INTERVIEW: Terra Mãe venture into experimental rock on new EP
Terra Mãe’s new EP is called Vontade que não morre. Image courtesy of the band / Provided by press rep with permission.
Terra Mãe, a Brazilian rock band from São Paulo, recently released their new EP, called Vontade que não morre, which is a decidedly more experimental sound for the group than previous recording efforts, according to an official press release. With these new compositions are hints of post-rock, math rock and alternative rock, and if these distinctions don’t mean anything to listeners, then they should simply sit back and enjoy the instrumentation.
Filling out the band are Igor Nogueira on guitar, Robson Rodrigues on drums and Gustavo Paschoalin on guitar. They put together Vontade during the pandemic, so in many ways this new direction could be credited with the downtime all musicians had while quarantining at home. Their new sound appears to be here to stay.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Terra Mãe. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How would you describe your sound to a new listener?
We would say it’s experimental with a lot of influences from math rock, post rock and alternative rock, and from bands like American Football, Underoath, Toe, Ventre. Also, we feel like most of our songs can be considered sad, and we play it kind of rough and calm. And it almost seems like the songs are “breathing.”
What can listeners expect from Vontade que não morre?
This EP is all instrumental, so it’s a new experience, even for us, because it’s our first work that is all instrumental. We like to hear all the instruments, so listeners can expect to hear loud drums and loud bass, and a lot of effects on the guitars. Also, there’s a lot of moments in all the songs that go from a calm part where there’s only one or two instruments, and then it completely changes to a heavy part with distortions and a lot of effects, all played really aggressively.
Do you believe this is a new phase for the band? What’s the future look like?
Yes, definitely. We feel like we have found our sound. This EP marks what our band means when it comes to music, not that it means that we are now an instrumental band. We have new songs in the works, and almost all of them have vocals. But we feel like we have found something that is ours, and from now on, we plan on evolving in this type of music.
How does the collaboration work amongst the three of you? How are decisions made?
We always talk about all matters. We rehearse every week, and when it ends, there’s always a kind of meeting to discuss everything we have to do for the band. All of us are heard, and we only reach a decision when all of us are happy with it. When it comes to sound, Gustavo is the main guy to create a base for a song. Then we start rehearsing that and seamlessly create a new song. It’s really fun and gratifying.
What’s the rock scene like in São Paulo?
There’s a lot of great bands in São Paulo and also a lot of great labels. Bands like Terno Rei, Menores Atos, Aiyé, Raça and much more, are really known all over the country, and they are very active in São Paulo city. Actually, we are from a countryside city named Campinas, and since it’s really close to São Paulo, people are more inclined to listen to bands from there. And we are still trying to be a part of this scene and get to know all those bands. We [had] a concert with Menores Atos in April, and we see it as an opportunity to try to be part of the scene alongside those bands. Also, it is always good playing with a bigger band, and we are sure that it will be a great experience.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Terra Mãe’s new EP is called Vontade que não morre. Click here for more information.
