NataliezWorld

Before She Dies takes the current music scene to a whole new level. Right from the heart of Mexico and brings their creative talents and musically skills to life. Leadman conducted an interview with me to dicuss the band's beginnings and current process.



1. The name of the band Before She Dies, is interesting to say the least and sounds as if there is a story behind it. Where did the name come from and what is the story?

R: The thing is that we wanted a name that impacts and a name with power, u know?? There's no interesting story behind it, is just a cool name.

2. Can you briefly summarize how the band formed and what you do in Before She Dies?

R: The band started as a friends project, but it wasn’t a serious thing, we started to become more popular an we decided to give it a shot, and I’m the manager and lead guitarist of the band.

3. 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?

R: Well, the lyrics are just experiences that we had, and thoughts, whispers, everything is personal, an pretty subjective, the music, we just try to make an explosive mix of genres, but never overdo the things, is just pretty emotive, and aggressive music.



4. You have several songs online, how has the reactions been thus far? What can fans expect when they listen to your music?

R: Well, the fans are thankful because of that, its easier to enter MySpace than purchasing a demo, outside of México, and, they’ll have a experience that they will never forget, we smash the stage every time we are in it, at least we try too.

5. How do you think you will effect the music scene you are part of? What are your thoughts on the growing popularity in it as well?

R: We want to make the Mexican scene bigger with our style, and its cool that the genre is growing, because we will have a lot of more opportunities.

6. You guys are from Mexico what is the local music scene like there? Any bands you'd recommend?

R: Is growing, but there's still a long way to go, and I recommend “Here comes the Kraken” and ”The Reacta.”

7. 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?

R: It’s the most amazing feeling ever, I mean, you just let yourself go with the flow, and is pretty fun too.



8. What are the upcoming plans for Before She Dies?

R: The realizing of a second EP, with new music, and to tour around México and maybe the us, is kind of difficult, but we are working on it.

9. How has MYSPACE and the internet impacted your band and do you think downloading helps or hinders the artists?

R: Internet is amazing, is a great help for all new bands, and the downloading, is helpful in some way but when you make out of selling records I think it could be negative.

10. What is the toughest lesson you ever learned in the studio and on the stage?

R: Never play drunk, and to rehearsal, a lot.

11. What bands would you like to tour with and who has been your favorite to tour with this far? Any particular reason?

R: Killswitch Engage, The Used, Underoath, Paramore, and we have no tour with any important band, is a difficult thing to do here in México.



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

R: The same bands I mention in last question, and personally, Tool, Sepultura, Metallica, Thrice,

13. 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?

R: Yeah, and is a sing, that we are doing things correctly, at least I see it that way.

14. All of that passion that you play with must be tough on you physically. How do you prepare for the physical demands of a tour?

R: We warm up before any show, and some times we had head pains, neck injuries, we hit ourselves with the gear and instruments, not on purpose, and yeah, is kind of tough, haha, but we love it!

15. Anything else you'd like to add?

R: Thank you for the interview, and the secret of success is to do what you love the most.

The Black Dahlia Murder is a band from Michigan and is named after the unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, often referred to as Black Dahlia. The band played Ozzfest (2005), Sounds of the Underground (2006) and Wacken Open Air (2007) who knew what else they could possibly accomplish. Why not three LP’s a batch of EP’s and a brand new DVD? Going from "Unhallowed," (2003), to "Miasma," (2005) onto "Nocturnal," (2007), the "Majesty," DVD made The Black Dahlia Murder who are they today. The DVD is a two-disc combination the first disc contains the documentary, consisting of ridiculous tour antics, live footage, and band interviews.



While the second disc takes various footage from all over the world of the band's performances making a set list of eleven tracks worthy of the time and effort to watch. But the audio and video quality does lack in sound and visual effects going back and forth through performance clips showing the band at one angle one minute and then a whole another angle another minute making the whole concert experience annoying. Whereas the audio doesn’t tend to keep up that well making the whole video quality lack even further. On the brighter side the first disc does offer you the full blown documentary and behind the scenes footage that captures the band at their most craziest moments while out on the road and then showcases them at their best during their interview presentations.



