Lightning” album which took it to a whole new level. Fast, aggressive, tight! From that point I gravitated towards the heavier bands and seemed to progress through the following as a kid: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Machine Head, Obituary, Slipknot, In Flames, and many others. I loved the emotion, the raw energy and then getting to those teenage years the lyrics really spoke to me and got me through some tough times and I’m sure many others can relate to that. I think my taste has generally gotten heavier over the years and more death metal was incorporated as I like the brutal feel of it and the blast beats but I still love and come back to the groove and melodic aspects. Heavy is good. Fast is good. But if it has melody and groove incorporated too it’s even better in my opinion!! I struggle to listen to bands where it's all blast beats or all detuned. A bit of that's great but I prefer my metal with groove and melody and contrasting parts.

Musically I would probably say Embers Ignite is primarily influenced by thrash and melodic death metal bands, but it is probably played and sounding more like a groove death metal band. I think I’m just saying words now, I’m not sure it even makes sense?! Go listen to it and let me know what you think it is!!

"Stargazer" by Rainbow is a classic rock song. What motivated you to create an epic and brutal reimagining of this track, and what challenges did you face in adapting it to your metal style?

So, it wasn’t something I initially set out to do. I guess I’ve always learned other people’s songs now and then just to learn some new riffs, patterns, chords, or ideas. Some fresh inspiration so to speak. So, when I started playing guitar again last year for this project there were a few songs I’d heard around that time that I thought ‘what the hell, let’s give it a go’ and try and get my guitar chops back up to scratch again. These included songs/riffs by the likes of Iron Maiden, Insomnium, Sylosis, Gojira, and Rainbow’s Stargazer was one of them.

The main riff of the original is super easy to play, and I started jamming it and immediately started playing it faster and heavier with a few more notes, some palm mutes, and some pinch harmonics for good measure without too much thought. It kind of came naturally. Originally, I was just messing about but I ended up recording a couple of guitar tracks along with some basic drums, I loved how it sounded so I decided to learn the rest and then I decided to keep going with it. I was a bit wary of doing it because it’s such an iconic song and because Dio is such a legend. I’ve obviously not tried to imitate Dio in the slightest and I think I did enough to it musically to make it my own so hopefully I got away with it! I recorded it at the same time as the debut EP but I didn’t want to release it as part of that, so I kept hold of it to release at a later date to sort of fill the inevitable void between original music releases. I also collaborated with Mammas Maiden Studio who created an awesome video to accompany the song - check it out on YouTube if you’ve not heard/seen it yet!

Could you walk us through your creative process when it comes to composing and recording your music? How do you bring your ideas to life as a one-man project?

Yeah sure. I’ve always been quite good at coming up with ideas for songs and riffs. Even back when I was in a band, I used to write a lot of the stuff on my own and then bring complete or partial songs to practice and we’d work on them together. I guess I have a similar process now, it's just I don’t have any other input from anyone else.

It usually starts with a couple of riffs I have that fit nicely together. I’ll record them and add simple drums and bass to it and just jam it until I come up with a few more ideas. Leads and lyrics/vocals are nearly always the last to be written/recorded. And quite often, once I’ve written lyrics I’ll rearrange the song structure a bit to fit what I have. Once I’m happy with the demo I’ll move on to the next song and periodically listen back to see if it still stands up as a good song or not. Then, when I’m getting ready to record it for real, I’ll kind of relearn it, and make sure I’m happy with the structure and the feel and tempo of it first. I always start with the drums (which are programmed) to make sure I’ll be recording the guitars/bass to the ‘feel’ of what it will be in the end. Then I’ll do the rhythm guitars, bass guitar, and then any lead guitars. Vocals are always recorded last followed by a few minor tweaks to the drums (usually the fills – as I’m not a drummer) and inevitably a few overdubs to parts I think that could be better.

Being a one-man project, what are some advantages and challenges you face in terms of artistic freedom and balancing various musical elements?

