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Blak Earth
Fresh Act October


Blak Earth is the very fresh project of singer/songwriter Eric Claro, who has been a former member of Syndicate 13 and Scarred. They are currently in the studio working on their first songs. STALKER talked with Eric about his new own band Blak Earth…

Blak Earth is a very fresh band, which has been formed in July 2014, so could you tell us first a bit about the band, how did the idea come up to found Blak Earth?
After departing a local act from the south bay, I decided it was time to start my own project. I didn’t want to have to waste my time going out for auditions. And so, I picked out and contacted musicians I’ve played with in the past to help me create some amazing music.

Who else is involved in Blak Earth? Who are the other members?
At the moment Blak Earth is Amy Brandt (Bass), Mark Aguirre (Drums), Wagner Vincenzi (Guitar) and myself on Vocals. I am looking to add another guitarist and keyboardist, sometime in the near future.


What kind of music do you play? And what makes you stick out of the masses?
It would be easy for me to say Metal. But what I would like is to take what we have and orchestrate obscure sounds and melodies into the songs. I think there is such an abundance of the same style and sound in today’s metal/rock music, nothing new and nothing shocking – it’s all been done, it would be really hard and almost impossible to get above ground. Simple is sometimes the key.

Why did you choose the name the Blak Earth?
The name Blak Earth came from Lyrics/Song Title I wrote while in the band Scarred, back in 2009. The lyrics were about the world today and how dark and lonely it’s become through my eyes. Blak Earth actually means Indefinite Earth –

What do you want to achieve with your music?
I’ve always wanted to work with musicians I can trust and write with in a calm and positive environment, I know I have found that in Blak Earth. I think an achievement for me at this point is my career is to have the satisfaction of unconditional happiness in singing, performing and writing however I want without the control and conformity of another, which gives me the freedom and opportunity to be creative my way. And that’s what music is all about releasing of emotions which in turn becomes art.

You don’t have a record deal yet, is it hard to find a record deal in USA? What do you think is the reason for it? And is it nowadays still necessary to have a label to back you up, or do you think it is possible to do everything yourself?
No, we haven’t started shopping around for labels just yet. It’s not hard to find or get a record deal in the United States, it´s about being smart and not signing away any contract that´s handed to you. It’s all about who you know in the industry, and always remember the music industry is like a small town, news spreads quickly weather it´s good or bad. Doing everything can sometimes be damaging to the band and yourself. Trying to create and manage your own band can get a little too cluttered with opinions and wants that can be very dangerous for longevity.


Eric, can you tell us a bit more about your musical background and also about your band mates background, as you all have been in the music scene quite a while.
Yes, we’ve all had our fair share of highlights in our careers, but I believe myself and Amy has had the most experience out of the band. I don’t quite know much about Wagner’s background in music, I do know he plays amazing guitar. Mark has experience as well playing out and recording. I was in bands with Mark in the Mid 80’s into the early 90’s, and we just lost contact for many years. So this is quite a reunion treat. Amy, I got the opportunity to work with when I rejoined Scarred in January of 2014 which was a mistake, but a blessing because of a great bass player that I ended up with. And Wagner from a project I was in that did not fall through in early 2013.

You’ve been part of different projects in the past, such as Scarred, Syndicate 13 and so on. But you left those bands always again, why exactly didn’t they work out for you and what is the difference with Blak Earth, now when it is your own band?
You would first have to understand how musicians operate and think. It’s a gamble. Sometimes you strike gold and sometimes you get a whole lot of gutter bullshit. With Syndicate 13, it was just about moving on and finding other venues in my career, I enjoyed playing with that band. As far as the other bands are concerned, I have nothing to say. With Blak Earth, I have positioned myself to create a band that I can call home.

