A Dirty Dozen with LUIS DIAS from MOONSHADE – June 2022

According to a recent press release: “Moonshade will release their second album As We Set The Skies Ablaze on July, 22nd 2022. After releasing the singles “Epitaph” and “Blood Of The Titans,” “Everlasting Horizons” is the third single from Moonshade’s sophomore album. The song is now available on all major streaming platforms. This song was taken from Moonshade’s upcoming album As We Set the Skies Ablaze, out July 22nd. Album pre-orders are already available.” We get guitarist Luis to discuss new music, influences, and more…

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 you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Well, lyrically speaking, this record covers a quite broad range of the problems that our society is passing through and can be passing through in the future. We felt (and feel) that it was essential to address and create awareness about them through our music, so don’t expect fantasy, mythological or sci-fi based themes. Musically speaking I would say that this record followed the natural evolution of the band, both composition and production wise: it is more epic, heavier, more melodic and more progressive, and I think I can speak for all the band members that we’re really proud of the outcome of this record. Well, now addressing your question, I would say, personally speaking, that our lyrics are definitely not straightforward and that a listener of our music should be quite entertained decoding the complex lyrics that Ricardo does.

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

I think that I’ve always enjoyed music and I remember quite well that Linkin Park was my favorite band when I was between 6 and 10 years old. Then, at the beginning of my teenage years (10 to 12 years old, more or less) I got into Guitar Hero 3 and that changed my whole life. That game introduced me to a lot of new cool bands and I still remember to this day that I decided to learn to play the guitar and become a musician when I got to the final boss of the game, the song “Through the Fire and Flames” by Dragonforce. That song fascinated me for the fast, melodic and technical playing of Herman Li and Sam Totman and the desire to become really fast and technical was what kept me motivated to really practice in my first years of playing the guitar.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Well, I think that I answered this question in the previous one, but bands and musicians that I could site as being really important in my musical vocabulary would be Joe Satriani, Marty Friedman, Greg Howe, Frank Gambale, Michael Romeo (and Symphony X), Kiko Loureiro (and Angra), John Petrucci (and Dream Theater), Haken and Opeth. Nowadays I’m exploring other sounds and I’ve been listening more to Brazilian, Jazz, Electronical and Experimental music. Bands and musicians such as João Gilberto, Milton Nascimento, Sammy Rae, Allan Holdsworth, Jean-Michel Jarre, Muse and The Dear Hunter.

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

I could list an endless number of idols I have to be honest but having Tom Englund from Evergrey and Floor Jansen from Nightwish sing in one of our records would be just phenomenal, because they simply have the best voices ever! Also, I think it would be really fun to collaborate with our good buddies from Dark Oath.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Well, I have a day-to-day job that I quite enjoy: I work with lasers and do laser development and that is something that I really enjoy doing. Also I really like playing football, reading and having long walks. Apart from that, I am a family and friends-oriented person, so I try to enjoy most of my free time with them.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

I would say that our music is a more progressive approach to the more melodic side of death metal. Well, we often used to be compared to Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquility and Insomnium and that used to be quite funny. Even though those three bands greatly influenced the early sound of the band I think that we parted from being “similar to” to having a unique, distinct identity.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Fernando is definitely a great cook!! I would say between Fernando and Pedro. Even though this might sound funny, it is usually Ricardo that picks up the acoustic and starts to sing.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

To be honest, personally speaking, I really got starstruck very recently when I went to see The Neal Morse Band over in Barcelona in the Innocence and Danger tour and watched their guitar player, Eric Gillette. The guy plays incredibly well and sings incredibly well. What a talented musician he is!

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

The best part of being a musician is to create and share art that comes from such a deeply emotional side of us with our friends, personally speaking. Music creates really strong bonds and makes the world infinitely better and happier. Well, even though I have my day to day job I couldn’t live without the guitar and without being a musician, so I really don’t know how to answer this.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Well, to me, not particularly. I don’t feel I am that special to have a desire for interviewers to ask me a particular question. And I don’t feel bothered to ask question even if they are repeated.

11. 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,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I’m not the type of person that goes by living with regrets. We’re always learning, and mistakes are essential to do so. So yeah, I don’t have any regrets in my life.

12. 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?

Actually I wouldn’t change anything on the records I like. To me they are perfect as they are and the records I don’t like I just don’t care enough to have a sensation that I would change anything. Music should stay as envisioned by the artist.

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Category: Interviews