The advantage is that I have complete control over it all. No long sessions with bandmates saying “I prefer it this way” or “I think we should try it like this” and having to compromise. If I like something I keep it. If I don’t, it goes! No wasted time arguing over how it should be (except with myself sometimes)! Being a guitarist I guess most of the songs are based around the riffs and everything else is a supporting instrument really!

A challenge, at least at first, was trusting my judgment. It's hard after years of having input and feedback from people to then not have that sounding board of others or getting input/ suggestions from others and instead learn to trust your own judgment and decisions.

I am currently in the process of recording the next EP now and I found at the start, like with the first EP, I was sending demos off to a few people and asking what they thought. I’m coming to realize now that I don’t really care. If they say they like it then great, or are they just saying that? And even if they don’t like it, if I do  - that’s all that matters and I’m not going to change anything anymore. I rewrote an entire section on “Into The Darkness” because someone said it would be cool to switch to a major key for the solo section to give it a different feel. I spent ages trying to do it and make it work but in the end, I didn’t like it and I knew I wouldn’t like it. It was a song about depression. I didn’t want positivity in it! I should have trusted my instinct from the start! A lesson learned!

As a solo artist, how do you approach performing live? Do you collaborate with other musicians or use backing tracks to bring your music to the stage?

As it stands, Embers Ignite is a studio-only project and there are no immediate plans for this to change. Originally the plan was to just record and release the 4 songs I had with no more planned than that. However, since starting this project I have written a few more complete songs that I am in the process of recording properly now, and they will be released later this year (with another cover or two coming separately).

If I did decide to perform live again, I’m not sure I’d want to do it on my own with backing tracks. I would prefer to perform with a live band. I’d also have to decide if I wanted to focus on guitar or vocals or practice doing both at the same time! I’ve actually had a few people reach out and offer their services if I did ever want to tour it which is cool but it's not on the cards at the moment. Life is full enough with work and family as it is and I’m just enjoying writing and recording again at the moment, so I don’t want to ruin that. I won't say it'll never happen though, who knows what the future will bring!

Are there any specific goals or aspirations you have for Embers Ignite in terms of future releases or live performances?

Not really. I started this project to satisfy my desire to record and release my own music. Just to say I'd done it. In a way, I’ve already done what I set out to do. But in doing so I’ve realised there’s still more music in me that I am happy to explore and try and get out. I guess I will continue to do so whilst I still have the creative spark, the desire, and the health/time to be able to do it. And if I deem it good enough, I’ll release it! There’s another EP coming later this year. The songs all deal with the dire state of the world right now and how f**cked everything seems to be. It will be called “Visions Of A Dying World” and will hopefully be out October/November time. In terms of aspirations, I may look into promoting it a little more than the debut and see if I can grow the audience a little more this time around!

And there are loads of cool artists and bands in the indie/underground community I've come across since doing this, it'd be cool to do a few collaborations if anyone's up for it?!

In the metal genre, the visual aspect often plays an important role. How do you incorporate visuals, such as album artwork or music videos, into your project to enhance the overall experience for your listeners?

It does – it’s really important but it’s something that was secondary to the music in my eyes when I started this project. I was so intent on creating the music, recording the music, and getting it out there that I didn’t really spend much time or effort at all on the visual aspects. I had no online presence and no fans when the music came out, so I didn’t deem it important enough to spend any time on. The band name, logo artwork etc.. was almost an afterthought. Just something that I had to have in order to release the music. The original logo was just a font I found online which I liked and overlaid with fire and flames. The band name, whilst I like it, came from a title from one of the songs as I couldn’t (or couldn't be bothered to) think of anything else. And the artwork was created by myself too - a composite of images of a cloaked figure, a forest, and fires. It was dark and raw and fiery like the music I created. It was maybe a good idea but not very well executed. Looking back, I wish I had spent more time thinking about the image of the band/the music.

I have learned from this though! I had a video done for Stargazer which I mentioned earlier which is awesome and adds that visual element to the music/song. And for the new EP, I have had a new logo designed (by Black Upheaval) which fits better with the genre of music! Something that hopefully better identifies and fits with Embers Ignite and the music I create! And I have also invested in artwork for the EP from an artist (Mark Thomas) this time round – something that fits the sound and concept of the next EP and something I would happily put on a T-Shirt and wear (keep an eye out for merch coming soon)!

