Darren Walker from Firebrand Rock Radio has conducted an audio interview with Alan Damien, guitarist from Living Dead Lights, the interview was aired on March 14 at Hardcore Haven, and can be streamed HERE. For more information, please visit Living Dead Lights -facebook page.
Melodic Groove Death Metal band ARSENIDE comes from Petah Tikva (“Opening of Hope”), from Israel. The band doesn’t reveal much on their facebook, but MSFinland’s Kostya Aronberg had a change to chat with the vocalist Max Bek, let’s read what he found out…
1. Hey, Max. Welcome to Metal Shock Finland. How are you?
We’re doing great and we’re thrilled to be interviewed by you.
2. Please, tell us about the creation of Arsenide. How did you guys meet, and how you decided to play together.
Me and Guy (one of the guitarists) used to play in a different band that wasn’t really going in the direction we wanted it to go. After that the band broke up we decided to take our creativity to a different level and formed Arsenide with Ohad (guitarist) and Tom (drummer). Daniel (bass player) joined us later on after our 3rd gig where he performed with us as a guest artist while we we’re looking for a new bass player (we had a permanent bass player before but he left for personal reasons).
3. The band plays Melodic Groove Death Metal. I must say it’s a really confusing style for the fans. Many metalheads call what you play – Core. Do you agree with them about it, or do you think they are all idiots?
We don’t care how people call our genre, as long as they enjoy the music.
4. Wich bands influenced your music style the most?
We are influenced by many bands, “oldschool” and “newschool” alike, bands like: Machine Head, Megadeth, Lamb of God, Iron Maiden, Devildriver, In Flames, Unearth and many more.
5. I’ve seen the band twice, both of them were on big festival stages (Black Horizons Fest, DeathFest). I must say that you seem to be a rising star. Can you tell us about the experiences that you’ve gained on these fests?
First of all , both gigs came to us as a surprise. The Black Horizons Fest was our 1st gig as Arsenide, and we were kinda “thrown in the deep”, that gig only gave us more motivation to work our asses off in rehearsals and to improve as performers and as a band. Opening the Deathfest was a once on a lifetime experience to us. Not every day you get to perform in an international festival, certainly not after such short notice (we got a call less than 24 hours before the festival). When we got the call, there was no doubt among us that we’re going for it, we arranged the setlist about two hours before the show, went for it with full throttle and what do you know? We kicked ass.
6. Do you have to be in a certain state of mind in order to create the right atmosphere and feeling?
Well, mostly we need for everyone in the area to shut the fuck up and let us work. No, but seriously, we work really well together as a band and everyone participates in the writing process and we don’t really rely on “atmosphere”.
7. What kind of feelings and thoughts do you think your music creates when people listen to it?
We like to think that our music makes girls wet, sadly, we’ve discovered that it’s completely true. No, but seriously, we received good reviews on our songs and performance from critics, and we know that the crowd likes us because (eventually) they go nuts.
8. What’s next for Arsenide, any tours planned?
Currently we are not organizing any gigs, we just perform where we are invited – and we get a lot of invitations. Right now we’re working on a 2nd single followed by a 5-6 track EP including both of our singles.
9. If you had the chance to pick your ideal touring partners, who would you pick and why?
If we had the chance, we’d probably tour with a band on our level, like Lamb of God or something. Just kidding, we’d probably choose Design Flaw as our partners, cause they’re a great band that we want to promote, and they are good friends of ours.
10. Well, hope to see you soon again! Thanks for the interview! Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
We just hope to perform in your area someday, and well, pretty much everywhere. Go Arsenide!
Interview by Kostya Aronberg
Arsenide – Broken Angel
Russian gothic metal band ROSA INFRA was formed in 2006. Band’s newest album “Smena Dekorazii” (“Change of Scenery”) came out on february 21, via Sound Age. Some days ago MSFinland‘s Kostya Aronberg had a change to interview band’s vocalist Nikolay, please join the conversation…
1. Hello, Nikolay, welcome to Metal Shock Finland. How are you doing?
-Hi, Kostya! Nice to meet you. I am fine and very busy…
Familiar to numerous music fans by his unique trademark sound signature, YOSSI SASSI (distributed by Verycords/Warner Music) blends East with West, Rock with World music, melodic tunes with progressive passages, and traditional folk instruments with roaring electric riffs. With over 20 years as Producer, Composer/Arranger and Founding member of “Orphaned Land” (Century Media USA / EMI), the worldwide pioneers of middle-eastern metal, Yossi Sassi, Orphaned Land’s guitarist and composer, continues to soar to new horizons. His debut solo album, “Melting Clocks”, came out on february 2012, featuring world-known musicians such as Marty Friedman.
Recently MSFinland‘s Kostya Aronberg had a chance to interview Yossi…
1. Hey, Yossi. Welcome to Metal Shock Finland.
Kiitos!
2. Many people know you as the guitarist of Orphaned land. Can you tell us about how you actually joined the band, and the years before Orphaned Land became such a success?
I am a founding member of “Orphaned Land”, actually before it was even called this name, almost 21 years ago we set sails to pioneer middle-eastern metal. I was a teenager with a roaring guitar and an endless appetite for riffs. the rest is history.
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Hi Graham, how are you doing today?
Hi Thanks.
