Interviews About Albums: MUSTANG - Beyond Raging Thunder (2023)

In this new interview, we sat down with the Indian Heavy Metal band MUSTANG to ask some questions about their album "Beyond Raging Thunder". 

1. What can you say about MUSTANG's new debut album "Beyond Raging Thunder"?

"Beyond Raging Thunder" is our debut full-length album and I guess you can understand what a 'debut album' stands for to any artist/band. Years of hard work, passion, and ideas were poured in to make this album. We didn't compromise with anything while crafting this album. We have booked the best recording studio in our city and worked with engineers who have experience working with bands like - modern-day sensation Riot City, and Traveler to metal legends like - Sodom, Exumer, Lacuna Coil, etc.

The soundscape of this album is very vast. It has high-velocity lightning-fast-speed metal bangers to sing along with heavy metal anthems. It has classic-sounding heavy metal tunes to deeply evocative ballads. So this album has everything a classic heavy metal maniac can dream of.

We have pushed ourselves to the extreme limit to give this record the very best treatment it deserves. This album is our first child and we can happily say that it is made out of unfathomable love and sheer passion and we hope the audience will enjoy the music and recognize our tireless efforts.

2. What is the meaning behind the name "Beyond Raging Thunder" for MUSTANG's debut album?

From the very beginning Heavy Metal has always been the gateway for the listeners to enter another realm and help them escape from their daily mundane life. So while choosing the album title we always thought of a name which has larger than life essence and which can stir the imagination of the audience and help them get lost in a magical realm of crystal raindrops and silvery mountains. So it holds more of a poetic and dramatic meaning.

3. Can you tell us more about the co-production and mixing by Jan Loncik, as well as the mastering by Dennis Koehne?

Well, Jan Loncik is one of the unsung mixing engineers of modern times. He mixed some of the heavy metal albums which are considered to be modern-day classic, such as - The first two Traveler albums and Riot City's debut album, " Burn the Night " which was a massive hit.

Jan knows his metal very well and he is totally an old-school guy. The sound we achieved in this album wouldn't have been possible without his mixing and producing sorcery. We are very fortunate to work with him on our debut album and eternal thanks to him for everything he did. On the other hand, Dennis Koehne our mastering engineer from Germany is also very well known in the business. Previously he has worked with legendary bands like - Sodom, Exumer, Lacuna Coil, Orden Ogan, etc. He is very professional and polite in nature and he made the mix sounds much bigger.

We are lucky to have these extremely talented gentlemen on our team for our debut album.

4. If you had to pick one song from "Beyond Raging Thunder," which one would you choose, and why?

This is a tough one haha. Because every song on our album is very distinctive in nature from one another. So it's really hard to pick one and also different members have different preferences. But if I have to pick one then I guess it would be - 'Queen of Red Light' cause this song is something which we wrote a long time ago and this song radiates the classic sounding heavy metal vibes we have always been looking for. Also the lyrics of Iron Maiden's classic track " 22 Acacia Avenue" has a huge influence on this track. It's a song about a harlot and the structure of the song is very different from all the previously released Mustang tracks.

5. Is there a special message or theme in MUSTANG's "Beyond Raging Thunder"? If there is, could you explain what it is?

There is no such special message or theme in the album. The only message we want to give to our audience is, never afraid of dreaming big, you are the master of your own fate so chase your dreams, fight a good fight and NEVER SURRENDER.

6. Which inspirations have been important for MUSTANG's album "Beyond Raging Thunder"?

Well, we derive our musical influences from so many bands. I (Piercer) love the 70's - early 80's era and complete sucker for bands like Uriah Heep, early Judas Priest, and early Scorpions (Uli Roth era). Along with that, there are so many bands that has influenced us very strongly. Bands like - Mercyful Fate, Agent Steel, Crimson Glory, and Manilla Road to name a few. So all these bands played a crucial role in inspiring us and crafting our overall sound for the album.

7. Can you describe the relationship between MUSTANG and Fighter Records? How has Fighter Records supported the band in this release?

We have mailed our EPK to Fighter Records and I remember, Dave Rotten (the head of Fighter Records) replied to our mail very soon and his excitement can be seen clearly through his mail. He liked our album and offered us a contract deal on the spot. We also agreed to the proposal and signed the deal and it's looking very good so far.

Dave is a very professional and focused guy he knows what he wants and we also have our vision very clear from the beginning so it's a great experience working with him altogether. Dave has helped us with press releases and he worked with a proper schedule which is very important. We would like to thank him for all the support and for all the faith he put on us.