How has the response been to your debut EP and the reimagining of "Stargazer" so far? Have you received any feedback that has surprised or delighted you?

Really good, and so much better than I expected at the start. Again, releasing music as an unknown artist, after having been out of the music scene for several years, and having no fan base at the start - I didn’t have high hopes. My intention was just to release the music. I’d not anticipated that any more than maybe a handful of friends and family members would listen to it.

The fact that people have listened to it and that people are still listening to it now, blows my mind. In the 5 months since the debut dropped, I’ve gone from about 26 followers on Facebook to just under 1000 as I write this now. And Stargazer has received more views on YouTube in the 6 weeks it’s been out than the 4 tracks off my debut have combined over the 5 months since they were released! It's a small and moderate beginning but I’m just super glad anyone has listened to it and it honestly means the world to me!

Feedback-wise, I’ve had a couple of reviews that have been positive, and I’ve had a few people reach out and comment on the music I’ve created which is awesome. The songs have been added to various playlists and played on various online radio stations etc… too which again is super cool and not something I really expected. Luckily I've not seen any bad reviews but I know there will be people that don't like it. Music, like any art form, is personal and I'm well aware not everyone will like it and I'm ok with that. As long as I'm happy with it and proud of it, that's all that matters! And if anyone else likes it that's a massive bonus!

Are there any particular metal bands or artists that have had a significant impact on your musical journey? If so, who are they and how have they influenced your sound?

I guess growing up, Iron Maiden got me into heavier music, and my love of melodic guitar elements remains so they’re a big one. Similarly, In Flames (especially the old stuff) was a huge influence. They’re heavier and more my thing these days but melody is still a massive part of their music and always has. I was also a huge Metallica, Pantera, and Machine Head fan growing up and I think those thrash and groove influences remain with me too.

Vocally I think I'm akin to Dark Tranquillity or Carcass maybe.

Embers Ignite has been likened to old In Flames, Dark Tranquility, Soilwork, and Arch Enemy. I was also told it sounded like if Carcass and Entombed had a baby!

Finally, where can listeners find your music and stay updated on your latest releases and news?

All my links can be found here:

https://linktr.ee/embersignite

 

 

 

 

Interview Moat Cobra

Moat Cobra, born from the Orlando punk and metal scene, has been on a journey of musical evolution since 2013. The band's sludgy, chaotic, and metallic sound incorporates elements from hardcore, punk, and even death metal. With a new EP on the horizon and a unique live and studio release, Moat Cobra's blend of aggression and melody continues to captivate listeners and push the boundaries of the metal genre. As they navigate life's challenges, the band remains dedicated to their labor of love, hoping to share their diverse sound with audiences far beyond their hometown.

1.    Can you tell us about the origins of Moat Cobra and how the band came together in 2013?

This band really came out of a couple friends that all played in other bands in the local Hardcore Punk and Metal scene in Orlando Florida. Me (Dave Moreno) and Jordan Douglas, our original Drummer, had about 3 songs written and two of those songs ended up being “Blood Crops” and “Soffo Cone” but after jamming the songs with a couple random people interested in playing with us and having a few friends coming out to jam on the songs we ended up bringing in our friend Jeff Stamborski on bass who played in another band with Jordan in Orlando called The Products, a local thrash punk band, and Brett Beavers on vocals, from Destructonomicon another local thrash punk band, and that solidified the core beginning lineup of the band. As we kept writing songs, recorded a three song demo and started playing shows, our bass player jeff moved to Australia for a job opportunity he couldn’t turn down, which lead to us to getting our friend Jeremy Ashe, a local tattoo artist and contributor to hardcore and metal scene over the years, to take over on bass and after falling out with our drummer, Jordan, we got Al Serrano from Motivated by Silence, a local melodic deathcore band, to finish the recording process of our first studio album Deimos, which is one the B side to this record, but after releasing our first album came the pandemic and prompted the exit of Jeremy after he moved to the coast of Florida. That’s when we got Roberto, who we call “Open,” to fill the bass position but sadly he just had to move a couple weeks before the releasing this album so we’re gonna continue as a three piece until we find the right person for the gig especially after having Open in the band and him raising the bar on bass for us as a band and being an all around good dude.

