Progressive metal is a genre that thrives on complexity, emotion, and innovation—qualities that Nicolas Martin, the mastermind behind Amsterdam-based one-man band Exchanger, embodies in spades. With a background in classical music and a love for cinematic soundscapes, Martin blends the grandeur of orchestral arrangements with the intensity and complexity of progressive metal.
In this interview, we pick Nicolas’ mind about the creation of A Matter of Perspective, Exchanger‘s latest album, and explore how Martin approaches songwriting, tackles the challenges of being a solo artist, and balances technical prowess with emotional depth. We also discuss his early influences, his journey into the world of progressive metal, and the role of artistic freedom in shaping Exchanger’s sound. Exchanger is featured on our latest, Progotronics 47, compilation.
A Matter of Perspective is your latest release. What themes or concepts does the album explore, and how did you approach its creation?
I usually try to come up with a fitting theme for each song, and then try to find a link between them to name the album. It usually starts with the music, then I look at the atmosphere of the song and how it evolves, and try to write a story that fits that, and ties it with a reflection or idea I have. Finding lyrics that fit the song rhythmically, emotionally, and that I can stand behind, can be difficult and is definitely what takes the longest time in the overall creation process, not in raw working hours but just in time to mature and process ideas until the right words line-up.
As a one-man progressive metal band, what are the biggest challenges and advantages of working solo on a project like Exchanger?
Challenges: as just mentioned, some processes can take a long time, and I also have to learn each part that is played, and program the rest, so there can be months, even years going from a starting idea and a finished product. That unresolved tension can sometimes be draining. There’s also having to listen to the material over and over, during the creative part, but especially during the mixing stage and it can be hard to keep appreciating your own work, or even have an objective opinion about it. Advantages are more obvious: I can work at my own pace, though, of course I also have to be my own boss and motivate myself, so maybe a bit of a double-edged sword there. But what’s definitely comfortable is not depending on others, not having to drive to some remote rehearsal rooms and setting up gear every time.
Growing up with classical music and movie soundtracks, how have these early influences shaped your approach to songwriting and composition?
When I started, I mainly relied on classical music theory, not necessarily very deep mind you, but things had to fit the major or minor scales (preferably harmonic). My models for song structure were also mostly symphonic works, so long songs, few repetitions, maybe too little cohesion too, even for those standards. I also gravitated a lot towards orchestral sounds. I was initially writing on keyboards, until I discovered most synthesized instruments sounded OK, except electric guitar (at least at the time, with the mid-tier Roland I had).
Since then, I realised prog rock and prog metal also draws from other influences and approaches to theory, drawn more from blues, jazz,… And I tried to learn more about them, use modes more, break the “rules” of classical music (and realising the 19th century romantic works I really liked also broke the rule very often for the sake of effect and emotion). In terms of song structure, I worked on getting cohesion within songs, by having proper verses and choruses, and if not, making sure transitions tie parts together well, or repeating motives to make a piece whole.
You’ve mentioned being introduced to metal in your late teenage years. What was it about metal, and later prog metal, that resonated with you so strongly?
I guess I just need my music to have “drama.” Even the classical pieces I liked were big symphonic works with dramatic weight, think Mozart’s requiem, or Dvořák’s 9th (New World’s Symphony). I had been exposed to jazz before, and very few pieces stuck with me except when they had some strong melancholic undertones. So I guess metal really catered to that, and the gateway was symphonic metal because, well, it was something familiar. Prog metal does it even better for my taste, as “normal” metal albums tend to be full blast, full speed for the whole 45min.+ of the album, and the brain gets used to that quite quickly. It’s all about the contrast, the soft parts making the heavy parts feel even heavier, the alternation between slow and fast, clean and harsh vocals, etc.
Dream Theater was pivotal in your discovery of prog metal. What is it about their music that inspired you, and have any other artists had a similar impact on your journey?
I got hooked by symphonic metal first. Some highschool friends of mine were listening to some Nightwish, Within Temptation, among other things, so I asked them to copy some tunes on my portable hard drive at the time (I’m sure they obtained this all perfectly legally!!). Among those was some Linkin Park, Rammstein, Metallica,… And two Dream Theater tracks: “Pull Me Under” and “Metropolis Pt. 1.” It took me a bit to appreciate them because the mix was maybe a bit more raw and, well it takes a bit of time to digest, but while I started to get tired of the other songs, these two got more interesting with each listen.
