Interviews
To date, we have conducted 1630 interviews. If your band is available for an interview, feel free to contact us and we'll see what we can do. Here are our latest:
Displaying records 776 - 800 of 1,630 1 2 ... 30 31 32 33 34 ... 65 66 Last
Call From The Grave: The Lost Quorthon Interview
When you hear the news that a metal icon has died, you always remember what you were doing at that moment in time. It was the summer of 2004 and the end of a long day of work for me. Sifting through the news and portals, the headline "Quorthon Dies at 38" hit me like a lead ballast. What was so haunting about it was that I had just been playing "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" a few days earlier. Quorthon - the man, the legend - gone so soon. How could this be?
It is ironic that in the strange world we live in, an artist’s status becomes glorified after their demise. They may have been legendary and innovative in what they created and did in the musical realm while they were living and they may have fallen off the radar for a while - but their death brings their accomplishments front and center. After Quorthon's death the metal community really took stock in him, the artist, and his immeasurable contributions to metal.
When you die, you are instantly immortalized. Quorthon's passing, especially at a young age, made him into an icon. But in the eyes of a true innovator, he did not see himself that way. Humble, funny and self-effacing, Quorthon proved to be a very down to earth musician who created for the sake. He shrugged off his own accolades and press releases and never believed the hype of all the praises. This is the true measure of accomplishment - let others sing your glory and don't get sucked into it.
During the height of his creative period, Quorthon conducted a few interviews as time permitted. This one comes from 1997, and for fifteen years it has been an undiscovered gem collecting dust. That's the beauty of finding this rare recording, in that all these years later it resurfaces and becomes a voice from the grave. Now that Quorthon is legendary, this interview may be appreciated more than when he was alive. The old school fans and the new devotees may get a rare and personal glimpse into the personality of a man who influenced two genres of metal, a soul who cannot speak again in the flesh. Join us today as we take another glimpse into the man, the legend - Quorthon - on what would have been his 46th birthday.
- Victoria “Sonic Therapy” Willis
Below is a complete transcript of a never before aired or published interview with Quorthon, conducted via telephone during the promotion of his second solo album in May of 1997. Both the transcript and the accompanying streaming audio of the interview are released today, on what would have been his 46th birthday, for the very first time, as our respectful tribute. We hope that his family and friends, as well as admirers of his music and talent, would appreciate hearing him speak to us from 15 years ago, as much as we do.
Quorthon had often expressed frustration over being misquoted and misrepresented by the press, so, with that in mind, and in order to accurately preserve every nuisance and nuance of the interview, both the audio and the transcript are presented in their unabridged forms.
- Boris "Von Faust" Zaidenberg
Interview with Mike Schleibaum of Darkest Hour
Darkest Hour rose to the top of metal popularity through years of hard work touring, making album after album, and involving fans in many aspects of the music. And the rewards have been sweet, including a long tour with the illustrious Machine Head. I caught up with guitarist Mike Schleibaum before their show in New Orleans, LA, and before they did sneak away for a popular local beverage to talk about line-up changes, new songs, and Theremins. A transcription follows the video.
A Chat With MAKE Vocalist/Guitarist Scott Endres
North Carolina’s MAKE plays this lumbering, atmospheric metal that could be familiar to those who listen to bands in the style of Neurosis. They aren’t a complete knock-off of some well-known band though, as evident by their upcoming debut album, “Trephine.” The concept album dwells into the mystery of life after death and handling a post-apocalyptic universe. The trio, which started out as a four-piece, matches this lofty ambition with a mass of heaviness, coupled with brief fancies of melodic ambience. I had the opportunity to get some comments out of vocalist/guitarist Scott Endres about the band’s background and the creation of “Trephine.”
Band Photo: Killswitch Engage
The Empire Of Killswitch: Jesse Leach Speaks
Ten years. That's how long it took Jesse Leach, the arresting voice of one of the millenium's most influential American metal albums "Alive Or Just Breathing," [2002] to rejoin his brothers in Massachusetts powerhouse Killswitch Engage. Less than one week after the official announcement on Monday, February 6, I visited the cozy Easy Street Nightclub in Greenfield for an evening of local and regional metal - headlined by one of Jesse's beloved interim projects, The Empire Shall Fall (latest release reviewed here). Following the spellbinding set, we sat aside in a secluded corner amidst a rowdy last-call bustle as the underground dive bar cleared out for the night. With a little help from amorous Adam Dutkiewicz (Killswitch Engage) and aspiring TV interviewer Matt Bachand (Shadows Fall), Jesse filled in Metal Underground on all the major current happenings in his career. The complete, unabridged transcript follows.
