ZARDONIC - Leading the resuscitation of our dying genre - INTERVIEW!

I had the distinct pleasure talking to a rising sensation - An Electonic Metal artist of great talent who performs under the Zardonic. That is a very metal name. Zardonic is an artist of
who I am recommending you buy (all the tracks.) Its Metal,
but there are some very cool and dramatic sounds.

That's one attribute of evolution from the blueprint. The other is that the groove is danceable. While there are some sub-genres that have a danceable groove here and there, they are a very small collection. I don't have to tell you that I have never done any movement at a metal show but throw horns, play air- guitar and air - drums... oh and sing with the artist.

The tracks are very dramatic and contain an immense amount of depth. And the theme for this record named "become" is the horrible Venezuelan conflict. Actually, this dangerous geopolitical conflict has inspired the writing. Here is the interview:

The Gauntlet: How are you doing sir?
Zardonic: I'm doing good thank you! I am very happy for this Interview, so I appreciate your time!

The Gauntlet: And where are you today?
Zardonic: Right now I am enjoying vacations in the beautiful city of Rome. It has been a very long year so I needed some quality time for myself.

The Gauntlet: Congratulations on your chart debuts... that was pretty impressive. How did it feel?

Zardonic: I honestly was not expecting the results. But after so much work I am very thankful with all the people that have helped me reach this goal. I did put my blood sweat and tears into this record, so I guess everybody else could hear it somehow.I'm very happy this was a successful release for all the teams involved.Too many people have work their asses off to make this happen including the label my management my booking agents and of course the fans. This wouldn't have happened if they hadn't bought the record!

The Gauntlet: I am a metalhead by birth, and I have often heard your music referred to as Electronic Metal. Comment on that designation. How does it feel when tastemakers boil your art down to one phrase when it's obviously so much more, depth and moving evocation is Manifest?

Zardonic: I think it's a necessary evil. At the end of the day we need something to be able to market the music that we're doing.If electronic metal works for that purpose than I am happy.Of course there's many things that influence the music that I do but I don't think limitation is a bad thing.Many people choose to do this only for the art while others do it only for the money. I do it for both reasons as two separate processes. When I sit down to create I am simply speaking in a different language. After the result is done I can worry about selling it and I will do whatever it takes to sell it. I guess that's why I am the kind of underground artist that the underground doesn't necessarily like.I don't believe my own bullshit. I'm not trying to do something for the mainstream or the true people or the old school this or the new school that. I simply do and then I sell. And anyone who expects to make a living out of music even if it's only to pay their dues will probably have to think like this. But indeed there is also the personal part. And it is as beautiful as it is unavoidable because through art we are leaving our souls naked for everyone to see. My own personal situations are also directly influencing the kind of music that I do. And I know that people can hear it in the music. You can hear passion, desire, the wish for a better world, Love, Hate, Blame, Life And Death.

The Gauntlet: In fact, you gained 2 fans with my son and I. The intensity and conviction, the crescendos and bridges are exactly what its about, the passion, the drama, and the chilling dystopia.

Zardonic: I'm happy your family is enjoying what I do. Having lived what I lived through and coming where I come from, as I said there is no other choice but to leave it in the message. The unspoken message, The energy that you cannot put into words. That is the beauty of music. It allows you to create new worlds.

The Gauntlet: Does this sound like your intention? Or is your wish to have everyone experience it different?

Zardonic: I think I'd rather let people hear what they want to hear.If you give too many suggestions you're not leaving enough space for people to imagine.I make my own story but I want people to make their own as well.I want them to hear what they want to hear in the music and create what they want to create. Inspire them to walk their own path, and even maybe inspire other forms of art. Life itself is an art and I want people to feel alive when they hear what I do.

The Gauntlet: Tell me Z is this your chosen musical path or did you evolve to it?

Zardonic: When you become an established brand somehow, at any level it will take a life of its own. Especially when you're wearing a mask. Masks represent in model ideas. I could die tomorrow but that mask will prevail. Being that said, of course, there is an influence from people. I would have loved to be a billionaire making Scandinavian black metal. But been Venezuela that's not exactly a feasible option. Because I was so determined to make a living off the music that I like, I decided to make as many different musical projects possible with different genres that I enjoyed. Zardonic was surprisingly the project that caught the most attention. And I say surprisingly because I also tried other things like minimal Techno and electro house. Despite everyone telling me that drum and bass with metal would never work, it did. And not just for me, but also many before me and after me. As I continue to evolve as a person and times change I will probably also reflect such evolution in the project.

The Gauntlet: Do you have an overriding Artistic vision, ethos or philosophy?

Zardonic: Yes I did. But it's starting to change now. The original idea reeked of ego. Now it reeks of submission. But I guess finding that balance has always been my intention. And I think that's what I was hinting at when I did the new record. You either live long enough to die a hero or become a villain.

The Gauntlet: Does “Become” have a theme?” I experienced deja vu at certain points but not of other music, rather other sounds like traffic, war, the sounds of a city, as I looked at the video.

