Vic Stown Volcana Interview (2017)

Last time I interviewed you, it was 2015. At that time you had mentioned a project you were starting, but couldn't reveal. That project was the doom, gloom, and ripping riffs of Volcana. What brought about the forming of this band, and how did you come to have the members that are a part of it now?

VS - I've always had material I couldn't use for Vindicator for one reason or another. Stuff I might cough up warming up to write for Vindi. Fleeting inspirations that didn't quite fit the thrash formula. Instead of tossing those ideas out or changing Vindicator's sound, I kept them. I've always been a fan of The Sword's early work and eventually how Matt Pike writes for High On Fire. And during the early stages of what would become Vindicator's longest hiatus to date, I started a studio project.
 I've known Jeff [Potts] for some time given we got our start in the same scene. The New Wave Of Thrash Metal were a tight knit group. I've shared the stage with Jeff numerous times. And I met Glen [Monturi] when Vindicator toured with Seven Witches and Vicious Rumors in 2012. Glen was filling in for Seven Witches on drums. I was blown away watching him perform that first night. And in a very short period of time, we hit it off. I stayed in contact with him over the years. When I decided to no longer sit idle and make some new music that wasn't Vindicator, I knew I wanted to hit up people I'd never worked with before. Those two individuals were the first two I contacted.


The first release for Volcana was in 2016 entitled "A Lion Among Jackals". Did it take long to record that, and where did you record it? Did you also do the mixing for it?

VS - The guitars on Lion were actually recorded in 2014 sometime. I let the project slide momentarily for one reason or another and several songs sat in various forms of completion up until 2016 when we fired the project up again. Each member recorded tracks on their own using their own gear at their own place (home/rehearsal pad). For mixing and mastering we hit up Tim Holsinger. Tim knows his way around some gear and has access to mountains of stuff that we don't. He knew exactly what I was going for.


Did you use the same guitar gear to get the tone you wanted for the doom feel for Volcana as opposed to what you used for Vindicator?

VS - I did not. I actually had Tim re-amp the guitars on that release. For the life of me I can't remember specifically what he used, either. There's a couple different amps on it. Although I believe one is of the Orange variety.


Had you wanted to do this sort of project for a long time, and had you had plans for songs well before the band came to fruition?

VS - Not really. I never wanted to take away from Vindicator. I always saw my peers doing side projects and could never understand how they did it. How the two were balanced. Initially the ideas came quick. And then I got distracted by trying to save Vindicator from its untimely break. When the dust settled I found myself in the same position. And at that point I decided to take Volcana on full time. Which isn't technically "full time" due to its being a studio band.

Photo Cred Ryan Lawson

While writing the songs, did you have help in doing so from other band members, or this mostly your project- music wise?

VS - Lemme tell you something, I'm not trying to toot the proverbial self horn, but EVERY band I've done (up until recently) is me. Also take that statement with a grain of salt. But when you hear a song from Violent Night, Vindicator, and Volcana the odds that I wrote it are high. NOT out of some weird narcissistic egotism, but out of sheer necessity. I'm a doer. I'm goal oriented and very driven. In Volcana, Glen writes all the bass and drums, Jeff writes the solos and certain accent tracks, and I write the riffs, lyrics, and arrangements. There are exceptions though, in every project I've done.


What are some of the bands that have influenced you the most over the years, and which seem the most prominent to you at this point in your life, or has it always been the same bands that held up through the years for you?

VS - With Volcana I tend to focus more on stoner rock/metal, doom, traditional metal, and rock. As I mentioned before, The Sword has been a huge influence on this project as has been High On Fire. Volcana isn't reeeaaaally a doom band. We're just filthy basement orcs playing dust covered, oxidated, heavy rock. What's truly great about writing for Volcana though is there's no bars here. I have no expectations, therefore I have no restrictions. So I find inspiration easier for this band than previous bands.


"A Lion Among Jackals" is a hard hitting release for sure- would you say the title track reflects your veiws on society, somewhat? In the fact that good people seem scarce, and thinking for one's self seems almost a strange matter in today's society?

VS - I pulled the concept from a steampunk novel I had recently read. The idea of a nobody that was in fact a somebody, and not just any somebody, but a savior, was very appealing to me. The parallels of that character and the world at large, while completely coincidental, are nearly uncanny. 


Volcana is on the record label "Austenitized Records". Can you tell us a little about them, and how you came to be on it?

VS - We actually licensed A Lion Among Jackals to Austenitized Records to be pressed on seven inch. Originally released as a digital only single, my personal mantra of "zero expectations" paid off hard when talks about a seven inch were being had. I've known Luke for some time. He was wanting to start an indie label and looking to cut his teeth on a release. We were fortunate enough to be that release.