You’re one of those musicians who has had an important role in the NWOBHM movement, how do you feel that genre of Metal music is placed in the industry today?
It is so cool that the Music we created in the period of THE NWOBHM is regarded as influential 30 years later and we never imagined we could inspire bands like METALLICA who in turn inspire bands too so it goes round and round. The music of to day is so diverse and influences of NWOBHM can be heard even in Lady GA GA [EDGE OF GLORY] rock has a longevity like no other just look at ACDC simple straight and great songs ROCK WILL NEVER DIE.
Let’s talk about and introduce your upcoming book, “SAXON Drugs & Rock N’ Roll: The Real Spinal Tap”, how would you describe this book for people who like to read it?
The new book is not out until later this year but will be a great read with archive pics etc about SAXON in its most golden era.
Ok, cool, can’t wait to read that book but now let’s talk about the “Motorbiker” album, can you tell me how the recording process worked and the length of time it took? And why you chose “Bikers” for the name?
When we wrote the new CD MOTORBIKER the song Motorbiker was the last song along with HELL IN HELSINKI to be finished and it felt perfect to use as the Title to the Album.
OLIVER/DAWSON SAXON, Bulldog Bash
The album seems to be a returning point to the roots of old school heavy metal, by including issues about drugs, motorcycles, women … are we going to have some old school songs produced by new technology?
The style of writing is the same as we always have done as all SAXON classics were co wrote by myself and Steve Dawson and we will always write the same and sound like us as we are us and never could try to be a GERMAN METAL band for example.
Have you any plans to do a supporting tour for “Motorbikers” with some particular bands in 2012?
The shows live so far started in Scandinavia in December and we finished in Germany recently with more live shows an fests to come.
John Schaffer of Iced Earth has recently said “The music industry has changed and everything is different”, I’d like to know your opinion as a musician and guitarist, who has produced music for the Metal industry for a long time.
Modern times sees the decline of sales of CD,s and more tickets sold for live shows its just the changing times but i like to own a CD no downloads for me imagine if the STONES sold as many CD,s as CONCERT TICKETS would sell millions,,,,,,,,,.
Right, To continue that question i wanted to mention about the departure of Bill Ward from Black Sabbath. Do you think this is one of those changes as some people believe that is just about money, or did these kind of things happen in the past too?
You can tell who is in it just for the money they have no passion you have to play from the heart.
Graham Oliver and Doug Aldritch
You are one of those musicians who had that experience sharing a stage with the legendary Ronnie James Dio, R.I.P. Would you like to tell us more about that experience and share some memories of him? And how did you see Ronnie as a musician and Rocker?
I first saw Ronnie in 1976 with RAINBOW and it was a great show and jumping forwards to SAXON,s first tour of the USA in September 1980 we played some show on the HEAVEN AND HELL tour where we met Ronnie and our paths crossed a few times.
When ODS were promoting Angel Airs ITS ALIVE CD we were on the same show as RONNIE in ITALY and chatted a lot about all things music ect and to our delight Ronnie asked for ODS to be the guest band on the UK leg of KILLING THE DRAGON tour ,it started in LONDON and finished in PORTSMOUTH all the shows were great and sellouts and on the last show after our set i was asked to join the band on stage for RAINBOW IN THE DARK how great was that Steve Dawson videoed it thank goodness and introduced me as a legend. And coming from one of my legends that was the best ,he was always so nice with friends and fans after the shows and was one of the greatest rock singers of all time.
Graham Oliver and Ronnie James Dio
Today most of the young guitarists like to play guitar faster and faster and more technical and singers use a growling style more often. But some people and critics believe that we don’t have a such great music like we had in old school Metal-Era – I also had an interview with Steve “Lips” Kudlow of ANVIL and he said “metal needs good singing….cookie monster yelling is not singing!!”. I’d like to know your opinion, how do you see metal music today?
I am a little tired of Drop D bands they seem to all be doing it with no songs ,the most important thing great songs and great vocals will always shine thru.
Graham Oliver with his left hand 63’s Stratocaster, 1975
Are there any young rock or metal bands who impressed you recently?
I like all music from Bonamasa to TRIVIUM new band I SPIT ASHES are cool and INFLAMES rock.
Thanks Graham for giving me your time, feel free to leave a message for your die hard fans and our readers.
Listen to MOTORBIKER NOW in IRAN if we could come and play we would ROCK ON. Thanks for questions Mohsen.
If you like to know more about OLIVER DAWSON SAXON follow these links:
Interview by Mohsen Fayyazi
Italian HOLLOW HAZE was formed in 2003 by Nick Savio. The band offers an Hard Rock Metal sound mixed with a screaming, warm melodic voice and deep intensive chorus where the listeners can find many different music backgrounds taken from the past metal glories and from the modern rock compositions. Thanks to their professionality the group face every music style and innovations, trying to be competitive in the world-wide stage with their new 4th album “Poison in Black” ready to be released. HOLLOW HAZE are: Alex “Ramon” Sonato: Vocals, Nick Savio: Guitars, Dave Cestaro: Bass Guitar, Simone Giorgini: keyboards and piano, Camillo Colleluori: Drums.
Some days ago MSFinland‘s Kostya Aronberg interviewed Hollow Haze’s singer Ramon…
1. Hey Ramon, wellcome to Metal Shock Finland
Thanks so much Kostya
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 