MARGARITA MONET
Edge Of Paradise (L to R:) Dave Bates, Margarita Monet, Nick Ericson, John Chominsky
METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Margarita, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it.
MARGARITA MONET: Hello! Thank you very much for having me!
MPAP: Can you tell us a brief history of Edge Of Paradise?
MARGARITA: It was formed in 2011 after I met guitarist Dave Bates, we were both hired to work on a project in Los Angeles. At the time, Dave was looking for a singer, his previous band Bleed that was fronted by Robin McAuley, with bassist Tony Franklin, and drummer Gregg Bissonette came to a halt when Robin got a gig torturing with Survivor. Dave and I worked great together and had similar visions, he had unreleased music that he wrote with Robin, so I re sang the songs and that became our debut CD Mask. That's how Edge Of Paradise was born. After Mask we started writing music together and after a few years of touring and recording with Michael Wagener we released our album Immortal Waltz. We've also went through a few lineup changes but for the past 3 years we've had a solid lineup with John Chominsky on drums and Nick Ericson on bass, we toured over 30 states and now are releasing our 3rd CD ALIVE!
MPAP: What type of band are you?
MARGARITA: We're a hard rock band, music is dynamic with melodic vocals, aggressive metal guitars, driving rhythm with an industrial and symphonic edge! Haha I think that sums it up :)
MPAP: What are some of the musical inspirations that have made up Edge Of Paradise over the years?
MARGARITA: My background is classical piano and musical theater, and Dave is a total heavy metal guitarist, although he can play everything, but I think what makes the music unique is that we found a way to have our different styles compliment each other! For the bands we love Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, also Rammstein, Korn, Rob Zombie…We love the blend of classic hard rock and metal with a modern industrial edge!
MPAP: Alive, set to hit the streets on March 10th, will be Edge Of Paradise’s 3rd release. What can your fans expect when they first listen to it? What makes this album different from the last?
MARGARITA: Yes! I can tell you that this is going to be the most exciting Edge Of Paradise release yet! You will hear the heavier/ industrial side of Paradise, while still maintaining the dynamic and melodic sound of the band! We've also had an amazing team of people production wise, with Chuck Johnson (Korn, Slipknot) producing and Jay Ruston, Michael Wagener and Mike Plotnikoff mixing the songs. We could not be happier with the sound of the music, and these are definitely our best songs yet!
What makes this different, I love our last album Immortal Waltz that Michael Wagner produced and we're really proud of that, but those are the first songs that Dave and I wrote together as a band and they really set the way towards defining our sound, and with this release I think we really found our full potential and I think this is really going to define us as a band!
MPAP: Alive is an EP? Why not another full length like the previous two before?
MARGARITA: To be honest, time and money, we would love to release a full length album now, but because we finance everything ourselves it takes us longer. We work with the same people that bands that have been around for many years and are on major labels work with and we are very fortunate to be able to do that. We want to create music that's the highest quality, we also want to focus on touring and after we got the 5 songs done, we felt like they would make for a very strong EP that people will enjoy. We're writing and recording more as we speak, but in-between we also want to be touring and we didn't want to wait too long before releasing new music, hence the EP Alive!
MPAP: Is there a message behind this title, Alive, you wanted to get across to your fans?
MARGARITA: Alive is dealing with us humans being so caught up in the digital world, obsessed with convenience and monetary gain, we have begun to sacrifice our humanity. We are becoming corporate led consumer machines! We get lost in the enticing virtual reality that we forget what real human interaction feels like. Break away from bombardment of advertisements, social standards, never ending race with time and just breathe, and remember what it's like to feel alive! To connect with our fellow humans and the world!"
MPAP: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
MARGARITA: It's night and day! I think with any band it takes time to really find your sound! We figured out how to put our different styles and influences together and mend them all into the sound that makes Edge Of Paradise. Also our songwriting matured greatly, and we're just a solid band all around now. Of course it's a never ending evolution, creating music, and thats what makes it exciting. But I think we finally found the sound that is unique enough to stand on it's own, as well as appeal to the masses!
MPAP: Describe an Edge Of Paradise show, visually and musically?
MARGARITA: It's Epic! :) We put a lot of emphasis to sounding like the record, amped up with the energy of the live show. And we back the sound with stunning visuals, we want our show to be an experience, it's dynamic, theatrical, charged with emotion and is just a lot of fun, we'll definitely take you on a roller coaster ride! And then, the best part is meeting everyone after the show! I love the rock crowd, we've met so many amazing people along the way, made so many friends and we can't wait to meet more of you out there!
