#volbeat interview

[leviabeat]

Michael's First Tattoo

🎫 Volbeat | 🎥 Britt Bowman

The tattoo from a closer angle ⬇️

[leviabeat]

He also stated that he chose music because he couldn't be lazy with the routines and regimen for boxing.

Volbeat Fact 01: Michael Poulsen chose music over boxing.

In an interview with Finnish webzine, “Plaza Otava Media���–Michael Poulsen of Volbeat admitted to choosing music over a serious boxing career.

“My father was a boxer. I seriously wonder whether I too started to become a fighter or musician after all. This was a difficult decision, because both hobbies one must be able to give everything for. I couldn’t do both. I wanted to be the best, and if want to be the best, you have to devote yourself entirely. As you can see, I chose the music.”

Poulsen goes on to admit something that piques his curiosity.

“I wonder to this day what would have happened if I would have opted for boxing instead of music. Nowadays, I box when I’m drunk or just for fun.”

It’s truly interesting what you can learn off of interviews.

[black-arcana]

HALESTORM Shares Official Music Video For 'Darkness Always Wins'

HALESTORM has released the official DJay Brawner-directed music video for "Darkness Always Wins", a slowly building, cinematic hard rock anthem that marked the Grammy-winning band's first release of 2025. The song, helmed by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, was the first to be revealed from HALESTORM's sixth album, "Everest", due on August 8 on Atlantic Records.

"'Darkness Always Wins' is not a song of hope, nor is it a song of despair," said HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale. "It is reality. History repeating. Evil prevails and the good depart first. But we are not doomed as long as we persist and keep our fires burning. The war may not be won in this lifetime. But our mission is to pass the torch so that those who follow have a light to fight with."

In a social media post, HALESTORM guitarist Joe Hottinger wrote about "Darkness Always Wins": "We wrote this down in Savannah, GA. It was the first song we wrote for what became the album. It was like a test session… we went down there to see how it was working with Dave Cobb. Wrote and recorded this in two days at his then new studio. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship that turned into a beautiful album."

In late May, HALESTORM released the official music video for the "Everest" title track, consisting of a variety of clips of humans on the brink and imminent explosions, both literal and metaphorical. Interspersed with the vignettes is a rage-fueled, passionate performance by the band.

"Our song 'Everest' is the summit of everything we've fought for — every scream, every scar, every triumph," Lzzy stated at the time. "This album is us, louder and bolder, and more brutally honest than ever, standing tall in the face of the storm."

Last month, HALESTORM kicked off a tour in Europe supporting the legendary IRON MAIDEN. Following that run, HALESTORM will perform at BLACK SABBATH's final show on July 5, and then they'll travel back to the U.S. to tour with VOLBEAT. In September, they'll kick off the "nEVEREST" North American tour with Lindsey Stirling and APOCALYPTICA.

Produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell),"Everest" dives deeply, both lyrically and sonically, into the band's mountainous climb over the last couple decades.

"Our album 'Everest' is a story of our journey as a band, full of beautiful endings and new beginnings," Lzzy previously said. "We weave a tangled web of melancholy, frustration, anger and the vast purgatory of love and love lost. It is a rollercoaster of epic musical detours, great songwriting and completely unhinged twists and turns. 'Everest' is an auditory representation of the four pillars of HALESTORM. Let us reintroduce ourselves and invite you into our world…if you dare."

Rolling Stone said of "Darkness Always Wins", "What the song has going for is its catchy, brooding, and dramatic in all the ways we love HALESTORM songs to be," and Revolver noted "The arrangement remains lean even as the amps begin to crank into the red, though 'Darkness Always Wins' still sports some exquisite minor-key melodicism, a metal-chunked bridge, loud-as-hell requiem bells and a classically rippin' rock guitar solo."

"Everest" track listing:

01. Fallen Star 02. Everest 03. Shiver 04. Like A Woman Can 05. Rain Your Blood On Me 06. Darkness Always Wins 07. Gather The Lambs 08. WATCH OUT! 09. Broken Doll 10. K-I-L-L-I-N-G 11. I Gave You Everything 12. How Will You Remember Me?

In a recent interview with Cutter's Rockcast, Lzzy spoke about HALESTORM's songwriting and recording sessions with Cobb, known for his previous collaborations with the likes of Sammy Hagar, Slash, GRETA VAN FLEET and RIVAL SONS. Regarding the musical direction of the band's follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead", Lzzy said: "It's really hard to describe this one. We did the record with Dave Cobb, which is a new producer for us. His ADHD mixed very well with our ADHD. But we didn't do it traditionally the way we always do these albums. First day, we walked in and I always have, like, whatever, a ton of half-written songs or full-written songs, or, 'Here's a riff or whatever' — you come in with your bag of tricks. And Dave Cobb says, 'Oh, we're not gonna do any of that.' And I'm, like, 'What do you mean?' He's, like, 'We're not doing demos. I hate demos. What we're gonna do is we're gonna start and we're gonna write, and as we're writing, we're recording at the same time.' So that's what we did. The first day we actually ended up writing our first single that'll be coming out soon. But, yeah, we started, like, 'Okay, who's got a line?' 'Oh, I have this that I thought of yesterday.' 'Cool. That'll work. Let's go.' Set up the drums, set up the guitar, here's the vocals. And so we would be recording while we were writing it, and then we would get done and we would move on to the next day. And so there are songs that don't even have a click track to them or a guide because we forgot."

