INTERVIEW: Hanno Klanhard from Mantar

I caught up with Hanno Klanhard of the German two-piece sludge metalcore band MANTAR. We chatted about their upcoming album ‘The Art Of Setting Ablaze’ and what’s been going on lately in their crazy German lives…

J: How’s everything been going with your band – MANTAR?

Stressful, it’s a lot of work. We’ve got a new record coming out soon, and there’s a lot of promotion to do. It’s also festival season over here in Europe, so we’ve been on the road constantly going from festival to festival. Flying, driving, playing shows, and doing interviews flat out, the record should be out by the end of August.

J: You had the ‘Age of Absurd’ music video come out in June, can you tell me a bit about that one?

The idea came from people saying that we turn into animals when we play, and that we look like we’re in a boxing ring. I took the idea of praying mantises, they remind me of myself. I’m a skinny mother*cker making all of these weird movements. The video is inspired by what people say we look like on stage.

J: You’re a two piece act, yet you manage to sound like a full band. Do you ever face any limitations or restrictions because there’s only two of you?

No, not really. It’s not really about how many people are in a band, it’s more about the energy and the vibe amongst them. We have a very special vibe between us, which is what makes us a good band, not the amount of members.

J: How would you describe the sound of your music?

It’s very primitive, we don’t use any gimmicks or hide behind the production. It’s a raw display of power. It’s inspired by the primitive urge of man. We enjoy the beauty of destruction. I’m not very good at labelling things, and I’m not too educated on different musical genres, so that’s how I describe it.

J: You guys have toured all over the place, from Russia, to South Africa, to Japan, and beyond. Where do you look forward to touring next?

Hopefully Australia! We’ve had a lot of requests to go there, and I’ve never been before. I really hope we can make it happen soon. That’s what we want as a band, to travel places we’ve never been before, that we wouldn’t be able to if it weren’t for our music. We’re not bound to any certain scene. We have a very mixed audience, from people who like classic rock, to heavy metal, to punk. That makes it very easy for us to tour.

J: Who inspires and influences you?

The band that first got me into music was ACDC, I think they’re the best band in the world. There’ll never be any band better to me, they’re my daily inspiration. I got into heavy metal and black metal later on in my life, but ACDC are definitely the reason I’m doing what I’m doing.

J: Where’s your favourite place to tour so far?

I really liked Japan. I loved Spain and Portugal. It’s hard to say, because it all depends on the people, we have very dedicated fans, they go absolutely wild. It’s good to play at home because there’s so many people. I like to go where the people are passionate.

J: Have you got any favourite tracks on ‘The Art of Setting Ablaze’?

The record is so new that I can’t really say which one I like the best yet. I can say that I’m very confident in it, it’s our third record. I think it turned out great. We’ve learned a lot in five years, we skipped all the bullshit and focused on playing. The songs are on point and very focused. The songwriting was done a lot better than previous albums.

J: What would you say to people who are hearing your music for the first time?

Just fucking enjoy it! Relax, lay back, and go on a trip. Witness the ritual and the beauty of destruction, your violent right. Let your primitive urges flow.

J: Would you like to say anything to your fans in Australia?

I can’t wait to come to Australia! We’ve had so many requests, we’ve got to make it happen! Spread the word, prepare the people with MANTAR!

Follow MANTAR on social media to keep up to date with what they’re doing. Keep an eye out for their new record ‘The Art of Setting Ablaze’, and prepare yourselves for a wild ride.

Links:
https://mantar.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/MantarBand

Purchase the The Art of Setting Ablaze here.