Unto Others: "I hope that heavy music gets more melodic"
An in-depth conversation about modern hard music and the journey of Unto Others with the band's founder and mastermind, Gabriel Franco
What can be a better opportunity, other than having a double reason to speak with a band that you personally love but have also made quite a name the past few years, with every single album release. Not only the recent release of "Never, Neverland", but also their live show at the 31st of January in Athens, lead us with a one way ticket to an in-depth conversation with the main composer and founder of the band, Gabriel Franco, exhausting everything we both wanted to talk about.
What if the paranoid story of changing their name from Idle Hands to Unto Others belongs now in the past (yes, it has been THAT long), from their first release of "Mana" to the all front attack of "Strength" and the emotional but bloody "Never, Neverland", Unto Others have been in an unstoppable rise of recognition, combining pure heavy metal with gothic rock, black metal and the occasional post-punk touches. Their flag is always, Franco’s deep, bass vocals that remind a lot of Danzig and Peter Steele but despite that, they carry their own recognizable, distinctive sound element.
From the present of Unto Others to the future of heavy music in general, Gabriel covered a vast array of subjects with well-though opinions and let us know that Unto Others will be hiding somewhere next to us in Athens for a whole week before their show in Temple Athens. Enjoy what he had to say.
We gathered here to speak a little bit about what your band, Unto Others have done in the past few years and the fact that you're coming over in Greece, finally, after a little bit of time. So how is the beginning of 2025 finding you and Unto Others?
Really quite well. We have a few tours lined up. We're going to, of course, Athens, Istanbul, a European Tour, then Puerto Rico. And then we have some shows with Tribulation in the USA. It's going to be a busy year. And we're doing well.
Alright, pretty much a little bit all over the world.
Yeah!
I had 40 demos and I had to whittle it down to 16 songs
So also the previous year was kind of a long one for you. released your answer? You released "Never, Neverland" and you got even more people to actually recognize you through your third album. How was the writing process for "Never, Neverland"?
I started writing the first song, which is actually the title track in I think 2021 before even "Strength" came out, I had that song done so. Yeah, it took about three years. I had 40 demos and I had to whittle it down to 16 songs and that was kind of tough. I just chose the songs that I had the lyrics finished for and that was it.
And imagine some people commented that 16 was a big number, but actually you had even more!
Yeah, I had 40. 40 songs. And I I'm not even looking at them. They're in some folder. I'm not gonna work on them, there in the past. I'm focusing on new songs as I roll forward, so they're lost in time.
My biggest goal starting a band was to be the only one that sounded like we do
This time we find you again, ever so powerful with gothic rock and heavy metal and got even into black metal, in the latest album. When you were first starting as a band, you mentioned that you wanted to create something unique, because you were kind of bored with people trying to do the same. Do you feel you actually achieved that now that you've reached your third album?
I don't know. I don't feel like that's for me to decide, to be honest with you, it would probably come off as a little bit pretentious if I was judging my own music, but I tried. I try with every record to make something. I've read interviews that say we have created something very unique and I I've heard a lot of people say that we are a one-of-a-kind band. So. It's very nice to hear that. That was probably my biggest goal starting a band, to be the only one that sounded like we do, so hopefully I'll achieve that. But yeah, the response for the record has been great. And I'm just happy people are into it. Seems to be really having a grip on people.
For sure one thing that I find very unique in your approach is your actual meticulousness in detail. Some of your humor, some of your references, your very signature screams here and there, some whistles, some cowbells. Some pop culture references. I find that very interesting in your songwriting. And I wanted to ask what is your favorite little gimmick inside "Never, Neverland", for example. A reference in the in the lyrics, or a very specific sample or whistle or scream somewhere that you really, really love that you find that you added in the final result.
Actually that's a good question. In "Flatline", I do this when I say "flatline" in the background you hear this kind of whistle. It's like a "hee" sound. I ripped that off from the the band Windir 'cause I love when he does that in one song, I think on the "On The Mountain Of Goats" or something. Forget which one it is. But yeah, he does this crazy, I think it's like an old Norwegian folk yell, and I just really wanted to put that there. I felt like it sounded really evil, like a banshee or something. That's probably my favorite little weird quirk.
And I really need to resolve my question here. Is the song "Raigeki" a reference to Yu-gi-oh? Or something I didn’t get?