Eternal Void Talks New EP "One Of Us'
Burgeoning Ohio metallers Eternal Void are a rarity in the underground scene: an unsigned band that already sounds like a top quality act that should be booking cross country tours and selling out venues.
With the release of the new EP "One Of Us" (review forthcoming shortly) Eternal Void shows a smooth blending of various extreme styles, while still keeping up a head bobbing melody and memorable song structures.
After getting my first taste of the EP I got in contact with guitarist Evan Hilderbrandt to talk about the band's unique yet still familiar sound and dive deeper into the themes of the EP. Evan shared his thoughts on the Occupy Wallstreet movement and how its message has been received over time, the Ohio metal scene, and even his excitement to see what's coming up next from the mighty Behemoth now that Nergal is back at the helm again. Check out the full interview below.
An Interview With Christian Mistress
Who can forget when heavy metal was arguably at its peak in the late '70s and early '80s? You had bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden revolutionizing the sound, while movements the NWOBHM redefined what heavy metal could represent. While the essence of heavy metal has been teared apart and stripped into dozens of genres, there are still modern bands like Christian Mistress who are repping that early heavy metal mentality.
Whether it’s on purpose or not, Christian Mistress has really honed into what makes heavy metal so timeless on their new record, “Possession.” With dueling guitars and dominating female vocals, this album has its heart firmly set in the old-school. I had a chance to speak to vocalist Christine Davis about “Possession,” being labeled a “NWOBHM”-like band, and how their raw production values are unintentional.
Band Photo: Crimson Dawn
Drakkar Tells All About "When Lightning Strikes"
Many fans of European power metal, and the Italian scene in general, equate great music with Rhapsody Of Fire. However, were you aware that one Italian band, who has been around just as long, has virtually gone unnoticed in the “New World”? In 1997, right around the time that Rhapsody Of Fire, then Rhapsody, was just releasing its “Legendary Tales” album, a band named Drakkar (a variant of the Norse word “Dreker” or Viking long boat) was starting up in Milan and demoing material for what would be the first, and appropriately titled album, “Quest for Glory.” The album was released in 1998 through the Italian record label Dragonheart Records. The band played epic power metal, but with a slightly less symphonic element at the time. They went on to record two more releases with the label, “Gemini” (2000) and “Razorblade God” (2002), with various lineup changes along the way, most notably the addition of vocalist Davide Dell’Orto and keyboardist Corrado Solarino on the latter.
Just as the band became more cohesive and defined with the release of “Razorblade God,” they fell off the face of the earth. The longboat was not seen again until the “Classified” EP, which contained material written just after the tour for “Razorblade God,” was released in 2007. The release was meant to tell the world that the band had not split up as one might have suspected. It took another five long years for the band to release what is arguably the best material they have ever written, in the form of the science fiction concept album “When Lightning Strikes.” With strong label support from My Kingdom Music, the Drakkar seeks to recapture its place in the Italian metal scene, with an even greater eye towards a global attack on the entire epic power metal scene. By reaching into its past with a goal to firmly grasp the future, this more mature group of musicians have not only closed the gap of a ten year absence, but propelled itself forward.
Guitarist/songwriter Dario Beretta and vocalist Davide Dell’Orto checked in with Metal Underground for a light-hearted chat to provide the "tell-all"story of the band and the new release “When Lightning Strikes.” In addition, we break the first in-depth news behind Crimson Dawn, a band that started as a traditional metal project and now resurrected by Dario Beretta as regular epic doom metal band. Crimson Dawn has tapped Betoken frontman Antonio Pecere for vocals.
"When Lightning Strikes" is available now through My Kingdom Music. Metal Underground's review can be found at this location.
Band Photo: Machine Head
An Interview With Dave McClain Of Machine Head
Given the overwhelming reception to last year's towering studio album "Unto The Locust," San Francisco Bay Area metal quartet Machine Head doesn't require much of an introduction at this point. Christened "The Eighth Plague," their first North American headlining tour in four years - with Suicide Silence and Darkest Hour in tow - came to Worcester, Massachusetts on Saturday, February 4. Prior to the blistering performance at the Palladium (reviewed here), I checked in with drummer Dave McClain, a permanent Machine Head fixture since sophomore effort "The More Things Change." [1997] He began by thanking me for actually making sure to press "record," and related a discomforting "Spinal Tap" moment from the day prior in New York - where thanks to a technical lapse, he was forced to give the same interview twice in a row. Luckily this time, once was enough. Here's what took place:
Band Photo: Testament
Chuck Billy Discusses Upcoming New Testament Album
Thrash masters Testament are finally coming up with a follow-up to the comeback album "The Formation of Damnation," with the upcoming full-length "Dark Roots of the Earth" to be released later this year.
