Muen Magazine June 2009

69 EYES PG. 83 AIDEN PG. 73 AMY SCHUGAR PG. 6 ANOTHER WAY OF LIFE PG. 76 ARTEP PG. 52 BERZERKER PG. 19 BIBLE BLACK PG. 56 BISON B.C. / LAZARUS A.D. PG. 14 BLAME SHIFT PG. 89 CODA PG. 17 DAATH PG. 20 DEFAULT PG. 99 DESTROPHY PG. 75 DEVI PG. 62 DIE SO FLUID PG. 63 DIRGE WITHIN PG. 16 EMMURE PG. 90 FALL BACK PLAN PG. 82 FASTBALL PG. 77 FIXER PG. 34 GOD DETHRONED PG. 102 GODFED STATIC PG. 17 GODHEAD PG. 48 HYPERNOVA PG. 74 I AM GHOST PG. 43 IAMX PG. 45

CONTENT

JUSSI 69 & M LAZAR PG. 58 KAIRA PG. 63 LACUNA COIL PG. 64 MARSHALL BECK PG. 60 MASAKI MURASHITA PG. 85 METAL COUTURE PG. 8 MICK MERCER PG. 59 MONGREL PG. 76 MY OWN SIN PG. 40 NOCTEM PG. 59 OPERATION DOWNFALL PG. 68 & 78 PEARL JAM PG. 7 PILGRIMZ PG. 30 SEVENDAYSOFNIGHT PG. 13 SUICIDE SILENCE PG. 95 TAPROOT PG. 24 THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE PG. 69 THE END OF ALL REASON PG. 18 THE ROMANTIC & THE BOMBASTIC PG. 39 THIRD BULLET PG. 86 UNSUNG ZERO PG. 46 WHITECHAPEL PG. 80 YIGAEL’S WALL PG. 84

www..DarkerImageClothing.com

www.Myspace.com/DarkerImageClothing

“THIS IS REAL LIFE”

BOOKS

Glam Metal is back for a Reunion tour!!

AMY SCHUGAR

RECENTLY SIGNS WITH TOWER RECORDS JAPAN

Before working with Michael Schenker, Amy Schugar had been developing her skills as a songwriter, arranger, singer and guitarist. Her talent is undeniable, her energy, tenacity and nevergive-up attitude have benefited many bands and collaborators in the past. Amy was a popular fixture on the LA metal scene with her Guitar Playing skills in the band "Maiden America" that performed at the now infamous Troubadour, Gazzari's and The Whisky clubs on the Sunset Strip. It wasnʼt surprising that by a chance meeting with Mr. Schenker (UFO, Scorpions, MSG), the two began a songwriting collaboration. The duo recorded the album "Under Construction", featuring Schenker's soulful guitar playing and Amy's magical voice. Recently Amy has signed a distribution deal with Tower Records in Japan.

Samantha Wentworth, beautiful and sophisticated owns her own very successful gallery in LA. She has a beautiful but feisty daughter and her life seems almost perfect to the observer. But Samantha is still in love with her ex fiancé and father of her child GM Jay - can she forgive his colourful past?

Glam Metal, the best glam rock band from the 80s, has split up because of personal issues, GM Jay is now working in a soap opera, Nick Glam Man is drinking to excess and Steve and Pete are hanging out and shooting pool. Join the guys as they try to put their personal feelings behind them and reform Glam Metal for the tour that will relaunch their music careers. Will the ghosts from their past destroy the Reunion tour before it even gets off the tour bus? Or can they dominate the Glam Rock world again? Enjoy the roller coaster ride of love, lust, jealousy and betrayal that is Glam Metal: The Reunion and discover why we all love a bad boy rocker. Glam Metal: The Reunion is the eagerly awaited sequel to the hot and steamy Glam Metal, itʼs hotter, steamier, filled with more of those riffs and power ballads that will make your ears pop and your panties drop! About the Author:

Anna grew up in the small village of Bracknagh in Co. Offaly, Ireland. The youngest child in the family she began keeping journals and writing short stories at a young age. For her 16th birthday her father gave her a manual typewriter and she wrote her first book. She has travelled extensively throughout Europe and New York; she lives in Sweden during the summer, where she enjoys the tranquillity of the Scandinavian summers beside the lake. Her interests are as vast and varied just like her musical tastes, it was her love of 80s Glam / hair metal that inspired her Glam Metal trilogy. And her biggest passion being classic American cars and in particular the 1962 Cadillac coupe Deville.

Anna Daly-McCabe is a new, exciting and uncompromising writer to come out of Ireland in the last ten years. Her novels are sensational, exciting and breathtaking and her short stories leave the reader gaspMyspace.com/AmySchugarMusic ing for more. Glam Metal: The Reunion is Annaʼs second book in the Glam Metal Trilogy.

United Center

Photo: Danny Clinch

LEGENDARY GRUNGE ARTISTS PEARL JAM WILL PLAY 7 SPECIAL SHOWS THIS AUGUST ONLY A FEW IN NORTH AMERICA

Pearl Jam have released a deluxe reissue of its famed 1991 debut album, "Ten." Four different editions were made available on March 24 from Epic Records. Each version includes a digitally remastered version of the original album as well as new remixʼ of the set by longtime producer Brendan O'Brien who produced Pearl Jam's following four albums after “Ten”. The CD also includes six previously unreleased songs such as "Breath" and "State of Love and Trust," "Brother,” "Just a Girl," "Evil Little Goat" and "2,000 Mile Blues.”

Seemingly an almost dying genre, grunge does still exist, usually in the similar vocal spirit of Vedder, Layne Staley or Kurt Cobain, and a stripped down, raw version of what

ALL DATES: Aug 13 - The Ahoy, Rotterdam Aug 15 - Wuhlheide, Berlin Aug 17 - MEN Arena, Manchester Aug 18 - O2 Arena, London Aug 21 - Molson Ampitheater, Toronto, Ontario Aug 23 - United Center, Chicago, Illinois Aug 24 - United Center, Chicago, Illinois

would otherwise just be called “rock.” Hungry for new grunge, we recently came across a great band, SONS COMPASS out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Just newly formed in early 2008, Deric Gregory, Chad "Stoneycat" Stone on vocals/guitars and Josh Collins on drums are an amazing trio who are producing some explosive songs with an implicit tinge of grunge. The band currently does not seem anywhere near their full capacity, but have a solid foundation with the songwriting skill and vocal/musicianship alone.

Check them out at Myspace.com/sonscompass

Metal Couture to Appear at Mayhem Festival Hosted By Rockstar Mayhem Festival

Saturday, August 08, 2009 Where: Dodge Music Center Hartford. CT

Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Killswitch Engage, Job for a Cowboy, Bullet for my Valentine, Behemoth, Trivium, God Forbid, All That Remains... They'll have a booth with hot girls on roller skates! come by to say Hi and get FREE stickers!

Interview with METAL COUTUREʼs Alison Roberto New York, NY

my art background, my love of design, photography, fashion and heavy music.

A few years ago my fiancé, (Mike Marco, MTV2 Director and lead singer of the Burn & Cry) asked me By: Shauna OʼDonnell to paint skulls on his golf shoes and it sparked an MUEN: FIRST OF ALL I idea. Mike is an avid golfer WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOUR CLOTHING and at the time the available golf apparel offended LINE IS TO SAY THE LEAST, IS THE HOTTEST me so much that I started designing golf polos, which IN METAL FASHION quickly turned into THAT IʼVE SEEN. TELL dresses, tee shirts, oneME A LITTLE ABOUT sies and dog clothes. As a HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE BUSI- fashion whore myself I know thereʼs a lot of NESS OF DRESSING crappy rock brands out THOSE ABOUT TO there. Well-designed ROCK. graphics made from qualThanks so much Shauna! ity materials while remaining cruelty free are all important aspects to me. The total inspiration for Metal Couture is made up of many different pieces; MUEN: WHO ARE SOME Myspace.com/rockmetalcouture

OF THE PEOPLE WHO PROUDLY WEAR YOUR CLOTHES?

just fun! I am a vegetarian with a passion for animal rights. Iʼm currently designing cruelty-free tote bags for PETA. We will be giving them away to PETA fans & friends next month through a Metal Couture contest, the remainder of the bags will be sold on my website with a % going towards PETA and their causes.

I have had such a great response to the line. Thereʼs something in it for everyone; Rockers, Moms, Roller Girls, Kids … dogs with blue Mohawks

Iʼve designed custom golf polos for Chuck Billy of Testament (Chuck & my fiancé have been known to play a few rounds together), Alex Skolnick (of Testament) has recently rocked Metal Couture proudly all over the world while on tour with Judas Priest. Alex has also done some modeling for me and appeared in his new Guitar Center campaign wearing MUST HAVE BEEN REMetal Couture. ALLY EXCITING. WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE Maria Brink from In This Moment. They played an LIKE? exclusive acoustic set at our Spring Runway Show It was so fun. PLAYBOY is such an awe-inspiring in NYC. It was such a brand. Its history is extenblast and the acoustic footage will be appearing sive and its versatility is endless. To think that in on the re release of their 1953 Hef crafted this little album The Dream which unknown magazine himcomes out June 30th. self, in his kitchen, and Phil Demmel of Machine- turned it into a household head, Jose Mangin of Sir- name is inspiring. ius XM Liquid Metal, John Jen Thiele interviewed me. Ostronomy of Talking Metal, M Lazar of Septem- Sheʼs a great friend and ber Mourning, Jason Wood one of my gorgeous models. Her questions are of It Dies Today and of unique and I always enjoy course Chris Adlerʼs (of talking to her, so it never Lamb of God) daughter really felt like an interview! rocks the baby girl onesies! MUEN: NOT ONLY DO MUEN: YOU RECENTLY YOU HAVE A CLOTHING LINE FOR MEN AND DID AN INTERVIEW WOMEN, YOU ALSO DO WITH PLAYBOY. THAT

MUEN: YOU GUYS WILL EVEN DO CUSTOM ORDERS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY?

Some bands, fans or friends will come to me with an idea of something they want and I will make it for them. Our very first custom order ever was deBABIES, DOGS AND AC- signing golf polos for CESSORIES. WHERE Chuck Billy. It was aweDOES THE INSPIRATION some! I just hung out with COME FROM WHEN DE- him recently at TestaSIGNING A NEW COLmentʼs Starland Ballroom LECTION? show in NJ and he asked for more! Inspiration is a gift that comes from my environMUEN: YOU CELEment. Everything I take in, BRATED YOUR SPRING magazines I read, con09 COLLECTION WITH A certs I go to and movies I FASHION SHOW IN NEW watch. Entertainment, YORK ON MARCH 5TH. fashion, music, friends, the WHAT KIND OF AN IMweather, the color of PACT DID THE SHOW someoneʼs shoes on the HAVE ON YOUR LINE? subway, it all has a great WHAT WAS THE REimpact. SPONSE?

Designing kids & baby clothes comes from the fact that I have six nieces and nephews. I love them so much and they have all inspired the line in some way. Designing dog clothes is

We recently had our Spring ʼ09 runway show in NYC this past March. It was the lineʼs first show and the evening was unbelievably successful. The private event at Fontanaʼs Chandelier Room in China Town was packed from

floor to ceiling with press, photographers and fans.We had some of the top hair and make-up people in the industry, our models were gorgeous and tattooed. Unlike typical shows we really pushed the individual attributes of each model to help showcase the broad range of the line. We had 2 amazing hosts; Jose Mangin of Sirius XM “Liquid Metal / Octane” & the newly appointed host of the almighty HEADBANGERʼS BALL and Allison Hagendorf of PLAYBOY Rock the Rabbit. Our models included; Anne Lindfjeld (Host of HEADBANGERʼS BALL Denmark), Jason Wood (singer, IT DIES TODAY), Paul Zurlo (singer, TOO PURE TO DIE) & M Lazar (singer, SEPTEMBER MOURNING).

Our sponsors included; PETA2, Manic Panic, Monster Energy Drink, Zink Magazine, Trustkill Records, SESAC, Rust Co, Cutler Salon & McSorleyʼs Ale.

IN THIS MOMENT (http://myspace.com/inthismoment) made a special stop along their tour to play an exclusive acoustic set. It was incredible. They will be releasing the footage of this performance on the release of the special enhanced CD version of their album ʻThe Dreamʼ. The groove orien-

tated, hard rock band, The The metal community is so Burn & Cry (http://mytight knit, and everyone is space.com/theburnandcry) totally rad. I love it. also performed. MUEN: IN THIS MOMENT MTV2 filmed the entire GAVE AN ACOUSTIC evening and it will be air- PERFORMANCE AT THE ing soon. SHOW. HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? MUEN: WHO DID YOU CHOOSE TO MODEL AT IN THIS MOMENT are THIS PARTICULAR soooo amazing! They reSHOW AND HOW DO ally are extremely talented YOU GO ABOUT and down to earth individCHOOSING MODELS uals.Maria and Jose ManFOR THE RUNWAY? gin are good friends and Jose asked them to come We really created the anti and play a special set. runway show. I wanted this They made a detour from to be a rock nʼ roll lifestyle the tour just to make the event and encompass all show.They sounded inof the reasons why I love credible. Their tour manbeing a metal head. I ager Jenny Douglas, wanted unique individuals Aaron Brisco from Century who would bring their own Media & Rob Blasko (Merstyle & attitude to the line. cenary Management & bass player for Ozzy OsAnne Lindfjeld (Host of bourne) were all so amazHEADBANGERʼS BALL ing & helped make this Denmark) introduced me happen. to an amazing photographer named Steve Prue We held a special contest (http://teamrockstarimand selected 50 fans to ages.com/). Steve shot my come to the private show Spring 2009 line and he in- to see the performance & troduced me to M Lazar MTV2 filmed it. (singer, SEPTEMBER MOURNING), Sharon Gra- IN THIS MOMENT will be belle & Shannon Sousa. releasing the footage of He has worked with and this performance on the photographed all of these release of the special engorgeous models. hanced CD version of their album ʻThe Dreamʼ which Josh Grabelle of Trustkill comes out June 30th. Records recommended Jason Wood from It Dies MUEN: WHAT EXCITES YOU THE MOST WHEN Today & Paul Zurlo from IT COMES TO FASHION? Too Pure to Die.

And of course Melissa Mangin (model) is Joseʼs hottie wife and one of my very good friends.

The endless possibilities, the surprises, the outrageous choices (good and band). Our fashion defines

who we are and what we want to tell people about ourselves.

MUEN: HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU FIRST DECIDED THAT YOU WANTED TO DESIGN CLOTHES?

I only decided I wanted to design clothes about five years ago. Itʼs been a pretty recent endeavor. MUEN: HOW MUCH OF YOUR PERSONAL STYLE IS DEPICTED IN WHAT YOU CREATE?

I only design what I would wear.

MUEN: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE RAN INTO BEING A DESIGNER IN NEW YORK?

Being a designer in New York is actually a huge benefit. There is never a shortage of unique materials and inspiration. The amount of people I have met through creating this line has been astonishing; models, photographers, press. I receive emails everyday from people wanting to model or collaborate in some way. Itʼs inspiring. MUEN: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE DESIGNERS?

Betsey Johnson, Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, Ray Brown, Karl Lagerfeld

MUEN: DO YOU HAVE A STORE OR IS IT ALL ONLINE? ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR OPENING A STORE?

First and foremost Iʼm an Art Director. I designed logos, advertising, DVD packaging & apparel for MTV for almost 7 years. I also directed photo shoots as well as on air pieces. I left in December of 2008 to pursue my line. I still design logos, CD packaging, band identities for bands and musicians. I am also currently designing Christine Dolceʼs new clothing line Twisted Elegance.

around the corner for a severely under served. beer. Zakk is kind and gra- MTV2 Director, Mike cious and very funny. Marco & Sirius XM Liquid Metal program director, MUEN: I READ THAT Jose Mangin have been YOU ALSO MANAGE working hard to change THE BURN & CRY. TELL that. US WHATʼS HAPPENING WITH THE BAND. MUEN: IʼD REALLY LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR Iʼve managed the Burn & THE INTERVIEW. IʼM RECry for about four years ALLY, TRULY A BIG FAN! now. The guys recently re- I WISH YOU THE VERY leased a new video for BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR their song “Faith Molester”. CAREER. The video was shot at a church in NJ and is com- Thank you so much plete with a twisted priest Shauna! and hot nuns. Itʼs beauti- Here are some links for fully done. You can check everyone to check out: it out on their myspace page : http://www.myspace.com/theburnandcry. They also played Metal Coutureʼs runway show with In This Moment, appeared on Metal Edgeʼs Bands That Donʼt Suck CD compilation, and can be found on Revolverʼs Meet & Greet page. You can download a free copy of their single “3 OʼClock Again” (which has been heard on Sirius XM Liquid Metal) here: http://revolvermag.com/meetandgreet

That was an awesome day. We filmed Zakk for Headbangers Ball at The Rock 106.9 WCCC in Hartford, CT. Zakk played a solo acoustic set for an intimate room of contest winners. He was incredible. Afterwards he took us all

Iʼm the Art Director for Headbangers Ball. I handle art direction on set as well as all of the on air graphics and photography. Iʼve gotten to work with so many great bands and it is the most fun I have ever had on a job for MTV. The metal community is so

Weʼre only online right now. Our website is being redesigned, so weʼll have a brand new online store very soon. I would love to open a store one day, but have no plans right now.

MUEN: BESIDES DESIGNING CLOTHES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN? WHAT IS IT YOU DO FOR MTV?

MUEN: TELL ME ABOUT MUEN: WHAT IS YOUR YOUR DAY WITH ZAKK AFFILIATION WITH WYLDE. HEADBANGERS BALL?

www.rockmetalcouture.co m www.myspace.com/rockmetalcouture

www.twitter.com/metalcouture www.myspace.com/josemangin www.myspace.com/theburnandcry

http://www.myspace.com/ mtv2HeadbangersBall www.http://twitter.com/Hea dbangersBall

COMBICHRIST ROUND 2!

DEFTONES

Deftones have been added to the Cabaret Vert Festival in France for August 29. See www.cabaretvert.com for details and tickets. Page 12

In support of their most recent release Today We Are All Demons, they're doing a national headline tour and will be performing in the markets they missed their first time around. Julien-K joins the tour June 14 in Bryan, TX. "Sent To Destroy", the first single and video from the album, originally made its appearance on the Frost EP that was released in July 2008. No strangers to Billboard's charts, the EP debuted on the Top Singles Chart at #8 and the Dance Chart at #5. "Sent To Destroy" held its ground on the Billboard charts for over five months. The previous EP Get Your Body Beat entered the Dance Chart at #5 and Top Singles Chart at #30.

Myspace.com/combichrist

sevendaysofnight ENJOY THE VIOLENCE

In late 2008 sevendaysofnight (all one word all lowercase) released 'Violence is Golden' the newest contribution to the next generation wave of inventive music. Their appeal remains true to hard edge roots but has evolved to push the envelope to create a new hybrid sound with influences far apart. Abrasive yet digestible, angry yet intelligent, ʻViolence is Goldenʼ contains 5 songs with energetic beats, distorted guitars, twisted vocals and lyrics, and intelligent song composition.

the 'bands' sound. Following positive feedback for these original tracks Sevendays was officially born and work began on the debut e.p. 'in darkness we unite'.

Shortly after the self-release of the ep it was added to net label Amduscia records catalogue and then the tracks were added to R.I.R's playlist in California. In the summer of 2007 the band featured as exciting new talent on Liverpool, England commercial radio station Juice fm. More plays have since followed and sevendaysofnight featured as the stations “Ones To Watch 2008.” The track "Outside [Contraption Mix] (which would make it onto 'Violence is Golden'), also won numerous accolades including many track of the day awards (in industrial Jonny Seven created the sevendaysofnight project in and metal genres) and track of the week on 2006 when he abandoned the search for like minded Garageband.com. musicians to form a band and decided to go it alone. Jonny recorded a handful of rough demos to define Work on 'Violence is Golden' gathered steam with

Page 13

more of a focus on production and the quality of sound than its predecessor. The e.p. was released through the bands website and myspace on december 1st 08 with a launch night @ One of the UK's biggest Alternative clubs 'Liverpool's Krazyhouse.ʼ The tracks also hit online stores such as itunes and amazon

Since then a collection of remix tracks has been collated for release, featuring none other than electro industrial giants "Combichrist", and is scheduled for release this summer as "ViG: Restitched"

Following interest from those within the industry the time came to re-address 'sevendaysofnight' as a full working band; this time, with a collection of songs already to build on. With some media buzz and plenty of interest, the search for musicians proved less difficult. The Choice is yours! ViG: Restitched coming soon. Live shows summer 09 and debut album late 2009.

Myspace.com/7daysofnight

BISON B.C. and LAZARUS AD

team up for Baptized in Beer US/Canadian tour! Canadian metalers Bison b.c. and Wisconsin thrashers Lazarus AD have teamed up for the 2009 Baptized in Beer Tour, which kicks off on July 8th in Vancouver, BC. Support on select dates will come from Barnburner and label-mates Woe of Tyrants, with MetalSucks.net and MetalInjection.net on board as the official online sponsors of the tour.

Bison b.c. comments; “we can't wait to crawl back into the blue bitch and drive from town to town melting faces and damaging livers - so lock up yer liquor cabinets, we will see you in the future”

Jeff Paulick of Lazarus AD ads; “we are really looking forward to going back to Canada; we had a blast last time and the crowds where sick as fuck. We also look forward to getting a chance to play some cities we missed on the last couple of tours in the US and can't wait to party with the guys from Bison b.c. and Woe of Tyrants…a tour like this is going to be one big party”

E1 MUSIC SIGNS METAL BAND DIRGE WITHIN

(New York, NY) — Chicago-based metal band DIRGE WITHIN has signed a worldwide, multi album deal with E1 Music, and joins label mates High on Fire, Hatebreed, In Flames, Satyricon, Burning Human and others. The band has also entered into a worldwide co-publishing deal and exclusive administration deal. DIRGE WITHIN features Jerms (vocals), Shaun Glass (guitar), Jimmy Knight (drums), Brian Paz (bass) and Matt Szlachta (guitar). The bandʼs debut album will be released on September 1, 2009 and they are currently touring nationally with Static X.

Shaun Glass of DIRGE WITHIN says, “We are ecstatic to be part of the new E1 family, joining a roster of wicked bands and having a metal brother like the one and only Scott Givens as our artist relations guy is amazing. We are mega excited to be working with such amazing people at our new home.”

VP of Metal Scott Givens adds, DIRGE WITHIN are in my opinion one of the true leaders of a new wave of American Metal and I couldnʼt be happier to add them to E1 MUSICʼs constantly growing metal roster. DIRGE WITHIN has so far played shows alongside acts such as God Forbid, Nile, Death Angel and Prong. They were proud to be part of the last yearʼs Jagermeister Music Tour with Hatebreed, Type O Negative, 3 Inches of Blood, Dope and Kittie. Check out the video teaser for the album at http://www.vision4films.com/AE/preview.html

For more information, please visit www.myspace.com/dirgewithin where you can also see DirgeTV video blog updates as they're posted!

About E1 Entertainment

E1 Entertainment (AIM: ETO) is a leading independent entertainment content owner that acquires film, television and music rights and exploits these rights

in all media in more than 190 countries.

The company currently operates in Canada, the U.S., the UK, Holland and Belgium through its four primary businesses units: E1 Television, E1 Films, E1 Music and E1 Distribution. These businesses collectively represent E1ʼs extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production/distribution, Kids content, Licensing and Distribution.

E1ʼs content library includes more than 3,700 feature films, 2,700 hours of original television programming and 15,000 music tracks.

GODFED STATIC

Upcoming series of shows in the state of Washington featuring Godfed Static from Aberdeen. The unique, defining vocal quality of frontman Levi Howard and the overall raw original energy of songs like "ZooBorn Rabies," "Aerosol," and "Higher Hierarchy" keeps our attention glued to this young band's steady progress. Myspace.com/godfedstatic

CODA

If you havenʼt yet heard CODA from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, you should! Itʼs true they rarely work their myspace page, but donʼt let the slow traffic fool you. As we all know the number of comments on a page really means nothing when it comes to the actual turnout of a live show, or the number of songs/albums a band sells. A few of our favorite songs from this band include “November 19,” a melancholy tune with a great vocal performance (Stade) and symphonic backdrop. Also “Burn With The Masses” (See live performance of this song on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5ZlJD2EdsM&feature=player_embedded ), and “Facedown.” Their latest album titled ʻMAE DAEʼ is available at Amazon.ca , iTunes, and hmv.ca . Also check them out at www.CodaTheBand.com and www.Myspace.com/CodaTheBand Page 17

THE END OF ALL REASON is a five piece progressive metal band from Brussels, Belgium, spawn in the wake of 2004. So far, 2008 has been a productive year for this evergrowing metalmachine: A new drummer, a record deal with IFORUS Records and the recording of the long awaited EP entitled: FRAGMENTED. Recorded by Aborted's Sven Janssens and mastered at Hertz Studios (Decapitated, Vader, Kro-

nos...), Fragmented further explores the band's boundaries while maintaining and improving the ferocity and passion they are known for. The effort contains 5 songs and has a playtime of about 28 minutes!