Do you feel you are able to explore more facets of your voice and guitar playing by starting Volcana? And how would it compare to how you performed and wrote in Vindicator?

VS - Absolutely. I can utilize less grit and more melody at times. Even, dare I say, vocal harmonies. Volcana songs are typically not fast. The riffs are more rock, less tech. The downfall is, having no restraints whilst writing this stuff comes at a price. In Vindicator, the songs were constructed to be performed live. In Volcana, I write with an unabashed sense freedom. In short: I have no fucking clue if I could perform these songs live. And I'm not at all concerned about that as it's doubtful we'd ever perform live. But one can never tell...


Having been married for ten years and having children, how would you say that affected your life, both musically and overall?

VS - Musically, without Sarah, Vindicator would not have accomplished ninety percent of what we did. She was acting manager, booking agent, tour manager, merch person, driver, graphic designer, and photographer for many years. The introduction of kids, doesn't complicate things as much as most would believe. It DOES make being a musician a bit more of a challenge, but it doesn't end careers. Volcana certainly fits best in a life with kids. But Vindicator would too if I had the people. You have to make things work after a certain point. I don't see myself touring the world for months at a time for either project. Give up? Why not just toss in that stinky, shit covered towel??? Fuck that. I'll stop when I stop. On my own terms.



Do your kids dig your music, and like genres?

VS - My house is very musically eclectic. My kids love pretty much all music. But they hear mostly metal, and for the most part, dig it all. I do catch my daughter singing along with Volcana. It's extremely awesome.


What are some of your views on life, and do you feel they are heavily reflected in your songwritting and playing? Would you feel that that was stronger in Vindicator, or in Volcana? Or have both of them been two separate parts of your life, or feelings during that period in your life?

VS - Life is short. It's fragile. It's the fastest thing you'll experience. While it's easy to get yourself stuck in mud, slow down, and take in your surroundings. The mud will dry, but your surroundings will change. Vindicator was an outlet for anger and frustration. Volcana is just about making music its members dig. No specific or intentional views or opinions, for the most part. So I suppose, my views were stronger in Vindicator. Those views and feelings haven't gone away. Should we ever find the right people for the group, those feelings will still be there, waiting to snap some necks.


Has Volcana played any live shows yet, and are there any future plans to play a good amount of shows?

VS - No. And no. Having said that, playing shows isn't wholly out of the question. Jeff is in Cali, Glen in Jersey, and myself right in the middle in Ohio. It's more likely Bolt Thrower will play a few reunion shows than we'll ever be able to pull off a gig. Again, you never know. Should, say, a decent fest come our way, maybe we pull it off? Until then, making heavy music for people willing to hear it is enjoyable enough.


What are your thoughts on up and coming metal bands today? At least in terms of aesthetics vs. quality in music. I'm asking because I feel most times a lot of bands find it trendy to wear the studs and spikes, while others wear it because it's what they love, while others wear it to almost mask the lack of talent. Thoughts on that?

VS - Look, gimmicks have ALWAYS existed in music and anyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves. Lyrical content is a gimmick in itself. I don't care what a band looks like (for the most part) as long as I like their music. And music is absolutely subjective. Music I love may be hated by someone else. My thought's on current music trends? There's nothing new, it's a never ending cycle, find music you love and support the hell out of it. Everyone was/is a poser, so own who you are.


Are there any plans to go to another record label any time soon? And what are your thoughts on Rise Above Records? Lee Dorrian has some awesome bands on there, and I feel Volcana would be welcome among them.

VS - Currently we are free agents. We'll poke around and see what's out there that's fair for us. I think Rise Above's roster is gorgeous. Would we fit on the label? I'm inclined to agree with you.






If you could give any musician who is new to playing and gigging any advice, what would it be?

VS - ALWAYS keep your wits about you. There are good people out there who genially want to further you in your goals, but there are twice as many scumbags. Don't be a dick. Support the bands your sharing the bill with. And for fuck's sake, be a fucking professional. No matter how small you are. Carry yourself like you're signed to Capitol. What I mean by that is, be courteous, on time, and be respectful of others. But most of all, have fun. If you're not having fun, you're in it for the wrong reasons.


Besides playing guitar, do you play any other instruments, or would like to play different ones sometime in the future?

VS - I can play basic bass. Some rustic percussion instruments. I wish i could play everything: piano, violin, etc. But drums, I really wish I could play drums. I'd settle for playing way up high on the tiny strings, though.


What are some hobbies you have, and have they changed over the years? Because I'm pretty sure I asked you in the last interview, but some people might not have seen it, and they might have changed a bit since 2015.