Prior to the launch of the new album, Testament has been on the road in North America with fellow thrashers Death Angel and Anthrax. A week into the tour I caught up with vocalist Chuck Billy to get the low down on the album's progress and in inside look at the Testament touring machine.
Below is a complete transcription of our conversation, in which Chuck discusses Gene Hoglan pulling double duty on the tour, the band's drummer situation, the new album's lyrical themes, and even confirms what many fans of Eric Peterson's side project have long been waiting for: Dragonlord is finally working on a new album.
Coronatus Talks "Terra Incognita"
German Coronatus developed its own unique and patented brand of symphonic metal, which utilizes a dual female vocal attack. Up to the release of its fourth album “Terra Incognita” (See Metal Underground’s review here), in 2011, the band has been a revolving door of vocalists. The latest release saw the band welcoming back former vocalist Ada Fletcher, who sang on the band’s stellar 2008 release “Porta Obscura.”
Founding member and drummer Mats Kurth, guitarist Aria Keramati Noori and bassist Dirk Baur checked in with Metal Underground to give some insight on “Terra Incognita,” the band's numerous lineup changes throughout the years and the band’s aspirations to play in the United States.
CROMCarl: How has the reaction been, if any, from the United States with either the “Terra Incognita” album or with the band in general?
Band Photo: Arkona
Interview with Arkona
Arkona has been one of the premier Pagan-influenced bands for years; a decade to be exact. The folk metallers have been touring heavily in support of their sixth full-length album "Slovo", and will soon to be tearing up festivals across Europe and America like Paganfest, Extremefest, and Brutal Assault. I talked to Arkona about "Slovo", touring, and their inspiration.
Band Photo: Iced Earth
The 1st Night: The Iced Earth Tour With Stu Block
Over the past few years, Iced Earth released the admirable efforts “Framing Armageddon” and “The Crucible of Man.” The former featured vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens and the latter marked the return of Matt Barlow. The two albums were met with equal mediocre fan response. It seemed as though the band lost a little steam. With Barlow departing for a second time, guitarist Jon Schaffer had a plan.
Century Media representatives suggested he check out a stellar new vocalist from a Canadian progressive extreme band called Into Eternity, a band that was making great waves in the metal scene. After seeing the fire in Stu Block’s eyes that he desperately needed, Schaffer was impressed but still a little unsure on how Block’s patented “hybrid vocal” style (combining traditional, extreme and death style vocals) would fit in with Iced Earth. After just one tryout, Stu was hired. The end result was the realization of Schaffer’s vision: “Dystopia.” The album reinvigorated the band and the reviews proved it.
What followed was a highly successful tour of Europe in late 2011, which brought them to the eve of the first night the most prolific power metal tour to hit North America in years: Iced Earth co-headlining with Symphony X. Now, Hartford isn’t exactly the first place you would think of for prolific tours, but Connecticut was blessed with the opportunity to be the first to witness this event (see our show review). Stu Block sat down with Metal Underground in the back lounge of the band’s tour bus to give the low down on his recruitment.
Band Photo: Ministry
Al Jourgensen Gives Dope on "Relapse"
Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen has made a career out of bashing the policies of the Bush family. In 1992, he released “Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs,” which contained sound clips of George Herbert Walker Bush’s famous “New World Order” speech. Eight years later, Jourgensen revisited anti-Bush songs on “Houses of the Molé.” This time, a different Bush was in office—George Walker Bush. Even though his policies were similar to his father, there were still differences. These similarities and differences were reflected on the song “NO W,” which showed Jourgensen rearranging the letters in the title of “NWO,” as well as building on a similar musical foundation.
“Rio Grande Blood” (2006) and “The Last Sucker” (2007) featured an album cover depicting G.W. Bush surrounded by various symbols of secret societies such as Masonic pyramids. The latter record portrayed our former president as a David Icke-type shape-shifting reptoid. These three albums were part of a Bush-blasting trilogy. It seems as if Al Jourgensen pens his best material when a Bush is in power. At the end of the Bush era, Al Jourgensen announced that the group’s 2007 record, "Last Sucker" would be Ministry’s swan song. With no Bush in the White House, Jourgensen tapped out of Ministry material. Five years later, the father of industrial metal returns with a new album, “Relapse,” available March 27, 2012.
