EMQ’s with ANCIENT SETTLERS
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Multinational based Modern Melodic Death Metal band, Ancient Settlers. Huge thanks to keyboardist, Rene Gonzalez, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hello, I am Rene Gonzalez; I am the band’s keyboardist!
Well, the band started as a little idea made by Carlos Chiesa (Rex), during the pandemic, he started contacting the drummer, as Herman(drums) is a long-time friend of Carlos’s, then he recruited me, and i just couldn’t say no, their ideas were exactly what i was looking for!
How did you come up with your band name?
The idea abstractly related to the heavy diaspora that’s currently happening in our origin country; We decided to leave our homes, to have a better chance at a good future.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We’re originally from Venezuela, most of us, our singer is originally from Finland, but we migrated to Europe (Spain, France, and Portugal).
European Rock/Metal scene is pretty solid, as it’s always been.
South American Rock/Metal Scene, well, not that much, but the good thing of it is the DIE HARD fans over there!
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our brand new EP, it’s called “Autumnus”, in the meantime, wait for our debut full-length album.
‘Diamond Eyes’ (Lyric Video)
Who have been your greatest influences?
If you ask me, and only me; it’s a tricky question, it’s heavily panned, it can go from Bach to Jens Johansson, Hans Zimmer, Skrillex, DeadMau5, Armin Van Buuren, and so on and so forth…
Let’s not forget Nobuo Uematsu!
About the bands, I think… Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, Dark Tranquility, Lamb Of God, Amorphis, etc.
What first got you into music?
Since I was very little, I started playing piano (family, peer pressure, pianist grandpa), going to music schools, and having in-house teachers.
Later in my really early teen years, a friend of mine introduced me to STRATOVARIUS, I remember clearly saying the same thing every 90’s kid that got into synths said “how does this keyboard sound like a guitar? I wanna do that, it’s so cool”!
Yeah, before that, my father taught me some rock n roll bands, and mostly 70’s prog/rock bands… as usual, I guess!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?
You guessed it right, Jens Johansson!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Well, there’s Wacken, but the dream would be the Knotfest! Because of the atmosphere there. Metalheads coming from different part of the world to enjoy the music.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
A 1 year subscription to Netflix, and a bottle of snake rum *laughs*
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
It’s always darkest before bright, we’ll see you soon, hopefully!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Easy, BACH! He’s the first rockstar, contrary to popular belief.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Love: Creative brainstorm process, studio time, ideas exchange, when something sounds beautiful!
Hate: when HDD crashes, writer’s block, HDD crashes, again… oh, that’s so not cool *laughs*!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I would bring GIGGING BACK; oh, we miss those!
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
My all-time favourite; Throne of Chaos – “Menace & Prayer”.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Well, I was born in ‘87, and my youth was the 90’s, so I will have to go for CD’s!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
In words of our dear Hideo Kojima, the best is yet to come!
We’re looking forward to ending the current situation and headline the POST-PANDEMIC FEST, yeah, it would be a great name for a rock/metal fest, c’mon, it is! *laughs*
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Database Analyst, Big Data Splunker, Database Architect…oh yeah, it’s my current job, tends to be boring, but it’s fun, sometimes!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
This depends, do you want it to be a fun dinner party? or a highly formal dinner party?
If party mode is on; Ricky Gervais, Mozart, Salieri (just for the fun of the disputes), Alexi Laiho (RIP), Genghis Khan!
If formal mode; BACH, Charles de Gaulle, my Mom, Ivan the Terrible, and Sejong the Great.
What’s next for the band?
A ton of work, we’re recording what would be our first LP, and we’re very hyped about it, it’s gonna be kick-ass, that i can promise!
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
www.ancientsettlers.es/
www.facebook.com/AncientSettlers
www.instagram.com/ancientsettlers/
www.tiktok.com/@ancientsettlers
www.soundcloud.com/ancient-settlers
www.open.spotify.com/artist/2tnmS1TH4J9mA3UzCcPcpm
www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFjLIVTh4IBRFbnNzbuTdg
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Google told me they’re biscuit-sized cakes! so they’re a mutation of biscuits, and cakes too! You have the best of both worlds! Taste of cakes, portability of biscuits! IT’S A DARWINIAN MIRACLE!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks a lot for your time, this was great!
To all people out there, we’ll see you soon, don’t worry!
Don’t forget, biscuit-sized cakes are awesome!
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