Plowing through the industry by way of Michigan, the hard rock/metal band and quartet Fatal Conceit leaves us with an empowering anthem of self-worth with their recent hit, "Takin Back the Name."
Comprised of Timothy March, Bruce Schafter, James Balina, and Nick Pavlat, the rocking quartet is truly on the path to greatness as they never fail to bring listeners into mind-blowing and exhilarating sonic experiences. Founded in 2020, Fatal Conceit has garnered excellent traction merely through its first year of releases.
Produced by Shawn Papineau at Dead Wing Recordings, Fatal Conceit's latest single, "Takin Back the Name," and accompanying music video serves all the power and might to take back what is ours. Touching on the song's concept, lead vocalist/guitarist Timothy Martuch stated, "This song is a defiant, anthemic declaration that seeks to make clear that no one gets to determine who or what you are."
Jumping into the single, "Takin Back the Name," the track begins with Fatal Conceit's cohesive and blistering instrumentals that send us into the heart of hard rock/metal. As lead vocalist Timothy Martuch makes his powerful vocal appearance, he sinks us into the depths of inner power through his anthemic lyricism that reminds listeners to seize the day.
Fatal Conceit has our feet stomping 6ft below the ground with their punchy and stimulating instrumentals, especially Nick Pavlat and Timothy Martuch's layered electric guitars alongside James Balina's ever-changing drum patterns and Bruce Schafter's thumping bassline. Ending the song with the utmost vigor, strength, and power, Fatal Conceit truly leaves us in awe as they command our attention from start to finish.
Catch Fatal Conceit's latest single, "Takin Back the Name," on all streaming platforms, and find the song's equally empowering music video on YouTube.
A warm welcome to BuzzMusic, Fatal Conceit. We can't get enough of the energy and intensity within your recent empowering single, "Takin Back the Name." How did the song's concept and inspiration come about?
Thank you so much for having us. We’re so grateful for your kind words. I have wanted to write a song that has to say what this one says for a long time, and while I’ve made a few attempts, they never really cut it. Anyway, as a starting point for this tune, I rather liked the aesthetic of those old blues charts. Back when I played bass in a jazz combo in college, used to play a bunch of tunes like that. All Blues from Miles Davis, Footprints by Wayne Shorter, Gershwin’s Summertime—those kinds of charts. I find a certain charm it's their simplicity, the singular form that just repeats throughout.
Could you break down your band's creative process when formulating your dense and heavy instrumentals, especially for "Takin Back the Name?" How did you want your listeners to feel after experiencing the hard-hitting instrumentals?
Ah, the process. Well, when I wrote this song, I had written the rhythm guitar part, the vocal melody, and an early version of the lyrics by myself in an acoustic setting. That was back on Thursday, August 27th of 2020. On the 28th, I started to work on tracking the demo, which was finished by that evening. The solo—which largely follows the melodic contour of the lead vocal part—was finished just a few days later. Finally, I presented the demo to the band and Shawn, our producer. Shawn worked with both the bass and drum parts on this song and processed the guitars and vocals as they were originally recorded. He really took this song to the next level. We want people to leave this song with velocity. Let this song be a launchpad to conquering the naysayers. The disbelievers. The toxic, sticky people who want you to be stuck like they are. “The Name” doesn’t even have to be a name. It can be anything taken from you that is intrinsically yours. Your value. Your strength. Your reputation. Your dreams. They don’t get to define you. They don’t get to take those things from you.
Who wrote the lyrics for your single, "Takin Back the Name?" Does your band allocate a specific member to tackle the songwriting process, or was this a collective experience?
While all members are welcome to contribute their own partial or complete songs and musical materials, I’ve been l really at the center of the writing process for the band. With very few exceptions. Once the first version of the lyrics was finished for this song, I took them to my dear friend, Katie Puga, for development. Katie’s an extraordinary creature. She’s primarily an interior designer with Ethan Allen, but she and I have worked together in music for years. I really trust her to be honest with me about the quality of my work. When she heard the demo, there were a few lines she recoiled at and immediately conjured EXCELLENT replacement lines, earning her a lyric credit on this song.
Is this your first time working with producer Shawn Papineau for your single, "Takin Back the Name?" Or is he a regular addition to your band's creative/recording process?
Shawn and I go way back. In 2014, I joined his band Oxal Pointe as a vocalist. Bruce, our bassist, was also in that band. That’s how I know him. That band was nuts, man. When Shawn had to move to Florida, that was sort of the end for that project and we all went on to do other things. Fast forward to 2020, Shawn’s hardcore band, Dead Wing, had just recently dropped a super heavy EP and a follow-up single. So anyway, Shawn sort of mentioned in passing that he was getting into music production and I asked if he wanted to work on our stuff. He’s been on the team ever since. Shawn has an interesting and eclectic background in music. He’s a ripping guitarist and drummer with some pretty solid bass chops. But he’s not just a metal guy. Shawn and I once played a wedding in a country band called “Pappy and the Crab Grass Band.” It was hoot! Anyway, his contributions have been extraordinarily valuable to the team and we’re grateful for his excellent work. Check him out on Instagram, @DW_Recordings.