rocknmetalwriter

Answered By Claudio A. Enzler (Vocals/Guitar):
1. Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.
After I quit the guitar section in my other band SACRIFICIUM to be just a singer I had the thought of a band called THY BLEEDING SKIES. I asked my close friend JJ KONTONIEMI, who is living in Helsinki (Finland), if he is willing to be the drummer in a German band and he agreed. I have met the first time WOLFGANG NILLIES and ROBERT KRIZEK during my time as a session singer in a German Black Metal band. PATRICK UHLMANN I have known for many years, cuz he is doing the booking for SACRIFICIUM with TRAMP AGENCY. Since 2 months we have a new member: OLIVER GROSSHANS (EX - SACRED STEEL, MY DARKEST HATE).
2. What are your views on metal music as of right now compared to when it first started out?
Nowadays the whole metal scene seems to have a new boom. It is pretty difficult to get known in the scene, cuz so many pretty good bands exist (also in the underground scene). The scene seems more open minded, cuz we have many subscenes that are mixing for example the rap music with metal, so the whole music is getting more interesting to common people that are normally not listening to metal music.
3. You’ve recently released your new killer album “Chapters Of Downfall,” where did you record it, who produced it, and are you still satisfied with the songs, production and artwork? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?
Vocals, guitars, bass and mixing by OLIVER TESCH at BREAKSTUFF STUDIO (Germany). The drums were recorded at C.C.P.C. STUDIO (Finland). The mastering was done by PLEC at CRITERIA MASTERING (Sweden).
So far we are pretty satisfied with the whole record, cuz the people seem to like it.

4. Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?
I have written all the lyrics on CHAPTERS OF DOWNFALL. They are dealing basically with things that are going wrong in this world (from my point of view), mixed with topic/melancholic thoughts. Lyrics should have a message and guide the feeling of the song.
For me lyrics are important, cuz as a musician you have the chance to tell the people something. I don’t like those records were the music is brilliant and the lyrics are nonsense.
5. How did you get in contact with “Dark Balance?” For how many albums have you signed to them? Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them? 

Kim the owner of DARK BALANCE contacted us, cuz he had listened to our demo songs on MYSPACE. We are satisfied with his work, cuz he is always trying to push you as a band forward. Our current deal is for one record.

6. When it comes down to writing a new song or an album whats the process like? Like is it alright here! And you go and quickly write it down or it comes to you when it does?
Mostly I have just an idea for a guitar line. This idea I record in my home studio and work it out.

7. Have you played live a lot? What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a “bigger” band?

Well, we released our first record in May 2008, so far we toured through Europe and played a couple of shows in Germany.
Our plan is to record in the end of 2008 a new record (we have 13 new song ideas right now). After the release we want to try to play as an support act for a bigger name, but we have to check the options first.
8. Tell some of your experiences playing live.
I really love to tour and play live, it is always like coming home for me, cuz that is the best thing of beeing in a band. I don’t like to rehearse, but I know that it is part of my job (and without rehearsing and writing new songs there would be no tour).

9. What are your expectations for “Thy Bleeding Skies” in the future?
Well, we will try to get as famous as possible, but finally it is no different to me to play in front of 50 or 5000 people, as long as there are people that enjoy our music.

10. What do you guys do when you’re not out on the road? Do you guys work or school?
Sure, we all have our daily jobs in normal live, cuz it is nearby impossible to earn enough money from music in Germany.

11. Are there any cool touring/recording experiences or other bizarre stories you would like to share with us?
On our last tour we drove through Poland and our driver had to stop at a crossroad. For some reasons the guy behind our van didn’t liked that, cuz he jumped out of his car and smashed his fist a couple of times at our drivers door window. I think it must have looked very funny for a third person: 5 huge rocker + crew sitting in their van, holding their beer cans + an “what the hell is going on”-face, while one person is smashing their car. Finally I have to say that this polish guy must have a real small penis;-)

12. Could you give me a top 5 of your favorite albums of all-time and a top 5 of your current favorite records?
Oh, that is difficult, but I think there should be something of BOLT THROWER (maybe: For Victory), DEATH (The sound of perseverance), BRUTAL TRUTH (Need to control), DEEP PURPLE (Perfect strangers) and QUEEN (A night at the opera). Well there also should be GUNS ‘N ROSES, OZZY OSBOURNE, MOTORHEAD,SUFFOCATION, AMORPHIS + the mighty AT THE GATES in my all time favorite list.
In my current list are:
KATATONIA - Viva Emptiness
OPETH - Deliverance
WEDNESDAY 13 - Fang Bang
HYPOCRISY - The Arrival
MORBID ANGEL: Altars of madness
13. What’s your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they’re trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?
Today it is really hard for labels to sell their CDs, cuz of the internet. I think that we are right now in a process that is changing the market a bit, labels will use the internet more an more to spread their music.
14. Currently all over the news is the out-raging gas prices, what are your thoughts on that issue?
I have no clue how high the prices are in the USA, but in Germany the prices have grown to a triple of the price that it was ten years ago. First companies have to close their doors because of the fact that everything is getting more expensive. The sad thing is that our government and also the people are still watching what’s happening next. We will see were it will lead us to…..

