MetalsPeak - Interviews

Sven De Caluwe from Aborted Interesting tid bit on how they determine headliner Weather Album feedback Nice quick interruption from Pat from FFAA Finished off with a round of ridiculous questions Awesome insight into the upcoming album Wax philosophical about generational differences among music fans over the last 20 years

Clayton Bartholomew, guitarist from Secrets of the Sky Diversity of the tour line up (Anaal Nathrakh and Incite) Writing process, tone, formation of the band Concept albums Dream tour line up

After the Stronger Than Faith tour stop in Colorado Springs wrapped up, we grabbed some time with Pat Sheridan from Fit For An Autopsy to get as much info as possible on the new album. Along with some momentary chiming in from everyone else in the Fit touring camp, Pat shared how the addition of Joe Badolato expanded the band's writing horizons and allowed growth in a way that just wasn't possible before. He also explained some of the dynamic of having the secret weapon of Will Putney and some more of what to expect with the new album, due out this summer.

We caught up with Ben Falgoust, vocalist from Goatwhore, at the Denver stop of the 2014 Summer Slaughter tour. He shared thoughts on how the tour had been going so far, response for "Constricting Rage Of The Merciless" including the writing process and how technology has changed that over the last few years, and plans for the rest of the year. We also had an interesting interruption from random Denver-ite in her pajamas. So there was that.

We caught up with Tim Goergen, vocalist from Within The Ruins, at the Denver stop of the 2014 Summer Slaughter tour. He shared thoughts on how the tour had been going so far, response for "Phenomena" including the writing process, lyrical inspiration, and plans for the rest of the year. He also shared a valuable tip for staying awake during overnight driving shifts.

We caught up with Alex Hofmann, vocalist from Fallujah, at the Denver stop of the 2014 Summer Slaughter tour. He shared thoughts on how the tour had been going so far, response for "The Flesh Prevails" including the writing process, production goals, and how the artwork came together. He wrapped up with plans for the rest of the year.

Jared caught up with Andrew, Joel, and Steven from Wretched to get thoughts on new album which they produced and engineered themselves. They talked about the differences good and bad between using a producer and self producing. They also went over upcoming tour dates, what keeps them going in the metal industry, and guilty pleasures.

Jared caught up with Sven and Ken to discuss among many things, common intervals between showers while on the road, 2014 tour schedule, highlights of American food, and the writing process on new album which was completed in a much shorter time frame than their previous effort.

Jared snagged some time to chat with Scott, Rob, and Alex from Fallujah during an off-date show on their way home after a 6 week tour with Black Dahlia Murder and Skeletonwitch. They covered highlights (and lowlights) from that tour as well as what kind of crowd response they've been getting from their latest EP, "Nomadic". He also got some insight to how 2014 is shaping up so far, including plans for the next album, differences in writing styles, and the importance of trying to do something different to stay ahead of the curve. They closed with thoughts on best albums of 2013, including a choice pick for anyone with a soft spot for vintage 80s synth pop.

We snagged a quick chat with Dead Letter Circus vocalist Kim Benzie during the Denver stop of "This Tour Is Personal", their outing with Periphery, Born Of Osiris, and fellow Australians Twelve Foot Ninja. Kim shared some thoughts on being exposed to Periphery and BOO for the first time in a live setting. We also heard about the recent guitarist line up change and how that affected the writing process for their latest effort "The Catalyst Fire". And finally Kim talked about plans for the rest of the year including their first tour with Carnivool, who helped DLC get some of their first shows 8 years ago.

Jared and Leggz caught up with Katatonia guitarist Anders Nystrom on the Denver stop of their tour with TesseracT, Cult Of Luna, and Intronaut to get thoughts on the tour so far and comparisons in touring the US vs Europe, which included a different take than we usually hear. Also heard some interesting thoughts on upcoming tours and acoustic material, early influences, and what keeps you going after a storied career.

Jared and Leggz caught up with TesseracT guitarist James Monteith on the Denver stop of their tour with Katatonia, Cult Of Luna, and Intronaut to get thoughts on the diversity of the tour package, best stops so far, and how the new singer is working out. They also discussed their latest album "Altered State" - both the writing of and the response they've been getting from fans, as well as a broader discussion of the evolution of the djent genre. They wrap up with some gear talk and plans for the rest of the year.