MPAP: At NYU you majored in Theater at the Meisner studio and minored in Music. While living in New York, you acted in Off Broadway plays, independent short and feature films. Are you still interested in acting even though you are in Edge Of Paradise? If the opportunity presented itself, would you take some time off from Edge Of Paradise to be in a major motion picture?
MARGARITA: I love acting, but I feel like I get to do that now with our music videos, performing on stage, it's even more fun because I wrote what i'm singing so every performance is right from the heart! But sure, I would love to act in a movie, I have a lot of ambitions and dreams but Edge Of Paradise is my priority and being in this band and creating is something I truly love!
MPAP: There is a picture of you posted on Facebook with you holding a sign that reads, ‘I rock because I believe in myself & I believe in you too’. What does that message and The You Rock Foundation mean to you personally?
MARGARITA: It's a great cause that encourages people to speak up, get help and support one another, mental illness on any scale, is much more common then we think! For me the sign I made means that, whatever your path in life may be, you have to believe in it, your mind is so powerful, and it can lead you to your dreams or cause you to self destruct. And sometimes it's not easy to stay positive, and I struggle with that too. I see so many people that are talented and hard working, but they get so easily discouraged, depressed and that causes them to give up on their dreams which leads them to an even darker place. That is really sad, because we have to remember that everyone has their struggles and it can be hard, but your life and your dreams are definitely worth a fight and we all have the power to do it!
MPAP: All good things must come to an end, but before we go, just a few more things.
Describe your breakthrough moment?
MARGARITA: When Dave and I wrote our first song together In A Dream
MPAP: If you could sit under the table and listen to any two people speak, who would it be and why?
MARGARITA: Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton, I love their films and they are both such visionaries and push the boundaries, I think their conversation could be quiet amusing :)
MPAP: When will Alive be available and what is next for Edge of Paradise after that?
MARGARITA: The Pre Orders for our CD ALIVE will start March 3rd and we're going to have all kinds of giveaways, including a guitar giveaway so keep posted for that! We are also going to Europe in September, so keep updated on our tour dates!
Wanted to mention our music will be featured in an upcoming film Evelyn Rising, it's a very interesting film and i'm excited to be a part!
MPAP: Is there anything else you like to tell all your fans and the readers of Metal Pulp And Paper?
MARGARITA: Just wanted to thank everyone for reading this and supporting us, we are so excited to share this new music with you and can't wait to see you on the road!
MPAP: Once again, Margarita, thank you for your time and this opportunity for Metal Pulp And Paper to talk with you.
MARGARITA: It's been a pleasure, thank you so much!
MARGARITA MONET: Hello! Thank you very much for having me!
MPAP: Can you tell us a brief history of Edge Of Paradise?
MARGARITA: It was formed in 2011 after I met guitarist Dave Bates, we were both hired to work on a project in Los Angeles. At the time, Dave was looking for a singer, his previous band Bleed that was fronted by Robin McAuley, with bassist Tony Franklin, and drummer Gregg Bissonette came to a halt when Robin got a gig torturing with Survivor. Dave and I worked great together and had similar visions, he had unreleased music that he wrote with Robin, so I re sang the songs and that became our debut CD Mask. That's how Edge Of Paradise was born. After Mask we started writing music together and after a few years of touring and recording with Michael Wagener we released our album Immortal Waltz. We've also went through a few lineup changes but for the past 3 years we've had a solid lineup with John Chominsky on drums and Nick Ericson on bass, we toured over 30 states and now are releasing our 3rd CD ALIVE!
MPAP: What type of band are you?
MARGARITA: We're a hard rock band, music is dynamic with melodic vocals, aggressive metal guitars, driving rhythm with an industrial and symphonic edge! Haha I think that sums it up :)
MPAP: What are some of the musical inspirations that have made up Edge Of Paradise over the years?
MARGARITA: My background is classical piano and musical theater, and Dave is a total heavy metal guitarist, although he can play everything, but I think what makes the music unique is that we found a way to have our different styles compliment each other! For the bands we love Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, also Rammstein, Korn, Rob Zombie…We love the blend of classic hard rock and metal with a modern industrial edge!
MPAP: Alive, set to hit the streets on March 10th, will be Edge Of Paradise’s 3rd release. What can your fans expect when they first listen to it? What makes this album different from the last?
MARGARITA: Yes! I can tell you that this is going to be the most exciting Edge Of Paradise release yet! You will hear the heavier/ industrial side of Paradise, while still maintaining the dynamic and melodic sound of the band! We've also had an amazing team of people production wise, with Chuck Johnson (Korn, Slipknot) producing and Jay Ruston, Michael Wagener and Mike Plotnikoff mixing the songs. We could not be happier with the sound of the music, and these are definitely our best songs yet!
