A+ "Bargain Bin" Bands

Some of my favorite bargain bin bands... what's that mean? Well, if you haven't gathered what it means, it just is "obscure" stuff most people listen to and say "yeah, that's pretty good.", but I love it. Here is my first installment of the soon to be small series. I will be writing an article about a few of these bands themselves in the future. Possibly all of them for their own reasons they are special and remain strong in my collection to this day.

Rage

This... now THIS I have listened to countless times, and was one of the first bands I got into when i started my metal journey what seems like many a year ago. They are a German power/speed metal band I grew fond of by hearing this song. I hadn't seen this video then, not sure it was on youtube then, but I did listen to their other albums such as Execution Guaranteed, Perfect Man, and Reflections of a Shadow. I haven't heard their latest stuff, although they're still active, and just recently released a new album that looks like I probably wouldn't be too interested in it, but you never know, I'll give it a shot. Either way, their classic stuff has a hard hitting punch that still keeps me coming back for more to this day. I've even got it on cassette!

Proud Existence

When my husband and I went to see the band Cauldron back in October Satan was with them, and Ian Chains asked if we had ever seen them live, to which we replied no, but I said I used to listen to them a lot and had a short time in high school when I listened to Court in the Act along with this here album back to back for some reason. I couldn't remember the name of the band, but described the album cover, and he knew what I was talking about. I hadn't tried to look them up in years, but the day after the Cauldron/Satan show I looked them up somehow, and found this, and it brought me back to that time of playing PS2 for hours, cheeze-it's, coca-cola, and sleeping a lot.... Those were the days... sort of. This album definitely still draws me in and holds me til the end, and if I can ever find it on vinyl or something, that'd be great. Ian said he heard of them from a CD they got in Greece from a street shop or something along those lines. Go listen to Cauldron if you haven't. Great music, and true metal dudes, and very nice ones, at that. That aside, this band from Holland came to form in 1980 as Pre-Existence, and then changed their name to Proud Existence, and only had this release in 1988. They split shortly after that. This album art is crap, but the music is choice.

Scanner

Yet another German power/speed metal band that is top notch, and among the first few bands I came across while heavily getting into metal. I remember seeing this cover and thinking it looked cool, and for some reason reminded me of one of the Darkness album covers, who are ANOTHER German metal band, a thrash one, at that who I am also a big fan of. Looking at the album covers now, I don't know what the hell 13 year old me was thinking their album covers looked like, but at any rate.... I Heard this album first, then looked into more of their stuff and listened to Hypertrace, which was their first album. They've been around since 1986, and are still going around playing today. Mainly at festivals, like most long time going on again off again bands. Classic power/speed metal, give them a listen if you haven't, they might be one of your favorites if you're into that type of metal.

Meliah Rage

This next band is from Boston, and has been active since 1987. They're classified as thrash metal, but I don't know if I'd consider them a specific metal genre. A lot of people seem to quarrel over that, but I never really went to deep into that conversation. When it's easy to categorize bands, sure, I'll identify them as that genre, but when the band tends to go between sounds, or just has a sound all their own, I don't like to dispute that much, and just think of them as their own thing in the heavy metal world. Which is what I think of Meliah Rage. Between this first album they had and the other powerhouse of an album Solitary Solitude, they have their own sound that'll knock you on your feet, and still leave me nodding my head today. I just recently bought a Kill To Survive shirt they released. Not sure if there's any left. And yes, Meliah Rage themselves did sell these. I don't buy bootleg shit.

Mysto Dysto

Now more people Probably know the other band this turned into Called Mandator that formed after the 1986 release of this album, which was the only thing they had released under the Name Mysto Dysto. I remember the name of the band sticking in my head, and would look them up whenever I didn't know what I wanted to listen to that day. I still listen to this gem... I probably don't need to keep mentioning that, I already said in the intro that the reason I'm listing these bands is because they've held up strong through the years for me. When I first started getting into metal I would write down bands from this youtube channel Wolfgangvonposerkila, or TheBurningOfSodom that made videos called "Thrash Metal Gems", and this was on one of them. I would write down all the bands on the list, then cross them out when I could remember several songs from the band, name of the album, and some info on the band. Yeah, that's stupid, so what? I loved it, and it helped me find so many great bands, and I wouldn't know these bands, or remember them, for that matter, if I hadn't done that. So here they are: Mysto Dysto. Check out Mandator if you like this stuff, too. They're a bit different, but still really good.

Powerlord

Maaaaan, this production quality sounds like ass, but it's the great kinda low budget sound that just adds to the sound! But what really matter is this slice of molten metal dripping with... well, awesomeness. The scream in this intro is ear shattering! I love the singer's voice whose name is unfortunately Dane Cook.... Yep. That shitass comedian wishes he had the talent this guy did. The band has since split up, and were (probably are, they didn't get shot off the earth upon disbanding)  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The only release they had was the album this song is off of "The Awakening" in 1986 (good year, eh?). I wonder what those dudes are up to now? Probably have day jobs at some office with short hair and 5 kids or something. Either way, this is a great tune, off a great album in my opinion. That riff in this song is almost hypnotic...

Mezzrow

 These dudes don't mess around when it comes to thrash metal. A lot of great metal has come out of Sweden, and this is certainly among them for me. I think they definitely deserve more people hearing this than the amount that have heard it. This whole album "Then Came The Killing" is great from start to finish. Great guitar tone, I might add, and pretty good production sound for a small band with only one release. They have since split, and have a brief reunion in 2005 for a festival, which there apparently was a DVD of that only the band distributed directly. I feel like they should have used the picture they used on the back of the album instead of the picture they used on the front. i remember seeing the music video and thinking they were cool, then looked them up and saw the name of the album, and looked it up to see a bland-ass picture on the front, but, hey, a lot of kinda obscure stuff has lame covers, and great music. It's better to be more concerned with the content itself, instead of the cover and looking cool and all that jazz. I need to get this on vinyl, still. Very powerful, full sounding thrash with whit and force. Check 'em out! That's it for this one, stayed tuned for more, and thank you for reading, and listening! If you get this far, let me know what you think on the facebook fanpage for Thrashdance Fanzine!

Robbie Rainey (Ex-Possessor) of Carriage Interview (2017)

This next interview is my pleasure to introduce. My first fresh interview from Virginia's own singer Robbie Rainey of Carriage, an evil, ear-peircing, skull-splitting heavy metal band out to show you your own soul, as they've stolen it with their riffs and high hitting notes. Want to know a thing or two about them, and Robbie? Well, here you go, a good look at what you should check out, if you haven't already!

All photos taken by Sarah Wilson and Valarie Ashberry

Shortly after the tour you did with your old band Possessor in 2015 with Viking, you guys split, what happened there if you don't mind me asking?

We were very thankful for the opportunity to tour with Viking and we had an absolute blast on that tour, we met some amazing fans and people along the way. At that time we had written and recorded the song Death Race Forever (which is one of my favorite songs I ever wrote in Possessor) and from there we wrote a few other new songs such as Cryptcrusher which we played live on that tour too. We were writing new music that didn't quite fit with Possessor and we didn't want it to be forced. That and our bass player Gage Shanahan was one of the main creative forces on those last few songs (which I wanted because musically I think he's a genius and he deserved a spotlight on his creative ideas) however these songs had a different vibe. All that coupled with personal differences and people just having different priorities that had brewed over time just culminated to us stepping away, our drummer and my longtime friend Chris Soblotne moved to Arizona and we had said we wouldn't continue without that core group so that was it. It wasn't easy to let it go but it was nice to not feel stuck anymore creatively and I think that's where we all were.

