You can read this post in:
Português
PARALLEL MINDS is a super interesting project combining metal, classical melodies, and different cultural influences. We had a chat with Stéphane, who told us about the album’s self-production, the importance of working with references from different cultures, the special collaborations on the record, the band’s perspective on the current global scene, and a bit about why it’s still worth going against the grain in the music industry.
Firstly, I would like to thank you for accepting our invitation for an interview. As your first interview, could you tell our readers a little about the band and how you got into the music industry?
Thanks for having us! To answer your question… we’re NOT in the music industry. I mean, we take the Parallel Minds project very seriously, but we’re a small indie band and all of us have day jobs.
How did the idea of combining heavy sounds, “classical” melodies, and influences from different cultures come about in Parallel Minds?
It all came together naturally. Greg and I share many influences, ranging from Mr. Big to Death, which gives us a broad palette for shaping our sound. He represents the progressive side, while I bring the more aggressive, thrashy energy. Composing as a duo allows us to merge these approaches into a cohesive final sound. The ethnic aspect is the consequence of the concept this time, but even for the other albums, we always try to make the music and the theme match. We don’ t write random lyrics for a song, the topic and the music have to work together.
You define Cairn as a kind of sonic and visual journey around the world; what was the starting point for this concept and why did you choose the metaphor of a “cairn” (pile of stones)?
I’ve had the idea for this whole concept in mind for over 20 years. Being a passionate traveler, the idea of the cairn naturally came to me as a way to combine both concepts: the idea of an inner journey and exploring different cultures.
What are the main references that shape the sound of Parallel Minds today: Iced Earth, Dream Theater, Myrath, etc., or are there more obscure influences that the audience may not be familiar with? I feel a very modern and very different vibe, which often reminds me of something close to extreme metal and also power metal, without sounding like that affected sound (and I’m a big fan of power metal), and there’s even room for a folk song at the end of the album.
As I said, we have a very wide range of influences, even beyond the metal scene. We love all the bands you mentioned, and yes, Iced Earth and Dream Theater are definitely major influences.
You could also add Symphony X, Nevermore, or Blind Guardian — bands that don’t stick to a single, precise genre, just like us.
Cairn is a self-produced album; what are the advantages and risks of maintaining total control over the sound, art, and narrative of the album?
The main risk for us is that no one hears the huge amount of work we put into the music ^_^ We’re quite control freaks, so we love managing every creative aspect, and since we have all the skills within the band, we just keep doing it album after album.
Another risk would be never stopping and constantly changing things. But we’re fairly wise about it — we know when to stop working on a song and accept being “only” 99% satisfied. ^_^
In Cairn, you cite influences from African, Asian, Celtic, and other cultures; how do you choose which peoples and musical traditions to incorporate into each song without slipping into superficial appropriation?
I have a never-ending document full of themes and stories for future songs. At one point, I had around twenty potential ideas, and with Greg we decided which countries and cultures would be the most interesting to explore musically. It had to be something easily recognizable for the listener.
After that, he did a great job researching harmonies and choosing which instruments would work best.
I also tried to involve as many guest musicians as possible to keep an authentic touch. Unfortunately, it was more difficult than I expected, but we still managed to do it well — especially on Orishas, with the incredible female singer who performs the central part of the song.
Talking about non-Western and non-white cultures, I’m fascinated by this work, especially because it completely breaks away from logic of the market, as well as bringing other elements to the world of metal. How did this idea of giving more exposure to these people come about?
It’s because we don’t follow any logic and we don’t care about the market. ^_^We just write what we love and what we don’t hear in other bands. After letting this idea grow for 20 years, it finally felt like the right moment to do it.
What is it like to divide creativity between Stéphane and Grégory, given that you yourselves say that “two minds work together as one”? Who usually takes the lead in terms of lyrics, riffs, or song structure?
Steph : Greg usually comes with riff driven and more complete songs. On my side, I provide him with a solid skeleton, with overall dynamics Greg generally writes more riff-oriented and fully structured songs. As for me, I provide a solid framework with the overall dynamics and vocal melodies. What’s interesting is that we each bring ideas that sometimes feel “unnatural” to the other, which creates a very healthy and productive creative process.
Sufero features collaborations with artists from Togo and other regions; what was it like to work with musicians from such different backgrounds, and what role did they play in shaping the sound of the album?
You may talk about Orishas. The guest musicians didn’t fundamentally influence the songwriting, as we gave them strong and complete demos. They brought their own touch and sensibility to the music, of course.
Fear Is the Pandemic and other tracks seem to address fear, struggle, and resilience; how do these themes connect with what the world is experiencing today?
When it comes to the world, the final song was meant to be a conclusion to all these stories and to reflect our feelings about today’s global situation. I’m rather pessimistic, so the story doesn’t have a happy ending.
Across every continent and in nearly every country, racism, extremism, and selfishness keep growing.
This perspective is closely linked to the rest of the album, which also deals with dark and intense themes.
We are a Brazilian website, so of course we couldn’t leave this question out: do you know and like any bands from Brazil?
Apart from the major bands, not really, to be honest. Nervosa are amazing. I’ve never been a big Sepultura fan — it’s just not my kind of thrash — but I totally respect what they’ve done and their legacy.
I’ve always been a huge Angra fan, and André Matos was one of our very first heroes with Greg. I also followed all the side projects like Almah, whose first album was very powerful, but nothing matched the feeling I had during the Angels Cry era.
I really want to thank you for the interview, and here is your space to leave a message for our readers. Let’s go.
I believe Brazilian metalheads will really resonate with Cairn. They come from a rich cultural background and are open-minded enough to embrace this fusion of styles, following the path of many Brazilian bands before us.
Related Links
Official website: https://parallelmindsofficial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parallelmindsofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parallelmindsofficial/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParallelMinds
Bandcamp: https://parallelminds.bandcamp.com/