Slatz is a unique artist, having been on the music scene for a long time. Over the years, he’s built up a fantastic reputation, and his latest release Synthwave Metal shows exactly why. It combines elements of electronica with metal, making for something really interesting. If you’ve not checked it out yet, a full stream can be found at the end of this interview.
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a new song called Synthwave Metal. What can you tell us about the track?
Synthwave Metal started as almost a joke. I had been hearing a lot of synthwave songs & thought they could build into something amazing, but most always let me down, they just stayed in their lane. I thought, what if I could mix brutal metalcore riffs with 80’s happy synthwave, and the idea just sort of grew from that.
I did write lyrics to it & had some crazy Tibetan chants throughout the intro, but I scrapped them & kept it as an instrumental as I feel the song really takes you on a journey without vocals, and I didn’t want to pollute that feel.
How has the reception to Synthwave Metal been so far, and where can it be purchased?
The reception has been amazing. I have received so many amazing comments on the song, shoutouts, shares and countless playlist adds. The music video has also had an amazing reception. There is no need to purchase it, Synthwave Metal is free on all streaming platforms & Youtube.
Synthwave Metal is really interesting, as it combines elements of electronica and metal together. Can we expect any other genre-crossing songs in the near future?
Yes for sure, I love the unexpected. If I had to stick to a single genre or style I would get bored. I find experimenting with different sounds and crossing genres within a single song really interesting. To be honest I didn’t expect Synthwave Metal to blend so well, so I will definitely be writing some more songs in a similar style
What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
I am most influenced by the 90s music that I grew up listening to and take a little from each band, it could be a Rage Against The Machine style riff, or a Linkin Park chorus, or a Mike Patton scream, or a Biohazard-style riff, or a Pennywise or punk style whoa or oi. The fact my inspiration pool is so deep and varied really makes songwriting a lot easier, as I am not confined to a certain sound or genre.
Lately I have been listening to a lot of hardcore, nu-metal & trap metal, such as Hyro the Hero, Wage War, The Weight of Silence, Lionheart and new Aussie artist Kim Dracula. But then I balance that out with some Deadmau5, The Beatles and Fisher.
The music video for Synthwave Metal is also very interesting. How did it all come about? What was the process like?
My son actually did the video for me. He goes by the name of Fox McGee & actually films & edits music videos for music artists. I simply said to him, think of Tron with a metal edge & this is what he came up with. When I first saw it I was blown away, it really takes you on a journey & matches perfectly to the music. What can I say, being creative is in the blood.
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Yes, I have already released 2 more singles since Synthwave Metal. Polarise ft Ben McLaughlin, and Flip the Script ft Dropout Kings & Adam Ramey. My next single drops on Oct 13 (Friday 13th), which is a collaboration with trap metal band The Weight of Silence, then November will be a song called Positive Hardcore ft Tanner Wayne from In Flames. I will be dropping a new song every month/6 weeks as I have a lot of songs already written. To keep up with new songs you can follow on Spotify or any of my social media channels.
Are there any plans to release an album or EP anytime soon?
Yes the album will drop in mid 2024, and will be a collection of singles I have already released, plus a few songs I will keep for the album. I prefer to release singles first then compile the album.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year?
Well I do love a good collaboration as you can probably see from the songs I have already written with some amazing artists. I have at least another albums worth of material already written plus am working on a song with Billy Graziadei from Biohazard.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Not at the moment. I am concentrating on writing & releasing more music & building my fan base. When the time is right I would love to come to the UK.
Any last words for the fans?
Just simply, support bands you like in anyway you can. Stream their music, follow them on Spotify & socials, buy an album or some merch every once in a while. Most smaller artists are independent, meaning they pay for the recording & promotion of their music. Yes we do it for the love of it, but every little bit helps. A comment here & there on socials goes a long way. Art, and in this case music is there to be enjoyed, so any appreciation is gladly accepted, and a share of a social post or telling your friends about a certain song means the world to us.
If you want to keep in contact you can follow me on any of the below & I look forward to meeting you all
▶Facebook: www.facebook.com…Music/
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▶TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@…_music
▶Threads: www.threads.net/…_music
▶Twitter: twitter.com/slat…zmusic
▶Official Website: http://www.slatz…ic.com
▶Spotify: open.spotify.com…ymLI5w
▶Apple Music: music.apple.com/…175579