With a high energy live show and two excellent EPs under their belt, Mangrenade have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in Southwestern Ohio. On the heels of 2013’s double EP releases More Than a Handful and Lions in the Parking Lot, Mangrenade have begun work on yet another record in early 2014. We caught up with guitarist and co-vocalist Nick Thieme to discuss the band’s formation and the progress of the new material.
How did Mangrenade come together?
NT: Mangrenade started after (bassist) Ben (Morgan) and myself decided to call it quits with our previous band, Church of the Week. We were looking to start something new, something fresh, so Mangrenade was born. I played drums in Church of the Week, but really wanted to play guitar and sing, so I decided to take up more of a lead role alongside Ben. We hooked up with Erik Olsen soon after and the rest is history.
So I guess that explains the dual frontman thing you've got going on in Mangrenade. That's an interesting choice, but I think it works really well for you guys. When you're writing new material, how do you decide which part is a Ben part and which part is a Nick part?
NT: It really depends on the song and what mood we're in when we write it. If there's a part that one of us really wants to sing, then we'll call dibs. We're trying more on this new record to split each song down the middle. In the past there were Ben songs and Nick songs and some that had us both. We're focusing more on working together to complement each other better.
What bands influenced you, either as a band or in general?
NT: When we started out, we were really big into old Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, stuff like that. We come from a hardcore/metal background as well, so blend that up with that and you get what we sound like. As we progressed, we've been getting back to our heavier roots. The shows were getting progressively heavier as we went, more in line with bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Poison The Well than the desert rock sound we originally went for. I guess you just play what you play.
How is the new record coming along? Is this another EP or are you working on a full length this time around?
NT: We're still writing for the new one. We're still undecided on whether to do a full length or a 2 part EP. We kind of have a working title, "Severed". It's definitely a stylistic change for us. It's way heavier first off. Also, with losing Erik, our founding drummer, it's going to shift quite a bit percussively. Second, the lyrics are deeper than anything we've done in the past, which should add a new dynamic.
So are you handling drums on the new material?
NT: The drums are still kind of up in the air. We've been talking to a few people and have it narrowed down to a few guys.
Do you have a release date in mind? When are you planning to get back out on stage?
NT: We are probably going to be releasing in late spring, depending on a few different things. We already have shows booked for April, including dates with Bad People out of Lexington and Bearer of Bad News out of Dayton. We're working on setting up a series of shows with Truth & Triumph Tattoo in Dayton that will cross-promote us as well as the tattoo studio. Stay tuned for that.
How did Mangrenade come together?
NT: Mangrenade started after (bassist) Ben (Morgan) and myself decided to call it quits with our previous band, Church of the Week. We were looking to start something new, something fresh, so Mangrenade was born. I played drums in Church of the Week, but really wanted to play guitar and sing, so I decided to take up more of a lead role alongside Ben. We hooked up with Erik Olsen soon after and the rest is history.
So I guess that explains the dual frontman thing you've got going on in Mangrenade. That's an interesting choice, but I think it works really well for you guys. When you're writing new material, how do you decide which part is a Ben part and which part is a Nick part?
NT: It really depends on the song and what mood we're in when we write it. If there's a part that one of us really wants to sing, then we'll call dibs. We're trying more on this new record to split each song down the middle. In the past there were Ben songs and Nick songs and some that had us both. We're focusing more on working together to complement each other better.
What bands influenced you, either as a band or in general?
NT: When we started out, we were really big into old Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, stuff like that. We come from a hardcore/metal background as well, so blend that up with that and you get what we sound like. As we progressed, we've been getting back to our heavier roots. The shows were getting progressively heavier as we went, more in line with bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Poison The Well than the desert rock sound we originally went for. I guess you just play what you play.
How is the new record coming along? Is this another EP or are you working on a full length this time around?
NT: We're still writing for the new one. We're still undecided on whether to do a full length or a 2 part EP. We kind of have a working title, "Severed". It's definitely a stylistic change for us. It's way heavier first off. Also, with losing Erik, our founding drummer, it's going to shift quite a bit percussively. Second, the lyrics are deeper than anything we've done in the past, which should add a new dynamic.
So are you handling drums on the new material?
NT: The drums are still kind of up in the air. We've been talking to a few people and have it narrowed down to a few guys.
Do you have a release date in mind? When are you planning to get back out on stage?
NT: We are probably going to be releasing in late spring, depending on a few different things. We already have shows booked for April, including dates with Bad People out of Lexington and Bearer of Bad News out of Dayton. We're working on setting up a series of shows with Truth & Triumph Tattoo in Dayton that will cross-promote us as well as the tattoo studio. Stay tuned for that.
Editor's Note: Huge thanks to Nick for taking some time out of his day to give us a great interview. Stay tuned to The Blog of Doom for news on the new record's release date and Mangrenade's upcoming show schedule. Check out Mangrenade on Facebook & Twitter for more details and to order merchandise. -JO
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