The Indie Song of the Day comes from New Haven, Connecticut band Bond Villain led by frontman Robert Roche. The group brings a unique blend of striking vocals and genre-bending instrumentals. Roche used to be in hardcore bands – he did that for years, but then he developed his own style as a composer of orchestral scores for films and games. Now, he’s out to carve a path for his new style with Bond Villain. Listen to the new song from Bond Villain, “Blackguard” below and be sure to read our short Q&A with Robert too. AA: What drew you to make cinematic pop music? BV: I have always loved drama in music. A song doesn’t have to be complex to stir powerful emotions in the listener, and no matter the genre, I have always been drawn to the songs that make me feel something new or challenging. Knowing how much music can inspire, I began exploring a wider range of styles. Some of my most important evolution occurred while I was touring in a hardcore band out of Boston and simultaneously making epic orchestral music for video games and short films. As I became a better composer, I wanted to adapt those epic movie scores into something that could fit into the larger genre of pop and alternative rock. Bond Villain grew out of my favorite elements of different genres – powerful orchestral elements, compelling song-writing, and driving rhythms. AA: What’s with the name? How did you come up with and start using Bond Villain? BV: Bond Villain’s music is unique yet inspires familiar feelings of adventure, power, and sexiness. Every track is designed to make you feel like you are the star of your favorite movie. I want to have a name that reflects that image. We all know what a Bond Villain is – dark yet colorful, dangerous yet beautiful, campy yet dangerous. I work hard to evoke these feelings in my listeners. AA: What’s Blackguard about? Why’s the song special to you? BV: “Blackguard” is about that moment of clarity when you realize your dream can become a reality. You finally understand what it will take and what you will need to sacrifice in order to achieve that dream. The word itself originates from old English and describes a ruthless or villainous scoundrel – someone who will do whatever it takes to get what they want. On the surface the song is very dark, but I also see the message as a call to action to the listener. In the pursuit of a dream every person must make sacrifices, but most importantly they must have unwavering confidence in their inner power. Human beings are capable of anything with enough drive – I want the listener to feel that power when they listen to Blackguard. AA: What’s next after this single release? Any special plans for this summer? BV: Bond Villain has a full album that’s almost ready to go – this song is just a taste of what’s to come. We are beginning to book some shows for the summer and we’ll be announcing more release dates and shows soon. We will also keep our fans on the lookout for Bond Villain’s music in upcoming movies and T.V shows – more on that coming soon. The momentum keeps building!