VS - I'm wondering if I shouldn't review that original interview myself to see what I said... Aside from creating music I enjoy reading, sampling a variety of beers, watching a variety films and shows, occasionally building shitty shelves, I'm just an ordinary guy when it comes down to it. Over the past several years I've slowly become obsessed with gear videos. Especially pedal demos. I should probably seek out professional help.


In order to do what you love, you have to have a job to support that... unless you win the lottery a lot or something. What job do you have now, and how do you feel about it?

VS - I'm a stay at home Dad. It doesn't pay for anything. It saves my household a boatload of money in child care. Not to mention I have trust issues, so leaving my kids with people I don't know has never sat well with me. I love it. My kids absolutely test every fiber of my being on a daily basis, but it's still better than an awful nine to five. Houses were supposed to be able to take care of themselves in the future. We're in the future and all we have is the Roomba. No self washing dishes, no self emptying garbage, no talking cats. Needless to say, a house occupied by a family doesn't take care of itself.


Have you ever considered dabbling or mastering other genres with another band, and what would that be?

VS - Not really. I just do what I do and now I have an outlet for everything I do. Vindicator gets the thrash, Volcana gets everything else. I'm pretty content where I'm at.


What are some things you think are the most important in life, and what are some things you have in mind for the future, whether it be musical, or just anything?

VS - Respect and family. I don't really have anything in mind for the future, to be honest. My only real plan is to keep writing music. I'll stop writing when everyone stops listening.


What are some future goals for Volcana, and how do you feel about the progression of your career in metal thus far?

VS - Building our catalog. Volcana is constantly in writing mode. I've accomplished more than most at this point in time. And there's still a boatload I haven't (and may never) accomplish. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy with where I'm at, no matter how disgruntled I might appear at times. For being a nobody, I've done quite a bit and will slowly continue to accomplish.

Dimi Pontiac of Ranger Interview (2017)

Snippet of Dimi taken from a photo taken by Emma Grönqvist.
Edited by me, Olivia Franks. I know, I suck. I tried

Hey Dimi! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk, you must be very busy with the upcoming Europe tour approaching. What have you had to do to prepare for that? Do you need to pack extra light, have band practice a lot, etc., and is it a hassle, or are you guys more excited than anything?

Hey Olivia and sorry for a bit delay. The tour ended about two weeks ago now. We were really excited about the upcoming tour and of course after that really tired and exhausted. We had 23 shows in the row with no day offs! Overall the shows were great most of the time and we went places weʼve never been before. Well some of us pack light and Iʼve should done the same since I lost couple of stuff along the way.

With the most recent release from the band being “Speed and Violence”, how has the reception been overall of the album, so far, and did it exceed your expectations?
Oh yes it did! I was really surprised actually how the reception was immediately. Even better than with the first album. I think we have sold a decent amount of copies and the single of Lethal Force too. Eternally grateful whoever has stumble upon Ranger material.

There was only a year between the release of “Where Evil Dwells” and “Speed and Violence”, had you guys had all the songs written at the same time, or is it fairly easy for the songs to come together?
Well about year and a half, but yes! Some of those songs were already written in 2015 around the time first album was released. So, they are rather old, but some of them were made during 2015-2016. It is surprisingly easy and has been always.

Let’s backtrack a bit, before the band was named Ranger, you guys were known as “Turbin”, is this true? And why the name change, and the name “Turbin” to start with?
Yes, that is true. Back in 2008-2009 we were attending a band competition which was held and funded by Helsinki city and we needed a name. Since we covered Deathrider by Anthrax at that time we just quickly decided that we are Turbin for only this show and lets come up with the real name. Ranger came out in couple of months after that and it sounded immediately like us and it was simple and catchy.

How did you all meet, and did you know you were going to form a band at the time?

Photo by Emma Grönqvist

Well me and the drummer have known each other for over ten years now. Back then when we were teenagers we dreamed about forming a band someday. We then hooked up with couple of friends who were banging their heads to the heaviest metal and knew how to play and loved hard rock/metal. Rest is history!

Was the instrumental song “They Live” off the compilation demo “Combat Metal” inspired at all by the movie “They Live”?

Sorry, I had to correct you that the track They Live is not the instrumental. They Live was on Metal Gear demo in 2012. Instrumental track on that is Metal Gear. And the track Combat Metal is instrumental too. Yes, its heavily inspired by that movie! Iʼm actually thinking about that we should re-write that song. Its a hidden classic!

I get the feeling you like a lot of 70’s and ‘80s films judging by the look of the EP “Knights Of Darkness”, would I be right in saying that it shows in the style of the EP cover?
Yes, movies are for me as important as music. The EP cover is mainly inspired by Overkillʼs Feel the fire, Warriors movie and the late 70ʼs late 80ʼs New York scenery. I could mention Twisted Sisterʼs back cover of Under the blade too!

