Interview: Raider
Canadian Death/Thrashers Raider have just unveiled their debut full-length album to the world this month, following up on the 2018 demo Urge To Kill with the release of Guardian of the Fire. Raider’s frontman, Angelo Bonacorso, answered a few questions about the band and the new album.
Guardian of the Fire is actually your first full-length, what are some ideas that went into the making of this album?
Musically: we wanted this record to introduce something fresh to death-thrash. What we came up with is something heavy, catchy, and original. We wanted to pay homage to our forebears but the only way to truly do that is to bring something new to the table.
There is an overarching theme to Guardian of the Fire, can you talk about the concept behind it?
Thematically: this record is about conquering everything that stands between us and the truth. Everyday we are deceived by others for their own gain and more potently deceived by ourselves…truth is above all things and must be held high in the face of our demons.
You make a point of mentioning that your music is in “E Standard”, can you explain what makes that an unusual choice for the style you play?
Typically, extreme metal is downtuned. The reason for this choice is the effect it has on the overall sound: it gives the riffs a clearer voice and makes them brighter in the mix.
You’ve had some lineup changes since the band first began a few years ago, what is it about this current lineup that clicked and made it the right time for a full-length?
The core band has been myself (Angelo), Gabriel, Kevin, and Brandon for most of its existence. We have had friends fill in on second guitar for the most part but we finally decided that Ira is the right fit for our sound and we are now a complete five-piece.
Every track on Guardian of the Fire (but especially the title track), has such a broad, epic sound. Can you give some insight into the studio and what went into the recording (gear, tone, production, etc. – anything that stood out to you in the process)?
We recorded in a home studio: Nomadic Arts. Our good friend Alex Snape produced and recorded this record with us there.
Wesley Raffan may not be a household name, but he’s a photographer with a cool history of connection to the metal world – shooting bands like Sepultura, Slayer, and Metallica live and in studio – how did he get involved with Raider and your album photos?
Wes is the man, we met him while he was shooting a show here in Waterloo where we are both from and ended up clicking really well. It was really fun and cool to hear some old school stories about his time in Brazil with Sepultura. We had a great time shooting with him at Thak Ironworks here in town. It’s really great when people of different worlds come together to collaborate and create something cool. In this case: metal, photography, and iron forging!
Though you are new and original, it’s clear you have some classic metal influences – what are some bands that have inspired you?
Annihilator, Demolition Hammer, Carcass, Kreator, Testament, Cannibal Corpse… the list goes on.
What’s on your personal playlist, what are some bands/artists you’ve been into lately?
Paladin’s debut album: Ascension was unbelievable. Visigoth, Xoth, Rimfrost, Baest, and of course we are always cranking our local brothers in Invicta and Cathartic Demise.
Tell me about the music video for “Bound by No Fate” – it feels like a short film with shots of you guys playing mixed in – what’s the story behind the video and how was it to make?
We had a blast shooting that video. We had already collaborated with Rob from Thak Ironworks before for our band photos and had the idea to shoot a music video there. Rob actually plays the king in the video and he is the forgemaster! Working together with Michael Amaral and a bunch of our friends we came up with the idea for the video. The song is about forging your own fate (no pun intended) and reclaiming the path that is rightfully yours.
What’s on the horizon for Raider?
We are using the current state of world affairs to work on new music and promote the album as much as possible. Soon, when this all evens out and everyone is back playing shows, best believe we are going to be at the front of that line ready to play new songs for everyone. We plan to tour as much as we can when this is over and we are actively exploring those opportunities in the meantime. Thanks so much for reading and be sure to check out our socials for updates on new show dates and music!
Find more on Raider at all the following locations:
https://raiderofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQETkX8YfPhoYzraYpI_ew?
www.instagram.com/raider.official
https://open.spotify.com/artist/58IxOcAG2DyT1rHOxdHQyf?si=QqKRcj-yTS67Xbcx0H0O-Q