Well, yeah, the title was from the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise. Yeah, but the song is about a kamikaze in World War 2.
Actually, the video clip is very descriptive of that, if I'm not mistaken.
Yeah, so "Raigeki" literally means "aerial bombardment strike" or something like that. It does mean lightning strike but the literal translation is actually relative to kamikaze stuff. And I just finished reading a book about a Kamikaze and his accounts of his time in the military and him almost having to go blow himself up. And I thought it was really good subject material.
I’m definitely interested in suicide and murder and all those extremes of humanity. But I'm also interested in the positive extremes, such as compassion and love
I kinda wanted to go there because ok with the references and funny quirks but in all your albums, you deal with a great number of serious topics. For example you mentioned a war scene that's pretty specific historically, and you also deal with from even light existential crisis themes to suicidal thoughts and historical matters. What do you usually draw inspiration in lyrics?
Whatever I'm interested in. That tends to be the more extreme things in life, but as I get older, it changes. We're constantly changing as people every day. So the music's going to change along with it. Neverland specifically had a lot more positive influences in it. Whereas "Strength" was very dark, "Mana" was more fantasy themed. I feel like "Neverland" is a bit more of a brighter album, even though there are some dark songs on there.
I read a lot and my interests are wide and varied. I love exploration. I love space. I like thinking. I’m definitely interested in suicide and murder and all those extremes of humanity. But I'm also interested in the positive extremes, such as compassion and love. Love and the simple things in life. Eating a piece of cake or taking a breath of air in, or smelling a flower or just sitting out in the sun and that all shows through in the music. I think there's something beautiful to be found in every single moment, whether it's evil or good.
It's pretty interesting you're saying this because my actual next question was that I really saw that into "Never, Neverland", that it's kind of a brighter record even starting from your album covers basically. Your previous one seemed to represent exactly what you said. "Mana" was more into fantasy, even the name says so, "Strength" was harsher and then we come into "Never, Neverland" and we have a very beautiful and calm cover art with flowers, and it goes into a sweeter approach, still dark, still a little bit of a Gothic sweetness, let's say. You feel that this is also represented a little bit in your music. Because shows in slower paced songs like for example "Angel Of The night".
I don't think we have any slower than we had on our other. I mean, "Jackie" is a pretty slow song about the same speed as "Angel the night". But I didn't really think about it going into it, to be honest with you. I was just writing music and I always tried to find the common thread between all of the songs. When I'm done recording them and then, I figure how I want to package it. How it's going to be presented to people. We had one cover. It just didn't work out, and we did the "Butterfly" video and with all those flower petals. And I was like, man, this would actually work really well for a cover. Our guy did that in a weekend and, as the title eludes, it's "Never, Neverland", it's the idea. Of is this life? Is it just a dream? And what are we doing here? And the tales contained within on the record.
There's something fun about both, to play for 10.000 or 50 people
You actually invested a little bit more this time into your video clips. You got out some visually beautiful stuff with your singles and the video clips for "Butterfly", "Momma Likes The Door Closed" or "Raigeki". But. I wanted to stay into the video clip of ‘Suicide Today", because it shows a picture of a very overwhelming, self organized live show. Old school, you know, being in between the crowd. So I want to split my question into how did you feel about the result of your video clips? And the second part is about the video clip of "Suicide Today". Do you feel now that you are able to play in bigger stages around the world, you miss this kind of lives?
Well one, you know, we're not as big as some people think we are. I think we still play small clubs when we headline, but we are opening bigger stages for bigger bands. When we headline in Europe, I guess we do play slightly bigger stages, but I mean here in the United States, I played a show last month in a really tiny venue, so I don't miss it yet. It is still available to me. There's something fun about both, being on a massive stage, playing to 10,000 people or whatever is cool. Being on a tiny stage, playing to 50, really enthusiastic people, it's probably more fun. Because they're right there and the energy is right in your face. That experience straight up you're not separated in a sterile kind of way. Someday I will miss it, and I think every band that gets bigger does miss it. That's why bands like Metallica will still do little pop-up secret shows where they play some tiny bar because they want to do it. And they miss it. As for the video clips, yeah, I'm really happy with how they all turned out. Sam did an amazing job at capturing his vision and our vision, and I think "Butterfly" was to me the most impressive video for sure.