To top it all off you get The Black Dahlia Murder’s music video collection and photo gallery demonstrating the band at their highest peak in the music industry. Showing the hard earned work they’ve gone through pays off sooner or later. Overall concluding that The Black Dahlia Murder’s “Majesty,” DVD is a double dose of disappointment.

Two decades after inventing the genre known today as grindcore, NAPALM DEATH continues to demonstrate that their work is far from done. In the intervening years, there have been changes in between but that doesn't mean that the mission hasn't. It has in fact remained the same; to outlet every trend, never compromise, provide a political voice for the voiceless, and create the most brutalizing challenging music on earth! Barney Vocalist and founder of NAPALM DEATH spoke to me about their reign of terror and what plans to become of the almighty grind masters!

1. Why the name Napalm Death what does it symbolize?

Barney: It’s from the 60s not sure if you know what Napalm means, it’s meant to serve as context, as an anti-war method.

2. What was it like to headline last year’s Los Angeles Murderfest?

Barney: It was pretty good we almost didn’t because I didn’t think it was going to a big ordeal it went really well and everyone really enjoyed themselves there were some really good bands on there too.

3. How is the current headlining tour been treating you and the rest of the bill.

Barney: Very very well, we are surviving Mike has been fatal somewhat its going pretty well, a lot of people not going out to shows most but I can’t complain nor am I going to complain.

4. How have the fans been reacting to the new material as to the old material?



Barney: Ever since the album has come out the reviews have been flawless, and great. I’d expect it would have been a mixture of negative and positive but its been positive all the way. I’m really happy about that.

5. Can you give a brief summary on "Time Waits for No Slave," and how did the artwork, title, and lyrics come about. Is there anything you wish you could change on it or are you happy without it turned out?

Barney: The writing process is pretty standard, the guitarist put down a few tracks and the basic form and then look at it and see if it needs work and then I look at titles from different sources from my cell phone texts or internet, or even just writing it down. It’s basically about self-discovery, about the world around you and how complex it is around you. The lyrics are challenging a lot of moral standards.

6. What is your favorite Napalm Death song?

Barney: I can’t give you an answer to that. I can probably give you like 10, but breaking it down to just one. Not too sure.

7. You guys have been together for almost 30 years, do you plan to celebrate?

Barney: Ya know what its special enough to go off and play a gig, and still be making albums, and touring, ya know, there are a lot of bands that are different I don’t know I’m just thankful for being with the band so long.



8. What can we expect to see from you guys for the rest of 2009?

Barney: Just lots of touring, playing in Europe and U.S. and all the places in the world. Trying to make everything enjoyable.

9. Is there a DVD in the works?

Barney: No, not right now maybe in the future I don’t want to do the usual 2 hours of footage, I want to shoot us goofing off backstage and other footage and what not but I can’t stand a live DVD, I myself can’t sit through a live DVD.

10. There is a picture of you with crunches, what happened?



Barney: I had jumped in the air and twisted my ankle and I didn’t know what to do and was wondering whether to cancel or not, it was a very painful but I got through it.

11. Have you cracked a joke about the Swine Flu, during any of your performances?

Barney: I think the whole thing is ridiculous, and I think it’s a scam really. Down in Mexico where people don’t have health care will be a problem for them but as far as I know I don’t know why everyone is worrying about it, wearing masks and stuff that is just a little over the top but I’m not worried about it. I’m not going to spend my time worrying about stuff like that.

12. How has MYSPACE and the internet impacted your band?

Barney: The internet and MySpace in general such as YouTube has helped expose and express us, showing live performances of us online and it’s helped us out a lot, a really good thing.

13. What is the toughest lesson you ever learned in the studio and on the stage?

Barney: Probably from the studio would be, if your voice is about to die, you got to wait a few days so that’s a good lesson for me. And as for other studio lessons, just the methods you’re comfortable with and as for live wise I’m going to stop swinging my arms around because I’ve broken fingers while flinging into someone’s guitar.

14. 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?

Barney: I like hearing things like that and how it inspires them and then inspires me.

15. Thanks for doing the interview, anything else you'd like to add?

Barney: Ya know it’s always a great thanks for supporting us and it’s great we’ve been able to come back every year or every other year to perform and I’m very thankful for that.