15. What do you think about this recession were currently dealing with? Any thoughts?

16. Going back to the music business, what do you think of everyone downloading music, possibly even your music?
Well, I can understand that people download music from the net, cuz of the high prices for CDs. On the other hand this is ruining the music industry. Finally it is the only way for the people to show the companies that we are at maximum level of CD prices.
17. Which MP3 device do you own? How many songs/videos does it have on it?
I don’t use any MP3 device, cuz I am one of the persons that has to have the original if I like a record, video or dvd.
18. Do you have a favorite holiday, what/why?
The last 6 years I’ve spent my holidays for playing live, so I think it is my favorite holiday to be on stage;-)

19. What do you think about all these different sub cultures such as “emo kids, scene kids, metal-heads, punks, goths, etc?”
Well, as long as people can identify themselves with a scence I am fine with. The main problem is, that you have always people in scences that think that they are more “true” than others. I think if someone likes metal but looks like a hippie (just an example) then it is fine for me, cuz he is how he likes to be. You are not more metal, goth, emo, punk etc when you are wearing clothes that belong to the scene. Anyway, depending on the music: each scene has good and worse bands. I prefer persons/bands that are authentic and don’t have to act just for an image.

20.  Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or other comments?
Thanks to everyone who has read this interview. The new record of TBS will be out in the beginning of 2009, so watch out!

1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Brother Von Doom, and how long the band has been going?
Hey this is Matt. I’m the drummer. We have been going about 2 and half years now.

2. How does it feel to have “Relentless,” finally out?
Feels great after all the hard work put into it to have it coming out Oct 14th. Anticipating hitting the road harder than ever!

3. Who did the artwork on the new CD and how much input did you have on it?
The almighty Dennis Sibeijn @ Monument Studios.  We kinda had an idea of an dark epic feel.  Then he did the rest and blew us all way.  Better then we imagined it would be!

4.  Is MySpace the great Satan of the 21st Century?
MySpace helps bands in a great way. On the other hand it’s a free singles website, so yes it’s Satan.

5. How does it feel to be apart of the Thrash and Burn Tour?
It was great to play with bands we look up to.  Had an excellent time and made new friends.

6. Is there any concept or story beind the band’s name?
Yes, just think Castlevania and Conan the Barbarian when you check us out.

7. How did you guys get involved with Deathcote Records?
Carter from Deathcote came and hung out with us and basically offered more of a personal committment to the future of the band than anyone else we spoke with. We could not be happier with their dedication to the band!!!

8. What are your future plans for Brother Von Doom?
Heavier, faster albums with more emotion and relentless touring.

9.  What are your impressions of the upcoming Presidential election?
Vote NO!

10. What do you think about the death metal and thrash metal music scene going on right now?
There is a HUGE misinterpritation with death and thrash metal today. First and foremost straight billed hats and furlined coats says a lot to me. It has no place in metal. This shit is a way of life, not a passing trend or fad.

11. What’s your favorite state/town/venue to play at that really gets the crowd hyped and excited?
St. Louis was really cool for us. The kids there knew what they wanted to hear and really made us feel at home for being a newer band.

12. Currently all over the news is the out-raging gas prices, what are your thoughts on that issue?
GREED

13. How did your summer go? Do anything fun or crazy?
We raged all summer. Met a lot of new people, saw a ton of the country, and raced go-carts.

14. Are there any future idea of what you plan to do once the Thrash and Burn Tour is through?
Play shows as much as we can and hopefully get to hit up Europe and Japan here in the near future.

15. Lastly any other thoughts or comments you’d like to make?
Thanks thrashmag.com for your loving support!

An interview with Massimo Altomare by Natalie Perez:

Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.

Everything started back in 1998, when we formed the band and started the very first rehearsals in order to find a musical direction. We released two demos around 2001 and 2002 called “Welcome” and “Orgiastic Funeral”. Then, through Sombre Records we got the chance to release a 7″ vinyl and that came out in late 2002. In the first months of 2003 we released a self produced album called “The Third Revelation”, that represents the true turning point of our musical career. Thanks to that demo we signed with Eerie Art Record and released the album “Torment And Glory” in the last months of 2004. Without any stop we immediately composed “Conquering Purity”, and we released it in May 2006 through the Norwegian label Worship Him Records. We got now to recent times, when we’ve been signed to Forces Of Satan Records and licensed to Regain Records for the release of the new album “Imperivm”. All our releases have a lot of differences and show a band in constant evolution. Of course we never denied our past, that would be silly. Simply we want to add always new inspirations and flavors to our sound. Basically we started as a pure black metal act, but soon and since the release of “The Third Revelation” in 2003 we started to accumulate all our personalities and influences in music.

What’s your opinion on your older albums nowadays? Where did you record them? Are you still satisfied with the songs on them, the production, and the artwork? How were the reactions on those albums compared to “Imperivm”?

Of course if I have to give a technical opinion about our older albums, I would change a lot of things in production terms and song writing too. But on the other side I know that they represent our best in “that” period of time, when they were released. So honestly I do not regret anything about our old issues. All our past releases had a constantly growing response by the media and the audience, especially the latest two releases. With this new album “Imperivm” we are getting a very very good response and for the first time everyone is very satisfied with what we done.

You’ve recently released your new killer album “Imperivum”, where did you record it, who produced it? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

We recorded this album were we recorded all our past releases, in One Voice Studios near Turin with the producer Daniele Giordana (known for being the live sound engineer for Hatebreed and other bands). We are very satisfied with this new release, because it shows perfectly our direction and our maturity as band, and last but not least our constant work. The recording process was very simple, we took more time in the recording phase than in the mixing phase. This because we wanted to reach the 80% of the final sound simply with the sound of our instruments, so we took some time into the search of the sound we had in mind. The reactions to the album are good and everyone seems to appreciate our work, this is very stimulating for us for doing better and better.

Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

Of course for us the lyrical aspect is the string spine of this band. We would never exist without a precise and strong lyrical purpose. About this I can tell you that the entire concept of “Imperivm” is about the ancient cult of the pre-christian civilizations, just during the Roman Empire. It was a time of rituals, chaotic and destructive forces. It was a time when people were more involved in occult practices, everyone was involved in this activities. These activities acted with big forces generating materia and non-materia, a spiral of chaotic rituals not just a simple conception of Evil.

How did you get in contact with Regain Records? For how many albums have you signed to them? Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

We had the chance to work with this great label because our original label, Force Of Satan Records driven by Infernus from Gorgoroth, has licensed us to Regain Records in order to grant us a better and wider distribution. We feel very happy by working in this way and we look forward to get a new proposal from them.

When it comes down to writing a new song or an album what’s the process like? Like is it alright here! And you go and quickly write it down or it comes to you when it does?

It is a very natural and simple process. We do not have big secrets behind our sound. Everything starts from a guitar riff usually and then it is processed in the arrangements with bass guitar and drum patterns. We try to keep a lot of instincts and we try to be the most direct possible in our compositions. This can take long time or short time, it depends on our inspiration. But I can tell you that we are a prolific band usually and we have a lot of ideas so our albums were born in a quite quick and fast way.

Have you played live a lot? What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a “bigger” band?

We had not a very big live activity in the past, we preferred to focus our energies into composing and releasing albums, but at the same time we did a good number of concerts. We will do some dates until the end of 2008, we confirmed a show in London for the 7th of October and another one in Turin for 25th October. We will look forward for other dates together with our booking agency, and then think at some tour proposals for 2009. We want to push the promotion of “Imperivm” as much as we can before going hardly on the road.

Tell some of your experiences playing live.

We has some extremely good and bad experiences while playing live, I guess like all the bands that go on stage. I remind a very extreme episode when we were playing in a local club near Turin, a very hard and big fight started in the crowd during our set. We were not saying to people to stop that, our singer was praising them to continue as much as they can. At the end of the gig there were a good number of ambulances and police cars outside the venue. That was surely crazy and out of control.

What are your expectations for Black Flame in the future?

We look forward to continue working in this way, by satisfying our loyal followers and at the same time by conquering new fans. Our target is very simple, we just want to go on and carry out our musical and lyrical message: we do not have time limits, until we’ll have this strong will we will never stop. Ten years are passed right now, we are looking for the next ten!

What do you guys do when you’re not out on the road? Do you guys work or schooling?

Everyone of us has a work, which we carry on between musical duties. Sometimes it is very hard to organize things, but it is the only way to maintain ourselves ’til now.

Are there any cool touring/recording experiences or other bizarre stories you would like to share with us?

We had this mini tour in Norway in November 2007 and we have to play in Stavanger after playing in Oslo. It was a very long drive with the bus, since they do not have highways or motorways. It was bizarre that in 600 km we just met three/four cars and everyone was stopping in the same gas stations. We had to be aware of ice, animals on the road and a fucking hard rain. It was more hard to do this than a whole tour! But I’m cool with this experience since we played for a very good audience in Stavanger and we met a lot of fans there.

Could you give me a top 5 of your favourite albums of all-time and a top 5 of your current favourite records?

Hard question. My top 5 of albums is composed by “Sin After Sin” by Judas Priest, also “Stained Class” always from them, then “Show No Mercy” by Slayer, “Antichrist” by Gorgoroth and “Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk” by Emperor. Nowadays I’m listening to a lot of albums, but what goes often in my player is the latest DevilDriver album.

What’s your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they’re trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

I do not care a lot about music industry. I mean, I see it like it was many years ago and like it will be in the years at least in my opinion. It is a very various world with good band and good labels and of course pathetic bands and silly labels. Believe me… I do not care too much…

Going back to the music business, what do you think of everyone downloading music, possibly even your music?

I do not care too much about that. I mean, people is nowadays downloading music in all the ways possible for them and I mean legal and not. What they must understand is that a band has to sell a certain number of copies to reach big tours and reach better budgets for the albums. Personally I do not have problems with people that download music, but they must understand that what they are doing is not working 100% in positive for the band.

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

Thank you very much for the interview, let’s see you on the road! Serpens Vigil Est!

http://www.regainrecords.com/
http://www.black-flame.net/

An interview with Eddy Marshburn by Natalie Perez:

Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.

The band started in 2002, the only original members from that time are Eddy and Valentino and as the years progressed, so did the music and the members, the current line-up has been solid for just over 2 years.

What’s your opinion on your EP nowadays? Are you still satisfied with the songs on it, the production, and the artwork?

The EP is called “Moths”. We still love everything about it, it was our first “official” release and we still feel that the songs are strong, but the newer material is obviously our favorite, but we enjoy listening as well as playing songs off “Moths” as well!

You’ve recently released your new killer album “The Greatest Of All Lost Arts”, where did you record it, who produced it? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

We spent a month in Portland, OR recording at Interlace Audio with Kris Crummett who has produced some amazing bands, so we were definitely excited to be spending an entire month with him. The process went extremely smooth, we had heard horror stories from our friends in bands about rushing to finish the recording and having to cut corners, but we didn’t experience any of that. Kris understood us as musicians and how we wanted our record to sound and we left the studio with an album that the band and producer were in love with.

Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

Matt writes the lyrics, the process can be easy at times but troublesome at others, it’s a process that takes time. The lyrics for the album definitely complement the music and are a very important aspect of the band. The songs that we have need every musical instrument, including vocals, to “create” the song.

How did you get in contact with Ferret Music? For how many albums have you signed to them? Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

We had been shopping labels for sometime. Ferret approached us with a very amazing contract that allowed us to continue with what we’ve always been doing creatively. They back us 110% and we plan on staying with them for quite sometime, they’ve been nothing but amazing to us so far!

