Metal music and the Heart and Stroke Foundation might not be the most obvious pair, but Dal student Matthew Day sees an opportunity in bringing them together.
On July 5 and 6, the Halifax Forum will host the inaugural , named after the record label founded by Mr. Day less than a year ago.
The all-ages festival will be two days of music featuring 16 bands, with two death metal acts鈥擬ontreal鈥檚 Kataklysm and Tampa, Florida鈥檚 Morbid Angel鈥攁s headliners. One hundred percent of the festival鈥檚 profits will go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
鈥淚 wanted a charity that was instantly recognizable,鈥� says Mr. Day. 鈥淭here are plenty of nonprofits that are popular but not everyone is affected by them. Everyone knows Heart and Stroke.鈥�
If the festival is successful鈥攈is goal is to raise $100,000鈥擬r. Day plans on choosing a different charity to act as a recipient every year. "I would really like to get into supporting organizations like Doctors Without Borders. Eventually I鈥檇 like to either start my own or take an active role in leading one."
A label giving back
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 the role of corporations and companies to give something back,鈥� he says, even a fledgling startup like . The label has seven acts signed at the moment, but those bands are based in provinces and territories across Canada, and one, Fallen Joy. hails from France.
Mr. Day says he receives submissions from all over the globe, including Indonesia鈥斺�淭hey have a big metal following there鈥濃�擜lgeria and Brazil. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty fantastic. Most of the bands on my label, I approached them, but the most recent sign (Edge of Attack) submitted their press kit to me and I loved it. I pretty much sent them an email the next day saying 鈥楥ome aboard.鈥欌��
Mr. Day, 21, a fourth-year Philosophy and Russian Studies student who made the Dean鈥檚 List this year, was motivated to start a label due to 鈥渉aving no musical ability whatsoever. I knew I wanted a career that involved being around music, so I figured this would be the best way to be around a genre that I love.鈥�
To keep his focus on the music, he uses a hands-off approach when dealing with the bands he signs. 鈥淚 offer suggestions, but I鈥檓 never going to say 鈥榃e鈥檙e going to drop you from the label unless you do this or that.鈥欌�� Spread the Metal helps its bands distribute their music in digital and physical formats, including vinyl. 鈥淣ot many people buy CDs anymore, but vinyl鈥檚 coming back. A couple of our new releases are on vinyl and we鈥檙e very excited about that.鈥�
Rocking the Forum
A pass for either the first or second day of the festival will cost $50, with a two-day pass priced at $75. 鈥淭he Forum鈥檚 capacity is 3,000 people, and upwards of 2,000 would be great for what we鈥檙e trying to do for Heart and Stroke.鈥� Renowned metal band Lamb of God played the Forum recently 鈥渁nd they brought in like 2,200, 2,300 people. The fan base exists.鈥�
Spread the Metal will also be accepting donations from fans and non-fans interested in supporting the Heart and Stroke Foundation. 鈥淭he festival will be streamed online, so there will be an option to donate during the webcast, too.鈥�
Mr. Day refuses to pick a favourite metal band, likening it to choosing a favourite child. 鈥�(French band) Dark Sanctuary, maybe. But that could change next week. It really depends on what I鈥檓 listening to at the time. I鈥檒l put one album on repeat for weeks on end.鈥� While studying Russian in St. Petersburg, he was able to catch a show by legendary thrash metal group Slayer.
鈥淚 love metal,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 universal. It doesn鈥檛 really matter what you look like or who you鈥檙e friends with.鈥�
Regardless of whether or not the Spread the Metal festival achieves its $100,000 target, Mr. Day has no plans to abandon his goals.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge undertaking. If people don鈥檛 show up, there isn鈥檛 much I can do. But instead of thinking, 鈥榃hat if I held this big metal festival?鈥� I thought, 鈥業鈥檓 going to go ahead and try it.鈥� And if it doesn鈥檛 work, I learn from the mistakes I made this year and try again next year. There are always going to be lots of naysayers and lots of people who are going to try and tell you that something can't be done. Fortunately for me, I don't associate with many of them.鈥�
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