Interviews: THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA

We have had the opportunity to interview the Rock/Metal band THE CHRONICLES OF MANIMAL AND SAMARA from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the band on their WEBSITE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

TCOMAS: ‘The Chronicles of Manimal and Samara’ was actually a manga comic series that we came up with. We developed and wrote the story and made illustrations of the characters – which we decided to use on the cover of our debut single ‘Atoms’. The story is about an awkward schoolgirl who runs away into the jungle to escape from society and the modern world. All grown up but alone in the wilderness, she meets someone who would change the course of her life forever. In fact, we turned the actual script of this story into a song, ‘Tcomas S01 E01, which we released together with our debut album Full Spectrum.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

TCOMAS: We are not confined to a specific musical genre. For us, it’s more of making a choice of how to use music to best evoke a certain mood or feeling in order to convey an idea or message.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

TCOMAS: Yes

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Daphne: Slayer, Converge, TOOL, Between the Buried and Me, Dream Theater 

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

TCOMAS: We love everything from metal to classical, through to techno, rock, jazz, and blues. It is impossible to list all the names of all our musical influences, but we made a playlist of some of our favorites here (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3OocDmnyZ9OcCDa8WFLW6m).

Andrea: I also am inspired by the musical cultures of the ancient world. These influences can be heard quite distinctly in our upcoming second album Trust No Leaders, which we will release in 2022.

Daphne: In terms of lyrics and vocal performance, I am very much influenced by theatre and literature, from ancient Greek theatre to Shakespearean drama, and from classical Persian poetry to modernist poetry. Carl Jung is a huge inspiration as well.

6. Where was your last gig?

Andrea: A performance at Telethon, a charity show in Italy which was aired live on national TV.

7. Where would you like to play?

TCOMAS: The Theatre of Dionysus in Athens 

8. Who would you like to support?

TCOMAS: Kronos Quartet

9. Who not?

TCOMAS: We politely decline to answer this question.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

TCOMAS: To feel anxious before doing a performance is to be human. Instead of fighting it and trying to suppress something that is part of our neurological processes, one could try to reappraise the natural tendency for tension…as excitement.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Daphne: TOOL, Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, NOFX, Kronos Quartet

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

TCOMAS: Can I sleep in your bathroom?

13. What do you think of your fans?

TCOMAS: We love them because they are not afraid to listen to something they have never heard before.

14. What do you think of our site?

TCOMAS: Great design and solid content!

15. Something to add?

TCOMAS: We will release the first single from our upcoming second studio album, ‘Count the Dead’ on the October 8 (https://tcomas.ffm.to/countthedead). Join us for the premiere of the official video for ‘Count the Dead’ on October 18 here: https://youtu.be/JmNDPMdFsaE