The band had already started writing the record in the summer of 2007 but due to a line up change and some technical problems, the recordings were postponed over and over. However, during this last year, TEOAR kept on evolving, and every

song underwent a complete metamorphosis. New lyrics were written to match the 'man vs machine' theme of this EP. Over the years, TEOAR has shared the stage with numerous bands from The Black Dahlia Murder and Aborted to All Shall Perish. With their new line up and EP they are all set to bring the storm.

The band is currently working on the first full length: A concept album that will contain 11 songs and will have a playtime of about 60 minutes! A whole storyline for the lyrics has just been finished, and some pre-productions are ready. Everything will be recorded once again by Sven Janssens around summer '09. About the new album, the band is brief but clear; "It's gonna be epic, fast and brutal as f*ck, darker than black, and way more extreme in every way! Epic in deed! Brutal assault with a rhythmic glow that is sure to satisfy any serious metal fan.

BERZERKER Melicious Photography

Melbourne, Australia

Thankfully, Tim has recovered from his bursting stomach ulcer, and there is a video coming soon for “The Deception” (Taken from The Reawakening). New brutal as f*ck T-shirts available from the webstore, you can buy one directly from BERZERKER INDUSTRIES. Berzerkerʼs next show will be THE DEAD OF WINTER FESTIVAL in Brisbane on Saturday the 20th of June. Check details at this website: www.myspace.com/deadofwinterfestival. Brisbaneʼs first ever Horror & Music Festival debuts on Saturday the 20th of June @ The Jubilee Hotel from 4pm-3am. Artists include - Mz Ann Thropik (Syd), The Berzerker (Melb), Silver Ocean Storm, Captain Reckless & The Lost Souls (ex Zombie Ghost Train – Syd), Hell City Glamours (Sys), The Dead, The Black Market, Empyrean, Humonic (Melb), Pink Industrial Whores (Syd), Hatchet Dawn (Melb), Horrorwood Mannequins (Syd), Hell & Whiskey, Homeless Yellow, Psych Carni (Melb), The Quickening, DNine, Headkase, Bridgitte Handley & The Dark Shadows (Syd), In Death, The Wretched Villains, Devilution, The Kidney Thieves, Graveyard Train (Melb), Spitfireliar, Voltera (Melb) + many more to be announced. There will also be Market Stalls, Burlesque, Roving Circus Acts, 4 Stages, Food and giveaways. Tickets are cheaper for the early bird. Now on sale at www.oztix.com.au , Rocking Horse, Butter Beats (Valley) , Gooble Warming (West End), Rockaway (Springwood), Moshpit (Maroochydore), Disasterpiece (Southport), Sunflower (Broadbeach), Kill the Music & Station 13 Studios (Coorparoo).

Myspace.com/theberzerker

Page 19

DAATH (Century Media/Roadrunner Records) Atlanta, Georgia Myspace.com/daath

Interview with Eyal Levi (Guitar) By: Shauna OʼDonnell

MUEN: YOUR NEW RELEASE

THE CONCEALERS IS OUT SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

Thank you very much. We are stoked that it is finally out there because it took about a year.

MUEN: TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM.

Well, itʼs the first album that we wrote as a unit rather than as a writing project. The band during touring came together and wrote a record. We decided to ditch everything that we

Yeah, itʼs the one I have the most connection to for some reason. Now that it has been a year and a lot of the dust has settled on the new material, that one used to be and not even keeps drawing me in. I worry about it anymore think itʼs the meanest, because of the line-up darkest and most imposchanges. We decided to ing. Itʼs hard to talk about figure out what our my own music and really strengths are, what we re- say what my favorite is, ally wanted to do and but I think that is what it what we were really feel- is. ing and go for it. It is completely different from MUEN: YOU HAVE anything we have put out DONE SOME PRODUCin the past, but in every- ING IN THE PAST. oneʼs opinion it is far superior to anything we I do some, but it was rehave ever done. We ally just a means to an werenʼt limited by internal end when Daath was unforces that got in the way signed. I wanted to make of our writing. It is a very, a real recording for Daath very brutal record, but it is and I priced out how long also very song oriented. it would take at a studio There are eighteen guitar and it was $19,000. We solos and we are very didnʼt have $19,000 and proud of it. the results were going to

be arguable because it wasnʼt like going to Jason Sukoff , it was some local studio. We wanted all that time to get it right so I decided to buy some gear Iʼd say ninety-nine out of a and learn how to do it and hundred say it is a huge that turned into buying step up. more gear and doing it for real to make a living, get MUEN: WELL THAT IS some connections and SO COOL; IʼM REALLY meet some players. I EXCITED FOR YOU wanted to do whatever I GUYS. WHAT IS YOUR could to help Daath and FAVORITE SONG OFF eventually it worked and I THE NEW ALBUM? donʼt really care about that so much anymore. “Translucent Potency” MUEN: SO THE FANS REACTIONS HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD SO FAR THEN?

MUEN: IS THAT THE ONE YOU LIKE PLAYING THE MOST LIVE?

MUEN: DID YOU HELP PRODUCE THIS ALBUM?

Technically, on paper, no

but in my opinion it is definitely a co-job. The songs were 95% done when we went in there and we were very adamant about things we wanted regarding production decisions so it is definitely a collaborative effort. At this point, it is impossible for it not to be when Iʼm involved because I know what is going on in the studio and I know where I want this to go. Even if we stepped into someone elseʼs pissing ground, that doesnʼt change the fact that I already have a vision for the project and Iʼm going to try to get that vision achieved in audible form. That doesnʼt go out the window when a producer steps in. MUEN: WHO CAME UP WITH THE NAME FOR THE ALBUM?

That was Mike Kameron, the long gone keyboard player.

MUEN: I LOVE THE ARTWORK ON THE COVER. WHAT IS IT EXACTLY?

song is called “Sharpen the Blades” and there are blades all over the artwork. We had never told him that it was going to be called that or to use any of that imagery. We are just on the same page. Part of what you like about the album cover is why we hired him, itʼs because his style is so intricate and multi-layered. You can look at it now or six months from now and you will keep on finding new things. We wanted an album cover that was more of a work of art as opposed to graphic design.

The day to day.

MUEN: WELL, THATʼS KIND OF COOL HOW THAT WORKS THEN.

I like it. The Century Media staff, nothing against the Roadrunner staff, is much more on the same page as us as far as how to handle the day to day and how to develop it.

MUEN: WHERE DID THE NAME DAATH COME FROM? It comes from the tree of life, mythology. Iʼm saying mythology on purpose and it means abyss.

MUEN: I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I MET YOU GUYS. IT WAS AT CHAIN REACTION IN ANAHEIM, CA. I WAS STANDING THERE MUEN: YEAH, CENTURY THINKING THESE GUYS MEDIA IS PROBABLY FUCKING ROCK! JUST A BETTER FIT FOR YOU GUYS? Thanks.

Yeah, well the thing with Roadrunner is that they MUEN: YOU ORIGIdeal with really huge NALLY STARTED THIS bands on a regular basis. BAND. HOW LONG AGO What works for a really WAS IT? huge band doesnʼt necessarily work for us even It was the year 2000 when though I think we have the I got the idea to do this mentality of a really huge band and by 2003 we band. We are not a really were called Daath. In huge band yet and we 2006 we were signed. need a staff that is more used to working with MUEN: YEAH, YOU bands at our level. WERE SIGNED WITH ROADRUNNER, BUT MUEN: WELL THAT NOW I SEE THAT IT IS MAKES SENSE. I CENTURY MEDIA PART- THOUGHT IT WAS INNERED WITH ROADTERESTING HOW YOUR RUNNER. HOW DOES FIRST SINGER WAS THAT WORK? NAMED SEAN AND AFTER HE LEFT YOU Yeah, it is kind of a best of REPLACED HIM WITH both worlds situation. ANOTHER SINGER Roadrunner pays to get NAMED SEAN. HAS our records made and THAT BEEN CONFUSCentury Media works ING FOR SOME PEOthem. PLE?

(Laughing) Thatʼs beyond me. All I know is that we hired this artist named Jorden Haley because we really love his work. He has a clothing line called Bird Ov Prey and we always thought that his style would work with what we wanted to do visually. We hired him and told him what it was about MUEN: LIKE DISTRIBU- Hopefully all confusion and thatʼs it. Whatʼs really TION? ends the minute the dude interesting is that the first opens his mouth.

MUEN: I WANT TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS WERE SET TO PLAY IN ANAHEIM AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOU PLAY AGAIN AND THEN YOU WERENʼT THERE. I KNOW THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND I WASNʼT SURE IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT. Sure Iʼd be happy to talk about it. MUEN: WHAT HAPPENED?

We are on the Dragonforce North American Tour right now and the first date was supposed to be in Anaheim at the House of Blues on Disney property. Some of you may know that Disney doesnʼt like metal bands. There

have been a lot of bands in the past that have been banned like Machine Head. We got a letter two weeks before the show telling us that we were not allowed to play the show for having objectionable content. There was no chance of appeal and no other reason was given. So that was that, Mickey Mouse had a problem with us. They didnʼt like our kind near their kind I guess. Itʼs just another notch on the belt for us. We have now been kicked out of a country and banned by Disney.

MUEN: OKAY, WHICH COUNTRY WERE YOU KICKED OUT OF?

The U.K.

MUEN: FOR REAL? WHY WHAT HAPPENED?

that when you donʼt have a booking agent and no one knows who you are. It was quite a shock to the system to get turned right around and sent home.

MUEN: I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR TOUR SCHEDULE AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE PRETTY BOOKED UP ALL THE WAY INTO AUGUST. AFTER THE ULTRA BEATDOWN TOUR WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED?

We are going out with Goatwhore and Abigail Williams in June and July. After that we will be doing European Festivals in August. We are working on September right now. MUEN: I BET YOU ARE HAPPY TO BE OUT ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

Oh yeah, Iʼm really happy, It was our fault. Before we especially on such a good were signed we booked tour like this. It has been our own U.K. tour and I phenomenal for us. We guess the promoter didnʼt are playing for a whole know what he was doing new crowd. Itʼs a really inand didnʼt get the right pa- teresting audience. We perwork. We were sent are doing really well so right home which was a Iʼm not complaining. real bummer. What local band takes themselves to MUEN: ONCE YOU GET Europe? It took six TO THE VENUE YOU months of planning and all HAVE A LOT OF TIME our own money. Thatʼs TO KILL WHILE YOU how determined we were WAIT TO GO ON STAGE. at that level. It was kind of WHAT DO YOU DO TO hellish for us and we be- PASS THE TIME? lieved we deserved something better. We did crazy We take turns kicking things like book European each other in the face. We tours. You put so much are actually trying to show work into something like up later and later to the

venues. Yesterday was perfect, we showed up and within an hour and a half we were on stage. In general itʼs hurry up and wait the whole time.

MUEN: ITʼS OVERWHELMING ISNʼT IT?

Itʼs overwhelming, the thing I donʼt like about the party is that they let the general public in, not that MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE I have an issue with the general public, I have an DOING SOMETHING issue with 3,000 people in CALLED A DATTHUa room that holds 1,000 MENTARY. TELL ME A people. I wish that the LITTLE ABOUT IT. NAMM party was just for We are just documenting NAMM guests. That way maybe you could walk our lives. We have another one coming up after from one end of the room to the other in under 25 this tour with an insane minutes. amount of ridiculous footage. Itʼs of our lives on the road. We are trying to MUEN: I WENT SATURshow some of the amus- DAY NIGHT AND IT WAS PACKED. THE SMOKing and entertaining ING SECTION OUTSIDE things that happen. Remarkable things that you WAS SO CROWDED I DONʼT KNOW HOW donʼt normally see. We are not really interested in PEOPLE GOT THEIR doing what a lot of bands HAND TO THEIR do with their webisodes or MOUTHS TO SMOKE. showing boring situations. We are just trying to com- Saturday night was too pile the most memorable much. stuff. Itʼs the stuff that if you were there, you would MUEN: ARE YOU GUYS be talking about the next WORKING ON ANY VIDEOS YET? day. It is something that we have always done and Yeah, we are actually, we will keep on doing. are working on a video for MUEN: YOU ATTENDED “Day of Endless Light” NAMM FOR THE FIRST coming up really soon. TIME THIS YEAR. WHAT We already shot it, but DID YOU THINK OF IT? there is a lot of extra stuff being done to it. It should Itʼs a great party. be done by the end of the month. MUEN: YEAH, ISNʼT IT? I DIDNʼT GO THIS YEAR, MUEN: AWESOME! IʼM BUT I ATTENDED THE LOOKING FORWARD AFTER PARTY. TO THAT. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE REALLY I was there, I was at the BUSY, BUT BEFORE I Hilton. LET YOU GO WAS

THERE ANYTHING YOU Thank you, that part I WOULD LIKE TO ADD canʼt guarantee. Thereʼs OR SAY? nothing safe about this. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.

MUEN: NO PROBLEM, I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE HOW NICE YOU ARE WHEN I GO TO THE SHOWS. IT HAS BEEN AWESOME TALKING WITH YOU. Likewise

MUEN: ARE YOU GUYS IN A BUS?

No, were in a van and trailer.

MUEN: OH WOW, THATʼS ALWAYS COMFORTABLE FOR A LONG DRIVE.

Comfortable and treacherous.

MUEN: GOOD LUCK ON MUEN: OH WAIT! DIDNʼT YOU GUYS GET THE TOUR AND BE A FLAT TIRE THAT ONE SAFE. TIME?

do that for a thirteen hour drive, you are going to want to lie down and sleep. You realize you are not wearing a seatbelt and if something goes MUEN: YEAH, THAT wrong, youʼre dead. You KIND OF STUFF HAPtake that into consideraPENS A LOT, ESPEtion and you also take into CIALLY FLAT TIRES. consideration that every single day of our lives is a Yeah, this ain't safe and you just have to not care road trip. We do it every so much. That is the only single day and the odds of way in my opinion to get something happening our through the traveling part, higher. especially in a van where you know if something goes wrong with the trailer it can flip you. You donʼt want to be sitting up with the seat belt on the whole time. You are not going to No, what happened that one time is we hit a patch of black ice in a blizzard and spun into the median.

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TAPROOT

Page 24

(Velvet Hammer Music) Phil Lipscomb (Bass) Ann Arbor, Michigan Myspace.com/taproot

By: Shauna OʼDonnell

release.

MUEN: ARE YOU STILL WITH THEM?

We are not with them as management, but we are with them as a label.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR LATEST RELEASE MUEN: I WENT TO VELVET HAMMERʼS WEBOUR LONG ROAD SITE AND THEY DO NOT HOME. HAVE YOU LISTED ON THERE AS A CLIENT. I Thank you. WAS WONDERING WHAT THAT WAS ALL MUEN: YOU GUYS ABOUT. OPTED TO NOT SIGN WITH A MAJOR LABEL We have pretty much deAND CHOSE TO REcided to do a lot of things LEASE IT INDEPENDENTLY INSTEAD. WHAT on our own right now. For PROMPTED YOUR DECI- instance, Iʼm acting manager at the moment beSION TO DO IT THIS cause we donʼt have a WAY? release right now other A lot of things, once we left than touring so we donʼt Atlantic, we had built up a need a full time manager. Right now we are as indestrong enough fan base pendent as you can get that we felt we could do while still being a national an indie release and still band, which is fantastic. legitimately continue our career through that path rather than tie ourselves to MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT. I KNOW another major label. The music industry is in a weird THAT JARROD IS SITspot, so being with a major TING OUT THIS TOUR label isnʼt necessarily the CYCLE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED BY NICK best path to go on these FREDELL. IS THAT days. They are trying to make their money so they GOING TO BE A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT have to do it in different ways that really limits the OR IS JARROD GOING TO BE RETURNING? way that an artist can make their money. Jarrod is about to have his third child this week I think. MUEN: YOU ARE RELEASING IT INDEPEND- That pretty much limits his ability to tour, which limits ENTLY THROUGH our ability to keep him in VELVET HAMMER the band. I had lunch with RIGHT? him right before this last Yes, Velvet Hammer acted tour. I love the guy and we still keep in touch, but as as our indie label on this

far as being an active member of the band, he just isnʼt in the position to do that.

written the update.

MUEN: YEAH, I NOTICED THAT YOUR BLOGS ARE PRETTY CURRENT.

MUEN: WELL THAT HAPPENS AND FAMILY IS IM- Yeah, we try to be. We try to keep connected to the PORTANT. fans and keep everyone updated. Yeah.

MUEN: HOW ARE THE FANS REACTING TO NICK? DO THEY LOVE HIM? Oh yeah, Nickʼs great. Nickʼs been fantastic.

MUEN: YOU RECENTLY FINISHED THE TAKE IT TOUR. YOU DID A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ON THIS TOUR. YOU HAD THE FANS DO REVIEWS ON THE SHOWS. HOW DID THAT GO?

MUEN: YOU HAVE DONE SOME EXTENSIVE TOURING. WHAT IS THE MOST EXTREME WEATHER ENCOUNTER YOU HAVE HAD ON THE ROAD?

(Laughing) Well, I guess we have had both ridiculously hot and ridiculously cold, but Iʼd say the cold one was the worst. We did this ski resort in Albany, New York with Alien Ant Farm and it was outside. People were literally skiing around us. We had a good crowd and it was a fun show. Luckily, Alien Ant Farm played before us and they told me, otherwise I would have been really worried, they said after three songs your fingers get used to it and itʼs not as bad. Youʼre not going to get frostbite and youʼll get the movement back. If it hadnʼt been for that it would have been a psychological torture thinking that my fingers were going to fall off after the show and is this worth it. It was that cold and my fingers did get that ridiculously cold.

At the beginning of a tour we tend to be real gung ho, but as the road wears on us I stopped keeping up the updates. I stopped prompting the reviews, but at the beginning it was great. I probably did the first ten shows Iʼd say and people were enjoying the shows and telling us how they felt about it. That was great, but as the weeks go on there are days when you donʼt have internet and you start to get behind. Eventually, Iʼm just like “Eh! Iʼm tired of it.” We are running everything ourselves now, we even do all the website stuff. If there is an update on My- MUEN: YEAH AND YOU Space, generally that is ei- CANʼT WEAR GLOVES ther me or Mike that have SO…

Yeah, you canʼt wear gloves when you play and were playing on metal strings. That is something people donʼt think about. Metal strings in the cold just donʼt mix.

MUEN: DEFINITELY NOT, YOU GO UP TO CANADA TOO. I HEAR IT IS PRETTY COLD UP THERE.

are in a van and we donʼt get the best nights sleep, there is a reason for that. The reason is to continue our career.

MUEN: WHO DOES THE DRIVING?

Mainly our tour manager, he has taken up a lot of the slack on that, but I will help drive and our guitar tech will help drive. Our Yeah, we have done some drummer Nick will help drive, but he has been Canada gigs as well as fourth string on this last North Dakota, Montana, tour. I donʼt think we used and all sorts of cold places. We have also done him once. We just never needed him. We all conall sorts of hot places tribute in whatever way we down by the border of Mexico. Itʼs all part of the can. game. MUEN: WHO HAD THE MUEN: DO YOU PREFER KIDNEY STONES ON THIS LAST TOUR? THE HOT OR THE COLD? Thatʼs Nick our drummer. We had a whole run of just I donʼt know, I guess the bad luck. Everyone got hot because we havenʼt had 130 degree weather; sick on the tour three days in. We had this twelve hour we have had 110 or 115. The cold just gets to you, drive we had to do from Illinois to Wichita, Kansas the cold you canʼt physiand then in Wichita we hit cally play in. a blizzard. That morning that we woke up in the MUEN: DO YOU GUYS TOUR ON A BUS OR IN A blizzard, when you shouldnʼt even be driving, thatʼs VAN? when Nick woke up with Right now we are doing it kidney stones. He didnʼt even know he had kidney in a van and trailer to stones so we had to take make ends meet. Itʼs funny; I think we are all en- him to the hospital. He was like “Dude, I think Iʼm joying it more this way, dying.” If you know what it than we did on the bus. is you can be like at least I There is a sense of accomplishment that comes know what it is. Not knowwith finishing off a tour and ing is the scariest thing. knowing that everything we do is contributing to the money that we make at MUEN: DO YOU HAVE A the end of the tour. If we

FAVORITE CITY TO PLAY once we get on stage it doesnʼt matter how we IN? OR VENUE? feel, itʼs go time. As a group collectively, I MUEN: WELL THATʼS would say Vegas. I think GOOD BECAUSE IT that goes for a lot of bands. Vegas is awesome, GETS THE CROWD INTO but the east coast has al- IT TOO. ways been good to us, as Yeah, we care a lot about well as the west coast. Everywhere we go the fan our performance. We want reaction is so fantastic. Itʼs to get into it. There is a hard to pick a favorite city. whole exchange between If there are more things for you and the crowd. If you are just standing there, us to do other than just how can the crowd get into play the show, obviously thatʼs better for us. It gets that? boring on the road. Once show time comes, we get MUEN: NOW THAT THE to see the kids, shake their TOUR IS OVER WHAT hands afterwards and talk ARE YOUʼRE PLANS? to everyone that makes it We have a little break all worth it. here. Iʼm actually on vacation in Texas visiting my MUEN: I WAS WATCHbrother. We have a couple ING A VIDEO OF YOUR of shows at the end of LIVE PERFORMANCE June that we will anAND IT LOOKS LIKE nounce in the next couple YOU GUYS PUT ON A days. After that we will HIGH ENERGY SHOW. probably put together a DOES IT GET TOUGH tour with Cold. They just HAVING TO PUT ON A SHOW LIKE THAT NIGHT got back together and they have a tour coming up in AFTER NIGHT? the summer. So we are going to try to get a tour You would think so, but once it is time to play it all together with those guys. goes away. It doesnʼt matter (Whoa! I almost quoted MUEN: “WHEREVER I Limp Bizkit there,) We had STAND” IS THE LEAD a videographer come out SINGLE OFF OF THE ALBUM RIGHT? for five or six shows on this last tour and he made Yes a comment that when he would videotape us before the show it was boring be- MUEN: ITʼS A GREAT cause we were just sitting SONG AND I LOVE THE there doing nothing. From VIDEO FOR IT TOO. show time until after the show when we go to bed Thanks, we had fun doing itʼs on. We are happy, en- it. ergetic and we are having fun. Thatʼs really how it is, MUEN: ITʼS SO COOL.

HOW WAS IT FILMED?

Again, thatʼs us saving money and cutting corners, with no big label behind us. Itʼs all done with still shots. We did quick action shots with a high end camera that can take those fast shots and still make them all clear. It was really cool once we saw it. This guy had an idea for a cool way to make a video. If you took that video and did it on video, it would be the most boring video youʼve ever seen, but given that effect it actually gives it a little more than what it is. It makes something out of nothing, really. MUEN: ITʼS REALLY COOL TO WATCH ACTUALLY.

We did this little stupid thing at home because we shot some of it in L.A. and all of the live shots we did in Michigan with friend of ours. We did this little thing, because itʼs still shots, where all of us were getting out of a box. It was almost like a clown car kind of thing where all four of us are getting out of a box that obviously all four of us could not fit in. With it being done with still shots you can stop it and the next person can get in and then once you animate it, it looks awesome. You put the Benny Hill music over it and it was great.

MUEN: IS THAT THE ONLY SINGLE OFF THE ALBUM? Yeah, technically, we are

having a few radio stations play “Take It.” Radio hasnʼt really been picking up the first single and we are not going to spend a bunch of money getting the second single out there. We are just going to tour and get the word out that way. We will use the internet the best we can. I made “Take It” a free download so you can get that song any way you want. We are not going to do a full service trying to get radio stations to play it. Radio is hurting as much as anyone else and they are not picking up songs like they used to. We are not going to waste the money doing a video. We might do a video using the live stuff, thatʼs why we hired a videographer, but as far as doing a full on this is our single, not really. The more we talked over the numbers it just didnʼt seem right to do a full on single release. If you guys want to play it feel free, I love that song.

MUEN: ARE YOU STILL INVOLVED IN A SIDE PROJECT CALLED THE TOQUES?

Yes and no. Itʼs me and a few friends of mine who get together and play. We happened to get on that music soundtrack through connections. Really, everyone has their own thing. The guitar player is actually out with the New Kids on the Block right now. He is a badass L.A. musician. Our drummer is a UCLA professor and is one of the smartest guys I know, so

we all have our different little things. Our other guitarist is a sound guy at the House of Blues. When the stars line up we get together and write some hit songs.

days it is a much more collective mix.

