Artist Spotlight: Meet Blunt Blade
How did you come up with the theme?
The theme is something that developed over time, and it’s one of those situations where it wasn’t a conscious choice. I didn’t write with the intent to create several songs that tell stories of various tragedies, implicit or explicit. But I think that often these inspirations are deep within us and they come out at various periods of the creative process.
How did you approach the arrangement and composition of the music for 'Forgiveness?'
Composition varies for me. Sometimes I will be at a keyboard improvising and there will be a hook that I feel can be developed as a basis of a new song. Sometimes I’ll be developing a song and have an idea to take it in a different direction, which can often become its own new song. The song Justified came to me while I was in the shower. I hummed it in my head until I was able to dry off and get over to my recording equipment to lay down the bassline. I then built the song around that. Arrangements are all intuition and what sounds good, or doesn’t, to me. I like to throw in transitions and segues to twist things a little because I enjoy them when they show up in music that I like to listen to.
Can you talk about any standout tracks on 'Forgiveness' and what makes them special to you?
The songs “The Journey to Hope and Esperanza” are a couple that I really enjoyed. The former is an instrumental that leads into the latter. “Esperanza” tells the story of a young girl of the same name who lives in a small town called Hope. She is visited by a stranger who gives her a talisman which she uses to control the people of the town. It was the first time I wrote an actual story with dialogue. Another song that I really enjoyed writing was the title track. It’s a 10.5-minute prog-rock style song in multiple sections. That was one that took several months to develop. I’ve always been a huge fan of prog rock, from bands like Yes and Rush to bands like Tool and Dream Theater.
How would you describe your musical style or genre?
I get asked this question quite a bit and I don’t know if I’ve answered it consistently. I think that’s partly due to not really fitting into any kind of mold. But I would say classically influenced electronic indie prog alternative.
What do you enjoy most about performing live and connecting with your audience?
Performing live offers a distinctly unique experience. I’m very introverted so it takes a bit of mental discipline to build up the will to get on stage and put myself out there. I want the audience to be able to feel something from the music, whether that be comfort, contentment, or even a little uneasiness with a curiosity to want to know more; conveying emotions through music that listeners can connect with. At the end of it, I’d like them to have a feeling of happiness and satisfaction that they witnessed something that left them emotionally fulfilled.
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