Wacken was a really cool experience, but we had lost our bags and luggage and it was just a very stressful day
My misconception about the stages that you play since I don't have a very clear picture about the stages in America is because I had the chance to see you last summer in Brutal Assault probably. There were so many people and I thought you are getting recognized finally. And now I'm quite excited to see you in a smaller stage in my hometown. I can see the difference that you're talking about and the previous summer you found yourself basically touring a lot of bigger stages in festivals all around the world and I want to ask which was your favorite experience of the past years touring.
I really, really enjoyed our summer tour last year. The whole thing and of that summer tour, I think I had the most fun at probably Brutal Assault festival. Wacken was a really cool experience, but we had lost our bags and luggage and it was just a very stressful day and we went on at 1:00 in the morning and we're all very, very tired. That was a stressful day, but Brutal Assault was just great. I loved that festival.
It's a very special place.
Oh yes.
Now that you actually got the new album out, because during your summer tour the album wasn't out yet, you have all of the other tours that you mentioned coming. How do you feel about those? Are you going to any places you haven't been before?
Yeah, I’m excited when I'm well rested! Like when I get a good night's sleep, I'm excited. When it's like today, where I'm really tired and I got terrible sleep last night, I am not! (laughs) So I think the key is getting some good sleep, but I'm excited for the tours this year. They're going to be fun, I'm sure. I you know, I'm really excited to get the band out there. I kind of personally feel like we're not doing anything majorly bombastic at our time. Want to do something a little bit more grand, a little bit more strategic rather than just, hey, we're going on a tour, we're going on another tour. And I don't feel like we have that at the moment. So I'm a little frustrated with that. That's something I can easily take care of and get proper strategy going for the next couple of years.
I'm interested to see if we've gotten any more fans in Athens since then
I might step back into this information during the end, but I want to ask since you are also doing your next stops, you're coming back to Athens for the second time and it's actually been that long that you even had a different name when you were back here. How does it Feel to return back in a city that you visited during your first steps after let's say getting some recognition, how is the second time around?
Oh well, I'm excited to actually have some time in the city of Athens. We're making a big vacation out of it. The first trip we flew in and we went directly to the venue and we played the show and then we flew out the next day, so I had barely any time in Athens. I went to the Parthenon and I went to the Acropolis, then went to the beach and that was it. So this time we're arriving about a week early and you know, just having a proper vacation before the tour starts. In terms of crowd and fans and music, the last time I think there was like 60 people, 70 people at the Crow club or something. So I'm interested to see if we've gotten any more fans in Athens since then.
Something's going on I can tell you, but it's really nice to hear that you will be here. I think you'll have a great time. Athens is a pretty, pretty good city to explore.
Good spirits. If we run into any fans I'm sure we'll be more than happy to sign anything and take a picture.
I think Zetra put out a pretty fucking great record and I hope they get the recognition they deserve
That's really nice to hear. So another little thing that I wanted to ask was a very interesting song that I found you lurking in there. You loaned your vocals on some song called "Moonfall" by a very new upcoming band called Zetra. I know that you have toured together in the past, but how did your participation in the album became reality?
Yeah, we toured together in 2022 and they just hit me up and said, hey, will you sing this this part on "Moonfall"? And it was so many parts they wanted me to sing. I was like this is like I'm singing the whole song, so I just did the spoken word part in the middle and it was fun. I like talking, you know. I like playing with my voice and stuff, so it was really fun and I think they put out a pretty fucking great record and I hope they get the recognition they deserve, 'cause they work really hard and they've been working really hard for a long time and I'm so stoked they got in Nuclear Blast.
I think I would like to collaborate with Blake Ibanez from Fugitive and Power Trip
I totally agree with you, the album is pretty amazing. You, on the other hand, if you could choose one artist to work with you in one of your future songs. Who would be?
Well, that's a great question. I'm trying to think of who I really admire musically. I think I would like to collaborate with Blake Ibanez from Fugitive and Power Trip. I'd love to sing over one of his riffs. I think Blake would would write a killer fucking song. I mean, I love that guy.
