Mario Moreno

keep up with Mario here:

www.myspace.com/exmortus

I got my first drumset when I was about 12, but I didnt focus on drumming till I jumped from playing guitar to drums. This was due to the fact that my band didnt have a drummer. I never really saw myself as a drummer but I could always keep a pretty good beat. At first I wasnt to thrilled to play but overtime it grew on me and now I cant see myself playing any other instrument.

Since my duty to play drums came over night, I had to learn to play up to par to previous drummers in the band instantly. Of course I was really sloppy at first, but it motivated me to step it up and since we were playing alot of shows the pressure from the crowds pushed me. Within the first 3 months of me playing we released a demo with my drumming on it. Even though the demo didnt have the best quality you could still hear all the instruments and I was pretty content with playing at that moment.I think it was at that point that I knew i was going to be the permanent drummer in the band, and I was happy with that because drumming is freakin awesome!

Mario Moreno Interview:

SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?

Mario: Its tough to say. I had a drumset lying around but I guess I would have been about 14 or 15? I play drums in Exmortus but I started off playing guitar. After a ridiculous amount of line up changes I jumped on the drums and that was pretty much when I started. Destiny maybe? haha.

 

 

SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?

Mario: I was in band in high school. I joined primarily so I wouldnt have to take Physical Education (P.E.), I was a pretty lazy kid. But I didnt battery which dealt with instruments like snares, bass drums, quads, etc.. I was in PIT and I played the triangle. I wasnt taking drumming that serious around that time and I wish I did because I could have learned so much that would have helped me out today.

 

 

SD.com: Who are your top 5 metal influences?

Mario: If I had to go with Drummers it would be Inferno (Behemoth), Mike Portnoy,  Scott Travis, Nikko Mcbrian, and George Kollias. All of those drummers have had a big influence on me. Watching them play live and even on video is mesmerizing! I remember seeing Behemoth for the first time and watching Inferno do his sound check. He played so precise and ridiculously fast it made me laugh haha. After that show I really felt inspired to play drums.

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Who are some other of your favorites?

Mario: Metallica was the first metal band I got into so Lars Ulrich was a favorite for a while, along with Vinnie Paul and Nick Menza.

 

 

SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation

Mario:
Skeletonwitch “Beyond The Permafrost”
Immortal “Damned In Black”
At The Gates “Terminal Spirit Disease”
Unleashed “Midvinterbolt”
Iron Maiden “Seventh Son of the Seventh Son”

 

 

SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?

Mario: Normally I stretch my hands out and my ankles. If i have time I warm up with a practice pad but sometimes I feel like it wears me out if im warming up for too long and the live performance feel really strainful on me. But a good stretch and hardcore practicing the day before a show keeps me pretty confident.

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Do you read music? Regardless of answering yes or no, please tell us how it might have effected your playing?

Mario: No I dont read music, but I wish it did. Like they say in school “knowledge is power!”. It wouldnt hurt to learn and I plan on it someday. Cant really say its had much of an effect on my playing but im sure it could me out allot, more than I think it would.

 

 

SD.com: Can you tell us about the gear you use?

Mario: My drumest is all mixed up! I used to use nothing but a 5 piece Tama Rockstar but I replaced a tom and floor tom with a ddrum set i came across. Then I recently picked up a 14 inch pearl snare (Chad Smith model). I pretty much use what I got and make the best of it with putting some decent heads on. I also got some Pearl Eliminators which have been working great for me. If I had to go with the gear id like to use then it would be this Pearl Visions set I played. It was Sweet!

 

 

SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…

Mario: Practice your ass off! I used to always take practice for granted. Id just show up to band practice and that would be it. But you really need to make time to practice alone. Its like running a race, you dont just show up and run a triathlon. You gotta train and prepare yourself for it. And dont just focus on one style of playing. Check out different techniques and try new things, you might might find another style you like or incorporate it with what your doing now.

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?

Mario: Inferno! Maybe it was because it was my first time seeing a drummer of that technicality for the first time that made it the best? But he really blew me away. Not only was he fast but he was tight. He had the songs nailed down and they sounded just like the cd, not to mention he was playing faster than the album.

 

 

SD.com: Aside from drumming, what else do you like to do?

Mario: I do allot of silk screening which is awesome. Its pretty much how I make a living but I also consider it a hobby. Movies and my xbox also take up ALOT of my time haha. Nothing really out of the ordinary, I pretty much like to chill, relax, and listen to HEAVY METAL!!