Were there any bands you were in before Possessor and Carriage?

I was in two bands before Possessor and Carriage, the first one was a hard rock group called Something Fierce I was in my senior year of high school. We played a few covers and a few originals and that was a great time. The next was Axe Bitch which was thrash metal and that lasted a few years and a lot of line up changes but that's what got me out into the scene. I used to bring an axe on stage. We had some cool songs, Zombie Wizard was played on the radio, headbanging bastard child of Satan, skeleton warriors, dead by dawn, and of course thrash with an axe, these songs bring back good memories and fun times. Both bands had Chris Soblotne on drums and he came with me to Possessor as well.

How different would you say Carriage is from Possessor for those familiar with Possessor, who would, no doubt, be interested in Carriage?

Carriage is different in that it doesn't have to be fast and aggressive. It can be, but it doesn't have to be. Carriage is more traditional heavy metal or nwobhm and Possessor was thrash. The vocals are cleaner and I get to show more off what I can do. The reaction to it has been all positive and people seem to like Carriage even better so that's a good sign. I feel Carriage will reach more people musically.

This picture not edited by me

How did you all meet, and or come to form the band?

I met Mike in Possessor via our guitarist Kevin Chappell. I remember he walked up and had these puffy Motley Crue stickers from 1984 shout at the devil tour on his guitar and unharmed just purchased the same stickers on eBay so I knew then he and I would be friends.
Mike knew Randy and River Ashberry (drummer and lead guitar) for years and when I pitched the idea of Carriage said they'd be perfect. And we both knew our bass player Steve because at one point he was almost in Possessor.

Tell us a bit about when the band started to get the ball rolling. Did the songs just flow right out?

The songs came really easily we all work perfectly together musically. Plus River is a riff making machine so everything came together quickly as I was inspired even more by the music that was being created.

When was your first gig as Carriage, and how did you guys decide on the stage decor'?

The first show was 8/8/2016 at The Riffhouse in Chesapeake Virginia. Initially the idea of this band was to in a nutshell have a horror theme and have an entertaining stage show to go along with it, so it's evolving as we go. First thing we did was Mike built "The Podium" and it's a perfect example of me having a random idea and Mike making it a reality. Fog comes out of the skulls and it lights up and has a detachable lantern that I can attach a microphone to. Love it! Then came Alucarda and Justine in their coffins. Mike built those too (and we all helped blow torch them, nothing like blowtorching coffins on a Saturday afternoon out in the yard!) We just think of what we'd like to see and we try and create that for the audience.

Carriage formed in October, 2015, so that must have been right after the disbanding of Possessor? How did that come about?

Wow, has it been that long? Time flies. We were all ready for a change so me and Mike carried on together into Carriage.

Were you a fan of Mamouth Black, This Gentle Horror, Heaven Falls Hard and, Von Doom, the other members' former bands? Besides Michael's of course, which is also Possessor.

Believe it or not I've only listened to Heaven Falls Hard out of those however I'm thankful for all the different things we've done because it brought us all here and the differences are what makes this project a bit more special.

The idea for the name Carriage; how did it come about, and had it been an idea that was floating around for a while? It reminds me a lot of King Diamond-esque album cover stuff, that being one of your (as a band, i believe) Main influences.

I had been wanting to do another project and have always had horror elements as an inspiration so me Mike and Gage were at what ended up being one of the last Possessor practices and in Chris' front yard was a big inflatable Carriage with a grim reaper on it. So Mike thought of Carriage and there it was
King Diamond was definitely an influence on this project in a few ways. I love King Diamonds stage show and I love Mercyful Fate. Lizzy Borden is a big influence, Grim Reaper, Savatage, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, just to name a few.

Would you say your vocals are more explorative in this band, rather than in Possessor? Not to say there was anything missing from the Possessor tunes, i still listen to City Built With Skulls! There just seems to be a different atmosphere in the music.

I love this new style because it's more expressive to me and I feel I can better show my talents and explore my abilities not only as a songwriter but as a vocalist. The atmosphere is cool because I can do a Messiah-esque Candlemass style vocal one minute, then Mercyful Fate style, then to Grim Reaper style, then do a softly sung part. And yet it all still works together and doesn't bore me. I love it.

Who has been the artist so far for band images, and was it an obvious choice for you guys to go to them for the style of artwork you had in mind?

So far for art what we've released were just images found online for Alucarda however Mario Lopez (who did the Possessor art) is working on some things for us including art for t shirts that will be seen at Legions of Metal Fest and on our Demo Cds there.

There are three songs as of now (April 2017) up on bandcamp: Drink The Blood, Alucarda, and Deadly Corpse. Where and how did you guys record it, and was it a long process, or did you guys bang it out in a day or two?

We recorded all three in Randys old house and we knocked em out in a day or two from what I remember recording wise. I was actually sick at the time but they turned out good enough to release for now before we record the full album.

Is there any insight on how those songs came about you'd like to share?

Drink the Blood has multiple different messages. On the surface it's about a ritual with a guy and a girl. She drinks this blood and she is now having a near death experience that opens her mind to what may or may not be beyond death. And in doing so she is frightened and is now more interested in the physical pleasures of life as she is intoxicated. The guy is showing her these things on purpose and wishes her to see "what it would be to truly be free". Take from it what you will as I encourage everyone to.

Deadly Corpse was the first song we wrote and it's about an entity that enjoys taunting people in the graveyard after it is summoned by someone. It devours the corpse inside the coffin, then can take their form, and then attacks the family during the funeral. Just an idea that me and Mike had enjoyed.
Alucarda was inspired by the movie. When I write a song I imagine it like a movie anyway so this worked well.

The collaborative minds of each person gives a distinct feel to the music, as if each end of the spectrum is getting some time in the mix, would you agree with that?

Each member really adds something special into the mix and I'm very lucky to work with such talented individuals.

At live gigs, you wear a white shirt, and drink blood from a skull. Have you always wanted to use props like that onstage? And where did you get the stuff for it?

I've always wanted to have an over the top stage show. I pull inspiration from Paul Dianno Maiden for the white shirt, big stud belt look. And I pull inspiration from Lizzy Borden, W.A.S.P, anyone with a cool stage show or presence. I got the golden bowl, Steve got the skull for me.

Are you all shooting to get on any record label any time soon? with Possessor you guys were on Slaney, any thoughts about them?

We have already been shown some interest from certain labels and representatives which is exciting considering we haven't pushed a lot marketing wise however we are waiting to record the full album before we make a move. Slaney was a great label and I'd recommend them to anyone.

Who came up with the logo, and it it based on anything?

Mike made the logo and really impressed me with it. It's got two round parts almost like wheels, I dig it.

You guys seem to already have a good amount of merch. Some records out, and patches. Are they available anywhere?

We will be creating an online store after Legions of Metal Fest I believe as we will have to restock merchandise. That may come after the album is recorded.