I don't consider goth really a genre. It's more of an aesthetic
Speaking now about Zetra, you have some similarities in your approach. I believe it's something about the mix of heavy metal and gothic rock and all those sounds put together. You have really pushed that sound that hasn't been very active the past few years and it was a little bit under-represented. At least in my opinion. And I can tell that with your presence and bands like Night Eternal or Poltergeist, or even the latest Tribulation works, this sound is kind of getting back on track. Do you feel similarly or know any other bands pushing the sound forward?
I've always loved Tribulation, and I always liked The Night Eternal too. I checked out the record recently of another band similar to them called. - What was it? They're from Norway. They're called Year Of The Goat and they're amazing, kind of doing this style too. But I never set out to be a goth band. Honestly, I don't consider goth really a genre. It's more of an aesthetic. I think our fans might be disappointed in the future 'cause I know they want something like that. If we wrote about Dracula, bats and cobwebs and blood, it would do really well, but that's just never gonna happen. You'll probably get a song about like Dracula or something from us, but we are not gonna go goth, we’re just dudes. The closest thing that we are is regular Joe's in my band. We wear the black on stage 'cause we don't wanna dress in in our regular street clothes. It's dumb looking, you dress up for stage and stuff like that. We're just regular Joes. I'm glad that the genre is doing well as a whole though. I'm trailing off though!
I'm almost wondering for myself, is that what gotta lean into, the goth thing, 'cause I really don't want to!
I'm actually glad to hear. I prefer the bands to do what it's not expected of them and not the opposite.
I feel like we're the same as Type O Negative in a in a way where I feel like Peter still was doing his Carnivore stuff. And then you can hear Carnivore influence on the 1st Type O Negative record. But they didn't have their success until they said, "let's just go full goth" with "October Rust". They had a bunch of it on "Bloody Kisses", but when they went full like vampiric goth record, then their band blew up and I'm almost wondering for myself, is that what gotta lean into, the goth thing, 'cause I really don't want to!
And it sucks that that's the way the world works, because I'd like to create, something new. I don't want to rehash something that's already been done. Peter Steele though, that guy is an interesting dude. He was also a parks worker for like 7 years, picking up trash, and I did that job for like 7 years. So I feel like I have a lot in common with his views on life.
I hope that heavy music gets more melodic. Uses more nuance. For people to use their heads a little bit. Maybe read a book. And try to write something of profound value and meaning that can last the test of time
I kind of find generally in the outcome of heavy metal music the past few years, especially after quarantine, even more bands try to mix a lot of genres and try to create something unique and try to combine elements that people were not used into finding together in the same track. How do you see the future of heavy music going, from your experience both as a musician and as a listener?
In the mainstream, horrible. Since I was young, almost every single band that is doing well in the mainstream, almost every single band, I've hated, except for like Slipknot. I love them. Avenged Sevenfold, I thought, was great. But like right now, there seems to be this like rehash trend of like chugga chugga hardcore, and I'm just not into that. And I really hope that's not the future. Because the tough guy going chug, chug, chug. What the heck is up, man? I just, I can't stand that shit. So I hope it's not that.
I hope that heavy music gets more melodic. Uses more nuance. For people to use their heads a little bit. Maybe read a book. And try to write something of profound value and meaning that can last the test of time, something that a Led Zeppelin song might do. Or Black Sabbath might do as well. Actually sing about something you have to say rather than "hey, I'm the best". I don't like chest thumping. I don't like boasting, don't like any of that stuff.
We have to prove with our fourth record that it's still worth it to listen to our music, not to just go: "Yeah, that's the "Give Me To The Night" band.
That's a pretty interesting approach actually. You know in your position, there are three albums that were very highly acclaimed by people writing about music and pretty much loved by the audience. Do you feel any pressure on you to go on to the fourth record or is it like, "whatever may come"?
There's a little bit of that thing with the 4th record. You have record one, everyone's "oh brand new band". You have two, and it’s like, "can they hold? Oh, the first record is not as good as the second record is. Not as good as the first." Then you have τηε third record which is supposed to be your crowning achievement, where you come into your own as a band, and then every record after that is people are like "oh yeah, that band put out another record. OK". And that's really what we have to fight against right now, we have to prove with our fourth record that it's still worth it to listen to our music, not to just go: "Yeah, that's the "Give Me To The Night" band. Or the "Can You Hear The Rain" band. That's our challenge moving forward. The fourth record is not sexy. It's not an easy sell.
