Magnetar Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Magnetar is a Blackened Heavy Metal band from Manchester, UK. The band was formed a few years ago but the album has taken a while to complete. There are elements of Heavy, Black, Death, Epic & Thrash metal all present.

2.You have a new album coming out in September, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that is presented on the recording?

“There Will Be No Peace In My Valley” is a mix of 80s and 90s heavy & extreme metal. The intent is to be as aggressive as the style allows, whilst retaining melody, and load a song with as many great riffs as possible. 

3.A lot of your lyrics tackle conspiracy theories and allude to the writings of George Orwell, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

The lyrics are inspired by nearly all aspects of modern life’s struggles, from personal to external. If Orwell’s “1984” is referenced then that is because morally corrupt populist politicians, and politically extreme conspiracy theorists, are currently ushering in a society that is reminiscent of that novel. There are many topics covered in the lyrics, but in an opaque and personal way that encourages the listener to transmute to their own lives. I find that holding up a mirror to the injustices of the world is often the easiest way to peel back the layers of lies that support them, that’s my approach to writing lyrics.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Magnetar'?

I’m no expert here but from what I understand, a Magnetar is a type of neutron star formed when a massive magnetic helium star collapses in a supernova explosion. A rare result of that explosion would be the birth of a magnetar - a dead star that will have a magnetic pull so strong it is capable of wreaking havoc on anything within a few million light years of it. There’s something that appealed about this thing capable of so much destruction, that is also quite beautiful if you see an artist’s impression.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

The album artwork is by Misanthropic Art and we couldn’t be happier with the result. As the lyrics are broad in topics we focused on the title-track for the cover. These lyrics tell of warriors returning to their village after a long period away, unknowingly having brought with them an unnamed horror that attacks their lands. Obviously you could read other themes into this scene but taken literally it made for a powerful visual image. I’m a huge fan of 80s metal illustration - it’s often how I chose albums in record shops as a kid - so seeing this cover come to life was a heavy metal dream! Also the supporting artwork and layout by thewodeneye is excellent and features many hand drawn elements in the design.

6.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?

We are open to the idea in the future, but as it stands there are no plans in place. At the moment we all have too many commitments with work, other bands and life in general, but we could revisit that situation next year. I can say that the songs make for a visceral experience in the practice room, so it would be interesting to see how people react in a live setting.

7.The new album is going to be released on 'Vendetta Records', are you happy with the support the label has given you so far?

Vendetta have been tremendous since we signed. Very straight forward and honest to work with. Independent labels (or any small company) are a lot of hard work for the owner, sometimes for much less reward than they deserve, so we are hugely appreciative for the belief Vendetta has placed in the band. They’ve really stepped up in all aspects of supporting a debut album. 

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your musical by fans of extreme metal?

Only a very small circle of people have heard the album at this point. It’s all been positive.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

There’s a lot of material already written, potentially for a couple more albums, but currently I’m exploring the incorporation of more classic metal guitar styles like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Jake E Lee into the music. Exploring more paths around harmonised leads would also be interesting. Probably more epic elements.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Influences on Magnetar would be 80s Slayer, Sepultura, Infernal Majesty, Nuclear Assault and any extreme thrash from that time. Older proto-metal bands of the 80s such as Poison (Ger) and Bathory. Dissection, Necrophobic, Merciless and the 90s Swedish bands on No Fashion records. And Norwegian black metal, especially mid-era Immortal. Also some post 2000s black-metal from Vanum, Deus Mortem & Krieg. The phrasing of lead instruments interests me and I often listen to musicians from other genres such as jazz to freshen up the approach. If you asked the rest of the band there would be a lot of Death Metal included as well. 

Recently I’ve been listening to “Dreamkiller“ by Sumerlands, “Legend” by Vanum, “Toba” by Mayhemic (which I expect will be my ’24 AOTY), Ebony Pendant s/t, “Ruiner” by Krieg, all albums by Lykantropi, “Victims Beyond All Help” by Besieged, “Albion” by Harp, “Rites & Curses” by Morax, “Endless Skies” by Ashbury, “Place Of Torment” by Deranged, loads of mid-era Judas Priest, “Grotesque” by Foetal Juice, “Bang To Rights” by Heavy Sentence, the last two Darkthrone albums, “Silence Of The World Beyond” by A Canorous Quintet, “Exterminate” by Angelcorpse,  “War Against All” by Immortal, “Phenomenon” by UFO, Trouble s/t, “Serpents Unleashed” & “Forever Abomination” by Skeletonwitch, “Unbound” by Merciless, “Mandy” & “Trapped”  by Johann Johannsson, Julian Lage, and those Cavalera re-releases have been a massive treat with perfect production - how often does re-visiting old recordings go wrong - not the case here.  -DW

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