MUEN: THERE WASNʼT AS MUCH MUSIC BACK THEN AS THERE IS NOW. YOU LISTENED TO WHAT WAS ON THE MUEN: YOU GUYS SUP- RADIO AND NOW THERE ARE SO MANY PORT THE WORLD BANDS ON THE INTERWILDLIFE FUND OR WWF. CAN YOU TELL US NET. A LITTLE ABOUT THIS Oh yeah, and it is both ORGANIZATION? helpful and hurtful at the same time. It is hard to say I thought that was where it is going to end up. wrestling that we supItʼs almost like the music ported. industry has this A.D.D. thing going on. Itʼs hard to MUEN: (LAUGHING) I focus on any one thing. THOUGH IT WAS TOO WHEN I SAW WWF. THAT MUEN: THERE ARE SO IS FUNNY YOU SAID MANY DIFFERENT GENTHAT. RES NOW. IT USED TO I always have to make the BE PRETTY SIMPLE. wrestling joke. We are all Oh yeah, like metal itself very much into Earth, wildlife and animal friendly has like ten different genres. Itʼs like “What?” organizations. Anything that supports that kind of environment, we support. MUEN: IS BASS THE We have been trying to get ONLY INSTRUMENT YOU PLAY? this thing together where every Earth Day we do a video. The last two Earth I play a little acoustic guiDays things didnʼt work out tar and thatʼs about it. and we didnʼt get it done in time. Maybe this next one MUEN: DO YOU SING? it will work out. No, Iʼm not a singer and anyone whoʼs heard me MUEN: WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DID YOU LISTEN knows that. TO GROWING UP? MUEN: WHAT IS YOUR ALL TIME FAVORITE Metallica, Poison, Skid ALBUM? Row, Guns N Roses and Iron Maiden is what I grew That would be Red Hot up on. A little later it was Chili Peppers “Blood Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sugar Sex Magik.” Korn, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Everything that had MUEN: AND YOU LIKE IT to do with rock. These

BECAUSE……

I loved it even before I played bass, but now that I am a bass player, I think the bass playing is amazing. Flea just really came into his own on that album. He has always been great, but that is when he musically did some really cool things. That whole album has an amazing vibe to it. I actually wish that it didnʼt have the hit songs on it like “Under the Bridge” and “Give it Away” because those are the only songs I skip on it. I loved both of those songs when they came out, but now those songs have been so over played, I skip the hit singles. The whole album is fantastic.

guy seems to have some sort of urge to know how to fight. I have never been in a fight in my entire life, but I have been training for it for the past six years.

MUEN: WELL, IN CASE YOU NEED IT, YOU NEVER KNOW. DO YOU GUYS HAVE NICKNAMES FOR EACH OTHER?

MUEN: BESIDES MUSIC, Not really, the closest Iʼd WHAT ELSE ARE YOU say is we call our singer PASSIONATE ABOUT? Godzilla when he gets really drunk. My main number one thing besides music is Brazilian MUEN: (LAUGHING) Jiu Jitsu and fighting like OKAY WHY? mixed martial arts. Iʼm so into that, itʼs ridiculous. He starts destroying things. MUEN: WELL, THATʼS COOL, IT KEEPS YOU IN MUEN: THATʼS FUNNY. I SHAPE. LOVE YOUR BLOG THAT Yeah, itʼs fantastic. I made SAYS MYSPACE ISNʼT a bunch of the guys on the BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD TAPROOT. DID YOU road box with me. I beat them all up, it was fun. No WRITE THAT? one had ever boxed before so I bought mouth pieces I think Mike wrote that. and gloves. I didnʼt hurt anyone too bad. I chipped MUEN: IF PEOPLE WANT one guys tooth. Everyone MORE INFORMATION ON THE BAND OR WANT TO liked it and enjoyed it. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR Everyone wants to learn TOURING SCHEDULE how to fight whether itʼs boxing or Jiu Jitsu. Every THEY CAN CHECK OUT

TAPROOTMUSIC.COM OR YOUR MYSPACE PAGE AT MYSPACE.COM/TAPROOT.

MySpace is the one we update the most. We update taprootmusic.com, just not as much. MUEN: YOU ARE ALSO ON FACEBOOK AND I LIKE TOO.

try and say it is a thing of the past. MySpace is just fine, why are we changing?

MUEN: I AGREE, I LOVE MYSPACE AND I THINK ITʼS WONDERFUL.

I have been using my status update on MySpace as kind of like my Twitter. I have been putting lyrics on there that make sense to what is going on with me right now or just something I happen to like.

Yes, although Iʼm still learning Facebook. I have a hard time wrapping my MUEN: IʼD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE head around it for some AWESOME INTERVIEW. reason. IT WAS A PLEASURE TALKING WITH YOU. MUEN: I APPRECIATE SOMEONE ELSE SAYING THAT BECAUSE I CANʼT No problem, thank you for having me. EITHER. I HAVE TWO MYSPACE PAGES, THATʼS GOOD ENOUGH.

I have two MySpace pages too, come on! Twittering, itʼs like “Really? We have to do all that?”

MUEN: I KNOW, I HAVE A TWITTER, BUT I RARELY GO THERE.

The problem is now no oneʼs on MySpace, they

NYC's The Bowery Electric to host a run of John Patrick Shanley's Play Savage in Limbo June 12th-28th

Opening night performance by Ian Astbury with The Soft Revolt Artists Band Together to Bring Creativity Back to The Bowery patron of the arts, being moved most by the raw emotion portrayed by the actors in a live staged production and has become dedicated to helping up and coming performers. Set in a slightly seedy neighborhood bar in the Bronx, Savage in Limbo revolves around a group of regulars seeking relief

On June 12th, One of NYC's hottest nightspots, The Bowery Electric (327 Bowery @ 2nd Street, NYC) will host the Apollonia Players' production of SAVAGE IN LIMBO by John Patrick Shanley. Shanley is best known for his work Doubt, which was made into an Oscar-nominated film last year starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. On the opening night (June 12th), Ian Astbury will also be hit-

ting the stage with his new project The Soft Revolt who also performed at the benefit party on April 9th at The Bowery Electric to raise money to help support the production. Astbury, who is best known as the singer for The Cult is a resident of New York City for the past two years. In his time there, has become a

from the disappointments and tedium of the outside world. “Savage in Limbo is the product of New York in its savage, untamed state,” says Astbury. “In the spirit of the play, we have turned to the original hunting grounds of that animal, The Bowery. Cultural revolt in this time of creative impotence!”

Page 29

PILGRIMZ

Actually weʼve been nominated 2 times for "Best Live Act" in Danish Metal By G. Cataline Awards (2005 and 2008). I must say the best show I HEAR YOU ARE CON- ever for us is when we SIDERED ONE OF THE performed on Roskilde BEST LIVE ACTS COM- Festival, but the best tour ING FROM DENMARK, up to date is the (UK) tour AND WERE NOMINATED with Gojira. "BoarRiders" FOR "BEST LIVE METAL (The first album) is expectACT" FOR THE DANISH ing to be released in U.S. , METAL AWARDS 2006... hopefully this autumn with WHERE HAS BEEN a tour in the U.S. following SOME OF YOUR BEST the release . SHOWS TO DATE, AND DO YOU THINK YOU'LL WHERE HAVE YOU PEREVER PERFORM IN THE FORMED OUTSIDE OF U.S.? DENMARK ALREADY?

All scandinavia, Germany, WHO ELSE CAN YOU NAME AS SOME OF Netherlands and in the YOUR INFLUENCES? UK.

MAX, YOU HAVE A REAL DISTINCT VOCAL... SOME HAVE EVEN COMPARED YOU AND THE BAND TO A "MORE METAL SOUNDING" 'THE HIVES' ... WERE THEY AN INFLUENCE FOR YOU AND THE BAND?

We all have very different backgrounds in music genre and we're all listening to totally different bands, but inspiration for the band is coming from each musician in our band and not specifically from some selected band. We're just playing what our own ears tell us to rock.

Well I'm inspired by many MAX, WHEN DID YOU artists in many different genre...but yeah, the Hives FIRST START SINGING... AND WHO WRITES THE rocks!

LYRICS FOR THE BAND?

10 years ago, and I write the lyrics...

ernment mentella music. And he has an absolute unique talent within music. I, Nal play the drums and you might say I say things as they are ! I've played in many different bands and in many different genres. Both as a guitarist, drummer and singer.

WHO ARE THE OTHER MUSICIANS IN THE BAND, AND CAN YOU BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT THEIR PERSONALITIES AND MUSICAL SO ABOUT THIS GREAT PAST? SOUND YOU ARE GETTING IN THE STUDIO... Herman who plays the WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED bass, has previously IN THE RECORDING played as a bassist in a PROCESS, AND WHERE blues band and plays DID YOU RECORD YOUR alongside Pilgrimz as a LATEST ALBUM? drummer in a folkrock band. He is the band's We have recorded "Boarmore conservative image, Riders" at HansenStudiet and is also the quiet and used Jacob Hansen to shadow of us all, with an record the album, and extremely large music tal- mixed by Tue Madsen at ent. Aage who plays the Antfarm studio... sixstring has a great love for the old deathmetal WHAT TYPE OF GEAR bands. Equally in hardcore DO YOU USE, GUITARS and the Swedish under/DRUMS, ETC...? ground rockscene. He has virtually always played gui- Tama, Zildjian, promarktar, but has previously stickʼs, ESP guitars, Muplayed bass in the band sicman, Peavy amp- 5150, before it became Pilgrimz. ampeg bass amp. He is clearly having the most control over the prac- WHAT ARE YOUR PAST tical stuff and is also draw- ALBUMS, AND HOW ing us back into the collar WOULD YOU SAY THEY when the accounts must DIFFER FROM THE NEW be made up. Max is the 'BOAR RIDERS' ? band's absolute French clown and singer . When There has obviously been you assign him a slama development from earlier ming for having done a lit- demo recordings, which tle too much celebration, were very newmetal inhe often clowns himself spired. And "BoarRiders" is out of the troubles. Max more rock-metal. also has great background in music and listen to WHAT IS THE SONG everything from Chinese "JIMMY'S CASTLE" deathjazz to Russian gov- ABOUT?

It's about a gangster who owes a lot of money away to some unfortunate types. He becomes a cropper and it is really such a western story that involves a liquidation.

WHAT OTHER SONGS OFF THE ALBUM ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AND WHY?

I must say that we are proud of the album in full, as we see a line throughout all the songs on the album.

HOW MUCH RADIO PLAY HAVE YOU RECEIVED ALREADY IN DENMARK? AND HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER INTEREST OUTSIDE OF DENMARK?

We have been played on the radio and on the internet radio around the world, but how many plays there has been on the radio; I have no idea.

TELL US ABOUT THE GREAT GIGS YOU HAVE COMING UP IN JUNE, WHERE YOU WILL BE SHARING THE STAGE WITH MARILYN MANSON, DISTURBED, THE KILLERS, MOTORHEAD, AND MORE!

That's gonna be a BIG time for us ,as a band like us, in between such big legends within the music business. It is clearly a big advantage for us to play at such large festivals with such great artists, because

we really have the opportunity to be seen and heard. So we are very happy and pleased. And we are really looking forward to kicking some ass on the stage!

THIS NEW 'BOAR RIDERS' IS ONE ALBUM I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE, WHERE CAN SOMEONE BUY THE CD?

You can buy the album all over europe and online... check www.myspace.com/pilgrimz

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON.. AND/OR WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR?

We are working on getting some tours. hopefully we'll tour europe and usa later this year but first there is the summer festivals. At the same time we're working on our second album .. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?

Sex, beers and rock'n'roll and we hopefully see you at a festival soon.

Page 31

R E X I F FIXER

(Riker Hill Records)

IT FEEL GOOD TO BE HOME?

Evan R. Saffer: It was a Evan R. Saffer bit shocking coming off the road like this after so (Vocals) many months of touring. We were basically living Rev Swank (Drums), on the road for a year Tommy Zamp (Guitar), and half. What happens Adam James (Bass) is you go through a change in your mind, in New York City your life and it's a bit Myspace.com/fixermusic scary. I think we're over that now and have emBy: Shauna OʼDonnell braced the idea of writing, reinventing and MUEN: YOU GUYS ARE recording our next effort. ACTUALLY ON A It's a really crucial part of BREAK RIGHT NOW being an artist and not FROM TOURING. DOES just a performer. You

have to be able to dig deep and figure out who you are again. What do I want to say, what do I feel, where is the band at, where's the energy and inspiration at this time? Does it "feel good" to be home? Well, I guess the initial reaction is you feel like something is wrong or not happening fast enough, but now I'm in a new place and it's making me stronger. The most difficult thing for an artist to do is make something from nothing. It's easy to feel like a rockstar touring all the time and getting that im-

mediate feedback.

“Now we have to dig deep and really be confident, positive, curious and open to change.”

We've already got at least 8 new songs which are killer and everytime we play together I get pumped up to keep going down that road. Our first recording sessions are booked for mid June and I think we're going to be patient with this one. MUEN: ARE THERE PLANS TO HIT THE ROAD AGAIN ANYTIME

SOON?

8 years Fixer put out 4 different EP's, did a video and several demo's before we just said: "F@ck it, we need to take this to the next level ourselves." I think a lot of young bands half heartedly put their work before their dreams and put out music hoping the right manager, label, or agent will come along and discover them. My advice (which we're taking more than ever), is to really

Evan R. Saffer: We are doing some one-off shows regionally to test some new material, show our faces and just get the lead out. We are getting offers now and then to go out on bigger tours, but the problem is you have to focus. In my mind, unless it's a huge opportunity, we really need to focus on this next album and I don't want to be distracted with another round of touring. “hone your craft, put the hours and years into your Rev: We're in a writing team and yourself to be groove, and we're due for the artist you are so conthe next record anyway... fidently selling to the especially since we have world.” two new members since ʻBefore the Sun.ʼ I think That's the kind of music I we've arrived at what will want to make and to lisultimately be known as ten to. Not a bunch of "the classic Fixer lineup," kids who think they have so let's get the party talent and rush to get started! that effort out on the road. The road taught us MUEN: I WOULD LIKE a lot, but it's only a piece TO SAY CONGRATULA- of the puzzle, it doesn't TIONS ON THE SUC"make you". In the end CESS YOU HAVE HAD you make yourself by deON THAT FIRST FULL voting your life to your LENGTH ALBUM ʻBE- craft which should be FORE THE SUN.ʼ HAV- equal parts creating it ING WAITED EIGHT and performing it. I think YEARS SINCE THE that is why in my heart I CONCEPTION OF THE never auditioned for BAND TO PUT OUT A American Idol. It feels FULL LENGTH, DO like those are glorified YOU THINK IT WAS performers. I want to be WORTH THE WAIT? more than that, I want to be the artist behind that Evan R. Saffer: We amazing performance as played the "demo game" well. for a long time. In those

MUEN: THE COVER FOR ʻBEFORE THE SUNʼ IS HAUNTING. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR IT AND WHOSE IDEA WAS IT?

Evan R. Saffer: Our original cover was brilliant, it was done by an artist named Jennifer Murray who helped us bring to life our decadent concept. The idea was to create something full of energy but also dark. It had naked people dancing and covorting around a fire, they were half human and half nocturnal animals of some kind. The demon head logo we have was formed in the smoke coming out of the fire. The record label thought it was too "evil" for our music so a new graphic artist was brought in to do something more in line with their vision. Those are some of the compromises you need to deal with when signing to a label. We all thought the ghost boy design was also clever. It had a haunting and creepy vibe, my only problem was that it lacked the "motion or energy" that I find in our music. It's all a work in progress and I am looking forward to expressing something excellent on future album covers.

us and we dug the creepy vibe of the house and the kid... who you'll notice if you look close only has three long fingers. So we ran with it.

MUEN: YOUR SONG “MIXING IN WITH MY BLOOD” IS FEATURED ON MTVʼS ʻTHE HILLS.ʼ WITH THAT BEING ONE OF MTVʼS HIGHEST RATED SHOWS, WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT DID THAT MAKE FOR THE BAND?

Evan R. Saffer: It gave us a great jolt of attention when it aired, our myspace plays spiked tremendously and a lot of people heard it. However, like anything else it was a moment and it passed.

“The career and life of a rock artist is one that is filled with those moments, but is also just a perpetual journey of continuing forward.”

MUEN: I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT SONGS ON THIS ALBUM, BUT THE ONE THAT STICKS WITH ME THE MOST IS “TELL NO ONE.” WHAT IS THE SONG ABOUT?

Evan R. Saffer: “Tell No One” is about keeping secrets, but not ones that Rev: It was presented to will hurt other people. It's

about trying to change who you are, becoming someone else, putting things behind you and living your life as you dream it to be. It's about the duality of being part beauty and part the beast. Lyrically a lot of that song came to me at a difficult time in my life when I was just burning to step out of my job, a relationship, even my hair style and leave those things behind and be someone else. A lot of people dream about radical changes but very few have the courage to execute it and really live. I feel like I'm actually going through that all over again right now with the drama of coming off the road, getting to know the minds, tendencies and creative process again with new band members and pouring that into all the new music. MUEN: TELL ME ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE VIDEO FOR IT AND WHERE CAN IT BE VIEWED?

what the song was about. A young girl with a conflict, a dark secret and the choice to either accept things and keep pretending, or to leave it behind. We shot tons of footage in a short amount of time, had many favors, locations, makeup, models, actors, and tons of endless services at our fingertips because of the amazing devotion of our fans, friends, family and belief in Fixer. In the beginning it's very hard to compete with a top quality product when you don't have a serious budget to work with. In the end it came together, the editing was also very difficult because parts have to flow together and make sense. I think we could have done better with that, the full concept wasn't completely as I envisioned it. Several scenes we shot never even made the final cut. In the end it's a great quality video for that time in Fixer's history and a good experience. You get wiser and better as you go along. You can see it and all things Fixer on our website. www.myspace.com/fixermusic and www.fixermusic.com and www.youtube.com/fixermusic.

Evan R. Saffer: I produced the video with Eclipp Inc. They are good guys who are very passionate about video, lighting, and taking the project from A to Z. We tried to create a story behind the song, sort of a MUEN: WHAT IS THE short film to illustrate WRITING PROCESS

LIKE FOR YOUR BAND?

Evan R. Saffer: It is something that we're all still trying to define. The band is still very young despite our 9 years of being Fixer; Rev and I are the only two original members. Tommy Zamp (lead guitar) came on board 2 years ago and Adam James (bass) came on board about 4 months ago. This will be the first record written and recorded by this lineup so it's exciting and yet another challenge to figure out how things will work. I find with any art that it's not a science, there is no one way to do it, and no matter who writes the original concept or idea, it really is the whole band making it into the musical masterpiece that you hear. We are open and honest with each other, we give and take criticism, and that's what makes any band better, because it's a combined effort. The art of writing a song, then visualizing it sonically in all it's wonder to the final release is an incredible challenge. I really make an effort to listen to a lot of new music, and to also write with multiple people that I can respect and learn from. Writing songs: the lyrics, the guitar riffs, the beat and the vibe are still an unbeliev-

able concept, thrill and passion of mine after all these years. I'm looking forward to our upcoming records.

MUEN: WHAT IS THE CRAZIEST THING YOU HAVE DONE WHILE ON TOUR?

Evan R. Saffer: I have survived and still love Rev Swank, Tommy Zamp and Adam James. You can't describe it, so I suggest you just become a part of it by coming to the shows and seeing us on tour. It's like a new food, if I gave you a description, you'd still have no idea what I'm talking about. All I can say is that it's a brainsick, gaga, infatuated, unrestrained, emotional, wild child, rollercoaster of blood, sweat, tears and love. Adam had a dog eat peanut butter off his balls. Rev coached the dog and filmed it. Check it out on www.youtube.com/fixermusic

Tommy: Taken a rugby shot which is.... snort a line of salt, take a shot of tequila, then shove a lemon in my open eye

MUEN: I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOU PLAY LIVE YET. DESCRIBE FOR ME IF YOU WILL WHAT I AM

MISSING.

UTE WOULD YOU SAY YOU ARE FAMOUS Evan: Drama, a full on FOR? WHAT MAKES trip and a show that you'll YOU STAND OUT never forget. FROM THE REST OF THE BANDS IN YOUR Adam: Have you ever GENRE? seen aerial footage of one of those soccer riots Evan R. Saffer: Our dyin some South American namics in the music and country? It's like that, but in the show. There are a with instruments. lot of bands out there with talent. We had talMUEN: IN YOUR EXPE- ent our first year. Now I RIENCE, WHAT IS THE think we're learning to BEST ADVICE YOU use that to make someCAN GIVE TO STRUG- thing that sets the bar. GLING BANDS OUT We win over any crowd: THERE ON THE ROAD metal, rock, punk, girls, FOR THE FIRST TIME? guys, old, young, straight, gay, man, Evan R. Saffer: Make woman, beast, princes sure you're ready for the and paupers. hehe. I road, everyone stay posi- think we have a lot to say tive and put in those end- with a silly disposition on less, countless hours life. That's refreshing to with joy rather than impa- me. I'm a little tired of tience. If you're not play- the same old tough and ing together almost every take attitude, aren't you? day at home first and getting along, you're not Adam: I'd say we're ready for the road. probably most famous for our sweet Barbershop Adam: Have an extra Quartet style harmonies. everything. Because That and our love of the everything inevitably gets elderly. broken, lost, or stolen. Like Rev's virginity on the MUEN: AT WHAT POINT last tour. IN YOUR LIFE DID YOU REALIZE THAT YOU Rev: Stay with fans inWANTED TO BE A stead of hotels... it's ROCK STAR? more fun and you meet lots of cool people and Evan R. Saffer: When I form lasting friendships. was 2 years old and sat And of course you save on my dad's lap while he money. rocked out on piano, when I sang my first solo MUEN: WHAT ATTRIB- in 4th grade and every-

one looked at me differently from then on, when I kept winning every musical award throughout highschool, when I exceeded time and time again and kept getting better, when fixer slayed a crowd of 3000 opening for Godsmack when every other band got boo'd, when we overcome and surpass every obstacle and kick to the balls, when I refuse to get down, refuse to take no for an answer, refuse to need anyone's approval because I know we're great, when I read this interview question and asked myself...."do I still want to be?" F@ck yea.

DREAM?

Evan R. Saffer: Not always. I think that's a good thing though. You have to earn respect and show them and yourself that you are the best. I would say as a young person and a teenager they always saw an interest and a talent there, but I really got the respect and support I was looking for once I completely devoted my life to my craft and started churning out music that reflects that commitment. I think that's a secret motto of my family "do whatever you want, just be the best." Despite making other suggestions and making sure I was sure, my mom did “No one can deny that always let me take piano the "star" part of that lessons, bought me a label comes with fame piano, attended every and selling millions of performance, drove me records over a career. However, the rest of it is to every audition and ena lifetime of toil and and couraged anything I was insanity that you twirl be- interested in. That's for sure. tween your fingers and don't ever say die.” Tommy: Always! MUEN: WHAT DRIVES YOU TO CREATE THE Adam: Totally. My mom MUSIC THAT YOU DO? has been to more of my shows than anyone else in my life. She's my Evan R. Saffer: Pasbiggest fan. sion, compassion, energy, love, the questions and being the perpetual MUEN: BESIDES MUSIC, WHAT ELSE student of life. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN? MUEN: HAS YOUR FAMILY ALWAYS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR Evan R. Saffer: I love

cooking actually. I think it's another creative outlet and each dish can be a masterpiece or a disaster. Last night I made chicken and shrimp soft taco's with sauteed swiss chard, red onion, garlic, shitake mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro. I jazzed it up with some hot spices and had some salsa on the size to drizzle over the top. It was amazing.

getting his motorcycle license, I'm a former Junior Olympian ski racer, and Adam LOVES boozing.

MUEN: HAVE YOU BEGUN TO WRITE FOR YOUR NEXT ALBUM YET?

MUEN: I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU EVAN, Evan R. Saffer: I'm writ- AND THE BAND, FOR ing every day especially THE INTERVIEW!! since we're off the road. We get together several Evan R. Saffer: Thank you Shauna, I'm happy times a week and jam you chose to interview out the new ideas. It's us. I've read MUEN a coming together as it should, with Adam killing bunch of times and there are always good stories himself. and cool bands in there. MUEN: IS THERE ANY- Now you've got some FIXER! ROKK! We'll be THING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? sure to send you an advanced copy of our upEvan R. Saffer: No, this coming album! dish is already overflowing, just serve it up. heh. sleeve.

