{"id":90229,"date":"2019-03-04T11:00:53","date_gmt":"2019-03-04T17:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toiletovhell.com\/?p=90229"},"modified":"2019-03-04T03:04:38","modified_gmt":"2019-03-04T09:04:38","slug":"the-vanguard-of-vancouver-an-interview-with-matt-roach-of-rain-city-recorders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toiletovhell.com\/the-vanguard-of-vancouver-an-interview-with-matt-roach-of-rain-city-recorders\/","title":{"rendered":"The Vanguard of Vancouver – An Interview with Matt Roach of Rain City Recorders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After hovering above the Toilet for some time, the first comment I made was on a Tech Death Thursday article featuring Vancouver’s The Hallowed Catharsis<\/strong>. This was wankless tech that demanded attention for both the songwriting skill on display and the sparse mix that defied the flat, brick-walled style endemic to the genre. Fast forward to the present, and I’m having a bit of a Pepe Silvia<\/a> moment: first THC, then a slew of EPs and albums in the following years, all leading back to the studio at Rain City Recorders, with Matt Roach behind the boards. I swooped in and spoke with the man about his recent work with Gatekeeper<\/strong><\/a>, production faux pas and the metal scene in the frigid North.<\/p>\n

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You’ve been recording metal music in one form or another for around a decade now. How did you get into audio engineering? Were there any specific albums (metal or otherwise) that led you to this profession?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When I was a preteen my mom had bought me a dual deck cassette stereo with AM\/FM radio and a built-in microphone. I would record anything I could; songs on TV, me talking to myself and making “skits”, songs off the radio. I was OBSESSED with making mix tapes, and would time each side nearly perfectly for that “album” feel. But I think my first foray into digital recording was trying to track myself playing bass so that I could work on “writing songs;” this was around 1999 when I was 16ish. Needless to say, I’m happy those embarrassing moments were lost to the passage of time. It did however ignite a passion for laying down as much as I possibly could music-wise, and when it came time to rock some demos for my bands, I’d happily do it. Unfortunately they sounded terrible. Around 2002, I was in a band with a few other guys in my city and the guitarist was very keen on digital recording. We setup a Cubase rig in his parent’s basement and set to work crafting what would become the first EP I recorded, A Lifetime and a Day. From this point, I was hooked and became absolutely obsessed with trying to learn everything I could. By 2009 I had moved to the biggest city in my province and was attending audio school. Three months into that I got a job at Vogville Recorders, then three months after that I was working as a runner at the Armoury Studios. The rest is another long story, but that’s about it. Metal albums that blew my mind, sonically, when I was a teenager:<\/p>\n

Rage Against the Machine –<\/strong> Self Titled<\/em>
\nSoundgarden –<\/strong> Superunknown<\/em>
\nPantera –<\/strong> Cowboys From Hell \/ Vulgar Display<\/em>
\nDeftones –<\/strong> White Pony<\/em>
\nMegadeth –<\/strong> Countdown to Extinction<\/em><\/p>\n

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Throughout your career, you’ve covered quite a few genres, from the technical death metal of The Hallowed Catharsis to Gatekeeper’s trad\/power metal sound. Do you have any rules of thumb that apply to recording\/producing specific genres? Do you have a favorite genre to work with?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both bands I absolutely love, great people who are fanatically passionate about music. So, great choices. For me, the rule of thumb is DO YOUR RESEARCH. If you’re going to be recording music, you need to immerse yourself in the specific genre you’re going for so that you know the tropes of the scene and expectations of your artist. I can’t think of a worse feeling than delivering something someone has worked so hard on, but is ultimately unhappy with. So I try to craft a unique vision for each artist I work with. And like I stated before, that begins with research. I don’t have a favorite genre to record, as long as the music gets me moving and I can vibe to it. I love music, and I want that feeling to be evident in the productions I do.<\/p>\n