Lana Blac continues to build momentum with her debut album Nocturnal, which was released this past October. Lana teamed up with Tim McMurtrie (original guitarist of M.O.D.) and recording engineer Eric Rachel on this project. Hailing from New York, Lana Blac entices fans both lyrically and visually with her modern underground gothic hard rock sound. This creature of the night has her sights set on your musical soul.
In grand Music Madness Magazine fashion, we caught up with the Vampiress at the witching hour.
Music Madness: Congrats on your debut album, Nocturnal as well as the video for “Suck You In”.
Lana: Thank you so much. I’m going to be putting out another video fairly soon. I am not going to say the date yet, but fairly soon.
Music Madness: Right on. How has the response been?
Lana: It’s been awesome. Honestly, I know this is my first album and I’m very excited about it. I wrote every song that’s on the album. Looking to make some new music this year as well. There is going to be a lot of things coming up in 2019. I can’t disclose all information at the moment, but there’s a couple of festivals and other things that will be taking place.
Music Madness: Outstanding. Tell me a little bit about the album, your inspiration behind making this record.
Lana: Sure. Well, I started writing … I wrote the first song of the album, “Crave”, five years ago. I just kept writing a couple songs each year. Then decided to bring it to fruition, because I met up with Tim McMurtrie (original guitarist from M.O.D). We decided that we were going to do a collaboration together and he produced my record. I called it Nocturnal, because obviously I am a creature of the night… I’m a vampire, so it went perfect. Actually, at first, I was calling it Suck You In, but I decided to change it to Nocturnal, because my spirit animal is a bat, so it just suited me better.
Music Madness: Interesting. Let’s talk about the songs on the album.
Lana: “Blac Ice” is all about karmic wrath of a wrongdoing of another. Every song that people hear on my album, it’s come from a personal experience of mine. I always write from the heart. I know there’s a lot of people out there that are very creative, and sometimes they just use their imagination to write. For me, I’d rather write about experience. “Blac Ice” is my winter favorite, because like I said, it’s all about karmic wrath and sliding into black ice…you can’t see it; there’s no warning. So that’s what that song is about.
“Suck You In” is all about power, taking control. It’s about the devil, the angel, and I talk about it a lot in my EPK where everybody has a devil and an angel on their shoulder. I feel like it’s kind of imbalanced. It’s never really balanced. Either you’re going to be really good or you’re going to be really bad. So I usually go both, but I’m a lot more devilish than I am angel.
Music Madness: Of course you are (laughing).
Lana: Yeah. It’s all about the experience of a vampire and how empowering it is. Like I say in my lyrics, “I’ll climb on top of you and sink my teeth into your skin. Once I sink my teeth into your skin, you’re going to be mine for all eternity,” so that’s what that song is about and what it means to me. So you have to be careful, Steve, because you might get sucked in.
Music Madness: Well, there’s a reason why I called at the witching hour, so…
Lana: That’s right.
Music Madness: I can honestly say this is the first interview I have done at the witching hour… and I’ve done all kinds of interviews.
Lana: I’m really enjoying this, actually, talking to you during the witching hour. The next song I’ll talk about is “Pick Your Poison”. “Pick Your Poison” is all about the seven deadly sins. Whether or not people want to admit it, we’ve all probably committed each one of those sins. It’s all about somebody who … it could be a male or a female, whomever you’re with and they betrayed you, and you gave them your all, your heart. It could have been a marriage, whatever it is, that person deceived you. It’s kind of on the order of karmic wrath, but it’s a little more, because this person just wants you to be poisoned for what you’ve done to them. So whatever you decide to pick, it’s still poison either way, so it’s your choice, but either way, you’re screwed.
Honestly, I’d love to make a video for all of these songs; because I’ve thought it out in my head so many times … I have quite the imagination. Once I have my own tour, there’s a lot of things that people are going to see involving each song. It’ll be very theatrical.
Music Madness: Awesome. I was curious about your live shows and if they were theatrical. We will explore more after you are done.
