We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nathan Mcdonald. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nathan below.

Alright, Nathan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I first started playing in bands when I was around 17, but to me it always felt like it was just a hobby. The first time I realized that I could pursue music professionally was actually when I joined Beguiler in 2022. Before then, playing in bands just felt like something fun to do with friends. You would practice once a week and maybe play a local show once every couple months, but nothing more than that. I had fun with it, but I never believed in myself or believed that the bands I was in could make it further than the borders of Ontario until I joined Beguiler.

In the fall of 2022, I was approached by some members of Beguiler and asked to join as their new drummer. I was given 3 weeks to learn their setlist before they were set to play a 3-show run, with a date in Montreal, Québec. I hadn’t played drums in 3 years at the time, partly because of a lack of motivation, and partly because of the pandemic that kept us all at home. It was a daunting task to learn to play again, but like riding a bike, it came back to me quickly and I pulled it off and played the shows.

In the span of a month I went from not having played drums in years, to joining a band and playing my first show out of province. It was eye opening, and from then on I took a lot of inspiration from the other guys in the band. They all wanted more than just being a local band, they wanted to tour, see the world, play bigger shows, and actually make a name for themselves in the metal scene. It was then I realized that I wanted the same thing.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Nathan McDonald, and I’m the drummer in the deathcore band Beguiler, from Oshawa, Ontario. I’ve been drumming since I was 16, which is honestly pretty late for most musicians. I first discovered drumming when my parents bought my siblings and I a PS3 with Rock Band. It came with a set of drum pads and a guitar to play the game, but I gravitated towards the drums immediately. I played the hell out of that game until I was getting most of the songs perfect, and then I thought it would be fun to play the instrument for real. I actually spent my first paycheque on my first drum set, an old Pearl Forum kit in 2011. Since then I’ve played in a couple local bands, then got the opportunity to join one of the more established bands in my local scene.

What I think sets Beguiler and myself apart from other bands is our passion. Metal is a really hard genre to make headway in. There’s a lot of competition, so if you’re going to try to stand out, you have to be really dedicated to your craft and work smart and hard on the goals you set for yourself. It’s actually way more work than I ever expected. At first you think all you have to do is write some songs and play them live, but it’s way more complicated the deeper you get into it. It gets hard to keep up with all the demands and remain disciplined. It sounds so cliché, but it’s our love for the music, the camaraderie we share as a group, and the support that we get from others that keeps us going.

What I’m most proud of is what Beguiler was able to accomplish in 2024. We played 35 shows all across Canada, almost all of which were firsts for the band, but the highlight of last year was definitely our first show in Europe. We were given the opportunity to participate in a nation-wide metal competition where the winner would get a timeslot to play at the legendary Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany. We played in the local, provincial, and national finals, and were fortunate enough to win all 3, which meant we were heading off to Germany to play in front of thousands of people. It was an incredible experience and one that I will never forget.

What I want other people to know about me and about Beguiler is that we’re a group that embodies the meaning of perseverance. I’ve only been in this band for a little over 2 years now, but in that time I’ve experienced a lot of ups and downs with this group, and somehow we find ourselves pushing through and getting stronger at the end of it all. Year after year we’ve become more unshakeable in our belief that this band is going to do great things if we keep at it, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We have a lot that is planned for 2025, and I’m excited to share what we’ve been working on for years now.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a musician for me is knowing that I’m creating something that allows me to express myself fully and completely. Especially on the drums, it’s a workout, a therapy session, and definitely a cathartic experience every time I sit down and pick up the sticks. The most rewarding part relating to the band specifically is seeing people enjoying themselves at our shows and really resonating with what we’re doing. It’s our love for the music that I think people enjoy. We’re just happy to be here and it’s rewarding to see that others are also happy that we’re here.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission or goal, honestly, is to get to a point where my creative outlet can sustain me and allow me to live the life that I truly want. I’ve tried so many careers and jobs and nothing has given me the sense of fulfillment that music does. I truly feel empty when I take a break from playing instruments, practicing with my band or playing shows with them. Even if it’s just a couple days, I feel like there’s something eating away in me that’s got to come out. It would be a dream come true to make music a full time career and actually earn a living from it, and I think if my band continues work hard, we can actually get there. With every job I’ve ever had, as soon as I wake up knowing my day doesn’t belong to me, an overwhelming sense of dread comes over me and I feel like I’m wasting my life. I’m grateful for all the jobs I’ve had and the job I have currently, but it’s soul sucking to have to clock in anywhere and spend my time doing things that I don’t enjoy. Music is the only thing I’ve ever done that doesn’t give me that feeling. It’s stressful and difficult at times, but I’d rather be on the road for a decade and never make a dime than give up on this dream.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Beguiler
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beguilerband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Beguilerband/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@beguilerband2777
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/nathanbeguiler/

Image Credits

Dexter Forbes, Rae Chatten, Dana Zuk Photography, Will Lezma