Mike Scaccia urged Jourgensen to make another Ministry album when the two were recording “Biker’s Welcome! Ladies Drink Free,” Jourgensen’s anticipated country album. Scaccia previously played with Jourgensen on “Psalm 69.” Joining Scaccia on “Relapse” are his Rigor Mortis band mate, Casey Orr, Tony Campos (Static X) and Tommy Victor (Prong). Even though the Democrats are in power, the state of our country and the world has fueled Al Jourgensen with enough material to write one last album.
Al Jourgensen spoke with Metal Underground on the phone about recording the new Ministry album and his Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters debut, as well as touching on his love for tattoos, support of the 99 percent movement and doomsday predictions.
Uncleansed Discusses New Vocalist James Vandenberg
Texas boasts one of the largest death metal scenes in the world. Death Metal-themed festivals provide a forum for the legions of death and grind acts to puke forth cadaverous abominations upon the heads of their cannibalistic followers. Houston-based Uncleansed is a group that has always battered and splattered the ears of this scribe on the festival circuit.
I reported their powerful performance at Goregrowler's Ball 5. Vocalist Shawn Whittaker seemingly derived his voice from the bottomless perdition. Recently, the group announced Whittaker left the band and welcomed new vocalist, James Vandenberg from the Austin’s Perversum as their new growler. Along with drummer Darrell White, Vandenberg corresponded with Metal Underground.com via email about joining the band, his first live performance and new material.
Band Photo: Biohazard
Biohazard Guitarist Talks "Reborn In Defiance"
Biohazard reunited in 2008 with the line-up that arguably performed the best albums the band has written to date, including the self-titled debut, “Urban Discipline,” and “State Of The World Address.” They went on several tours to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary, and even found some time to get back in the studio and record a new record, “Reborn In Defiance.” While it was important for fans to hear music from the core group of musicians who made some of the most reveled hardcore records of the ‘90s, the reunion was also an opportunity for four guys to come together after over a decade apart and hash out their difference. I spoke to guitarist Bobby Hambel about his return to the band, bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld’s departure, and his excitement of Black Sabbath going back out on tour.
Martin Steene Discusses Iron Fire's "Voyage"
Just after the “To the Grave” album, Iron Fire made a pact. With a changing world and the ever growing stagnation surrounding power metal these days, the band made a decision to play with the sound to freshen it up and elevate the band beyond the norm and above the fray. The change was delayed a bit with the release of “Metalmorphosized,” which was not the original planned album, but one that ended up as a collection of unused songs that were re-recorded along with three newer sounding tracks that were intended for a later release. It was a test by the band to see how the fans would react, mixing standard brand Iron Fire with new fresher sounding power metal. With the reaction solid, the band continued to “metalmorphosize” the sound until it eventually became “Voyage of the Damned” (see our review here).
Martin Steene caught up with Metal Underground to discuss his views on power metal, how it needs to change and why Iron Fire had to make a leap of faith in an effort to separate itself from the pack and drive the power metal scene into a new stratosphere. Steene also makes a desperate plea for a phone call from Ayreon's Arjen Anthony Lucassen!
Band Photo: The Body
Interview with The Body; Video Available
The Body is like a relentless road warrior; bringing you the heaviest, most distorted two-piece metal you've ever heard. Having just wrapped up a tour with Thou and soon to set off with The Braveyoung, The Body just don't stop recording and performing music. I caught up with drummer Lee and guitarist/vocalist Chip at the Zeitgeist in New Orleans to talk about the many and varied recent albums and what their favorite films are. I included the bonus footage "The Body: The Search for the Robo Cop Pinball Machine." A transcription is below the video footage.
Band Photo: Napalm Death
Napalm Death Frontman Discusses "Utilitarian"
Britain's Napalm Death, one of the world's seminal acts in grindcore, death metal, and extreme music writ large, are set to release their fifteenth studio album "Utilitarian" late next month via Century Media. Phoning me from his Birmingham home, gruff (and outspoken) vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway joined Metal Underground for a refreshingly candid chat to discuss just that. Here's what took place:
Band Photo: Psycroptic
Dave Haley of Psycroptic Discusses New Album
It's not a stretch to say that I absolutely loved the new Psycroptic album or that the band is capable of putting on a great show in a live setting.
After hearing the changes made on "The Inherited Repression" I was interested to see what drummer Dave Haley of Psycroptic had to say about their creative process that led to the new album being such a breath of fresh air in a predictable metal scene.
Aborted Explains New Album "Global Flatline"
The death masters from Aborted will be dropping another slice of blistering metal mayhem tomorrow, aptly titled "Global Flatline." To get an inside look at the new release, I got in touch with Aborted vocalist Sven de Caluwé and chatted about everything from shooting music videos to fielding fan questions.