Legions of metal is coming up very soon, and Carriage is going to be playing there. What are some things you're looking forward to there? And What bands are you excited to see?

Legions of Metal Fest has some amazing bands on it. I'm looking forward to seeing Armored Saint, I've always liked them. Also a new band Sacred Leather, there are a lot of great newer bands on that bill. Also the venue rules and the food is good. Can't wait to just be at a fest again and feel that energy.

How did you get into singing, and are you well versed in an instrument of any sort?

I started singing in musicals as a kid, I hated them though and just wanted to act. Later I started playing guitar but everyone needed a singer so I decided to do that and gave up guitar. I'm great with musical ideas and melody but I can't play any instrument terribly well.

Who would you say are your most influential vocalists?

Wow that's tough. I'd say Jeff Scott Soto, Rob Halford, Freddie Mercury, Frankie Valli, Brian Wilson, just to name a few.

If you could be a cat, what kind of cat would you be?

Easy, a White Lion....wait..

What are some of your favorite SNES games?

I'd say Donkey Kong Country, Indiana Jones Greatest Adventures, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Super Mario World, E.V.O., Secret of Mana, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Super Troll Islands, and on and on and on...

Are you REALLY Rongey Rungersons?

I am really Rangy, Runnie Rangy..told youuu.

If you could go back in time and catch one band on one tour, who would it be, what year, and what tour?

My mind brings up a few. Priest when they toured for Defenders of the Faith, Yngwie Malmsteen for Rising Force, Exodus for Bonded by Blood
Picked three sorry too bad I'm a time traveler

What is a favorite memory you have of your days in Possessor, or maybe even carriage?

Favorite Possessor memories are all on the road touring. I could write a book. Carriage every practice I hear some of my favorite riffs and they're brand new so that rules.

What are some of your favorite bands you've seen live?

Some of my favorite bands I've seen live. Lizzy Borden, Grim Reaper, Judas Priest, Paul Dianno, Axxion, Diemonds, Nasty Savage, Trouble (the skull), Skeletonwitch, Bobby Rydell, The Skyliners, KISS

which genre of metal do you find yourself going to time after time when you sit down to listen to something?

I find myself always going to traditional heavy metal, or nwobhm. Which is why I'm doing this project now I think.

what are some of your other favorite bands not in the metal genre?

I love Sam Cooke, Frankie Valli, The Beach Boys, I listen to a lot of doowop, also 80s pop and rnb like Taylor Dayne, I'm just a sucker for a good vocalist or a good melody.


If you could have a side project, what would it be, and who would it be with?

I'd love to do a big band/doowop/rnb/rockabilly style thing. Hard to find folks to play that but I love singing and writing that type of stuff.
I'd like to work with Gage Shanahan again. Ya never know!

Is there anything you'd like to incorporate into Carriage's overall sound in the near future, and what are your thoughts thus far on the band? And if it's alright to ask, how do the feeling compare to how you felt singing in Possessor?

I feel like Carriage's sound is coming along perfectly and I dont know anything specific I'd like to add. The vibe we have is just as I want it. Singing in Carriage is so much easier in a lot of ways because Possessor was pure chaos live and I had to go from these fast rough verses to high clean notes and back to screaming and it was taxing on me. Where as Carriage is closer to natural for me though  technically what I'm doing would seem more difficult. Funny how that works.

Would you guys ever consider doing a split with that crazy new band Blood Curse?

I am totally open to doing a split with Blood Curse.

How is the metal scene in Virginia? Are there any bands there you'd like to play a show with, and if so, who?

Virginia has a really great metal scene, I love the people. Not a lot of the types of metal bands I prefer but a lot of loyal die hard fans of metal in general. We'd like to play with local band Catalyst again and that band from Richmond called Bat. Also Hydra is one of the best local bands who we love. Hail Hydra!

What are some of your hobbies besides singing?

I collect records, games, movies, I love throwing the football, bodyboarding, spending time with my dogs and my fiance. Also playing with my four year-old nephews, the other day I introduced them to KISS and we just jumped around the room to ALIVE and that made my day.

What are your thoughts on the metal scene today, and what are some of your favorite newer bands?

There is a big movement in the scene today with the types of metal I enjoy. Of course the stand bys like Cauldron, Enforcer, then newer bands like Night Demon, Bat, Sacred Leather, Mandragora, Stallion, Ranger, Shokker, etc.

What are some future goals you and the rest of the guys in the band have in mind for Carriage in the future?

I'd like to do it all with Carriage. I want to release multiple albums, play other countries, and just play as many shows as we can in different areas and meet people that enjoy the things we do, horror movies, heavy metal, and having a good time! Thanks for the interview, love the site, and keep up the good work!

Ron Daniel of Viking Interview (2015)

Photo by Robert Escue

Was the resurrection of Viking something that came on suddenly, or had you been thinking of doing it for a while? Was it hard to get a hold of everyone, and were they up for it immediately?

For years I had never considered it, really didn't think anyone was interested in hearing from Viking again. Then a series of things happened that led to Matt Jordan and I talking about the reality of doing it again. Although we tried numerous times and various methods, we were never able to get Brett or James to respond at all.

Now, Justin Zych (Formerly of Argonaut, Valhalla, Vindicator, etc.), and Mike Gonzalez (Dark Angel) are the members of the band that joined upon the reuniting of Viking, how did they come to be in the band?

I usually don't like it when bands continue on without the original members. To me, Kiss was always Ace, Gene, Paul, and Peter, and Slayer was always Tom, Kerry, Jeff, and Dave. But when it became apparent that Brett and James weren't going to participate, we didn't want that to stop the momentum of the new material coming out, because it was clearly very Viking. So we tried to "keep it in the family," by recruiting Glenn Rogers (Deliverance, Hirax) who had been our stage manager through the 80s and had always been a great friend of Brett's. We didn't know what to do about bass, and originally had a local guy filling the spot. Then, by sheer coincidence, Gonzo (Mike Gonzalez of Dark Angel) texted Gene out of the blue and Gene was all, "You'll never guess where I am right now... I'm in the studio recording the new Viking album!" Gonz immediately asked if they had a bass player. The next day, we were on the phone and working out the details of him being in the band full-time. This was great, because he was as close in the family as we could imagine. Our second Viking show (Nov 21, 1986 at the Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood) was opening for Dark Angel on their Darkness Descends album release show, which was Gonzo's first show. And the bands had been friends ever since that night. Then Glenn had to back out because he had joined the re-formed Heretic. I met Justin through a mutual friend and he was already a Viking fan and a MONSTER player. He showed up to the first rehearsal fully prepared and we've never had to look back. And as anyone who's seen us live knows, he has made Viking shows even more insane.

Photo by Robert Escue

Your first band, Tracer, had one demo entitled "Sudden Death", that included three songs that were never really used again, to my knowledge. Thoughts on that demo?

First thought: It was terrible! But at the time, we were pretty happy with it. It's so dated now, but we did get "Militia of Death" resurrected when Viking first got together. That song is really the only reason we have the demo for sale in the Viking Merch Store (shop.vikingthrashmetal.com). It's great for fans to see the major influence that Brett had in directing our sound and our speed from where we were in Tracer into the early days of Viking.