Lzzy continued: "There's so many different elements of songs that we used to write when we were kids, but, obviously, as adults — a lot of that feeling. It was kind of an emotional rollercoaster. There's also, I think, some of the heaviest songs we've ever written on there, some really beautiful mid-tempos. A lot of personalities that I've always wanted to kind of put on a record, but I never really had the freedom or time to, because usually when we do a HALESTORM record, it's, like, 'Okay, we have to have all the songs picked. We have to have them rehearsed.' We go in and kind of do it like an assembly line. Like, 'Okay, you do the bass, do the drums, do the guitar, do the vocals, and we're good.' So there's no time to really like sit with things before they're, like, 'Okay, we've already decided we're gonna do that.' And so the freedom and kind of the nerve-racking kind of element of the fact that there wasn't really a plan ended up being the special sauce on this album, because we were just chasing everything that got us excited. And if it wasn't a 'hell yeah', it was a 'hell no'. So there's nothing on there on this album that we don't feel complete ownership over. There's nothing on this album that anybody forced us to do. There's nothing on this album that isn't part of our personalities."

Elaborating on why the new HALESTORM album feels like it is a return to the band's roots in a way, Lzzy said: "My bass player said it yesterday. He's, like, 'It's kind of like this long road to the beginning,' 'cause all of the guys at one point in time said this really feels like we're back in our parents' basement again and we're hustling and we're trying to figure out how to write songs on the radio. But we have all this knowledge now. So everything ended up coming together so incredibly well. But it was almost like the reverse, that the music was telling us what to do and not us trying to like shoehorn anything in.

"I'm telling you, man, — it is the most HALESTORM record we've ever done," Lzzy added. "It is the first time in the 20 years we've been on Atlantic Records that we have not felt lorded over in regarding to making records, because usually it's time crunch. Somebody's always there being, like, 'Oh, we can't do that.' 'Oh, you probably shouldn't say that.' 'What about this thing?' And that kind of thing. So it usually becomes like a project, like a group project.

"We didn't do it in Nashville — we did it in Savannah, Georgia, locked in a house in the middle of nowhere, next to a river," Hale revealed. "The guys and I would wake up like around 11:30 a.m., we would start recording and we wouldn't stop until 4:00 a.m. And then we would annoy the hell out of the engineer who was trying to sleep with playing on the proper keyboard and coming up with weird stuff. But we were unsupervised in the best way, and it was all about, who are we now? Who were we then? This is our story. For me, when I listen to this album, it's my personal opus — all the things that I've gone through in my life, both dark and not. There's more questions than answers. It's not just me giving myself a pep talk, like 'I'm the fire', 'I'm back from the dead.' It's like I'm dealing with a lot of my reality and a lot of the reality of the world in my own way. And then it's also our story as a band, and you can really hear it in the music and in the lyrics. So I'm so excited for people to hear it. And it's to the point where it's, like, I don't even really care if anybody likes it because all four of us are, like, 'This is our favorite album we've ever done.'"

Fronted by Lzzy with drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".

[gigimarvels]

Just a Dog and His bug (featuring His adopted seal daughter?) Ander met Opal while he was moving into Cobblevale and noticed her being harassed by a pack of Volbeat boys, she was extremely uninterested and just wanted to do her own thing (she was sneaking out of the battle Arena) Ander seeing a girl in trouble stepped in scaring off the Volbeats, Opal a little struck that Ander had no idea who see was took it as a good sign so she helped him find the things on his list as a thank you and to show him around the city. through that they had a good amount of small talk getting to know one another. A week later, BAM Opal runs into Ander at the battle arena for an interview to join the DOGS security team for Celebi and their "Stars" he can't help but flirt and banter with her, To Celebi's and Crystals displeasure. However with Anders skills he passed the interview joining the team and becoming Opal's personal guard. Protecting her from "Fans" and fellow contestants of the pit, and some nights Ander will sneak Opal out of her penthouse to get her to go eat some of the hole in the walls he found while he started exploring the city himself At some point Ander introduces Opal to his Adopted daughter Toby. Toby automatically likes Opal from the jump.

Ander and Opal's references

[antihibikase2]

"So, I was offered to be the headmaster-"

Nate hangs upside-down from the Mankey bars; he was no longer as small as he used to be when he was twelve, but he was happy he could still find himself enjoying the playground as if he was.