Lana: Yeah, absolutely. The next one is called “The Game”. “The Game” is involving two women, and they’re playing a game with a man, but the man actually thought that he was playing both of them. He was seeing both of them at the same time. Now, ladies and gentlemen, this could also be about a woman playing a game with two men. But whichever way, at the end, those two people that were being played, they walk away together. That other person gets left behind. Everyone likes to play a game.
It’s very interesting with music and lyrics how people interpret things in different ways. My songs are meant and interpreted my way, but somebody else might listen to my music, my lyrics and create something different out of it, or maybe they would compare it to an experience that they had.
My next one is called “In the Darkness”. Honestly, this is probably most where I speak of bats, and being nocturnal, and me capturing my victims. I’m like alluring them into flying with me through the night, and I’m telling them not to be afraid. But they have no idea what they’re getting themselves into. It’s going to be the fantasy of their life, so it could be pleasure, it could be pain. Who knows? Welcome to my realm.
Music Madness: To each their own, right?
Lana: Yes, that’s right. There is also “Soul Stalker”. People always talk about that they could be better than the next that I’ve had, basically, in relationships. They promise that they are not going to be like that last person that I was with. But, honestly, they wind up screwing me over, and I basically keep their soul, because they hand it to me on a platter. I speak from experience, but I’m sure there’s other people that can relate. How many times we’ve been screwed over in our life, and how many times people talk the talk, but they can’t walk the walk. They don’t show you anything. They don’t do anything. There’s no action behind it, but they say a lot. You know what I mean.
Music Madness: Without a doubt.
Lana: I’ve heard it all, basically. That’s what that song is about. Then there’s “Recipe for Disaster”. We’re both so drawn to one another in our relationship, but we were doomed from the start. We don’t belong together, but together we create chemistry, but also fire at the same time. So that’s what “Recipe for Disaster” is about. We were doomed from the start.
Music Madness: We have all been there.
Lana: Yeah. Pretty much. I don’t think I’ve met a person that’s told me different. Then I mentioned “Crave”. “Crave” was the first song that I had written. It’s all about how love is eternal. That once in a lifetime feeling that you get with someone. Walking with them, holding their hand to the grave, and like whatever it is that people believe in. Like from now to all eternity, the love will last forever. That’s what that song is about.
Music Madness: Of all the songs, do you have a favorite one to play live?
Lana: Honestly, I love them all. “Suck You In” and “The Game”, I notice that it gets everybody really amped up. “In the Darkness”, it’s very intense. There’s violins playing and everything, so it depends on what the person likes. When people come to see my concert, there’s songs for everyone on it, so they won’t be bored when they come see me. I promise to make it very theatrical. I was pretty much born that way. Born a vampire, in the 17th century, so I’m just visiting right now, Steve.
Music Madness: Tell me about your mother from the 17th century.
Lana: Well … Are you speaking about Elizabeth Bathory?
Music Madness: I am.
Lana: See and I thought I told you that in confidence. Nobody else was supposed to know that, so I’m just going to have to make you my victim. That’s it.
Music Madness: I wasn’t going to call at midnight and not ask some fun questions. I mean, I’ve done an interview while a musician has been getting a tattoo. I’ve done the interviews while they’re on a Harley. You have to have fun and get into the moment.
Lana: Yes. Well, I’m actually intrigued right now, because you just told me that you did an interview when somebody was getting a tattoo. Now that’s interesting. I’m a very big tattoo lover. I have a lot of them all over my body but I’ve never done an interview while being tatted before, so that’s fascinating to me.
Music Madness: Yeah. Spider from Powerman 5000. Rob Zombie’s brother.
I think you’re releasing your music at a great time, especially with the growing popularity of female-fronted bands, especially in the metal world. I know you have strong feelings about females-fronted bands.
Lana: I do. I honestly feel like the festival type thing started when In This Moment, Stitched Up Heart, New Years Day, and Halestorm were all on tour together. They basically started this train, and I think we are just going to keep riding. I have a festival that I was asked to be on, August 17, and it’s called Pretty In Punk. It’s actually in Philly, and it’s going to be a gender diverse punk metal festival with an emphasis on strong female performers.