 

2.    Moat Cobra has experienced some lineup changes over the years. How has this affected the band's sound and dynamics?

Well, when we first started writing songs we really didn’t know what our style was really going to be we just wanted to do something a little different from what we had all been doing in our other bands since jordan was playing thrash punk and I was playing in a band called Aella, a mathy hardcore punk band. We both liked sludgy bands like High on Fire and Eyehategod so we wanted to incorporate that into the sound and since we all had a punk background, including the rest of the guys in the original lineup, we wanted to mix in our punk roots in the sound as well. As I mentioned before “Soffo Cone” and “Blood Crops” were our first two songs, “Blood Crops” is our first attempt at a sludgier style and “Soffo Cone” was our attempt at mixing hardcore punk with like a sludge groove breakdown. It was as we kept getting new guys that the sound kept evolving. Once we got Al we could start incorporating blast beats and more double bass parts and by the time we got Open, he was able to take the songs we already had from Deimos and make them his own and add a lil more nuance and character to the bass lines which you can hear for example in the live version of “Bad Star” which has Open’s bass parts verses on the studio side that has Jeremey playing bass on it. Now with our newest song “Devour” you can hear a glimpse of what we’ve been working on with our sound, incorporating not only the sludgy hardcore punk elements but also adding elements of death metal, and mathcore influenced by bands like Trap Them, Converge and Botch.

3.    You've had members from various local Orlando bands. How has this diverse musical background influenced the band's style?

It has influenced our style, as I mentioned before as a new member came into band, each of their own musical influences comes through in their playing. We’ve all gotten better and grown as players as well while playing in this band and I’m sure there’s still a couple other influences we haven’t messed around with yet and some that everyone will hear in the future.

 

4.    Your debut full-length album "Deimos" was released in August 2018. Can you share the creative process behind that album and any memorable experiences during its recording?

Sure, what we normally do for writing songs is I come to the band with a rough skeleton of a song from start to finish on guitar and then we work on writing and adding the drum parts, followed by bass and last comes the vocals. Of course as we start adding drums and bass, some of the parts in the song change, either extending or shortening parts, adding or taking always parts, even when we start adding vocals lastly there will be times where we’ll want to extend a part or something like that. For the Deimos album, 2 of the songs, “Soffo Cone” and “Blood Crops” came from our two song demo, which were re recorded for the album with Al and Jeremy. The rest were written after the demo recordings were done and right before we went into the studio with Jeff McAlear, an awesome recording engineer that’s worked with bands like Sevendust, Shroud Eater and Hollow Leg to name a few and he’s also a kick ass drummer for Junior Bruce, one of our favorite local sludge metal bands. As far as stories from Recording that Album; the studio we recorded at is run by Scott Angelicos the singer of an influential hardcore band called Bloodlet, if you’ve never heard of them you should look them up, and he’s also in Junior Bruce and hollow leg, but after a day of recording vocals; Brett, Jeff McAlear, Scott and I (Dave) all went bar hoping around Deland Florida where the studio we recorded at is located and after hopping from several bars and ending up at river house restaurant where we had some killer fried catfish, and took over the jukebox there blasting slayer, much to the disappointment to all the retired older folks that where scattered throughout the restaurant/bar, we kept circling back to talking about the album and Scott wanted to do guest vocals on one of the songs so we cashed out and headed back to the studio and recorded a few takes of guest vocals and that’s how we got the guest vocals on “Blood Crops” for the Deimos album, even though Scott did vocals on three of the songs we ended up liking the “Blood Crops” vocals the most so that’s what’s on the album. The next day we had a laugh about it as we nursed out headaches and it was also a “wait did that happen” moment since we were fans and I grew up listening to Bloodlet haha.

 

5.    Moat Cobra has had the opportunity to open for some notable bands. Could you tell us about your most memorable experiences sharing the stage with other artists?