The transition of guitarist, to singer/guitarist happened after Tony Vargas (or Tony Spider at the time in Tracer) left Tracer, and Viking was in formation, how was that for you?

They really were two different entities. Tony was only there for the demo - we never did any live shows because we couldn't find a decent vocalist who wanted to stick around. And at some point, we broke up. I definitely wasn't a transition from one to the other. Specifically, the change from guitarist to singer/guitarist was initially fairly difficult. Fortunately, the music I was listening to at the time were the first albums from Slayer and Metallica. So I took cues from those singer/players as to how to fit vocals in with riffs. Sometimes it's a piece of cake, other times (like with pretty much every song on the new album), it takes a LOT of work to be able to play and sing together.

What stage name Ronnie Devious from the Tracer days... What was up with that?

That stage name actually started in the band before, which was the Hags. When I was asked to join that pretty popular band in the Orange County punk scene, I needed a stage name. And there was a kid at school who absolutely hated me, always saying things like, "That Ron Daniel is so devious!" At the time, I was seeing the band Witch quite a bit in the clubs, and their guitar player was "Ronny Too", and I thought "Ronny Devious" had good assonance.

Your last name, Eriksen, was also used by Brett, but he wasn't, and isn't your blood relative, reason for that? And do you go by Ron Daniel, for that reason?

Eriksen was another stage name. Brett and I both decided to use it and do the "brothers in a band" thing, since there were a million bands that had no story, nothing for the magazines to write about. So it was just two unrelated guys - Ron Daniel and Brett Sarachek - who took on stage names.

Photo by Robert Escue

What brought about the name Viking for the band? Who did the logo design, and are you still fond of it to this day?

I don't remember exactly how far into songwriting we were at that point. I know we'd done "Hellbound" and resurrected "Militia of Death". I do remember having an epiphany of simplicity one day and calling Brett on the phone and excitedly telling him, "Let's just call it 'Viking' and we'll be the Erickson brothers!" He immediately agreed, but specified that we spell Erickson the Danish way, as "Eriksen". Matt Jordan drew up a logo out of stone and horns and we all liked it immediately. Our first stickers were made from that first drawing. You can see it on the cover of our 1986 "Do or Die" demo on our website's music page (vikingthrashmetal.com/music). I wasn't at all happy with the interpretation of it that the painter did on the first album, so I drew a new "official" penciled version of it before "Man of Straw" came out and James airbrushed the horns. Unfortunately, that one got pretty well ruined on the "Man of Straw" cover. But we've salvaged it for the re-released, the stickers, and of course for the new album "No Child Left Behind". As a graphic designer, I really don't like the logo, only because it creates a giant blank space at the top between the horns. We've slightly shortened the horns from the original, but it still can be a pain to design around.

What are the memories that stick out the most to you while you recorded your first album "Do or Die", and where did you record it?

We recorded the first album at Adamo's Recording in Westminster, California. Gerry (Adamo, owner/engineer) didn't do rock music, much less thrash metal, but I was stupidly concerned about proximity to my house. (When we'd recorded the demo, I'd slept on Brett's floor in Redondo Beach so we would get to the studio first thing in the morning. I woke up with a sinus infection, and the demo's vocals suffered for it.) So the choice of studio was ONLY based on it being close to my house. We'd recorded the Tracer demo there, and that should have clued me in. But I was a teenager who couldn't be convinced I wasn't always right, so that was that. The difference was obvious. When you listen to Chuck Rosa's engineering of drums (he did Abbatoir, Laaz Rockit, etc.), they sound a million times better on the demo than the drum sound we got on the album. Since he wasn't a metal guy, when we would tell Gerry "make it heavier," to him that meant "turn up the bass frequencies." The album was a disaster, top to bottom. The only reason it has survived as one of the classic thrash albums is because the songs are so strong.

You guys were on Metal Blade records after "Do Or Die". How was that? Did they give you good treatment, and did they promote the band well?

They must have done their job right, since people all over the world got ahold of our album. As far as treatment, everyone was always friendly. We were clueless about almost everything, so it would have been nice to have someone hand-holding and explaining everything and what we should be doing, but that really is the job of a manager, and we never had one.

Any notable tours that had lots of great crowds and memories from the tour following that album?

We had no idea what we were doing. No one told us to tour on the record, so we just kept playing all over Southern California the way we had been. Crowds were getting bigger, but like I said, we had no manager, so we wouldn't have known how to book a tour or anything. We didn't even know how to get t-shirts made. We were 100% clueless at that point.

What were you heavily influenced by in the 80s, and do they still hold true to how you shape your sound today?

I spent all of high school listening to AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, and just about every local L.A. band out there. Steeler, Ratt, Witch, Armored Saint, Ruthless, etc. When I got ahold of the Metallica demo, and later Slayer's "Show No Mercy" and Venom's "Black Metal", those are what mostly shaped how I thought music should be played. Sure, I can sit down with an acoustic guitar and write a song, but as a guitar player and lyricist, the Viking thing is really all I know how to do.

Being a thrash band from the Los Angeles area, you had a lot of surrounding bands, Dark Angel, being the one Viking seemed to be the most involved with, how did that happen?

We made friends that first Whiskey show. By coincidence, I had also bugged Goldenvoice enough that we got the opening slot on the Megadeth show that was at Fender's Ballroom in Long Beach two weeks later. Dark Angel was on that bill as well, along with Sentinel Beast. So we had two shows together in two weeks. After that, Jim (Durkin), Gene (Hoglan), Brett and I, were always hanging out in some combination. Any other thrash band we knew usually happened by making friends with them at the parties that were always happening at Jim Durkin's apartment.

Did the progression of metal and the scene itself intrigue you while Viking evolved(ie, death metal, grindcore, crossover, speed metal), or were you immersed in your music?

I was never really exposed to a lot of music in the scene. I remember liking Testament's "The Legacy", Forbidden's "Forbidden Evil" and Artillery's "Terror Squad". But I was never a collector of music, and was busy with Viking. When I left Viking and moved away to Oregon, I totally lost track of the metal scene. I missed the rise of Pantera and of all the genre splits that happened. To this day, I can't tell you the difference between Death Metal, Doom Metal, Grindcore, Industrial, etc. I just know what I like and what I don't. I don't like Cookie Monster vocals, and I don't like stuff that's so technical I can't follow it or headbang to it. I don't like blast beats that are so fast I can't even tell what's going on. I don't like opera-sounding show tunes. I love heavy riffs, great vocalists, and lyrics that aren't banal and stupid. I'm just an oldschool metalhead who likes good metal, whatever that may mean to me.

The second studio album Viking had, "Man of Straw", was recorded in 1989. Did it take long to come up with that material, or did you already have it ready at that point?

Before "Do or Die" came out, we had already played enough live shows to realize what fans responded to and how to arrange songs to orchestrate that. Plus, Gene had been challenging me to go deeper with my lyric writing. He never gave me words, but he challenged me in ways like, "You're an eloquent guy, so instead of just saying you're splitting a skull with an axe, why don't you describe how it feels to rip the jawbone from a man?" So the lyrics got less "demons and battles" and more topical and descriptive. So we were writing a ton of new material, and really wanting to get the second album out there, especially because we knew the first one was getting such bad reviews for the sound quality of it.

