"I never want complexity to come at the expense of writing something people actually remember after the song is over" - An Interview with Maidenhead
From sci-fi horror and technical thrash to analog warmth, DIY touring and dream stages: Zack Roberts takes us inside the world of Maidenhead and their new album, Maximum Clonage.
Massachusetts metal outfit Maidenhead have spent more than a decade sharpening a sound built from classic thrash, old-school death metal, technical riffing and an appetite for going somewhere unexpected. Founded by guitarist, primary songwriter and lyricist Zack Roberts, the band now features Vance Simmons (guitar), Zeping "Bella" Song (vocals), Lawrence Lee (bass) and Andre Forero (drums), with Maximum Clonage pushing Maidenhead's identity into bigger, stranger and more ambitious territory
We caught up with Zack to talk sci-fi horror, songwriting, the machinery behind the band's sound, working with Randy Burns, Chris Poland and the album's guest musicians, the realities of building an independent metal band, dream collabs and more.
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Chris Roditis, Musicngear: Maximum Clonage feels like a title that could carry several different meanings, especially for a band whose music draws from classic thrash and death metal traditions while embracing technical and progressive songwriting. What does “Maximum Clonage” mean to you, and what does the album represent that Decapitation of a Maiden didn't?
“Maximum Clonage” is really rooted in a fictional story I came up with that was heavily inspired by Killing Floor. I've always loved that combination of science-fiction, cloning, biological experiments and outright horror, so I started building my own story around those kinds of ideas. The title came naturally out of that world rather than being intended as some deep metaphor.
As far as the difference from Decapitation of a Maiden, I think that record was Maidenhead establishing what we were. Maximum Clonage is us pushing that identity much further. The songwriting is more technical and ambitious, the performances and production are stronger, and there are more progressive and experimental elements without losing the thrash and death metal foundation. To me, it represents a much more developed version of the band.
Musicngear: Zack, you're the band's primary songwriter and lyricist, so there's a strong sense of creative authorship behind Maidenhead. When you start writing a song, what usually comes first for you: a riff, a rhythmic idea, a lyrical concept, an atmosphere, or something else entirely? And how do you know when a song has become unmistakably Maidenhead?
A lot of the time, the chorus riff comes first. If I come up with a riff that really grabs me, especially something that feels like it could anchor the song, that will often start suggesting lyrical ideas to me. But even when the lyrics start developing early, I usually finish the instrumental before I fully finish the words. Other times, it starts with one riff somewhere else in the song that I really like and want to build everything around. That riff becomes the centerpiece, and I work outward from there.
As far as knowing when something sounds unmistakably like Maidenhead, I think it happens naturally at this point. There's usually a combination of thrash, death metal, technical playing and some less predictable songwriting choices. If the song has that aggression but also keeps moving somewhere interesting instead of just repeating itself, that usually feels like Maidenhead to me.
That was exactly what I wanted from having these musicians involved — not just having their names on the record, but letting them actually bring their own musical identity into Maidenhead
Musicngear: This album has an especially impressive cast of musicians behind it. What was it like bringing all of these different musical voices into the Maidenhead world? Did any of them play something that took a song somewhere you hadn't originally imagined?
It was absolutely great. A lot of the musicians involved are people I've looked up to for most of my life and who have directly influenced me as a musician, so having them actually contribute to a Maidenhead record was a huge honor.
Chris Poland's solo on “Kill Or Be Killed” is probably the clearest example of somebody taking a song somewhere I hadn't necessarily imagined. Especially in the second half of his solo, he brings in this really interesting fusion element that changes the atmosphere of that section completely. It still works within the song, but it has that unmistakable Chris Poland personality to it. That was exactly what I wanted from having these musicians involved — not just having their names on the record, but letting them actually bring their own musical identity into Maidenhead.
Musicngear: Let's get into the machinery behind the madness: what guitars, amps, pedals, effects, and recording gear did you use on Maximum Clonage? Were there any particular pieces of gear that became essential to getting the album's guitar tone or overall sound?
For Maximum Clonage, we actually ended up using the Bogren Digital BDM plugin. Initially, the plan was to reamp everything through my Custom Badass Guitar Cab, who sponsors me, but we were having trouble getting the reamping process to work the way we wanted. So most of the guitars ended up being recorded directly, and we used a Marshall V30 cabinet IR. I was honestly surprised by how organic the final result sounded. Recording direct isn't necessarily our preferred method, but it still gave us a great outcome and the kind of tone we were looking for.
As far as the core guitar sound, the Marshall JVM tone was definitely essential. Live, we're currently running Neural DSP Quad Cortex, and I'm using a capture of my Rocktron Prophesy II preamp, which sounds absolutely killer. The Quad Cortex runs into my Marshall 100/100 EL34 power amp, and from there into my Custom Badass Guitar Cab loaded with Mesa V30s. That combination has become a huge part of my current live sound.
Musicngear: Tracks 2-7 were mixed by legendary producer Randy Burns, whose work is deeply connected to the history of extreme and thrash metal. What did Randy bring to the record that changed or enhanced the way you heard the material? Was there anything he encouraged you to change, remove, emphasize, or simply let loose?
For the most part, we gave Randy a lot of freedom. We sent him rough ideas and notes for what we were looking for, but we also wanted him to put his own personality into the mixes rather than micromanage every detail. He definitely added his own flair in places. One example is the reverse cymbal during the interlude in “Death March.” That was something he added on his own, and it ended up sounding really cool.
