Interviews

Audio Interview: Jon Larsen From VOLBEAT Talks About Latest Album, Summer Festivals And Upcoming Shows

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 25, 2013
Posted in: Interviews, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

volbeateurodates

Interview by Tarja Virmakari

VOLBEAT! …commercial phenomenon, tricky inveterate band or authentic artists with a touch of genius?

Speaking of the Danish VOLBEAT, the absolutely labile and subjective, nevertheless gradually achieved success of this rumbling band of Heavy Rockabilly, is a well established factor and they are currently well and truly under the eyes of everybody.

Just recently Metal Shock Finland‘s CEO and Founder Tarja Virmakari had a chat (for Truemetal.it) with VOLBEAT‘s drummer Jon Larsen, the founding member and spokesman for this Nordic band…

When asked whether VOLBEAT has written the songs with reference to the American public (as they have a lot of dates in the States), Jon replied: “The fact is that the States are really huge and if you want to do something there you must stay there for a long time. You could be touring there forever … but trust me, it is not what we want, we are Europeans … “

Besides this Jon spoke about “Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies”, summer festivals, upcoming Japanese and Italian shows, but also about the best qualities of VOLBEAT and its members… please join the chat here below.

Read the interview, in Italian at: http://www.truemetal.it/cont/news/volbeat-jon-larsen/63895/1.html

http://www.volbeat.dk

Audio Interview: Henkka Seppälä From CHILDREN OF BODOM Talks About “Halo Of Blood”, Touring, Past And Future

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 22, 2013
Posted in: Interviews, News. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

ChildrenOfBodom2013

Interview by Tarja Virmakari

Finnish extreme metallers ‘CHILDRED OF BODOM’, formed in 1993. They really do not need long introductions as in total they have released eight studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, two compilation albums and one DVD! They are one of Finland’s best selling artists of all time and their latest album “Halo Of Blood” came out on June 7, via Nuclear Blast Records. With this new album ‘CHILDREN OF BODOM’ decided to reinvigorate the glories of a not-so-distant past, dusting off the sheer aggression that had marked the lightning start to their career.

Recently Metal Shock Finland‘s CEO and Founder, Tarja Virmakari had a chat with COB’s bassist Henkka Seppälä for the Italian Truemetal.it. Join the conversation below, to find out all what Henkka revealed to Tarja:

To read this interview (in Italian) on Truemetal.it, please go HERE.

“Transference”

“Halo Of Blood”

children-of-bodom-halo-of-blood

Audio Interview: GUS G; “The new album is going to be very diverse, a bit more mellow and a bit more classic-rockish sounding.”

Posted by aliblackdiamond on June 17, 2013
Posted in: Interviews. Tagged: , , , . 1 Comment

135148_443220862423829_2019678610_oGreek metal guitarist Gus G certainly keeps himself very busy, being an integral part of FIREWIND and OZZY OSBOURNE, as well as delivering guitar clinics and working on his first solo album.

FIREWIND has recently appeared at Sweden Rock Festival and will be playing Bloodstock Open Air in August, their only UK date in 2013. The band also have a new album “APOTHEOSIS – LIVE 2012” due for release on 24th June, which is a celebration of ten years of FIREWIND.

Metal Shock Finland’s Blackdiamond had a chat with Gus last week and you can read a few excerpts below. The full interview is available to listen to on the audio player:

Discussing this year’s Bloodstock Festival, Gus said the following:

” This is our one and only UK show for 2013, so it will be pretty special. It’s also our first one in the UK with our new singer. We plan to have a full stage set-up – loads of amps and speakers onstage (laughs). It’s going to be a cool show, I’m looking forward to it.”

Gus described his upcoming solo album:

” It’s in the process now, I’m in between playing festivals and completing writing and gathering some of the guests for the album. I’m probably going to be recording it sometime in the fall and hopefully can release early in 2014. There are some people that are known and some people that are completely unknown, just great musicians. There’s going to be some instrumentals, some songs with vocals. A lot of the stuff is a bit more mellow, a bit more classic rock-ish sounding.”

When asked if he has the newly released BLACK SABBATH album “13” Gus expressed:

” Yeah I downloaded it the first day it came out and I love it, it’s a fantastic album. There’s a lot of great songs on it, they’ve done a great job. I mean what should I say? I’m such a huge Sabbath fan, I’m as excited as everybody else in the world about it! Tony Iommi, it’s unbelievable, this guy, what he comes up with on the guitar. ”

FIREWIND at Sweden Rock:

FIREWIND 2012

FIREWIND 2012

Audio Interview: Tommy And GL From EXTREMA Talk About “The Seed Of Foolishness” And Pay Tribute To Jeff Hanneman

Posted by tarjavirmakari on June 11, 2013
Posted in: Interviews, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Photo by Emanuela Giurano

Photo by Emanuela Giurano

Interview by Tarja Virmakari

EXTREMA has been one of the most established names in the Italian thrash metal reality since the early ’80s, the first minialbum “We Fuckin’ Care” was released in 1987, followed by 6 studio albums, one live album and a dvd to celebrate their twentieth anniversary. At the beginning of May “The Seed Of Foolishness” was released via Scarlet Records.

