Logan: The metalcore and hardcore scene is growing up everyday. We have a lot of bands with huge potential (Wolves scream, Down to insanity and Site for the metalcore scene, or As it hurts and Face the truth for the hardcore scene – I can’t name every bands in Belgium). Belgium is a country known usually by the hardcore scene because we still have the best hardcore bands in the hardcore world scene but the metalcore scene is fuckin’ great.
How would you describe the band’s work to a new listener?
Logan: Yata is a band full of positive energy ! I’ve created the band because I think there are too many bands with negative energy and lyrics. You know, they are always talking about wars, religions, money, murders, rapes and stuff like that and YES this is what metal is but I think metal is a good way to promote another vision of life. Not a naive vision but a vision more optimistic. I don’t say that bands who are always talking about murders, wars, religions suck but sometimes it’s possible (to me) to talk about other subject.
Musically, Yata is influenced by a lot of bands like Gojira, Heaven Shall burn, Rise of the Northstar, Trivium, Parkway drive, Fit for an autopsy. We are now more metal/hardcore than just a metalcore band. With this new line-up (since 2017), we are now more in a brutal way! We released 4 years ago a first EP called „E.P.O.” which was a really melodic metalcore with clean singing (more nu/modern metal) and now we’re releasing our second EP, „Anitya”, which is more metal/hardcore. We’ve been through hell this last years and it wasn’t easy at all to keep our faith in music and life but we did it. We write music that we like. It’s a totally honest music and i think people who will listen to Yata will feel it. We just want to have fun with music and people. This is why we do that.
What’s changed for your second EP, „Anitya”?
Logan: We wanted something more „straight in your face” with more breakdowns and blast. We’re still a melodic band but with more aggressiveness. With our first EP, we had the opportunity to see what works during our shows and what’s not working. So we wrote our new EP in that way. Another important detail, we tuned down our guitar and bass for having a better heavy/modern sound. I’m the only guitar player now so we wrote the music with more rhythm riffs because we wanted something more „solid”. The line-up changed a lot between these two EP’s. It’s still Yata but we have something different in our sound and our energy. „Anitya” has been written during my „pain period” because we have lost our guitar player, Carl, who passed away 3 years ago. He was an awesome person and the best musician that I’ve ever known. It was really painful but our goal was to release a new EP. I transformed my pain in positive energy. It was a real therapy to write this new EP. Some songs like „Here comes the sun” and „One more time” talk about our loss but in Yata’s style.
There’s an interesting mix of bands that you named as influences for the band. How does everything tie together for you, musically?
Logan: We don’t want to be like another band that influenced us. We don’t copy riffs or things like that. We try to build our world, song after song and create our own atmosphere but yes Gojira influences us with his energy, Heaven shall burn with its aggressiveness and blast, Rise of the Northstar has an amazing groove, etc. All this mix and energy makes Yata.
What do the names of the EP’s stand for? „E.P.O.” and „Anitya”?
Logan: „E.P.O”. reveals our passion and love for music. You know, I think about music all the time: I wake up in the morning and I have „Still counting” from Volbeat in my head, than i have „God hates us all” from Slayer when i have a shower… So for me, music is a real drug and I need it all the time !
Is there a story behind the new record?
Logan: This is not a concept album but every songs are linked, yes. With this EP, we celebrate life like no other EP. It talks about loss, despair, sadness but in every tunnel, you can see the light in the end !
„Anitya” is totally different because it wasn’t the same conditions at all because we’ve been through hell during these last 3 years like I said. „Anitya” is a Buddhist concept. I’m not a Buddhist but this philosophy and concept was exacly what I thought at the moment we were searching for the name of the EP. In fact, „Anitya” means that nothing in this world is eternal and you’re supposed to enjoy every moment you can reach for having any regrets. This is totally what Yata is: the best way to enjoy life at any moment.
