“There’s a sense of unity you feel when you find someone else who obsesses over the same obscure 1984 album from a band the average person has never heard of. The cool thing about the metal community is that, even though it’s worldwide, it’s so closely connected. The internet helps with that of course, but every time I’m on tour and I meet someone new, more often than not it turns out we have at least one mutual friend. So, I’d say what sets it apart from other communities is how united and closely connected it is.”
As a part of our series about the metal community, we had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Wilson and The Hammer from MIDNIGHT SPELL.
Born amidst the Miami underground comes MIDNIGHT SPELL, an unrelenting force of pure heavy metal in its truest form. Founded in 2017, MIDNIGHT SPELL was created to carry the torch of real heavy metal and push the boundaries of the genre to its limits. Featuring varied songwriting from straight-forward ragers to catchy, more melodic compositions, through pounding drums, masterful guitar solos, and soaring vocals, the quintet strives to be nothing less than the full package of what a heavy metal band should be. They’re debut album “Sky Destroyer” is available now from Iron Oxide Records.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your band’s backstory?
Brian: The idea for the band was born in late 2016. I had played in many bands up to that point, but I wanted to have something of my own and had always wanted to play this style of heavy metal. So, the search began for the perfect band members. I wasn’t settling when it came to this band. I needed the right people who were the full package. It took quite some time before the lineup was complete and ready to go. The first guy I found was The Hammer, who I found playing in some local cover band at the time. He and I began jamming and writing songs together for quite a while before anyone else came into the picture. Cam was the next one who came in, then Paolo, and then finally Denver. The funny thing is, all of us already knew each other prior to the formation of the band. In my opinion, these were the best musicians the South Florida music scene had to offer, and I knew if I could get all five of us in the same room together, we could do some amazing things.
What or who are your biggest influences? We’d love to hear the story.
Brian: We’re all die-hard and proud metalheads. I’d say for me, the NWOBHM movement had the most impact on me growing up. Also, bands like Anvil, Exciter, Judas Priest, just too many to name. That’s the school we come from, classic heavy metal. I’d say Enforcer was one of the biggest influences on me, though. After I found them, I discovered the NWOTHM movement, and found what I wanted to do was even possible. Because, for a long time, I thought it wasn’t. I had been trying to put together a band like this since I was 18 years old, but just couldn’t find the right people. Seeing Enforcer really changed my life and gave me the drive to go really go for it and put together the band I always wanted to have.
Hammer: My biggest influences have to be Steve Vai, Jake E. Lee, John Sykes and George Lynch. I like to think I have a style that incorporates all 4 of them a bit. After years of hearing different bands and genres, these 4 players have stuck out and shaped my playing in a big way.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person or people who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to get where you’re at today? Can you share a story about that?
Brian: Having very supportive parents definitely helped. I’ve also been extremely lucky to have met and worked with some legendary names over the years too. Hellwitch did a lot for me, as far as making me a better drummer, and for introducing me to touring and a lot of the metal scene around the world. Obviously, playing for Yngwie was a huge break as well. It’s hard to narrow it down to any one specific person. The combination of my experiences with all the people I’ve met and worked with over the years all played at least some role to help me get to where I am now.
Hammer: I would say a culmination of friends, family, and my wife. A lot of people have been very encouraging and kept me motivated. My dad and my wife have always been supporters of my playing in every way and that encouragement helped me through the years.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that has occurred to your band? What lesson or take away did you learn from that?
Brian: I’d say the only mistake I made was not starting on the band sooner. Once I did start though, so much time was spent on every little detail imaginable so that no mistakes were made. Maybe it’s because I’ve already learned from so many mistakes from past bands I’ve been in, but I can’t really pinpoint any related to MIDNIGHT SPELL. At least not yet. Of course, mistakes are inevitable and happen to every band sooner or later, though I don’t think MIDNIGHT SPELL has run into any major ones yet. Perhaps we don’t have quite enough history yet to look back on how we we’ve gone about things too. This will be an easier question to answer when we’re promoting our 30th anniversary tour!
The road to success is hard and requires tremendous dedication. This question is obviously a big one, but what advice would you give to younger bands who aspire to follow in your footsteps and emulate your success?
Brian: It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll, and we still have quite a ways to go ourselves. The biggest advice I could give to any aspiring band, or musician for that matter, is try to have something that sets you apart from everyone else. Something to stand out from the competition, so to speak. What that is, you’ll have to find it yourself. Don’t do what everyone else is doing, find what makes you unique.
Hammer: Don’t have addictions, have bandmates that are in for the long haul, and be smart about how you plan to become successful. Never give up or stop trying no matter what.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Brian: Songwriting has begun for album number two. Obviously, we can’t tour with the state of the world right now, so we’re pretty limited in what we’re able to plan. So, for now, we’re just going to keep doing what we do, and work on putting out the highest quality heavy metal we possibly can.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview. Can you briefly tell our readers a bit about why you are a part of the heavy metal community?
Brian: Well, first and foremost, an undying love for the music. For my entire life, I’ve been completely obsessed with heavy music, and when I was about 14 or 15 I discovered the local metal scene. That was the first time in my life that I felt like I was among people I truly belonged with. There weren’t really other metalheads in the schools I went to, except maybe a few in my later high school years. But all the most lasting relationships I’ve made in my life have been with people I’ve met through our love for heavy metal.
