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In-person interview with Marc Rizzo of Soulfly

March 20th 2010, Alrosa Villa, Columbus OH

Julia: How is the tour going so far?
Marc: It's been really good. We're about two weeks into it. We're here in the Midwest for awhile, then we get to go up to Canada.

Julia: You've got Prong, Incite and Rotting Corpse along with you on tour. How has it been having these bands as support for you?
Marc: Really good. I love Prong, that's a band I grew up listening to as a kid. They're really great guys, and we're excited to have them back on the tour because they were also on the tour we did back in October. So this is their second tour with us. And Rotting Corpse is great, we're good friends with those guys and they're a really good band. Incite is awesome too, and Max's stepson is in the band so they tour with us often.

Julia: A few days ago you guys shot a video for 'Rise of the Fallen' in Poughkeepsie, NY. Tell me about the shoot for that.
Marc: That club we usually play is called The Chance. It was awesome having all of our friends come out there, and just having kids moshing. It was a really good show and we got to record it, so it's cool that it's going to be the video.

Julia: Is there a release date set for that yet?
Marc: Well the record comes out in May, so maybe the video will be out around that time.

Julia: 'Omen' is scheduled for release on May 25. What really stands out about this album for you?
Marc: It's right to the point. There's a real hardcore, punk vibe to the record. Short tunes. This record is kind of different for us and I think the fans are going to like it a lot.

Julia: When you were writing the album did you have it in mind that you wanted short songs, or was that more of an unplanned thing? Did you go into it with specific musical goals in mind?
Marc: I think Max's goal was to put out a record that seemed a little more to-the-point, a real thrash metal or hardcore vibe. I know he definitely wanted to go in that direction when we started making the record, so I guess in the end it turned out to be like that.

Julia: You released a few solo albums yourself in which you incorporated a lot of different styles of music other than metal. Do you prefer the songwriting dynamic that you get with a group or do you prefer writing on your own, where maybe you're not quite as limited musically?
Marc: I like both. I like working with the guys in Soulfly and collaborating but then I also like doing my own thing. I do like being able to do whatever I want to and really indulging in guitar music. It's nice to be able to do just the guitar thing, because that's what my solo stuff is, just instrumental guitar music. So I like being able to just go off into that world too.

Julia: Which album are you most proud of to date and why?
Marc: The Cavalera Conspiracy record is really special to me because I was such a big fan of Max and Igor when they were in Sepultura. For them to ask me to be a part of that record was really exciting. I think we put out a great record that will stand the test of time.

Julia: How has Max Cavalera influenced you musically?
Marc: He's been one of my biggest influences. You know, growing up I was the biggest Sepultura fan and Soulfly fan. I was always into their music and wanted to go in that direction with music. And then to be able to join a band with them was really crazy. Even now with the band together, he's a huge influence on me.

Julia: Are there any particular bands or artists that you're really into at the moment?
Marc: Right now there are so many great thrash metal bands out there. You name 'em I like 'em. I'm really into the bands that are retro thrash like Municipal Waste and Warbringer. Also I love all the big metal bands like Shadows Fall. I'm a huge fan of the whole scene right now.

Julia: So would you say metal is 'coming back'?
Marc: Absolutely! It's been back!

Julia: What are some things you do to relax while you're on tour?
Marc: When the shows over a lot of times I'll just sit in my bunk and watch movies on my laptop. That's probably the only time I have to just relax and hang out. You can't watch a movie in the main area of the bus because nobody shuts up. You know, everybody's gotta narrate the movie and tell you what's gonna happen next. I just go to my bunk, put my earplugs in, and then I can just zone out.

Julia: What are your plans for after this tour?
Marc: I'll probably go home for a couple days and then fly back out to LA to start recording the Cavalera Conspiracy record for the month of April. I believe we're going to Europe right after that and we'll be there for the whole summer.