Behind The Tracks: Blame Zeus - Left For Dead (Single) (2023)

1. Can you take us through the process of creating "Left for Dead"? What inspired Sandra Oliveira's lyrics, and how did the melody come together? Were there specific influences from blues, metal, progressive, or alternative rock that shaped this track?

Ricardo: Left for Dead, as well as most of the songs in our upcoming album 'Laudanum', started with a guitar riff. From there each of us created his/her part, composing and structuring the song together as we went along. That goes for the vocal melody, as well. Sandra's lyrics, as usual, are inspired by her life experience, and that's where she draws her inspiration from. We don't objectively sit down and plan what influences we're going to use on a song, the music that we like and that we listen to obviously influences our creative process, but in an indirect way.

2. The song conveys a powerful message of resilience, transformation, and forgiveness. How did you approach these themes musically? What would you say is the core message or emotion you want listeners to take away from this single?

Sandra: Well, basically I wanted to send the message that even after you've suffered and people have disappointed you in a deep and scarring way, you always have yourself, to give you strength, your life is your own and you can still find happiness and motivation to live. Musically, we made it so it was a tense but also very energetic sound.

3. Blame Zeus is known for capturing the essence of old-school rock and metal with a modern sound. How does "Left for Dead" reflect this musical identity? In what ways does it showcase your growth or changes in your sound, especially as a precursor to the fourth studio album "LAUDANUM"?

Sandra: We believe it shows our influences, but it sounds like Blame Zeus. We've always tried to innovate in our compositions and sound, but never forgetting to make songs that bring emotions to the table. In this album I think we have a heavier sound, the guitars are more revealing and they are down-tuned to C on most songs, which reflects the dark but strong, crude but powerful, aspects of the emotional side we wanted to pass on.

4. The accompanying music video is set to premiere on the Spaceuntravel YouTube channel. Can you share some behind-the-scenes details about the making of the video with Unbox Films? How does the visual aspect of the video complement or enhance the themes of the song?

Bruno: Unbox Films was absolutely fantastic in every way. We wanted the video to be dark but convey that aspect of hope and resilience, and they made it work perfectly. It was also great working with Mafalda, the actress. She was always super available to do everything and managed to fully embody the character. The correlation between the theme of the song and the music video was quite well achieved as it speaks of feeling hurt, trapped, and cornered and finding the strength to escape from that reality. Something funny during the filming was the lunch, because the recordings started in the morning and she was all dirty with dust and blood (fake) and she went like that for lunch. I think we were lucky that people didn’t call the police.

5. How do you hope your listeners interpret and connect with "Left for Dead"? Are there specific elements within the song, such as captivating guitar solos or intros by Paulo Silva and Tiago Lascasas, that you believe will resonate with fans?

Sandra: We hope listeners connect with the pain and despair, but also with shouts of liberation, in the voice, and feel the energy on every instrument. We hope it inspires everyone to feel invincible while listening to it.

Tiago: We believe that Left For Dead will resonate well with the fans, with the new fans, and also the fans that regularly follow our band. It has elements and influences that always have been present in our sound.

Catchy riffs and chorus, enveloping junctions, and “groovy" instrumental parts. The main update on our sound for this album is the search for modern guitar sounds and the down-tuning for the instruments a whole step down.

6. Lastly, do you have any personal anecdotes or experiences that directly influenced the creation of "Left for Dead"? How do these personal touches reflect in the song, and how do they connect to the band's broader musical philosophy?

Sandra: I think that, in a way, lyric-wise, all our songs are influenced by our personal experiences. In this case, 'Left For Dead' is really taken from my core, as it shows a part of my battle with depression and anxiety, the part of the trauma, when you feel like there's no way out. Music has always been an outlet, and has literally saved my life many times because of that.