What was the idea behind Man Of Straw, and was it reflected heavily in the album art? Whose idea was it, or was it collective?

The Man of Straw is an unstable schizophrenic. He looks into the mirror and sees someone completely different. Something angry, something horrifying, something destructive. We had the artist incorporate some of the other song themes into it as well. So it's snowing outside for "Winter", the guy has a wedding ring on the wrong finger for "Creative Divorce" and there's a helicopter crashing for "Twilight Fate". Incidentally, a lot of fans thought we somehow prophesied the 9-11 disaster on that album cover. But that is a helicopter, not a plane . I think most of the album cover idea came from me and Matt Jordan. Ultimately, it was John Zeleznik who put it all together in such an awesome way. He was fresh out of art school at the time, but then went on to become a very famous artist, doing high-profile work like calendars for Heavy Metal magazine and cards for Magic: The Gathering.

Photo by Robert Escue

How did the recording of that album go? Did you have better gear this time, did it take long in the studio, you know, things like that.

"Man of Straw" was so incredibly different. We had the legendary Bill Metoyer () engineering for us, and Gene Hoglan was our drum tech. We recorded it in multiple studios, each chosen for their strengths. We weren't pressed for time, and we wanted to do it right this time around. The band agreed that I would produce, which basically meant we let Bill do his thing, and whenever there was a choice he wanted us to make, I would make it. Other than a few minor mistakes, notes out of pitch, etc., I'm still very happy with that record.

Was Man Of Straw well received to your fans at the time, and how do you feel it holds up today?

I don't remember the exact timing, but I left the band shortly after "Man of Straw" hit the streets, and moved out of state. So I never heard from anyone what the response was. Years later, I've heard so much great response that I imagine it was well-received. However, the most common adjective used to describe the album is still "underrated." As far as I'm concerned, it's a great record and I still like listening to it.

What eventually lead to your departure of Viking, and what did you do in your absence?

That would be a long and philosophical answer. The short version is that the life I was trying to live as a new Christian wasn't going to be compatible with the Helstar tour we were about to go on. I looked for a replacement for me so that the band didn't have to disintegrate, but couldn't find anyone.
In my absence, I didn't pick up a guitar for over a year. I started studying the Bible at a high-college level and eventually became a teacher.

What were your thoughts on the track released after you left Viking called "Abortuary", and the general idea of how they sounded?

"Abortuary" was the only song we had completed for the third Viking record. I had written it while Brett was on the Dark Angel "Leave Scars" tour using an Alesis HR16 drum machine. We would have no doubt refined it once Brett returned - Brett and I always tweaked each others' songs in rehearsals for various reasons, and they were almost always better for it. (I think I made the song "Man of Straw" worse by changing the intro from a chromatic progression into an actual musical key, but other than that they were always better). Anyway, "Abortuary" was a snapshot of an early, unrefined tune. When Lost & Found Records said they were re-releasing "Man of Straw" and asked for bonus material, that was all I had to offer them in terms of "new" music. It sounded just like I expected it to sound - a cheap four-track cassette recording with a cheesy 80's drum machine.

After the years of being gone from Viking, and seeming to break away from the band itself, what made you want to start the band up again?

For years, Glenn Rogers had been telling me I should resurrect Viking. But neither Matt nor I had really given it much thought. Then a record company contacted me, asking for anything at all they could release. I had already given "Abortuary" to Lost & Found Records, and had nothing else to give them. That started my brain down a path of what new Viking material would sound like, and what it would be about. Things just sort of snowballed from there.

Photo by Robert Escue

When all the members you got together met up, did you all hang out first, then find a practice space and get to writing a new album, or did it all just happen while playing old tunes or something?

I actually just started writing, and talking a lot with Matt. We're on opposite sides of the country, so an early rehearsal wasn't going to be practical.

Where was/is your practice space?

I'm based in Fort Wayne, Indiana now, so we practice in a warehouse that our guitar player Justin has. He's in a number of bands, and needs that much space for everything he does.

Was the response to Viking coming back a shock to you, and were you happy with how things were going, and did you feel comfortable with the situation at first?

I was frankly astounded at the reaction. I really didn't think almost anybody cared about Viking. But when we put up a Facebook page and immediately started getting hundreds, then thousands, of followers, I saw that people were interested in what we had done all those years ago, and in what we were planning on doing.

The recording of No Child Left Behind started in 2011, if I recall correctly, and it was released in March of this year (2015). Was the length of time all recording, and mixing, and all, or were there technical issues or something that you had to work around in that time before release?

The writing didn't take long at all. I initially wanted to get this out very quickly, and once Matt's schedule made it apparent that I could delay or have Gene step in, I thought it was important to keep the momentum going. Gene's collaboration provided that springboard that I no longer had without Brett, so that turned out to be a very good thing. We couldn't get bass recorded until about 4 months later, but then the real delays started happening. I won't go into all the details, but it was a string of really difficult obstacles. The two biggest ones were my mom unexpectedly dying, and several computer issues and Pro Tools issues that hamstrung us for months at a time.

The title of the album "No Child Left Behind", to what was it referring, and was this topic thought up and important to all the band members?
Ever since "Man of Straw," the band has always left lyrical content totally up to me. In this case, "No Child Left Behind" actually has multiple interpretations. On the surface, it is a play on words between the controversial law that the US Congress enacted to somehow "fix" our education system, with Viking invaders storming a village and leaving no survivors. But there are deeper interpretations for it, including what our prison system does to underage criminals.

Now that brings me to the recent tour you just finished up a few days ago. What started that tour, and how did you recruit Possessor to go on the tour with you guys? Did you hear them somewhere and think they were awesome and really cool guys?

Our tours start with events we get invited to, and we build road trips around them. In this case, we were asked to play the NYDM Spring Bash in Milwaukee, so we had Signature Riff book us a two-week tour leading up to it. We didn't know Possessor at all, and never met them until the night of the first show in Cleveland. Within a few days, we were becoming friends, and by the end of the tour we were all genuinely sad to be going our separate ways. We'd gladly tour with them again anytime - to a man, they are fantastic people to be around.

Did you have good turn outs to the shows, and were the responses as good as you had hoped?

Turnout to shows mostly depended on the night of the week. As we expected, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays had fantastic attendance, whereas Sundays and Mondays generally stunk. The response to the band is consistently great. Although it is interesting to see the personality of the metal scene in various cities. Some crowds wouldn't start a pit even if you paid them, and others you can barely get them to stop between songs!

Any moments you feel stand out among others during the the shows you played and afterwards?

For me, the most impacting times of the tour are the interactions with fans who we've had influence on over the years. I remember being 13/14 and building my musical foundation with certain albums, and when I hear from guys that they did the same thing with Viking records, I am deeply impacted in my heart. Especially when it's guys who went on to create their own music. That just blows me away every time.

Was this the first full length tour you had done after reforming Viking?

This was the longest run we've done so far. I think the ones we've done before have been about five shows each.

What was your favorite place to play, and why?

That's an impossible question. Some venues treat bands great, some cities have amazing, rabid fans, and sometimes it's just a magical combination of things. There were a couple cities that really stood out, but I wouldn't want to discount the others.

