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Category: Interviews

NAMM Interview: Tobi Morelli

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Archspire have their follow-up to the Technical Death Metal sensation Relentless Mutation, in the works – we’ll see if this one also gets picked up by the YouTube bot – and I sat down with guitarist Tobi Morelli for a quick Q&A at NAMM.  Just want to start out by asking, how are your NAMM activities going? Pretty awesome, also crazy, it’s a lot to take in, I think this is maybe the fourth or fifth time I’ve been here, and it’s always a good time, but there’s just so much going on, it’s hard just to catch our breath, between […]

NAMM Interview: Simon Hawemann

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Nightmarer is getting ready to follow up on their 2018 full-length debut Cacophony of Terror via Season of Mist later this year, and I sat down with guitarist/journalist Simon Hawemann during NAMM to learn more about this up-and-coming death metal band. I want to dig right into Nightmarer so people can get to know more about this band. Harsh chaos and cacophony defines the sound of Nightmarer, musically, what drove you guys to what you like to call “total dissonance worship”? What is that to you? I think it’s just something that over the years I started gravitating towards, trying […]

NAMM Interview: Hugo Doyon-Karout

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Hugo Doyon-Karout has plenty to do as a young bassist, splitting his time between three bands, including Beyond Creation, Brought By Pain, and Equipoise, plus work as a tour manager. I sat down with him at NAMM for a quick Q&A on all his work in the metal world. We’re here at NAMM, so I have to start off by asking what you’re doing today at the show. Just having fun, hanging out with my friends in Equipoise, catching up with friends, I just performed at the Neural DSP booth, that’s been a blast. So yeah, making connections, being here […]

NAMM Interview: Timo Somers

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Timo Somers, metal guitarist and Aristides Instruments enthusiast, was representing his favorite brand at their booth at NAMM this year, and I had the chance to speak with him about his NAMM/Aristides experience and musical ventures both in and outside of Delain.  Here with Timo Somers at the Aristides guitar booth, want to start off by asking, what’s your connection with Aristides guitars? Well, I’ve been playing their guitars for like seven years now, and I was one of the first artists that they got, and then the brand grew so much, and then I came to be an Artist […]

Interview: Steve Harris

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Steve Harris’s extra-Maiden musical project, British Lion, is just about to release a new album, The Burning, on January 17th, right before kicking off a U.S. tour that runs until the end of February. Steve was kind enough to take the time for a phoner, discussing all the latest goings-on with British Lion, the new album, tour gear, and more. I just want to dig right into the British Lion stuff, I’ve been listening to this record, I’m very excited about it, and I heard that The Burning is a couple of years in the making, so what made now […]

Interview: Sal Abruscato

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A Pale Horse Named Death, the Brooklyn-based band formed and fronted by Type O Negative and Life of Agony’s Sal Abruscato, released their third album, When The World Becomes Undone, earlier this year. I recently spoke with Sal about the creation of the new album, what brought the band back from their hiatus, their European touring ventures, and more.  You’ve got lots going on right now with A Pale Horse Named Death, you just came off the Season of the Dead European tour, which you just mentioned before we started the interview, how was that run? It was fantastic, a […]

Interview: Kenny Hickey

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Silvertomb just released their debut album, Edge of Existence, this month via Long Branch Records. With Type O Negative’s Kenny Hickey and Johnny Kelly at the helm, the band evolved from Seventh Void and took on a new life with a slew of new songs and sounds, and the addition of three new band members with Joseph James (Agnostic Front, Inhuman), Hank Hell (Inhuman), and Aaron Joos (Awaken The Shadow). I recently had the chance to speak with Kenny about the making of the new Silvertomb album, including the ideas that went into some of the tracks, the personal touch […]

Interview: Creeping Death

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Creeping Death is just about to release their latest record and first-ever full-length, Wretched Illusions on eOne this Friday, September 27th. The Texas Death Metallers hit St. Vitus in Brooklyn, NY, during their recent tour, and I had the chance to talk with Reese and Trey (the vocalist and guitarist, respectively) of Creeping Death, about the latest album, their signing to eOne, their musical backgrounds and connection with Power Trip, and just how an internet role-playing game has influenced their music (well, maybe just a track or two…). Check it out below.  Creeping Death, here tonight in Brooklyn at St. […]