Adam: Oh man yeah. The new stuff is great. I've had this one song we're working on stuck in my head for two days straight. No joke. It won't Rev: We all have outside stop. I'm going to kill myinterests... among other self. things, Evan's a food and Tommy: We've got a lit- Adam: Tommy's a wine enthusiast (and a douche. tle something up our great chef), Tommy is

The Romantic & The Bombastic

Have you heard of The Romantic & The Bombastic? This band from Portland Oregon are something to look into, if you appreciate cool melodies mixed with interesting lyrics sung by someone who actually has a reason to be at the mic, backed by competent and talented musicians. Hmm, I think that covers it. I really enjoyed the vid they made, which was done at a ski shop?? Itʼs called ʻThe Penny Jam Gets Romantic & Bombastic.ʼ There needs to be more info out there on this band. They seem a little reserved when it comes to pimping themselves. But if you are into discovering cool indie/alternative bands, then get familiar with this one! I donʼt think I will ever get tired of their music, although typing their name can get a bit tiresome. ~Warren Meyers

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MY OWN SIN By Brittany Todd

MUEN: YOU ALL SEEM LIKE A PRETTY TIGHTKNIT BAND. HOW DID YOU ALL MEET?

It's a very long story so we won't bore you with the details. However, I do think we may have broken a record with drummers. We have nailed a 14 drummer switch up in the past 7 years. The 3 original members of the band however, are Phillip

(Guitarist), Joe (Bassist) and myself Danie (Vocals). The two "juniors" of the band have been in the band for a couple years, Liz (Keys) and Nate (drums). They have definitely completed this rotten little puzzle. Nate is hopefully a keeper!

sues that they face everyday. The inspirational band list however, is extremely long. To name some: Tool, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Static-x, Skinny Puppy, American HeadCharge, NIN, KMFDM, Ministry, Korn, Manson ... these are some of the top on the MUEN: OUT OF THE 20 list. YEARS I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO METAL, I MUEN: THE LYRICS TO HAVE NOT HEARD YOUR SONGS ARE ANYTHING LIKE YOUR ALSO A UNIQUE FEAMUSIC. IT'S SO ORIGI- TURE YOU BRING TO NAL. WHAT HAS INFLU- THE BAND, SO WHERE ENCED YOUR SOUND? DID THE LYRICS COME FROM? WHO IS THE We all come from differ- GENIUS BEHIND THE ent backgrounds. The PEN AND PAPER? one thing that inspires all of us is our surroundings We all write our own parts and our fans' lives and is- to the music. So I guess

that leaves me being the freak behind the lyric sheets. All of my words have deep meaning even if some of it may come across as moderate. “Naturally most songwriters have gone through some pretty hard times, and yes I have, and I still do.”

So yes, most of it is about what I've been through. However, some of it is about what I've witnessed other random idiots do. The words are to give strength to the weak who are always taken advantage of with a major dark twist. From what I've seen and felt, the stronger side of people

lingers in the dark. This is goooood..... where I find myself everytime I write. MUEN: I NOTICED YOU JUST OPENED FOR MUEN: WHAT IS YOUR DISTURBED LAST FAVORITE SONG TO MONTH. IT MUST HAVE PERFORM AND WHY? BEEN NERVE-WRACKING PLAYING WITH We all have our favorites. ONE OF THE MOST So I guess you could say POPULAR NU-METAL all of them for the sake of BANDS IN HISTORY! argument. WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

MUEN: AS A NEW AND UPCOMING BAND, WHAT HAS BEEN SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES SO FAR?

Getting the word out about us and finding the right path to do so. We believe we have found that path and we're going to take it. Big things are coming up this Fall for us. It's a secret though, of course if I told you, I'd have to kill you.

MUEN: I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS WITH YOU GUYS ON MYSPACE FOR A LITTLE OVER 3 MONTHS, AND I HAVE SEEN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER GO FROM A LITTLE OVER 800 SONG PLAYS TO NOW OVER 25,000 PLAYS... HOW DOES IT FEEL KNOWING YOUR SONGS HAVE BECOME SO POPULAR IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME?

Really?! It has? Wow.... that's awesome. I guess it's a good thing. Feels

our first album release. All of the info will be posted on our new website that will be up within a few weeks along with Myspace and Vampirefreaks.com. We do however, need fans to request us on demandit.com so we know where they want us to play. We'd prefer to play for our fans, not We were one of many someone else's. Our fans openers for the show. It have been there for us was an honor to play with this whole time... obvithem along with Bury ously the least we could Your Dead, Spineshank, do is come say hi. Lacuna Coil, and more. Disturbed was just the MUEN: SINCE YOU icing on the cake. It was- HAVE ALREADY PERn't nerve racking howFORMED WITH DISever, We play better and TURBED, WHAT become less nervous in WOULD BE THE TOP 3 front of larger crowds. BANDS YOU GUYS The more the fans move WOULD WANT TO PERand freak out, the more FORM WITH NEXT? we do as well. It's that energy that takes over that Let's make it 4: Korn, makes an awesome Tool, Slipknot and Mudshow. vayne. All of these bands are heavy and have that MUEN: I'VE ALSO BE- same groove we like oh COME AWARE THAT so much! YOU GUYS ARE PLANNING ON TOURING MUEN: NOW FOR A AROUND THE EAST RANDOM QUESTION: I COAST. WHAT BANDS WANT TO KNOW IF ARE YOU TRAVELLING ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY WITH AND ARE YOU HOBBIES THAT SOMEGUYS PLANNING TO ONE MAY THINK IS TOUR ACROSS THE COMPLETELY OFF THE COUNTRY? WALL, CRAZY OR STRANGE. Unfortunately, we do not have confirmed info on I don't see any of our the East Coast Tour. Yes, hobbies being off the we are indeed doing it, wall. I mean I know we're but we do not have dates down from the South and or line ups as of yet. It will that there's some pretty be this Fall to promote f**ked up rumors about

what goes on here, but, yeh... no... nothing strange. Phillip, Nate and Joe dig the video games, Liz brings pain to everyone through piercings and I am a work-out-holic. We're pretty domesticated. Sorry that wasn't more interesting. Although we do enjoy the occasional drink till you puke, pass out in the pool with all of your clothes on till someone sees you singing and talking to yourself and makes the effort of getting you out before you drown type deal. And no, this wasn't me. I prefer to jump in the pool with my clothes off. MUEN: IF PEOPLE WANT TO BUY YOUR MUSIC, WHERE CAN THEY GO TO GET IT?

Our EP "Identity" is currently available on Rhapsody, iTunes andCDBaby.com. Our upcoming album is set to be available in Best Buy and Hot Topic along with other merchandise in Hot Topic. Check us out on myspace.com/myownsin and very soon on our new website www.myownsinmusic.com.

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Finishing up shows with THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE, I AM GHOST remain on the road throughout June and July in the west.

Conceived by former animator/artist Steve Juliano, I Am Ghost was formed in the fall of 2004 in an attempt to create a style of music that not only rocked but also explored the beauty within darkness. After finding fellow musicians who shared his vision, Juliano and crew recorded an EP, We Are Always Searching, which quickly helped the band amass a strong following throughout southern California. In 2005, I Am Ghost signed to Epitaph Records, who released their debut full-length, Lovers' Requiem, the following year. In 2007 the band went through a lineup change and refocused their direction with Juliano (vocals) leading the way and Timoteo Rosales III (guitar), Ron Ficarro (bass) and Justin McCarthy (drums) filling out the sinister backup. I Am Ghost is now releasing their second full length album, ʻThose We Leave Behind.ʼ

Page 43

I A M X It's not often that a band infiltrates the essence of your being, where you live and breathe their music and their words. But for many, the Berlin-based IAMX has created a diehard cult who wait for their every move with bated breath. With their third album, IAMX has created another masterpiece in the Kingdom of Welcome Addiction (release date: May 19, 2009 on Metropolis Records) in which the glam noir stylings of IAMX get an organic and much more intimate makeover. "I always imagined IAMX as a broad project," explains the uber-creative and intensely intelligent band leader Chris Corner. "I feel completely free to experiment in every aspect with humour, with sincerity, with sex, with anger, with fragility. I am a very private person but I felt, with a more organic approach, I could begin to explore and expose another angle. IAMX does have two sides: the rabid animal and the bleeding heart. I am trying to show a warmer, more concerned side with this album." Kingdom of Welcome Addiction is a foray into the sensitive side of IAMX. While earlier IAMX material was swathed in rhythmic dance beats and hard electropop, his vulnerability remained shielded from this form of armor and rarely emerged except for glimpses from his recent live television performances in late 2008 on Fearless, Vlaze, ManiaTV, etc. The naked and raw emotions are embracingly welcomed

on this album and coddled with care, from the vulnerable shuffle of "Tear Garden" to the regal march of "Kingdom of Welcome Addiction" to the late-night primal dancefloor rhythms of "Nature of Inviting". His exposure of his tender underbelly however couldn't be more apparent (and beautifully presented) than in the ethereal ballad "I Am Terrified," that's filled to the brim with emotion, passion and pain. The slinky "My Secret Friend," featuring a duet with the Grammy-nominated Imogen Heap, further pushes the boundaries for IAMX's music, as this is the very first duet Chris has ever done. "I would never subject anyone to the full attack of my hypersensitivity but, yes, I felt it was time to bring out sincerity," he says of the songs. "I have long been avoiding simple statements personally and creatively. Life is simple. Everybody is vulnerable and I feel comfortable with that now. In fact, it has added risk and depth for me, standing by such exposing and, on the face of it, banal words."

Originally breaking through the mainstream as one of the founding members of Sneaker Pimps, Chris Corner has been building his empire from within the broken walls of Berlin in the past few years. Frustrated from the industry forays of his former band, he built IAMX in his own vision without any input from outside sources. What he's created is a timeless catalog of dark and primal dance/rock music that is perfectly at home in a dark and swanky club as it is in a huge and expansive music hall, which has been put to the test with his multiple sold-out tours through the U.S. in the last two years.

Ever the philosophical and incredible thinker, Chris explains the origin of the album's title, Kingdom of Welcome Addiction as thus: "IAMX is my subversive little kingdom. I feel a bit like a mutant Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator. It is here, and in the environment it has created, that I feel at home. Almighty, dynamic, omnipotent. I imagine everyone has such a place , a dream , or a persona . The drug of all drugs. The power of reason, passion, change and independence. Addiction in the positive." Tour dates are as follow: June 2 TT the Bear's Place Cambridge, MA June 4 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY June 6 Subterranean Chicago, IL June 9 Slim's San Francisco, CA June 12 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles, CA

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UNSUNG UNSUNG ZERO ZERO

After their start in late 2007, Unsung Zero has been assimilating rock fanatics left and right. From their headquarters in Birmingham, AL, they have been playing some of the best shows Alabama has to offer a local band. They have played with such nationally touring acts as Aqua Teen Hunger Force's very own MC Chris (Lil' Brittle, Sir Loin...), twice with Hell Within (Lifeforce Records), and Forever in Terror (Metal Blade Records). Unsung Zero averages 150+ plays per day and 500+ new friends on MySpace per day.

Unsung Zero has been making plans to set out on a tour of the southeastern United States in late 2009 to early 2010 to ring in their debut album, Remember Tonight. This album unites Aaron Weatherford's (Lead Vocals, Guitar)

beautifully dynamic vocal work with the roadseasoned rhythms of Eddie Johnson (Drummer, Pearl Endorsee), Buddy Pack (Lead Guitar), and Ray Cole (Bass, Vocals) to evoke the new sound of rock for a new generation of fans. With songs like "Save Me" and "Dying Moon" it's easy to see this band dominating radio airwaves far and wide. With influences ranging from Nickelback and Three Days Grace to bands like Bullet for my Valentine and Atreyu, Unsung Zero is an essential addition to any music lover's library.

Myspace.com/uszero

Myspace.com/digitalrevolutionrecords

GODHEAD Interview with Jason Miller By: Morbid Miller

Godhead is a band that has been controlling the underground sounds by blending industrial with hard rock music for over 15 years. They were the only band signed to Marilyn Manson’s Posthuman records releasing their ground breaking album 2000 years of Human Error. Since their formation Godhead has made themselves a house hold name by touring extensively and consistently putting out solid records. Godhead has re-

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leased 9 studio albums to date and Jason Miller of God Head is currently working on his acoustic solo project as well as keeping busy with his many acting and voice over jobs.

MUEN: Tell me how godhead formed as a band?

Jason Miller: It was kind of like one band formed out of another. The band was originally called Blind. We toured quite a bit regionally and nationally. When got signed it turned out that another band had been going by the same name Blind already. So I changed it to the name that I originally wanted to call the band, which was Godhead. Since 1994 we have gone under the name Godhead. We had some lineup

changes in the early formations of the band. Right off the bat we started touring the States and Europe. In 1999 is when Marilyn Mansonʼs manager saw Godhead play in Hollywood, California and we signed to Mansonʼs Posthuman label in 2000. MUEN: Did you guys become good friends with Manson?

Jason Miller: Yea, I would say so. There for a couple of years when we were working together. He always kind of kept his distance though. MUEN: You guys were the only band on his Posthuman label right?

Jason Miller: Yea, it went well for the short amount of time that it was running.

Back then when a big artist like Manson wants to start a label they would get another label to fund the whole thing. So they got Priority Records to fund it. When EMI who already owned Priority Records merged with Capital Records we were dropped. Capital was mainly focused on their hip-hop catalog. Capital wasnʼt really concerned with the rock side of things. Ozzy had a label and Manson had a label and when that happened they kind of went away. It was all kind of a sad deal.

album called Evolver, which I thought was an amazing album. You worked with some of the guys from Static-x on that album right? Jason Miller: A little bit yea, Wayne is a friend and I wanted to have some guest vocals. So he did guest vocals on the song Give Away for that album. It was really cool to have him.

MUEN: At any point in this time are you able to make a descent living with your music? Was Godhead your full time job?

MUEN: Were you guys fans of Mansonʼs music before you signed with Jason Miller: Yea abhis Posthuman Label? solutely, when we signed with Manson it became Jason Miller: Yea, we our job. Now things have were stoked man. We changed a little bit. Unforwere fans, but we werenʼt tunately since the Mancopiers or anything. We son deal, we have been appreciated what he was on three different labels. doing musically. That kind of hurts or career for sure. Now we all MUEN: Did you guys kind of do other things to take off after you supplement our income recorded 2000 years of besides Godhead. I run a Human error album? recording studio and I do some acting. Iʼm also Jason Miller: Yea abworking on a solo record solutely, people knew thatʼs completely different about us before. Thatʼs from Godhead. This is how we caught Mansonʼs something that I have alinterest, but it defiantly ways wanted to do in the took the band to a new back of my mind. level. MUEN: Are you looking MUEN: After your for a label for your solo Posthuman Records project? deal ends you guys record your follow up Jason Miller: Yea, I pretty

much already have a home for it but I donʼt want to announce it yet.

MUEN: You just released a new Godhead album At the Edge of the World howʼs that going for you?

Jason Miller: Well as far as creativity goes it went very well. We put it together and found a home for it. Right now the touring possibilities arenʼt looking to good for it. The economy isnʼt too good right now; we donʼt want to go out and lose a bunch of money. We are just waiting for the right touring opportunities to start promoting the album. A lot of people like our new album At the Edge of the World. We have been doing some videos for it as well. We have another video coming out for the song called “The Decline”. We did a video for the song “Hero” and we are going to do a video for “The origin of Suffering”. Thatʼs all in the works, but as far as touring goes, we really canʼt go out right now. Itʼs been kind of frustrating; we blame the label that we are on now. They have been having some financial difficulties and none of the artists on the label are touring. We are basically waiting for money from their distributor. Everything is just kind of on a holding pad, itʼs

certainly disappointing but we are going with some difficult times right now as a country.

MUEN: Are you guys playing any local shows while you are waiting to go on tour? Jason Miller: Yea, we plan on doing some more of that. We donʼt want to over play the L.A. area. We did a press release party when the album came out in Hollywood. We will be doing some weekend runs and stuff like that in the future. MUEN: Do you guys have a solid fan base in L.A.? Jason Miller: We always seem to do well here. I think thatʼs another reason why we donʼt over play the area. If we played every week fans would be like “well I will skip this show and I will see them next week” we donʼt want to fall into that type of thing.

MUEN: So with your album called Shadow Line the press was saying that it was your attempt to go main stream. One even compared your album to the likes of Staind. Does any of that hold some truth?

Jason Miller: I hated that, I thought that was funny.

I donʼt think we sound anything like Staind at all. We tried to branch out a little bit on a couple of songs on that album. We know that people donʼt want to hear the same thing over and over again. We actually just got the rights back from that album, so we are going to remix the album this summer and have it available on iTunes or rhapsody. The remixes are incredible!

over to the set and this car drives by and this girl leans out the window and says “Oh look its Jason from Godhead” and then the very next car some dude drives by “Says hey look its Stone Cold Steve Austin” (Laughs) so I couldnʼt even rebel with the fact that I got recognized before someone else just shot me down. Thatʼs life right!

Jason Miller: Yea, I get that sometimes, you know the other day that happened. It was funny; I was on Hollywood boulevard where all the people dress up like super heroes. My friends band was playing the Jimmy Kimmel show and I was a guest. So I was walking

Jason Miller: I write all the lyrics and we run a three way split most of the time with the music. On this latest record At the Edge of the World we did a split all the way. What happens is that I might right a song all by myself or the other guys might right a song and we

MUEN: What does the name Godhead mean? I MUEN: How would you know that Manson is describe Godhead to very out spoken relisomeone who has gion do you share some never heard your band of the same views? before? Jason Miller: I we think Jason Miller: I usually that we share some of the say that itʼs industrial same views. People say rock, some what in the all these things about vain of Nine Inch Nails. If how religions have deI said that to the general stroyed society and whatmusic fan that they would ever which I agree with get a good idea of what that to some extent. we sound like. If you get Godhead really means into too much detail its the highest embodiment like their brain freezes. next to God. For us thatʼs what music is to us, itʼs MUEN: Do people ever our Godhead. come up to you and be like “Oh man your that MUEN: Do you right all guy from Godhead”? the lyrics?

just kind of put it together. I have always felt that the person signing should be the person writing the lyrics.

messages that you try to convey to your listeners through your lyrics?

Jason Miller: Itʼs weird MUEN: What made you because with my solo guys want to release an album Iʼm trying to tell unplugged album? more personal stories but with Godhead I try to Jason Miller: We have leave it some what ambeen doing that type of biguous. I want people to thing for years. Itʼs kind try to figure it out for of the philosophy around themselves. I want it to my solo album. It was become their song as originally going to be all well. acoustic. I have incorporated some more players MUEN: You have reand its kind of evolved leased 9 albums with into this roots rock band. Godhead, do you have The solo project is what an idea of how many they call Americana. I records you have sold? like to think of it as alt-organic and Godhead is Jason Miller: Yea, we more rock. have sold about 200,000 records. MUEN: How has Godhead fans reacted to MUEN: I noticed that your solo project? Do you have done a lot of they think that you are voice overʼs for video going soft? games, cartoon network, and have also Jason Miller: Most peo- acted in some films ple really appreciate it. (checkout his resume One or two haters might at www.jasonmiller.net) write something negative how did you get into about it on Blabbermouth. the film business? Those guys on Blabbermouth will write anything Jason Miller: I started and everything to get a doing music for commerrise out of the artist. cials when I moved to They will write something Los Angeles, then I like “Godhead is coming started singing on comout with a new album… mercials. That kind of Fuck you Goatwhore moved over to voice rules!” you know I canʼt overʼs for shows. I acted really compete with that as a kid so I thought I (Laughs). would work on some on camera stuff again and so MUEN: Do you have any far it has worked out

great.

a really big tour lined up for the fall, but once again MUEN: If you had to I canʼt really talk about it. choose between a So make sure you keep Music career or acting checking the Godhead career which would you site choose? (www.myspace.com/godhead) for announcements Jason Miller: Music, Iʼm a for that. musician and Iʼm always writing songs. I love MUEN: What advice do music more than anything you have for young muin the world. Acting is sicians starting out in nice because you always pursuit of a musical caget paid. reer? MUEN: What does the Jason Miller: Practice, rest of the year look like practice, for you guys? pracJason Miller: We have

tice, once you get your band together you got to practice like there is no tomorrow. You have to make sure that your worst show is better than everyone elseʼs best show. I hate when I see an act live and they havenʼt rehearsed enough. You have to be tight, tight, tight, end of story.

Miller: Later this year the Shadow Line Deluxe is going to be released as well as my solo album. Keep an eye out for us on the road later this year! For more information check out these sites

www.myspace.com/godhead

MUEN: Is their anything www.myspace.com/jaelse that you would like soncharlesmillermusic to add? www.myspace.com/morJason bidmiller www.jasonmiller.net

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Artep

By Jeanne Thomas (JET)

MUEN: WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LOVE ABOUT MUSIC?

A: When I listen to music and write music, it takes me to another world far from here. Black metal especially, really speaks to me.

V: Music is a form of expression, and black metal is a very expressive style. This genre can create some amazing imagery and really take the listener on a journey, and that appeals to me. MUEN: WHAT IS THE PERSONA OF THE BAND THAT YOU TRY TO BRING FORTH? TELL US THE STORY BEHIND ARTEP.

A: Images of war and suffering, human weakness, death and Armageddon . . . The songs are about life. Everything mentioned in the lyrics means something. The lyrics are based on history, the present and the future.

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Artep was born in 2006 as a solo project in the cold mountains of Northern British Columbia. 'Fires of Mortal Deception' was released in 2007 for which a session drummer 'Lord Goatesque' was used. Since then, the band has evolved quite a

lot. Dark joined Atep in 2008 as a session bassist later deciding to join as a permanent member. A few months later Vultyrous joined as a guitarist and lead singer. Our drummer Maelstrom joined us in January 2009.We have not yet found a keyboard player, but manage fine with our sampler playing all of the critical symphonic parts live. We love experimenting with new sounds and you will see that on the next album after Thy will be done. We have all have various influences and all of our skills will be used to its fullest potential on the next album. MUEN: DO YOU THINK IT MAKES YOUR SOUND FULLER HAVING 2 VOCALISTS? HOW DO THE 2 VOCALISTS VARY IN THEIR STYLES?

A: Vultyrous has been doing most of the vocals up until now. He also does all the lows and is even a formally trained singer. I do all the high pitch screeches (ei: Eruption intro and middle), some of the main vocals usually on bridges or choruses and most of the spoken/whispered stuff. The difference between us is that i do exhales and he does mostly inhales. I think having more than one vocalist adds dynamics to the music and I wouldn't have it any other way.

V: Well, on the CD I'm doing most of the vocals. A lot of people are confused about that. Usually they assume that all the highs are done by Artep and all the lows by myself.

A: We are not trying to provoke that.

MUEN: ARE YOU WORKING ON A NEW CD? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT IT AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT Artep has some awesome FROM IT? parts on the recordings where she layers effects A: Our upcoming CD 'Thy on her voice to sound Will Be Done On Earth As completely inhuman on Is Done In Hell' is some spoken word secrecorded and we are tions. The Czech section looking for a label right of Eye Of The Serpent is now to release it. If we all her also, this time with- don't find a suitable label out any FX at all except a we will be forced to selflittle reverb. release the album. We are already working on the MUEN: YOUR SOUND next album. Up until now I IS VERY EPIC AND have written all the music MELODIC FOR BLACK and lyrics myself, but the METAL. WHAT MADE next album all Artep memYOU WANT TO PLAY bers will be working as a THIS TYPE OF MUSIC? team and contributing, so you can expect something A: I write whatever comes special. to me. There is no specific plan as to what it should MUEN: WHO DID THE or will sound like in the COVER ART FOR THE end, I just go with the flow BLACK WAR CD? WHAT and this is what comes DOES IT DEPICT? out. A: The artwork for Black V: A desire to be theatri- War was done by 'Metal cal, lol. Artist'. We found him on myspace. He is profesMUEN: DO PEOPLE sional and awesome to FIND YOUR MUSIC work with. We will be CONTROVERSIAL? using him in the future as well. I think the cover V: No more than any other speaks for itself as to what symphonic black metal it depicts and the name band. 'Thy will be done on earth as is done in Hell' conMUEN: HAVE YOU EVER firms it. HAD PROBLEMS WITH ANY RELIGIOUS OR PO- MUEN: BLACK METAL IS AN ART IN ITSELF I LITICAL GROUPS? BELIEVE. DO YOU THINK A STRONG V: Not yet.

STAGE PRESENCE IS IMPORTANT?

A: Absolutely!!! A band should not only be very tight with their music but also put on a great show.

V: Very much so. Nothing bums me out more than going to a concert to see a band I'm stoked on only to see them just standing there, looking bored while playing their songs.

MUEN: NOW THAT YOU HAVE A PERMANENT DRUMMER DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO TOUR SOON?

A: We would like to start with Canada and the US, but hopefully with the right label we will get support to tour Europe as soon as possible because we do have a lot of fans there. I would especially like to play at Brutal Fest just outside of Prague. Not only is it in our favor because it is an outdoor festival and we can put on a killer show with our fire breathing and fire show, but I am also born there so Artep has quite a following there so we would get a warm welcome and a lot of local promotion. If we don't find a suitable label, we are still planning a self-financed mini tour after releasing our full length album, but this will only include a few cities in Canada and Northwest US and only last a few days.

