www.facebook.com/bronzegates
From: Lisbon
Sounds like: Gothic Rock
1. How did you get started with music and how did you develop your sound? Who thought of the name "Bronzegates" and is there any meaning behind it?
Ruben Figueiredo (Guitar): The guitarist and bassist are brothers that started playing since an young age - like 14 - and we always loved Rock. We used to see the VH1 Friday Rock show every week. We were gradually initiated in the Rock scene by bands like The Shadows, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and others. Like old stuff. We never were into the Nu Metal stuff of the time. Gradually we dove into the more heavier stuff like Iron Maiden and Metallica. My brother really likes Metal Church. What I like about Metallica for example is the ambition in the sound. It's an ambitious big sound. They were clearly for the title of greatest Metal band and I respect that. I don't think bands nowadays have this ambitious drive to do a The Wall or a Led Zeppelin 4 or a Black Album. There's a minority complex in modern bands regarding the older bands and I think they feel intimidated. Just like when Beethoven did those ridicoulous grandiose symphonies and the next gen of composers gave up on doing them because they feel they would never be on par. That's why Rock is dying.
I think of the title bronzegates, it's kind of a rip off from The Doors and the Aldous Huxley "Doors od Perception", but our take is a bit different. It's the gates for something infinite and perfect. Like a vision of perfection that doesnt exist in this world and our music takes people to that perfect other world (without the help of LSD lol). The other guys in the band are actually some friends that collaborated with us. Mike Bassignton who has another band and has some pipes. In the next songs you'll get to see it. And Oscar Brash who is a great great drummer.
2. What do you want people to take away from your music?
I would like people to like it, if not too bad. Our songs are long and we are not going to shorten them to get radio airplay. We do not make music thinking on cheap streams.
3. How would you describe your sound to the average listener?
Freddy Mercury said he wanted to bring opera to the masses. We would like to bring the symphony to the masses haha. It's like Richard Wagner meets Muddy Waters. It's very difficult to label our sound. My guitar has huge Tony Iommi influences, but we have piano stuff, accoustic stuff, cello stuff, and straight heavy guitars stuff. I would agree it has a gothic feeling.
4. Who are three bands you’d like to tour with?
Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Led Zeppelin.
5. How has Covid affected what you do as a band?
We are a new Band and we are yet to start gigging.
6. What’s your take on the current state of Gothic Metal?
I've got to be honest, I have no idea that label existed. I don't know any Gothic bands apart from Nightwish, which I'm not that a big fan. I don't know much about Metal subgenres.
7. What’s the current music scene like locally there in the UK?
We are stationed in Lisbon, so I coudn't tell you, maybe Mike can say something. Personally Rock is dying, not because of lack of popularity but the newer stuff is not good enough. Muse is good but it doesn't have the iconic songs Oasis, Blur, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin have, but they are a good band. The beginning of the 2000s, there were some good English bands like Franz Ferdinand and The Frattelis (I think they are Scottish), but nowadays it's kind of meh. People are migrating to Electronic music more and more and music is getting more corporate and boring.
8. What’s your take on the royalties that streaming services pay out to artists?
We are not in this field to make money but great songs. Nevertheless, it's a very small amount and artists are compensating that with ridiculous ticket prices, but that's business for you.
9. What’s next for Bronzegates?
We are releasing an album with a common theme of abuse of power. How the human mind works when they see themselves in a position of power. We recently released two singles. The first called "Hanging Gardens", which is actually the last song off the album. It's a deceitful vison of hope. The second called "Green Carriage", which is the first song off the album and talks about an opressive force taking someone from their home so they can stand before judgement. The next song is called "White Willow". It's a 7 track album and we will be releasing singles gradually. The next one will be in April. The recording is not amazing but gets the job done for now.
10. Any shoutouts?
Mike Bassington Band - https://soundcloud.com/the-forgotten-age
Oscar Brass - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd_0wmjvAvARCx2E467BQcQ
