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By Avinash Mittur

Northern California thrashers Hatchet have been playing shows around the bay area for quite some time now, and are ready to release their second album at any given moment. Their first album on Metal Blade Records, “Awaiting Evil,” was released four years ago with an entirely different lineup, and now the current version of this band is ready to show the metal world what they’re capable of. I had the chance to talk to the members of Hatchet last night after their opening set for the newly reunited Coven and A Band of Orcs. We got to talk about the band’s upcoming plans, bay area audiences, and the way that the economy has affected working musicians among a myriad of other topics. Check out my chat with guitarist and lead singer Julz Ramos, lead guitarist Clark Webb, drummer Eli Lucas and bassist Travis Russey, and be sure to check out their facebook page to see more updates on upcoming shows and to listen to some of their new songs.  Continue reading “In-depth Interview With Hatchet”

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

New Orleans sludgelords Eyehategod have been around for 24 years now, but it has been 12 years since they last put out a studio album. The long wait finally seems to be over, and fans can expect a new record very soon. But before the band gets into the recording process, they will embark on the “Europe Is The New Vietnam” tour next week. A couple of days ago, I caught up with guitarist Brian Patton to discuss this tour, the new album, and what role his gear plays in the band’s sound on stage and on record. Listen to the 12-minute conversation below, and check out the band’s facebook page for more info. Continue reading “Eyehategod Guitarist Discusses Upcoming European Tour, New Album & Gear (Audio)”

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

After what seemed like an eternity, the wait is finally over as San Francisco Bay Area thrash giants Testament get ready to unleash their tenth studio album “Dark Roots Of Earth” on July 27th in Europe and July 31st in North America via Nuclear Blast Records. Their 2008 release “The Formation Of Damnation” was highly acclaimed by critics and equally well appreciated by fans, and subsequently, the band took part in the hallowed Metal Masters tour with Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell and Motorhead, completed a successful club headline tour of North America, followed by tours with the likes of Megadeth, Slayer, Exodus, and most recently Anthrax & Death Angel. “Dark Roots Of Earth” is the band’s follow-up to that glorious album cycle, and it’s an exciting time to be a thrash fan. A couple of weeks ago, I spoke to guitarist Eric Peterson to discuss the making of the album in detail, along with a few other topics as well, including his black metal side project Dragonlord. Enjoy the conversation below, check out a song off of the new album, and visit the band’s facebook page for more info. Continue reading “Testament’s Eric Peterson Talks In Detail About “Dark Roots Of Earth””

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

Guitar maestro Marty Friedman, known for his exemplary work in Cacophony and Megadeth as well as for his solo work, finally looks all set to release three of his recent solo albums in North America via Prosthetic Records on August 14. “Future Addict” and “Bad D.N.A.” will be released in this territory for the first time ever, while the 2006 Shrapnel records release “Loudspeaker” will see a re-issue. Being the huge Megadeth fan that I am, I’ve always had a fascination towards Marty’s style of playing, and this is an interview I’ve been wanting to do since the day I started this website. I was thrilled to get a chance to do this a couple of days ago, and I got to ask him about this North American release, touring plans, life in Japan, playing technique, and a couple of other things. I think his manner of answering questions is quite reflective of his personality as a musician, and fans will enjoy reading the conversation below. Also check out a song off of “Bad D.N.A.” using the YouTube player embedded near the bottom of this page, and keep an eye on the official Marty Friedman website for info on album orders and tour dates. Continue reading “Marty Friedman Discusses Solo Material, Life In Japan & Playing Technique”

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

San Diego-based deathgrind masters Cattle Decapitation recently released their seventh studio album “Monolith Of Inhumanity” via Metal Blade Records, a killer album without doubt. Almost immediately after the album’s release, they went on a North American tour with Origin, Decrepit Birth, Aborted and Battlecross, as the main support act to Origin on that lineup. Now, the band is gearing up to go on another massive tour, this time taking part in the Shockwave Tour featuring Fear Factory, Voivod, Misery Index, Havok and The Browning. A couple of days ago, I caught up with vocalist Travis Ryan to talk about the new album, the Origin tour, Shockwave Festival, and various other topics. He was very insightful and candid, as he always is, and it was great talking to him. Read the conversation below, check out the single off of the new album using the YouTube player near the bottom, and visit the band’s facebook page for more info on tour dates and album order links. Continue reading “In-Depth Interview With Cattle Decapitation Frontman Travis Ryan”

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

After a massively successful self-titled debut album that put them on the global metal map, progressive metal band Periphery is back with their sophomore album, simply titled “Periphery II”. An album that should appeal not only to Periphery fans but also to general fans of progressive and experimental music, it comes out digitally in Europe via Century Media Records on July 2nd, followed by the physical release on July 16th. Last week, I called up guitarist and mastermind Misha Mansoor to discuss this album, the band’s recent Download Festival experience, and lots more, and he was kind enough to take the time to answer my questions, even on his vacation day. Enjoy this light-hearted conversation below, check out the “Scarlet” single using the YouTube player embedded near the bottom of the page, and visit the band’s facebook page for more info. Continue reading “Misha Mansoor Relives Download Festival Experience, Delves Into New Periphery Album”