MUEN: ARE YOU CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A LABEL? IF SO WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A LABEL?

A: Weʼve actually had a few offers from some smaller labels, but they were really weak in the areas that are most important- exposure, distribution and tour support. We are looking for a label help us move forward at a much faster pace and will add to all the work weʼre already doing ourselves. In my opinion, without good distribution and touring, you don't get proper world wide exposure and your success builds much slower and very limited. MUEN: What are your plans for the band for the remaining part of 2009? What are your long term dreams?

A: We want to find a label to release our new album. It is ready to be sent to the press, mastered by Andy LaRocque, artwork is done and it is all in an envelope ready to either be sent to a label or off to the press. We want to record a video, tour Canada and US. We are already working on our next album and it will be ready for release in 2010.

ture material. Long term dreams I think would include getting on a good label, touring, basically making a name for Artep worldwide.

MUEN: IS THIS YOUR ONLY GIG OR DO ANY OF YOU HAVE SIDE PROJECTS GOING ON?

A: I used to be in 4 bands at once, including Vanquished and Sabazius (now known as Grimbane). It was stressful and took up all my free time. I realized that even though I was very serious about all of them and made sure I could play the material flawlessly, I wasn't really there mentally and all 4 bands suffered. I decided to end the madness and stick with only one serious project that I will focus on and devout my full attention to. I do however score films and write soundscapes for a local horror movie film company and when time permits, I work on a symphonic/ ambient/ bass studio project called Cease Existence which will feature Vultyrous on bass.

V: I've always got something else going on. I have two solo projects on the go right now, Funeral Fornication, which is deV: This year we will also pressive ambient black be releasing a 3-way split metal, and Ringbearer, CD done between Artep, which is Tolkien-themed Funeral Fornication and a dark battle-ambient/neosolo black metal project by classical music. I also Aron of Blasphemy. It will currently play bass for a promote some of our futechnical death metal

band called Defenesrated. TOOLS OR OTHER PROGRAMS TO MUEN: DO YOU SHARE RECORD YOUR MUSIC? ANY OF THE QUESA: Yes, of course I am an TIONABLE NON VALUES OF SOME BLACK audio engineer by profesMETAL ARTIST? DESE- sion. I don't like to use CRATION, ANTI-HUMAN- Pro-tools though. Logic is much more versatile espeISM, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WHAT DO cially for film scoring, not YOU THINK ABOUT ALL to mention Pro Tools is being phased out and THAT? buying it in my opinion is A: I myself, don't specifi- risky and too expensive for how little it does. cally care for any of that desecration or anti-humanism stuff although in MUEN: JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHEN YOU personal life I do have some questionable prac- ARE JUST HANGING tices. I do however sup- OUT WHAT KIND OF port confidence in oneself, MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN leadership, individualism TO? and non-conformity. A: I like everything that shows talent, but mostly MUEN: ARE ANY OF Metal and progressive YOU FORMALLY Classical music. I like variTRAINED IN MUSIC? ous genres of metal, some of my favorite black metal A: Cumulatively we hold three music diplomas from bands are Emperor, Dark accredited Canadian post- Funeral, Dimmu Borgir, secondary institutions and Cradle of Filth, Satyricon, Mayhem, Craft, Dawn, but have a combined music and recording experience I also like bands such as Opeth, Morbid Angel, of 57 years. Dark has been playing for 21 years Amorphis, Pink Floyd and including 13 years of clas- even other completely difsical piano training, Vulty- ferent metal genres. I am into almost all genres and rous has 16 years of experience as a multi-in- as far as Classical music, strumentalist, holds a Jazz I really enjoy Phillip Glass, Diploma and I am also a John Williams, Elmer multi-instrumentalist, hav- Bernstein, Danny Elfman, ing played piano since 7 Howard Shore. . . list years old and guitar since could go on. 12. I also hold a ProfesV: I love all styles of metal, sional Diploma in Audio Engineering from the Art as long as the bands I'm listening to show talent. Institute of BC. But oddly enough, I really enjoy power metal. Right MUEN: DO YOU USE now my favorite power THE HELP OF PRO

metal bands to listen to are Lost Horizon, Hibria, Rhapsody Of Fire and Blind Guardian. I also really enjoy dark ambient stuff like Uruk-Hai from Austria, Arcana, Dead Can Dance, etc. The death metal stuff I enjoy is that new age hyper-technical stuff like Brain Drill, Spawn Of Possession, Necrophagist or the darker death metal sound like Morbid Angel, Mithras, Drawn And Quartered, and Immolation. But when it comes to black metal, I am floored by acts such as Immortal, Emperor, Vhernen, Taake, and Absu, among many others. I listen to a lot of classical as well. I am

often inspired by the works of Messiaen, Penderecki, John Corigliano, and Danny Elfman.

MUEN: TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF (ANY OF YOU) THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR?

THEM?

Thanks for your support, keep the black flames burning high! MUEN: DO YOU HAVE ANY MERCH OR CD'S AVAILABLE IF SO WHERE CAN WE GET IT?

site. You can download our music on iTunes or CD-Baby. Our merchandise can be bough on our website and myspace: www.Artep.com and www.SymphonicBlackMetal.com

MUEN: AS A BLACK METAL DJ AND AVID FAN OF THE ART I CAN A: I love fishing and hunt- Yes we have T-shirts, long HONESTLY SAY I WILL BE LISTENING AND ing and have been doing sleeves and girlie shirts. We also have the Artep 'A' WAITING IN ANTICIPAso since I was a child. stainless steel pendants, TION FOR YOUR NEW V: I am a music teacher by they will be available soon WORKS and we are working on profession. some awesome new shirts Thank you for having us for our CD release party. Jet, if we play a show in MUEN: YOU ARE your area, send us a mesSTARTING TO GATHER Our CD 'Fires of Mortal sage, we will add you to HORDES OF FOLLOW- Deception' and promo 'Black War' can be bought the guest list. ERS. WHAT WOULD on our Myspace or webYOU LIKE TO SAY TO

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BIBLE BLACK By Metal Mike

Allow me to introduce you to the band BibleBlack consisting of Kacper Rozanski - lead vocals, Mike Wead -- lead guitar, Simon - Johansson - rhythm guitar, Johaz Bulund - bass and Tobhias Ljung - drums.

Bible Black are a newly formed band out of Sweden consisting of members from King Diamond and Memory Garden. I became aware of them while searching for videos on youtube. I did some research and saw that Mike

Wead was in the band! I love King Diamond and Mercyful Fate, and after seeing the video, “Bleed,” I now was totally digging Mikes new work. And let me just say that if the rest of the album, which is titled ʻSwan Song Epilogue,ʼ is anything like the dark, heavy, brutal music with electric energy in this video, then we will be hearing from this band for some time to come. Stop on over to the bandʼs Myspace page which is www.myspace.com/bibleblackofficial - check out the music and if you like it click on the link to pre order ʻSwan Song Epilogue.ʼ The Cd will be released on

June 15th and will be released in two versions. Version one will be a jewel cased double cd which will feature a bonus dvd. Version two will be a digi pack version featuring additional artwork. Mike and Kacper were kind enough to touch base with me in an interview and below is what they had to say...

MM - Metal Mike MW - Mike Wead KR - Kacper Rozanski

KR: We were playing around with different names in the beginning and finally settled with “bibleblack”. The name works as a good complement to the dark sound of the music. Personally, I also like the fact that itʼs an adjective, describing a particular shade of black ☺

MM: Ok bro you have been involved in quite a few bands besides being with the King. I was wondering if any of your side work is still active besides bibleblack your new band?

MM: As we are hear to talk about bibleblack, I was wondering about the band name and specifically how the name came to be used? MW: Yeah, I'm constantly

working on different things. Firegod might actually happen later this year, we'll see. I also do a lot of session/guest stuff, the last one I did was with The Project Hate. It's called "The Lustrate Process" and will hit the streets this summer.

ing the recording of the Nattas album: “Inde deus abest” in their studio, SolnaSound Recording. We had lots of fun working and when the album finally was done, Mike asked me to try out some vocals on a thrash song that he had in his back pocket, called “Bleed”. We had even MM: Now the aggres- more fun doing that and sive style that bibleone thing led to another. black has is a little Starting out as a trio, different than we are Mike, Simon and I soon used to hearing from found a need for a bass you with King, Which player and a drummer. style would you conSimon got hold of Tobsider to be your own? hias Ljung for the skin Or are you comfortable punishing job and I and alive with both called my brother in styles of play? arms from Nattas, Jonaz Bülund for the bass. MW: I'm pretty comfort- Then we recorded "The able playing any style of black swan epilogue". metal...or music for that matter. I've played any- MM: As you began thing from symphony or- playing guitar Mike chestra to jazz/blues to when did you realize black metal. you had the skill to To me music is just play in a metal band, music in any shape or and when did metal in form:) particular come into focus for you? MM: Since you are a newly formed band MW: Growing up as a and we don't know teen during the early much about your be'80's I got to experience ginning, I was wonder- the whole NWOBHM, ing if you could Judas Priest, Saxon, elaborate on what Maiden etc...so rock and specifically drew you metal was very popular to each member of the and it was just band and how biblea natural thing for me to black came to be go that direction BUT I formed? was still playing a lot of different styles even KR: I got to know Mike then. and Simon in 2007, dur-

MM: So how long have ages, whether itʼs in the you been playing gui- eye of the beholder or the creator. I've always tar? enjoyed the possibility of exploring the mental imMW: Since the burning of Rome! ;) I bought my ages that show up in my first guitar the day after I own head while Iʼm turned 15...so that would singing. Therefore, I make it...4 years...right!? think that the theatrical touch is always there for ;) me in the creative MM: Tell us about the process. making of the video MM: Tell us what we “Bleed”, and how did can expect from your the band come to choose this song over debut cd The Black the others for the vid? Swan Epilogue that is due to be released May KR: “Bleed” was the eas- 4th on Vic Records iest choice for the video for many reasons. One MW: The release date is the length of the song. has been changed for June 15th due to printing Many of the tracks on issues. "The black swan epilogue" are quite long, too KR: You can expect a long for the regular solid thrash album with a music video standard. progressive touch to it, "Bleed" has a good length and is a good in- created by professional troduction to bibleblack musicians with twisted in my opinion. It's a solid minds ☺ thrash song with a nice bibleblack twist to it and I MM: MM How did the band come to work think it can appeal to a with Vic Records ? And large crowd. since I am not familiar with them either could MM: Now will bibletell us a little about this black be as theatrical company as well? as King Diamond or will you guys just let MW: I've been working the music speak for on and off as a mixyou? ing/mastering engineer for Vic Rec for a long KR: I think that making music is one of the most time and it felt natural to ask them first since the important things about playing in a band. On the contact had already been other hand, music also gives rise to all kinds of established so to say. emotions and mental im- The company is Dutch

based and even if it's kinda smaller one they work really hard to promote their bands and we have a very good biz connection with them.

“Sometimes I feel like a ping pong ball going back and forth to LA for music stuff and modeling” says M Lazar, “but then I see the results from my trips and it makes it all worth while!” “I was stoked on this past LA

MM: Currently what is up trip that had me shooting with in the King Diamond Finnish photographer Ville JuWorld? urikkala and friend/rockstar

Jussi 69 from 69 Eyes for MW: King has been suffer- Junker Clothing's fall campaign. Junker does custom ing from back pains for a long time and still is even clothing for Steven Tyler, Slash, Dave Navarro, Motley Crue just though he's getting better to name a few....

day by day, and we have no tours planned.

MM: ok man As your name was changed to Mike Wead, I was just a little curious as to why you went in this direction?

MW: I got that nickname years and years ago 'cos I was always hanging out with a band called "Wead" and it just stuck. It has nothing to do with drugs.

MM: End this interview for us by touching on anything we might of missed or that you would like to address . And I thank you for your time to bring us up to speed on the cool new band you currently have going bibleblack.

KR: “The lesson is ending and you need to bleed. Jussi 69 and M Lazar shoot for Junker Clothing's Fall Lookbook

The shoot was super fun... here are some pics from the 900 plus that came out! Keep your eyes peeled for the Fall Campaign !!

JUSSI 69 AND M LAZAR SHOOT FOR JUNKER CLOTHING’S FALL LOOKBOOK

NOCTEM

NOCTEM

mercialized for 2 years. After several formation changes, the band continues their way making national level concerts and scrutinizing in the deepest of their minds to find a more particular style for Noctem was consolidated the bandʼs profile. as a extreme metal band in April 2001. Itʼs founders In 2004 Noctem commercradled by the ideals of vi- cializes in the period of 2 olence exaltation, misan- years his live CD " Live 2004 ". Music To Die For: The au- thropy and antithesis to the totality of the absurd thority on all things Goth religions created this most In 2007 the recording of and post-Goth. Mick Mercer books have been excellent machine of War , the MCD «God Among renowned for their combi- which advances by leaps Slaves» takes place. With and bounds among the the release of this work nation of encyclopedic ranks of a putrid and poor and its big success among knowledge and opinionsocial values infested civi- the press online, advertisated writing style. lization. ing means and the metalVisit: heads, the band with their Myspace.com/mickmercer Noctem records in 2002 new formation fulfills sevtheir first work « Unholy eral promoting tours blood» which was comthroughout the country ac-

companied on the stages by international bands.

In 2008 the band signs with NoiseHead Records (Austria) and realizes an European Tour where the group destroys the stages of half Europe (Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Italy and more...) In January of 2009 the band records in the NoiseHead Studios of Vienna with Mario Jezik their debut album «Divinity», which counts with the collaborations of Leal (Forever Slave) and Christos Antoniou (Septic Flesh). Nowadays, Noctem is working to desolate the stages all over the world again.

MARSHALL BECK

MUEN: TELL US ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS YOU HAVE GOING, IS IT JUST THE TWO BANDS: REBIRTH AND DYER? WHERE DO YOU FIND THE TIME TO BE IN TWO BANDS, AND WHY DO YOU CHOOSE TO DO THIS?

I actually have three that I actively work with. Rebirth, Dyer, and Reign of Vengeance. I do this because I pursue a different sub-genre of metal and lyrical content with each. Rebirth is powerful, melodic, and structured. Dyer is more along the lines of old school thrash. Reign of Vengeance is extreme brutal, bloody, death fucking metal. I donʼt sleep much, Tyler Durden from Fight Club would be a fucking pussy in my book.

MUEN: DO YOU WRITE ALL THE LYRICS TO THE SONGS IN THESE BANDS, AND WHO ARE YOUR MAIN CO-WRITERS FOR THE MUSIC IN GENERAL?

I do write all of the lyrics for these bands and some others... I drink a lot and when I find myself drinking I enjoy writing. Writing lyrics is something that makes my often overactive brain focus on something it enjoys, which is often horror or philosophical exploration. Unlike a lot of the un-entertaining, stupid fucking minded propaganda bullshit I see on television and in movies these days, my own mind while writing keeps me entertained. Writing Reign of Vengeance lyrics has been especially entertaining at times, especially after ingesting a few pain killers and de-hydrating enough to hallucinate… The music is taken care of by the different members in each band. On this upcoming Rebirth Ep “From The Ashes, Arise” Tommy Gibbons did the guitar and bass work and plans have been made for Duane to track the drums next week. Tim, Duane, Novy, and myself will be taking over as far as future Rebirth recordings go from this point on. With all of my bands each individual

The release of almost 6 or 7 different albums, I canʼt keep them all straight with what Iʼve done in the past and what I have going on currently in production, Iʻm drunk, I donʻt feel like thinkMUEN: WHAT DO YOU ing about it… That and havFEEL ARE SOME OF ing some of the metal YOUR BEST SONGS, legends that inspired me AND WHY? growing up play on the albums. Signing to the labels These are the kinds of and knowing there are peoquestions in interviews ple out there that are willing that are brutal to answer and actually require a lot and wanting to financially of thought…….. Its tough invest in your work works well for the ego… And of because each band is a course the very intense live different side of my pershow. sonality. Trying to pick a favorite song from one of MUEN: WHAT ARTISTS the bands I make music with is almost fucking im- HAVE BEEN SOME OF possible… Iʼll just say this, YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES? I have enjoyed inspiring with Rebirth, enjoyed creating havoc with Dyer, and Iʼve met or been in contact Iʼve enjoyed the release of with most of the people that some of the deepest rage influenced me musically… Iʼve experienced in my life On a musical level they still kick ass, on a personal through Reign of level most of those fagots Vengeance… can suck my dick. Not that he influenced me or I ever MUEN: HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO MUSIC, even liked Korn, but did you know Jonathan Davis wears AND WHAT DOES Abercrombie and Fitch METAL MUSIC MEAN backstage…? That will just FOR YOU? give you one example of what most of these fucking Metal is nothing short of “rockstar” and “metal gods” pure inspiration and release from a caustic world. are truly like and thatʼs roots forgetting mother Iʼm glad there are plenty that donʼt know its pleas- fuckers… ure and its power because MUEN: WHAT ARTISTS most donʼt deserve to. DID YOU LIKE AT ONE TIME, AND NOW LIKE MUEN: WHAT HAS LESS, AND WHY? BEEN SOME OF YOUR BEST ACCOMPLISHMost… Almost all that I MENTS IN MUSIC TO have personally met. HowDATE, IN YOUR OPINever, to some of their credit, ION? some are still legit. Thatʼs

member typically take turns at some point giving each other input when it comes to the creation of the music.

were all getting into it together and having a great fucking time. The sound guy was awesome and the staff treated us very respectfully. On the other hand you have a large show, like the one I did with Dyer and Divine Heresy at The Whisky in MUEN: FROM THE Hollywood, where the LOOKS OF YOUR VIDEO, BOTH REBIRTH sound guy was doing a AND DYER SEEM LIKE A horrible job the entire time PRETTY KICK ASS LIVE and the crowd just kind of ACT.. WHAT ARE SOME stood there watching us blankly… It pissed me off OF THE BEST SHOWS YOU CAN REMEMBER, so I told them if they didnʼt AND WHY WERE THEY move more Iʼd pull my cock out and piss on them SO GOOD? or something to that efYou know the best shows fect… arenʼt always the biggest shows… I remember the MUEN: WHAT ARE first time Rebirth went up YOUR THOUGHTS ON PAY TO PLAY? to Seattle, Washington and played at Studio Seven. The crowd wasnʼt Would never do it and those that do are fucking enormous but they were ecstatic, you could tell we idiots… When Iʼm not why I like having Duane Timlin around in Rebirth and Reign of Vengeance from Dying Fetus. I grew up listening to Dying Fetus and after working with one of their drummers I enjoy them even more.

touring I book shows for metal bands touring through and local to Arizona. I know how much those pay to play promoters are ripping the bands off. Hereʼs the deal if youʼre a band and you are playing somewhere youʼre expected to promote, along with the promoter, and bring fans or you cost the venue and the promoter money. If you bring a reasonable number of people then thereʼs no reason you shouldnʼt both share in the profits. For a promoter to expect a hardworking and well drawing band to go broke so he can pay his mortgage is bullshit, when a band pays to play thatʼs just what theyʼre doing. On another page if I book your band, unless your touring, and you fucking bring nobody… You can bet your ass youʼre going to play only one or two songs on that stage before I cut you and tell you to get the fuck off. MUEN: WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT TODAY'S MUSIC INDUSTRY? Is there much to like besides the music? No…

MUEN: WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

MUEN: WHO IS SYNISTER EMPIRE RECORDS?

Itʼs a label/clothing line I started a while back that I sold off to a buddy of mine. I still have some ownership in it and lots of say, but technically its his… Iʼve been scouting lots of talent lately so Iʼm hoping he can get more money soon to sign some other acts and push it forward more than it has been the past 8 months. They handle a lot of my myspace stuff though so thatʼs why Iʼve cut him some slack. MUEN: SO YOU HAVE A SMALL TOUR COMING UP IN JULY, HAVE YOU DONE MUCH TOURING IN THE PAST?

Iʼve done my fair share. I havenʼt been like most bands though that will run off like jack-asses for months on the road to do a bad tour and play to ten people each night and then come home thousands of dollars in debt to never go out again and end their career. I pick and choose my battles, or do my best to in order to make each tour/show count.

DEVI

Devi has just released the title track from ‘Get Free’ as a "fan exclusive" to everyone on their email list. Download it for free at www.reverbnation.com/devi. Just click the "down" arrow, and then "I'm already a fan."

That's kirtan singer Wynne Paris singing backup on "Get Free." Wynne's joining them for a (free) acoustic show June 18 at the beautiful vegan cafe MUEN: WHAT DO YOU inside Jivamukti Yoga School NYC. As one (male) HOPE THAT YOUR AUDIENCE WILL MOST RE- friend says..."oooh, flexible women!"

The great, new, and old MEMBER AFTER ONE metal bands that keep re- OF YOUR LIVE SHOWS? If you want to stay in closer touch, stop by the leasing material for myself Devi Facebook page. They are posting some new and other metal heads to Thatʼs their choice… videos there. enjoy.

KAIRA

The Kaira band was formed by Paul Drozdov (guitar, music) and Kaira Drozdova (singing, lyrics) in January 2006. The same year the 1st full-scale album ʻThe Will of Fateʼ was released. It was made in Heavy Metal style and was recorded in collaboration with sessional musicians from Russia and Ukraine on the Moscow label Irond Ltd. By the end of the year it became bestseller of summer 2006 (according to the polling carried out by the leading heavy metal magazine “Dark City”. In 2007 Kaira invited some musicians from Belarus to play in the band and with the new cast a music video on the song ʻTo the Verge of Everythingʼ was shot and the 2d album “The Wheel of Fortune” was recorded. In February, 2008 the third full-scale album ʻThe Huntressʼ was released. Then the band made a sound track to an English movie “To Escape from Destiny” and wrote a song for the renowned circus troupe of the Zapashny brothers (“The Legend of the Brothers of Camelot”). After that Pawel Drozdov decided to put off the planned performances to renew the bandʼs cast. In 2 months the band was ready to work on the 4th album “Child of Fire”. It was recorded in 3 months and was made in a totally different style (the bandʼs original one of Symphonic-Industrial-Sex-Metal). The album was released with a folder of 20 pages, the “Dark City” magazine was its informational partner. The presentation will take place in several cities of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. In March, 2009 the group signs the contract on release and sale of an album " The Child of fire " in territory of Australia. By April, 2009 the band plans to have started working on a new project.

Die So Fluid

Die So Fluid are now touring Europe again. After a successful tour throughout Germany just a few months ago, this London based trio are poised for increasing numbers of fans, and also have a brand new CD due out soon!

Page 63

Live Reviews

LACUNA COIL

over three decades ago for an absolutely fantastic show by Kiss during the Alive tour, and after Cobo Arena in Detroit May missing the first tunnel 2, 2009 bus and having to do a pirouette for a border offiReview and photos by: cer at customs, I was fiEric Eaton nally standing outside Cobo. I was really looking forward to my visit at Cobo The second stage for the Arena in Detroit for the event was assembled at ʻMusic As A Weaponʼ the side of the Arena tour featuring Lacuna where I found tons of Coil, not just for Coil, but fans taking in many of for the fact that the last the local acts. I arrived a time I was in there was bit later than I wanted to

approaches and puts a wristband on my wrist, allowing me to get in the line for an extremely quick greet with the band as well as an autograph of the CD with Lacuna Coil themselves! I was lucky as there was only about fifteen minutes left I noticed a dude with before Killswitch Engage was scheduled to hit the a bunch of Lacuna Coil CDʼs and DVDʼs held up table, so I headed in line. high over his head and It was so great seeing for the price of fifteen bucks, I had my copy of them again. They looked fresh and fantastic. their new CD, Shallow Life. Suddenly, a woman Cristina appeared trim but since the tattoo artists and most of the booths that were traveling with tour didnʼt make the event, I didnʼt miss much. What I ALMOST missed was the Lacuna Coil signing at the FYE tent.

and fit and the guys looked like…. well, the guys! I shook hands with all of them along with kudos for releasing what I thought was a great cd! Although photos with the band werenʼt allowed, I was able to take a few from the back, including one of Andi and Cristina throwing horns my way. It was a great start to a great evening.

go into the lower level of Cobo Hall, which is adjacent to the arena. As I descended on the escalator, I was greeted with a HUGE lineup of people already waiting, snaking itʼs way along the walls of the lower entrance and down the hall. Fortunately, they opened up early and the line moved swiftly.

I had no intention of Doors were at 6:00 heading for a beer or the p.m. and there were a merch tables as I usually couple of Cobo assisdo when I enter. My eyes tants outside who where were on the rail up front, yelling that anyone with but as I wandered on the main floors tickets had to main floor amidst the ex-

panse, I started getting goose bumps. I had to stop in the center, just for a second, and look way up to Tier ʻCʼ, the nose bleeders, where I could see the exact seat I sat in for Kiss back in 1974. It was an amazing feeling.