Check out the full interview below, in which Sven offers his thoughts on critical reaction to the album (You can find Metalunderground.com's own review here), getting guest spots from members of The Black Dahlia Murder and Benighted, and Aborted's plans to hit the road in February.
Matt Johnsen Of Pharaoh Talks About The New Album
As Pharaoh's fourth album, "Bury the Light," will be unveiled on March 6th in the U.S. (February 24th in Europe), it is hard to fathom that this Philadelphia power metal band is going on seventeen years of existence. But much can be attributed to all of the members of Pharaoh being vocal about creating quality power metal for the sake of doing so, trudging on all these years for the love of what they do despite not achieving great commercial success. "Bury the Light" is the logical progression from Pharaoh's last one, "Be Gone," and unleashes ten tracks of epic power metal that will further cement this band's status as one of the best traditional metal bands currently out there. Streaming the new track "Castles in the Sky" here on Metal Underground recently, we also caught up with cerebral and quirky Pharaoh guitarist Matt Johnsen to get his take on the new album, the band and the metal community as a whole.
Interview With Ben Ward Of Orange Goblin
It's been five years since their last release, and Orange Goblin has never gone out of style. Soon to release "A Eulogy for the Damned," the long-running creepy stoner band has concerts lined up in support and celebration of the anticipated album which is already garnering a great response. You can read a review of it here. I was able to talk to vocalist Ben Ward about the album and exactly how H.P. Lovecraft and his monsters came into play.
Band Photo: Cannibal Corpse
Rob Barrett of Cannibal Corpse Discusses "Torture"
Cannibal Corpse has left a trail of bloated, blue-skinned bodies that traces back twenty-two years. The skull envisioned on “Eaten Back to Life” spilled out its writhing, maggot-filled content. Since then the group has followed the maggots’ slimy trails and found ten to twelve horrific scenarios of death about every other year. Although getting older, the group’s twelfth full-length “Torture” (available March 13th, 2012 via Metal Blade) proves these death metal legends are not ready to be tagged and bagged just yet.
More bands have mimicked the group’s bludgeoning style and grotesque imagery than any other group in death metal. Although they weren’t the first death metal band, one could make a strong argument they are the most popular. Staying on top takes hard work, but Cannibal Corpse is up to the task. Each interview concerning “Torture” reveals its subject exclaiming the greatness of the album. From the graphicness of the cover art to the compositions to the speed and the production, each member has extolled the virtues of “Torture.”
Guitarist Rob Barrett offers the same positive tone as his comrades of carnage. In the following interview Barrett states the album is drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz’s best performance of his career. He also explained how splitting time between two recording studios—Erik Rutan’s MANA studio in Florida and Sonic Ranch in Texas—helped the band get the best sounding record possible. Before diving into the details of making “Torture,” we spoke to him regarding his mates’ recent injuries.
Nephelium Chats About "Coils Of Entropy"
Eventually all things break down and all life dissolves into nothingness: this is the message of Nephelium's "Coils of Entropy," a lesson in old school, brutal, and utterly soul destroying death metal.
Take part in the decay and check out samples from the album (reviewed here) or download the full song "Merciless Annihilation" free via Nephelium's Bandcamp and Reverbnation pages.
The album doesn't officially drop until February 7th, but after hearing an advance copy I had to get ahold of the crushing death metal act to find out the story behind "Coils of Entropy." Drummer Alan Madhavan corresponded with me to share the tale of the band moving from the United Arab Emirates to North America, striking a balance between outright brutality and complex song structures, and to tell all upcoming metal bands to never surrender.
Band Photo: Kambrium
Kambrium Blazes A "Shadowpath" To Glory
Kambrium has been navigating the sea of bands in the bursting German scene for a couple of years now. In 2010, they self-released the stunning EP “A Silent Moon.” In 2011, the band released “Shadowpath,” which brought an overwhelmingly exciting and refreshing sound of epic progressive death metal. At the same time the band can blastbeat with the best black metal bands they could stand alongside such symphonic greats like Epica (see Metal Underground's review of "Shadowpath"). The sound drew the attention of Massacre Records who quickly signed the quintet and issued “Shadowpath” worldwide.
Keyboardist/songwriter Jan Hein checked in with Metal Underground to talk about “Shadowpath” and how a bunch of untrained musicians spawned the idea of Kambrium during a party over a couple of beers in 2005.
Displaying records 776 - 800 of 1,630 1 2 ... 30 31 32 33 34 ... 65 66 Last