Warbringer, are these the five founding members that started all the wars currently erupting in the world right now? Or are they the cure to something, come to think of it I believe they are a cure, a cure to our boredom of hearing the same old music over and over again. Putting a twist on a classic genre known as thrash metal and these Americans know how to twist things up. Having formed in 2004 under the name Onslaught but later learned this name was taken by a UK act, they knew Warbringer would be a better suited name. As soon as Warbringer had claimed their pride Century Media took notice and signed them on to now releasing two LP's "War Without End," (2008) and "Waking Into Nightmares," (2009) which have both allowed the band to accomplish numerous events and tours already. This is just the beginning, front man John Kevill discussed the band's upcoming plans and arrangements on how the newest album came into view.

1. First off, thank you guys for taking the time to do this interview. Seems like this year has been really big for you guys, “Waking Into Nightmares” is causing quite a buzz and has been met with high praise. Did you guys think that the album was going to be so well received?

John: We were hoping so! It's not out yet so we can't tell for sure, but we think that the band became much stronger musicians between the first and second albums and that it shows.

2. What was the writing process like with “Waking Into Nightmares,” compared to your debut CD? What were some of your greatest influences when writing “Waking Into Nightmares”?



John: The influences were similar to the first album; we already had a sound figured out and at this point are mostly drawing on our own internal ideas to expand upon it. The writing process was very different because we had a little over 2 months to do this one, whereas the first we had almost 4 years.

3. If you had to explain Warbringer to someone who has never heard any of your music, how would you explain it? What sets your band apart from any similar band in your genre?

John: I would describe our music as being directly focused on maximum aggression and intensity. I think we set ourselves apart from most thrash bands with a few things; we have a bit more death metal in the rhythms, but sometimes more melodic playing in the leads. We also try to keep our song arrangements really compact, and try to blend our favorite qualities of our influences without sounding directly like them.

4. Where did you guys come up with the name Warbringer and how did the band come to be? Why the switch up from Onslaught to Warbringer?

John: I wish people would stop asking about this! We never recorded or performed under the name onslaught, hell, we didn't even have a full lineup. For all intents and purposes the band was never called anything but Warbringer.

5. Do you ever get tired or annoyed by hearing the same questions from Journalists?

John: Depends, the last one yes! Usually though it is not a big deal.

6. What should your fans expect from you the rest of 2009?

John: More tours, more violence! We plan to tour as much and as many places as we can the rest of this year.

7. What is your favorite Warbringer song?

John: There are a few. I like “Combat Shock,” “Total War,” “Shoot to Kill,” Severed Reality,” “Abandoned by Time,” “Forgotten Dead,” a lot. It’s too hard to narrow it down.



8. What are some of your most eagerly awaited releases this year? What are your all-time favorite albums and all-time favorite guilty pleasure albums?

John: N/A.

9. How is the current tour been treating you, how have the fans been reacting to the new material as to your old material.

John: The tour with Kreator and Exodus has been amazing so far! People have been reacting great to all of our material, old and new.

10. After this current tour is over any other tours you have in store, I'd like to see you guys go out with Avenger Of Blood, again.

John: That's not a question! But we are doing that in June, we are doing some shows with them around the west. You are in luck!

11. So your main theme by the looks of it revolves around the war?

John: Yes and no. We have less war themed songs on this second album. I like to write about all things destructive, aggressive, or demoralizing, and war is certainly one of those things.

12. Who do you think is the wildest while out on the road.

John: In our band? Ben. He rages like a mad beast sometimes. The rest of us are usually pretty mellow dudes.

13. What is one thing you have yet to accomplish as Warbringer?

John: Go to South America! Go to Japan! Go to Russia! All kinds of things we are just getting started!

14. Summer flick that you have to see?

John: Well, there is the new terminator coming out, I will definitely have to see that.

15. Anything else you'd like to add?

John: Hammer on! See you out on the road

-John Kevill

Books, Music, Food and fun what more could you possibly ask for when you get a combination like this? I’d say you’ve gotten yourself into some type of festival but one that revolves around books? I can understand music and food and fun but why would a festival want to revolve around books. Well it turns out books are the most important source of fun you could ever imagine because their pages take you to faraway lands and islands and worlds of the unknown all you have to do is imagine it and it will become as real as you make it. That’s what happens when you gather together thousands of various authors both new and upcoming to classic and oldies but goodie authors.



