» Zardonic – Interview / Wicked Spins Radio

Zardonic – Interview

Zardonic Interview

By – Phils Debruce

Zardonic is one exceptional DJ, he is known for remixing a lot of music and his style is melodic and heavy. His music spans different genre’s and attracts and great wide audience. His image is nothing short of amazing, combining a few different elements which is Zardonic but yet it shows his darker elements. Image, music and stage show combine to bring you something that is stunning visually and musically. Currently on a world tour Wicked Spins Radio got chance to catch up with Zardonic.

WSR – Thank you for giving Wicked Spins Radio this interview, can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

Zardonic – Hello there. My real name is Federico Agreda Alvarez, I come from Venezuela and people say I’m the most satanic DJ in the world but I’m just a nerd with a scary mask that wasn’t intended to be scary in the first place haha 😀

WSR – Your music has a huge following spanning many genres, what do you feel it is about your music that attracts so much of a huge following?

Zardonic – I’m not exactly sure there’s a formula behind it, I just put my best energy in things and try to make it all happen. From the first beat to the last word on an interview. Always pushing forward. I guess that’s something people can hear in my music, I’ve been told it gives people energy, it’s uplifting in a way, while still being heavy. A feeling of euphoria, that’s what I’m usually after 🙂

WSR – You also have have an amazing look and onstage presence, when in your musical career did you create your image that you are known for now?

Zardonic – Less than two years, and the project’s been going on for almost ten haha. I guess that was when I learned how important the stage presence is. People keep saying it’s not, but each to their own. I’ve tried talking about this with many of my DJ friends and they just don’t get it, they say music does the job. And that’s not all there is to it. Sure keeping quality in your music does play a key role in what you do, but if the book has no cover the people are less likely to read it. Like it or not, that’s how our system works. So why not twist the rules in your own favour? 🙂

WSR – What was the inspirations for your look?

Zardonic – My own face. That’s what the mask truly is. It’s a minimalistic version of my own face. That and a bit of Bane, Spawn, Predator, Noob Saibot, Kabal and Cyber Smoke.

WSR – What has been the highlight of your recent European tour?

Zardonic – Pirate Station Revolution in Moscow, hands down.

WSR – Yeah! You have toured a lot of Eastern European countries, what was the experience like in Russia?

Zardonic – It’s the best gig I’ve ever played at. A passionate crowd, just the way I like it, and an incredible stage set. The best I’ve seen in years.

WSR – What has been the worst part of the tour for you?

Zardonic – There’s no answer to that question. For me, nothing is better or worse. It’s all a matter of perception. I guess I could say it’s hard touring while knowing that your father recently passed away, so you could call that the worst part. But still that thing alone has made me evolve in ways I couldn’t imagine before. It’s tough. And it just couldn’t have been any different. That’s the way it is. It helped me understand that a bit more so there’s still something positive to take out from it I guess.

WSR – Restless Remixes is nothing less than sheer genius and a true work of art, to you what is it like hearing other people put their spin on your music?

Zardonic – Sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s meh. I have to admit I don’t like half of the remixes in that EP, but I respect everyone’s work and everyone’s happy with what’s in there. But if you ask me, my absolute favourite remixes are probably those who got the less attention. So on the business side of things, I like to challenge myself into allowing people who I can trust to do something good even though it’s not my style. The iMAGiN8 remix was one of my personal less favourites and it’s the top selling track of the EP. So you never know, having people remixing your stuff can actually surprise you in many ways.

WSR – Your recent remix of the Semargl track Credo Revolution is yet another blinding track to say the least, how did this remix come about and what was your favourite part about doing this remix?

Zardonic – Semargl is a very particular band. They started doing straight black metal, some of the best I’ve heard, and then they took the same path The Kovenant did, jumped on a more industrial style. And I still liked them, so I got in touch with their drummer Anima and ever since we’ve been inseparable friends, always with new ideas, being one of those ideas this remix, and others aswell. So who knows, maybe there’s more to happen between Zardonic and Semargl!

WSR – I have noticed you show a lot of fan art, what piece of fan art has really caught your eye recently and what was it about the artwork that you like so much?

Zardonic – I like all of them in a different way, but the one that really blew my mind was Raph Crimson’s fan art. It led him to design the cover of the Restless Slumber EP. And also works for Jet Set Trash now. That’s what I like about fan art. I like to get any kind of drawings of course, but behind the curtain I’m actually looking out there for someone who is not just good at doing Zardonic fan art, but excels in design so we can work together.

Another one that blew my mind was the 3D mask with the hanging cables that Alexandre LeRouge did. He works for BUF, a VFX French company that has been involved in Matrix, Fight Club, Life Of Pi and fuck knows what else. Top of the line right there. It led him to work with me aswell and I had him do the Europa Tour video from it which, as you’ve probably watched, is just mindblowing.

WSR – Can you tell us about the Zardonic napkins?

Zardonic – Hahahaha, that was my girlfriend! She just made three of them. One of them was lost somewhere so she will probably kill me once she reads this. She said she made them because I would always forget my handkerchiefs and well, let’s just not talk about my nose. I’ve suffered from heavy sinusitis since I was a little kid. You can imagine all the tissues that go to waste when I forget my handkerchief. So she made these for me because she knew I would never forget anything with my mask on it. And she was right. Well, thankfully she made me three of them because still one of them got lost. Some lucky bastard will feast on Zardonic snots now. Yuck-a-licious.

WSR – What has been the greatest accolade that you have ever received?

Zardonic – My birthday cake from the fans in Russia at the hotel lobby. I almost shed tears.

WSR – Do you like ice cream, if so what is your favourite flavour?

Zardonic – Vanilla.

WSR – What is your most favourite beer and what is your ideal place to be enjoying that beer?

Zardonic – Russian Imperial Stout, preferably homebrewed. And perhaps Czech Republic would be the best place to have it 😀