Interview with Sherwin Baradaran Guitarist & Vocalist of Anoushbard

May 22, 2023

Interview with Sherwin Baradaran Guitarist & Vocalist of Anoushbard

By Mick Michaels

Cosmick Voice: Hello, Sherwin and welcome to The Cosmick View!

CV: Do you feel Heavy Metal music in general is viewed differently by fans in Europe compared to fans elsewhere, especially in America, and if so why?
Sherwin Baradaran: I think the answer is yes. What I see in European Metal fans is completely different from fans from America in terms of the band they follow and the taste of music…for example, nowadays Americans Bands slip into cliché, you hardly ever find any good band that sounds conceptual like bands in the 80s. On the contrary, bands in Europe are getting better and better such as Arch Enemy and Opeth. I think fans support and tastes play a key role in artist upcoming album.

CV: What do you feel makes Heavy Metal music so alluring to the fans? What is it about the music that personally resonates so strongly with you?
SB: It depends but in my opinion the energy that you can take from Metal music and also heavy tones and loud sound make this genre special and attractive.

I guess the excitement of metal music is the first reason for me.

CV: Has Metal splintered into too many sub-genres in your opinion, thus, making it harder for newer bands to actually classify themselves as one style over another? Is it confusing for fans as well?
SB: I think that’s true. This is what exactly happened to us. We have a variety of songs that are too difficult to categorize into one genre. I think this is happening to fans too.

CV: How would you describe the current state of the music business considering we are now living in a post-COVID society? Have things drastically changed long-term for artists and bands given the aftermath of the pandemic? What are your thoughts?
SB: Well, right now I guess things are getting back to normal but yes in 2020 everything had changed and got hard for bands and musicians.

CV: What do you feel makes your band and its particular approach to songwriting work? What keeps the band together and making music
SB: Well, I am very into books, especially poems, history, philosophy and….

I usually get my idea about song writing or writing lyrics from those books. For example most of our songs in Anoushbard are about Persian myths and tales or cultural and historical events.

So we have a great amount of ideas and then Siavash (guitar) and I work on those ideas and make them into a song. I think we have something special to tell the world by our music…that is why we make music and we have hope to get better with every album.

CV: On a more global view, how do you see your band’s music and songwriting separating itself from just being another Heavy Metal act?
SB: I guess because we sound a little bit Eastern…I mean we use Persian rhythms and melodies and also some Persian traditional instruments…that helps us to sounds different from regular Metal bands. Also we use some stories and tales which are very famous in our culture and new for western countries.

CV: Can an artist truly be unique? Some would argue there is no such thing as being unique; that it’s nothing more than a compounding of influences making an artist who or what they are. Would this then say that artists today are destined to be just copies of those who have already come to pass?
SB: This is so controversial, in one hand I can say yes. Artist can be unique and do something that no one has ever done before, but on the other hand, I guess everyone has been influenced from someone else or somewhere else…it can be a book or another piece of art or music.

CV: Are there life lessons to learn being in a Heavy Metal band that you feel cannot be taught elsewhere? If so, what are they?
SB: It’s hard to say but I guess seeing the world in the different way…there isn’t any fairness and justice in real life and these things are bold and noticeable in Metal music

CV: What do you feel makes someone a “rock star”? Does being a rock star automatically make one iconic or are the two completely different in your opinion
SB: I think the most important factor is Chance…another one is where you are born or live. In western countries there are huge and great media companies that can make someone a rockstar over night…you can especially see this in North America. There are lots of European bands which are much more professional and better than American Bands but they are less popular.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming next from Anoushbard?
SB: I guess our upcoming third album and we are planning for some concerts in Europe.

CV: Thanks so much Sherwin for talking with us. All the best!
SB: I have to say Thank you very much and I really appreciate it.

Check out Anoushbard at:
Official: https://www.anoushbard.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anoushbard/

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.