Musician—Chantz Mello

Talk about yourself—Who are you? Where are you located? What band(s) do you play in? Any other hobbies?

My name is Chantz Mello and I play guitar in two bands, The Last King and Fathom Farewell. I joined TLK a few years back after buying show tickets off of Brett and it’s been a wild ride ever since. I also just recently joined Fathom Farewell and have had the honor to play with some extremely talented musicians since I entered the scene a few years back. I live in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts and enjoy playing music, hanging out with friends, playing hockey, and owning my own plumbing business!

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What genre do you play?

I enjoy playing technical deathcore in The Last King but also have a lot of passion for other genres like metalcore, pop punk, punk, thrash and all other forms of rock and roll.

What is your instrument of choice? Do you play other instruments? Is there any you wish you could play?

My first instrument was the guitar, I’ve been playing for over 10 years now and it’s currently my main focus. I’ve played drums in bands before and really enjoy anything I can get my hands on that’s music related. I want to work on learning how to sing, that’s been something I’ve always wanted to do.

Tell me about your gear—what did you start out with and what did you upgrade to (if at all)?

I started out with a Ibanez JS100. I was around 11 years old when my dad bought me that and I still play around with it to this day! Since then I’ve upgraded to extended range guitars, I really enjoy playing my 8 string Kiesel Vader and my Kiesel Osiris.

What bands influence your playing style?

A lot of old school metal bands have influenced my playing style. Metallica was the reason I decided to pick up the guitar in the first place. These days I’d say, Erra, Fit for an Autopsy and Killswitch Engage are some of my biggest influences.

If you were to recommend music for others to listen to, what would be your top 3 bands/artists?

Fit for an Autopsy

Veil of Maya

Erra

Were you a band geek? If you weren’t, how and when did you decide to be a musician?

I was never a band geek but always respected the craft. My dad had always played in bands and owned a ton of equipment so I was always around music from a young age. Once I discovered old school Metallica, I HAD to know how to recreate the sounds I would hear out of my dinky CD player. I took a few lessons in middle school and fell in love with the guitar.

Do you have any future goals or plans?

I’d love to be in a position where I can comfortably do music full time. Since I was a kid that was just about the only thing I could ever see myself doing every single day, music has always been a part of me. I’d really like to look back on a discography of music and memories that I’m proud of.

Any advice for aspiring musicians?

Don’t give up. Music can be a long and tiring road and in this day and age there are so many aspiring musicians. Don’t get discouraged by comparing yourself to other musicians. This is a lifelong journey, use that as a way to motivate you. I struggle all the time, thinking that I should be putting in more effort or that I’m not as good as I could be. Don’t let that get in the way of you having fun and making memories