Manntra is a Croatian folk metal band, and we had the chance to interview them during this year’s edition of Wacken Open Air!
Benedetta
I’m here with Manntra. How are you doing today?
Manntra
I’m doing great, actually. We slept finally a little bit. We came in the morning and we are checking the place. We felt really good because we checked the place before people started to enter. So we had finally the opportunity to really see how big the place is and how big the production is. So it was really, really a cool trip. It’s really big. I played once before and I didn’t notice how big it is because we just went to the main stages and then to the stage where we played at the time. We didn’t have time, we had to move out early and so on. But this time we really took time and we watched a lot of bands so far. And I think I’m gonna watch some more before we play, so it’s cool.
Benedetta
You’re playing in an anniversary edition of Wacken. How does it feel to be part of something so legendary?
Manntra
Anniversary or not, it’s Wacken, so it’s always special, you know what I mean? I think this is the most special festival. In Europe, for sure. I mean, I don’t know, United States festivals or whatever, something like this happens. But to have a festival that people come from all around the world and they venerate that as a holy ground, you know? It’s kind of crazy and you need to see this once in your lifetime. And either play or either come here as a spectator, it doesn’t matter. But you should see that once in your lifetime for sure.
Benedetta
Definitely. So since you have experience in live shows and you have experience also in music and recording, do you think that the life of an artist is a lonely life?
Manntra
I think it’s less lonely now than it was before with all the technology that keeps you connected with your family and loved ones. I think this is a good side of the technology, which totally fucked us and alienated us, of course. But this is the good side and I think it’s less lonely because of that. But still, it’s a nice job that I will never trade for any other job in the world. But it has its challenges that are not maybe for everyone. It’s hard also.
Benedetta
Do you think that we will ever have some sort of equality between men and women in the metal world?
Manntra
I think metal is a really open-minded community and they don’t look at that, at least not anymore. I don’t know what was happening 30 years ago and what people were commenting in the crowd 30 years ago. It was not there at the time. But I see now somehow that they are equal. So nobody will take a female band with disrespect because they have female members. I don’t think that. At least they will even look at them more like, “Wow, look at this chick she’s banging the drums“, because it’s not a thing you see that often. And this is not because there’s discrimination. It’s just because less girls are playing drums. I mean, you need to get this interest from someone. Maybe some girl would like to play a drum, but she comes to her father and says, “I would like to play the drums“. And the father says, “No, it’s not for a girl“. And the dream is over. You know what I mean? This is a normal thing. I don’t see that discrimination. I don’t feel it from my side. When I see a band with a female or male member, I don’t see a difference anymore. And I think this tag that was before active, like a female fronted metal band, you remember these tags. They were really big 20 years ago. I don’t think this is a thing anymore even to mention. It’s just a band with a female singer. You know what I mean? You like them, you like them. It doesn’t matter if she’s female or not. I mean, I think it’s kind of equal. But the thing is that there are less women in this business in general, but in general in the music industry. This is not a thing about metal. It’s just, let’s push more girls and women to do it, you know? And I hope they will do more. I mean, more girls that will try this. I think it’s also about the education in schools and whatever. It’s always been looked at like a more male job, let’s say, in parentheses. But I think so. I mean, they just need to get this punch. You can do it and you need to do it. And there are many great female artists that are kicking asses, really. They play so well, their instrument. They have so much energy that they are better than a lot of… Or maybe some are better than the best men in that field. You know what I mean?
Benedetta
The last part, say it louder for the people in the back.
Manntra
You think they don’t think that way? I think they think that way. Nowadays, I think metal is a really cool community because it’s not excluding. It’s excluding in a minimum way that other communities are excluding. You know what I mean? I think there are no boundaries. And this shows a lot of bands that are famous and that are really weird if you look from a perspective outside of metal. But they got, you know, really famous because metal is accepted. This is good. And I like it. I think this is the healthiest community of all music communities that exist in the world, to be honest with you. And I’m proud that we are part of it and that it’s not a toxic environment and that it’s an environment that pushes forward bands and fans. So this is the most important thing. And Wacken is doing their job for that too. A big punch of the work is the way they set up the whole festival. Not only them, but other big festivals that are influential and they are doing a good job of spreading love and acceptance, not spreading bullshit or corporate greed because they are big, but you don’t feel that it’s all about the money. You still feel that it’s about music. And this is why it works.
Benedetta
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview and for being such a good sport. Is there anything else that you want to add to our viewers and readers?
Manntra
I would like really to see Finland and play Finland with Manntra. So maybe you read that, people, and you start to ask your festival owners or whatever to bring Manntra to Finland. I would really like to visit your country because this is one of the most metal countries in the world. And not being there is a shame, I think, as well. Hopefully, we see each other soon.
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