When it comes down to writing a new song or an album whats the process like? Like is it alright here! And you go and quickly write it down or it comes to you when it does?

Usually we’ll start with a guitar riff and then bring it to the entire band and begin the writing around it. Sometimes we come out with more than one song from that single idea. We wrote “The Greatest Of All Lost Arts” in a little under three months, sometimes writing goes faster and sometimes it takes longer, but we were fortunate enough to have the writing process run smoothly.

Have you played live a lot? What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a “bigger” band?

We’ve been touring for 3 years with bands in every musical genre, just to get ourselves out there. We’re currently on tour with Dance Gavin Dance, A Static Lullaby, Four Letter Lie and Secret & Whisper. We have yet to determine our future touring plans, we have a couple options so be on the look out for us!

Tell some of your experiences playing live.

We played the Rockstar Taste Of Chaos Tour 2 years in a row in San Diego, CA (our hometown) and it’s at the San Diego Sports Arena, so we played in front of thousands of people and the bands on the tour were bands that had inspired us since we began playing music so that experience was definitely amazing!

What are your expectations for Lower Definition in the future?

We will definitely release more albums as well as touring nonstop!

What’s your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they’re trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

The music industry is definitely hurting because of record sales, kids think “Why should I buy a cd when I can just get it for free?” but what they don’t realize is that their favorite bands are out on the tour, living in a van and need their support in buying albums because that’s the money that they need to continue touring and creating music.

Currently all over the news is the out-raging gas prices, what are your thoughts on that issue?

Now more than ever bands need the support of their fans buying merchandise and cds because of gas prices being so high. As bands, we love being on the road and playing shows for our fans, but with gas prices the way they are, it’s even more difficult to make ends meet while out on the road.

What do you know and think of Romania?

Hopefully one day we can travel there and play shows for our fans out there, but unfortunately we’ve never been there but we must have some Romanian fans who have obviously heard of our band and supports us, so we love it!

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

Our record should be available for sale in stores all over Europe, and if it’s not available yet, it will be soon! Please support us and purchase our record on iTunes or at our label. Thank you for the interview and we look forward to one day visiting your beautiful country! Get low!

http://www.ferretstyle.com/

An interview with Kyle Nathan Johnson by Natalie Perez:

Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started?

Well after the break up of Seven Angels Seven Plagues myself, Ryan Morgan, and Jesse Zaraska decided to start Misery Signals. We recruited Ryan’s brother Branden to play drums and our friend Jeff Aust to play second guitar. After a few months of touring Jeff decided that it wasn’t for him so he quit and we quickly replaced him with Stu Ross. After a couple years of touring it began to wear on our former singer Jesse and he then left Misery Signals. After doing a MySpace audition we came across current singer Karl Schubach and that brings us to now. We have recorded one EP which features both Jesse and Jeff (former members) and three full lengths, “Of Malice And The Magnum Heart” (featuring our former singer Jesse), “Mirrors” and “Controller” (both featuring our current singer Karl). That about sums it up.

What’s your opinion on your first albums “Mirrors” and “Of Malice And The Magnum Heart” nowadays? Are you still satisfied with the songs on it, the production, and the artwork?

I would say that I am satisfied with aspects of both records… I like the artwork for both… I like the production on “Of Malice And The Magnum Heart” but not so much “Mirrors”. But with the new record “Controller” I am 100 percent happy with everything about it.

You’ve recently released your new killer album “Controller”, where did you record it, who produced it? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

We recorded the record in Vancouver, BC with mastermind Devin Townsend. The recording process was the best we have ever experienced. It was great to go back to Devin for the second time and really get down to business. We knew what he was capable of doing and he did it with flying colors. He made us sound exactly how we wanted to and helped us to structure the songs in ways we hadn’t thought about. It was a great experience. The reaction to the record thus far has been amazing. I haven’t seen a bad review yet and the kids really seem to like it.

Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

The lyrics are written primarily by Karl and Ryan. However on the records that Jesse was on he wrote a good part of the lyrics. The lyrics are a very important part of our band. However I don’t write them myself so I can’t properly explain exactly what they are all about. They are pretty personal to those who write them.

How did you get in contact with Ferret Music? For how many albums have you signed to them? Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

We were in touch with Ferret from when we first started the band. We released our EP on a friend’s label with every intention of signing with Ferret for our first full length. We originally signed for three records but recently extended our contract for one more release. We are very happy with the label. They have always been fair and friendly towards us… I feel we have a relationship with them that most bands don’t have with their label. That is one of the reasons we felt so comfortable signing with them. They were basically just dudes who used to be in bands like we are now so they have an understand of how things work and what it takes to keep a band happy.

When it comes down to writing a new song or an album whats the process like? Like is it alright here! And you go and quickly write it down or it comes to you when it does?

Well we usually set aside a few months to write a record but the guitarists in the band are constantly writing material on their own. That’s pretty much how it starts. They write something and show it to eachother and once it’s presentable to the rest of us they show it to us and we learn it and add in ideas and opinions on what we like and don’t like.

Have you played live a lot? What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a “bigger” band?

We tour anywhere from 8-10 months a year depending on whether we are recording and writing that year… so yeah we play A LOT. We have toured with bands like As I Lay Dying, Norma Jean, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, Eighteen Visions, Bury Your Dead, Emmure, Bleeding Through, Darkest Hour, Zao, All That Remains, The Human Abstract and a hand full more. Future plans include a tour with Comeback Kid, Shai Hulud, and Bane. And then after that with Bring Me The Horizon.