This festival is known only as The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and is taken place at the UCLA campus and admission is absolutely free just bring along your friends and family members and you get two full days of access! Meet thousands of authors and take the time of chilling out on some great foods and listening in on some of the coolest music around. But that’s not all you get thrown with, when attending this type of festival there are prize giveaways and panel discussions with the authors and various vendors willing to help you find your way. Six different stages (Target Children's Stage, Culinary Stage, Los Angeles Times Stage, Etc. Stage, Poetry Stage, and the Hoy Cultural Stage) were set up that started showcasing various authors and conducting interviews since the beginning of the event at 10 A..M. Lasting long into the nightfall of 4 and 5 P.M. The exhibitor's list contained some of the following sponsors that were dishing out the goodness throughout the day such as Target, TicketMaster, Time Warner Cable, AmazonKindle, ktla5CE, and various radio stations dishing out the smooth jazz mix-ups to the mellowness of the rock and roll beatings. Some authors that plan to outbreak and spread the worth knowledge of the free words found only in books, includes Robert Crais, Michael J. Fox, Tori Spelling, and Larry Wilmore, among the other 450 authors planning on hanging out.

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books should be one event this spring time you should gather everyone for because it indeed does have something for everyone no matter how old they may be. You’ll have a great time hanging around thousands of book lovers, wonderful food, and music atmosphere for the entire UCLA campus surroundings. There is never a dull moment when you attend The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books!

For The Suffering is an intense metal act that does not want to be messed around with in any type of manner. Their debut "Revolt," takes their place in the music world amazing and grabbing everyone's attention little by little. Fans of Arch Enemy, Otep, Kittie will fall head over heels for these intense metaling masterminds.



1. Please introduce yourself and what you do in For The Suffering and give a brief summary on how the band formed.

My name is Marty and I play drums in For the Suffering

2. Your self-titled debut is out in the open, responses?

So far so good. Most of the responses have been positive and new doors are opening everyday for us.



3. Who did the artwork, title, lyrics?

Destiny Moshier did the album cover art for us. She's very talented and super easy to work with. Check her out at www.eccentricvisions.com

4. Why the name For The Suffering, what does it symbolize?

It's a kind of a reflection of the things we've endured with band members coming and going and having to put up with shitty promoters and other unsavory characters.

Now that we have the right members and things are paying off it seems fitting.

5. Is the tour you're currently on right now in support of your latest release?

We won't be touring until August. Right now we are just doing weekend stints and one off shows.

6. Describe a For The Suffering show for those who have not witnessed one.

Intense.

7. Is your music trying to send out a message fans can relate to and reflect upon?

Absolutely. Kierston touches on a lot of subjects that most people that have been through any sort of hard times or trauma can relate too. And of course there's a hint of political subject matter also.

8. You just signed with Crash Music Inc how has that been going?

Well they put the record out did some promotion..............I can't complain I guess. They have been pretty helpful with us so far.

9. Dustin left the band why the departure?

Dustin has a very sick family member and he felt he needed to dedicate his time to taking care of that person. I admire his selfless decision, not many people would do so.

10. You were once called A Day To Fall, in 2003, why the switch up to For The Suffering?

When we hired Kierston to take over the vocals it only seemed fitting to change up the name. New Music, new sound, new name.

11. "The Revolt," is your new music video what could you explain about that?



We filmed that video in just under 2 hours with absolutely no budget and it came out great! I asked my good friend Marcos Morales (from the band The Dead See) if he would be interested in doing our video. Marcos has done some short films and a few music videos for his band so he was total up for it. THANKS MARCOS!

12. Your music tends to create an Arch Enemy vibe more than the other artists you listed under your influences.

I think people say that because of Kierston. As flattering as that is we really don't sound anything like them. We all have our influences but we create was comes naturally to us. We do what we do and for the most part it's different to whats going on right now in the metal scene.

13. Who are you currently listening to right now?

I'm a huge fan of Devin Townsend so a lot of Strapping Young Lad, also a big fan of Soilwork, Mnemic, Textures, Raunchy etc....

