Electric Mob is a Brazilian hard rock band that released their latest and second studio album, 2 Make U Cry & Dance, in January 2023. The group is not afraid to address political issues in their music , including criticizing politicians.
Vocalist Renan Zonta states that the band is not afraid of losing fans due to their political stances. The album was released by the Italian label Frontiers Music and features Zonta, Ben Hur Auwarter , Yuri Elero , and André Leister . However, drummer André Leister was recently replaced by Mateus Cestaro , the band's current drummer.
Electric Mob will be at the second edition of Summer Breeze Brasil , which takes place on April 26th, 27th and 28th at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo. In preparation, Wikimetal spoke with vocalist Renan Zonta and Ben Hur Auwarter about how the festival preparations are going. Check out the full interview below.
Wikimetal : How has the wait been, and also how does it feel to share the stage with so many famous bands at this second edition of Summer Breeze Brazil?
Ben Hur Auwarter: When I stop to think about it, anxiety kicks in. Seeing Electric Mob's name on the festival flyer alongside bands we grew up listening to is surreal. It's truly a great achievement and another step forward in our careers.
WM : How is the adaptation going with Mateus Cestaro, the new drummer?
BHA: It was practically instantaneous! He arrived right into the fire, with two tours in a row and a crazy rush. If the adaptation had been slow, or with some setback, we would have been lost [laughs]. But thankfully, the chemistry seems to have come from the factory.
WM : What are the band's future plans after Summer Breeze Brazil?
Renan Zonta: We are focused on producing the next album, and, with Summer Breeze, kicking off this new phase with more festival shows, in addition to international plans for next year.
WM : What was the inspiration behind the title 2 Make U Cry & Dance ?
BHA : It's a verse from the song "Saddest Funk Ever" that perfectly captured what we were feeling at the time. During the pandemic, the whole world had plenty of reasons to cry, and we were no different. But there's always that light, that joy, that even when tucked away deep in the soul, always shows its face. And that was the vibe we were in when composing the album. That's why the duality between crying and dancing.
WM : Can you talk a little about some of the specific messages or themes addressed in the lyrics of 2 Make U Cry & Dance ?
RZ : It was an album conceived during a very dark period in humanity, so the lyrics are much deeper and heavier on 2MUC&D , if we compare them to Discharge . As a lyricist, I needed to express what we were feeling at that moment; all the anguish, the uncertainty, the fear, the anger, but also the love and hope for a better future. In short, we talk a little about everything that was around us: love, hate, happiness, sadness, politics, philosophy…
WM : How has the album been received so far, both by fans and critics?
BHA : Both exceeded our expectations. The first album had "Devil You Know," which alone achieved very impressive numbers. The second album, Make U Cry & Dance, is a complete package, and both critics and many fans consider it a more concise, direct, and consequently, better album than the first. Now, for us, it's like asking a father to choose his favorite child [laughs].
WM : I'd like you to comment a bit on the meaning of the song and music video for "Love Cage" .
RZ: The song is about a relationship where one person was selfish and a jerk, but regrets it and wants to go back. Surely everyone has experienced this at some point, somewhere. The music video, on the other hand, symbolizes a bit of Electric Mob's approach to audiovisual media.
We're not worried about whether the video will be exactly about the song's lyrics, but rather if it will be beautiful and interesting [laughs]. In this case, our desire was to create sensations in the viewer, according to the sound they hear, with creative scenes different from the band's traditional image of playing with a tough look.
WM : How would the band describe the evolution of the sound from the album Discharge to 2 Make U Cry & Dance ?
RZ : I think it was a natural maturation. Years passed between albums, we lived and learned a lot, suffered and cried a lot, recovered, listened to other things… Normal part of life [laughs]. I think each album is a true reflection of its time. Discharge opened doors for us and 2 Make U Cry & Dance cemented the madness that is Electric Mob.
WM : How does the band hope their music will impact listeners, and what message do you hope to convey with this new work?
RZ: Our motto has always been: "We're here to disrupt." We don't want to go unnoticed by anyone, whether they love us or hate us. That's what rock is all about, really. We're always looking for a new way, a different connection, and, above all, a relevant message. It's never just been about the sound, or just about the aesthetics.
WM : How would the band describe its influences since its formation in 2016?
BHA : We always aimed to be a band that people would like to see and hear. We never labeled what Electric Mob would be. We simply let each member's distinct influences guide us towards that goal.
So there's a lot of 70s rock, 80s hard rock, and the groove and heaviness of the 90s and 2000s. Within all of that, we still find room to add references to pop, funk, and R&B music.
WM : Could you tell us a little about the demo with four songs recorded in 2019, which were sent to foreign record labels, and resulted in an invitation from Frontiers Music to record some more songs and even sign a contract to record a full album?
BHA: We were ready to release these four songs as the band's second EP. All four are on our first album, Discharge : "Upside Down," "Brand New Rope," "Gypsy Touch," and "Devil You Know," the latter of which already had a music video filmed. It's exactly the same one that was released by Frontiers.
Right after the record label contacted us, we went into seclusion to compose the rest of the songs to complete a full album. The fact that we had the opportunity to compose and release an entire album means that the portrait of what the band is becomes more comprehensive, unlike the limited way you can show yourself with only 4 songs on an EP.
WM : Just out of curiosity, is there any meaning behind the name 'Electric Mob'?
BHA: Well, initially the band was going to have a different name, which at the time seemed like a good idea. We scheduled a meeting with a bar owner to plan the band's debut. Upon hearing the band's name, he immediately said, "No, not that. Not with that name. It's awful!"
Obviously, we said it wasn't definitive, that we weren't even sure it would be the name. At that point, Renan and I scrambled to find a less awful name as quickly as possible [laughs].
WM : Basic but necessary question! Do you have a favorite song from the new album? If so, why does that song stand out for you?
BHA: Every week is different. These past few days I've been really enjoying the last track on the album, "WATCH ME (I'm today's news)." But if I had to choose one, I'd go with "By The Name (nanana)" because it's been my "favorite of the week" for the longest time.
RZ: All of them [laughs]. I love “Thy Kingdom Come.” It’s that classic, heavy rock song you can crank up! “Saddest Funk Ever” is also among my favorites because it’s one of the band’s most daring compositions: heavy lyrics with a super party-ready and unpretentious arrangement. And “Sun Is Falling” marks an evolution for the band, both in composition and production.
WM : Thank you so much for the interview, and it was especially a pleasure to do it, since I'm from Curitiba and I really like the band!
BHA: We're the ones who are grateful for the space! It's really cool to be able to share a little bit of ourselves with the readers. And we'll be waiting for you at the next show then. We'll hold you to it [laughs].
RZ: Thanks so much for having us and for the kindness! Let's go!
READ ALSO: Electric Mob: Get to know 2 Make U Cry & Dance track-by-track