Tell some of your experiences playing live.

This is a tough one. There have been so many experiences that its hard to separate them. I mean I love to play, that’s why I have done it for so long. We have had some really incredible shows in our band’s existence and I hope to have many more!

What are your expectations for Misery Signals in the future?

Well we’re never quite sure what comes next. Most likely just continue to tour a bunch on this album and then once that’s over start writing for another record. I don’t see why anything would really change any time soon. Things are good and only getting better.

What’s your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they’re trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

Well I think that no matter how hard they try and sell records in stores they are going to continue to struggle with the current state of things. Kids are lazy. They want music for free and as soon as they can get it and it’s understandable. Things aren’t like they used to be, at least not with heavy music. Kids get in to a band so quickly and the next week they forgot the band existed and it makes sense because they don’t have to spend their hard earned money to get a CD from a record store so it’s very easy to dispose of bands at their leisure. It is what it is. I download music myself so I’m not blaming anyone for anything really.

Currently all over the news is the out-raging gas prices, what are your thoughts on that issue?

It makes touring very hard for bands like us who don’t make a TON of money but we’re managing. I definitely don’t like it but it’s a reality that you have to work with. If you can’t take the heat then get out of the kitchen as they say!

What do you know and think of Romania?

Honestly I don’t know much about it at all. I wish I did but we have never been over there. Hopefully some day soon we will make a trip there. I’m sure it’s a great place!

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

Not a problem. Thanks for your time as well. Good day!

http://www.ferretstyle.com/

An interview with Elijah Horner by Natalie Perez:

Could you tell us more about the history of the band, how things started.

Isaac and Joel met at a Tupperware party! Seriously! They wanted to start a band that was melodic, sincere, and fronted by a handsome and talented young man. They ended up with me and got two out of three.

What’s your opinion on your EP’s and first album nowadays? Are you still satisfied with the songs on them, the production, and the artwork?

Definitely! Of course I think that our newest record is the best, but there isn’t a single song that we’ve written that I’m not proud of. Obviously there are songs that I feel could have come out better, but there’s nothing I’m embarrassed to have my name attached to. It’s cool to look back and see where everything was at when we recorded those songs, both as a band, and personally through the lyrics/vocals.

You’ve recently released your new killer album “Fractures”, where did you record it, who produced it? Can you tell us more about the recording process? How are the reactions on this one so far?

Recording was great. We hooked up with my good friend/big bro Ross Swanes and J. Robbins and the jams started flowing like wine. I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out, J. was amazing to work with, he is a wonderful person as well as an extremely talented producer. Reactions to the songs have been good so far. Obviously, some songs do better than others, but I think the record has been well received to this point. We’re excited to keep playing the new songs and hopefully more people will continue to hear it.

Who writes the lyrics, what are they about? Is there any concept in them? Are the lyrics an important aspect of the band or are they just there to guide the music?

I write the lyrics. There’s no real “concept” to them, there’s not like crazy underlying themes about the apocalypse and impending world wars or anything like that. They are mostly just about things I’ve felt or things I’ve gone through. I think we all value lyrics very highly in the music we listen to, and it’s important to the band that they are well done, but we don’t sit down and have meetings about what they’d like me to write songs about.

How did you get in contact with Deathwish Inc.? For how many albums have you signed to them? Are you satisfied with their work? Why did you signed with them?

We made Deathwish Inc. sign us for 234242 records. They only wanted to do 2, but we love them so much that we wanted to make sure they would be stuck with us, even if they didn’t like us anymore. The jury’s still out on that one. Seriously, Deathwish Inc. has always been nothing but amazing to us. We couldn’t be happier on another label, unless maybe Vanessa Simmons owned one, and that’s only because she is so beautiful.

When it comes down to writing a new song or an album whats the process like? Like is it alright here! And you go and quickly write it down or it comes to you when it does?

Someone will come up with a riff and then will play it for everyone else, and they’ll all tinker with it. DJ will have a bunch of ideas that everyone hates, and then I’ll suggest a part for a freestyle rap, and they’ll make fun of me, so I act like I was joking but really I wasn’t at all… that pretty much sums it up.

Have you played live a lot? What tours have you done in the past? What tours are going to take place or are there plans for a tour as a support for a “bigger” band?

I don’t know what your definition of “big” or “a lot” is, but we’ve done ok. We tour when we can and have been able to do some really cool tours. We’ve been actively trying for years now to go on tour with Motörhead, but they never return our calls.

Tell some of your experiences playing live.

Fireworks, babez, rock, pizza, missed notes, not finished lines… that sort of stuff.

What are your expectations for Killing The Dream in the future?

Continued rock and roll dominance, obviously! And pizza, lots of pizza.

What’s your opinion on the whole music industry scene right now? Like do you think they’re trying their hardest to get albums out on shelves and not seek their way onto the net?

I don’t know, I think every band who starts playing is trying to succeed. I honestly don’t know if most bands care whether kids are getting their records or just downloading them off MySpace or something as long as it gets out to them. It would be great if kids still actually bought records/cds these days, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.

What do you know and think of Romania?

Nadia Comaneci and Transylvania… that’s about it for me and Romania.

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview, any thoughts or comments?

Thank YOU for the interview! Check out “Fractures”, in stores everywhere and on iTunes!

http://www.deathwishinc.com/
http://www.killingthedream.com/

An interview with Josh Middleton by Natalie Perez:

Could you please tell us more about the history of the band, how things started?

We started as friends at school jamming out some metal when we were like 15. Since then we’ve undergone a lot of line up changes due to finding capable musicians. We didn’t start touring or just playing outside of our local area for a good few years.

