METAL FACTORY: The key is to persevere, refuse to be broken, and keep doing what you believe matters

Music "made in CZ" with a global touch - that's Metal Factory, a band fronted by two female vocalists and backed by an instrumental section made up of experienced musicians. On stage, they perform like a well-oiled machine, relentlessly crushing the crowd. Behind the scenes, however, they're friendly people you instantly find common ground with. This Ostrava-based band is currently going through a period filled with great music, concerts, and creative enthusiasm. Who are their biggest influences, and where is their music heading? How did they cope with the lineup change behind the drums? But we were also curious about what happens when the stage lights go out and the applause fades away. How do they balance life as musicians with their personal lives? Read on for a conversation about music, dreams, and what it's like to live with metal in your blood twenty-four hours a day.

How would you introduce your band to someone who has never heard of you?

Zuz: I'd probably introduce Metal Factory the same way we hear other people talk about us—as an energetic rock band from Ostrava with original music, built mainly on strong melodies, distinctive vocals, and powerful live energy. Based on the feedback we get, people see us as two distinctive "girls" up front, surrounded by a modern sound, heavy riffs, and precise guitar solos from Vašek Moch, backed by a solid bass and drums rhythm section.

Vašek: You'll hear a Czech band with a world-class sound, and you'll definitely take home an unforgettable experience from the concert. Well... at least that's how I imagine it, and hopefully it'll be a positive one. (laughs)

If a group of young guys came to you saying they dreamed of starting a band, what advice would you give them? What were your own musical beginnings like?

Zuz: I have very fond memories of my first band experiences. As a teenager, I used to skip school and hide away in a tiny, expensive, smelly rehearsal room with no soundproofing at all, where the windows and metal lockers around our few square metres would shake constantly. (laughs) Back then, my bandmates and I couldn't really play much, but we had an unforgettable time together! I'd definitely tell them to go for it and trust that they'll gradually figure everything out.

Pavlína: It looks like there are more of us who had a very similar start. (laughs) I honestly think every musician should go through beginnings like that.

Vašek: Practice every single day, learn from the old masters, and as soon as possible start playing with a band—even if it's only in a rehearsal room. Build your own identity, even though that's becoming harder and harder these days because of the pressure for perfection created by social media and, without exaggeration, the complete transformation of the domestic music scene over the past few years. Follow your own path and pull together as a team, because obstacles and discouragement will come from every direction—that's guaranteed. The key is to persevere, refuse to be broken, and keep doing what you genuinely feel has meaning.

If you had the chance to perform with any band in the world, who would it be and why? Who are your biggest musical influences, and how do they shape Metal Factory's music?

Zuz: We'd probably only agree on that when hell freezes over. (laughs) Even when we first formed the band, I knew combining all of our musical tastes would be a challenge, and I think I'm probably the biggest outsider in the group when it comes to what I listen to. I'll happily reveal the truth—it's Vašek's musical influences that shape Metal Factory the most. Imagine a cake. Vašek and Pavlína create the basic recipe for our songs in the early stages, and their musical sensibilities are the strongest influence on our sound. They bake the sponge and prepare the main ingredients, then the rest of us come in and add our own ingredients until the whole recipe comes together.

Vašek: Well... I do have a few comments about that, but I think I'd better keep them to myself. (laughs)

April saw the release of the new single Expendables, and it was revealed that it will also be the title of your second album. How are the works on it progressing, and how are you managing to balance them with the ongoing concert season?

Vašek: We had the material roughly prepared, but we're taking our time with the new album – nothing is pushing us, and since we've recently gone through a major change behind the drum kit, it will definitely have a significant impact on the final form of the record. We see every song as its own story, and even when it seems finished, we're still capable of completely reworking it – sometimes more than once. Some tracks from our first album would probably surprise listeners if they heard their original versions. The reality is that we don't write music based on three chords and straight drum beats. A song is a system, and songwriting itself is, in my opinion, absolutely essential in this genre. Sometimes we intentionally want a song to carry a hint of a certain inspiration, but it still has to become something different and original. It's a demanding genre, both for the musicians and for the listeners. Many Czech-language bands can get away with almost anything in the eyes of their fans, but in our field, practically every single note is judged. And that's exactly what we enjoy. It's proof that when someone listens to our music, they're really paying attention to it in depth, and we truly appreciate that. Just like in previous years, we've planned a certain number of shows for this season, and we know they won't significantly interfere with the songwriting process.

Your music is exclusively in English. What motivated you to make that decision, and were you all on the same page? Are your ambitions aimed more at the international scene?

Pavlína: Our music is heavily inspired by international bands, and I think writing lyrics in English naturally goes hand in hand with that. Personally, as someone from the younger generation, writing in English feels more natural and actually easier. On top of that, creating music in English can open doors for us, even if it's only in neighbouring countries – and that has already happened several times, which we truly appreciate. We played in Germany last year and again this year, and this year we also performed in Poland for the first time. That probably wouldn't have happened if we were singing in Czech.