The last fews weeks of the tour seemed pretty hectic with the sudden leave of Justin, and replacing him on tour with Shaun Cothron (Acheron), along with suddenly getting bronchitis. That must have been rough, but how did you find Shaun so quickly, and how did you cope with the bronchitis (which didn't seem to affect your vocals in my opinion)?

I appreciate the fans who complimented the vocals on the tour, when I was operating at 10-20% of my ability. But I think they were probably just caught in the adrenaline of the intensity of the show. In reality, I was pretty devastated to not be able to deliver vocally the way I know I can night after night. I learned new and interesting ways to deliver the songs and it seemed to satisfy. As for Shaun, he is an amazing player and a fast study. We had been keeping in mind that with Justin's baby due just a couple weeks after the tour ended, we might find ourselves up a creek. Which we did, and we had a tentative plan. We did miss a show, but Shaun flew in to Atlanta and we picked him up and started going over things immediately.

Any favorite bands you have from the metal scene nowadays, and what are your thoughts in general on the metal scene now?


I really don't follow the scene closely at all. First, I'm afraid of my brain picking up other bands' sounds and riffs, and I really want to keep myself on the Viking path as purely as I can keep it. So I really don't hear much in the way of bands. However, the other night I caught a lot of Deceased's set and those guys have some monstrous riffs and such a fantastic frontman. I met King Fowley afterwards, and he gave me his favorite CD from the band's discography. I'm really looking forward to devouring that. I promise to try not to steal any of their riffs! As for the scene in general, it's difficult to see live concerts not getting the attendance they did in the 80s. I'm thankful for all the clubs in Southern California that didn't have over 18 or over 21 rules - I was able to go to shows four or five nights a week. But fans need to step up. Seeing your favorite band on YouTube a few days later isn't the same for you, and sure isn't the same for the band. We do this for the fans, and we really need you to show us that we're not doing it for nothing.

In closing, what would you like to do next with Viking, and are you happy with where you are right now with your life and the band?

I'm rarely happy with where I am in life, but that's my own mental issue. As far as what's next for Viking, we're hoping that some larger festivals take notice of what is happening with us and see the kind of show we give crowds. Regardless, we will keep playing live for fans as often as we can, whether there's 30 of them or 30 thousand.

Vic Stown of Vindicator Interview (2015)

This next one is from South Amherst's own thrash metal veterans (having their debut album "There Will Be Blood" back in 2008. Vic , frontman and founder of Vindicator, talks to us about their latest happenings (at the time), what they've done, and gives you a feel of what they're about. If you're into good old thrash metal and don't know these dudes, give them a listen for sure. I'll put a video of one of my favorite songs at the end of the article. This one is considerably less cringey. I'm not talkin' like I'm coolguy McGee now, because there's no fixing me in that aspect, but I like to think I learn from my.... how you say.... Idiocy. So here's an old(ish) interview With Vic. Enjoy!

Photo Cred: Cristina Atilano, Image altered by yours truly

Let's start off with getting to know the man who is Vic Stown a little better before we get right into the Vindicator talk. How was it growing up? Did you parents introduce you to metal?

- My parents were into a lot of sixties and seventies rock and of course metal from the seventies and the eighties. Back then radio stations didn't suck nearly as bad as they do today, so you could tune into your local rock station and a hear variety of good music. That's what I grew up with, Aerosmith, Motley Crue, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, etc. But my love and appreciation of thrash came from my buddy and former band mate, Wayne Holocaust. He's the one who really hooked me. Annihilator, Mortal Sin, Artillery. Known and unknown. At twenty years old he had a massive collection of tapes, CDs, vinyl, and mp3s. We'd hang out and just listen to music.

What band was your Dad in, and how did it affect you?

- In the eighties he was in the heavy metal/hard rock outfit, Stutz. That lasted until the early nineties. Then after a brief moment,  he was in a Christian hard rock band called Michael for several years. And then a band called SOL after that. His constantly being in bands had a huge impact on who I am today. It's like I couldn't stop writing, playing, or enjoying music if I wanted to. It's in my DNA. His songwriting has influenced the way I compose my own music. It's subtle, but it's there.

When was the first time you picked up a guitar, and is that the only instrument that you play?

- I couldn't remember the first time I actually picked one up, no matter how hard I tried. But around the age twelve is when I really wanted to learn how to play. Today I can play bass and guitar, if you want to call it that, heh. I have a very rudimentary understanding of most instruments and can play them like cavemen would paint. I'm no virtuoso on anything, but I can figure most instruments out enough to play a primitive song or two. I'm great fun at campfires.

Did you and your brother both start playing instruments at the same time, and how were you introduced to the guitar?

- My brother really started getting into drums around the age fourteen, I think. I was eighteen at the time. I somewhat decided for him that he would play drums. The way I saw it was, he had a tiny kit when he was like five, he should play drums. I got my first guitar around the same age that I really started getting interested in it. That Christmas my parents bought me an Epiphone Stratacopy and a Park fifteen watt practice amp. They were both horrendous sounding and difficult to work with. But I made do.

Photo by Robert Escue

Who was your biggest influence?

- At the time, my biggest influence  was my Dad. He showed me three power chords and told me I could learn most songs knowing those three chords. So naturally Smoke On The Water and Cat Scratch Fever were played quite a bit. Over the years my Dad has remained an influence in my writing, but depending on what I'm writing, my influences will change damn near song to song.

Growing up, were your favorite bands the same as they are now, or have they changed over the years, and do they have any part in inspiring your music to this day?

- The bands I liked when I was growing up, I still like today. There's just way more now. Certain bands inspire me creatively, while others inspire me as a musician. They all help me to be creative, I suppose. Some are very obvious, others only slightly.

What was the first concert/show you saw, and what did you think of it? Was it special to you?

- The first real show I went to was Kansas at the Lorain county fair. It was a great show. It is still special to me, yes. My first metal show was Iron Maiden, Dio, and Motorhead. That show really lit me up as an aspiring musician. Nothing tops the energy at a metal show of that caliber.

Alright, now to get to some Vindi talk! In 2005, the formation of Vindicator came about. How did that happen?

- My previous band of three years had came to a screeching halt. It crushed me. All the time we had dumped into it for nothing. Feeling a bit bitter and having lots more to say and do, I didn't hesitate to form another. Obvious choices were my brother and Wayne Holocaust who were also in the aforementioned band. We learned that our friend from high school who was in a black metal band as a vocalist (but could also play bass) had just quit. We all lived in South Amherst. It was a no-brainer for all of us.

Photo by Rockhouse

Was Vindicator the first name that was chosen for the band, and who came up with it? Why was the name chosen?

- There were a few names and for the life of me I can't remember any of them. Most were pretty silly. I think one might have been “Thrash Hammer”, ugh. Glad that didn't happen. But Vindicator was in that first mix. Marshall came up with it since he and Wayne were Warhammer dorks (like those Bolt Thrower guys) Vindicator was a natural choice. I'm kidding, by the way. Warhammer is awesome. And so is Bolt Thrower.

Were there any bands you were in before Vindicator?