14. What are the upcoming plans for 2009?

We will be touring in August and then in September we will be hitting the studio again with Eddy Razor to do our next record.

15. Anything else you'd like to add?

Yeah, stop downloading and go buy a CD or better yet vinyl!

Leadman Jay talks to me about V for Violence and what they've been up too lately and there upcoming plans and music business they plan to accomplish while on the verge of releasing their album and going out on the road and everything else in between the mix.



1. Give a brief summary on V for Violence for those not familiar with the band.

We're offering a bit different kind of metal music.Some refer us to Slipknot, some to 69 Eyes, some to Marilyn Manson.It would probably be called something like GothCore. Nowadays, in metal and rock music, the bands sound so similar with each others that it's already getting frustrating.V For Violence aims to keep it's music simple but fresh, distinctive yet effective.

2. "Constant Of Death," what can you say about that, its being considered as the first chapter?

It's just a way to tell, that it's the first single release from our debut album.I am into concepts, and conceptual planning. Even if it's sometimes necessary to let go of so called artistic perversions for the financial profit, I want to underline the role of the song, or the release.Think of it as in a book there's chapters that are to divide the whole story in to shorter stories.

3. Who did the artwork, title, and lyrics for album, when you look on the final project, is there anything you wish you could have done differently?

Artwork, title and lyrics are/will be done by me, Jay Tan. We're all satisfied with the result. As boring as it might sound, we can truly say the album to be what we went to do. Naturally, with unlimited time, we would try some different approaches to some songs and whatever. Then the album just wouldn't ever be finished.



4. Why the name V for Violence, what does it symbolize?

It's the Violence that's missing in rock/metal music these days. It's the Violence that makes people entertained and excited. It's the Violence that makes cities burn and people scream. Everyone will have some thoughts about the topic 'Violence' and that's the way it is supposed to be.

5. You guys are based out of Finland, any band recommendations, whats the music scene like there?

80's rock and glam rock bands are popping up everywhere, just to recycle the old things over and over. But yeah, that's how it goes also in fashion. It's the time for big hair and small jeans, I see. Melodic Death/Trash Metal is doing well too, but not really offering anything new. Industrial Metal/Rock is also getting more attention. For anyone into that type of music, I would suggest to check out Black Light Discipline (from the same label as we).And also Vanity Beach, offering some interesting New Wave stuff.

6. What are the upcoming plans for 2009?

In May, the first Single and also a video for it. On B-side, there's a Turmion Ktilt singer featuring. Somewhere around September, the second single (probably video too).And supposedly, in September, the debut album. We'll see if there's going to be a third single afterward with some nice bonuses.

7. You guys are a part of "The Garage Countdown 2009 Finland" competition, how did that come about.

Well, yeah, we participated that contest with our video 'Boy Called Fucker' already in 2008. It started again in 2009. It's just a way to get some attention. After all, TV is an effective media. We got some good feedback and got picked as the second best video in show host's top 5. That was nice, but the competition itself reaches quite small audience. With the upcoming video, the aims are on a bit higher level, when it comes to TV airplay. We'll see how it goes.

8. Describe a V for Violence show for those who have not seen you perform.

It is intensive. It might get a bit too crazy sometimes, though. The fist gigs we played got a bit out of hands. It's not the most polite thing to do to start breaking the main act's speakers just when our own show begins.... I still owe some money for the stuff I've wrecked on stage. Haha! Sorry. But don't get me wrong, we're just about to be known as a band. The first 'demo' (Promo 2008) came out in summer 2008. Now, by label deal, we're expecting for things to actually start happening.

9. Any weird activity on MySpace lately?

Not really. Though, that is a place for weirdos and all kinds of freaks, they all just fit in nicely. Haha. Of course, every now and then, you get some suggestion from people, but they're all welcome.



10. Have you ever ran into the same questions for an interview twice?

No. Not so many questions asked so far. But it might also be so 'cos we're such a new thing to be found and to be introduced to people. After all, we're just about to get our first official material out. There would be more to answer in that question later when there's more to refer to. If you know what I mean.

11. Do you ever get tired of hearing the same questions from Journalists?

No. Bring it on, lovers and haters!