There was already a good crowd at the rail but there wasnʼt anything happening on stage so getting to the front was rather easy and, thanks to two 'fine young cannibals' holding their own at the rail who made room, I actually made the rail

myself! Of course, I had no intention of leaving for anything until LC was finished. Word had been going around that the first two support bands were alternating in certain venues and at Cobo Arena, Chimaira started. I had seen them once before at Harpoʼs in Detroit when they toured with Arch Enemy however on that evening, their lead singer Mark had to leave due to a death in his family, with his vocals being performed by God Forbidʼs lead singer Byron.

Tonight however, the whole band was present and played a pounding set that included a couple of songs off of their new album ʻThe Infectionʼ. Itʼs obvious that Chimaira have certainly progressed a long way since their days on Farmclub and taking into consideration that Detroit is not that far from their home base of Cleveland, it isnʼt any wonder that they got a great reception from the crowd that now totaled over 10,000 strong! To my disappointment, they didnʼt play the one song I wanted to

down five set lists with black tape. I was at the rail, stage right, where I knew Marco and Maus would be positioned. There was some chat going around while we waited including some great fans of Lacuna Coil just behind me. Within an amazingly short ten minIt was awesome watching Chimiriaʼs gear utes, Criz was at his drums, horns to the being taken away in modules, to be lifted by a crowd, huge smile on his face, the crowd cheering. lift truck backstage and brought to the appropri- Maus, Marco and Pizza followed and with the beate area. Lacuna Coilʼs ginning beats of ʻTo The kit was exposed and Luca, their tech, was be- Edgeʼ, out came Andi and, with a bit of a skip, hind getting the sound Cristina, and off we went, just right, and laying hear; ʻDown Againʼ. That tune is a headbangers delight but I will admit, older in their catalog. That was ok though because after they had finished their excellent half hour set, Lacuna Coil was up.

headbanging!

Live, and at this major venue, the band has improved 100% from their previous tour both with their stage presence and their sound! I was blown away by the clarity of the vocals and the guitars and drums were fantastic! The sound truly was incredible. It was nice to see Maus, Pizza, and Marco switching positions on stage for a change, all playing with the crowd, and I was especially glad to see Pizza over on my side, allowing me to finally get a shot of

him with my camera.

shortage of headbanging material, with the setlist During their half hour set, including Fragments of Marco and Maus were Faith, Fragile, Our Truth constantly tossing their and their opening To The picks towards us at the Edge. Reactions varied rail. Like meat thrown to for the two new songs the lions, many of us they played from Shallow would scramble to get Life, with Spellbound getwhat ever was tossed, ting the better response but I had no luck. Once to Not Enough. It was a in a while, one would great and exciting set inland in the photo alley. deed and it was so good The security dudes had to see them live again. no problem grabbing them and handing them They finished off with to someone at the rail, Our Truth, and then usually one of the fine thanked the crowd, looking women enjoying throwing water bottles the show. Luckily, one of and a couple of towels to them was kind enough to the crowd with big smiles give me a Maus on their faces. I didnʼt pick. Itʼs impressive with see if Criz had thrown his ʻShadow Lifeʼ printed on drumsticks, but he might the front and ʻMaus 09ʼ have. The crowd of on the back. A sweet ac- 10,000+ was cheering quisition to be sure and and it was so cool to see will be hanging around a group of people this my neck very soon! size make noise for While Andi performed them. Bravo! solos, Cristina would play one far corner of the I hung around the rail stage, then the other to for a few minutes and the crowd that had filled was hoping to secure the upper edges of Tier one of those setlists, ʻBʼ at Cobo. Then, vice eyeballing Maus and versa! Yes, their stage Marcoʼs copy, which was presence has improved the closest to me. A tech greatly! for Killswitch Engage was working there and They played six proceeded to rip it off the songs, all from Karmafloor and just fling it to code and Shallow Life, the crowd without lookand taking into consider- ing. It didnʼt go far, landation the Detroit Rock ing on the top of an amp City crowd, of which directly behind one of the Cristina happen to men- security dudes. A few of tion, it was a wise us brought it to his attenchoice. The place roared tion and he was more for them. There was no than happy to grab it,

close his eyes and hand in Tier ʻBʼ behind me, it to a fine young woman was amazing! A great bunch for sure. to my left. Thatʼs ok thought. There will be I wanted to get home more. early so after KSE, I left Disturbed to the rest of Off I went to finally grab a beer ($8.50 for 24 the waiting crowd inside and proceeded to leave ozs!) and the merch table. LC offered just one through the doors that shirt each for male and were adjacent to the tour female. The first was the buses. Of course, I tour shirt with the crystal wanted to try and identify grenade on the front and which bus was LCʼs and dates on the back. The possibly say thanks to any of the band memother had a fantastic bers that might be hangComilies sunflower on the front and the song list ing. Once outside and from the CD on the back. with three tour buses parked way over to my It was really sweet. left, I noticed to my right a lone bus parked along I stayed for the Killswitch Engage set, stay- the curb with the waters of the Detroit River and ing around the center my hometown of Windnear the soundboards and from here I could un- sor behind them. There, sitting in the drivers seat derstand just why Lawas Marco with what cuna Coil sounded so excellent. The acoustics looked like a computer or for Cobo Arena are made blackberry on his lap. He for sound and their sys- noticed me and waved with a smile on his face, tem is totally sick, with then got back into his the ambience of the arena just right. I was in business. I was going to go over but decided he shear heaven listening was busy and relaxing from the center. Killand Iʼm sure the others switch was really good were exhausted too, so I and had a sweet backleft, hitting the tunnel bus drop made of three or back to Canada with four huge light panels that provided an excel- Spellbound playing lent background for their within my head all the set. It was obvious that way back. No problems many in the crowd were as, judging from their performance and the there to see them play, judging by the amount of crowd reaction to it, Iʼm sure theyʼll be making KSE shirts floating their way to Detroit Rock around the crowd, and City sometime again the reaction from the fans, especially the ones very, very soon!

Live Reviews

OPERATION DOWNFALL By Natalie Perez

Itʼs a clear, cold, evening as your hurrying down the freeway at maximum speed trying to get to your destination on time. When all of a sudden your destination breaks its course and you are on a one way trip to the blood bank or worse the operation table. The ambulance pulling up besides the wreckage pulling your carcass onto the stretcher as your soon wheeled into the double doors of the hospital wing your life on the end of its last cycle. When you find yourself awake and reality sinks in youʼre not only in the hospital, but you got

yourself on the operation table watching your body being pulled left and right, leading this bloodshed to one solution, this is the end of your life. As you feel your body becoming

weaker by the minute this operation has become a Operation Downfall. Indeed that being the name to suite them best this Los Angeles based metal act has brought the blood from the operation state straight to the floors of the many venues across the Los Angeles County. For instance at last nightʼs event up in the Valley a handful of metal heads from females to males of all ages, came out to support the local metal acts just eager to be heard. One act dishing out the goods was this local metal act known as White Silence and then of course Operation Downfall who blew up the place during their 30 minute set up getting the crowd running in circles all over the clubhouse. "To Be Forgotten," started the craziness going into a total of 8 tunes that

were all upbeat and in your face, especially "Robert Paulsen," and "(FATE)." All in all it was a night of total massacre and blood drenching goodness you surely will not want to miss out on, So be sure to catch Operation Downfall on their remaining dates because blood is limited!

Set List: To Be Forgotten New Breath The Architect Bred For Control Out Of Nothing Myth Of Progress Robert Paulsen (FATE)

Live Reviews

THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE

ical thing to do considering the nature of the beast that touring must be. Well, perhaps for most bands, but for that ball of The Mod Club May 17, industrial/techo/metal en2009 ergy that The Birthday Massacre are, coming Review and photos by: home is a celebration that Eric Eaton is to be shared by the entire base of home crowd You would think that after weeks of performing fans. night after night for their fans on the road, a band … and celebrate they did! would finally start to unThe 400 km. drive to wind once arriving home. Surely it would be the log- Toronto was smooth and

since it was Sunday, I found the traffic much lighter than what one would normally find on the interconnecting highways than lead to the front doors of the Mod Club. A small crowd has already started to form on the ascending ramp to the entrance and I was a couple of hours early, so I headed to a small corner café called the Sicilian where the veggie soup was very tasty with an ice cold beer.

With my hunger satisfied and my thirst quenched, I headed for the queue where I was greeted by three ʻghoulsʼ who entertained the crowd and the pedestrians promoting the theme of the night, that being ʻViva Los Muertosʼ, where fans could dress up in the form of death, represented by the skull. For an all ages show featuring The Birthday Massacre with support coming from Purr and A Primitive Revolution, this

Live Reviews

was going to be fun.

Another poster offered was for the Viva Los With the doors open Muertos event, screened and the line moving well, on parchment paper with it wasnʼt long before I was inks that seemed raised inside the venue. Wanin black and yellow. I dering onto the main floor found this well worth the brought into my view an five-dollar asking price. extremely large stretched canvas propped upon an The first two bands, equally large easel where Purrr and A Primitive Revanyone could contribute olution, were an excellent art of one kind or another opening combo for the with an indelible marker. ambience of the crowd, After adding my contribu- and I was quite imtion, I headed to the pressed with Purrr, a merch tables at the back threesome that also calls where I found three nice Toronto their home base. shirts being offered by Their industrial metal was TBM as well as their addictive and Sam Cush Show & Tell tour poster, on the noise was really stickers and of course, impressive. Sampling their current release, that bass was done on the being the Show and Tell other side of the stage by live cd recorded in 2007 their guitarist Roger in Hamburg, Germany. Sader and with their

shoots.

Then, with a hint of mist in the air, the lights were lowered save for a few spotlights as Rhim took to his kit with a slight wave to the cheering crowd, his band mates following. Then, with the rhythmic beats of the opening, Chibi bounded on stage, waving to the fans, smiled, winked, then lurched down towards the floor for the opening of ʻRed Starsʼ …. and we were off!

drummer Karli to finish things off, there was no doubt that this band kept the crowd in a very active mood judging by the response they received.

After an excellent set from alternative rockʼs APR, the crowd began to develop more to the stage and looking back from my position in front; I could see that attendance had swelled to what must have been capacity, including a private party going on in the upper level. The place was literally packed! To my left and right at the stage, young fans, many with painted skull faces, waited in anticipation while chatting and fidgeting with their point nʼ

In the many concerts Iʼve attended, I have never witnessed a band more energetic and fan active as The Birthday Massacre, especially with a crowd filled with young fans at an all ages show! Chibiʼs interaction with them is priceless at times with hugging, hand holding, messing hair, singing together with them on the microphone, or mugging for an ensemble of cameras all within inches of her face.

Owen and Rainbow also contribute to this visual storm. Owen spinning continuously with his keytar at hand or creeping completely off the floor and upon his keyboard, and Rainbow making a few of his many fantastic, perfectly timed jumps while spring water

Live Reviews

dribbled out of the side of his wide, painted grin. All the while M. Falcore, performing to one side, smiling at the girls reaching for him when Chibi isnʼt around. Though a bit under the weather according to an announcement by Chibi, O.E. stuck it out and did what he needed to do to entertain the fans with his backing vocals and bassing near perfect.

from their catalog including ʻTo Die Forʼ, which I was especially looking forward to seeing live for the first time. I had moved from my position at the stage to almost halfway back so the younger fans could get in closer to Chibi, and so I could sample the quality of the sound system, which was quite decent. From this position I could see how great the light show was with The Mod Clubʼs fine They played an exarray of spots, servos, tended range of 16 songs strobes and specialty

lighting. The timing was perfect and it was obvious that the lighting tech knew their music well. The strobes were especially effective on TBM considering all of the movement that they do on stage. It was simply excellent entertainment. Their cover of ʻI Think Weʼre Alone Nowʼ was joined by many of the older fans back where I was standing who were singing word for word with Chibi. Of course, the same was found up at the

rail earlier in their performance of ʻLoverʼs Endʼ, except it was from the younger set!

With Chibi making her exit with Walking With Strangers and while the guys finish off the ending, the hoard of fans that filled The Mod Club began to cheer, loudly and consistently. Such a great response from the home base deserves an encore and they did not disappoint, coming out to perform Blue and Happy

Live Reviews

for the home crowd was over. I had noticed that there was five set lists distributed on stage before the set began and after Happy Birthday, their tour tech quickly gathered them up and went along the stage handing them out randomly. I missed my With Chibi off the stage chance but there will be and Owen and O.E. liter- other performances to see and other setlists to ally letting the fans in get. front play their instruments for the last notes of I picked up my booty at Happy Birthday, this treat

Birthday, both of which were not on the set list. Blue was almost dramatic with the emotion that Chibi put into her growling in the chorus combined with the bit of vigorous moshing that was going on in the middle of the pit.

the merch table and looked for any of the band members of TBM to appear. I had seen Rhim at the front of the stage but security was insisting that everyone leave due to another party to be held late in the evening. Since it was a long drive home, I decided not to wait any longer and left with the satisfaction of seeing one hell of a fantastic performance by The Birthday Massacre in celebration of coming home from a grueling tour.

While driving home on the highway with the sounds of their live cd playing, I suddenly realized something. I had just attended an all ages, packed crowd for a show by The Birthday Massacre, and not ONCE did I see a set of cute, fuzzy rabbit ears!! Not ONCE!!!

Live Reviews

Page 72

AIDENʼS TICKET TO HELL

man of goth punk rock 'n' roll sensation Aiden, the audience replied "No" along with cheers and shouts then WiL remarks "Oh well itʼs about God, too bad there is no such By: Natalie Perez thing." as he tosses the book over his shoulder Aiden the Seattle boys and the band breaks into that thought they could the remainder of their did. Accomplishing four set. Coming out of SeatLP's with constant tourtle who knew that these ing from all over the intense and aggressive world being on magazine four young talents had covers and interviews gawhat it takes to create lore; who would ever such angry music. That is think that these goth rock what Will has been and rollers would still be asked repeatedly in his standing to this day? current interview mayMany may not have hem but his response heard of these rock and "I'm not angry, I'm afraid." rollers, but their aggression and intensity alone Who wouldn't be afraid sets the scene for their especially how the curmusical performance that rent economy is affecting they captured the night us both health wise and they brought it all home moneywise we will all fall on their latest but miniastraight to the depths of ture tour known only as hell. Never having the "Your Ticket To Hell!" takchance to witness "The ing place at Hollywood's Last Sunrise," was the invery own Knitting Factroduction tune that got tory, Aiden rocked the the entire Knitting Facjammed packed crowd tory in Hollywood flowing with crowd surfers, pit with complete energy, dancing, and stage divsweat, and tears. As the ing mayhem from all anband broke into a short gles possible. Why don't but simple 45 minute set you jump in on all the fun list that consists of the and excitement while old, new, and newest everything is still fresh mixture of tunes, "The and burning in the fiery Last Sunrise," "Die Roblaze of hell! mantic," "Teenage Queen," We Sleep For"Did somebody loose a ever," newest single off book?" shouts WiL front their fourth accomplish-

awaiting the fun and excitement that awaited the conclusion of the night. As the song broke into “I Set My Friends On Fire,” the two halfʼs came together smashing against one another some going up into the air while others scrambled to get up off the ground as the band continued to rock 'n' roll their way until the very end. WiL hopping onto the floor while others hopped into the stage The audience accepted singing, dancing and exthe bandʼs departure and pressing themselves in every way possible Aiden continued to rant and rave through the first of in the end drawing in the the two songs remaining intensity that will blaze on until their light is burnt and then hell itself opened up from under- out under the worse circumstances. neath us as WiL wraps up the night “We are Aiden and we will see you on this summerʼs Vanʼs Warped Tour 2009!” “Now everyone knows what this is right?” as the entire floor split into two halfʼs everyone ment "Knives," entitled "Scavenger of the Damned," along with "Killing Machine," that kept the energy impacted and flowing. When their set hit mid-way point the crowd chanted “Aiden, Aiden, Aiden,” as the band freshened up briefly and ran back onto the stage to conclude their set for the night with not one, but two tracks in store.

Sick of politics? When thinking of Iran you probably don't consider that region of the world as being an alternative rock hotbed. After all, the simple act of performing rock music there can lead to a public flogging, time in prison or harsh fines. That's where Hypernova is coming from.

Myspace.com/hypernova

CD Reviews

DESTROPHY “Way of your World”

This album is real! It connects with your innermost self and lets it breathe. Some may ask who is Destrophy? They are one of the most promising bands in the country who have shared the stage with the likes of Disturbed, Sevendust, Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach, Strapping Young Lad, Dope, Buck Cherry, and hundreds more. They have played major festivals in front of thousands and have recently picked up a sponsorship from Jagermeister. They have been touring around the Midwest since the mid 90ʼs evolving their sound into what they are today, which is aggressive heavy metal with melodic hooks. They have one of the most intense live shows that I have ever seen. This album is a solid non-stop release from beginning to end. Title track “The Way of your World” is a prime example of their mainstream rock potential. A very catchy tune that can be heard across the country

on choice radio stations. You can here the 80ʼs roots playing a major part in this song. The very next track “March of the Dreamless” leaves off were the former left, but with an upbeat rhythm blending into some badass groove that will break your neck if your not careful. The album is made up of 15 blistering hot tracks, some old and some new. Making The Way of your World a compilation of their best songs to date; off their old demo recordings here comes the goosebumps “Why I Hate Goodbye” which is one of my favorite songs from these guys it sendʼs chills all through my body whenever I here it. “Eye for Eye” is an amazing song that will keep you head banging and thinking about your main priorities in life, lyrics on the chorus “This is my heart, anyone can see, this belongs to me” makes you want to fight for what you want in this life and donʼt take no for an answer. Now for the show stopper which is also one of my favorite old Destrophy songs of all time “Rise Again” the intro is so fucking brutal that, if you donʼt like this song than I donʼt like you. Itʼs like that… the chorus is another spine chiller giving the listener the true meaning of melody and brutality! This album is the best of the best and something that every unsigned artist should shoot for when writ-

Page 74 ing an album. What ever you do please check this band out; it will change your life. Destrophyʼs “Way of the World” is a metal masterpiece!

~Morbid Miller

Myspace.com/destrophy Myspace.com/morbidmiller

CD Reviews

ANOTHER WAY OF LIFE (Self Titled)

Another Way of Lifeʼs self titled debut CD delivers to your ears another fresh look at rock with a twist. Classic rock at it finest but with a distinctive mix of metal, rock and touches of soul are found throughout the twelve tracks. The band lists many influences and that is evident with the awesome mixture of writing and performance found in this CD.

combination of Matchbox 20 and Five Finger Death Punch. This is well illustrated in“32205” with intricate instrumentation and amazing vocals to compliment the changeups throughout the tune. “What Will Be Left” and “Fade Away” are easily the best showcases of the talent within all the members of this band. Both start with brilliantly executed music and smooth vocals and move quickly to hard driving rock with great riffs, machine gun drumming and a solid bass line that is complimented with edgier vocals. The CD has a great balance of ballads and rock tunes, with some tunes encompassing both, that keeps your interest throughout and makes your choice of favorite tune all the harder to decide. Fortunately, Another Way of Life has given us another way of listening to rock that is fresh and exceptional.

It is difficult to pick just one contribution that makes this all work so well but the lead vocals that vary from velvety tones to ~Macavity some that are mechanically altered for effect definitely stand out with the backing vocals and music a very close second. Listening to some of the ballads makes you feel you are listening to a mix of the Seal and Paul Stanley singing articulately well written lyrics. When you hit the well balanced mix of full on rock tunes though, you definitely feel you are listening to a great

MONGREL

“Fear, Lies & Propaganda”

stand outs for the demonstration of what this band is capable of throwing out with a bit more commercial appeal while still holding tight to their signature crashing drums and a new breed of Guns ʻn Roses style of shredding guitars along with angry and opinionated lyrics and vocals. The vocals are most noticeable, along with the music, for the raw emotion heard within these two tracks. “The World Loves a Tragedy” truly demonstrates how all the elements of this band come together equally to show they have the goods to perform any tune they write with kick-ass dedication and energy. Forget about getting a pure bred and head for a Mongrel CD and headbang your way through punk, rock and metal.

Mongrel offers up a fifteen track debut CD that grabs you, as their name might suggest, like a rabid dog rock album that is anything but a purebred, boring rock offering. Although they classify themselves as Punk and Rock they do have those and much more in their sound. There is a heavy dose of angry death metal and hints of southern rock throughout this headbanging CD that has you wondering which tune to listen to over and ~Macavity over again. They definitely serve up a healthy dose of views on politics, religion that includes immolation, relationships, and world events in their own angry attention-grabbing way much as a hungry mutt would attack a bone and fight to the death for it.

“Dyslexia Alchemist” is definitely one of the stand out tracks of the CD with Hetfield-ish vocals articulating strong lyrics and accompanying amazing music. “Houdini” and “Bound to Crash” are both

CD Reviews

backing vocals and harmonies as well as their signature tight melodies and lyrical hooks wrapped in innovative instrumentation.

FASTBALL “Little White Lies”

Fastball took five years to write, record, produce and mix their first album since “Keep Your Wig On.” “Little White Lies” was worth the wait! There are no lies or deception, as the title would suggest, within this album but great music that has evolved Fastball even further as a top quality band capable of providing a full CD of great tunes, each worthy of being released as a single. It is hard to pick a favorite from the CD and took several listens to come up with a list of tunes that really spotlight their versatility and growth. They have retained their unique and individual genre of a mix of pop, rock, retro and as they describe “Vulcan mind meld harmonies.” “The Malcontent” and “Angelie” show just how far this band has honed its sounds and yet remained true to its roots and original writing skills and talents. Both tunes have outstanding lead vocals but with awesome

Rarely do you find a CD where you want to listen to every tune without skipping at least a few tunes that just seem filler. Not at all the case in “Little White Lies” They lull you with a softer melodic rock sound in a tune like “Always Never” that encompasses synths, violins, acoustic and electric guitars. But just when you think you will hear a complete pop CD they pull “White Noise” out and show you they know how to play some full on rock exceptionally well. They leave you wanting more as any really proficient band would do with an unexpected ending to the CD in “Soul Radio” that shows yet another versatile and innovative side to Fastball that is much more soulful sounding.

It was worth the wait and worth listening to the whole CD from start to finish over and over.

~Macavity

Page 76

OPERATION DOWNFALL www.myspace.com/operationdownfall By: Natalie Perez

The infection has begun. What could be more entertaining than a raging infection that could possibly spread and spread with no cure available? Well there is one cure to solve this problem, why not listen to some metal music worthy of your time. Presented by some doctors who learned from the very best. That's why you are now in the hands of the Operation Downfall team and they're about to spill their guts all over you. The entire band conducted an interview with me after their set in Los Angeles at the Cobalt Cafe. MUEN: Can you briefly summarize how the band formed and what you do in Operation Downfall?

Mike: I met up with a couple of guys and started playing. There were some line-up changes here and there, and Bobby and I kept on going. Chris joined the band and then recently Eric came in about 5 months ago. We have a pretty strong line-up now. MUEN: Your lyrics are infused with heavy detail and raw emotion. What is it that normally gives you inspiration when writing lyrics, and is there a concept behind the music you create?

Eric: It's been great, everyone likes it. We're spreading the infection and getting a lot of positive responses. Chris: There is a story behind the album, but you have to buy the CD to hear the story. Show up at our shows! We're really proud of the reaction so far, and have some new material we're writing up for the next album. MUEN: Your new album 'Virulent,' is coming out. How has the reactions been thus far? What can fans expect when they listen to your music? Bobby: All the reactions thus far have been going

well. All the kids are enjoying our music.

MUEN: How do you think you will affect the music scene you are part of? What are your thoughts on the growing popularity in it as well?

Bobby: We're trying to be unique. There are a lot of bands on MySpace and we're really hoping that the kids enjoy the music.

MUEN: Many of your songs are so hard and intense that I am sure they translate well into a live setting, taking on a whole new life in front of a live audience. How does it make you feel when the emotion and power that you envisioned in the recording studio, come to life while playing in front of a crowd?

Mike: We try to put on an intense show, I mean recording all the time, you know, we try to bring the medical theme into the live show and on our MySpace as well. The blood bags on the drum sets, etc., we're just trying to get as aggressive as we can live. We play with as much live energy as we can, and play as hard as we can. MUEN: What are the upcoming plans for Operation Downfall?

Band: Just to play out as much as we can, build up our fan base and branch out more. We'd like to do a tour... we had one aimed for the summer, but it got in the way of our jobs and what not... hopefully in the Winter we'll be able to get out. Then we will try to get on more tours with bigger bands and then take over the world!!!! MUEN: How has Myspace and the internet impacted your band, and do you think downloading helps or hinders the artists?

far? And why?