I then looked for more online and stumbled upon “Octavarium” (the track) and that was just a revelation. It was like going on a journey, it had all these novel and interesting things, the intensity of metal, but also the familiar (for my classical ears) structure of parts telling a story, and of course that huge orchestral finish. From there I just went looking for more. Another very influential band would be Haken, still my favorite to this day. Most prog requires a few spins to really get into, but with them, it’s often instantaneous, like they write the music that’s already in my head. It might have to do with their own influences being similar to mine, inside of metal but outside too. Honourable mention for Ayreon and Arjen Lucassen‘s other projects who showed me that the one-man project road was an option.
Your transition from classical music to progressive metal represents two distinct worlds. How do you blend these styles in Exchanger’s sound?
I don’t think too hard about it. When I listen to music, I’m always on the lookout for interesting ideas and arrangements, and I naturally pick the theory that helps me get that result. I think there’s no inherent superiority in old or new music, music is music and it comes down to the same fundamental principles of harmonies, rhythm, etc… Cultural factors play a role of course, but I’m more interested in what they have in common than specific differences. A lot of 70’s classic prog musicians have some classical background, keyboardists having learned on church organs, others having sung in choirs,…among other things, so the lines between those worlds is quite porous. Some people like to claim that Beethoven would be a metalhead today and metal is the new classical, I don’t entirely agree, but there are definitely some bridges.
Many progressive metal bands use complex time signatures and arrangements. How do you balance technicality with emotion in your music?
I would say they’re not necessarily incompatible. Odd times can be used to suggest unease or tension. Or on the contrary, a polyrhythmic groove can give the feeling of pieces locking into place together while being different, which in its own way is satisfying. Complex harmonies can evoke complex emotions, and many emotions are complex. My approach is to just do what I like, and sometimes it will be a technical idea to challenge myself, sometimes it will be just about a powerful chord progression that stirs you… I guess there’s no perfect balance that will please everyone. Some people just enjoy solving the puzzle of an Animals as Leaders song, and some will just find that uninteresting. That’s the one benefit of making your own music: you get to decide how much of each spice goes into the recipe.
You’ve mentioned struggling to find skilled and committed musicians, which led you to pursue Exchanger as a solo project. Do you think this has given you greater creative freedom?
To clarify the picture, I started as a solo artist when I was a student. I never stayed in the same place for more than two years, often abroad, and probably wasn’t at a level where I could play in a band yet. I joined a band in 2015, but it was just not really fitting my taste and way of working. I tried to create a band again at the end of 2019, but that was obviously bad timing. I was contacted a year after by a bass player, and a year after that we had a drummer, both very good players, but sadly too busy with work and family life to keep this project alive.
So, yes, creative freedom is absolute, which is mostly great, but as mentioned before, very time consuming. And maybe sometimes I feel like I don’t give each part or instrument enough attention, because I have to work on so many other things. Like, I will program a drum pattern and fills that work well for a certain part, but would a real drummer really play it like that, is it interesting to listen to, or just another cookie-cutter tom fill? Should I have the strings section just be one instrument with parallel parts, or should I divide into into single instrument and tweak each part individually? And so on.
Working as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, how do you manage all these roles while maintaining a cohesive vision for your music?
Well, cohesion is the easy part actually. One of the struggles I had while playing in a band would be: the guitar player comes with a nice riff with syncopation and shifts, and the drummer refused to learn it to sync the kick with that, he just wanted to groove to 4/4 and if the guitarist (and me on bass) wanted to create a different rhythm on top of that, we were free to, but that was our problem.
Arguably, we needed another drummer, but the point is: having a single composer means there’s a good overview of how things tie into each other, and what each musician should focus on (or create a contrast with). And there’s maybe a bit less ego: things need to sound good as a whole, not just individually. I can decide where a display of virtuosity has a place, and where it doesn’t. The difficulty is maybe, on the contrary, how to make each part more interesting, more dynamic, and not just functional. Things like ornamentation, extra details…
The new album is part of the Progotronics 47 compilation. What does being featured alongside other progressive artists mean to you?
I’m looking forward to checking out all the other artists. I must also admit that I’m often overwhelmed by the amount of undiscovered or budding artists that are also very talented, and I don’t nearly have enough time to listen to every new release. Prog being such a rich genre, and maybe with age too, I find myself spending more and more time listening to works I already know but trying to find all the nuances and details, rather than listening to a lot of new stuff but just superficially and forget them after one listen. Next to that, there’s the time I spend playing, writing, recording, mixing… Which is obviously not the sort of task or hobby you can do while listening to music, so yeah, unfortunately, I struggle to stay up to date with all the new good stuff. Even highlights sometimes pass me by and I discover them way later than I wish I had, like Wilderun, or Nospun.
Your classical training is evident in your music’s structure and technique. Do you find yourself consciously applying classical principles to your progressive metal compositions?