Music Madness: That sounds like a blast. Speaking of tours, didn’t you tour with Twiztid?
Lana: Yes. I toured with Twiztid. This was Fright Fest and it was their 15th year doing it. I was also on tour with MMMFD and the Underground Avengers. I was the only female that was on that tour. I have to say, Twiztid has a lot of loyal fans and I believe they were on last year’s Vans Warped Tour.
Music Madness: Yeah. That was the first time I had seen them live and they put on a great set. How was that experience?
Lana: It was actually amazing. I thought we all fit very well together. Very horror themed. I mean, it was in the month of October. My album dropped on October 19, which was the same day Halloween (the movie) came out, so it was very exciting. But Twiztid, the guys were honestly very nice, very down to earth.
Music Madness: Well, that has to make those tours that much more enjoyable when everyone is cool. Someone I just interviewed referred to his tour family as his circus family because it’s a melting pot of all kinds of chaos, and you’re on tour for a month or more at a time with 20 people. He said, “It’s my circus family and there’s no other way to explain it.”
Lana: Honestly. I mean, yeah, it is. We had very good chemistry together on that tour. But then again, like I told you, I am a people lover. I love all different types of experiences. I knew it was going to be a lot of fun. Obviously, Halloween is my favorite time of year. I did 18 shows with them, and maybe in the future, we can do something else together.
Music Madness: Very cool. Halloween shows can always add some theatrical fun to the concert experience. That being said not all bands see it that way. They prefer that nothing obstruct the objective…in this case, their music.
Lana: Honestly, I understand what you’re saying. People pay a lot of money to go to a concert, and a show is what they should be given. Not knocking anybody’s concert, because I’ve been to a lot of them throughout my life, and they’ve all been amazing in their own way. But I, myself, love a theatrical performance.
Music Madness: By chance, do you remember your first concert?
Lana: Honestly, this is going to be very interesting and a very big twist. My first official concert was at Madison Square Garden, I was 18, and I had seen Madonna and Drowned World Tour. I was like second row. She’s also another favorite artist of mine. I grew up also listening to her music. Cyndi Lauper, too. I mean, honestly, it made me more of a creative writer listening to all different types of music like that. I do elaborate a little more. I have experiences. I write a song. I also add more into it to make it more fascinating, to make it fantasy and real, so you don’t know which part is real, which part is fantasy to get in people’s heads, so to speak.
Music Madness: Every experience you have can add to one’s creativity. So, any tour news you can share with us.
Lana: I think I’m holding off for a bigger tour going toward the end of the year. I’m going to be doing a few festivals before then. People will be seeing a lot of me and like I said, I’m going to start working on new music also. I love to keep things current. I love to keep people guessing, and music is my life.
Music Madness: That’s awesome. Now do you have a favorite part of the creative process? I know you love writing and performing. Do you equally enjoy being in front of the camera?
Lana: Yes, I do, actually. At first, I get these butterflies in my stomach, but once I’m on stage, you get that adrenaline. People are there to see you and listen to your music. I get to listen to my own lyrics come to life, and everybody is enjoying it, and we are sending the message of love through music. I call music the time traveler, which it really is. I mean, no matter what it is that you are going through in life, music never lets you down.
Music Madness: I completely agree that. As you’re writing the music, can you already see how the video would play out or does that come much later?
Lana: No. It all comes together. For example, when I was writing “The Game”, I was actually driving. I had to pull over and put the lyrics into my notes in my phone, because I had the idea for the song, and I wrote it in 15 minutes. I get music in my head while I’m writing. It’s very interesting and I also picture things happening. Like I told you, it’s quite fascinating when people listen to my songs; I’ve asked them what they pictured. Some of them are different than what I’m picturing, and then others have exactly my picture of what I’m seeing in my head. It’s fascinating to me.
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