I see what you mean. In my opinion, many of your songs are kind of hit songs. Since we're talking. about your success and "Never, Neverland", did well in the previous year and we just started 2025. Would you name a couple or more of your favorite albums for 2024?
Oh. Yeah! Well, to be honest with you, I haven't really listened to any modern music. That I can think of. The Blood Incantation record was very good. What else came out last year? I really liked the Tribulation album. There were a few more releases last year. I'm trying to think of some. Those are the two that come to mind right now. I thought those were both good records. As far as like in depth, what else - I know Judas Priest put out a record, but I listened to "Invincible Shield" and like whatever other singles they put out, I thought they were good. But I haven't gotten around to listening to the whole record yet. Yeah, I'm not really keeping in touch with things anymore. It got too much for me and it was starting to stress me out, so I just, I kind of stopped but I'm getting back into it bit by bit.
All right, I see. I found myself in your situation. In some years it gets too much, but then you kind of want to get into it because you like very much. There is a question that I ask everyone, which are of the five records that you have on rotation the past few weeks? Just the five records that are your jam right now.
Yeah, I mean that would be what I play on my record player recently. I’ve been listening to Fancy again. You ever heard of Fancy? The Italo disco Singer 70s fancy.
Oh no, my knowledge into this genre is nonexistent.
I see, I’ve been listening to his greatest hits record. Then I love Dokken, "Under lock And Key". I jam ZZ Top, "El Loco" one of their shittiest records, in my opinion. And Cradle Of Filth. They have an album called - it's a live record from like 2000. I think it's called. Shit, I forget, I have it right here, one moment, it's called "11 Burial Masses".
Where did you recall that?
Yeah. Oh, well, that's like, my favorite record ever. I have the DVD of that and I like it more than Cradle Of Filth recorded stuff. I think Danny Filth sounds so raw and heavy and I love all the little nuances that are in the live recording. And then the last record number 5 was Black Sabbath, "Heaven And Hell".
Nothing beats a classic!
Yeah, that’s another one of my favorite albums ever. Especially the song "Heaven And Hell", gives my goosebumps every time I listen to it!
The next record, I want it to be like 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 10 songs. And just every single one is beautiful, lyrically and musically
All right. Well, thank you for sharing that. And now actually, what does the future hold for Unto Others after the massive amount of tours that's coming in 2025? Mentioned some things in the beginning, about building a strategy on what you want to do on and actually building a fourth record that will have an actual meaning for you. But what is the more structured idea about what you want to do?
Next record for me, has to be our best record. I know that's very cliche for an artist to say, but I truly mean that, I felt like that on "Strength" and "Never, Neverland". I felt enormous pressure to succeed. I don't feel that anymore and I'm trying my best to take a step back and I want to write just the catchiest metal version of Unto Others. I want to write the catchiest songs ever and every song has to have meaning and value and I want to say something with every song. Even if it's something stupid, it has to make you feel something in every line. Every lyric needs to make me feel something. And I feel like that's where I've been lacking recently. It’s in my lyrics, and I needed to do better so that's my main focus. Not saying anything is not good enough. I need to make sure that everything is great, as great as it can be, as I can make it and not lie to myself. The next record, I want it to be like 30 minutes, 35 minutes, 10 songs. And just every single one is beautiful, lyrically and musically. And then other than that, I'm having a son soon, so my life's going to change a little bit. Probably affect my music.
Oh, congratulations!
Thank you very much! So I'm very excited for a little bit of change. I have been grinding the wheel for seven years and I'm over it a little bit sometimes. I think there's more to life than just music. And there's more to life than just touring and myself. I'm excited to put a little bit of my energy into other people a little bit more as I get older.
That's sounds actually like a very good plan and you know, I'm pretty happy for you. And you seem excited. So we have a couple of minutes left and thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions today. Hope I actually stumble upon you while you are in Athens. I will certainly see you on the live show, but please go ahead and summarize the interview however you like and say something to your listeners and our readers.
OK. Well, come check us out! We're going to be playing at Temple on January 31st. A Friday night. And yeah, come check out our new material, first time back in five years. We'll sign all your things. We'll take a picture if you want and we'll have a couple of Alpha beers and we'll just all have a good time!