Yea, probably the two biggest shows and probably the most memorable, as well, has been when we got to open for High on Fire and the time we opened for Soulfly. The High on Fire show was interesting because that was our third show and we had been playing as a three piece since Jeff Stamborski had just moved to Australia and that show was a sold out and it was one of the times I’ve seen the most amount of people crammed into Will’s Pub here in Orlando, this venue has a rather small stage and if you know or have seen High on Fire, you know they have a lot of gear and amps and speakers haha so all of their stuff took up all the space on the stage so all the bands that opened had to set up and play on the floor but that ended up being pretty cool having everyone so close in your face while you play and it ended up being an absolutely amazing show. The time we opened for Soulfly was memorable because that was another show that was packed and even early since we played second out of the six total bands for that show but during Incites set, which is Max Cavalera’s sons band, some guy tried to stage dive and to be fair he was a lil bit of a bigger guy… yea well the crowd didn’t catch him, they let him hit the hard floor and incites set had to be cut short so paramedics could come stretcher the guy out of the crowded venue as the whole crowd sang the Ole soccer chant haha… the show eventually went in and Soulfly crushed it.

 

6.    "Devour" is the first new song in four years since your debut album and the first written with Roberto Oppenheimer on bass. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this song and its significance for the band?

Yea, we’re so glad that everyone will get to hear what Open adds to the old songs and “Devour.” He really did work his ass off to not only learn the old and new songs but to really make the bass lines their own thing and not be so much of just following the guitar lines. As far as inspiration, I wanted the guitar work to be fast, intense and chaotic but come to a head with final groove riff. Since this was also the first new song we wrote together, we wanted to make it somewhat short and to the point. As for vocally the song is based on a painting by Goya called “Saturn Devouring His Son” and how it represents the current status of our current world and times, we seem to be… devouring ourselves.

 

7.    The band is working on a new EP. What can fans expect from this upcoming release, and is there a specific theme or direction you are exploring?

Yea, we’re hoping to get 5 song done and then start the recording process, right now we have about 4 songs. We actually originally recorded 2 new songs when we recorded the live set with Josh for DCxPC but that night was the first night we had played the other new song called “Doom Weaver” and by now we’ve made some changes to it since that was now about a year ago. These new songs will be some of our most technical and most diverse work yet and “Devour” might be one of the more Aggressive faster songs out of the bunch but we definitely have some slower melodic songs in the mix as well. Stay tuned to our socials, we’ll be posting some video of us playing “Doom Weaver” since we have some footage from our last couple shows.

 

8.    The DCxPC Live & Dead Vol. 1 Presents Moat Cobra series showcases live recordings during the pandemic. How did this idea come about, and how has the response been from your fans?

Well, this all wouldn’t of happened without Scott and Mike of DCxPC Live, they started the label during the pandemic when people were live-streaming shows from empty venues which eventually turned into them putting on shows after things started to open up and having them recorded and put on vinyl. Since both of our bands Call in Dead and Moat Cobra had played several show together so we were close and once Scott and Mike started doing DCxPC they had mentioned that they wanted to record one of our shows and put it out, so it seemed meant to be and we as a band were stoked. Originally this was going to be a 7” but after talking to Scott he wanted to do a 12” and then asked if we had ever pressed our studio album Deimos on vinyl, which we hadn’t, so he mentioned the idea of putting out album on one side and the live set in the other… which at that point seemed like a no brainer, haha. Any time we talk to people about the concept behind this album seem to love it, it exposes people to a new band and not only do they get to hear what they sound like live and raw but then also get studio recordings as well, it’s the full package starter pack for a new listener.

 

9.    The album covers for the DCxPC Live series pay homage to the VMLive album covers of the 1990s. What led to this creative decision, and how do you choose which live shows to release?

That would definitely be more of a question for Scott and Mike from the label, I’m pretty sure that came from an idea that Scott had. As far as the Botch 061502 12” album recorded at their initial final show in 2002 being picked for a preorder giveaway just came from Scott asking us what Live metal 12” album did we like, so we figured that was going to be for the giveaway.