You are currently in the studio and recording the first songs, so what can people expect from your music, and are you already working on a full album? Or is it just demo so far?
Layers of vocals with amazing hard driving music behind it .. big sound. I really don’t want to give too much away. I have been working on melodies and vocals that are a little out of my range, but seem to make it fit the material. We will be doing a test run on a song that will be released within the next month and concentrate on an album and shows in months ahead. I’m very excited about this band and all the talent that comes with it.

You are hailing from L.A, California, so I guess that is somehow the perfect spot in US to start a bands career, or am I wrong? Is that just an illusion Europeans have? ;-) Do you get a lot of chances to play there as a local band or is it difficult to be noticed, because there are so many bands around?
Los Angeles as you know is the melting pot of the United States. You name it, it’s here, specially the entertainment industry. I don’t want to say it’s an Illusion, but it is over populated with actors, musicians and everything else. As far as local venues, there are vast amount of places bands can perform in and around the Los Angeles. I have played almost if not all venues in LA and the surrounding areas. It wouldn’t be hard for a band to get noticed if you can bring something fresh and new to the table. Unfortunately if you’re a band that performs the same set of songs at every venue you play, yes, people tend to loose interest and walk away. I believe in moving forward, rather than staying stagnant and unappealing.


Is your intention to get known in the European music scene or is it more that you concentrate on the US market?
I would like to get Blak Earth across into Europe, Asia and South America where Metal Music is appreciated, I think with some industry contacts we can turn that into reality. Don’t get me wrong, there are still a few places in the US where Metal is still wanted and accepted. But for the most part, Americans do not understand and do not want to understand, so they end up worshiping and listening to all that is corporate, thanks to the all American Media, who love to fill our heads with undertones of political agendas and unrest.

What are your goals for the next few months?
Looking forward to getting in the studio and record new material. There will be lots of surprises. We are also working on shows, merchandise, etc.

Ok last but not least tell us something that most people don’t know about you…
I don’t drink or smoke.

More infos can be found at :
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BlakEarth.Band?fref=ts
http://www.blakearth.webs.com

Blak Earth
Fresh Act October
Blak Earth is the very fresh project of singer/songwriter Eric Claro who has been a former member of Syndicate 13 and Scarred. They are currently in the studio working on their first songs. STALKER talked with Eric about his new own band Blak Earth…

Blak Earth is a very fresh band, which has been formed in July 2014, so could you tell us first a bit about the band, how did the idea came up to found Blak Earth?
After departing a local act from the south bay, I decided it was time to start my own project. I didn’t want to have to waste my time going out for auditions. And so, I picked out and contacted musicians I’ve played with in the past to help me create some amazing music.

Who else is involved in Blak Earth? Who are the other members?
At the moment Blak Earth is Amy Brandt (Bass), Mark Aguirre (Drums), Wagner Vincenzi (Guitar) and myself on Vocals. I am looking to add another guitarist and keyboardist, sometime in the near future.


What kind of music do you play? And what makes you stick out of the masses?
It would be easy for me to say Metal. But what I would like is to take what we have and orchestrate obscure sounds and melodies into the songs. I think there is such an abundance of the same style and sound in today’s metal/rock music, nothing new and nothing shocking – it’s all been done, it would be really hard and almost impossible to get above ground. Simple is sometimes the key.

Why did you choose the name the Blak Earth?
The name Blak Earth came from Lyrics/Song Title I wrote while in the band Scarred, back in 2009. The lyrics were about the world today and how dark and lonely it’s become through my eyes. Blak Earth actually means Indefinite Earth –

What do you want to achieve with your music?
I’ve always wanted to work with musicians I can trust and write with in a calm and positive environment, I know I have found that in Blak Earth. I think an achievement for me at this point is my career is to have the satisfaction of unconditional happiness in singing, performing and writing however I want without the control and conformity of another, which gives me the freedom and opportunity to be creative my way. And that’s what music is all about releasing of emotions which in turn becomes art.