Has the following for Ranger seemed to have grown a lot since the first demo entitled “Enter The Zone” (I read that it was passed out for free at Keep It True, if there’s any truth in that, no pun intended) in 2009, and would you say there was any significant point when interest grew in the band?
Back then 2009 we certainly wanted to be a real band, but we were just too young I think. After that we were on hiatus for two years, but band was always there. So 2011 things started to get more serious. Yeah its true that we gave those demos for free and got some recognition, but as a retrospective Its not that good of a demo vocalwise! Young, naive and just hungry for metal which is alright! We have grown so much and we have done a lot of work for that too here in Finland and in Europe! The growth has become more since 2013 or something. Always new fans.

How has being on Spinefarm records been for you guys?

On promotional really good, but to be honest I donʼt think it was really a right company for us, but we have now experienced how the big company works.

Was/is it difficult to write lyrics, since English isn’t your first language? (I think your English in the lyrics is done well, by the way haha)
Here in the nordic (or scandinavia if you like to call it) they teach english for kids when they 7 or 8 years old, so I thank you for the compliment. I speak better english than I write, but I manage to do it! Here in the north we donʼt dub every tv show or every movie, so the english language has been always around here. Of course in the countryside people donʼt speak it that well, but in the big cities! So, answering the actual question: No, its easy!

Is there much of a metal scene in Finland, and are there any bands from there you think have some good stuff out there?

The scene is really good and its better than when we started since there werenʼt any proper bands around. Excluding all the big names which I do not like. Lot of younger bands and some older too like us, but too bad that some have quit and moved to other music. Theres for example: Rapid, Lord Fist, Bonehunter, Terror Cross, Satans Fall and handful others that I cannot remember now.

The skull for Ranger seems to have been around since the “Combat Metal” demo in 2013, which I remember seeing, as my husband, Aaron (then boyfriend) showed it to me, and I thought it looked awesome. Has that image for the face of the band so to speak been in your mind since you started? And does the skull have a name by any chance? I know some people are fond of naming their mascots, if that’s what you’d call yours.

Photo by Mikko Pylkkö mpylkko.com

Skullʼs name is Mr. Skull. Definite influence on that certainly was Snaggletooth, Vic and Destructionʼs skull, but we certainly wanted to make our looking skull! The image wasnʼt always there, but I drew the logo at one point and then we started to evolve from there.

It seems that merch for Ranger seems to sell out quite quick, am I right in thinking that, and how do you guys have your merch made/distributed?
Yeah, I know and it goes too quickly that we always make too small of a batch for merch. Thatʼs something where we need evolve a bit too! We are putting more shirts and hopefully patches in our store soon. We have couple of distributors for merch there in the USA and then here in Europe we do it ourselves the distribution etc.

Were you a forming member of the band, and if so, what was your motivation to start the band? Had you always felt that was what you were destined to do?

Something like that. Ever since I found bands like Iron Maiden, Priest or TS, I dreamed singing in a band. It took a couple of years, but here we are.

The band is heavily categorized as “speed metal”, would you agree with that statement, and was it your goal all along to achieve that status with the music?

Photo by Emma Grönqvist

Yes, that is alright, speed metal was the thing that we wanted to do. We were heavily influenced and still are by the american metal movement in the 80ʼs plus Motörhead and nwobhm. It was the goal, but now we want to add more elements of heavy metal. Thats been there too in the eps too.

What do you think makes a band good these days, and at any point in time? I mean music, lyrics, image, attitude, you name it, what do you think are some components that make a band real, and make them good?

Well, the songs, image and attitude is important. Theres so many bands that goes under radar since so much is coming all the time and some of them donʼt appeal to me since the band name can be so used or the image and the music is inspired by cult bands and not bands like Priest or Slayer. I think some bands are so influenced by Facebook friends and youtube that they should cut of the internet for awhile and figure out their own thing. I would say overall that the attitude and the music you are representing. You know its always cool to see if the bands looks great too. Not any spandex or anything, but just like a guys/girls from the street!

Who are some of your main influences as a person? Doesn’t have to be metal or music related, even.

Iʼm influenced by John Carpenter, James Hetfield, Tony Iommi, Stevie Nicks, 70ʼs - 80ʼs movies, Koko the gorilla and Judas Priest
What are some of your hobbies/interests outside writing, recording, playing, and touring with Ranger?

I like to play video games, watch movies, go to the gym, jogging, karate (when I have money again to do it, I have a yellow belt haha) and spent time with my gf and friends.