-I was in a rock band in high school named LEAF. Some cool acronym for something or other. Wayne and Marshall were in a metal band named Fallout. After high school, Wayne, Jesse, and myself were in what started as Snowyt (Snow White, our wit was OFF THE CHARTS, I know). When Mikey B. Lial joined the band he suggested we change the name as people had trouble actually pronouncing it. We got “Snowy T” or “Snow It” a lot. So it was clear, the name had to go. Jesse suggested Violent Night and everyone agreed.

Photo by Sarah Stown
Jesse (drums), Vic (guitar), James J. (Cat, Guitar), and Ed (Bass)

A little while after the formation of the band, the first demo came out, followed by the second demo entitled "South Amherst Thrash", which included new songs altogether. What are your thoughts on those songs now, and how did you record and get those demos around?

- I still love those early tracks. Our first demo was just a demo of a basement rehearsal. We recorded it on an iPod using the Griffin iTalk attachment. We tossed it up on a dryer and ran through our set. Warts and all. I love how it turned out. It was free and didn't need mastering. As raw as they come. It was the only recording with original second guitarist, Wayne Holocaust. He left shortly after. Marshall, Jesse, and I decided we needed a proper demo. I hit up former Violent Night member Mikey B. Lial to record with. He had a Fostex digital recorder and was pretty good at using it. This was in an age that most DAWs were extremely expensive and not readily “available” in terms of finding pirated copies. So at the time, it was an excellent option. We cut those songs in one day. A few of those tracks made their way onto our first full length. Some retain there kvlt status on those demos. We decided to combine the two demos since we had space on the CDRs we were making. Getting them out was fairly easy, too. We hauled them around to local shows we attended or played. Sent them out here and there. They made their way around the world. I recently ran into a vender selling them for five bucks a piece. I got a good chuckle out of that.

After the release of that demo came the first full length album called "There Will Be Blood" (2008). Only 3 songs from the demos were used on this album. What was the reason for that, and why did those three stay, and did you already have all the material written for the rest of the album, or did you guys work on it after the initial songs for the demos were written?

- Vindicator actually went into a temporary hiatus for roughly a year in two thousand-seven. In that time we wrote most of There Will Be Blood. When you're inspired to write, you write. So we took advantage of that. Some songs happened while we were down, some when we started to get active again. It came together relatively easy and quickly. We didn't really have a solid reason as to why what demo tracks stuck around. We just felt those three were ones that needed to happen.

Photo by Sarah Stown

What are your thoughts on that album today? Any memories or notable events from recording it? Was it tough recording it?

- I think it's a solid release. I think it stood up to the Slayer worship that many of the new crop were producing. It's a fun album and it's catchy. It wasn't extremely technical by any means. But it's good. We recorded TWBB in the loft of a three car garage. A guy my Dad was jamming with had a studio. We hired an outside engineer and made it happen. It was hot as fuck up there. No AC. Just fans. The album unfolded smoothly. I remember one nasty storm, but it came and went. We laughed a lot, ate a lot of Subway, and made the magic happen.

Who was the guy on the cover of the album holding the axe?

- That's Marshall. Originally, we had paid famed artist of the era, Halseycaust to make the artwork for the record. She didn't get it to us on time. We had a set deadline to make TWBB happen before a quick run out to LA. Marshall came up with the concept you see on the cover. And we used the art from Halsey for our sophomore record, The Antique Witcheries. I love how that unfolded. I feel the artwork for TWBB is more appropriate than the Halsey piece for that record. It's very Exciterish, if you will.

Where was it that the album was done, and did you guys have decent equipment?

- I think the studio was called Atonement Studios. Like I said, it was a loft above a garage in Birmingham, Ohio. It was nice, sort of in the country. Quiet place. They had good enough equipment. The album had an unintentional eighties vibe. It was all digital, but sounded pretty analog. Which was weird. I'm not sure how that happened.

How was the distribution of the album, and what formats was it on? Did it seem to be well received to you?

- It was pressed by us, so the only distribution it saw was from us trading with small labels. But there's a lot of small labels worldwide that wanted it, so in the end, it got excellent distribution. Sure, it wasn't in major retailers, but it was getting to people who were genuinely interested in that music. It was originally pressed on CD. Later on Doomentia Records would reissue it on vinyl.

When was it that Slaney Records contacted you, and how did it go down?

- Shortly after TWBB we were contacted by fledgling Irish label, Slaney Records. They were interested in us to participate in an unnamed split series they were working on.

After the single "The Dog Beneath The Skin" (Vindicator's first released work under a label), you guys did a split compilation entitled "Outbreak Of Metal Vol. 1" with another band named Metal Witch. Was that Slaney's doing, or did you guys suggest it, and were you a fan of Metal Witch?

Photo by Ron Daniel

- The single happened because Slaney wasn't going to have the splits to us before an upcoming tour. They're a good label, so wanting us to have SOMETHING, they pressed the single in order for us to have a release to take on the road with us. I actually came up with the name “Outbreak Of Metal” a nod to Teutonic thrash titans, Sodom. The label sent us a list of bands to check out. We either couldn't agree or the band wasn't interested and finally we came across Metal Witch. I've been a fan since the first time I heard Valley Of The Kings. That song will never not rip.

Were there intentions to have another edition of an Outbreak Of Metal compilation because of the "Vol. 1" at the end of the title?

- I'm fairly confident Slaney intended to keep the series running. They ended up doing a Volume Two. Not sure if anymore happened following. Splits are a tricky thing. Some are received well. Most, not so much. An EP seems to generally do better alone.

Who came up with that album art for the Outbreak Of Metal compilation? One of my favorite album covers of Vindicator.

- I believe the artist's name is Sean Fitzpatrick. He's still out there making great art.

After There Will Be Blood, a few line-up changes happened including the bassist and the guitarist. Did this happen directly after the recording of TWBB, or did it happen gradually, and for what reasons, if you'd like to share.

- Well, Marshall stayed on bass up until around The Antique Witcheries. But Bob Shubert did quit after our first tour. He played a show or two and then bailed to work on his own project. This wasn't a bad thing. We appreciated the time Bob spent with us, but it gave us the opportunity to rekindle our relationship with former Violent Night band mate, Mikey B. Lial. Mike is phenomenal musician. Both very professional and talented. We asked if he'd be interested in recording leads on the split stuff and after he did, offered him the lead spot to which he accepted.

For what reasons did Marshall Law go from singing and playing bass  to just singing?

Photo by Ron Daniel
Jesse Stown

- We all agreed that Marshall needed to not be tethered to a bass. As a band we wanted an energetic frontman and oftentimes that's difficult to achieve when you're both playing and singing. One or the other is going to take a hit. Being able to focus on ONE thing means it will sound better.

After that came Vindicator’s second full length album; "The Antique Witcheries", which seemed to take on new lyrical content and sound overall in my opinion, would you agree with that?

- Lyrically we sang about roughly the same things we had before. We touched politics for the first time. Still the same old horror. The album was very Lovecraft themed. Many lyrics and titles were pulled directly from Lovecraft stories. The sound was sonically different from anything we had done before. We recorded it at the same studio we had done the split hoping to attain that same rawness. It was a little more polished the second time around, though. I still was not at all disappointed in the release, though.

Being that this was the first album that you recorded on Heavy Artillery records, was it a lot different from when you recorded under an independent label?