What concept came to mind when you recorded “Conclusion Of An Age”?

We just wanted to make a classic metal album, something that will stand the test of time. The album’s theme is about the world today - in terms of the state of the earth and society.

When do you guys think you’ll be getting to the US and what do you know and think of Romania?

Hopefully we’ll be out to the US next year and hopefully the same with Romania. We want to play everywhere.

What are some of your influences and do they take part in any of the albums you’ve released?

Our influences are mainly stuff like Death, Forbidden and Metallica, but also melodic stuff like Soilwork and Symphony X. There’s not too many modern bands we’re influenced by apart from Gojira who’re awesome. I think our influences aren’t really hidden which we don’t mind.

What are your views on metal music as of right now compared to when it first started out?

It’s definitely better now than it was ten years ago but I don’t know if it will ever be as exciting as it seemed to be in the 80’s - not that we personally know as we were all babies then, haha!

What made you want to become a musician? Was it because of family tradition of just your own thing?

Just being surrounded by music all the time in car journeys with my family, etc. None was that musical though. I just thought the guitar was always a cool instrument.

Any ideas for touring with any big name bands?

Nothing planned but we’d love to tour with as big metal bands as possible.

What are your future plans for Sylosis?

We’ve got an European tour with A Life Once Lost and War From A Harlots Mouth in September/October and we’re trying to line up as many tours as we can. We’ll continue to keep writing for the next album too.

Tell some of your experiences playing live.

We recently had a great headline show in London. We’ve been in the studio for months and it was our first show back and it was insane. One of the best shows we’ve played. I think our popularity is always on the rise in this country even when we’ve been away from playing live for a while.

Are there any cool touring/recording experiences or other bizarre stories you would like to share with us?

Not many I’m afraid. Whilst we were doing the drum tracking for the album we stayed in a tiny caravan which was hell. The first night we had no heating and it was freezing cold. We had to cover the “beds” (more like small seating area) in newspaper because they were damp and stank of piss! It sucked!

Is MySpace the great Satan of the 21st Century?

We’re grateful for MySpace - we wouldn’t have got on our first label or Nuclear Blast without it. Also it completely regenerated an underground music scene in the UK so it’s been awesome - but there are tons of douchebags on it.

What would you compare your music too, out of the varitey of bands out there?

Old school thrash metal with epic influences. We just like loads of types of metal and try and mix them up!

What bands have you toured with? Are there any that you would definitely want to tour with?

We’ve toured with Cryptopsy, Suicide Silence, Abigail Williams, Pitchshifter. We’d really like to tour with Gojira as we’re all huge fans.

Describe your music to an elderly church lady.

Haha! Loud, fast, heavy, aggressive, but still mature and melodic.

It’s been awesome talking with you guys! Any other thoughts or comments?

Thank you! We’d just urge everyone to pick up our album “Conclusion Of An Age”. If you’re into metal in general then you’ll probably dig it! Cheers!

http://www.nuclearblast.de/

An interview with Mikael Medin by Natalie Perez:

Please introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Marionette, and how long the band has been together.

My name is Mikael Medin and I’m the bassist and band leader of Marionette. We started out in October of 2005 so it’s been three years. Things are going very well, we started by playing a lot of concerts, we will do our first major showcase at PopKomm in Berlin, and then tour Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Czech Republic with Die Apokalyptischen Reiter. So things are moving fast!

Where is the band from and what is the metal scene like there?

We are from Göteborg, Sweden. This is a really band friendly city. It’s easy to start up a band and get a few gigs. This, together with our metal rich history, has flooded the city with metal bands. You really have to be creative and come up with something extra to stand out, which I guess is a good thing in some ways, and Marionette has certainly done just that so far.

Is there any story or concept behind your CD title “Spite”?

“Spite” is the red line that ties all the songs together. The main concept of “Spite” is to go your own way, powered only by yourself. In spite of all the social rules you’ve been brain washed with your whole life and in spite of all the shit you get from not doing what you’re expected to. That is “Spite” in a nutshell!

When do you think you guys will cross the ocean to the US and start touring? What do you know and think of Romania?

The US will probably have to wait a while since it’s so expensive to go over there. Romania will not have to wait as long. Hopefully we can go there on our next tour in the spring. We can’t wait to play for our friends and fans in Romania!

Who did the artwork on the new CD and how much input did you have on it?

Axel, our vocalist, does the artwork for all our cds and almost all other things that need designing too. It’s great to have someone in the band to do it since it gives you almost complete freedom to do whatever you want. For the artwork of “Spite” we wanted something clean and stylish, like our visual style. It came out great and we all still enjoy it now, we loved it from the moment we started seeing drafts of it.

Is MySpace the great Satan of the 21st Century?

No, not at all. The internet is the future and full of possibilities, most people just don’t know how to use it right. We found our management company, Pivotal Management through MySpace. Pivotal then hooked us up with our current label and booker. If it wasn’t for MySpace we would not be where we are today.

Where did you get ideas and inspirations for some of the lyrics on “Spite”?

Axel writes all our lyrics. The inspiration comes from all the confusion, anger and powerlessness you feel while growing up in a society filled with social rules and judgment, the feeling of never being at the right place and never understanding the meaning of things. But it’s not a sad album. We don’t want people with these feelings to feel sorry for themselves. We want everyone to break free from these rules and say “fuck you” to anyone who wants to control you and tell you how to act.

What are your future plans for Marionette?

We are going to tour through all of the fall and after that we are going to start working on our next album that will be released in 2009. We want to tour all over the world. For me playing live is the most addicting drug in the world and I can never get enough of it. The insane rush you get from getting on stage and becoming one with every single person in the audience is irreplaceable and cannot be duplicated.