Jared caught up with Fit For An Autopsy for the third time and had a great chat with Nate and Pat about how things have changed over the last three years, specifically regarding touring, the album process, label support, and gear. Pat shared some insight on the motivating factors behind new album "Hellbound" in contrast with their previous effort "The Process of Human Extermination" as well as some details on recent endorsements that have come their way.

Jared caught up with vocalist Tim Goergen on the last stop on the tour with All Shall Perish, Oceano, Reflections, and Betrayal to talk about tours, albums, and musical taste. Tim highlighted some of the best stops of this tour as well as what's coming up on their next jaunt. He also talked about their latest release, "Elite" and the differences between it and their previous effort, "Invade". Jared got some insight on lyrical inspiration and vocal warm up techniques as well. And finally, everyone's favorite topic: Musical preferences outside metal, including some choice guilty pleasures on both sides of the table.

Jared caught up with guitarist Josh Elmore after Cattle Decapitation's anihilating set on the Summer Slaughter Tour for a nice lengthy chat about touring, recording, and guitars. Josh commented on what it's like coming back to the Summer Slaughter Tour after being on the inaugural year, as well as thoughts on the importance of a good, entertaining live show and the level of passion found in the metal community. He also talked about Cattle's discography up to "Monolith Of Inhumanity", what it was like recording with Dave Otero at Flatline Audio, and goals for the next album. And finally, if you've ever wondered where in the hell Josh got that funky looking guitar - listen up! Lots of good stuff for you in here!

We had a quick chat with Aeon vocalist Tommy Dahlstrom on the Denver stop of the Summer Slaughter tour - the band's first outing in America. Tommy noted an interesting difference in crowd reaction on this side of the pond as well as best tour stops. He also mentioned he's anxious to get working on new music when the tour is over, citing they'd like to take more time to put the next album together. This can only mean supreme brutality given the relentless slaying that is "Aeons Black". We asked about lyrical inspiration and while the answer was brief, it was understood that Tommy has plenty of reference for many albums to come.

We caught up with The Ocean's Robin Staps for the 2nd time for a great chat about touring, cultural differences across the world, and the writing process. Robin started by sharing a bit of what they've learned about how to tour the US and the role American hospitality plays in it. And we couldn't avoid the elephant in the room, and Robin was happy to talk about it: the recent Facebook back-and-forth about rules and regulations, specifically the "No stage diving" precedent. While still open minded, Robin is nonetheless passionate about this topic and makes great, thought provoking points while comparing the hardcore scene to pop music and even sporting events. We closed by hearing about the differences in the writing process for "Pelagial" compared to previous albums, and thoughts on touring Russia and China.

We got some time with Dave Davidson before Revocation's set on the Denver stop of the Summer Slaughter tour to get some thoughts on how the tour has gone now that it's winding down. Dave let us know which stops have been the best as well as overall thoughts on the diversity of the tour lineup. And then Daigle unleashed some geek out on the skill of Dave's playing including the banjo cameo on "Invidious" (from their latest release), the importance of being able to play slowly, and the Jackson Warrior.

Jared caught up with Per "Sodomizer" Eriksson on the 2nd night of the Opeth/Katatoni tour stop in Boulder, CO. They covered how the tour has been going and what the best stop has been, as well as how it is being "in" the band after working for the band as a guitar tech. Eriksson also talked about response to new album given there wasn't much time to write, and the transition from tech death to gothic style playing as well as guitar influences. And then gear talk. Lots of gear talk. If you're a gear head, GET IN HERE! Finally we got some insight to plans for the rest of the year.

Jared and Legz shared a nice lengthy chat with Dino Cazares on the first night of The World Industrialist tour at The Black Sheep in Colorado Springs. Dino shared some thoughts on the recent European tour with Devin Townsend, feedback good and bad since the release of "The Industrialist" as well as pros and cons of writing with a live drummer vs a drum program. We also heard about what to look forward to with the next Fear Factory album and Dino's view on how technology has affected piracy in the entertainment industry. The conversation closed out with 8 string integration and gear talk.