Zardonic: There is a bit of that for sure. The topic of my Homeland Venezuela has always been inevitably ingrained in the music that I do. I'm not sure if I will talk about it ever again because I don't really think people care. But I do or at least I did. You can still hear tracks more uplifting than others, like Takeover, Before The Dawn or Follow The Light. And then there is Army Of One to remind you what's up. Then there is Libertadores. Google "assassination of Oscar Perez" and "Venezuelan Protests 2017" and you will find out what it is about.

The Gauntlet: Your performance style and wardrobe are evocative in a dozen different ways. The black and white to me represents absolutes no relativity. I’m not sure if that's what you meant. Will you share what you can about Zardonics appearance?

Zardonic: Funny enough it actually means the opposite. Having both black and white in the mask tries to hint at the duality of Man, sort of In the same way that the yin-yang represents it. Everyone who is too obsessed with good eventually has evil inside, And anyone who is Evil probably has a moment of repentance. True evil exists when we point out the problems in somebody else or in something else. We need to look at ourselves in the mirror and realize That one's will look into the abyss the abyss looks back into US, as the overly quoted but wise words of Nietzsche read, if we truly care.
The Gauntlet: Your music is very dramatic and provocative. At times visceral at times a wall of sound that climbs to dizzying crescendos which causes the hair on the back of the neck to Stand up. The extreme nature and phrasing, with the frequent haunting Spoken word are, are some of the best I have heard. I assume you are very happy with the outcome.

Zardonic: I assume you are referring to Army of One and Antihero. I enjoy music that puts me in a specific setting, which is why I am very influenced by movie soundtracks. The epic in my music You can thank Hans Zimmer or Nobuo Uematsu. I am never happy with the outcome but that's precisely what makes me keep moving forward.

The Gauntlet: Indeed artists are more often than not are critical of themselves and never seem to be satisfied, as if they are aiming for perfection. Do you have any sections that you feel should have been done differently

Zardonic: Not quite. I know that I could do it differently now, but then was then, and then had its own purpose. I do want to probably releasing the future some sort of remix versions of tracks that I did in the past So maybe you will see some of that as well!

The Gauntlet: Was there a moment in your life when you had a moment of truth and knew beyond doubt that this was what you were gonna do with your life.

Zardonic: I don't think it was much of a realization as much as it was something that happened naturally. Since I was a very little kid I played with tape recorders and listened to electronic music. My first instrument was also a very small synthesizer, So keyboard instruments have always been part of my life. I thought I wanted to be a paleontologist, Then maybe a chemist or an electronic engineer. Then I quit school for music And here I am. I make decisions with the things that I have control over but I also let life show me the way. It usually does And it's never wrong.

The Gauntlet: What is your favorite pastime? What other forms of music do you listen too?

Zardonic: When I am not making music I spend my free time between designing new sounds, taking photographs, watching great films, and playing immersive video games. I don't like online video games so because they take way too much time and I don't have enough. As far as the music that I like goes, enjoy all sorts of things as long as they are good. You would be surprised if you saw my music library. Anything and everything from black metal to hip hop to minimal techno. I am more interested in authenticity than genres.

The Gauntlet: I liked the music from the first bar of “Army of One.” Metal is all about the axe so as I listened I thought will there be a guitar in here? Then at 1.40 minutes, a muted djent sound pops in. Ok, now we're off. “Transhuman” at 1.21 has a singular guitar solo, with some convention and some departure from orthodoxy which is hard to describe. Then at 4:10 on “Black and White” a shredding up tone solo that is another completely unique movement. Are you playing guitar, is the guitar synth or stings? Either way it's masterful.

Zardonic: I was trying to really push the boundaries Which is why I evolved from a synthesizer solo to a sax solo. Yes, what you hear is a synthesizer and not a guitar. I managed to do that by using the pro 2 by Dave Smith Instruments. It is probably my favorite hardware synthesizer of all time. I am very thankful with Sequential for everything they have done! We owe Dave Smith a lot!

The Gauntlet: Last 2 questions

The Gauntlet: I have a pill that when taken grants immortality, I am offering it to you. Do you want it?

Zardonic: Hell no. I don't think you can live a truly fulfilling life without knowing that it has an end. Death is part of the beauty of life. Just like in the movie You need a climax. If anything I would rather be granted the wish of living long enough to have a beautiful family and see the results of my art grow into something unprecedented that the next Generations can also enjoy.

The Gauntlet: What is your theory on what happens after biological death.

Zardonic: I have absolutely no idea, but I also don't want to find out. It's better to leave some surprises for the end. After all, If I knew that I had to go to either heaven or Hell, Or if I knew that I was going to reincarnate into somebody else, It would spoil the excitement.

The Gauntlet: Thank you for creating a rare and remarkable set of songs! Thank you especially for not following the herd and innovating. If you get a tour planned, Tracy will tell me and I will post your dates.

Zardonic: Thank you for this interview. Let's do this again sometime!


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Tags:  Interview, Zardonic, Venezuela, Germany 

Kenny    October 24, 2018