Formed in 2009 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), the band Save Our Souls is still a young band, but since from the beginning shows great potential and seriousness in their work. After opening for renowned bands like Kamelot and Nightwish and an EP released, SOS went to the next step, which was the recording of their debut, "The Otherside", which ended during the writing process, turning into a conceptual album, where the main character, Dr. Lynch, amid his frustrations, discovers a mirror that takes him to an "other side", created from his reflection, and from there, when returns, confronted again with his frustrations, but in a new light.
A work that shows a mature band and that will produce many more good music. Check out the interview with the lead singer and keyboardist Melissa Ironn and know more about this Brazilian grateful promise, and more details about their debut album and their "cinematographic" Symphonic Metal!
RtM: How does you feel about to have the first full-length released and how you are feeling the receptivity in those first weeks after the release?
Melissa: We are delighted by the results of our work, get here. The first album release is what really shows the band for the market as a whole, public, media, etc. So the feeling we have is that always, despite the band being on active since 2009 and already have a previous studio work that was the EP "Find The Way", I feel that now is the beginning of a long journey and hard work to continued progress. We entered into an even greater commitment to the band itself, with public and everything that relates to it. This record is the first input for the development of a possible row, for the construction of a future. We are aware that it is only the beginning.
RtM: The band worked hard on the album, we could feel this, maturing both, the compositions such as yourselves as musicians. I would like you to do an assessment of that period of production, composition and culminating in the release.
Melissa: Actually, first we made the compositions, and came only after the final decision to record the album. The compositions were already all ready, and they have not changed in the recording process. But, seeing the songs taking shape, we feel the need to improve issues such as how to perform the songs, for example, if only because the perception we had of our songs in a rehearsal studio where you have a certain environment, has change a lot when we encounter a totally different ambient in the recording studio and gave us another view of our songs structure.
RtM: Great and interesting comments! And complementing about production, tones choices, etc?
Melissa: And also production issues were developed, how to choose the tones, which features to use to extract the best possible sound, such as the use of software to simulate the instruments of an orchestra that was the decision I made with keyboards. It was a great learning experience, a totally different experience. A great maturity was needed to drive the whole situation, including the release itself. We could not offer any work or even presents it in any way. There was a joint effort for everything to be as professional as possible.
RtM: Can you talk a bit more about the concept and the story of the album? How did surge the inspiration for the story?
Melissa: behavior issues and human personality are recurring themes in our compositions that now are part of "The Otherside". Initially the compositions were not made thinking about the concept that we have today. But we realize that all subjects converged and then we thought of building something bigger, a complete artistic concept that involves not only Dr. Lynch character, but even the graphic production and everything. There was a desire to build something more complex and cohesive then we took advantage of what was already under our eyes, the opportunity to build a concept from compositions that we had at hand.
RtM: Interesting, then the story was being assembled from this perception that you had on the topics that were already at hand.
Melissa: The lyrics deal with feelings, behaviors, personality issues that are inherent in the human condition. So there are songs on the album dealing with greed, ambition, deceit, hope, things that make us human. When the story we tell about Dr. Lynch, he faces the mirror and begins to understand that the "Theory of Everything", the theory would explain why we are what we are in self-knowledge, he realized that all these above features, as well as many others, they are what makes us human is the governing society as it is the way it is. There is no denying human nature, we need to understand why we act the way we act to pursue the development of this condition and solve the problems that we cause ourselves through these features, such as prejudice, inequality ...
SOS Left to Right: Andrêss, Marlon, Jackson and Melissa Ironn ahead |
Melissa: As stated in the previous question, the lyrical and musical part also existed even before the concept. But what made it all walked towards becoming conceptual album was our way of composing always integrating this message in the lyrics to the musical part. Music really need transmitting in every way the message we want to pass. Therefore, each has a very specific climate, because each one conveys a message.
RtM: What is the most laborious in your view, a conceptual or an conventional album?
Melissa: I think demands more work a conceptual album, because everything has to be very cohesive, you have to be careful that the story is really connected with the songs. In the case of "The Otherside" what we did was really risky because we created the concept from the music, did the reverse process. Normally expected to first to develop the concept and then the compositions are made accordingly. But fortunately, we managed to achieve the goal. For the next job going to do thus constitute the first well-designed theme and then we are developing compositions.
RtM: Something that we can notice too, is that everyone participates of the compositions, and I believe this contributes to the various nuances and influences that can be found on the album, I would like you to talk about it.
Melissa: I believe that music is characterized by every detail. Typically the compositions begin from some idea, any one of the members may be a guitar riff, can be a voice melody, it can be anything. From this, we all add our personality from each of the elements that we bring to the music. The time when we all work together in the composition in a rehearsal studio is really when the music happens to be ours, the whole band, each bringing a little bit of himself, developing ideas together. I believe this makes us a band, no one is alone there leading the situation, we are working together, except they each have a solo work and hire songs to perform his compositions! Hehehehe
RtM: And while, you could talk about your influences and musical inspirations?