The album covers for the DCxPC Live series pay homage to the VMLive album covers of the 1990s. What led to this creative decision, and how do you choose which live shows to release? This is Scott from DCxPC Live answering this question. I loved the old VMLive series from the 1990's, so I thought it would be rad to pay homage to them and play on the nostalgia that I feel when I see one of those albums. It also keeps the covers simple, which means it keeps production costs lower, and doesn't get slowed down by bands taking months to design a cover. As for which shows. It's a combination of things. Sometimes it's local bands, sometimes I dig a touring band, sometimes reach out to bands who had live albums that never came out on vinyl or sometimes I run into a band somewhere, and I give them a card, and they figure out how to record it in their area. The most important things are that I dig the band and they are good people. I'm not so worried if they are touring monsters or the biggest band. I want to document the scene that I love, in the way that I love it most--live!

 

10.  Alongside the live recordings, you have a unique concept of including a "dead" (studio) side. Can you elaborate on how this dual-sided release enhances the listener's experience?

I think this can enhance the listeners experience because in getting the studio album the listener can hear the finer details in the songs, especially if it’s on that’s on the live side as well. Also giving the listener to pick for themselves which version of the songs they like better whether it’s the live or studio version since the live versions are slightly different from the studio versions. Both sides also have songs that aren’t on the other side so listeners have something on both sides that isn’t on the other.

 

11.  Moat Cobra has been recognized as "Band of the Week" by Orlando Weekly and nominated twice for "Best Metal Band" in their yearly awards. How do these accolades impact the band's motivation and creative process?

It’s definitely let us know that we’re doing something right, and keeps us pumped to keep going. It also gets the band more attention and we can see a bump in everything when we get mentions or write ups from the Orlando Weekly. Even though we’ve been nominated for best metal, now 3 times counting this year, we have never won it and this years winners haven’t been announced, which I believe is in August, maybe this is our year! Haha.

 

12.  With a sludgy, metallic, chaotic, hardcore sound, how do you push the boundaries and maintain a distinct identity within the metal genre?

We push more boundaries playing live, since we have a diverse sound we sometimes fall into somewhere between punk and metal we can play punk shows and we can play metal shows but we still stick out a bit but we bring people together from other genres where sometimes those boundaries aren’t crossed.

13.  How has the band's musical vision evolved over the years, and what direction do you see Moat Cobra heading in the future?

The sound has definitely evolved over time from the punk sludge foundation to more of a technical mathy metal but still mixed in with punk and sludge, while also adding a hint of death metal. Each new member brought a slightly higher skill set so eventually the songs started to get more technical with timing and song structures. In the future you could here us use possibly some cleaner tones, other than just heavy distortion and messing around with more melodic passages to break up some of the intensity a bit.

 

14.  What has been the most challenging aspect of being part of Moat Cobra, and how have you overcome those challenges as a band?

The most challenging aspect is simply life, haha. Since we have real jobs and families, life can get in the way sometimes but we do well with managing it and whatever money we make from shows or merch we put that money back into the band that way things do cost us purely out of pocket and that really helps keep the band going. It’s a labor of love, but we keep trudging forward.

 

15.  Apart from music, what other forms of art or external influences inspire the band's creative process?

I’m sure for each of us it’s different, I know for me it’s mostly music itself since I’m constantly looking for new music, new sounds regardless of genre, also paintings if I get to go to an art museum when in a new place or if there’s a local art show from a local artist I know, all that can inspire me. For Brett it’s probably also anything to do with outer space and current events/status of the world and art, like paintings as well, since he’s based songs off that too. Al I’m inspired by other drummers and watching them do clinic videos and probably mixed martial arts, haha, and Open is inspired by gear and recording technology.

 

16.  What are your aspirations and goals for Moat Cobra in the next few years, and what can fans look forward to in the future?

Our goals are to get this record out hopefully sell all the copies we have and let that help fund recording our new EP and give people some completely new songs and a studio version of “Devour.” I really think people are gonna hear the progression we’ve made and really dig into the material. Hopefully we get to start sprinkling in a few more shows a year outside of the greater Orlando area, since we’ve started to get a couple more out of town show offers.

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