What do you think of this year’s presidential election? Do you like any of the candidates?

Marionette is not at all a political band and as of yet we have not written a single political song. But we are all interested in the political development in Sweden and the US and have strong personal opinions about it. I don’t like the two party system that the US uses. It seems to me that both parties are pretty much the same. I want to see more third parties getting thrown in to the mix and I would personally vote for Ralph Nader from the Green Party. Though he has millions of votes to catch up with the two bigger parties so I don’t really care who you vote for as long as you don’t vote for McCain, he’s insane.

Would you ever want to do an all acoustic show?

I don’t think that would work very well for us since we’re such an aggressive band that wants to give the listener an adrenaline rush from the first second you put on our CD until the second it’s over. But of course I’m always up for experimenting and trying new things, so we will see what the future brings, we aren’t ruling it out at this point.

What would you compare your music too, out of the varitey of bands out there?

We get our inspiration from a vast variety of bands. Everything from Japanese rock to movie soundtracks. But I guess I’d say we sound something like a mix of Raised Fist and Strapping Young Lad.

What bands have you toured with? Are there any that you would definitely want to tour with?

We are going on our very first tour in October and November. We are opening for Die Apokalyptischen Reiter, an awesome German band. We are really looking forward to it and we guarantee you that every single show will be like nothing you’ve ever seen. If I could pick any band to go on tour with it would probably be In Flames or Dir en Grey cause they’re two really great and popular bands that I like a lot and hopefully their fans would like us too.

Describe your music to an elderly church lady.

We are everything bad in the world. We are alcohol, sex and breaking the rules. We are a big middle finger to the face of those who want to shape and control people by fear and social boundaries. We are everything you hate. Only we’re disguised in nice, classy clothing so your kids can hang our posters on their walls without you ever knowing what horrible messages they’re listening to in their headphones. We are fucking Satan, bitch!

When you look back on when Marionette first started out, what do you think of you guys now?

I think it’s incredible how much progress we’ve made. We have gone from being just another melodic death metal band from Göteborg to actually making something that we’re proud of and effects peoples lives. And I think it’s incredible at what speed we’ve done it, all thanks to all the wonderful support from our fans. If we keep this up who knows where it’ll end.

Any final words of wisdom, thoughts or comments?

Check out our debut album “Spite” and in 10 years you can tell people that you were one of the first to discover us. You haven’t heard the last from us. Thanks for the interview and see you in the mosh pit!

http://label.pivotalalliance.com/
http://www.marionette.se/

An interview with Ryan McKenney by Natalie Perez:

Please introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Trap Them, and how long the band has been together?

My name is Ryan McKenney. I do the vocals and write all of the lyrics. Trap Them has been a full functioning band for about two years at this point, maybe a little longer. You tend to lose track of time when you’re doing what you enjoy.

Where is the band from and what is the hardcore scene like there?

The band is split up between the east and west coast. Two of us (myself and Steve Lacour) live in Seattle. Brian and Mike live in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, respectively. Seattle has a great scene. Everyone likes to talk shit and act better than everyone else, so it’s basically your typical underground scene. I can’t say much about New England’s scene because I’m not living out there anymore, but I will say that both our areas have some great bands that I highly respect and most of those great bands don’t get half the appreciation they deserve. Do I sound bitter yet?

Is there any story or concept behind your CD title “Seizures In Barren Praise”?

There’s no story greater than everyday life, and that’s what these songs are about.

What do you know and think of Romania?

I want to go there. I’d also like to drink a human’s blood. I think playing a show in Romania is more plausible than becoming a vampire, but a guy’s gotta have a dream, right? Eastern Europe has always been a spot where I’d like to visit and I’m glad this band has given me the opportunity to see a few of the countries I’ve always read about.

Who did the artwork on the new CD “Seizures In Barren Praise” and how much input did you have on it?

Jake Bannon did the amazing artwork for the new record. The cover art is absolutely beautiful. Jake asked for a little of my input, but when you’re working with an extremely talented artist, you feel more comfortable letting him allow his own wheels to turn and incorporate his own ideas into the finished piece. Jake was very respectful in hearing my vision and I think it shows. We wanted the artwork to replicate the music: dark, epic and iconic. The final creation is flawless.

Is MySpace the great Satan of the 21st Century?

Who cares? The 21st Century is the Satan of the 21st Century. We’re all bound to fuck each other over anyways. Whether or not MySpace has a part of it has no bearing on me.

Where did you get ideas and inspirations for some of the lyrics on “Seizures In Barren Praise”?

All of the lyrics are directly influenced by real life, whether it’s mine or someone else’s. It’s all fiction, yet, it’s all non-fiction. There are no barriers when you are spinning stories, because at some point, it will all be truth.

What are your future plans for Trap Them?

To touch every possible continent, reach as many people as we can, and to continue writing albums we enjoy so that the blue-facers have something to talk shit about. Basically, this band just want to rage.

What do you think of this year’s presidential election? Do you like any of the candidates?

I’ll vote when my option is better than choosing the lesser of two evils. I’ll let everyone else get the political bug. I stand firm in saying they’re all crooks and the outcome of these elections has no bearing on my life. Fuck ‘em all.

What would you compare your music too, out of the varitey of bands out there?

We’re a heavy band. I don’t want to compare us to other bands, because we’re not trying to emulate any other bands. We enjoy the music we make, and there are influences taken from every facet of the distorted globe. I think kids get too caught up on trying to compare one band to another. You know what? I’m no fucking jock and I’m not making music to compete. Leave that shit on the high school football fields. If you like a band, you like a band. Quit looking for faults or reasons to pick the songs apart or relate them to other bands of past or present. It’s just stupid.

