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Sunday, August 17th, 2014

We met up with upcoming ska band, Manantial De Fuego at the popular Yost Theater on Sunday evening. Having a chance to headline for the night was an honor for the band. Here's what they had to say. Interview is shortened to the Qs & As only. Q: So what would you guys describe your style as?

A: "We have a lot of fusion. Rock and roll mixed with like, salsa, cumbias, ska, you know, a lot of, um, love songs in a way [the band laughs], love hate relationships. A lot of those two things are found in our lyrics. So yeah, we're a Latin band that plays rock."

Q: You guys mix those styles, I have to say that it's a very unique combination. What made you guys choose those specific styles and blend them? How exactly did you guys manage to blend them, a few of those genres are quite different from each other. I'm assuming it could have been a bit difficult to get those styles to flow together well.

A: "I think that that is exactly it, that um, 'We need something new, we gotta push forward' idea. We just decided to try different combinations of things until we found something that worked for us."

Q: So you're saying that you guys have had a different sound before with different genres. Does this mean that the band went through a trial and error phase to get where you are today?

A: "You know what, yes! We have because sometimes when we write the song and we play it a certain way the first time, afterwards we like 'No, we gotta make it different. This isn't good enough.' So, that's when we decide we gotta make some adjustments. Also, it's the audience and the crowd that we pay attention to. How they react to certain songs. So it is the crowd that has been guiding us to our sound, to what Manantial De Fuego is now. It's the feedback that we get from the audience."

Q: Besides the audience, what else has helped shape the sound of the band? Knowing that the LA music scene is what helped bring you guys up, are there any local bands that you guys look up to in particular?

A: "Unfortunately, we did not have a great experience with other local artists. We had a bad experience, which is why we decided to focus on this kind of music. We had a confrontation with a ska band, that, well, they were not good at what they were doing. So we decided that we were gonna show them how to do it."

Q: Payback, then?

A: "Yes, kind of like that. [chuckles] But we respect them, we respect them. We had some difficulties in a show a couple years ago. Which is why we decided to go on the path we are on today."

Q: So you guys had your first album out in 2011. Was this a long time coming, or how long before had MDF formed?

A: "It's kind of funny, you see, we started with metal, we were a metal band! We started with different styles and then we broke up around '07, we had some problems, you know, like everybody, but maybe around 2009 is when we all united and that's when we each brought more styles in."

Q: What brought you guys back together?

A: "What it is, I think, is that need that we all have to play music. And you know what, I think it's also that we can't see the band with other members, you know? We have to see each other in that same band."

Q: Do you think that the sound is unique to the people in the band? For example, if you replaced a member, do you feel like it would change completely?

A: "Yeah most definitely. Everyone here has their own style to add to the band. We put our differences aside to make the music for the people who love the sound."

Q: So have you guys actually had to change people in the past?

A: "Yeah uh, we actually had a guitarist [everyone looks at their guitarist] leave us several times. [they laugh] What it really came down to was this family & brotherhood."

Q: How did you guys all meet?

A: "Man, this was back in '04, I would see this guy walking around high school with his glasses and long hair and I'd be like 'Ay, John Lennon!' Then later I went up to him and told him that I am serious playing music. Then he introduced me to Marco and we just started jamming!"

Check out their music, follow the link below.

The first track, "It's Not Your Fault", resonates the band's unique sound so well, it's no surprise why the band chose to put this first. Wade Ouellet's (lyricist, vocals, guitar, keyboard) voice gives the entire album an off-kilter-like sound. His lyrics, combined with that voice, produce a nostalgic feeling.

"The Station" is another track off the album. It stands out from the rest of the songs because of the simple acoustic arpeggios, done by Kodie Krogh, plus Ouellet's voice in the intro. It's a smooth and soft combination, however also a slow build (which begins with the kick-drum's steady hits, done by Kane Enders). This is the entire song, no electric guitar & no protruding bass line. It's the perfect outro to the album because of it's slow decline.

Almost a year later after the first EP, Moura has released the Leaving EP. A change from the more common hardcore edge here, this four-song EP gives off a bittersweet, summer feeling.

The first track, also the released single, "You" begins with the perfect set of lyrics to an EP like this, "When I wake up in the morning, You'll be state lines away..." The smooth lines that follow harmonize with the acoustic guitar played through the whole song. "You" does justice in setting up the mood for the rest of the EP.

"Stay Awake" follows, opening with a distorted sound on the guitar. This song is the only one that really uses that kind of sound throughout the entire track. It's a slight change from the slow and easy rhythm of "You", but still retains that same vibe.

The third track, "(One Too Many) Second Chances", takes the EP into a somewhat-melancholic tone. Don't get me wrong, it's not something you want to bawl over, it's something you may listen to when thinking of hard times with that significant other.

"Runaway" was the best choice to put at the end. It's a song that has Evan Donaldson's sincere thoughts put into brilliant lyrics. Symbolic language is the highlight of this song; because of this, any listener could relate to the lyrics. "Runaway" seems to really capture the essence of why Evan Donaldson (Moura) titled this Leaving.

Moura's single "You" is available for a free download here.

A couple Q&A's with Moura:

Q: Since the first EP, how do you feel Moura has changed?

"A lot of things had changed from when I wrote Sink. Lyrically speaking, the songs on Leaving are about/inspired by completely different things. As far as the music goes, the songs on the Leaving EP were all written from an acoustic guitar to begin with so the end product turned out much more 'acoustic-rock' than Sink."

Q: Now with Leaving released, in what direction do you plan to take Moura?