12. When you look back on when V for Violence first started out until now, what do you think?

After we really decided to take this band thing somewhere, things started to happen amazingly fast. Like I already mentioned, we did our first demo in summer 2008. Few months passed and we got an offer to do our first video and around those times, a label deal was offered. I think the whole band is still kind of overwhelmed about it all. And, of course, glad that we got it rolling on.

13. Are you the main interviewer when it comes to interviews?

Yes, I would say so. Even though, every member has an essential role in V For Violence's work flow, so far, most of the songs are written by me. And, of course, since I'm writing the lyrics, I know best what's that the band is trying to say to the listener.

14. If you had a chance to go back in time, where, what, and why?

I wouldn't. I'd probably just fuck things up more than the first time. Okay, that's boring answer. Let's say, that I'd go at the Crucifiction of Jesus Christ at Golgatha, and later on, the text Pilate wrote on the cross above JC's head, would say nothing about him being the King of Jews, but simply stated VFV WAS HERE. Now that should be good promotion by any standards.

15. Anything else you'd like to add?

Thanks for the interview, It was a pleasure. And for anyone interested in checking out some good and catchy new tunes, visit vforviolence.com Remember to check out the single "Constant Of Death". It's definitely going to break both your heart and face.

Twenty five years what could possibly be any better than having been in a band doing what you love to do for that long? Sacred Oath is one of those types of bands that absolutely love the thing they do when creating music and first getting together in 1984 in the icy depths of Danbury, Connecticut. Rob Thorne, Kenny Evans, Bill Smith, Scott Waite have formed and succeeded with unleashing upon the masses a powerful but aggressive style of music that all; metalheads will surely enjoy. Front man Rob Thorne took the time to talk to me about the upcoming release of their newest installment the band's first self-titled debut with brand new material engraved all over it. It surely shall not be a disappointment in any way possible. Here's how the interview went down....



1. Introduce yourself, and give a brief summary on Sacred Oath for those not familiar with the band.

Rob: I’m Rob Thorne one of the founding members of Sacred Oath first formed in 1985 when I was in high school and our debut album was released in 87 by Mercenary Records it’s called “A Crystal Vision,” and we’re back together again because that album began to take a life of its own. Especially in Europe and more recently has something going for it in the States and here we are we our fourth studio album out.

2. Your self-titled album should be hitting come next month, thoughts?

Rob: Well actually I need to correct that the third studio album the fourth album was actually a live album. What are my thoughts on the new album coming out? Well I’m super optimistic because the album actually came out last week exclusively on iTunes they have a pre-release on it and it’s been doing very, very, really well, so with the reviews that have come out so far and release of the video on MTV, overall the reputation on it, has been so positive that I’m not nervous I’m excited actually.



3. Who did the artwork, title, and lyrics for it?

Rob: I write most of the lyrics and we decided to self-title the album because it’s in many ways an album that’s a rebirth of the band. It’s the first album in the last couple of years with entirely brand new material. And I think it definitely establishes what Sacred Oath really is. Not only back together and active again but stronger than we ever have been. The cover art, was conceptually and design wise put together by IOANNIS he goes by one name, he’s done a lot of different things he’s done about hundred album covers from Extreme, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Almond Brothers, Fate The Mourning, we started working with him for just this record and he went over our lyrics and he came back to us with this concept of this pilot on a mission for the front of the album. We liked the concept and he came back with the painting and we were just blown away and it seems up the whole mood and lyrically concept of the album really well. We were really happy to pair up with him and it’s been a really cool package deal, and everyone seems to love the cover and we’re really happy on how it defines the album.

4. Why the name Sacred Oath, what does it symbolize?

Rob: Well ya know I think we’ve always been fascinated with spiritual and occult themes in our lyrics and Sacred Oath the name sort of conquers up the spiritual condition but it can be either way we are fascinated between the whole fight sequence between good and evil and we thought that name rather sort of leaning towards any particular direction it sort of I don’t know if you’ve seen any of our logos, where we’ll have the angel on top and the devil on the bottom it seems to work out, it seems to work lyrically and also sounds cool and what our originally bass player thought of while we were washing dishes at the Sycamore Restaurant at the age of 15 and plus we were huge Mercyful Fate fans at the time and still are and “Don’t Break The Oath,” had just come out and anything with the name “oath” is cool by us.