I know it is probably a stereotypical interview question, but I ask stuff I’d like to know as well as what I think other people would too, so what are some of your favorite bands?
Theres always some periods when my favourite band can be Rush or Laaz Rockit. But the ones that have stick to me forever are classic metal bands. My favourites are: Metallica, Megadeth, Sabbath, Slayer, Maiden, Priest, AC/DC and Anvil.

What are some of your favorite movies?

I would like to mention To Live and Die in LA, Terminator, Thief, Dressed to kill, Blow out, Breakfast Club, From Beyond, basically every John Carpenter movie, Return of the living dead, Dawn of the dead and WARRIORS.

Is it easy for you guys to get off work to go on tour?

Photo by Mikko Pylkkö mpylkko.com

It has been, but it requires a lot of savings and sacrifice on money wise. Right now I donʼt have a steady, but hope to get one soon.

What was it like to grow up in your hometown, and when did you start to really get into music, and who were some of your first main influences?

In our capital here in Helsinki is best place to grow up. Everything works and its a high standard place for living and growing up. I started to get into music through my family. My parents donʼt play any instruments but they were so into classic rock and are old hippies and stuff like that so it got me too. My uncle is a musician of somekind so he was more of a metal guy, so I definitely keep him as my main influence along James Hetfield or Rob Halford.


How do you feel about the first few demos out by Ranger? Do you still think they hold up today in your opinion, and do you ever think you’ll re-record any of the stuff off the compilation album “Skull Splitting Metal”

Holds really good except for me the teen vocals on Enter the zone haha. They Live would be cool to re-record and re arrange, but weʼll see!

You started out just as the frontman-singer. What made you go from that to being a singer/bassist, and had you previously known how to play bass?

Photo by Mikko Pylkkö mpylkko.com

Yes I know how to play a guitar bit so it was rather easy, but I did rehearse own my own. Our bass player left the band so I just took that and we were like that this is working great. I would like to do just singing in a different band just try it on how it is without a instrument.

Do you have any plans in the future to come to the states on tour?

Yes. Iʼve promised so many times that we are coming blablala, but we need to start to do something about it. We have good contacts already, so we will start working on it when its time. Hopefully soon. I would love to finally come over there.

What are some bands you haven’t toured with, or even have, that you would like to have a tour with for the first time, or again?

We have toured on our own. I would love to tour with Antichrist or Cauldron or then to open up for a bigger band.

Do you play any instruments besides bass?

well I play guitar, but not very often.

Do you look forward to certain food on tour, and what’s the food like in Finland?

On tour you eat what you can. Unfortunately its either fast food shit on gas stations or sandwiches. I look vegetarian options, or meat, as long as its healthier than the shit we are forced to eat on 10 hour drive to another city and country. Food like in Finland is just everything from all around the world. Basic Finnish foods are like meatballs, fish foods, macaroni, lasagna, pea soup etc. I tend more of a veggie guy these days so I eat Seitan and soy stuff.

The energy at live shows for Ranger seems off the charts. Would you say the crowd has an equal response to you guys, or in which place do you feel the crowd was the most powerful?

Photo by Emma Grönqvist

Thank you! It certainly is. Here in scandinavia and north we tend have the most violent shows. But on tour countries like Spain and Germany are really wild Ranger crowds too! It shines to us of course even more when its really stage diving madness. We always enjoy ourselves on stage and it shows to audience. It is supposed to be fun too!!! Even people who arenʼt into metal still likes us because we look so good on stage or that we enjoy it so much.

I think you guys keep it clean and true with the speed that comes with your music, do you think some bands may overdo it in that area and just focus on how fast they’re playing instead of the quality of their riffs and lyrics? Not trying to single anyone out, just would like your opinion, of course.

Yes I think there are few bands that overdo it in many ways. Their riffs and stuff can be alright, but everything is polished or over thought in their heads. Too much going on, that you donʼt actually can grab anything from it. I think its important that there are hooks and melodies in music.

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

Metal scene is alive in well everywhere i think. I have to mention Cauldron (tho they have been active for long time now), Antichrist, Rapid, Deathhammer, Nekromantheon, Power Trip and something else but canʼt remember now.

What are some future goals for Ranger, and how do you feel about what you’ve done as band so far?

I feel satisfied and proud what we have done so far. Our future plans are to take a little break, get back to write some new songs and get a new record deal! After that, back to touring!

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!