- It was a lot different. We got jerked around a lot and pretty well under funded. We did our best with what we had. So to answer your question, yes. Working with people who genuinely love the music they're releasing versus people just trying to use you to make money is what you get with indie labels versus labels with massive retail distribution.

Did the recording process seem to go a lot smoother, and how was the treatment Heavy Artillery gave you overall at that time?
- There were elements that went extremely smooth, while there were issues here and there. Heavy Artillery had us in the dog house just about the instant we signed the contract. I could go on about the crap we endured from their end, but I'd rather not.

On the cover of "The Antique Witcheries" there is a skeleton holding an ax. Was that at all intended as a theme for your albums, as the guy on the cover of There Will Be Blood had one, or was it just a coincidence?

- Purely coincidence. The first three releases did have a dude with an ax, though. We loved axes back then.

The title of the album along with the title track seemed to be a new sort of topic to delve into. Seems like an interesting cool topic to me, what prompted it?
- I got a copy of The Library Of America's “Lovecraft Tales” for Christmas the previous year. I had heard of the author but never really delved into his writings. It inspired me greatly at the time and influenced most of what you hear on TAW.

Did the distribution of that album go more smooth since you had Heavy Artillery on your side at that time?

- I guess you could say that. Labels distribute according to demographics, so in LA you could walk into a Best Buy and see it on the shelf with fellow thrashers Fueled By Fire, Gama Bomb, and Warbringer. But in our neck of the woods, Rap rules supreme, so needless to say, we couldn't find it. It was a bummer. One of our biggest accomplishments, our CD in a major retailer, and we couldn't even walk into our local chains like FYE and Best Buy and hold our work.

The third album to date "United We Fall"was a major turning point for the band, with the departure of a few members,and a door open to new ones, along with you going from guitarist, to the singer and guitarist. So what happened with the singer and bassist, and where did you find Ed Stephens and James J. LaRue?

- Marshall started to drift apart from band shortly before recording TAW. He had just graduated from college and was wanting to get on with his life. Shortly before we headed out on our first (and ironically our last) major North American tour, he bailed. With very little options, I took the helm. Although Mikey recorded leads for TAW, he had already parted ways with the band prior to it's recording, also siting life as his prompt to quit. He did us a solid by playing on the record. Mick Mayer joined as lead guitarist after the album was cut, but also left for reasons unknown prior to our US tour. This left myself, Kid, and Jesse. We toured as a power trio with no guitar harmonies or solos, with our friends in Possessor and Aggressor. James was filling in for Aggressor. We became good friends during that month and we talked him into moving out to Ohio and filling the vacant lead position. Kid left shortly after that tour for personal reasons. In that time we sought out local bass talent, Mike Kurtz, from the Lick The Blade. Mike stayed on for a short period. Ed filled in for Mike on a few gigs and shortly thereafter, we offered him the bass spot.

Photo by Robert Escue

Had you already been experienced in singing, or was it a whole new thing for you to master? And was singing and playing guitar at the same time difficult at first?

- I sang and played guitar in Violent Night, so it wasn't anything new for me. Some things were tough, others weren't so bad. But I didn't have much time to get into shape. I had been out of practice for some time. It was hard, but I pulled through. After a month on the road, I hadgotten much better, haha!

Shortly after the release of "United We Fall", Vindicator played the Warriors Of Metal fest. How was that for you, and are there any really memorable moments you'd like to share?
- That was a great time. All of the WOMs were. We played the year before, and headlined the pre fest show the year after. That particular one we were direct support to Helstar. I remember playing  and looking over my shoulder to see James Rivera watching us. That's special to me. That means something to me. It was a real honor. Sadly, it was James' last live performance with us.

Who have you gone on tour with over the years that have left an impact on you in the sense that the bands were great to play a show with and fun to hang out with?

- Every. Single. Band. We were VERY fortunate to not run into or have to deal with ANY rock stars when we toured. We only toured a handful of times. I can list all the bands we toured with: Fatality, Aggressor, Possessor, Lich King, Viking, Seven Witches, and Vicious Rumors. Not a single one disappointed or were unfun to hang with. You forge amazing friendships on the road with your tour partners. They become your satellite family.

Photo by Rayna Lawson

Your most recent work to date with Vindicator is the EP entitled "Sleeping With Evil", which was released in January of 2014 also involved Ed and James, how did that work out?

- These tracks were tracks we had left over from UWF. They just didn't fit for one reason or another. UWF was the first release we went into having more tracks than we needed. So it was nice to be able to put them out.

There seems to be a lot of talking before the songs a lot like how Toxik had on "Think This", any correlation there? I think it adds a nice touch to the songs.

- As much as a love that record, there is no correlation between to two. We added Robert Oppenheimer to New Clear Assault: End Of An Error for the obvious reason the song is about nuclear warfare. It added to the overall feel.

The song "New Clear Assault: The End Of An Error" was a reprise almost of the song featured on the first album, just called "New Clear Assault". What was the reason for re doing that song, and what does the "End Of The Error" part of the title indicate?

- I wanted to rerecord a track, but not in the typical sense. So we built off the original and expanded it a little bit and that's what you get with New Clear Assault: End Of An Error. The end of an error aspect of the title is referring to mankind being the error. How greed and power killed us off. Not a new concept to the metal world, but something I wanted to write about.

"Hockey Stick Vengeance" stuck out to me on that EP, as well. What was the inspiration for that?

- I'm a product of the eighties. No matter how “childish” is seems, I still have a special place in my heart for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Hockey Stick Vengeance is about Casey Jones. That character always has been and will be a favorite of mine. I write about stuff that interests me. This include serious, social, fictional, political, horror, and pretty much: all topics.

Where did the art concept come from for "Sleeping With Evil" and what was the intention of the title, or the meaning?

- Artist Yannick Bouchard was the creator of that piece. I meant it literally. Sleeping With Evil is about a succubus.

If you could have any custom guitar, what would it be?

- I'd probably get myself another V of sorts. Maybe an Explorer body. I've got enough guitars that I don't really think about this anymore, haha! I actually do have a custom KxK. I quit playing it because I didn't want to beat it to hell, haha!

What are some of your favorite bands you always enjoy sitting down and listening to now?

- So many... Hessian became a recent favorite. I'm a big fan of Superchrist and most things Chris Black. Havok will always have a special place in my ear. Of course, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Annihilator, Artillery, Riot, Thin Lizzy, etc. But I enjoy sitting down and listening to most music. There's usually always music playing in my household. An eclectic variety at that.

If you had a Cheat-tar, would you play it all the time?

- If it were a neckthru and didn't break my cow lamp, yes. I'd be ok with light switch raves, though.

At this point in your musical career, would you change anything that you've done, and are you happy with where you are now? And with all the contributions you've given to the metal community thus far, what are your next plans of action for the future?

- I'm content with what I've accomplished. Having said that, hindsight is truly twenty-twenty. There's A LOT I would do differently. Writing the same music isn't one of them, though. At this point in time, I have no plans of action. The members of my band all have a lot going on, so we do what we can, when we can. That just means Vindicator is slowing down. It doesn't mean I'm slowing down, by any means. I've got a lot planned for the future, music-wise. And in typical artist fashion, I can't really divulge right now.