First Steps Out of the Gate

An Interview with Borderlands

By: George Archibald

Portuguese progressive metal-core outfit Borderlands are on the verge of releasing their debut album, Voice of The Voiceless (check out the album review in our CD reviews section to find out more). I had an opportunity to conduct an email interview with the band and ask a few questions to this aspiring group. I tried to learn more about this new band, and what makes them tick. In an attempt to make this interview interesting and a platform for their self-promotion, I feel that something may have got lost in translation, see for yourself. This is that interview…

First off thank you very much for agreeing to an email interview. I gave your album a listen and it was quite good. I am looking forward to what the future may hold for you all. I appreciate any details you may give and being this is an internet interview length is not an issue.

GA: Where is the band located? I’ve seen you are a Portuguese metal band but was wondering if your main operation is in Portugal or elsewhere.

Borderlands: We are all from Portugal except Yuri, who is from Egypt, but the band is in Portugal.

GA: Do you find it difficult to play throughout Europe/United States because of Language barriers?

Borderlands: We only find it hard to reach the rest of the world because the internet is a big big web, and there are tons of bands out there just like us, wishing to make it big. There are no language barriers.

GA: It states you are progressive metal­core but would you like to span on this? What kinds of music do you play? Are you strictly looking to stay in the metal­core genre, or eventually looking to span into other genres?

Borderlands: We do what we love, and we write what comes up to our minds, so the band may change of course. Seasons change, and so do we.

GA: Where does your music influences come from? The music that got you into the style you perform now.

Borderlands: ERRA and Northlane are our biggest influences. We all used to listen to different kinds of metal before.

GA: What are some of the non-­metal bands you like to listen to on your off time?

Borderlands: We listen to a variety of artists and maybe that’s what makes some of our music so unique. From Pop, Hip-hop, Metal, we listen to everything.

GA: What got you into this band? Were any of you in previous bands? Did any of you have formal teaching i.e. lessons, or did you learn on your own?

Borderlands: We were all schoolmates back in the original lineup and we just created the band. Some of us did have teaching lessons, others learned on their own.

GA: Where have you all preformed/ where would you like to preform?

Borderlands: We performed in a lot of different places but our biggest achievement was RESURRECTION FEST in Spain. We would like to perform in every single metal festival around Europe.

GA: What was your favorite part about recording Voice of the Voiceless?

Borderlands: Everything! We loved all the process.

GA: Where was Voice of the Voiceless recorded at, and with whom?

Borderlands: We recorded our album at home. Vocals were recorded at a friend’s studio (Santa Catarina Studios)

GA: Were there any difficulties in making this new album?

Borderlands: Not really, it went all very smoothly.

GA: Where would you like to be in the near future/ what is the future for Borderlands?

Borderlands: We would like to hit Europe soon and expand our music to the world.

GA: What kinds of endorsements and gear do you guys preform with?

Borderlands: It is hard to have endorsements in Portugal. We perform with POD and Kemper amp, ESP, Schecter and LTD guitars.

GA: Anything else you would like to add to the interview? (I usually leave this open ended so that if I forgot something above you guys have an opportunity to touch on something of your choice.)

Borderlands: Check out of new album “Voice of The Voiceless” which comes out this Friday on all online music retailers!

Short and straight to the point. Borderlands new album Voice of the Voiceless is set to be released on June 10th. A follow up to 2012’s EP, Awaken Dreamers, Borderlands hopes to create a foothold in the metal community with Voice of the Voiceless. For now, you can check out the album review in the Extreme Empire CD reviews section, or watch the video for “Children of the Sun” on YouTube. I wish you guys well and thank you for the interview.

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George Archibald

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