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InterviewsAn Interview with Ale Gasso of Heavy Trio Thunderclap

Posted on Saturday, June 08 2019 @ 13:03:09 CDT by Pete Pardo
Heavy Metal

Sea of Tranquility Staff writer Carl Sederholm recently caught up with Ale Gasso of Thunderclap. The band’s first full-length album, Inebriocean, was released in April 2019.

To begin, give us a short introduction to Thunderclap and to the metal scene in Gainsville, Florida.

Ale Gasso: Thunderclap is a super-heavy three-piece from Gainesville, FL. We’ve been described as sludge, doom and stoner metal but we’re more than that. We go beyond the typical one-dimensional style of most metal/hardcore bands. We incorporate images, poetry and movements in our music to evoke feelings and emotions not usually associated with the genre.

Ale Gasso: The metal scene in Gainesville is just starting to bustle. Whereas in the recent past there has been little to no metal bands and a few metal shows here and there, typically with all male audiences, we now have new, heavy bands popping up regularly and the scene in general has become more welcoming and balanced.

SoT: In addition to playing with Thunderclap, you also write poetry. How would you describe your poetry? Where can interested readers find your work?

Ale Gasso: I like to write about the dark, dirty things you find hidden in the dusty corners of life. There’s a certain kind of beauty to those things and that’s what I like to focus on in my writing. Two of my older collections are now out of print but you can still find “Long Night Out” on any of the typical online book retailers or at the merch table at our shows.

SoT: You joined the band after the other members were writing music based on your poetry. How did they find you and what drew you to the band?

Ale: Gasso: I’d known everybody in the band for over a decade when we started collaborating. Todd had a copy of “Poems from Dark Places” and was using that for lyrics while writing songs for “The Moon Leads.” He eventually invited me to one of their practices to ask if they could use them permanently. He always says “it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” I immediately loved the band and agreed.

SoT: Inebriocean seems to dwell on the fine line between enjoyment and addiction or maybe even the way human behavior is so often self-destructive. Is that a fair interpretation? How were you all thinking about these kinds of questions?

Ale Gasso: We were all going through some rough times while we were writing this record. We look at this record as sort of memoir and these songs as diary passages of those dark times. We all got caught up in what Todd dubbed “The Inebriocean” and decided to write about it.

SoT: In some ways, Thunderclap could be described as a hardcore band with a wider range of emotions than similar bands might explore. How does this additional focus on emotion and human experience shape your music?

Ale Gasso: When thinking about writing this album, we wanted to do something in the vein of a Led Zeppelin or Beastie Boys record�"the way the mood shifts from song to song�"sometimes drastically�"while keeping to an overall feeling or theme. We weren’t interested in writing music that could end up sounding like the same song with seven different sets of lyrics. Each song is so different from the next, you have to listen to the whole record to get the complete experience.

SoT: What are your plans for taking Thunderclap on the road? How are fans liking the album?

Ale Gasso: We’re currently planning a couple-week tour late summer/early fall. We’re getting a great response to this record. People seem to understand what we’re doing.

SoT: Where can we find more information about the band or purchase music / merchandise online?

Ale Gasso: Here are our links:


https://www.facebook.com/ThunderclapGVL
https://thunderclap666.bandcamp.com/releases
http://www.financial-ruin.com
http://financialruin.storenvy.com
https://financialruin.bandcamp.com

SoT: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us Thunderclap or about yourself?

Ale Gasso: We put a lot into the making of this record and it’s something we’re really proud of. It’s not only a reflection of our lives, but of life itself. It’s dark and heavy, interspersed with moments of hopefulness. We hope people can relate and enjoy.

Carl Sederholm



Hits: 1972

 
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