EMQ’s With Nate of CANDOR ZEALOT
EMQ’s With CANDOR ZEALOT
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
My name is Nate, singer/guitarist from CANDOR ZEALOT, a prog rock/metal creative writing & recording project that came out of the ashes of my previous band, The Slyde, with the intention to continue creating music together.
How did you come up with your band name?
Dino texted me the name and the meaning behind it, and I immediately checked to see if the .com and the name was already used. In a way, the latter point more or less sealed the deal – it’s incredibly difficult to come up with a band name that hasn’t been used already!
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We are all scattered around Ontario, Canada. There’s a healthy metal + rock scene in Toronto, though naturally less prominent in the smaller markets and scenes. Though everyone knows Montreal and Quebec is where rock and metal thrive the most in Canada.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
We released our debut single “Lie For Country” in January 2026, and recently released our follow-up “All For You” in June. We plan to release our 3rd single in August, and the remaining EP sometime in the Fall of 2026.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Personally, my trifecta of musical influence for guitar playing specifically has already been: David Gilmour, John Petrucci, and Don Ross. But I’m also very eclectic and like and pull from a lot of different styles.
What first got you into music?
I think a love for music was always inherent in me from a young age. The medium resonated with me: I always loved listening to the radio when I was very young, and getting songs and earworms stuck in my head. I think the idea of being a music performer was more exciting to be, even before deciding what instrument I would want to pick up and learn.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Always a difficult question, but hypothetically, working with David Gilmour would be pretty cool.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Well, as a slight flex, I already performed at Wacken Open Air, but Hellfest in France would be fun. I’d also like to have another opportunity to perform at Ottawa Bluesfest.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Funny enough, don’t think I’ve ever received anything weird…!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Thanks for caring about what we do!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chuck Schuldiner. He died way too soon. Fuck cancer.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love getting to do what I love to do. Because if you’re not having fun, why do it in the first place? However, I don’t love all the self-doubt and inner struggles that artists have to deal with daily.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I think the absolute digitization and subsequent demonetization of music has completely changed everything, both in big and small ways. It’s such a double-edged sword, and I wish that music still had the perceived value that it had before 1995.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Barenaked Ladies – Gordon. A front-to-back for me.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
I’m biased, but CDs for me.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
The aforementioned Wacken Open Air was a highlight, despite the weather that almost derailed the show, but it’s hard to articulate what “best” means for a gig that you play. I’ve done so many different kinds of performances with different artists and bands of various styles and genres, so it’s hard to pinpoint just one.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I’d likely do some other form of entrepreneurship.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Would probably stick to close friends and family on this one.
What’s next for the band?
We’re keeping things within a realistic scope. We just want to write and record music that we love to create, in hopes that others can hear it and share that enjoyment with us.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
There’s our website: http://candorzealot.com – and to streamline things, all our socials are under @candorzealot
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
Round piece of bread? Like, a bun?!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks for giving us a small piece of the digital spotlight with us. Cheers!