More than anything, though, his experience really elevated the record. He ran everything out through analog gear and then back into the digital domain, which gave the mixes a real analog warmth that we were looking for. That process helped give the record more depth and character and played a huge role in getting the overall sound where we wanted it.
Don't keep playing the same state over and over again. Push outward. Take chances on shows in new places, even if you aren't completely sure what the turnout or payout is going to be
Musicngear: Since forming in 2013, Maidenhead has gone from the New England underground to touring across multiple states and eventually completing a multi-city California tour. What have been the hardest problems you've had to overcome to build that momentum as an independent metal band, and what would you tell another independent artist facing similar challenges?
The hardest part has probably been scheduling and making sure everyone in the band is aligned and actively helping promote what we're doing. Getting as many eyes on the band as possible takes constant effort. Touring is another major challenge. Not having a booking company or a label behind us means almost everything has been done in-house. We've had to figure out booking, routing, promotion and networking ourselves. At the same time, we've built some really good partnerships that have allowed us to accomplish what we have so far, and we're continuing to build those relationships while hopefully finding the right booking company and label eventually.
My biggest advice to another independent band would be: don't keep playing the same state over and over again. Push outward. Take chances on shows in new places, even if you aren't completely sure what the turnout or payout is going to be. My rule is basically to get into a new state at least once for the exposure and to start planting that flag. Then, when you come back, try to return with more awareness and more demand than you had the first time. You have to be willing to take some risks and keep expanding your territory instead of waiting for opportunities to come to you.
Musicngear: With Maximum Clonage now out, what would make this album campaign feel like a success to you? Are you aiming for a particular number of streams, more press coverage, label interest, national support slots, major festival appearances, another tour, or something completely different?
For me, making this campaign a success would absolutely mean continuing to build the press coverage we've already been getting. The reviews so far have been fantastic, and I really don't see that momentum slowing down anytime soon, which is a great feeling.
Beyond that, the bigger goals are securing a strong distribution deal, finding the right label, and getting Maidenhead onto higher-stakes tours and bigger opportunities. I really feel like Maximum Clonage proves that Maidenhead is a legitimate band operating at a much higher level than before. So ultimately, I want this record to open doors. I want the quality of the album, the response to it, and the work we've put into the campaign to translate into real opportunities that move the band forward.
Musicngear: You've already shared stages with bands including Artillery, DRI, Prong, Pyrexia, Deceased, and Blood Feast. If you could build your ultimate Maidenhead tour package from any artists - living, historical, or even wildly impossible combinations - who would be on it? And is there a particular venue or festival stage where you'd love to see Maidenhead play?
If I could build the ultimate Maidenhead tour package, I'd probably make it a five-band bill that covered everything from massive established bands down to bands closer to where we are now. I'd have Megadeth headlining, Morbid Angel directly underneath them, then Maidenhead, Nemesis, and Electrocutioner. I think that would be an absolutely killer package because there's a connection between all of the bands, but enough variation that it wouldn't feel like hearing the same thing five times.
As far as dream stages and venues, Wacken is definitely one of the biggest ones. Getting Maidenhead onto one of the major Wacken stages would be incredible. I'd also absolutely love to play the Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles because of the history behind that place. And Saint Vitus in New York is another one. I would have loved to have played the original location, but if it returns in a new home, getting Maidenhead onto that stage would still mean a lot to me.
No matter how technical we eventually become, I never want complexity to come at the expense of writing something people actually remember after the song is over
Musicngear: Imagine you discover a machine that can transport one piece of musical equipment from any point in history directly into your studio. You can bring back one guitar, amp, pedal, recording console, or any other piece of gear ever made, but you have to use it on the next Maidenhead record. What do you bring back?
Funny enough, I don't even need the time machine because the guitar actually still exists, and I believe it's been offered for sale fairly recently — the asking price is just absolutely ridiculous.
I'd choose Dave Mustaine's No. 1 Jackson. It was the first 24-fret Jackson ever made, and it was used during such an important period of Megadeth's history and on records that had a massive influence on me as a guitarist and songwriter. If I could get that guitar into the studio and actually use it on future Maidenhead material, that would be incredible. Out of any piece of gear in rock or metal history, that's the one I'd want.
Musicngear: Finally, imagine Maidenhead 10 years from now. The band has played the stages you've always dreamed about and made the records you're proudest of. What does that future version of Maidenhead sound like, and what is one thing you hope the band will never lose along the way?
Ten years from now, I'd still want Maidenhead to retain a lot of the same identity we have now. I could see the music getting somewhat more technical — especially on my end, with more intricate soloing and maybe some more complex riffing — but I'd want all of that to stay rooted in the same foundation we already have.
The one thing I would absolutely never want us to lose is the catchiness. I think that's a huge part of what draws people into Maidenhead. The music can be extremely heavy, aggressive and fast, but there's still something memorable about the riffs, choruses and melodies. No matter how technical we eventually become, I never want complexity to come at the expense of writing something people actually remember after the song is over.
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About Chris Roditis
Chris Roditis has been an active musician since 1995 in various bands and projects across a variety of genres ranging from acoustic, electronic to nu metal, british rock and trip hop. He has extensive experience as a mixing engineer and producer and has built recording studios for most of the projects he has been involved with. His passion for music steered his entrepreneurial skills into founding MusicNGear in 2012.
Contact Chris Roditis at chrisroditis@musicngear.com
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