A Dirty Dozen with NATE SILVA from CANDOR ZEALOT – July 2026

According to a recent press release: “Progressive metal upstarts Candor Zealot continue their ambitious 2026 singles campaign with the release of their second track, “All For You.” Rather than releasing a traditional album, Candor Zealot is unveiling six singles throughout 2026, each spotlighting a different facet of their melodic, progressive, and socially aware sound. The band aims to build momentum one track at a time, embracing modern listening habits while maintaining the depth and musicianship of classic prog and metal. Formed in Ottawa by vocalist / guitarist Nate Silva, Candor Zealot emerged from the dissolution of his previous project, The Slyde, whose members won Wacken Metal Battle Canada 2019 and performed at Wacken Open Air. After years of pandemic delays, academic pursuits, and a brief detour into alternative rock, Silva returned to his progressive roots, reuniting with drummer Dino Soares and bassist Alberto Campuzano, formerly of Annihilator, who also performs with Toronto’s Metallica tribute act Sandman, and recruiting Ottawa multi‑band guitarist Chris Gagnon.” We get Nate 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?

We just released our 2nd single, “All For You,” on June 23 2026. I think an uninitiated listener might not catch all for our musical influences that went into this track upon the first few listens. When listening to the chorus, the obvious ones are bands like Linkin Park and Bring Me The Horizon. And our instrumental middle section is relatable to Dream Theater’s double solo sections. But when it came to crafting the bigger rhythm guitar sounds, Gojira was a big influence for me on this one.

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

I think the desire hit me pretty early in my life, even before picking up a guitar. I was fascinated with the performative aspect of music when I was young. When I started going to punk shows as a teenager in the small town I grew up in, I always had the thought of, man, I want to be on that stage, playing music in front of people – not here in the crowd.

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

Spiritually and in terms of attitude, James Hetfield, all the way.

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

Tough question, but I’d love to work with Billie Joe Armstrong. He’s a songwriting genius.

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

I’m a huge video game nerd and enthusiast. My video game collection is basically a non-liquid asset. It’s incredibly unhealthy behaviour.

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?

Our bio says “for fans of RUSH, BILLY TALENT, and MEGADETH”, which I feel is a fair place to put us, but I’m biased and feel we’re a bit more than that if you listen carefully. I don’t ever really disagree with any sort of press or feedback I’ve ever received in my 20+ years as a songwriter. Any attention is good!

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?

We all live in different cities, so socializing in a physical space is limited for us. But speaking from a hypothetical standpoint, I’d be cooking; Dino would definitely be in charge of the drinks and Chris would probably be the one to pluck away on an acoustic.

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

I met Mike Portnoy after his Sons of Apollo set in Toronto back in early 2020. That was cool.

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?

Aside from the obvious of doing something that you love, I think having the flexibility with self-employment is the best part about it. It never really feels like work. If I couldn’t be a musician, I’d probably still be some sort of entrepreneur.

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?

This is a hard one! Perhaps, “How do you feel about your first Billboard #1 hit?” (laughs)

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?

Ummm…without going into too much detail, there was an incident early on in my career (I was 19) where I probably shouldn’t have expressed my emotionally-charged thoughts to a particular person who works in the business. It’s probably a nothingburger, and wouldn’t have made much of a difference either way, but I take the positives from that experience and tried to learn from it moving forward.

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?

It would be cool to be a fly on the wall during The Dark Side Of The Moon recording sessions. I can thank my father for showing me Pink Floyd – it really shaped my approach to guitar phrasing and tonality.

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Category: Interviews