Ian Chains of Cauldron Interview (2013)

This is my interview with Ian Chains of one of my favorite bands, Cauldron. They're one of the finest of the traditional heavy metal bands coming from Canada. You know that Misfits song Spook City USA? Okay, good. This interview is like that, except Cringe City USA. My husband, Aaron and I, got the chance to catch Cauldron in Louisville back in October (2016). We got there a bit early and got to meet them and talked to Ian. I had asked if he remembered this interview, and he said he remembered doing one for me, but didn't remember it exactly. Well thank fuck, because damn, it was embarrassing to read what I had asked. The show and meeting them was awesome, of course. Satan (NWOBHM) was with them too, and let me tell you, they sound exactly the same as they did in the '80s. Such a great show (Possible other blog post, there)! But, anyhow, my main point was that yes, this is cringey as hell on my part, but Ian's answers are what I wanted to put this up for. Along with the awesome pictures I have for it, generously donated by those credited under the images. Enjoy! And feel free to make fun of me. At least my dumb questions could be good for a laugh.

Photo by Francois Dejonege
added to by Me

You guys are on a small break from the tour you’re on now which is the “America’s Lost” tour in support of your latest album “Tomorrow’s Lost” which was released in October of last year. Are you glad you have time to rest or, are you still in full tour mode wanting to play shows almost every night?

Well it's nice to finally get more than 5 hours of sleep, but we'd still rather be on tour more than anything else.  Going from touring for 5 weeks to trying to find work is pretty hard.  The bulk of the tour's done, but we've still got Orion fest in Detroit and then a handful of Eastern US dates in July with Volture.

Speaking of that, how’ve the gigs been? Any Spinal Tap-like things happening while doing the gigs?

The shows have been great for the most part.  We probably got our best reception in the States so far on this tour than any previous one.  Nobody spontaneously combusted this time.

What’s been your favorite place to play and why would that be?

On this tour I would say Edmonton and Brooklyn were a couple of the best shows.  Edmonton's always a good time just because we know so many people there, and Brooklyn was the first show of the Diamond Head dates.

I know some fans let you crash at their place sometimes after shows, any of that happen on the tour so far? And any specific person or happenings you remember?

Photo by Karen Tof

This was our 4th full tour through the States so we've gotten to know a lot of people who are willing to put us up.  It's pretty hard to turn away 3 drunk Canadians right?  Portland was the drunkest night of the tour.  We stayed with Spellcaster, watched them trash their apartment with swords, axes and antlers and then took to the streets drinking until the sun came up.

After the release of “Tomorrow’s Lost” did you guys get a lot of good feedback on that? And how was it to record it?

There was a good response and a lot of press in Europe back when it came out in October, but it only came out in the States on April 30th, and it's still not even out in Canada.  There's been very little North American press for us.  To us it seems like if you don't have a beard and neck tattoos you don't get press in North America.  Recording it was pretty similar to our last album.  Same studio and engineer, we just tried to do everything better than last time.

Photo by Mieke DeVlieger

On the album, two of the three covers (all of which are bonus tracks, and come on a 45 when you buy “Tomorrow’s Lost” on vinyl, or bonus CD, if you choose that rout of media) are oldschool grindcore covers. “I Told You So (Corporate Rock Really Does Suck)” by Carcass, and “Autumn Twilight” by Cathedral. I thought it was cool how you guys chose songs that fit your sound and attitude so well. What made you guys pick those songs? Earache records, what you guys are signed with for those unaware, was a strictly grindcore label when it first started out, a suggestion or inspiration from them, or just coincidence?

That was our idea to record those songs.  Earache actually hated the idea and thought it was a mistake!  We did it anyway and now of course they like it.  Like you said, we thought they fit our style pretty well.  That Carcass tune is pretty uncharacteristic for them, so it wasn't too much of a stretch for us to play it.  I bet Earache told them it was a bad idea when they wrote that one!

The third cover, just a traditional heavy metal song, “Streetwalker” was, in fact, a cover, which a lot of people seem to be unaware of. It’s by a Louisville heavy or kind of glam metal band Buster Brown. Who’s the one that picked that?

“Streetwalker” was a song that we always listened to in the van.  That's how most of our cover choices come about, they're all tour jams.  Jason and I came across that song back in 2007 when we played in Greece.  They had these street vendors all over Athens selling bulk packs of obscure bootleg metal cd's for dirt cheap.  We bought a shit load of them and that Buster Brown album was one of the cd's.

Photo by Brody LaBlanc
added to by me

Since we were just on the topic of obscure metal, I’ve seen some pictures of Cauldron’s records and saw stuff that’s awesome not a lot of people know of. What’s some of the most obscure stuff you like?

Well we're all avid record collectors, but I guess the most obscure stuff I like never even came out on vinyl.  Some of my favourite stuff only came out as cassette demos way back when.  Bands like Ear Danger and Stash from Holland, and Excalibur, Neptune and Stormchild from Sweden. 