Jared caught up with Soilwork vocalist Bjorn "Speed" Strid during the Denver, CO stop of the Soilwork, Jeff Loomis, Blackguard and Hatchet tour. Speed shared thoughts on the tour so far, the reasoning behind the double album approach for "The Living Infinite", and song writing methods both past and present. Jared also inquired as to what drives a band after almost 20 years in the business. Finally, the topics of production quality vs studio tricks and US vs Europe tour differences was discussed.

Stu and Legz met up with Jeff Loomis for their first interview at The Gothic during Jeff's tour with Soilwork, Blackguard and Hatchet. Jeff talked about the tour and how his solo act came to be, what the song writing process looks like - as well as the obligatory gear questions and hobbies on tour. Jeff also talked about his take on the metal scene and gives us an answer to the question that everybody wants to know.

Jared caught up with Dying Fetus drummer Trey Williams at The Black Sheep during their tour with Hatebreed, Shadows Fall and The Contortionist. Trey talked about fan reactions to their latest release "Reign Supreme"; specifically what songs are most requested. The song writing process, drumming styles, cymbal preferences, and what it takes to stay committed to such intense music also came up. Trey also commented on music preferences of late, both metal and non-metal and a surprise answer to the dream tour package.

Daigle snagged some time with The Contortionist vocalist Jonathan Carpenter during the Colorado Springs stop of the The Divinity of Purpose tour to go over thoughts on the tour so far and feedback on their 2012 release "Intrinsic". We also talked about things that fill time in between tours/writing/recording.

We chatted with Mike Semesky from The HAARP Machine at the end of the Deconsecrate The Nation tour stop in Colorado Springs at The Black Sheep. We covered a wide range of topics including tour stop highlights so far (both on and off dates), backstory on how Mike joined the band, vocal training, best albums of the year, and of course Harry Potter. Plus if you're not familiar with the turkey high 5, the happy salmon, and the elusive bird trombone GET IN HERE!

We Skyped with Joe and Dave from Mechina to get some insight on the new album, Empyrean, as they put the finishing touches on it. Turns out their writing style was a bit backwards from the traditional approach when orchestration is involved. Joe also mentioned the addition of a 9 string Agile guitar. Pros and cons of the DIY culture were discussed and we wrapped things up with thoughts on best albums of 2012.

We Skyped with Scott McMasters, drummer and vocalist from Coathanger Abortion, and got some updates on the upcoming new album, including what's different this time out. He also recapped some recent tours, what they listen to in the van; both metal and non-metal, as well as future plans.

Jared talked with Niilo Sevänen about how the tour has been going with Epica, Alestorm, and System Divide and how excited state side fans are to see them given the long span since their last US tour. Niilo also weighed in on differences between touring the US versus touring Europe, as well as what it takes to warm up before shows. Ideal tour packages also came up.

Jared sat down with Matti Honkonen and Markus Jamsen of Finnish doom metal masters Swallow the Sun during the Denver stop of their U.S. tour with Kreator and Accept. Topics of discussion included the songwriting process for their album, the differences in touring the U.S. versus Europe, bands they'd like to tour with, and how they gel so well as a band (often writing entire albums' worth of material in just a few days). They also discuss their plans for the rest of 2012 and into 2013.

Jared sat down with the always mighty (and never crunchy) Devin Townsend during the Denver stop of the Epic Kings and Idols tour with Katatonia and Paradise Lost. Hevy Devy is feeling pretty happy these days, as evidenced by his new album Epicloud and his onstage exuberance. He talked a bit about the songwriting process for the new album, future plans, and what he thinks he might get out of the video submissions for Lucky Animals.

Jared caught up with Kataonia drummer Daniel Liljekvist during the Denver stop of the Epic Kings and Idols tour with Paradise Lost and The Devin Townsend Project. Daniel discussed the high points of the tour, including the difference in crowd response between his band and DTP. He also talked about the songwriting process and how far they've come as a band with their newest release Dead End Kings.