Just a couple of days ago Tarja Virmakari caught up with GL (the vocals) and Tommy (guitars) from EXTREMA, who are preparing for the busy summer shows in Italy. EXTREMA has been seen on stage with Slayer, Metallica, Motörhead, Korn, Death Angel just to mention a few of them. In this chat GL and Tommy talked a lot about this new album, and how the band’s sound evolved in these past years. They also paid the tribute to Jeff Hanneman with whom they shared the stage for the first time already in 1987. One of the next occasions to see EXTREMA on stage is on June 25, as a special guest on Motörhead show in Milan. Join this likeable chat below:

Check out the recently released video “Pyre Of Fire”:

Check out the 4-piece Studio Diary, also featuring in the interview:

Web Episode #1, drum tracks

Web Episode #2, bass tracks

Web Episode #3, guitar tracks

Web Episode #4, vocals

More information at http://www.extremateam.com – https://www.facebook.com/pages/EXTREMA/51303509991

ExtremaCover

Audio Interview: Simon Johansson, MEMORY GARDEN; “It’s not like the traditional graveyard doom with one riff for ten minutes”

Posted by aliblackdiamond on June 3, 2013
Posted in: Interviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

598369_10151439267478914_607646494_nSwedish doom metallers MEMORY GARDEN formed in 1992 and released their fifth studio album “Doomain” in April 2013 via Metal Blade Records. Lead guitarist Simon Johansson joined the band in 1996 and as he loves playing music so much, he is also in the metal bands WOLF and BIBLEBLACK.

Metal Shock Finland‘s Blackdiamond recently caught up with Simon to talk about the new MEMORY GARDEN album amongst other things. Some excerpts from the interview can be read below and the full audio can be listened to on the player:

Discussing the music of MEMORY GARDEN and the album “Doomain,” Simon explained:

“During the years we have developed and have taken bits and pieces from various styles. It’s not like the traditional graveyard doom with only one riff for ten minutes, it’s heavy and melodic and there are lots of things happening in the songs; we work a lot with harmonies and try to make interesting music.”

Simon explained about his early days playing guitar:

“I started playing for real when I was ten. I’m a close friend of Mike Wead (KING DIAMOND), he’s from the same town as I am and he went to school with my brother. He was like the rock star of that town, he was really good, I looked up to him a lot. Then he got the gig in CANDLEMASS and I’ve been following his footsteps. He’s been teaching me and been like a role model to my playing. We played in a band called ABSTRAKT ALGEBRA together in the ’90’s, then in BIBLEBLACK.”

“Doomain” has also been released on black and coloured vinyl. We discussed the role of vinyl in today’s music world and Simon expressed:

” I don’t have a crystal ball, but the way I see it, the CD will disappear and you will only have digital downloads and the vinyl LP’s as well, I think that’s what will happen. You see a lot of people buying vinyl again and it’s really getting popular, it’s excellent, I love it! It’s kinda like a piece of art.”

“The Evangelist”:

Memory Garden 2013_III_by Jens Sjöberg

Audio Interview: Mikael Stanne From DARK TRANQUILLITY On Jeff Hanneman: “He was just a fantastic dude, He had an amazing talent and He is responsible for some of the most important thrash songs of all time that have influenced the whole world of metal…”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on May 27, 2013
Posted in: Interviews, News. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

DarkTranquillity2013_byDanielFalk

Interview by Tarja Virmakari

For the release of DARK TRANQUILLITY‘s tenth album “Construct”, a couple of weeks ago, Metal Shock Finland‘s CEO Tarja Virmakari had a chance to have a sympathetic chat with their vocalist Mikael Stanne for Italian Truemetal.it. The opportunity proved to be useful not only to talk about the new album (out today on May 27th via Century Media Records) of the legendary Swedish melodic death metal band, but also to reveal some juicy curiosity about the past and the future of the band. Due to Jeff Hanneman‘s death only a couple of days before the interview, Mikael wanted to give his tribute to this great musician: “It’s a very sad thing and we will miss him very much, not only as a talented musician but also as a man. “He was just a fantastic dude, He had an amazing talent and he is responsible for some of the most important thrash songs of all time that have influenced the whole world of metal.”

Please, join the conversation below.

To read this interview (in Italian) on Truemetal.it, please go HERE.

https://www.facebook.com/dtofficial – http://www.darktranquillity.com