Who did that album art and where did the idea of it come from?

Todd Kowalski from Propagandhi painted it.  We saw the painting he did for the Sacrifice/Propagandhi split and asked him if he'd do something for us.  We wanted something in a similar style to Thomas Cole or John Martin, sort of a hellish landscape with a bright source of light.  The initial idea came from some of our favourite album covers, namely Candlemass, Entombed and Angel Witch.

I’ve noticed people complaining that the cover’s misleading, and that it seems like a death metal band cover, your thoughts on that?

It doesn't bother us if somebody strictly into death metal picks it up and ends up throwing it out their car window.

Photo by Ish Fauxtography

Are your fellow Canadian brethren Terrance and Philip from South Park some of your heroes or influences?

No but without fail, somebody would ask us every single day on tour if we liked Fubar or Trailer Park Boys.

You guys score some pretty nice records while on tour, what’d you get this time so far, and where was the best record or junk store?

I think we all came home with a stack of 30-something records each.  I got some OZ, Avenger, Possessed, Wolf, Venom, Lone Wolf, Savage Grace, Ostrogoth etc.  I'm just looking at the pile next to my record player.  The best stores were in Quebec City, Portland and Topeka.

Is there one specific thing you always seem to take with you when you go on tour besides the obvious stuff?

I always take a book that I never read.  I just end up sleeping when I'm not driving.

You guys have toured with a number of bands such as Enforcer, Municipal Waste, and more. What bands did you enjoy playing shows with the most and did you guys hangout after gigs and all?

We've been on nightliner tours with both bands, so needless to say they were non stop parties.  There were times on the Municipal Waste tour where I'd wake up in the morning and Jason and Ryan would still be up singing along to Platinum Blonde completely off key and wasted.

Photo by Al Case
Ian Chains

What was the idea behind the video “Nightbreaker”? And why was that song chosen for a video?

Earache gave us a budget to do a video for that song.  I guess they figured it packed the most punch for a video.  The idea for the video was pretty simple, we were just inspired by heavy metal horror movies like Black Roses and Rocktober Blood.

Do you guys hang out with Alison Thunderland (ex-Skull Fist, and drummer for Axxion now) and Inti Paredes a lot, who are in the beginning of the “Nightbreaker” video?

We see them at shows all the time.  Inti was also our merch guy on our last European tour.  He came with us for the US tour as well but got denied at the border for not having the right paperwork.  We had to turn back and drop him off at a bus station in Niagara Falls.  It was pretty shitty.

Sometimes it can be tough to write songs, do you guys sit down and come up with ideas, or does it just sort of happen?

We never try to force anything.  We usually come up with riffs on our own when we hear something in our heads and try to figure it out.  We do the arranging in the jam space but never sit down and say “OK let's write a song”.  It's pretty easy to tell when something is forced.

That video called “Cauldron Doing Nothing”, is that a usual practice session?

Photo by Al Case
Myles Deck

Earache asked us to give them a video tour of our jam space and talk about the story behind our new songs.  We weren't really into that so that's what we filmed and they didn't use it!  I can see why though, it's just us drunk.  Our usual practices include a lot more playing.

The newer drummer, Miles Deck, how’s it been with him, is he the man for Cauldron for sure? And how’d you guys know him?

We probably have a closer musical taste with him than with any other drummer we've had.  We met through a mutual friend who thought we'd be a good match.  So far it's working out really well.  We try not to think too far into the future!

Do you and Jason have a lot of the same styles with riffs when starting to write songs, or are some completely different sounding style wise than others?

I think we both have a good idea of what suits Cauldron and what doesn't.  I'm sure there have been a few ideas that didn't really work out but for the most part we know how to write riffs that sound like us.

You joined Cauldron right after the split of “Goat Horn”, how’d you end up with them? Did you have a band before Cauldron? Speaking of Goat Horn, were you fond of their stuff? And did you know Jason before you joined up with Cauldron?

Yeah I had a Nitro inspired hair metal band called Whyte Hott.  It was pretty fun but was going nowhere.  I was already into Goat Horn at the time and met them in 2005 when they played in Vancouver.  When I heard they had broken up and were looking for a guitar player I emailed Jason and told him I would come to Toronto to try out.

Kind of a stock question, but I’m sure people are wondering, when did you start playing a guitar and how’d you get to where you are today with playing?

Photo by Al Case
Jason Decay

I started when I was 14 by trying to teach myself, but didn't get really serious about it until a couple years after that.  Like a lot of kids I just learned every Slayer and Metallica song and tried to play as fast as I could!

How has your time overall in Cauldron been?