Interview: Efreeti

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Efreeti is a Norwegian group of Extreme Metallers fronted by founding vocalist/guitarist Kristian Wangberg, and the band released the third chapter in their discography this spring with the latest record, Man of Sand. I had the chance to conduct a quick Q&A via email with Kristian, who was kind enough to take the time to give some insight into the band and record: “Man of Sand” marks the third full-length from Efreeti – what elements of the band’s sound and style do you feel you’ve kept consistent, and in what senses has it changed or evolved, since “Chapter One”?  I […]

Interview: Chris Caffery

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Spirits of Fire recently made their debut as a new project on Frontiers Music Srl with their self-title album, and just before its release, I had the chance to get on the phone with Chris Caffery to discuss the new band, the background and process behind it, Chris’ influences over the years as a guitarist, songwriter, and musician overall, being a part of TSO, plus a secret new project that’s in the works. Check out the interview below:  I want to start things right off with the main topic right now, Spirits of Fire, exciting self-titled album just about to […]

Interview: Tony Harnell

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Starbreaker released their first new album in over ten years at the start of 2019, to great critical acclaim and a solid spot in the Billboard charts. I had the chance to talk with frontman Tony Harnell (best known as the former frontman of TNT) just after Dysphoria came out, discussing the making of the record in depth, the experience of recording an album remotely across multiple countries, Tony’s side work as a vocal coach, and a bit about his recent move to Nashville. What brings you on the phone with me today is the recent release of Starbreaker’s new […]

Interview: Alex Skolnick

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Between Testament, Metal Allegiance, an improvisational jazz trio, and other collaborations, Alex Skolnick is one busy guitarist. Shortly after the simultaneous release of the latest Metal Allegiance record, Power Drunk Majesty, and the Alex Skolnick Trio record, Conundrum, I had the chance to do a phoner with Alex, where we discussed all of his various musical projects and how he finds the balance between it all, his involvement with Shredders of Metal, the Slayer tour, and his appreciation for New York. Check out the interview below: The new record Power Drunk Majesty from Metal Allegiance is officially out, you just […]

Interview: Bob Kulick

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This Fall, renowned Rock and Metal Producer/Musician Bob Kulick released Pure Fire – The Ultimate Kiss Tribute, a reissue of the star-studded compilation album known as Spin the Bottle from 2004. After the album’s release, I had the opportunity for a phoner with Bob himself, during which we had a thorough discussion of the original making of this record, in addition to Bob’s solo album Skeletons in the Closet, his appearances at the Kiss Expo, Rock n Roll Fantasy Camp, and Kiss Kruise Pre-Party, as well a prospective new Metal Christmas album on the horizon. Check out the interview below: […]

Interview: Brittney Slayes

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This Fall, Unleash the Archers embarked on the Apex North American tour, with fellow Canadians Striker and Helion Prime out of the U.S. as special guests along the way. When they reached their stop at the Kingsland in Brooklyn, I had the chance to sit down with Unleash The Archers’ frontwoman Brittney Slayes, where we covered a lot of ground, from Apex, influences, and Unleash the Archers’ evolution over time, to playing the upcoming 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, and Brittney’s excitement over the band’s recent visit to NASA.  Some of the latest news from the band is the “Ten […]

Interview: Striker

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The unveiling of Striker’s latest full-length Play To Win is almost here, with a release date of October 26th bringing the latest chapter in these Canadian Heavy Metallers’ discography to the world next week. The band has been on tour for the past month or so alongside fellow Heavy Metallers out of Canada, Unleash The Archers, and when the Apex tour brought them along to the Kingsland in Brooklyn, NY, I was there for all the action. I sat down (well, stood in a hallway/stairwell, technically…hey, it’s Brooklyn.) for a quick Q&A session with frontman Dan Cleary and guitarist Tim […]