Vašek: I definitely wouldn't rule out the possibility that we'll release something in Czech one day – but if we do, it will probably be because our fans ask for it. Unfortunately, we've seen many bands around us that started out in English and were producing music of an incredibly high standard, but then switched to Czech in pursuit of greater commercial success on the domestic scene. Personally, I have mixed feelings about that. I'm convinced many band leaders from those groups probably feel the same way, they just don't say it out loud – because once you've made that decision, it's very difficult to go back. If we ever decided to switch to Czech, why not, but probably not under the Metal Factory name. I've listened to English-singing bands my whole life, and they were always my role models. Since music isn't our livelihood, we simply do what we love – not what many people would probably consider the only correct or best option. To sum it up, our primary motivation for using English isn't the endlessly repeated idea of targeting the international market (although breaking through abroad is fantastic and we're incredibly happy about it), but rather creating something "made in CZ" with an international feel. I never even considered Czech in the early days. We knew from the start that it would be a huge disadvantage, but we accepted it. And I'm proud that Metal Factory is currently one of the very few Czech bands in this genre singing in English that keeps moving forward instead of standing still.

Vašek, you spent many years in the Ostrava-based band Salamandra. Some fans see Metal Factory as a more modern and more aggressive version of power metal. Was it your intention to create something with a completely different drive? Were you trying to distance yourself from your previous band's style, or do you naturally build upon its legacy?

Vašek: I have to admit, it's actually quite nice to hear someone say that, but it wasn't really the intention. Metal Factory is a completely different world from anything any of us had experienced in our previous bands. The most important thing for us is maintaining good relationships within the band, and I think we're doing a pretty good job of that. We all have more than enough stress in our everyday lives. This is our hobby, and putting too much pressure on ourselves or becoming obsessed with "making it" simply doesn't make sense. It only destroys relationships between people. And household budgets too (laughs). You have to genuinely enjoy doing this. Songwriting actually comes second. If the end result makes people think we're a more aggressive version of power metal with a completely different drive than the bands we came from, I'm only grateful for that, but it certainly wasn't intentional. We're not building on anyone else's signature style. Metal Factory wants to have its own face without relying on previous influences – we look for inspiration elsewhere. The slight genre similarity is understandable, though, considering we've been playing this style for a really long time (laughs).

Metal Factory is built around the combination of two distinctive female voices. How much has that changed your approach to songwriting and arrangements compared to your previous work?

Vašek: Not at all. I simply enjoy being able to work within a genre that's close to my heart, and that's the foundation. The fact that once our ladies start working on a song, it suddenly becomes something completely different from what I originally imagined, is another matter entirely. And I think it's a positive one. Pavlínka, in particular, has come up with vocal lines that were completely different from what I had originally envisioned, and she has managed to turn something "unlistenable" into what, judging by listeners' reactions, became a really great song. It's also worth mentioning that Metal Factory is my first real songwriting project. In my previous bands, I mainly worked on arrangements and spent hundreds of hours in the studio and on various other production tasks, but someone else was usually the songwriter. In Metal Factory, the writing process is much more of a team effort. The ladies often have a completely different perspective than I do, and when all our ideas and opinions come together, the result is the music we play.

Many musicians say that a band is like a second family. In your case, that's literally true. Do you and Pavlína manage to leave any creative disagreements in the rehearsal room, or do you discuss arrangements even over Sunday lunch?

Pavlína: Of course we talk about Metal Factory all the time, not just over Sunday lunch. It's something we're truly passionate about. But always in a positive way, of course. If I had to sum it up, it usually starts with someone throwing an idea on the table, and then it gradually takes shape into something real. When I come up with an arrangement that seems interesting and workable, Vašek is the one who takes it all the way to perfection. I trust him completely in that respect. We don't really have any disagreements. Well, we did at the beginning, when I thought, like every woman, that I was always right, but then I realized that's not how things work in this business. (laughs)

Vašek: It's our biggest shared hobby, so naturally it's an everyday topic. Of course, we often have very different opinions about things, but every truly functioning relationship is built on compromise. And since we're both uncompromising, it works perfectly for us. (laughs)

Pavlína, balancing the role of a mother and the frontwoman of a metal band must be a huge logistical challenge. What's the hardest part of this "double role" for you, and what gives you the most energy in return?