What bands have you toured with? Are there any that you would definetely want to tour with?

In the past year, we’ve had the pleasure of touring with many bands we enjoy and respect. Disfear, Rotten Sound, Victims, Extreme Noise Terror, Modern Life Is War, and more I can’t think of at the moment. We’d love to tour with Entombed (of course), Young Widows, Dismember, Coliseum, etc. The list goes on and on. We’re music lovers and enjoy every tour we go on.

Describe your music to an elderly church lady.

Everything wrong with the world today wrapped up in one tightly distorted little package that will send you back to the confession booth just for speaking to me.

When you look back on when Trap Them first started out, what do you think of you guys now?

It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m thankful to be given the opportunities we have. We’ve worked hard, and now in our (older) age we’ve had the chance to experience it all paying off. I’ll do this til my back gives out and I have to hang up the mic. How can you complain about going to work every day doing exactly what you’ve always wanted?

Any final words of wisdom, thoughts or comments?

Thanks very much for the interview. Let’s fucking rage. Don’t vote!

http://www.deathwishinc.com/
http://www.trapthem.net/

An interview with Martin Kirby by Natalie Perez:

Please introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Carpathian, and how long the band has been together?

My name is Martin. I sing for Carpathian and the band has been around for 5 years with too many member changes.

Where is the band from and what is the hardcore scene like there?

We’re mainly from the coastal towns of Melbourne, Australia. Our bass player is from Cardiff, Wales originally. The hardcore scene in Australia and Melbourne especially right now is awesome, shows are huge, there’s some great new bands, touring is wild and there’s a bunch of international bands touring here either recently or soon.

Is there any story or concept behind your CD title “Isolation”?

There’s no huge story or concept behind the record, it is just a hardcore record. Some of the issues I touch on lyrically in the album are understanding human existence and purpose, vegetarianism, straight edge etc.

What do you know and think of Romania?

I think the Carpathian Mountains are in Romania, right? I guess it’s an eastern European country with wild mountains and scenery and vampires. If what I know and think is true, then I think the place is awesome and I hope we get to tour there one day.

Who did the artwork on the new CD “Isolation” and how much input did you have on it?

The artwork on the new record was done by my good friend Adam. We lived together until early this year when he moved to Tokyo, Japan and I had a big input on the art direction. We would video chat almost every day for a month and send countless e-mails about the record, the Australian release has a new style of packaging from Sweden called a “jakebox” which is pretty unique, also artwork for the Deathwish Inc. and Resist releases are different, so there was definitely a lot of time spent on the artwork.

Is MySpace the great Satan of the 21st Century?

Yes. For real life it is the devil. My ex-girlfriend would spend too much time on the internet hunting down girls I would talk to on tour, it always ended in huge fights even though I was completely faithful. Haha! It was insane. At the same time it is an extremely intuitive invention, it’s obviously revolutionized the way bands, musicians, artists, labels etc. promote, market and distribute their music and has definitely played a big part in Carpathian’s small success as a touring band.

Where did you get ideas and inspirations for some of the lyrics on “Isolation”?

There are a few Joy Division references with the record, ‘Isolation’, ‘Ceremony’, ‘Permanent’, etc. are all Joy Division song titles. The writing style of Curtis and Morrissey I guess played an important part lyrically in this record as I wrote in a more personal, self deprecating fashion than I previously had. Modern hardcore bands we have toured with such as Down To Nothing, Have Heart and Blacklisted especially I take huge influence from as they are great musicians, different and inspiring people and great friends.

What are your future plans for Carpathian?

As I am writing this, we are flying to New Zealand to take out Shipwreck AD for a week there. We get home and tour with those guys in Australia for most of October. In December we go to Europe with Have Heart and Cruel Hand. The band is going to Dubai on the way to Europe to go to Wild Wadi which is apparently the worlds largest water park and that is important to us. In 2009 we want to tour as much as possible hopefully in the US, Japan and South East Asia, Europe, anywhere that will have us.

What do you think of this year’s presidential election? Do you like any of the candidates?

To be completely honest I don’t follow news and international politics as much as maybe I should. I don’t have a TV, a radio or read newspapers. I have a rough idea of the candidates and what they stand for and personally I hope Obama is elected as from the small amount of media I have seen or heard, he sounds pretty cool. Australia is still in the early stages of a new Prime Minister in Kevin Rudd, who so far hasn’t been very pro-active, but no doubt will make better choices for Australia as a country than our last Prime Minister.

Would you ever want to do an all acoustic show?

Definitely. It’s something I’ve been working on lately in my studio at home, just recording acoustic versions of “Isolation” with more melodic vocals, it’s been cool so far.

What would you compare your music too, out of the varitey of bands out there?

I want to say Joy Division. I’m sure people have compared us to bands such as Modern Life Is War, Blacklisted, Have Heart etc.

What bands have you toured with? Are there any that you would definetely want to tour with?

We have toured with so many bands, it’s impossible to name them all, I guess some of the bigger festival tours in Australia we toured with 35+ international bands. Some of my favourite tours were with Down To Nothing, On Broken Wings, and Bleeding Through. In the next few months we are taking out Shipwreck AD, Verse, and Comeback Kid in Australia and again going to Europe with Have Heart and Cruel Hand which we are super excited for.

What do you think of the genre of music you choose to do?

I love it and can’t imagine being anywhere but where I am right now!

http://www.deathwishinc.com/