We stole a few moments from Jonny to talk about the Summer Slaughter tour so far, line up changes and the impact that had to their songwriting. We also got a quick update on Fleshwrought, and plans for the rest of the year.

Paul and Som were gracious hosts to have us on their RV and give us almost 40 minutes of what turned out to be one of the most fun and entertaining interviews we've done so far. They talked about how the Summer Slaughter tour was going including some kudos for the monitor guys at The Summit Music Hall, and insight as to who was the biggest drinker of all the SS bands. Paul also shared the unbelievable story about an issue in NY that prevented Paul's work visa from coming through last year. We heard about some plans for the rest of the year and, just for Daigle, some thoughts on Harry Potter.

We chatted with Alex Webster during the Denver stop of the Summer Slaughter tour, and he was quick to talk about having progy type bands on the bill which is unusual for them. Song dynamics, particularly in terms of tempo also came up, as well as the challenge of putting a set list together when you have 12+ albums of material. Alex also shed some light on death metal bands that started in the late 80s. There really wasn't a precedent for what a successful death metal band was and how far they could go. And the highlight for us (and probably for any CO native) is when Alex recalled the original name of The Black Sheep in Colorado Springs.

Jared talked with Oscar from Pathology on the Slaughter Survivors Tour. Oscar talked about differences between the last album and the upcoming one including song writing/composition and recording. The topic of Victory Records and how Pathology stands out in the roster also came up. Oscar commented on vocal critique common to brutal death metal and what keeps a band going when they tour extensively. And mark another one down for homeless-people-interview-interruptions.

Jared got some time with Fit For An Autopsy after their destroying of the stage on the Slaughter Survivors Tour. They had great things to say about the Denver stop in particular. Jared also got some detail on how things have changed since the last time he talked to them two years ago. Future plans, line up changes (including the boost to a 6 piece band), and the phrase "Might eat a little shit on the way, but it tastes good in the end" also came up. A common thread with Fear Factory turned up as well.

Jared got some time with James Martin from Aegaeon during the Slaughter Survivors tour. This tour presented their first opportunity to get around the West Coast. James talked about what it's like being a DIY band and how the year's been so far. Plus, plans for the rest of the year. And of course, the moment that makes any MetalsPeak interview outside the Marquis Theater complete: interrupting, peddling, homeless guy.

Jared caught up with Doc Coyle after their set on the first show of the Trespass America tour and got some thoughts on what to expect for the rest of the tour and what feedback they've been getting on "Equilibrium". Doc also commented on the label switch from Century Media to Victory and the guitarist switch from Dallas to Matt. This brought up the discussion of songwriting and vocal melodies. Jared got some thoughts on metal genres in general and their evolution over the last few years.

Bat-Matt took the opportunity to chat with Jon Schaffer about all things Iced Earth. He got the skinny on how the Volbeat tour came together and what brought Stu Block to the band. Jon also commented on songwriting and how they consistently get the same "Iced Earth" sound, even with different singers. Lyrical content, how the Iced Earth set list comes together, and the songwriting process were also discussed. Matt also secured his place as a MetalsPeak interviewer by not passing up the opportunity to mention the level of Daigle's Potter-nerdism. Way to go buddy.

We caught up with Matt Sotelo after their set at the Occupation Domination tour. He was quick to mention that new material is on the way and gave some broad ideas of what we can look forward to. He also shed some light on the values Decrepit Birth holds in high regard - much of which has to do with their upbringing. We heard about what non-metal stuff he enjoys none of which he would really cite as a guilty pleasure. Matt also commented on finding the balance between touring life and family/home life. And (despite Daigle's token awkward moment) Matt told us how they decided on covering "Crystal Mountain" by Death.

Jared snagged some time with Origin's insanely out of control bassist, Mike Flores and got his thoughts on how the Occupation Domination tour was going and what it takes to keep the energy up during a headlining set. He also talked about how Entity came together and the challenges therein - they completed the album as a three piece without a regular vocalist. And we got some insight into plans for the rest of the year. Mike also copped to some guilty pleasures.

