The Eighth Note is 8 quick Questions with Wellington Musicians. A chance for us to catch up with people & see what they’re up to, or introduce you to a new musician/band and their music. Up next are Connor & Zed from Metalcore band Cian.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about your music:
Connor: I’m Connor, Lead vocals and guitar for Cian. We are a Metalcore band from Wellington, that incorporates Djenty riffs, energetic beats, and meaningful lyrics.
Zed: I’m Zed, drummer and backing vocalist for Cian. Cian currently has four members consisting of Connor on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Navah on lead guitar, Dylan on bass and backing vocals, and me on drums and backing vocals. We started off sounding like a Hardcore Metal band, but since then, our writing style has transitioned into Metalcore and we’ve become a bit more experimental with our songwriting.
What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or albums on the way?
Although we just released our debut EP a couple weeks ago, we already have more new stuff on the way. We should hope to announce it very shortly so keep posted for when new stuff is out! A secret single will be dropping soon and we have already started recording for a new album.
Where is the best place people can follow you & find your music?
We are most active on Instagram, and you can find our music on any and all streaming platforms [Spotify, Bandcamp, Apple Music]. We also have TikTok and Facebook, in case you are most active on those.
What were the 3 most influential albums to you growing up?
Killswitch Engage – Alive or Just Breathing.
Periphery – P2.
Protest The Hero – Kezia (Connor).
Alice In Chains – Dirt.
Pantera – Vulgar Display Of Power.
Metallica – …And Justice For All (Zed).
Which other Wellington musician (s) would you most like to work with?
Off the top of our heads, Flowers Of Hades would be great to work with, but we are definitely open to working with any metal bands out there!
What’s your favourite Wellington venue to play in?
Considering we’ve only played in one venue, Valhalla for sure.
In your songwriting or composing (or the band’s songwriting) how do the compositions and songs take shape?
Connor: Our process consists of either Navah or I writing a song on guitar, then taking it to Ableton and fleshing out a demo with drums and vocals. From there we would just refine parts and make things flow as best as we could. Lyrically, I would choose a meaningful topic that I felt I needed to explore and work through. This is most evident in ‘Thoughts of Loneliness’.
Zed: Currently I have written one song for Cian and the process was a little different. Because I have ability with multiple instruments (Guitar, bass, drums and vocals), I basically fleshed out the whole song on my own, took it to the others, and they made minor tweaks that improved the song drastically.
Where/when is your next gig?
We don’t currently have any gigging plans but we are sorting out options ASAP. If anyone wants an opening act hit us up!