The Mantra Discord is an instrumental math-rock/post-rock band from Southern California. Comprised of only two members, Jeremy Arcibal on the drums and programming, and Russ Weisenthal on guitars and bass, the duo formed in March of 2021.
The two have been in multiple deathcore bands in the past but decided to make a drastic change to the sound when it came to making music together again. They accepted a brand new challenge and went with a particular sound of blending in darker, melancholic, string arrangements, and experimental elements to create their own unique brand of resonance.
Debuting with their compelling single, “Impressions,” we hear firsthand just how experimental The Mantra Discord can get with their eclectic quintessence. With a purely instrumental sound, they kick off this exclusive piece in an unorthodox time signature that instills a sense of complexity weaved into the musical foundation before us.
The rapid launch of this unconventional structure catches our attention immediately, as you hear how the vivacious percussion sets the tempo for the resounded bassline in motion. What we admire the most about the amplified arrangement has to be how The Mantra Discord comes together and collates a brilliant style of energy that excels what one would expect to hear in this genre-bending example of musicality. They leave your mind feeling like a well-utilized canvas that has been intricately sculpted by the artists on a personal level.
That’s what it looks like to peek into the creative scope of both Jeremy Arcibal and Russ Weisenthal as they transport your mind to a realm of their choosing. “Impressions,” nails the thesis of the song’s title and leaves us in a pool of astounding first impressions from The Mantra Discord. Eager to hear what they have in the works for us next, “Impressions” leaves our minds stimulated and wanting more.
Welcome to BuzzMusic Mantra Discord, and congratulations on the release of your debut single, “Impressions.” The brilliant soundscape that you leave us resting in truly leaves us to sit with our own imagination. What are the inspirations behind the creation of this song? What does “Impressions” mean to you?
Thank you! We wanted to create something very different and add a lot more dark textures and experimental atmospheres to the song. We know in math-rock and post-rock, it is very unusual to add in strings and claps at the beginning and the end, but we felt it just gave it its own sound and we're extremely happy with it. The creative inspirations of this song were mainly that it had sparked new challenges for us as a band, it was a style of music that Jeremy and I have never done before but we had always talked about. It was definitely a fun process! "Impressions" is about the beginning of something different and unique and just leaving our own mark letting everyone know we are here. You are absolutely right! When it comes to music, there is nothing better than just sitting back and using your imagination to create your own visions of a song! How did you know that “Impressions,” would be your debut release? Does the title of the song play into your choice to make this your introduction?
It was actually an older song I had made way before the band officially started. We never thought it would see the light of day if we're being 100% honest. It was very different from the other songs we had made at the time but after sitting on it for a while, we felt it actually might be a great debut track just to at least get us started since a majority of it was already recorded and mixed. In terms of the song's title, it has been that way for a while. It was very coincidental and we just stuck with it!
Could you please shine a light on the creative process that you embark on when bringing a song to life?
It usually all starts with a simple melody I create in my head and I will just hum it out. I am usually driving in my car when this happens. Actually, a really funny and embarrassing story is that when "Impressions" was being created, the part at about 1:45, I was in my car on the 15 freeway and I had to pull over really really quickly at an off-ramp so I could record myself humming it so I wouldn't forget it, which I tend to do. The cars behind me were probably all thinking "dude this guy is crazy or he has to go to the bathroom really bad!" Alright so anyway, when I get home, I will try to mimic the exact notes on my guitar. Once the basic rhythm is down I will usually put in piano notes on logic pro and use that to make more intricate lead parts, and mimic that onto the guitar. Once all the basic guitar parts are recorded, the process is usually sending the track to Jeremy and kind of going back and forth with ideas. We will usually have a basic outline of the story that we want to create for a song. Mixing for "Impressions" was done at my small home studio and the mastering we had sent off to Mike Kalajian at Rogue Planet. The music writing process and just bringing a full song to life is usually a very smooth process, I mean minus where I had to pull over quickly just so I can just record a 10 second part of my terrible humming! In terms of the narratives you put together, and the energy conveyed, what are you hoping that your audience takes away from the music you create?
Well, even though our songs present more of a dark and melancholic atmosphere, we are hoping that anybody that has listened to the song has kept an open mind and enjoyed at least a little part of it. We wanted to really reach inside and connect to our audience through our music and do it without words. We have all at one point been in darkness, confusing, and/or depressing times. Our music is basically an outlet and to let each of our listeners know that they are not alone in this feeling and to also know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it may take some time to reach. What's next for you?
Keep making music. We are working towards a full length and hopefully have it out by the end of the year. The future looks great and we are only getting started!
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