What makes this different, I love our last album Immortal Waltz that Michael Wagner produced and we're really proud of that, but those are the first songs that Dave and I wrote together as a band and they really set the way towards defining our sound, and with this release I think we really found our full potential and I think this is really going to define us as a band!
MPAP: Alive is an EP? Why not another full length like the previous two before?
MARGARITA: To be honest, time and money, we would love to release a full length album now, but because we finance everything ourselves it takes us longer. We work with the same people that bands that have been around for many years and are on major labels work with and we are very fortunate to be able to do that. We want to create music that's the highest quality, we also want to focus on touring and after we got the 5 songs done, we felt like they would make for a very strong EP that people will enjoy. We're writing and recording more as we speak, but in-between we also want to be touring and we didn't want to wait too long before releasing new music, hence the EP Alive!
MPAP: Is there a message behind this title, Alive, you wanted to get across to your fans?
MARGARITA: Alive is dealing with us humans being so caught up in the digital world, obsessed with convenience and monetary gain, we have begun to sacrifice our humanity. We are becoming corporate led consumer machines! We get lost in the enticing virtual reality that we forget what real human interaction feels like. Break away from bombardment of advertisements, social standards, never ending race with time and just breathe, and remember what it's like to feel alive! To connect with our fellow humans and the world!"
MPAP: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
MARGARITA: It's night and day! I think with any band it takes time to really find your sound! We figured out how to put our different styles and influences together and mend them all into the sound that makes Edge Of Paradise. Also our songwriting matured greatly, and we're just a solid band all around now. Of course it's a never ending evolution, creating music, and thats what makes it exciting. But I think we finally found the sound that is unique enough to stand on it's own, as well as appeal to the masses!
MPAP: Describe an Edge Of Paradise show, visually and musically?
MARGARITA: It's Epic! :) We put a lot of emphasis to sounding like the record, amped up with the energy of the live show. And we back the sound with stunning visuals, we want our show to be an experience, it's dynamic, theatrical, charged with emotion and is just a lot of fun, we'll definitely take you on a roller coaster ride! And then, the best part is meeting everyone after the show! I love the rock crowd, we've met so many amazing people along the way, made so many friends and we can't wait to meet more of you out there!
MPAP: At NYU you majored in Theater at the Meisner studio and minored in Music. While living in New York, you acted in Off Broadway plays, independent short and feature films. Are you still interested in acting even though you are in Edge Of Paradise? If the opportunity presented itself, would you take some time off from Edge Of Paradise to be in a major motion picture?
MARGARITA: I love acting, but I feel like I get to do that now with our music videos, performing on stage, it's even more fun because I wrote what i'm singing so every performance is right from the heart! But sure, I would love to act in a movie, I have a lot of ambitions and dreams but Edge Of Paradise is my priority and being in this band and creating is something I truly love!
MPAP: There is a picture of you posted on Facebook with you holding a sign that reads, ‘I rock because I believe in myself & I believe in you too’. What does that message and The You Rock Foundation mean to you personally?
MARGARITA: It's a great cause that encourages people to speak up, get help and support one another, mental illness on any scale, is much more common then we think! For me the sign I made means that, whatever your path in life may be, you have to believe in it, your mind is so powerful, and it can lead you to your dreams or cause you to self destruct. And sometimes it's not easy to stay positive, and I struggle with that too. I see so many people that are talented and hard working, but they get so easily discouraged, depressed and that causes them to give up on their dreams which leads them to an even darker place. That is really sad, because we have to remember that everyone has their struggles and it can be hard, but your life and your dreams are definitely worth a fight and we all have the power to do it!
MPAP: All good things must come to an end, but before we go, just a few more things.
Describe your breakthrough moment?
MARGARITA: When Dave and I wrote our first song together In A Dream
MPAP: If you could sit under the table and listen to any two people speak, who would it be and why?
MARGARITA: Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton, I love their films and they are both such visionaries and push the boundaries, I think their conversation could be quiet amusing :)
MPAP: When will Alive be available and what is next for Edge of Paradise after that?
MARGARITA: The Pre Orders for our CD ALIVE will start March 3rd and we're going to have all kinds of giveaways, including a guitar giveaway so keep posted for that! We are also going to Europe in September, so keep updated on our tour dates!
Wanted to mention our music will be featured in an upcoming film Evelyn Rising, it's a very interesting film and i'm excited to be a part!
MPAP: Is there anything else you like to tell all your fans and the readers of Metal Pulp And Paper?
MARGARITA: Just wanted to thank everyone for reading this and supporting us, we are so excited to share this new music with you and can't wait to see you on the road!
MPAP: Once again, Margarita, thank you for your time and this opportunity for Metal Pulp And Paper to talk with you.
MARGARITA: It's been a pleasure, thank you so much!
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