Yes, as said before, if that’s what I feel like at the moment, or if it’s the effect I’m going for, I will try to arrange and write in a classical way (again, in the broad sense; sometimes it’s closer to baroque or romantic music). I like to explore new stuff and not get stuck into just one style, but once in a while, I’m reminded that the old ways can also sound nice, and sometimes connect well together.
The metal genre is known for its intensity and moodiness. How do you use these qualities to convey your personal or artistic vision?
This type of sound just appeals to me. Is it because of a lot of pent up anger? Perhaps. There’s definitely no shortage of things to get pissed off about in the world. But maybe sadness and melancholy are even bigger drivers to me. My most logical explanation so far is simply catharsis: music (or other forms of art) help us express these emotions in a healthy way, or at least, without rejecting them onto others. And rather than shout at each other, we commune in this shared experience.
There’s that Steven Wilson interview where he says he just does not like happy music, and I find that very relatable. So, as I explained before, the music comes first, and then I fit an idea or story to it, which means I have to spend even more time delving on upsetting ideas, so it’s a delicate balance. I try to approach things in a more neutral and philosophical way too, because, again, complex music goes together with complex emotions and nuanced thoughts. Like, I could go all punk and go “fu*k this, fu*k that” but that would feel very formulaic and lack, well, perspective.
How do you typically begin the songwriting process? Do you start with a specific instrument, a concept, or a melody?
All of the above? Usually a chord progression or drum groove or other rhythmic idea, or exploring a technique like tapping on guitar. Or indeed just noodling on the guitar or keys. Because those two instruments are polyphonic, it’s quite easy to test out different harmonies, even if the core idea is a monophonic melody.
I have occasionally started with a lyrical theme or some words, but somehow, that’s not the songs I’m most satisfied with. Some songs I entirely compose in MIDI/tabs first, with instrument in hand, but at least “set in stone”. Some I just open the DAW, record the base idea in a rough way and build it up from here, even if it means re-recording a cleaner version later – that is the case for “Rejected” and “Chemistry.” Sometimes I just want to mix seemingly unrelated genres. Again with “Rejected”: ’60s psychedelia meets tech metal à la Meshuggah, the common elements being heavy use of chromatism.
The title “A Matter of Perspective” suggests an emphasis on interpretation and differing viewpoints. How does this idea tie into the music and lyrics of the album?
I like to tackle topics with a bit of distance and nuance. Antimatter is a parallel between the theory of antimatter and how you can only create an anti- say, electron, by also creating an electron, and how many beautiful things in life have ugly realities behind them, or require some kind of sacrifice. Looking at societies like looking at particle physics, that’s quite a shift in perspective (and spoiler, it’s a flawed analogy). “Rejected” is about looking at the victims of all these ugly truths and sacrifice like rejected pieces.
Material that doesn’t make it into the final product, yet whose removal is important to the creation, like a (metal) chip, hence why there’s some in the cover art. Not that we should accept this state of things and treat others like disposable tools, it’s more of an observation. “Aliens” is about taking the time to appreciate all the different forms of life on Earth, human or not, instead of fantasizing over foreigners from the stars. People from different cultures or octopodes or bats, those are the real aliens we should strive to understand better, or at least cohabitate with. So again, a change of perspective: less “spacewards”, more “earthwards”.
“Underground” is about the urgency of giving up fossil fuels, while not denying they have helped us build societies the way they are. Like an overbearing parental relationship, an unhealthy dependency we have to let go off, we have to symbolically bury the parental figures, and literally leave oil and gas under the ground… So that’s the pattern behind the album title: looking at large phenomena and concepts through an unexpected lens.
Looking ahead, do you have any plans to expand Exchanger into a live band or collaborate with other musicians, or do you prefer to keep it as a solo endeavor?
I would love to work with like-minded musicians. In fact, “Underground” has some guest vocals by Andy Robison from IHLO and while writing “Chemistry” I coincidentally met Arjen, a local drummer and we kind of decided on the spot that it was a track he could record, so it taught me to mix real drums rather than Superior Drummer. Working off of someone else’s input can also be inspiring in its own way, so my door is definitely open. One off collaborations like that are relatively easy, especially if the musicians in question can record themselves well and are efficient at exchanging files.
A live band would also be great, but so far with little success, as mentioned, simply due to lack of availability of the other parties. I made specific choices in my life to leave room for music as a passion (working 4 days a week, no children). But I completely understand why others might have different priorities. So at the end of day, I will gladly work along with someone else who has the same vision and level of commitment, but I have kind of given up actively looking for that. If it happens, it happens, but I would prefer working solo than having to drag someone else along.
A Matter of Perspective is available on Bandcamp.
