“Music is both a way of expression and release for me, so it means
everything! Without it I die!”
There is something about Canada when it comes to ballsy metal.
Manacle is no exception to the rule. Forged in the underground metal scene of
Canada, Manacle are all about shackles, chains, studs, leather and pure metal
worship that will blow your mind. Founder and guitarist Inti Paredes talks to
Crystal Logic about everything…
Give us a detailed bio of
Manacle.
Inti: Manacle started sometime in 2013 as a trio, with myself on
guitar and singing lead vocals, Amar on bass and Matt on drums. Initially
started with the intent of being a speed metal band like the first Exciter
album, or Agent Steel, we kind of just naturally turned into a more melodic
heavy metal band that plays fast. We’ve gone through a few line-up changes
since the inception but the idea and direction for the band remains the same. We
managed to record ‘No Fear To Persevere’ in the end of 2016 and sat on it
through a few line-up changes, among other complications with the album release, until now. The band currently sits with
myself on guitars, Shawn on bass, Spannah on drums and Jesse on vocals.
How do you compose a
Manacle song? Do you have a specific idea, do you jam or it comes naturally in
the studio?
Inti: Typically I have a lyric or melody idea come to me and start
from there. I have a bunch of riffs in the old riff bank and it’s just a matter
of arranging them in a way that sounds good to me. I like trying to jam out
song ideas as well; usually I’ll just play a riff or two and see where it goes
from there.
Give is few notes on each
song of your first album.
Fight For Your Life – Opening track, I really clean/acoustic
type intros, one of our older songs and typically a show opener.
Tears Of Wrath – This is the song that made me get a real singer,
when I wrote the music I couldn’t play guitar and sing it. Kevin’s vocals are
amazing on this track. I was working a shipping receiving job, and a friend there
was talking and he said “tears of wrath” joking about something, I thought it
would be a great song title!
Journey’s End – Longest song on the album. Don’t let your life pass
you by!
Live Fast Die Fast – The oldest Manacle song, I wrote a couple of
these riffs when I was briefly in Axxion with the intention of making it a song.
When I started Manacle I turned it into a full song.
Witches Hallow – I can’t remember whose idea it was to have the drum
solo, maybe John Dinsmore or Jason Decay. This is a song we jammed out together
in a rehearsal.
Stand Tall – We didn’t originally have the intention of recording
this track. It was something we were still working on at the time, but Jason
convinced us to try and record it and we finished writing it in the studio
actually! Jason is part of the back-up vocals at the end.
How was the recording
process of 'No Fear To Persevere' and how did you end up with Olof Wikstrand of
Enforcer for mixing and mastering?
Inti: Jason Decay from Cauldron is a friend of ours and has helped
us out a bunch over the years. Essentially, he knew John Dinsmore from doing
previous Cauldron recordings, and recommend we book time at his studio. Jason
was down in the studio helping us out, I wanna call him our unofficial “co-producer”
since he didn’t want the official credit! John is also a really good engineer
who taught us so much and had way too much patience! Haha… The studio was a
great time because we were all really stoked to finally be in the studio, it
was late August and the weather was scorching hot, and we were hungry with
something to prove! We were sweating buckets but we finished it in a weekend.
Olof is a friendly acquaintance but also a close friend of Cauldron,
so it came together the same way. Olof nailed the sound we were going for and I
couldn’t be happier with how it sounds, not to mention all the other great
albums he’s mixed.
Your musical inspirations
are quiet obvious and they are from 80s US heavy power speed metal legends like
Omen, Savage Grace, Agent Steel, but also classic bands like Judas Priest. What
made you start playing music and what metal means for you?
Inti: Something about music, rock music, heavy metal, it just
clicked for me! When I was younger I looked up to the guitar heroes of my
favourite bands and it definitely inspired me to play. Randy Rhoads was a big
motivator; and Judas Priest was a huge discovery as well. I also think Canada
has such a good library of rock and metal that it was easy to be influenced by Canadian
classics. I think particularly watching music videos also made me think, “whoa!
This is so cool, I want to do this. I CAN do this!” I had some friends who were
also starting to play music around the same time and that helped me learn to
play.
Music is both a way of expression and release for me, so it means
everything! Without it I die!
There is a new wave of
metal bands coming from United States and Canada with Gatekeeper, Eternal
Champion, Visigoth and more. How is the current metal scene in North America
and Canada? Which bands do you distinguish? It appears that there is something
boiling and ready to explode but do you think that it will break through or it
will remain underground?
Inti: I think it’s hard to say. Sometimes I feel like metal is
becoming popular again and everything is big, lots of shows and bands, and then
suddenly everything dries up for a bit and suddenly no one is around. If
anything I think I don’t think it’s boiling over, but simmering down and
becoming more concentrated. I’m more involved in what’s going on in Canada, so
the bands I’m distinguishing are Spell, Barrow Wight, Possessed Steel, Emblem,
Cellphone… Canada has lots of great bands, but we could always use more, the
big cities in North America are too far apart. and maybe a few more fans while
we are at it.
However, speaking of
underground, do you think that underground can be the new mainstream and what's
your view on "underground" and heavy metal music nowadays? There are
many new traditional metal bands out there, various festivals appear
everywhere, older bands reunite (even with just one "cult" album),
there is a vinyl hype, cassette tapes return and everything 80s-related seems
cool...
Inti: I think the underground could become the new mainstream, but
it would take a lot to get it there. In the 80’s heavy metal was advertised on
a mainstream level like pop music. If they gave it that kind of treatment
again, I’m sure it would rise …although I don’t necessarily think it would be
the best thing…
My view: Too much hype on everything!
What does it take for a
new metal band to survive?
Inti: I’ll let you know if I survive!
The world is changing.
Society is changing. Politics and extreme ideas are rising. Do you think that
metal music should raise a voice and take place?
Inti: Absolutely, music is the common language that unites us and I
strongly believe we can make a positive difference in the world through it. Music
and the arts have always been at the forefront of social change and there is no
reason that should stop now. Things like the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert,
Moscow Peace Festival, Hear N Aid, Rock Against Racism, Live AID , etc. are some examples or music raising its voice
for noble causes and I think we need more of that today.
What will you do if you
will find out that a member of one of the bands you love supports extreme ideas
or will be convicted for a hateful crime?
Inti: Probably will be the end of that band for me, I can’t separate
the politics from the music. But there’s also that Dave Holland thing? I guess
we just tell ourselves he was a secondary member that didn’t matter and that he
was out of the band anyways...
Then you start talking about how good Scott Travis is and Racer X or
something instead… Les Binks was really good too!
I know that you are also
running a metal record store and label in Canada. It seems that metal is your
life but how easy or difficult is to survive?
Inti: I co-founded and ran Stained Class Records for 1 year (I no
longer work there), I’ve been doing the label for a few years now and playing
in bands, DJing, promoting shows and doing anything I can! Metal is my life and
I love it, sometimes it feels like a lot, and there’s not much money in it…but
what else would I rather do?
Where do you place Manacle
in the current metal scene and what should we expect from you in the near
future?
Inti: I’d place us in the bottom right now, but that’s not a bad
thing, I’m hoping to play a lot more show this year and record a 7” soon before
beginning work on a new album.
Are you still going to see
Judas Priest without KK and Glenn?
Inti: I did! Priest will always be my favourite band, and I have the
feeling this may be one of their last tours. Of course it’s not the same
without KK and Glen, but what other choice do I have since I missed the glory
days! They were still great and I regret nothing, long live the Priest!
Photo by Kimo Verkindt
No Fear To Persevere is out now on No Remorse Records
