Moonshade Interview 16/6/22
Who’s replying: Ricardo Pereira, Moonshade’s lead singer
MM:When you first came in contact with loud music and what was your first concert?
The movie Triple X featured Rammstein’s ‘Feur Frei’, and the music video always played on MTV when I was growing up. So one day, when I was about 11, I was zapping and just came across the video. The explosions, the fire, the music as only Rammstein knows how to do it - I was instantly hooked, so I annoyed my poor mother so she would buy me the album, ironically titled ‘Mutter’. My first rock/metal show was Rock In Rio 2008, with Kaiser Chiefs, Muse, The Offspring and Linkin Park.
MM: How did you get the band name
The name already existed when I auditioned, it was created by our current guitarist Pedro and our former drummer Cris. It’s a double entendre, meaning either a spectre in the moonlight, or the ‘shade’ provide by the moon during an eclipse.
MM:Why did you want to play in this genre of music
Its raw artistic expression. I know some metal bands can be a bit performative, but overall, metal is raw, visceral emotion, even when the sound is more polished. It’s the very essence of art.
MM: Who or what inspires you to write songs? What bands have inspired you the most?
Literature is my greatest source of inspiration. In this upcoming album, I put in a mix of greek philosophy and mythology, Renaissance philosophers, famous contemporary thinkers such as Noel Harari, and Richard Dawkins, and even some poetry. For the rest of the band, all art is inspiration, particularly other musicians, albeit not necessarily metal, as they’re all very eclectic, way more than me. We don’t really have favourite bands anymore, however, some of the names commonly thrown around the rehearsal room are Amon Amarth, Iron Maiden, Amorphis, Opeth, Rammstein, Dream Theater, Haken, Wintersun, those being some of our common tastes as musicians that inspire us a great deal.
MM:Can you tell us about your music that you have released so far?
The band's demo, 'The Path Of Redemption', was released online in 2011, shortly followed by the 'Dream | Oblivion' EP, our first physical release. In 2018 we released our first album 'Sun Dethroned', was released via Art Gates Records. In 2022 released the singles 'Epitaph', ‘Blood Of The Titans’, ‘Everlasting Horizons’ and ‘Artemis’, taken from our sophomore album 'As We Set The Skies Ablaze', to be released on July 22nd, 2022.
MM: Which places to play were important to you and why?
All of them, no exception. We played small shows for 40 people (sometimes less), and bigger shows to hundreds, we shared stages with many ranging from Within Temptation to underground bands that were weeks old. They’re all special, because that’s our history, and a good story can’t be written if the protagonist’s life is nothing but net and is on top of the world all the time. Our love goes to everyone who ever came out to support us, whether on a small club show or on bigger stages, or even online
MM: What was the weirdest show you ever played and why? feel free to name more than one, and don't withhold the details.
I wouldn’t call it weird, ‘awesome’ is a better word. During our show at River Stone Fest in Portugal, while opening for Omnium Gatherum, the audience in our show found a bunch of straw bundles and had an all out straw moshpit war that basically lasted until the end of the festival. It was beautiful!
MM: Are there any other types of music you would like to play with a band?
We never actually discussed it. Maybe it’s time!
MM: What can one expect if they go to one of your concerts?
Epic songs that will lift you up mixed with a no-bullshit punk rock attitude that will pump you up. Trust me, you’re gonna have a good time!
MM: Which festivals would you like to play at?
There is absolutely no major or minor European, Asian, African or American festival we wouldn’t love to play. Feel free to quote us on that to your local promoters!
MM: What are your plans for the future?
Our album will be releaed on June 22nd, and our goal is to promote the hell out of it – more promo, more shows, bigger shows, more online content for everyone to consume, basically make everyone know the meaning of the words ‘As We Set The Skies Ablaze’.
MM: Thanks for the interview. Is there anything else to add?
Moonshade’s entire discography is available on all streaming platforms, we have a bunch of cool videos on Youtube, and everything about us can be found on our website at https://www.moonshadeofficial.com . Cheers to everyone who read this interview, and to Metal Gods Meltdown for having me here, you guys rock!