5. What are the upcoming plans for Sacred Oath in 2009?

Rob: Well there’s a lot going on for the band right now, I mean more than there ever has been. So right now we just came through for that pre-release of the album which we had a huge push for of reviews and interviews for the press and internet stuff and right now we’re focusing on the European release on May 22nd and U.S. release on May 12th. I think once the album is release we’re going to go out on tour, and start off in Asia and probably go to Europe and then wind up in the states and then definitely start the states in Los Angeles. We’re looking forward to touring and playing the new material on the album and are totally awesome to see the new generation of metal heads and younger kids coming out to our shows, and making it their own sound and style which is great and who we are, which is good for us. They are the most fun types of people in the audience and just eat it up, I love playing it for those kids over and over again.



6. What are the largest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?

Rob: That’s probably the second time I’ve been asked that question, well everybody has probably had one show in their life where they’ve played for like 10 people, (Laughs) luckily that hasn’t been too recently, I’m trying to think of what show that might have been if our drummer were here he’d be able to give you all the details I have a very poor memory. The largest show we’ve played would either have to be Keep It True Festival in 2007 in Germany where our live album was recorded that was also the opening night of our tour. Or back in the 80’s where we opened for Warlock where they were at the height of their frame, and there were thousands and thousands of people at that show that was a cool experience they were huge at the time.

7. What was the first show you guys played?

Rob: (Laughs) The very first show we played was the Devils Café in Norwalk, Connecticut and I remember that because I was 15 and we played a biker bar and just being in a bar alone was so cool and to top it off and have twenty hardcore bikers in front of us shaking their heads to “Welcome Princess Of Hell,” by Mercyful Fate it was very cool a small dive, but that was fun and that the first show I played with Sacred Oath. The first show I ever played in my life was a 6th grade Valentine’s Day dance that wasn’t Sacred Oath though. (Laughs)

8. You admire Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom, why him, what’s your favorite Bodom song?

Rob: Well that’s interesting because he’s not my favorite guitar player but one of the current guitar players that I enjoy and I only say that because I went and saw them live, I’m not a huge fan of their discs I have like 2 or 3 of their discs but don’t really listen to them. When I went and saw them open up for Megadeth at the Hammersteam Ballroom he came out because he is a singer/guitar player he came out with such a furious high energy instated both on the guitar and vocally and I know what it takes and he was such a performer and so magnetic and he had that whole room blowing up and that’s what impressed me the most about him. I don’t think I have a favorite Bodom song, mostly because I’m not the biggest Bodom fan but I’m a fan of him and what he’s doing.

9. Have you ever run into the same questions for an interview twice?

Rob: (Laughs) all the time and its funny that the questions you get asked over and over are the ones you hate to answer in the first place and when you end up coming up with an answer to that question and the next thing you know you’re just spitting out that same answer all the time. People are always asking me what are my favorite albums of all time and I keep spitting out the same answers over and over and I start to think last week those were but now I like this set of albums.

10. Do you ever get tired of hearing the same questions from Journalists?

Rob: (Laughs) No not really honestly I think it’s awesome that anyone is still interested in what Sacred Oath is doing and take the time to find out and take the time to write it down and I love to talk.

11. You guys just shot a video for "Counting Zeros," what was that like?

Rob: That was filmed on location in Connecticut in February and I know you haven’t been to Connecticut but in fact I know you haven’t been anywhere, where it gets really cold. It took 14 hours to shoot outside and we had 14 degrees out and we were freezing and our faces were like clenched against the elements and it was a great experience because it had actors kids in it and we had no idea what it was going to be like. It was difficult to be out there that long in the cold, but it was awesome the kid Andrew Burn starred in the video he took direction well and is a student of mine and I was really proud of him and in the end we were really happy on how it turned out When it came out and had it premiere on MTV’s Headbanger’s Blog was like the icing on the cake.

12. "Till Death Do Us Part," was the bands first live album, what was that experience like?