Melissa: What about our influences and inspirations, these are the most diverse. I never thought to follow a predetermined or specific style. Each has their preferences, so it has influences from heavy metal and thrash on the guitar riffs, prog elements in the drums and bass, and keyboards are inspired by soundtracks, i like very much movies soundtracks! The result of our identity is the sum of our differences transiting in various subgenres of Metal and beyond the genre itself.
RtM: Talking about the songs, two highlights for me are the opening "Another Life" and "The Sound of Heart", which also show the versatility of the band, plus the ability to spend a lot of excitement to the compositions, and certainly demonstrates the potential the band still has to show in the coming years. I would like you to comment a little more about these two songs.
Melissa: There are two very different compositions, with very different messages to each other. "Another Life" deals with people who feel that inner void by the need for self-assertion. People who need to try to fit into a group and so change all the time and can not look at themselves and if they agree with its uniqueness and it sometimes ends up hurting people around. So it's a song that has much of it a rather gloomy climate, is a song that has a purposeful rhythm to it, but then switch to a more aggressive point where it is a criticism of this kind of behavior by the sight of who is harmed by such behavior.
And 'The Sound Of Heart" is a song about hope and motivation. In short, the central message is that everyone has things that motivates himself, and that in times of difficulty just listen to the sound of the heart (which is this motivation) to regain hope and strength to move on. This had to be a really emotional song.
RtM: Speaking about diversity and versatility, would you also comment on about another song that caught my attention , "Dark Enigma" which wanders through different climates and is very captivating from start to finish, and then also shows quality in addition to this diversity and versatility, because not everyone can keep it interesting in a track with longer duration.
Melissa: Diversity and versatility are two things we like a lot! Hehehehe! While there is a need to have a basic structure in the compositions, such as verse, pre-chorus, chorus, etc., that does not mean everything has to be exactly the same, the music has to begin and end exactly the same way, only repeating these structures.
"Dark Enigma" has a basic structure, but it was thought from the beginning that this would be a song that would explore different elements and it would have different climates. It features big lyrics, which also had to be adapted to not stay too long, and this lyrical explores different times, so the need to walk for several climates. But we always have the care that everything is very connected, we do not want songs like patchwork! I think that's why the song keeps it interesting from start to finish.
"Dark Enigma" has a basic structure, but it was thought from the beginning that this would be a song that would explore different elements and it would have different climates. It features big lyrics, which also had to be adapted to not stay too long, and this lyrical explores different times, so the need to walk for several climates. But we always have the care that everything is very connected, we do not want songs like patchwork! I think that's why the song keeps it interesting from start to finish.
RtM: As a band relatively new, how do you see the current scene, what has improved and what has worsened for bands, especially the younger ones, and that issues and factors should be taken into account to conquer their space and achieve relevance in scenario?
Melissa: A very positive point that I consider is that there is still some amateur, but in general the bands are becoming more professional too! The quality and diversity of material has surprised a lot! Fortunately, I see that despite the controversy scene, Brazil is beginning to want to help but simply replicate what already exists and is going to produce more copyright material. There is still much to develop that sense, shows with cover bands for example, are much more frequent because they transmit a certain security to the owners of bars and concert halls for already a guaranteed audience for attraction. But who knows, maybe the time this cultural shift that encourages intellectual production also pass to reflect positively on the issue.
RtM: With so many substyles and subdivisions in Metal, you believe the Metal fan now has a more open mind?
Melissa: Maybe in the past. But only noting the date, less so, unfortunately ... Just look at what happened in the social networks in this period where we had the Rock In Rio happening. I had people concerned to criticize the bands you do not like and exalt you prefer. And I was wondering: Do people simply can not watch the show of your choice and respect others? If you do not like, do not look, and ready ... As I said earlier, I feel we are in a time of change yes, but it's only the beginning. There is still that minority that bothers enough that cares more to point out and criticize the work that does not like to keep the respect and good manners, and the worst thing is that in most cases, this minority judge the book by its cover and the work of others without even knowing.
Each one has a personal taste, but we still need to learn to live with differences.
RtM: Plans for the band to this end of 2015 and 2016?
Melissa: We will continue promoting the "The Otherside" by several channels, no's only national, but also international, as far as possible, and also do some more shows to bring people to know our work. But this was only the beginning, so we are full of will, working on new songs for an upcoming album.
RtM: Melissa, thank you very much for your attention, congratulations for the great debut, and the final space is for your message to readers and fans, and of course for those who will know the work of SOS.
Melissa: Thank you! We thank you for the space. "The Otherside" is available for free in our official SoundCloud as well as for sale, both digital as well as physical. It's worth taking a look in the material! We must rely more on the artistic potential of our country and not let the scene dies.
Interview by: Carlos Garcia
Interview by: Carlos Garcia
Label: Shinigami Records
Line-up:
Melissa Ironn – vocals & keyboards
Marlon Lago – guitars & vocals
Jackson Harvello – bass
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