The journey has begun for Constellation

This week we feature the band that was crowned winners of TNL Onstage 2014. Although they formed quite recently the guys certainly have come out on top and a set to make a big name for themselves.

How did the band form?

It was Aseka who got the rest of us together, and we formed for the main purpose of TNL Onstage, and we’ve found so much more reason to keep going together.

What's the story behind the name?

We get this question a lot, and we hate to disappoint, but there isn’t deep meaning behind the name, except for the fact that a constellation is a group of stars, and although we wouldn’t go as far as to call ourselves stars (not even close, yet), we are connected, and we are a group, which makes us a constellation in our own manner.

What made you guys take part in onstage this year?

Mainly due to most of us, exempting Eshantha, being very new to the music scene, we wanted to conquer TNL Onstage, which has always been a career launcher. It helped that Onstage had also been a childhood dream for every one of us, and winning it was something we wanted to be able to be proud of.

Photograph credits: Cloud Attic

Who are your influences?

We are greatly influenced by the gods of Progressive Metal: Opeth. But at the same time, we draw influences from bands and individuals such as Scale the Summit, Animals as Leaders, Nevermore, Jeff Loomis, The Mars Volta, among a few others, and our guitar riffs are greatly influenced by Merrow, Englund, Loomis and Keene.

Tell me about about your original "Time" (what does it speak of and what was it influenced by?)

So far, both of our originals have been influenced by the state of the world, so to speak. We tend to look at what’s going on around the world, and we use it for inspiration. This applies very closely for the new original, The Blight on Gaia. As far as Time is concerned, I think Aseka, who writes the base lyrics, had his eye on the human cycle of life, and how most of us simply go about our lives very listlessly, without realizing how important every single second is. Something like that.

Who comes up with melodies for the music?

As far as guitars go, it’s mainly all Dihara, but I myself (Eshantha) also discuss most melodies with him, along with tones and we tend to come up with the final product together. But mainly, it’s all him, and he does an amazing job. As far as vocal melodies go, it’s all me.

Is it tough to play the drums and sing?

Yeah, it definitely isn’t easy, although it’s been getting easier as the Onstage season went on. When I was forced to take drums and vocals due to circumstances, right before the preliminaries, I have to admit that it was nerve-wracking, especially considering the genre that we tend to play, which demands extensive drum patterns along with extensive vocal patterns. But it’s been a very nourishing experience and I feel like everything happens for a reason, and it’s made me a better musician.

What was it like winning Onstage?

I still remember how excited and bemused we were when you asked us the same question on the 13th of September when we came off stage. It’s definitely settled in a lot more, and it feels a lot more real. Onstage has always had such a prestigious name, made more so by bands who had hallowed the stage before us. To join the hall of fame and share that position with legendary bands like Hollow and Tantrum is a surreal feeling, and it’s a massive honour. It makes us truly proud to have come up from being initially crippled without a drummer, to finally actually winning the competition.

Has the band planned its future?

Of course. We actually had it planned even before we won, cuz we ended up enjoying the chemistry within the band so much that we were going to continue regardless of the Onstage result. I can tell you right now that the guitars for our first two originals, Time and the Blight on Gaia, has been recorded, and all that remains is to record the live drums, which we’ll be doing very soon, and the vocals. After that comes the mixing and mastering, and then we’ll decide on how we’re going to release it. That will be our appreciation to the amazing, amazing crowd who turned up to cheer us from day one. That’s our “thank you.”

The album will take a bit more time, as we need to bring down some equipment and we need to set everything up and start composing and recording, but it’s definitely going to happen. Next year is going to be exciting.

What do you think the biggest obstacle you will face to live up to the hype as winners of Onstage?

I wouldn’t really call it an obstacle, but more like a challenge. Right now, the biggest challenge is not to let the hype itself die down, and to deliver music. Most musicians might go right out there and just release a song just for the hell of it, but all of us in Constellation tend to be very picky about the quality, balance and solidarity of every song we compose and record. So obviously, releasing music takes a bit of time, as it we need to compose, which is honestly going to be the toughest job, and then we need to get down to the task of recording the parts fastidiously. It will happen, that’s for sure, but it might take a bit of time.

By Reihan Stephen