EMQ With vocalist Vlad of Metasoma
EMQ With vocalist Vlad of Metasoma
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hi there. I’m Vlad, lead vocalist for Metasoma.
We’re a heavy metal band from London, founded in 2009 by Misiek Es on rhythm guitar. We’ve had several line-up changes since then, but over the years the band has solidified with the addition of new talent: Bolo on bass, Joe on drums and Artek on lead guitar.
Through relentless work, we always aim to deliver an explosive show. Mixing old and new influences, from Alter Bridge’s melodic songwriting to Pantera’s violence and power, alongside more traditional elements of hard rock and American heavy metal, we have forged our own style.
We have an album, several singles and a few EPs under our belts. They all feature music that we proudly perform throughout the UK and Europe. With our upcoming EP, Core, we hope to go even further.
How did you come up with your band name?
The name Metasoma comes from the anatomy of a scorpion. It refers to the tail, and the idea was to create music that stings and sticks with you.
What country or region are you from, and what is the metal and rock scene like there?
We come from different parts of the world.
I’m Romanian, and the metal and rock scene there is full of talent, amazing artists and crazy crowds itching for a fun night at a live show. Unfortunately, it is also underrated, underappreciated and not promoted as much as it should be.
Our drummer, Joe, is English. As for the scene over here, let’s just say it isn’t easy, especially when you are an unknown band. People are often happy to spend up to £50 in a pub but are unwilling to spend £10 on a ticket to see bands they don’t know.
Misiek, Artur and Bolo are all from Poland, and the situation there looks better. More people come to gigs, and we have played some amazing shows there. Poland also has an increasing number of festivals attracting major names, including Pol’and’Rock Festival, previously known as Woodstock Festival Poland, Mystic Festival and Summer Dying Loud.
What is your latest release? Album, EP, single or video?
We released a music video for the song “Omen” on 5 July. Shortly afterwards, we’ll be releasing our newest EP, Core, on 2 August.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Each of us has a different musical background, so there is a mixture of genres that I think you can hear in our music.
That being said, we always try to outdo our previous song, whether consciously or subconsciously.
To name a few bands, In Flames, Sylosis, Lamb of God, Spiritbox and Architects have all been playing through our headphones recently.
What first got you into music?
Before becoming musicians, I think we were all music fans, so the first answer that comes to mind is: other music.
There was perhaps a sense of rebellion. During those teenage years, maybe we needed something that allowed us to shout at someone. Most of all, music gave us somewhere to pour our energy and creativity.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?
Very good question. It’s the kind of question that makes your brain jump from one name to another.
At this moment, I would say Architects. Their latest work is amazing, and we are fairly local to them!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
As many as possible, haha!
Currently, Rockstadt Extreme Fest has been buzzing around our brains. It is a huge and beautifully organised festival. On a personal level, it also takes place in my home country of Romania, so performing there would be a real treat.
We would also love to play Pol’and’Rock Festival. It is one of the biggest festivals in Europe, and we apply to play it every year, so hopefully one day it will happen.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
A set of very detailed pictures… and I’ll leave it at that.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We hope you all know how much we love seeing you at our shows, having fun and leaving the pressures of daily life outside the venue doors.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Again, brilliant question.
In my case, it would be Chester Bennington. I have always felt that Chester, Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain and the many others who left us far too soon still had so much more to bring to music.
When I heard Chester featured on Mark Morton’s “Cross Off”, I distinctly remember feeling sad because we would never get to hear more from him.
What do you enjoy most about being a musician, and what do you hate?
It’s the same answer to both: touring.
I love the destination and everything that happens when we arrive, but in equal measure, I hate the process of getting there.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The current mentality of many of the people in charge. It creates a vicious circle in which the music itself seems to matter less and less.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums.
In Flames – Sounds of a Playground Fading.
For whatever reason, it still resonates with me to this day.
What’s best: vinyl, cassettes, CDs or downloads?
They all have a place.
Vinyl has a certain prestige that will probably never be topped. Cassettes and CDs have a nostalgia factor that will always be there for my generation, while downloads have practicality working in their favour.
There is a time and place for all of them.
What’s the best gig you have played to date?
Laurus Nobilis Music Famalicão Festival in Portugal in 2024.
It was our first show with the new line-up, and it felt right on so many levels. We received the opportunity to perform there completely by chance and were asked to headline the smaller stage.
We didn’t expect too many people to come and see us because another band was performing on one of the other stages at the same time. However, we still attracted a good crowd and received a great reaction.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Paying a psychologist every month!
Seriously, though, referring back to the earlier question about the music industry, I don’t think that in today’s economy you can be solely a musician unless you are at the very top, play music at events or perform in circumstances you are not particularly passionate about.
You usually need a day job to fund your passion. In my case, that is graphic design.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Corey Taylor, Fred Durst, Eminem, Dave Grohl and Jonathan Davis, with my father as a bonus guest.
I would then sit back and enjoy the show with an infinite bucket of popcorn.
What’s next for the band?
The music video for “Omen” was released on 5 July, followed by the release of our newest EP, Core.
We’ll also be performing a live set on the main stage at Northants Rocks Festival on 25 July, followed by six live shows in Poland during the autumn.
In the meantime, there will be more songwriting and other related shenanigans.
What social media or website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Metasoma.Metal
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/metasomaband
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/Metasoma
Bandcamp:
https://metasoma.bandcamp.com/
Time for a very British question. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread commonly found in the UK a bap, barm cake, batch, bun, cob, muffin, roll or tea cake?
Very British indeed!
I would say “bap”, although I do love how tasty “muffin” sounds as well.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for having us.
To our fans: stay tuned. We have more material coming, and one of those releases will be a “Shock”!