Mike: We'd like to play with Lamb of God, Slipknot; another band would have to be Metallica because it's Metallica. Bobby: We have yet to tour, but when we play shows we have to tell the kids we're not touring, just playing.

MUEN: Every band has its musical influences. What are some of the other bands and artists that have greatly influenced you guys and your music?

Mike: I like rock like Maroon 5, Gavin DeGraw, and then our drummer listens to real music. Bobby: I like listening to Tool.

MUEN: What's your reaction when/if a fan told you a very meaningful statement such as "Your music changed my life?" Has this ever happened to you?

Band: It's amazing. Mike: Myspace has helped a lot with promoting and Eric: There is this kid that went back and re-recorded we try and go promoting outside of Myspace as well, our songs with his own vocals and plans to come out but people reply on Myspace at least. There are a lot here next month to check us out. of bands on here though. Everyone is on here, so Chris: It's always nice when someone says something we're not saying anyone is good or bad (We're Awenice about a song so we always try to just focus on some) but what's going on with Myspace is over satu- the music and that keeps us going. ration. As for downloading, it increases our popularity and then they go and tell their friends about us so it MUEN: All of that passion that you play with must all works out. be tough on you physically. How do you prepare for the physical demands of a tour? MUEN: What is the toughest lesson you ever learned in the studio and on the stage? Band: We go through a lot of stretching and then a lot of bands ask us what we're doing?? Oh there stretchMike: We've learned a lot from working in the studio. ing no wonder, my neck and body is always hurting. We went in and recorded our album and spent three days just recording random tracks, but weren't happy MUEN: Anything else you'd like to add? with those and got rid of them. So we went back in and rehearse and there are so many things we Band: All we have to say is the infection has begun. wanted to do, and so many other things we had Thanks for the interview, great questions you really learned and picked up, it was hard to sit and pick and made us think. Why did you make us think? (Laughs) really focus on it. Chris: We've all learned a lot about practice and all the regular stuff bands have to go through and what goes on behind the show. Eric: The important thing that I learned is that you never play a show unless it is set to go, because shows always get cancelled.

MUEN: What bands would you like to tour with and who has been your favorite to tour with this

Page 79

Whitechapel By Jeanne Thomas (JET)

Interview with Alex

MUEN: Is the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival the biggest event you have ever partaken in?

you can have a list of like a gazillion of them.

Haha Yeah right.

MUEN: Is there anyone you really want to see during this tour?

I'm really stoked to see All That Remains,They are an amazing band, they are I don't know if it's the headlining today and this biggest but it's definitely is their hometown, so I am big and we are stoked to sure it's gonna go over be playing here and being huge. part of it. We played some really big Festivals MUEN: How did you get in Europe with our Never chosen to play this tour Say Die tour as well. anyway?

really heavily. Plus we actually shot our music video at this venue as well. So that's just a couple of things that all add up, and allowed us to claim a slot in this yearʼs tour.

MUEN: Are you all from TN? Yup

MUEN: What's the metal scene like there?

Oh its alright. There's not really a lot of local type bands, but there are a couple of bands that are MUEN: So now when Well we are friends with native from our area like you go on your myspace the Promoter that books it Straight Line Stitch and and you list all the every year, Scott Lee. So Ten Years. And there are a bands you played with that along with just touring couple of bands that are

doing good.

MUEN: Have you ever been to DollyWood there?

Yeah yeah! I used to go there all the time when I was a kid. My family used to go all the time. It's like a really red neck Disney World. It has mountain themed attractions. I loved it as a kid.

MUEN: What made you decide to be in a band and what were your parents reactions to all this?

It was just one of those things that kind of happened. I had been playing on and off in a lot of bands

since I was like 15. I did Death Metal? like 2 years of college and decided it just wasn't me. Yeah, we throw in whatever we can, death metal, MUEN: To do what? metal core, progressive.

get to hear a part of what we're doing that way.

MUEN: Whatʼs your favorite song to perform?

angry? Yes.

MUEN: Itʼs been almost a year since the last cd... Graphic design MUEN: Progressive? Ahh.. “Possession.” Its the are you writing for a new Yikes! heaviest song we do. I am one now? MUEN: Wow, so at least all about the heaviness. you can design all the No no not like Dream TheYes we are actually. We graphics for your webater. More like a are writing now for the MUEN: About your last sites right? Meshugga. new cd and we are shootcd, ʻThis Is Exile,ʼ was ing for a January recordthat a concept cd? Yeah yeah, sort of... MUEN: What makes you ing. We are pretty excited When we started this band different than any other Yeah, the singerʼs lyrics about that. We are ready I never thought it would Death Metal Hardcore to get in there and crank it kind of float through and get to the point of where band? out. tell a story there. itʼs at now. We were just writing music, started tour- We try to go the extra mile MUEN: Do you like con- MUEN: What are you ing and got noticed by our and make our music a lit- cept cds? doing after this festival? first label, and put out a tle more interesting for the cd. Yadda yadda, you listener. We try to use dif- Yeah, I think it makes the We have one more day on know the rest. My Parents ferent aspects of music cd more epic and more in- the Suffocation Tour and really wished I would have like cool effects and stuff. teresting. It kind of makes then we get to go the hell just finished college and We try to make our music it a more dramatic experi- home. We get to go home stuff like that, but they are more atmospheric instead ence for the listener. for about 2 months and really happy that this thing of just chugging on trying then we head to New Jeris becoming more sucto make the riffs heaver to MUEN: Who does most sey to play Bamboozle cessful now. It would have please the listener. Fest. of the writing? been one thing if we were working hard and failing, MUEN: Has this always Its a group effort. It starts MUEN: Is there anything but we are fine so yeah been the genre you have with the guitars and then you want to say to your they are alright with it. played or have you done we go to the drummer and fans? other stuff like metallic finally we take it to the MUEN: Is this all you polkas? singer who will write lyrics Yes. Thank you for all the do? that fit. Rather than writing support. Keep your eyes Haha! When I first started lyrics and trying to fit a open for all the tours and Yes this band is all we do playing in bands I was a song around them. It flows watch for the cd to drop! skate punk kid, so I liked much better for us this MUEN: Where did the MUEN: Well thank you bands like NOFX. They in- way. name come from? very much. Have fun at fluenced what I played at the time. MUEN: Are you cool with the fest today! The name comes from a his lyrics? district in London where We will. And thank you! MUEN: Have you ever Jack the ripper did all his heard your songs on the Oh yeah. Every now and Hope you enjoy the deeds. We just thought it radio? show!Hi everyone... it's then we throw in a “what applied to our music really been a long time since the fuck?” But he's very well. With us being a good. We rarely have any we've last updated, so Yeah, it was pretty cool. death metal band and Weʼve been to XM twice to kind of problem. His lyrics here it is, much overdue. what not. do on-air interviews. That flow well. was really cool because MUEN: Is that how you all our friends and family MUEN: Would you say describe your music? could also listen in. They that your music is

need to breathe www.Myspace.com/needtobreathe

FALL BACK PLAN

Fall Back Plan have secured some great sponsorships with Buckle, J-Shoes and Live Mechanics. Also, the band have finished writing for the new album!

filming a multi-part documentary for TV. In the meantime, shoot them an email, or go check out a show.

Fall Back Plan will be live at ArtScape in BaltiIf that isnʼt enough, the more on July 18th (Satband is in the process of urday).

Also on that bill are Cake, Robin Thicke, Dionne Warwick and Robert Randolph and the Family Band.

69 EYES

The 69 Eyes on Sunset Boulevard in Silverlake, Los Angeles in April 2009 Photo by Ville Juurikkala

For all you blood thirsty fans, the new 69 Eyes album is *nearly* done ! Read the bandʼs Royal Artist Club blog for more insight.

69 Eyes will also be present for the Download Festival 2009 in the UK, their first ever Australian tour this June, also The Rock festival in Germany, and more! Myspace.com/theofficial69eyes

Suzie Q Myspace.com/soulofpain

Live Reviews

Yigael's Wall

about them." Guess I was wrong! The band is under new management,has added a new drummer, and last I checked were still searching By Jeanne Thomas for a bass player. (JET) Singer Shane Stillwater, their former vocalI must admit that ist, has returned , and when the request Vincent Vidavici is still came in to do a little write up On a Thrash/ there writing and Death Metal band my moving this band in a steady forwards difirst thoughts were," rection with his musiOh great same old same old where I have cal and lyrical genius. Once this band tightto struggle to find ens in the new memsomething unique

bers they will be a force to be reckoned with. I love the dark brutality of death metal and when these guys throw in their Bay area style of thrash it really is something extraordinary. The beginning of the song " Broad" is tight. It's where Yigaels Wall open up the portal to hell, jump in, and start thrashing the place. The vox are noting short of powerful and fir per-

fectly with the music. So many times in this genre of music the vox is off timed and just sounds like some pissed off guy ranting over disorganized music. Not the case here, Yigaels Wall found the magic. "Requiem for the Living" also starts out extremely dark then thrashes the shit out of you. This is what is so unique about these guys. One minuet you swear you are listening to seasoned death metal and then the next minute they are shredding the place to pieces with their heavy thrash riffs. The best part is the singer remains consistent in his vox. He never goes into that "thrash rap" like most hybrid bands in this genre. People are starting to take recognition as well. They are slowly getting endorsements. The most recent is Halo Guitars. The band states that" they are getting all their issues situated "and that this will be the "strongest group and album to dat". Lets hope they deliver! Check them out!

myspace.com/yigaelswall

YVONNE’S WORLD www.myspace.com/Yvonneaddicted

Masaki Murashita

Masaki Murashita - Vocals/Guitar Jack Fliegler - Lead Guitar Sunao Arai - Bass Travis Thune - Drums

'METAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR' by The Phoenix Music Awards! Even more recently, guitarist Masaki Murashita received an endorsement through Krank Amplification.

Murashita, drummer Travis Thune, bass player Sunao Arai, and lead guitarist Jack Fliegler have not just rooted themselves in the classic styles of Metal; Hemoptysis brings the future of Metal!.

Pivotal Rage Lite: "These guys are brutal akin to Arch Enemy and Carcass and the chords, solos and riffs are memorable and melodic not too far removed from Megadeth. The result is a extraordinary merger of melodic death metal and Bay Area thrash. Who Needs A Shepherd is a solid collection of furious, venomous thrash metal that will have even the most seasoned metal veterans take notice. Are you listening Nuclear Blast, Century Media and Metal Blade? Listen to Who Needs A Shepherd and Iʼm sure youʼll concur." Ruben Mosqueda MetalBite:"Who needs a Shepherd?" is by far the truest form of the metal spirit I have come across in many years" JD

Extreme Underground Metal Coven: "Hemoptysis is a great example of a hybrid of modern American and European Riding high off the redeath and black metal lease of their 5 song EP, fused with 80's era "Who Needs A ShepFormed under the "Hemoptysis have what thrash...this metal entity herd?", Hemoptysis ap- deadly heat of the Ariit takes to hold their own has a bright future in the pear poised to conquer zona sun in 2007, Hethe Metal realm. The moptysis has perfected among the elite of heavy genre." -Chris Rhynard http://www.myspace.co band continues to rea unique and pure Metal metal. Throw Who m/hemoptysismetal Needs A Shepherd ? in ceive both internet and sound, distilling old http://hemoptysis.metalterrestrial radio airplay, school Thrash, modern your stereo, then kick musicpromotions.com/ back and watch it all garnering plenty of Death Metal, and other burn." -TheSaltyPimedia attention, and global influences. Guirate.com have been Dubbed tarist/vocalist Masaki Page 85

Birmingham, United King- gigs keep them at the foredom front of their fans at home. We caught up with James, (Unedited) Ste and Matt to ask them about Third Bullet and what to expect from them. Interview by: Macavity MUEN: Hi guys! Thanks Third Bullet are easily one for sitting down and talkof the hardest and most ing to MUEN today about visible bands in the MidThird Bullet. OK so a lands area of the U.K. but usual type of question. are just beginning to gar- But where did the name ner notice with the rest of come from and does it the world. Two highly de- have a particular meansirable and high profile ing for the band? uses of their music is making them much more Third Bullet: The name has known to the rest of the a connection to a well world while their frequent known political conspiracy.

with an idea and jamming for ages to try and beat it into shape. Somehow we have this tendency between us to know when a song is ready and we never compromise on anything. If we've spent weeks MUEN: Fair enough. writing something and Then how is the music written for the band and we're still not happy with it, we'll start again. We're not by whom? one of these bands who churn out 30 average TB: I (Matt) write all the songs in a week. We'd music these lot do jack shit! Just kidding. We tend rather craft and hone a to write much of the music song to perfection. If it together once James has doesnʼt sound right, we don't play it. It does take come up with a killer riff. us a while to get a song We'll spend sometimes months, messing around into shape but I (James) I'm not gonna tell you which one but you can probably guess. Political conspiracy is something we draw on regularly for our lyrical inspiration.

just couldn't put my name to anything that didn't have 100% of my blood sweat and frustration in it.

MUEN: Two of you have been together since you were 15 years old. How did you decide on this lineup with the third and when?

TB: James and I have known each other from school and have always been in bands together. Matt (drums) was in our previous band, and was introduced to us by our old guitarist. We've settled on a three piece for a 'less is more' approach, both in song writing and sound and it also gives us a tighter more raw edge. To be honest, it's important to have people you can rely on and we were the three most reliable people from previous bands. And you get more cash when there's only three of you (provided that you sell records!)

MUEN: Since you have been together so long, how do you get along and stay together as a band and friends this long?

TB: Enjoying what we do and havin a laugh and not taking ourselves too seriously. James: Being together this long means that we've been able to cement our musical connection and songwriting becomes more natural. Not to say that we don't have any arguments. Alco-

hol and politics usually play a big part. There have been some rather heated moments. Matt: It bores me shitless!

melody on a massive scale. Think of Velvet Revolver, Muse and Slayer. Itʼs relentless. Our producer, Gavin Monaghan described it as like being MUEN: What other bands continuously punched in have you been in and do the head! you still work with others each of you? MUEN: You have a unique set of influences TB: We mainly concentrate and a love of harmony in on the Bullet now but at sounds which is not one point we had another something you usually band on the go called find in a rock band. How Movin Stills. We had kind did this come about? of an early 70's rock thing going on, in the style of TB: We all love bands like Fleetwood Mac and Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills and Nash. the Beatles, the Eagles, But there came a point and all that late 60's early when we had to focus on 70's Americana. Harmony one band and as the was a major part of that heavy stuff is in our roots music and so we've drawn and hearts the choice was a lot of influence from that easy. Ste and James and itʼs become an imporstarted in a metal band tant part of our sound. It from school called Disor- also means that we're able der. There was a bit of role to fill out a lot of the sound reversal back then though because sometimes a because Ste was the main three piece can have its vocalist and James could- limitations, particularly live. n't sing a note. We used Basically we draw on our to do a few Sepultura and influences and experience Nailbomb covers. Over the in music to create a more last 15 years there's been complete sound says the so many bands, from bloke (Matt) who hardly metal to folk, that we've sings! built up a catalogue of over 100 songs so don't be MUEN: You have played surprised if you find some many gigs and seem to of them out there at some play more than most unpoint in the future. signed bands. What drives you to play live MUEN: How would you and where do you best describe your mostly gig? sound to someone that has not heard you live or TB: At our level, being self on MySpace? funded and unsigned, playing live is the only way TB: In a nutshell its alter- to get our music heard. native, grunge, metal. Playing live is the lifeblood of any band. If you ain't However it is riffs and

playing live, your not really a proper band are you? And, you never get tired of hearing people tell you how great you are!

MUEN: Do you have any plans to tour in states any time soon or are you still building your fan base in England first?

TB: To be honest, if America wants us you can have us! Unfortunately, this is where we have to treat the band a bit like a business. As we're self financed, we've only got so much money that we can put in. The rest we have to make through gigging and selling records. If America buys enough records then we'll be on the first plane over. MUEN: Speaking of touring, what has been the most unusual or memorable thing to happen at a gig?

TB: Well we had this gig in Leicester and one of the guitarists in the support was bouncing around on stage when he jumped off the drum riser and snapped his leg in half at his shin. You could hear the snap over the band. Matt: Yeah, and we never played that night because the gig got cancelled. One legged Wanker! James: And there was the time when we played some gig and half way through the set the place just erupted. The mosh broke into a massive brawl and we just carried on playing through. It was like watching a

movie and we were the son Motorcycles picked soundtrack. Rock and roll! one of your tunes to use as their music for their MUEN: You have samnewest line of bikes. ples up on MySpace How did such a great exfrom your forthcoming posure come about? album. When can we expect and how are you TB: A guy called Greg going to get it to the fans who works for Harleyʼs adthere and here? vertising company came to a gig and bought a CD. TB: We're really pleased Two weeks later they apwith how the recording proached us to use “Resiswent, especially consider- tance is Futile” as they ing it only took us 7 sleep- though it was perfect for less days and nights. The their commercial. Basisound of the record had a cally we were in the right lot to do with our producer, place at the right time, as Gavin Monaghan, who is a they say, and it was just respected name in British the break we needed and music. As for the release has opened a few doors. date, it should be available to download from iTunes MUEN: Do you have a around the middle of June video planned for the 2009. It will also be avail- one of the tracks from able from our MySpace the CD or to showcase and CD Baby. So get buy- the band especially the ing! live performances for those that cannot see MUEN: Understand that you live? you are unsigned and yet have merch and a CD TB: At the moment were and dates planned. How exploring a few options. is that coming about One is were trying to get being without a label? some local students to make us a video as a colTB: Doing it yourself is a lege project and the other massive commitment and is we do as we've done takes a lot of time and ef- with everything else and fort. You don't just go from learn to do it ourselves. I being a pub band to one don't want to keep harping with merch, gigs, an album on about it but it comes release and tour bookings down to money at the end overnight. It's a full time of the day and the album job and means a lot of late was the priority. nights. You learn a lot of things when you do it on MUEN: You have another your own and if it works distinction and again uncan be massively reward- usual for an unsigned ing on all levels. rock band that gives you some amazing exposure. MUEN: It seems to be How did the tune for working as Harley David- "Relentless" Paul Taylor

come about?

TB: Taylor has a training camp in our home town. His manager, John Roberts, heard we were causing a stink on the metal scene and came to a few rehearsals. The next thing we know, they've asked us to write a song for him to enter the arena to. So we wrote Relentless in one rehearsal (believe it or not), recorded it and before we know it its being played at the 02 arena in London to 30,000 people and at every UFC event since. Yet another example of being in the right place at the right time but I suppose you make your own luck.

MUEN: How useful has MySpace been to the promotion of the band?

TB: MySpace has become every fans first port of call. Back in the day it would cost a band a fortune to get a website up and running but now its free and you can upload music which was unheard of about 8 years ago. MySpace is an essential for any band. No other social network can compete with it. Ste: Itʼs opened up so many doors and not just in the UK. You guys found us. Thatʼs down to MySpace. James: And a bit of word of mouth.

there?

TB: There was a time when if you were a serious band you had to be in London but things have changed so much. Even though the music scene in Birmingham has taken a bit of a battering of late with venues closing down there is still a great metal and rock scene and we love being part of it. We spent a lot of time driving to and from London doing gigs because we thought that was the place to play if you were good and wanted to make it. The truth is London has some of the worst bands we have ever seen and played with. Itʼs full of pretense and ego. James: I'd move to L.A tomorrow if the offer was there.

MUEN: What more should we expect to see from Third Bullet for the rest of 2009?

TB: The album is coming out in June and we plan to tour it in the UK and maybe Europe. We have had a lot of interest from some of the mainstream rock mags over here due to the Harley thing so that should help. If things go well then maybe get ourselves a good support slot and plan to record an EP either at the end of this year or the start of next. Matt: Hopefully we prick the ears of a label someMUEN: Changing a bit, you have a base in Birm- where and we can do it all again next year without ingham U.K. Are there any plans to move or do paying for it!! want to stay based

MUEN: What do you each like to do when not playing/writing music?

Ste: Me and Matt play football for a local team and enjoy that. Matt: I go snowboarding as often as I can, play in the local chess league and restore antique furniture. James: I don't do anything else. Its music music music. When I ainʼt trying to come up with a riff I'm just playing guitar.

MUEN: Is there anything I have not asked that you think our readers would like to know about Third Bullet?

TB: We are a fucking hard working and dedicated band, committed to writing the songs the major labels are too shit scared to release. It's a shame its down to the bands like us to do the work the labels are supposed to do and I'm not surprised the industry is on its arse. The internet has been a blessing for unsigned bands and a pain in the backside for the labels and that makes me happy. JUST BUY THE ALBUM!!!!! It's a fucking bad ass listen!!!! The albums called "R E V E L A T I O N S"

Thanks guys for taking the time to talk with MUEN today. We look forward to seeing and hearing a lot more from you in the future.

As most of you know, Blameshift has taken some time to write and record some brand new music. We recorded at Vudu Studios in Long Island and had the songs produced by Mike Watts. Things turned out even better than we expected. We'll be posting some samples of the new songs June 15th, so put the date in your phone!

And while we

make you wait, we figured we may as well give you something to look at. Blameshift just announced a new tour that will be taking us through about half the US. We also launched a brand new myspace page with new pics. Check it out at www.myspace.com/blame shift and drop us some comments. Post our new banner on all your friends pages and get

down to the shows. Our new music will only be available there for the meantime.

Thank you again for all the support over the years. Blameshift Jenny Mann/Tim Barbour/Joe Meyer/James Miller

Also check us out on Facebook, Purevolume, Imeem, Stickam, Youtube. Buzznet, Itunes

Interview with Frankie Palmeri By Morbid Miller

This is pure fucking brutality!! Emmure is the best band that I have heard in a long time!! This band caught my attention a couple of years ago with their first release The Complete guide to Needle Work that they recorded independently. They have since gone on to sign a deal with Victory Records releasing two full length albums Goodbye to the Gallows and The Respect Issue. This is not your average metalcore/deathcore/hardcore or whatever you want to label it band. This is raw energy that will change your life; trust me it has changed mine! Whatʼs truly amazing about Emmure is their intense live show that empowers the listener by altering their perception of reality into making them feel like they are ten foot tall! THIS IS THE GREATEST BAND IN THE WORLD! Blending elements of all genres including Nu-Metal, Metalcore, Hardcore, and just some good old fashioned heavy metal with some badass breakdowns! Thatʼs what Iʼm talking about! This is the next Hatebreed! MARK MY WORDS… MUEN: How did Emmure form and how long have you been a band?

Frankie: We formed 2003, we had some member changes but nothing finalized so itʼs been about 6 years now since the band has been in existence.

MUEN: What was it like as a local band?

Frankie: We were pretty lucky when we first started playing shows and doing DIY demos because we had MySpace to help promote the band. Our fans could constantly keep checking up on us and checking out our music to see how we have progressed. We are lucky that we had a good grass roots following early on, especially in Queens, NY. If it wasnʼt for the New York scene, then we probably wouldnʼt be were we are at now. It started small but as with anything you put the time into, itʼs going to grow.

MUEN: Who was the first big band that you guys opened up for?

Frankie: I donʼt know man, it depends what perspective that you are coming from. Some bands might be big to one person but be small to another person. Hatebreed in my eyes is huge but to someone else they might not be considered that. Our first show we ever played was with E-Town Concrete and that was in

2003. You get to meet all these people have been through all these walks of life in the music business and you take different things from it. But like I was saying the biggest band for anyone to give loyalty to would be Hatebreed just because of what they have done with their career. They are larger then life and have really stitched themselves to the fabric of hardcore music. It has been a real pleasure to be able to play with those guys.

emotions trying to figure out what we do and donʼt like musically but all and all we are very proud of what we have done for different reasons. Itʼs like I canʼt compare any of them, and I canʼt tell you the exact direction we were going, because when you have so much in front of you when youʼre first starting as a band you donʼt know whatʼs right yet. But I think the new record we are going to put out is going to be our niche. Itʼs going to be a little feature of what the bands going to be like.

MUEN: Hatebreedʼs first album was the first time I heard a breakdown and I MUEN: Whatʼs your fafeel that they gave birth vorite song to play live? to the break down on that album? Frankie: I donʼt want to pick a favorite with the Frankie: Yea, they have a bulk of vulgar music that very influential sound with- we play. To me personally out question many bands the song “Your more like a emulate/ replicate them. friend without the R”, it was on our last record, but MUEN: How did you itʼs defiantly one of my faguys end up signing with vorite songs to play live Victory Records? musically and it means a lot to me personally/lyriFrankie: We were a DIY cally. band that got a little bit of attention. We caught the MUEN: How did the Attiattention of the owner of cus Tour go? You guys Victory Records and he in- Co-Headlined with Winds vited us to addition. We of Plague right? played for him and some other people on this small Frankie: Oh, it was amazstage, he was impressed ing! We went on stage and we signed a contract every night and tons of the very next day. people showed up and gave their support. We MUEN: Tell me a little made lots of friends and about some of your alsome good memories that bums? I will never forget. Yea, we really miss those guys, it Frankie: Truthfully, we was a really fun time and were going through the to be honest with you it

was one of the best tours we have done.

got to do and I wouldnʼt ask for anything better.