Hammer: I wanna rock! Why else? I love the heavy metal community and all the players and everything involved. It’s just a fun way of life that tops everything else.
For the benefit of our readers, can you help to define what the heavy metal community is?
Brian: It’s a community of like-minded people who have the same interests as you. People who have the same love for the music that you do, people you can talk to for hours about your favorite bands, people you can show off your record collections to, or compare your black T-shirt collection with. The ones you see at shows every weekend.
How is the heavy metal community different from other communities?
Brian: Heavy metal, in itself, is unlike any other genre on the planet because it becomes a lifestyle. There’s a sense of unity you feel when you find someone else who obsesses over the same obscure 1984 album from a band the average person has never heard of. The cool thing about the metal community is that, even though it’s worldwide, it’s so closely connected. The internet helps with that of course, but every time I’m on tour and I meet someone new, more often than not it turns out we have at least one mutual friend. So, I’d say what sets it apart from other communities is how united and closely connected it is.
Hammer: There’s a connection with heavy metal between 2 people that almost feels religious. It’s very inviting and accepting of a lot of people from all walks of life.
Can you help explain a few reasons why the heavy metal community is so important? Can you share a story or give some examples?
Brian: It’s important because it’s the only thing keeping the genre that we love alive. There’s no mainstream airplay or mainstream coverage of any kind for it. Without the community, there is no heavy metal. And for the people that this music is so important to, life would lose so much meaning without it. Not to mention, the metal community is one of very few places lots of people feel they really belong. Myself included. Of course, I have plenty of relationships with people who aren’t into heavy metal, but when you meet someone who happens to be into the same bands you are, or shares the same obsession with some obscure 1986 demo nobody has ever heard of, you’ve instantly made a meaningful connection with that person.
This question is for any of the individual band members. Would you feel comfortable sharing a story or anecdote about how being a part of the heavy metal community has helped you in your life? We would love to hear about it.
Brian: As I said, it was where I felt I belonged more than anywhere else. For instance, I felt like a bit of an outcast growing up. Like in school, nobody around me quite understood my obsession for loud and heavy music. Not that I had trouble getting along with other people, but unless you share that same drive, it’s hard to find common ground sometimes. All of my most lasting and meaningful relationships with people have been with those whom I’ve met through a love for heavy metal. Existence would be quite lonely without it.
Hammer: In a big way it has saved my life. There are people that I’ve met through heavy metal comradery that ended up helping me in life situations in a real and big way. I am always grateful for my friends and bandmates that have helped me through the years.
Ok. Wonderful. Here is the main question of our interview. Can you recommend five things that anyone can do to help grow and strengthen the metal community? Please share a story or example for each.
Brian: First, be accepting. Don’t put someone else down because they don’t like the same bands you do. As long as whatever they’re into falls into the realm of real heavy metal, the end goal is the same at the end of the day.
Second, mutual support. Support your local scene, support independent musicians and bands. Don’t hate on someone else because their band gets too big and is no longer underground or whatever. We’re in this to grow the community, not narrow it.
Third, introduce your non-metalhead friends to heavy metal. So many people out there would love it, but just haven’t been exposed to it.
Fourth, go to shows (in non-pandemic times of course). Pay attention to who is playing. Go to as many shows as you can. Show you’re out there. The more ticket sales, the more people in the room when a band is playing, the better. Bands work their asses off on tour and so many promoters fall flat on actually promoting, and then bands play to smaller audiences and you hear fans saying later on they had no idea you were coming through. Be alert to what’s happening and go out. It doesn’t matter if you have to work the next morning or whatever. Work happens every day, a band may only come through town once every few years. Do your part to support the music you love if you want it to continue. You won’t regret it.
And finally, and most importantly, buy the music. I know we live in the age of streaming, but bands work so hard to put out the best quality albums they possibly can only for it to be streamed or downloaded for free. Not to mention, so many only listen to the two or three singles off of it. Take the time to buy a CD or vinyl, put it on, and read the lyrics in the booklet along with it. It makes for a much deeper connection to the music. It’s an experience almost everybody misses out on these days.
Ok, we are nearly done. You are a band of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Brian: What can I say other than be good to your fellow man? Be there for the people in your life and help the people that help you. Find a cause that’s important to you and do what you can to support it. There are lots of fucked up things going on in the world. Heavy metal is our escape from it. At the end of the day, I’m just a musician that lives and breathes heavy metal. Perhaps I’m not the guy to look to for changing the world. But everyone can do their part in some way to make the world a better place.
What is next for your band?
Brian: Well, as I said, writing for album two is underway. Perhaps a single will be coming out before that. We were also asked to be part of a tribute album, but I can’t say too much about that yet! Expect to hear plenty more music from us.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can find us on:
Bandcamp: @midnightspell
Facebook: @midnightspellofficial
Band Instagram: @midnightspellofficial
Brian Instagram: @brutalbrian
Don’t forget to follow us on Spotify too. Be sure to listen to our new album Sky Destroyer, which is out now on Iron Oxide Records!
Thank you for these excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success.
Brian: Thanks for having us!