Pavlína: This might sound a bit silly, but I see Metal Factory as one of the children in our household. (laughs) And when you have, let's say, five children, you can't neglect any of them—you simply try to give each of them your best. Our little boy is absolutely wonderful. He gives both of us the space to practice. I sing with Venoušek in the rehearsal room all the time, and he never gets bored, even when Vašek is practicing guitar instead. And whenever the drums are set up, he even starts drumming along with us. I don't really see anything difficult about balancing these two roles—they both fulfill me completely. Although I have to admit that whenever Grandma and Grandpa help us out, there's definitely a lot more energy left. (laughs)

Zuzka, besides being one of Metal Factory's distinctive voices, you're also the band's lyricist. How much does writing lyrics for two singers influence your work? Do you have to think about which parts will suit you better and which will fit Pavlína more naturally?

Zuz: Absolutely! Although I don't always hit exactly what everyone expects or likes. (laughs) And of course I hear about it afterwards... No, seriously. Pavli is a wonderful bandmate with a strong and incredibly interesting voice, and by now I know very well which vocal ranges suit me and which suit her. Hmm... that probably sounded like I was talking about something completely different, but I still mean singing. (laughs) Whenever I write, I always approach both of us individually, but everything in our band is about collaboration. I never hand Pavli a complete, rigid vocal melody with precise instructions on how I want her to sing it. It's important to me that her parts truly feel like her own, and I want her to bring her own emotions and expression into them.

Fans were saddened by the news that Dan Jureček had to leave the band due to health reasons. How difficult was it for you to find a replacement for such an exceptional musician, and how did Lukáš Kroutil manage to fit into your well-established machine?

Zuz: We literally cried over Daneček leaving—I certainly did. But we're definitely not cutting ties with him. We even played one show together in Slovakia this year, and it was wonderful for all of us. We still keep in touch and we definitely want to continue seeing each other. And Lukhino? He's simply an amazing guy. He handles everything effortlessly and hits the drums with such power that even a lion on stage would tuck its tail between its legs and curl up in the corner. We're definitely going to have a lot of fun with him.

Vašek: We had known about Dan's health problems for quite some time, but honestly, we wanted to keep writing our story together for as long as possible. However, at the beginning of this year, Dan told us his strength was fading and that he needed to rest and deal with the situation as soon as possible. At that point, it became clear that we'd have to start looking for a new drummer. Considering how many bands struggle to find a quality drummer these days, we were all a little worried. And then came the best part—something none of us expected. Finding a new drummer took exactly one phone call. We already knew Lukhino from his time in Porta Inferi, where I personally thought he was a really impressive drummer. I'm incredibly grateful that during that single phone call we discovered we shared so many similar views. Once we started rehearsing together, we all became convinced that both personally and technically he was a perfect fit right from the start. Hopefully, it'll stay that way for a long time. I'd also like to sincerely thank all the drummers who contacted us after Dan's departure was announced and offered to help us, whether as temporary replacements or as permanent members of Metal Factory. It truly moved us, and we deeply appreciate that there were people willing to make sure we wouldn't fall.

When you're travelling to a concert in the van, what's the biggest musical guilty pleasure you put on that hardcore metal fans probably wouldn't approve of?

Zuz: Pavli and I probably wouldn't get much praise for the fact that during longer trips we sometimes prefer playing games ideally detective games instead of listening to crushing metal, even though nobody else in the van is interested and we're laughing like crazy the whole time. (laughs)

Vašek: It's actually quite rare that we all travel together, but whenever we do, it's always an experience. To be honest, there's usually not much music playing. Most of the listening—and discussions about bands and musical equipment is handled by Pišta (our bassist) and Jirka (our sound technician), who sit in the front and control the radio. (laughs) The biggest musical madness we listen to is Pišta himself, but he switches on automatically. Usually on the drive home around midnight. (laughs)

Is there anything you'd like to say to the readers of our magazine?

Zuz: Thank you for your great taste in music, for your energy and support at concerts, and a huge thank you for still reading and supporting a magazine even in the age of AI! And if you've made it all the way to the end of this interview, go and check out something from Metal Factory!

Vašek: A huge thank you to everyone who supports live music, gives bands their energy, and lives for music just like we do. We're here because of you, and we can't wait to see you on tour! There are fans who are happy to be served the same thing over and over again, and then there are fans who search, discover, and explore. I'm convinced that REBEL SOUND readers belong to the latter group because this magazine offers exactly that opportunity. Keep supporting REBEL SOUND, recommend it to your friends, share its articles, discover honest music, and keep going to concerts!

In closing, we'd like to thank the entire band for their willingness and professionalism throughout this interview. It showed that behind great music are, above all, real people who put a piece of their own hearts and personal lives into what they create. It's wonderful to see that even as their success continues to grow, the band remains humble, down-to-earth, and deeply respectful of their fans. All that's left is to wish them that their proverbial engine keeps running at full speed for many years to come. And if this glimpse behind the scenes has sparked your interest, don't miss their upcoming concerts and be sure to follow their social media channels. This metal factory certainly has no intention of closing its gates anytime soon.

Text: Lenka Svatoňová
Photo: Martin Kysela