MUEN: Do you find it dif- MUEN: Have you guys ficult being on the road played over seas yet? all the time? Frankie: Yea, we have Frankie: I think that every been to Europe twice and both times were a blast! band goes through what we are going through right We had some great times with the bands that we now. We are trying to played with and the fans make a name for ourwere really into what we selves, trying to put our were doing and all in all staple in what is considthey were both great times ered the music industry scene. We obviously want for us. We are hoping to to get noticed and be rec- go out their again, here real soon. I wouldnʼt say ognized for what we do, itʼs a whole another world thatʼs why we tour so out their, but I will say that much. If youʼre not on itʼs a whole new experitour, then people are not coming out to your shows, ence. then no one is going to MUEN: Is Emmure your know about your band. full time job or do you You have to stay true to have a normal job when what you are doing and youʼre not on tour? you have to stay true to your fans and know that Frankie: No, I hustle on you are doing this for the right reasons. You have to tour basically, thatʼs why Iʼm always on tour, if Iʼm make it permanent. You donʼt want to be that band not playing shows then Iʼm not getting paid! Itʼs my job that just hits the road for you know, itʼs what I do to the summer and just be make a living. I make cool for a minute and music and Iʼm very grateful thatʼs it. We reach for for that. Also on another longevity and in time oppage, obviously you look portunities will come where you can slow down for stability and I donʼt the touring after you have have stability because of this life style, but at least I made a solid name for yourself. Take into consid- get to have fun and Iʼm going to keep doing this as eration a band like the Deftones. When they were long as I can. first starting or getting attention, they were touring MUEN: Last time I talked to you, we were at the constantly and now they play a couple sets a year. Bamboozle Festival in Orange County, CaliforThatʼs how they survive nia and you guys were with the music that they make. Maybe one day we about to play, what did you guys think of that will be their but for right now we are doing what we show?

Frankie: Great crowd! Getting to play with all the west coast bands was a privilege in itself and we were playing while some monster acts were on. Taking Back Sunday was playing the same time as us and the fact that we had a big audience to play for was amazing. We can only hope that maybe one of these days we will be a main stage band.

the most fun I have seen somebody play heavy music for that time. Obviously, when you get older you branch out to different things. I grew up where I would go into a phase where I would only listen to deathmetal, hardcore, noise, or whatever. I have been through it all and where I am today with music and aspire to be is still taken from the bands that I thought did it best.

out there that would kill to MUEN: Can you tell me get to do what we do. about your new record? Whatever it is that you are attracted to do, anything Frankie: Well I donʼt want that you put your time into “understand that you have to say anything thatʼs in detail, but our new record to believe in what you are doing otherwise itʼs just is what our band is supnot worth it”. I think interposed to be. I think itʼs what I always envisioned nally the band and I really believe in what we are for the band. Itʼs something that Iʼm 100% proud doing. of and knowing that this is MUEN: What advice do where you want to be in you have for young mumusic is a great feeling. MUEN: You guys were sicians starting out in So thatʼs what I want to the last heavy act to play MUEN: I hate to call it say about the record. Itʼs todayʼs industry? at the Bamboozle Festi- the Nu-metal genre but I defiantly what our band is val. feel that it didnʼt get the going to be like. This is Frankie: Love what you credit that it deserved! do and donʼt be afraid to our defining record! Frankie: We in a since, People look back on it as take charge in what you headlined that section of if it was some kind of believe in. If you feel that MUEN: What does the the festival. It was a great joke like the “80ʼs hair rest of the year look like you have something that is opportunity! metal phase or somemeant to be bigger then for Emmure? thing”. run with it. Donʼt let anyMUEN: Itʼs been docuone discourage you, just Frankie: We have the mented that you are a Frankie: Yea defiantly, Warped Tour lined up and because you start small big fan of the Deftones anything that shines the we have a bunch of tours doesnʼt mean that you end and the Nu-metal genre, most for the shortest pein the works. We are going small. how has that inspired riod of time for some rea- to be busy for the rest of your musical career? son gets looked down on. the year. You will catch us MUEN: Anything else “Oh look it was popular supporting our new record. that you would like to Frankie: The truth is dude, like 10 years ago and if We are looking forward to add? I never really thought of a you are into those bands being out there and seeing band “Oh Iʼm going to lis- now youʼre a joke” beFrankie: Check out the what people think about ten to this band because cause the bands are long the new record. new record in August! of the name or the genre” I gone. To me those bands listened to whatever music made timeless records. It MUEN: Has their ever spoke to me the most and goes beyond picking a been a time when you had the most personality genre and putting them have seriously thought to it. I listened to rap, into a category. I will prob- about giving it up? hardcore, punk, metal, ably listen to those bands anything that I thought was forever. When you put Frankie: Yea, completely I honest and pure. The one of those records on think that everyone has bands that I was influand you get the same feel- doubts in whatever they enced the most by are the ing that you got when you do, whether itʼs in music, bands that put on the best first heard it. fashion or a desk job. You live show. In my personal second guess yourself esopinion, bands like Korn, MUEN: Exactly! Did you pecially when youʼre Limp Bizcuit, and the ever get into Glass Jaw? young. Iʼm only 22 and I Deftones had the best live just look forward to whatʼs show, because they had Frankie: Oh yea, I love going to happen with this the most energy. It was Glass Jaw! band. There are people

EMMURE Photo by Jeanne Thomas (JET) New England Metal & Hardcore Fest

Page 93

‘SEE IT THROUGH’ OUT JUNE 9, 2009

Myspace.com/thesammustheory

Interview with Mitch Lucker from Suicide Silence By: Morbid Miller

The sub-genre known as "Metalcore" has grown as stale as a bunch of turds that have been sitting in a tin litter box left in the Arizonian heat. Just when you think that you canʼt take it anymore, Suicide Silence is born and saves the integrity of Heavy Metal. Bone crunching riffs and thunderous drumming drive a vocalist that Iʼm pretty sure is related to Lucifer himself. This band is a breath of fresh air for extreme music lovers. Their intense live shows will sweep you off your feet to get the blood flowing as you're banging your fucking head as if it were Armageddon. In 2006 Suicide Silence signed with Century Media Records which is an international label that has spawned such bands as Lacuna Coil, In This Moment, Winds of Plague, Behemoth, Shadows Fall, Iced Earth, and Diecast. In the first week that Suicide Silence dropped their major label debut, The Cleansing, it reached the top 100 on the billboards and sold more than 7,000 records thereby making them the top selling debut artist for Century Media Records of all time. Since The Cleansing, they

have played over 300 shows a year with todayʼs top artists. They've played the Mayhem Festival, Bamboozle Festival, Spring Breakdown Festival, and are getting ready to play the infamous Download festival in Europe. Suicide Silence was recently named the “Best New Talent” at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards hosted by Megadeth. I was fucking blown away the first time I saw these guys live by the intense power that they bring to the stage,and when I was there to see them perform at the Golden Gods in Los Angeles that same power was in the room when they played. Itʼs very rare to see a band with the passion that these guys display. This is perhaps the hardest working band in metal today, and I believe Suicide Silence is on their way to being one of the biggest bands in the world. Mark my words: these guys will be taking on the world Dethklok style!! Our

world economy will depend on Suicide Silenceʼs record sales. I have already started paying my taxes to Mitch the Vocalist of Suicide Silence. Thatʼs the only way I could get him to agree to an interview with Morbid Miller. Thanks for taking an hour out of your busy schedule to talk to me and give me some fun pointers. You rock Mitch!!! Thanks to Dan their Tour Manager and the rest of the guys in Suicide Silence! Much respect!!

amp and jam these heavy ass riffs. We didnʼt have a bass player or drummer at the time. We would write these songs that were 5-6 minutes long with these heavy riffs, after heavy riffs, after heavy riffs. It was fucking awesome. Then we slowly recruited the best of the best from the local scene. Now we need another guitar player, now we need a bass player, now we need a drummer, now we need a better bass player, now we need a better drummer and so on…. we kept improving our line up. We steadily built the band, making it better and better. We started playing local MUEN: How did Suicide Silence form as a shows and from that point on we just played band? our asses off. Since Mitch: I used to go to all 2006 we have had the same lineup. We have the local shows and I played around 300 hunplayed in a few other local bands. In 2003 the dred shows a year since only kind of music that 2006. you could see for metal MUEN: What was it was like shitty fucking like playing as a local positive hardcore and Nu-Metal bands. I was band in Riverside, California? Did you guys like "This is bullshit. I canʼt be seen in a scene have to work hard to get people to come to like this." So Chris your shows or did all Garza (Guitars) and I went out of my way to of that just come natustart a band thatʼs just rally? fucking brutal. We would get together with Mitch: Really, really just a P.A. and a guitar crazy cause we were

friends with the owner of the club called The Showcase and he would put us on with the national acts that would play there. One time while we were doing a show for a national act and there was like 400 kids at the show and we opened the show and after our set was over like half of the kids left and didnʼt stick around for the headliners. We had this great following from the beginning and thatʼs how the word spread.

MUEN: How did you guys end up signing with Century Media?

Mitch: We actually held off from signing to a label for the longest time. We did our own American tours and European tours. We also put out an E.P. independently that sold very well. We had every label throwing these contracts at us. We were able to be like this contract is better than that one and this contract is better than that one. We started telling labels that this label is offering this and that. We started a battle between labels and we ended with Century Media because they stepped it up the best.

MUEN: I was listening to some of your early demos and I noticed that you guys incorporated some Family Guy samples and on your 2004 demo and you have them on your album cover. Whatʼs that all about? Mitch: Well at the very beginning when the band was just staring out, some of the kids were turned off because it was like straight up heavy ass metal; brutal shit. We wanted to add something that would lighten it up a little so itʼs not so serious. We wanted to stray away from the perception that we were these big bad brutal dudes. We do this for fun, so we wanted to lighten it up a little bit. We are all about our live show so that was one of the things that we would incorporate into our live show. MUEN: Was your album The Cleansing the best selling debut artist for Century Media Records?

Mitch: I think itʼs still the best selling album for a debut artist. It was on the top 100 of the billboards and its seriously still selling like crazy and we have no idea

why. I think itʼs honestly because we're always on tour. We force people to check us out. We did Hardcore tours, Heavy Metal Tours, NuMetal Tours, and we did every possible genre that we could get into. It all went very well!

it seriously. I would like to be considered as a heavy metal band that makes some heavy shit. Itʼs been around forever and it will never go away. Stop trying to make up these sub genres and shit.

so by time we got the award we were like Wee-hoo! Fuck it!! It couldnʼt have gone over any better. It was like the most exciting thing I have ever done.

MUEN: You have a new album coming MUEN: How was win- out June 30th, 2009. MUEN: The Cleansing ning the most innova- How much pressure album was recorded tive band at the first did you guys have on live. Why did you guys ever Revolver Maga- your shoulders to foldecide to do that? low up to such an epic zine Golden Godʼs album as The CleansAward show hosted Mitch: When we signed by Megadeth? ing? to Century media, we wanted to put out a Mitch: It was amazing to Mitch: It wasnʼt that record as soon as pos- be awarded best new much burden. There sible so we could start talent and have Alice in were no worries. The touring on it. We had all Chains hand it to you in new record we did in 5 these songs that we front of all these people. weeks. We moved from had been playing live California to New JerIt was fucking great! for a couple of years. sey and we went there So we recorded it in two MUEN: How nervous to do nothing more than weeks and we would to make an awesome were you guys? just keep the best takes record. These songs of every song. We put Mitch: To play we were that are going to be on mistakes on the record. really nervous cause we the record we actually There was no quick were on tour with Dis- took our time to write track on this record and turbed and shit and we and its perfect. It was all thatʼs how that record mapped out. flew in from little rock came about. Arkansas to do the bamboozle festival and MUEN: What was it MUEN: It sounds the award show. We se- like working with Magreat. I couldnʼt tell riously landed and had chine? the difference. How do to go play the Bambooyou guys feel about zle show then we had a Mitch: It was like going being labeled in the day off and the next day to boot camp. We lived Deathcore Genre? we went to the Golden an hour from the studios so we had to wake up at Gods. Everyone was Mitch: Everyone pretty completely out of it and like 7 in the mourning to much hates it. Were just not there. We were so arrive at the studios in time to start at 9 a.m., nervous to play and a heavy metal band. after we played we just then we would work to Deathcore is a teeny bopper joke! I canʼt take started pounding drinks, like midnight (1 o'clock

or 2 o'clock on some nights), drive back, go to bed at like 4, then wake up and drive back to do it all over again. It was like that everyday!

that going?

Mitch: Donʼt write shitty music. Donʼt write music that sounds completely like other bands because thatʼs fucking retarded and you're not going to get anywhere doing that. You have to tour; if you're not touring than you're not going to make it. I can guarantee you that.

Mitch: Disturbed, Kill Switch Engage, Lacuna Coil, Chimaira, Crooked Edge, and Spineshank and two local bands MUEN: On your Myopen up the show every Space you have a night. Its cool, but we're Deftones cover of getting a lot of cancellatheir song Engine No. tions right now. It's pour9. Are you guys big ing down rain almost fans of the Deftones? every night and its an MUEN: Coming for a outside show. band that tours a lot Mitch: Thatʼs the one band that all of us love MUEN: What does the do you feel that touring has made you betand we listened to at a rest of the year look ter as a band? very young age. Every- like for Suicide Sione grew up listening to lence? Mitch: You play every the Deftones and that first record is something Mitch: After this we are single night for 3 months straight, then that all of us loved doing the Slayer, growing up. If the Megadeth, and Machine you have one day off Deftones werenʼt a Head tour. It's Canada and all you have to do is play music, and when band I donʼt think that and Northwest states. we would be a band at Right after that we are you're on stage you're all. doing a headlining Cali- playing music and pracfornia tour right after our tice makes perfect. You get better and better. If MUEN: I noticed that albums comes out. you're out there playing you guys toured with Then after that, we go everyday and you're not A Day TO Remember back to Europe for getting better then how was the tour? awhile. It's all been booked, it's just I donʼt something is seriously Mitch: It was awesome really now all the details fucking wrong with you. Everyone in this band cause we toured in Aus- cause I usually donʼt has updated and imtralia with them and know where I am till I proved 150% since we Parkway Drive, who is wake up. There's too from Australia, and much shit to keep on so first came out and thatʼs every show was you just kind of have to what's going to make this record so much betpacked. A lot of kids just go with the flow. ter than The Cleansing. came out to that tour. Australia has a really MUEN: What advice good scene there. do you have for young MUEN: How do you musicians starting out keep your voice MUEN: Your currently in pursuit of a musical healthy while touring? on the music as a career in today's inMitch: I do warm ups, weapon tour? Howʼs dustry?

and when Iʼm done on stage I take really good care of my voice cause its my instrument. If a guitar string breaks you just get another string. If my voice fucks up Iʼm screwed, so Iʼm always consciously aware of that. MUEN: What did you do before you started suicide silence?

Mitch: I worked in a Tattoo shop doing piercings and stuff like that for John Montgomery. He is one of the busiest tattoo artists in Southern California, so I worked for him full time and when I started this band I would take a few months off here and there and then come back to work when I wasnʼt touring. Then things started to pick up and I would be gone for 9 months at a time so he was like “Dude I think Iʼm going to find someone else”; but its all cool. We are still good friends. [email protected]

Interview with

think.

Danny Craig

MUEN: So were any of you guys in bands before this?

MUEN: So DEFAULT got together about ten years ago and you were one of the founding members correct?

MUEN: You guys have 3 albums out now and Chad Kroeger did some production on your first one right?

By: Slavewriter6

Yes. Dallas not so much Myspace.com/slavewriter6 but the rest of us had been in multiple bands. Nothing MUEN: Hey Danny, how that ever succeeded past local bar stardom you are you? know but we all had a few projects. Doing good, thanks!

Thatʼs correct, yes, three of the four of us are, and our bass player joined six months after the bandʼs inception, so he is basically a founding member as well.

MUEN: Thatʼs really good. Ten years is a long time. A lot of bands donʼt stay together that long these days.

Yes, we revel in it sometimes, weʼre like wow! It still surprises us sometimes, which is good I

Yes he produced the majority of the first album. It was the whole independent version and then when we signed to TVT Records we went and recorded three more songs, one of them was Wasting My Time and we did that with Rick Parashar who did PEARL JAM-Ten, BLIND MELON- Blind Melon and many others. It was a cool time working with him too. So yes we put that record out and Deny was the second single off the record, which was one that Chad Kroeger had produced and

it really did great for us. I mean thatʼs what kept us going.

from back then and we gave our demo to him when we recorded it and he produced it for us.

MUEN: Right… forever ago!

MUEN: Now you guys have a 4th album coming out sometime this year and it has been ready for

MUEN: Cool, so tell us how you guys hooked up MUEN: Very cool, well the song Wasting My with Chad Kroeger. Time was so huge here in the US. Well Jeremy, the guitar player and myself had been in the same band be- Yes, it totally surprised us, fore this one and worked I mean we love the song of course but that year it was with Chad and our band had opened up for Nickel- wild, it was the 7th most played song on any format back before they were in America so it was totally signed, a long time ago, fantastic. you know, in the 90ʼs!

So yeah we knew Chad

quite some time correct? Nickelback is a really wicked drummer and has Yes. We finished our 4th definitely shown me a few record in November of things and same with their 2007. Then begins the drummer before that, Ryan saga of TVT going bank- Vikedal, and a couple of rupt and all of the waiting other guys like Morgan through court decisions from Sevendust , wicked and what not that followed killer guy, so yeah since that. So anyway they went then I have just been chalbankrupt early last year lenging myself and getting and the record has been better technique wise. I on hold until now. Finally can hold my own now anyweʼre working out a deal way! with BMI it looks like and itʼs going to be released in MUEN: So whatʼs the both Canada and the US writing process like for and we are excited, canʼt you guys? Does the enwait. tire band contribute and does Dallas write all of MUEN: I am too, along his own lyrics? with many others I am sure. I canʼt wait to hear Definitely everyone conit! When did you start tributes. With the lyrics we playing the drums? had a little bit of help on this record from the same I started playing drums guy who helped us on the when I was 11 or 12. last record, Marti Frederiksen who works with AeroMUEN: Did you just smith and lots of other teach yourself how to bands. So yeah he came play? in and helped us out with the lyrics for the record but For the most part, yes. I for the most part it is a colmean I was a band kid in laboration between all of school so I certainly us and we start with the learned all of the theory music and then sort of fill and what not from there. in the melody after that For the most part it wasnʼt and the lyrics are often the until we started playing last step for us. It seems with other bands, and we to be what has always got signed and touring with worked for us and we are bigger bands that I all of a always happy with the end sudden went from one of result. Now with my prothe better drummers in the ducing, I sometimes do it crowd, being in the local the other way with the scene, to being one of the, bands I work with where you know, not so great we will start with a lyric or drummers so I have defi- a melody and work around nitely learned a lot since that. then just from some of the guys we have toured with MUEN: Yes, now speakyou know. Daniel from ing of your work with

other bands, you are curse! also a song writer and a producer so tell us a bit MUEN: Very cool, I had about how long you have not heard that before. been doing that and who you have been working Itʼs a Canadian legend! with. MUEN: Too funny! Now I have been producing for you also play drums on coming up on seven years a THEORY OF A DEADnow and I do a lot of the MAN song, tell us a bit work at my house now. So about that. basically my process is that I go downtown VanYes, off their first record, a couver and record the song called What You Dedrums and then I can basi- serve. Before recording cally cut everything else that record, they recorded up at my place. That defi- a three song demo with nitely allows for more time Chad Kroeger, who prospent and a better result in duced it, and they asked the end. So, recently I just me to come and drum on finished with a band called that song so I did. So after ONE BAD SON and weʼre all was said and done, about to start shopping they got signed and went them. Iʼve also got a and re-recorded the record whole record coming up and on that song in particwith the band COLD ular they really liked what I DRIVEN, which you and I had done for them so they have talked about before. were kind enough to keep They are a wicked sort of it on. They even sent me pop metal band, if you will, a plaque when the album from British Columbia here went gold in Canada so and I am really excited and that was very cool. They have big expectations for are really good dudes. that one. MUEN: A couple of your MUEN: Yes I am excited songs have been used in to hear that one too, video games and also those guys are really Wrestle mania right? good! Now DEFAULT has won some Juno awards Yes. The Wrestle mania right? one was kind of a surprise to us. We had no idea it Yes, we won one in 2001 was happening and a coufor Best New Group in ple of buddies of mine are Canada and the story be- big wrestling fans and hind that one is that Juno were watching and they was always a curse prior called me right away and to us, I suppose because told me. So I was like right everyone who won it never on, cool. What was funny got to sell much or got to was that it was a total balrelease in the US so, ap- lad that they played. It parently we broke the wasnʼt even a heavier

track; it was like a full-on piano ballad. MUEN: So we can look for the new DEFAULT album hopefully this year.

Yes, definitely we are hoping by summer to have a single on the air, at least in Canada in the next month or so and hopefully in the US as well. It takes a little bit longer to launch anything down there unfortunately. MUEN: Well I hope to get you guys down here for a show as well!

Yes we will definitely be touring and you know Texas has always been a great market for us. Plus our manager lives in Texas so he wonʼt have it any other way.

MUEN: Well, great! People can come and check you out personally at www.dannycraig.com and they can find the band at www.defaultonline.com and www.myspace.com/defaultcaand a.

That is correct! Thanks Holly! MUEN: Thank you Danny!

God Dethroned

name as a band in many countries and it would be a pity to lose that because of lyrics that would Myspace.com/villavampiria be misunderstood or lyrics that would someBy: Jeanne Thomas thing negative about a (JET) certain country or people. MUEN: Do you chose not to be political in music because it does not have a place in music or because you do not want to feel any repercussions from it?

We chose not to be political because we are no political band. Passiondale deals with World War I, but i wrote all the lyrics from a neutral point of view. We have a good

that topic anymore so I People who don't like it write about different stuff. just don't buy it. It's not something thatʼs forced MUEN: Where did the onto people is it? Same name God Dethroned with lyrics. derive from? MUEN: How have sales From these anti-religious been on Passiondale? views I have. I thought What have peoples reMUEN: Do you ever the name itself would actions been to it? write songs about reli- point that out pretty gion? clearly. It's too early to say something about sales, but the Yes i did on our first MUEN: What are your overall response is just album The Christhunt. I'm views on censorship amazing ! Many magaagainst organized religion both in art (cd covers) zines and fans say that and I wanted to express as well as musical and this is our best album to that on that album. On lyrical content? date. the later albums I sometimes took stories from I think it's weird because MUEN: So it sounds like the bible and twisted we have the freedom of you are pleased with them a little. Nowadays I speech, so why should how it turned out? don't really care about artwork be censored? Yes definitely. We wanted

to go back to our roots and so we did. It proved to be the right choice, since people are totally into it. But also the concept is great. We are the first band to ever write a concept album about World War I, so that made it stand out from the competition. Of course i didn't know if the story would come across, but it did. It's unique and that makes it get noticed.

vision yourselves doing once you retire from your music careers?

MUEN: Any tours planned? US maybe?

MUEN: How would you describe your fans?

I don't know yet, and hopefully that will be a while.

out the new album yet then do so!

MUEN: Where are your CDs and merch for sale?

Just check out the Metal Blade website. We are MUEN: Do you have any working on a new website side projects going on? too and there you'll be able to buy shirts and No. I think to do one band properly is already enough work, so no side projects for me. In the MUEN: Do you think itʼs past i did though, but now your best cd to date? i feel that it would take the focus from God DeYeah I think so, but I throned away too much. guess every musician says that about their lat- MUEN: What is the est album... biggest struggle for a band out there now in MUEN: How would you your opinion? explain your musical style? Dealing with the overkill of releases and tours. BeI think it can be best re- sides that it's pretty diffiferred to as Blackened cult to come up with Death Metal. something fresh.

Yes we'll be doing a world tour for this album, starting on June 25th. On September 1st we go to South America for a tour, then Mexico and on September 30th we start on the US and Canadian part of the tour. When we come back we will do another European tour. We're also working on Japan and Australia.

We have a very loyal fanbase but also a lot of youngsters showing up at our concerts which is very good in my opinion. Some bands keep the same audience for years, but no new fans so they die a slow death. MUEN: Anything you would like to say to them?

MUEN: What do you en- If you haven't checked

stuff as well.

MUEN: What is it you wish to achieve with this band?

Just a lot of respect from metal heads world wide.