By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

Lamb Of God is a band that needs absolutely no introduction. One of the biggest names in the world of heavy metal, the band recently released their 7th studio album “Resolution”, and have been on the road to promote the album ever since. Their world tour brings them to India very soon, as they prepare to grace Bangalore on May 26th, the same city they rocked nearly two years ago. Today, on May 10th, just a short while ago, I had the pleasure of talking to bassist John Campbell to discuss what he and the band feels about the upcoming India show, the bass sound and musical style on “Resolution”, his unqiue three-string bass, and lots more. Enjoy the conversation, and find links to buy tickets to the show as well as to the band’s social networks below the interview. Continue reading →

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

Known for his work in Exodus, Legacy, Testament, Dublin Death Patrol and Tenet, veteran vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza steps back into the thrash metal realm, this time with his own new band Hatriot. The five-piece outfit released its first self-titled demo a little over a year ago, a demo that showcases the quintessential Zetro singing style that has garnered him countless number of fans in the past two decades or so. Besides the vocals, Hatriot exudes energy through their music, due to the efforts of Zetro’s young brigade led by guitarists Kosta V and Miguel Esparza, along with Alex Bent on drums and Cody Souza on bass. Since the release of the demo, the band has been performing gigs sporadically and gradually climbing up the ladder. A week ago, I had the pleasure of talking to Zetro, to discuss the band’s past gigs, future plans, how he feels as a singer and performer at this age, and a few other things. Read the conversation, and check out Hatriot using the links below it.  Continue reading →

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

2012 has already been a great year for Indian metalheads, as new ground has been broken in the country’s scene with the launch of the Bangalore Open Air festival, powered by Germany’s Wacken Open Air. The event will take place at Palace Grounds in Bangalore, on June 16th 2012, and is set to feature Kreator and Iced Earth as co-headliners, along with a plethora of Indian talent. A few days ago, I caught up with Wacken vice-president Miriam Hensel to discuss their association with Bangalore Open Air. Read the conversation, and visit WOA and BOA on the web using the links posted below the interview. Continue reading →

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica are ready to release their seventh studio album “Stones Grow Her Name”, an album that sees them take a more straightforward and organic approach towards their musicianship, and moves away from the progressive and orchestral elements that decorated their previous two albums “The Days Of Grays” and “Unia”. About two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with vocalist and songwriter Tony Kakko, not only to talk about this new album, but also to get his thoughts on a variety of other topics including past touring experiences and a band they toured with. Enjoy the conversation as Tony opens up and speaks his mind, check out the album when it releases on May 18th/22nd in Europe/USA via Nuclear Blast Records, and visit Sonata Arctica on the web for more info on how to order it, using the links below the interview. Continue reading →

By Aniruddh “Andrew” Bansal

Veteran drummer Vinny Appice, known for his exemplary work in Black Sabbath, Dio and Heaven & Hell, has joined forces with bassist Rex Brown of Pantera and Down fame, guitarist Mark Zavon and vocalist Jason “Dewey” Bragg to create a new entity in heavy metal called Kill Devil Hill. The band has been around for a couple of years now, starting out by performing on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, and then gradually breaking out into other territories. Now, they are ready to release their self-titled debut album, set for a release date of May 22nd on SPV Records. A couple of days ago, on April 30th 2012, I had the pleasure of talking to Vinny Appice to discuss this debut album, the formative period of the band, touring plans, and more. Enjoy the conversation, and check out Kill Devil Hill by visiting the links below. Continue reading →