Well I don't lie to myself and have huge expectations because that's just setting yourself up for disappointment.  I just try to take things as they come and enjoy myself.  I get to tour and travel often so that's good enough for me.

How was it growing up? What made you pick up a guitar and is that the only instrument you play?

Yeah guitar is the only instrument I play.  The first time I remember really wanting a guitar was when I saw Back to the Future for the first time.  Michael J. Fox playing guitar behind his head and tapping was the coolest thing I had every seen.  That's what planted the seed and it's been there ever since.  Also “The Power Of Love” by Huey Lewis and the News was the greatest song I had ever heard.

Photo by Al Case

After this short break in touring, Cauldron will be playing at the Orion Festival with Metallica. You guys must be ready for that one! How do you all feel about that? Nervous, excited, ready to tell James to grow his hair back?

Well Jason's been on holiday since getting back from tour, so we've only got a few days to cram before we leave.  I think we're all pretty excited and hope to meet Metallica.  We'll probably try to get them completely hammered.

What are your favorite things to do on tour offstage?

Records and parking lot beers.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen so far on this tour?

Myles being casual, and Ian staring down Kimo?
Photo By Kimo Verkindt

Myles and I actually saw a leprechaun in Lawrence, Kansas.  We were standing in a circle talking to some people outside the show and he appeared out of nowhere.  He had a green felt jacket and hat on, and his eyebrows were shaved off with lightning bolts tattooed in their place.  Myles and I ran to get our cameras/laugh and when we came back he was gone without a trace.

I saw a Cauldron hat before, maybe a few years ago, and haven’t seen them much; do you guys still sell them?

Yeah we still make them for every tour but they always sell pretty fast.

Any bands that have landed on the scene in the past years you like a lot?

Yeah Explorer from Italy, Evil Invaders from Belgium, Night Demon from LA and Wytch Hazel from England.

Do you guys have a reliable van to go around in now and what kinda stuff’s in it?

Photo by Kevin Brown

Yeah we tour in our trusty red old cable van that we've had for a couple years.  The inside is covered in Samantha Fox posters.

Who are some of your favorite guitarists or idols?

Tony Iommi and Criss Oliva from Savatage.

What’s your favorite Cauldron album so far? And what’s your favorite song to play live?

I'd have to say Tomorrow’s Lost because I'm not completely sick of it yet.  We've got a few favourites.  Summoned to Succumb, End of Time and Frozen in Fire would be a few.

You guys seem to have timeless tunes. When I hear songs by Cauldron, I don’t think of a specific era it reminds me of, or the specific year it was from, it just is Cauldron. Is there any formula or anything like that you guys have that you’d like to share?

Thanks, all I can think of is that we just play what comes naturally.  We don't just listen to one thing either.  We listen to just as much Dokken as we do Bathory and Savage Grace.  Maybe that has something to do with it?

Photo by Brody LaBlanc

Are there any TV shows or movies you all like to watch on tour or just in general?

We can't afford to have a tv and satellite dish installed in our van, but we're all into Breaking Bad.  When we were in Albuquerque we stopped by Walter White's house and the Octopus car wash.  We felt like we were on the show, it was pretty weird...

On the inner sleeve of the album “Chained to the Nite”, it’s almost like an I-Spy book kind of collage. One picture was of Slayer and Megadeth being crazy and drunk together. Who threw that in there?

I think I found that online somewhere and sent it to Jason just because it looked cool.  He threw it in the collage and put Steelrider next to them like he was in the photo.

What are your favorite Canadian metal albums?

That's a tough one but I'd have to say Killer Dwarfs “Stand Tall”, Razor “Executioner's Song” and Reckless “Heart of Steel”.

Photo by Ish Fauxtography

Sometimes you have to make sacrifices if you want to make metal, has it been hard on you guys to get by on the road with getting food and all through the years?

Getting by in Europe is a lot easier.  They always hook you up with food, beer and accommodations.  The States is different, you're pretty much left to fend for yourself.  It's harder to get by when we're not on tour!  It's pretty difficult to make money when we're taking so much time off.

Well I’m sure all those reading wish you guys the best of luck with everything, and I do as well. Hopefully you’ll be up for another appearance in the ‘zine someday, I know I’d certainly like to know what the rest of the tour will bring for Cauldron and how it will be doing the Orion Fest. So in closing, what are your hopes and some things you’re curious about for the rest of the tour?

We're looking forward to BBQ'ing with Volture in Richmond this July.  That's gonna be the highlight of the year for us.

Thanks for your time, Ian!
Phew... long interview... good luck with the zine Olivia!  Stay Hard!

Here's one of my favorites by them from their latest album "In Ruin". Check them out if your mind hasn't been blown by them already: