9 Nasty Ones with ZARDONIC – October 2018

According to a recent press release: “Internationally renown Electronic Music Producer ZARDONIC has released the official music video for “Revelation,” the third reveal from his newest LP, Become, out 9/28/2018 on Entertainment One. The Venezuelan born producer once again showcases his unique mastery of bass heavy electronic production infused with heavy rock and metal, and brings the experience to life with a darkly aggressive music video for “Revelation.” We get Zardonic to discuss new music, influences, and much more in our 10 Quick Ones…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release. What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

The last track, “Libertadores”, has a Venezuelan Cuatro, which is a 4-string guitar-like Venezuelan folk instrument that resembles a concert Ukulele. It was purposely there because the track hints at the 2017 protests happening in Venezuela that ended with the destruction of the rebel hideout with Rocket Launchers with the rebels still inside after they had surrendered. Also, the “guitar” solos in “Transhuman” and “Army Of One” were played with synthesizers, particularly the Dave Smith Pro 2 and the Roland Gaia SH-01.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I’ve been making music (or at least trying to) ever since I can remember. I had a Casio small keyboard since I was 3 years old, and had an obsession with recording sounds and sampling things with a portable “my first Sony” recorder I got when I was about 5. My first official favorite artists were Antonio Vivaldi and George Benson, as my father played them in the car since I was born. Then somehow along the way my sophisticated musical taste went to shit when I heard late 80’s disco, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, and suddenly Pantera saved my ears as my brother played it while I was killing aliens on Duke Nukem 3D. Were it not for him I’d probably be a Venezuelan Michael Jackson impersonator.

3. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Trent Reznor, Devin Townsend, Nobuo Uematsu, Hans Zimmer, Trey Azagthoth.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be?

The Bloody Beetroots, without a shadow of a doubt. Absolutely love what they do.

5. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before?

Skrillex meets Slipknot. That was actually used as a marketing slogan by JVC Kenwood Victor Entertainment Corporation in Japan. Ever since it became a running gag with the team and we started making a few more: Benny Benassi meets Behemoth – Martin Garrix meets Machine Head – Paul Oakenfold meets Pantera – Ingrosso meets In Flames – Tiësto meets Testament – Dimitri Vegas meets Dimmu Borgir – Deadmau5 meets Death – Calvin Harris meets Cannibal Corpse – Hardwell meets Hatebreed – Armin Van Buuren meets At The Gates – Fedde Le Grand meets Five Finger Death Punch – And I’ll let the readers come up with more!

6. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

It always sounds better than what it is, but I think a lot of people don’t realize that once you actually turn this into your main source of income, it comes with a new set of problems. When you start making music, the only factor you have is your will to make it. Then comes your responsibility to make it. The contracts. The team you pay. And I am thankful for it every day, but I do miss the days when I was young and had no responsibilities. Making music was a pleasure while my parents were busting their asses off. But I guess that’s just not the way I’m made because I went out of my way to suffer my way up, even rejecting help from my family many times because I wanted to build my own path. And I did it, and I’m happy. I just didn’t know how much fun I was having back then. Being unsigned has its positives. Also, making music over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, well, Pablo Neruda said that even the most subtle things can sound tedious if repeated too often. I guess that’s when you have to reinvent yourself, and I’m kind of in that direction right now.

7. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I’m not sure. I wanted to be a Musician when I was a kid, so technically that was the dream job. But I also liked the idea of being a Paleonthologist so I guess that counts. Then I wanted to be a Chemist. Then I wanted to be a Programmer. Then an Electronic Engineer. Then a Journalist. And then I quit college for Music and here I am. Probably right now if I had to quit this, I’d just get a part-time job and do music on a side. I used to teach English and I loved the experience, especially the children. I’ve always dreamed of being a father so the experience of dealing with the younger ones teaches you a lot.

8. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”?

I think I should have waited a bit more before releasing my first records. They were just not relevant and not up to par. This still left a mark on some and first impressions count a lot. Regardless of how far I’ve taken the project right now, there’s still a couple key players in the scene that could be of great help and won’t even pay attention because they still think of the Zardonic of 2004, or the Zardonic of 2010. Fuck them though. Everyone changes and grows up and I also think it’s a bit unrealistic from them to believe that someone who is 33 years old right now will think the same way they did when they were 23, or 13. It’s like people expecting a band to sound the exact same way throughout their careers. People grow up, you know?

9. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Holy shit, that’s an awesome question and I never thought about that before! Probably I would be part of …And Justice For All, to do one single thing: lock Lars Ulrich in a room and let Steve Thompson actually do his job. Maybe we would have had a record where you can actually hear the bass. Nothing is more painful than working with a band like that. It doesn’t matter even if you’re Metallica. You hire an engineer, you let him do his job. You’re the drummer, not the engineer. He can’t play drums for you, you can’t mix for him. Sit there, play the drums, get the fuck out.

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Category: Interviews