Rob: That was a great experience not only did we have a great night that night but was the first night of our first European tour and it was very respected traditional festival in Germany the metal capital of the world and on top of all that we didn’t have a clue we were recording a live album. So we didn’t have any of that self-consciousness of you know you’re being recorded and that album really truly is a pure live Sacred Oath album and not focused on how we were playing but for the fans and to find out after the show that the engineer had recorded it and had made the tapes available for us was awesome and when we got back the tapes in the states and listened to them in my studio you know what there is a lot of energy on recording that its totally Sacred Oath. So we mixed it and put it out. The funny thing is that people told us to not put it out the people in the industry kept saying to us that live albums don’t sell nobody is interested in live albums and just going to waste time and I didn’t wanna hear it so we went ahead of it on our own and a step away from Sentinel Steel and that’s when things started to take off for the band.

13. Will we be seeing a live DVD on the next tour round-up?

Rob: That’s the second time I’ve been asked that one before too, (Laughs) we you know it’s funny because that is becoming the new thing every time a band tours they make a DVD because I guess the album sales are down and DVD sales are up but we have no plans on doing a DVD during this tour, but you never know we don’t have anything planned if you wanna see the band you gota come to the shows.



14. When you look back on when Sacred Oath first started up until now, what do you think?

Rob: What do I think? I can’t believe that we’re still doing this and that its still so much fun and we played with so many bands in the 90’s it’s a real privilege to be able to come back together and make a good album and do a tour and have a successful live album and then have another album be our best work yet I’m the happiest guy in the world, I’m on top of the world right now.

15. Are you the main interviewer when it comes to interviews?

Rob: Yeah I don’t think anyone else has done any interviews, I got start spreading that out, and I’m losing my voice I won’t be able to sing (Laughs). We do, do radio interviews where we all get together and crash the studio, and tear it apart but generally for this album I’ve done, most of the interviews.

16. If you had a chance to go back in time, where, what, and why?

Rob: Well I really don’t live with many regrets to try not to, the past is the past and I’m really happy with everything I have I don’t have any complaints but if I were to go back I would go back to the very beginning with Sacred Oath when w e were having difficulty with our label and probably handle things differently at that time, but we were punk kids at that time, and the way we reacted we’d just walk away. But if I did have a chance I’d would have handle things a lot differently.

17. What are you doing in L.A. came down for a business trip?

Rob: I have some meetings for distribution the new album nobody knows this but the release date for the new album May 12TH will probably be pushed back a few weeks since the iTunes release was successfully as it was it cracked the top 15 and turned our world upside down. I have some meetings here and how that goes we may have to change it in a few weeks, and doing a few interviews here and enjoying the 100 degree temptations because its 40 degrees in Connecticut.

18. What are you currently listening too right now?

Rob: I like that question I’m a vinyl junkie in fact right after this I have a meeting down by Amoeba I have but I’m going to hit there first, I listen to a lot of music is music I listen to 30 years ago I picked up the reissue of Judas Priest’s “British Steel,” great album listen to Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motorhead, as for the new releases I listen to a little Trivium, I like Slayer, but don’t listen to them a whole lot. Being a singer I enjoy listening to the metal genre where the singer sings melodically. “Say No Mercy,” and “Hell Awaits,” are my all time favorite Slayer albums. A very melodic feel to it I dig into it.



19. What guitars do you own and is there one that you want to own?

Rob: I love the guitars I have right now every guitar I have is a nice guitar. I have a 71 Gibson Les Paul which is my main studio recording guitar. I have a 1984 Gibson Flying-V another main studio guitar and ones I use when playing live. I have a 1981 B.C. Custom guitar and the only one I use because of the whammy bar which I use a lot. A 1978 navigator ES copy which is a great sounding guitar but I used it which is metal, what guitar would I like to own? There are a lot I’d like to own. Oh man, uh no because I can walk into any store right now and be like, “that one,” and then go into another store and then “no this one.” I love playing my Flying-V it’s easy to use and not too heavy on my shoulders. I’ll probably be looking around while here in L.A.

20. Thanks for doing the interview, anything else you'd like to add?

Rob: As always I’d like to give a special thanks to the Oathbangers what we call our fans the ones on the West Coast, we defiantly plan on going on tour this year and not only see the Oathbangers but see other fans that have joined the ranks of the metal world. Thank you for coming out and doing this; nice of you to do so.