Jared caught up with Sven before they annihilated The Marquis Theater on the Occupation Domination Tour. He shared some thoughts on the tour thus far. He also talked about the time span between "Strychnine.213" and "Global Flatline" including the writing process, thematic elements, and lyrical inspiration. Sven also shared some thoughts on plans for the rest of the year for both Aborted and System Divide. This lead to the stock question about differences between touring in America vs touring in Europe.

Even in a wiped out state after a show, we can't pass up an opportunity to talk to one of our favorites, The Contortionist. Robby and Cameron talked to us about the addition of the 7 string to their arsenal. It was surprising to find out they are using the extra string for the high string, rather than the low one as is typical. We heard a little about the recent Ibanez endorsement as well. And of course we tried to garner as much info as possible about the upcoming new album, their experience at Audio Hammer, and some specifics on what to look forward to and when. Oh yeah and Jonathan gave us a peak at some of his Photoshop skills, which are top notch and involved Zoo animals.

A few weeks ago, All Shall Perish blazed through Denver with four other killer bands. We got to spend some time with Eddie Hermida and he explained that not only was this the first headlining tour in support of "This Is Where It Ends" but it was also the first time ASP got to plan the tour their way. He went into some specifics on what that means compared to previous headlining tours. We also had some genre discussion on the whole "core" thing and the evolution of ASP's sound as well as where lyrical inspiration comes from. Eddie also shared a nugget of trivia that might get you a free shirt if you've been listening to the podcast recently... We also got some insight into ASP's plans for the rest of the year. Then we broke off into some pretty heavy philosophical discussion including opinions on the Occupy Wallstreet movement. And what MetalsPeak interview would be complete without an awkward moment courtesy of Daigle. This time up: Daigle spoils a major character death from The Walking Dead. You're welcome.

We snagged some time with Cristiano and Tommaso to see how life has changed since their first time to the States about a year and a half ago. We also got some insight on reactions to Agony as well as what goes in to creating their set lists. They also talked about recruiting their keyboardist, how that's affected the live show, and what the future might have in store. And then Cristiano confirmed what Daigle has believed (despite mockery and taunting): that someone else in the metal world has got to be a Harry Potter fan too.

We stole some time from Matt and Wes of Exhumed before they tore Colorado Springs a new asshole to conduct what turned out to be one of the most fun interviews we've done to date. We started things off by hearing about highlights from the tour thus far as well as what kinds of feedback they've been getting on "All Guts, No Glory" - this included the endorsement of "Not that many people said that we were retarded..." And then the greatest derailment of all time occurred when we found out that "Drunk military guy" trumps "Toothless aging crack whore". Somehow everything was brought back around with some philosophical talk about homeless people and cheese. When we finally got back on track, Matt and Wes divulged some details on what brought them out of hiatus, and challenges/advantages to the various line up changes they've had over the years. We also got some pretty interesting takes from them on our topic of top 10 blasphemous songs.

We scored some time on the Cannibal bus to chat with Paul Mazurkiewicz about the Torture tour and recording process, what keeps Cannibal Corpse going, and non-metal favorites including a surprising guilty pleasure. Paul also gave some insight into their album covers over the years and what his views are on the current and future states of metal.

We caught up with John after Darkest Hour's set on the first night of the Machine Head tour. We talked about what they're looking forward to on the rest of the dates. John also gave us some exclusive insight into the darkest aspects of driving around in their van (which has 245,000 plus miles). And we captured a bonus moment with a DH fan from way back. Turns out this kind of interruption is preferable to the kind that occurred during our Fleshgod Apocalypse interview. John shared some highlights from 2011 as well.

We found a somewhat quiet spot to chat with Kim about touring (specifically climate differences between America and Australia), plans for 2012, Cameron Gray's artwork for "This Is The Warning" and the video concept for "One Step" including an amazing recreation of the backwards singing within it. Kim also shared a fascinating story about a miscalculated blast radius - don't miss this!

We talked with Darroh Sudderth about touring, staying healthy on the road, how "Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow" and "Rikki Tikki Tavi" came together as well as other quirks/Easter eggs on "Arrows and Anchors". We also talked about how the new bassist (Ryan) and drummer (Logan) are working out. We wrapped up with thoughts on best of 2011.