EMQ’s With Ivory Gates

EMQ’s With Ivory Gates

Hi everyone.! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Brazilian Progressive Metal/ Heavy Rockers, Ivory Gates. Huge thanks to their Bassist, Hugo Mazzotti, 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? 

I´m Hugo Mazzotti, bass player (and cellist for the first 2 albums). I formed the band with Matheus Armelin (guitarist) in the year of 2000 with the desire to create music with our influences from the 70’s and 80’s with a progressive and heavy approach. Since then, more than 20 years and five albums, we are still firmly on the path of Heavy Rock. 

How did you come up with your band name? 

A friend of ours who knew we loved the band Fates Warning came up with the idea for the name Ivory Gates based on the song ‘The Ivory Gate of Dreams’.  That simple. 

What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there? 

We are a Brazilian band, from the São Paulo region. The rock scene here is somewhat strong, but mainly for the more extreme styles (Sepultura, Krisium) or melodic Power Metal (Angra, Shaman). For Ivory Gates’ style of music, more focused on traditional and progressive Heavy Metal, it’s much smaller. But it was the path we chose. 

What is your latest release? 

The album “Behind the Wall”, released in the year of 2022 by Green Bronto Records. 

Who have been your greatest influences? 

Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Fates Warning and Kansas are the main bands that have influenced Ivory Gates since day one. Personally, Steve Harris (number 1), John Entwistle, Gary Thain & Geezer Butler. 

What first got you into music? 

When KISS came to Brazil, in the year of 1983, I discovered a new kind of music. Love at first listen. And I never looked back since then. 

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be? 

With the band, Mercyful Fate for sure. With a musician, Kerry Livgren (Kansas), Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon) or Lou Taylor (former Satan/Blind Fury singer).

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why? 

Wacken Open Air. Nowadays there’re some great festivals (Sweden Rock, Hellfest and Keep it True to name a few) but Wacken is the one! 

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be? 

There are only two types of music: the good and the bad. keep your mind always open to good music. 

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be? 

Ronnie James Dio, the greatest metal singer of all time. 

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate? 

Playing live is the best part for sure. The worst, perhaps, is the feeling of not playing as I would like and knowing that this quest will never end 

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be? 

This is a very difficult question to answer. I believe that the industry is first and foremost a business for profit and that it is what it is because of the way people consume music. If people now want streaming, the industry will always try to offer it to the public in a way that can make the most profit possible. Of course, I would like more support for artists etc, but that’s not the real world. 

Name one of your all-time favourite albums? 

“Powerslave” (Iron Maiden), “Awaken the Guardian” (Fates Warning), “Don’t Break the Oath” (Mercyful Fate) and “Out of Reach” (Blind Fury). I can’t choose just one out of these four.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads? 

I don’t believe there is a right answer, but my preference today is vinyl, more for the artistic aesthetics. In terms of sound, with a good stereo, all formats are good. 

What’s the best gig that you have played to date? 

It’s a hard answer, but one show that comes to mind right away is opening for Angra a few years ago. The audience response to Ivory Gates’ songs was simply amazing 

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing? 

This is a question that has already been answered in my daily life. I work as a safety engineer in fire protection matters 

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party? 

Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Jim Matheos, Joey Vera and King Diamond. 

What’s next for the band? 

To finish a series of compositions that we already have for an upcoming album. Our intention is not to take that long for another Ivory Gates release. 

What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people? A. 

https://ivorygatesofficial.bandcamp.com
https://spoti.fi/3KLO3d3
https://facebook.com/ivorygatesoficial/
https://youtube.com/c/IvoryGates

Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?

Obviously, this is a very difficult question for me. By research my answer is “a Bun a Cob”. If it’s wrong, blame it on Google. LOL 

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add? 

Mainly thank you, Ever Metal UK, for the opportunity to talk a little about Ivory Gates. And it’s also important to highlight the work and support that labels like Green Bronto Records do supporting artists to show their music to a wider audience. That’s what makes the scene exist and, in the not so distant future, when the big names, unfortunately, are no longer here, metal will live on. And for the general public, give new artists a chance. How knows your future favourite band isn’t hiding somewhere on Spotify, just waiting to be heard?

Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.