Interview

Guitatist Matt Motto On Describing New Dissona: "This Album Is Meant To Express A Number Of Raw Emotions And Instill Powerful Feelings In The Listener"

Illinois progressive metal act Dissona have just released the new album "Paleopneumatic." The release is the band's third full length album, all independently released by the band. The band combines a host of different styles into each song, crafting a unique blend of both harsh and calm material - fitting for a wide variety of metalheads. You can order your own copy over at this location.

Guitarist Matt Motto took out some time to talk about the new album, the band's writing process and the current state of the music business.

CROMCarl: There seems to be a nice buzz surrounding the band. Are you satisfied with the responses you have been getting from reviews and social media for the new album?

Matt: Definitely! So far people are enjoying it. Support has been widespread and enthusiastic, so we are not complaining in the least.

CROMCarl: Tell me how the name “Paleopneumatic” came about. My first impression was something like “ancient spirit.” Is that on the right track?

Matt: Pretty much. Paleo (ancient) pneumatic (of or pertaining to one's vital or creative force, some might say spirit). The album is intended to express the idea that one's vital or creative force is based on sentience, and has evolved for ages. With that said, this album is meant to express a number of raw emotions and instill powerful feelings in the listener.

CROMCarl: One of the best aspects of the new release is the variation of the material. I think the term “progressive” is too often used for any music that has non-linear song structures (verse-chorus-verse), including in my own reviews. However, there really is no other term that properly describes your sound and there are times where I think I can fool anyone into thinking that each track is a different band. Was the goal to make the band appealing to a much larger audience? How would you describe the band’s sound to a newcomer to the band?

Matt: Not necessarily. The primary goal for this album, as it also has been for all of our previous material, has been simply to create new material based on whatever mood or emotion we intend to explore. The secondary goal is for each song to be written as an individual component of a greater whole. The sequencing and pacing is crucial to the development of the album. In other words, the songs are written to serve the album, not vice versa. It's a coincidence that this time we've written some of the, dare I say, catchiest material. An accurate description to a newcomer would be as follows: we play progressive metal. It can be extreme, it can be delicate. There's likely to be something in it with which you can connect. Please try!

CROMCarl: Without disrespecting the entirety of the album, which of the tracks on “Paleopneumatic” are you especially proud of? I’m blown away by “Fire-Bellied,” “Breach” and “The Last Resistance” myself.

Matt: Thank you! We're proud of each song in different ways. Ultimately we are the most proud of presenting the album as a complete work rather than deciding which song is our personal biggest accomplishment. Every song took quite a bit of poring over; we love each and every one.

CROMCarl: I’ve read in previous interviews with the band that the biggest writing challenge is the starting point. Does there tend to be a pattern in those starting points (e.g. – a riff, a melody line, a chorus, etc), or can the songs come from just about any aspect?

Matt: No, there isn't a specific pattern. Most ideas are formed in someone's head first before being transferred to an instrument, and most often it isn't individual parts but rather complete ideas for the band. A lot of the time the seeds of songs are sown from specific experiences with other media, be it film or music or art. If something moves someone in a specific and interesting way, it is likely to be explored later through original music.

CROMCarl: The songs on “Paleopneumatic” are so deep and varied – has there been an occasion where you had two song ideas that were joined to make one of the longer more complex arrangements?

Matt: Not on this album, no. We've some previous material on our self-titled album where that was the case. For some material, including on Paleopneumatic, we've taken old archived musical ideas and implanted it into something new.

CROMCarl: Do you find it challenging/rewarding to keep material so fresh and relevant in the music business these days, especially when competing with so many other acts?

Matt: I guess we don't think about our music in terms of current relevance. We just write what we like. The more "competition" there is the better music is going to get. Music isn't really an industry wherein one-upsmanship leads to dramatic collapses. If anything, people will be pushed to break down even more boundaries, to improve at their instruments and expand the capabilities of said instruments.

CROMCarl: The latest trend in music seems to be a band’s ability to do it all themselves if they have the time and energy, with the advancement of technology, closer fan contact via social media and what not. Do you see the band ever signing on with a label provided you get the right backing?

Matt: Sure! For all of the independence allowed by the DIY approach, there are certain financial realities most of us have to face. A supportive label, both financially and artistically, is certainly not an opportunity to scoff at.

CROMCarl: Does having to engage in so much of the hands on business aspect of music business detract from songwriting and the creative process?

No. We recognize them as two sides of the same coin. For as enjoyable as it is, at the end of the day it's a business. There's plenty of time for the fun parts: the writing, the recording, the gigging. There's also plenty of time for the necessary parts that keep the whole fun machine on track.

CROMCarl: Chicago has such a storied history in metal. How would you describe that scene today and what are younger bands doing to keep perpetuating that history?

Matt: Well, to be honest we're from the suburbs so the Chicago scene is still a bit foreign to us! We know of some younger bands from Chicago, but that scene we have yet to crack. We're aware of how good of a metal scene there is here; the history and sheer size of the city practically demand a vibrant arts scene. As long as Chicago and young people exist, metal will proliferate within.

CROMCarl: Are there any plans in the works for a tour?

Matt: We can neither confirm or deny any plans.

Thanks for your time and best of luck with the album!

Order your own copy of "Paleopneumatic" over at this location.

Follow Dissona on Facebook at over at this location.