You don’t have a record deal yet, is it hard to find a record deal in USA? What do you think is the reason for it? And is it nowadays still necessary to have a label to back you up, or do you think it is possible to do everything yourself?
No, we haven’t started shopping around for labels just yet. It’s not hard to find or get a record deal in the United States, it´s about being smart and not signing away any contract that´s handed to you. It’s all about who you know in the industry, and always remember the music industry is like a small town, news spreads quickly weather it´s good or bad. Doing everything can sometimes be damaging to the band and yourself. Trying to create and manage your own band can get a little too cluttered with opinions and wants that can be very dangerous for longevity.


Eric, can you tell us a bit more about your musical background and also about your band mates background, as you all have been in the music scene quite a while.
Yes, we’ve all had our fair share of highlights in our careers, but I believe myself and Amy has had the most experience out of the band. I don’t quite know much about Wagner’s background in music, I do know he plays amazing guitar. Mark has experience as well playing out and recording. I was in bands with Mark in the Mid 80’s into the early 90’s, and we just lost contact for many years. So this is quite a reunion treat. Amy, I got the opportunity to work with when I rejoined Scarred in January of 2014 which was a mistake, but a blessing because of a great bass player that I ended up with. And Wagner from a project I was in that did not fall through in early 2013.

You’ve been part of different projects in the past, such as Scarred, Syndicate 13 and so on. But you left those bands always again, why exactly didn’t they work out for you and what is difference with Blak Earth, now when it is your own band?
You would first have to understand how musicians operate and think. It’s a gamble. Sometimes you strike gold and sometimes you get a whole lot of gutter bullshit. With Syndicate 13, it was just about moving on and finding other venues in my career, I enjoyed playing with that band. As far as the other bands are concerned, I have nothing to say. With Blak Earth, I have positioned myself to create a band that I can call home.

You are currently in the studio and recording the first songs, so what can people expect from your music, and are you already working on a full album? Or is it just demo so far?
Layers of vocals with amazing hard driving music behind it .. big sound. I really don’t want to give too much away. I have been working on melodies and vocals that are a little out of my range, but seem to make it fit the material. We will be doing a test run on a song that will be released within the next month and concentrate on an album and shows in months ahead. I’m very excited about this band and all the talent that comes with it.

You are hailing from L.A, California, so I guess that is somehow the perfect spot in US to start a bands career, or am I wrong? Is that just an illusion Europeans have? ;-) Do you get a lot of chances to play there as a local band or is it difficult to be noticed, because there are so many bands around?
Los Angeles as you know is the melting pot of the United States. You name it, it’s here, specially the entertainment industry. I don’t want to say it’s an Illusion, but it is over populated with actors, musicians and everything else. As far as local venues, there are vast amount of places bands can perform in and around the Los Angeles. I have played almost if not all venues in LA and the surrounding areas. It wouldn’t be hard for a band to get noticed if you can bring something fresh and new to the table. Unfortunately if you’re a band that performs the same set of songs at every venue you play, yes, people tend to loose interest and walk away. I believe in moving forward, rather than staying stagnant and unappealing.


Is your intention to get known in the European music scene or is it more that you concentrate on the US market?
I would like to get Blak Earth across into Europe, Asia and South America where Metal Music is appreciated, I think with some industry contacts we can turn that into reality. Don’t get me wrong, there are still a few places in the US where Metal is still wanted and accepted. But for the most part, Americans do not understand and do not want to understand, so they end up worshiping and listening to all that is corporate, thanks to the all American Media, who love to fill our heads with undertones of political agendas and unrest.

What are your goals for the next few months?
Looking forward to getting in the studio and record new material. There will be lots of surprises. We are also working on shows, merchandise, etc.

Ok last but not least tell us something that most people don’t know about you…
I don’t drink or smoke.

More infos can be found at :
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BlakEarth.Band?fref=ts
http://www.blakearth.webs.com


Author: Sandy Mahrer, transl. A. Venho, photos: Band
Date: 2014-10-01

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English Deutsch Fresh Acts: Blak Earth <br>Fresh Act October - STALKER MAGAZINE inside out of rock´n´roll