About
MATT HATTER creates and performs music that’s heavy, melodic and cathartic, or “emotive electronic rock,” according to the artist. Combining soaring vocals with fuzzy, crunchy guitars, groovy bass lines and steady, powerful drumbeats, Hatter is on his own and ready to release perhaps the first piece of music he’s written completely by himself, with no one else trying to influence his creativity. His new full-length solo album, “Introduction” is set for a spring ’18 release, followed by a live show tour. Josh Breckenridge at Cosmic Mastering in Arizona mastered the nine-song album.
Hatter’s music comes from a place deep inside of him. Being raised by a single mom who would literally throw away his CDs if they had explicit lyrics, because she wanted to encourage him in a positive way and not focus on his anguish. Hatter was influenced early on by any artist’s music he could get his hands on. “I love a wide range of bands and music…to me, all music has a good vibe to it.” Hatter, would also like to mention his brother, he states his brother wasn’t always accepting of his music but was an inspiration for his songs and encouraged him to bring a professional persona into his forte in how he conveys his music to his fans.
“Growing up, my influences differed and were subject to what I could get my hands on before my Mom threw them away.” We had a vinyl player, so I’d play older songs my Mom had gotten from my grandparents, like Elvis, Madonna and Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, The Everly Brothers and Chuck Berry. “My mom was a woman of great faith, so she would take away anything depressing or with explicit lyrics.” Hatter did not let that dissuade him from acquiring as much music as he could get. “I would trade baseball cards with a kid that lived down the street, and he mostly had gangsta rap, so I got into Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, etc. As I got older, I got into punk music like NOFX, Pennywise, Offspring and Rancid. I also love classic rock, like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Rolling Stones, and Tom Petty.”
But,” he reveals, “Chester Bennington is probably my favorite vocalist.”
Hatter was in several bands before deciding to go solo: Chrome 7, Dammit Kelly, Another Verse, and most recently, A Moment To Rise, which shared a stage with national acts including Smile Empty Soul, Ebenezer, Tantric, Art Of Dying, and Letters From A Fire, among others. Yet, Hatter could never seem to find the right fit. “I felt like I was wasting so much talent and expression dealing with band infighting and drama. Now, I can finally express myself in a way I’ve not been able to until now.These songs are from my own life experiences, and have storylines from the past, present and future. Most are accounts of what’s happened in my life; from relationships, to inner battles with the good and evil inside, and manifesting a better life.”
The result is a eight-song album that is a very personal piece of work for Hatter. “The difference between this solo album vs. the music with my past bands is the flow of creativity and quality of the work. I can’t wait for people to hear this, and open their minds up and enjoy the story.”
The intro tune, which is also the first single and video to be released in early ’18, is “Rise From the Ashes,” which immediately starts with a compelling vocal and a powerful guitar riff. “I wrote this song when I was still trying to work on a relationship with my daughter’s mom. It starts off sad, but ends in triumph.”
“Then I realized I had a fire inside. Then I could take off and fly, I’ll rise from the ashes and flow to the sea, I’ll rise from the ashes and die on my feet”
“Rainy Day” is also about the end of that relationship. “It’s what I felt like; as if she and I were in the rain together, weathering the storm. A part of the song says, ‘together in the rain.’”
“You feel it’s over, I’ve gone away, I see that it’s clear now, It’s a rainy day, Feel inside of me, The rain is pouring down, I see inside of you, I know you hit the ground”
“No Regrets” explores being at peace with yourself and the world, instead of always wanting what you don’t have. “Desire can be a very powerful thing, and I’ve suffered a lot in the pass when I’ve indulged my wants. If I stay true to myself, and at one with everybody and everything, I wont have any regrets. And I don’t want any more regrets!”
“No regrets, Desire is the one truth, You’ll never forget, never forget, Always want, When everything is one”
Hatter’s tour is being booked as we speak, and will commence around the album’s release in spring ’18. In a word, his live shows promise to be: theatrical. “I am an entertainer first and foremost, and I plan to bring the audience with me to a different world!”
“Each of these tunes has its own identity and can stand alone,” Hatter concludes. “I want these songs to push the listeners higher; to make people dance and cheer, and hopefully, to inspire them to rise above any obstacles in their lives.”
Hatter, attributes his first single wrote at The Library Studios with Brandon, but mixed and mastered by Larry Elyea from Mind’s Eye Studio, as well as recording of back up vocals. Larry is well known in the valley by many artists and they attribute their success to his knowledge and abilities. Hatter would also like to acknowledge Brandon Kruszeniak our guitarist, and the owner at The Library Studios, who without him this album would have never happened. Lastly but not by least, Phil Taylor from Future Leaders Of The World, for helping make this album possible and causing Hatter to take it to another level. Phil Taylor is featured with backup vocals on 5 of the songs. Phil Taylor also gave pre-pro notes for some songs and played keys on song “Never Be The Same”. Cosmic Mastering mastered the entire album due to the friendship between Josh Breckenridge from WOATTS and Hatter.