"Headmaster? For the school?"

"Yes. The league has been thinking of renovating the school to be bigger, and finding new staff,"

Cheren pushes his feet against the grass- embarrassingly enough, it doesn't do so much as lightly sway him and his swing like a delicate feather at Driftveil Drawbridge.

"Something about offering a similar experience as the massive academy in Paldea."

Nate thinks for a bit.

He's seventeen now, months away from hitting eighteen and having more responsibilities on his plate; becoming champion at twelve was an ideal he had reached and made into his truth, and he would forever be thankful for big bro Cheren (and Hilbert, he supposed) for holding his hand through the entire ordeal.

The thought of big bro Cheren finally being rewarded for his long wait, his patience, it made Nate smile a little.

"Why not!" He chirps. "Our little city of Aspertia is gonna be bustling like Driftveil if we do! Well, and you'll be getting an amazing opportunity!"

"I mean, yes, it would greatly be beneficial for our city, but-"

"You'll do great, big bro! After all," He grins cheekily. "You had a hand in raising this champion, right?"

From his Master Ball, Nate could just feel the way that Zekrom rolled his eyes at him.

Cheren snorts slightly.

"You know that's not what I'm worried about."

"I know."

He was no longer as downcast as he was when Nate met him five years ago, no longer plagued by horrors that none of them were able fully to grasp- he had been quite content living his quiet, simple life as a humble teacher and gym leader, having had enough of the brief time he was momentarily thrusted into the spotlight against his will.

Nate knew full well his insecurities were not stemming from his own lack of confidence in his abilities- but his fear of being gazed upon, only to be perceived as something that was anything but him.

The revered Heart, the pure Vessel, the ruined Ghost-

"Do people still bother you for that?"

"Of course. There was only so much my brother and the rest of the league could do after all,"

The mention of his brother brings a feeling of warmth- he had just received a present from him from Alola, he should open it as soon as he got home.

"And I can't blame people for being curious. Beebee's books mentioned every nook and cranny. Of course people connected the dots and assumed she was involved in something deeper involving the legends- and that included her friends."

Not to mention The Order of The Heart- as far as the league was concerned, their members were still scattered about the region.

"But,"

He smiles slightly.

"I think it's getting easier to handle. I've been skirting my way around it. People just assume I'm too busy for their nonsense- besides, between us, who looks more ridiculous? The guy that barges into a school to ask its teacher about rumors of him being a human sacrifice? Or the human sacrifice itself standing before him, alive and well?"

It no longer burns his tongue when he says it like it is- just as how it had been when he was fourteen, naive and unsuspecting.

"Big bro, you should definitely pick up lying-"

"Oh I do,"

"You do?!"

"If they insist on getting a firsthand interview from 'The Heart' reborn," He knows he has full permission to utilize his memories as he wishes- The Heart would have gladly let him. "They shouldn't be surprised when he starts cursing them out for 'awakening him from his slumber'- what do they think, that the dead would be content with constantly being badgered about the way they died?"

"Hell yeah, stick it to 'em, big bro!"

"Language."

The orange sky fades into purple, the lights from the city accompanying the stars that slowly start to fill the sky. Very soon, the Illumise and Volbeat would join, and Aspertia would become a city of lights- different from Nimbasa at the mainland.

"..would you take it though?"

"Hm?"

"Bein' headmaster! I think you'd do great at it- and it's not just for Aspertia and future trainers, but.."

He feels like he's twelve again, looking up at the podium where the newly assigned sixteen year old Cheren Slater stood before him, ready to partake in their first gym battle.

"..I really think you deserve it. You've worked as hard as everyone else, and you've waited long enough."

"Nate.."

"Champion's orders," He grins again. "You can't turn it down!"

He can- he knows full well that he has the choice to.

Being the mentor of the champion meant that he had the power to influence his decisions- but Cheren wasn't willing to do such a thing.

He had enough of wanting more; whatever hand he was dealt with, whoever he was now, he learned to be gracious- though that didn't mean he held his tongue when he felt he deserved better.

He definitely did- he knew that much.

But he could never turn back time, just as The Heart could never take back his wish.

The silence in his chest, stillness like water, his cold palms; the tranquility that came with his embrace, his soothing, wintry touch-

It had grown to be a part of him; something that those he loved accepted.

"I suppose I can't,"

He chooses to entertain Nate's inner child- goodness, he was taller now, and in a few months, he would be an adult.

He couldn't be any prouder.

"Stay by my side?"

There's no hesitation. "Of course!"

"Even through the paperwork?"

"Well, maybe not that- that's what you have big bro Hilbert for!"

He expected that much. He doesn't mind.

Nate offers to walk him back to his apartment, and in turn, Cheren offers for him to stay for dinner with him and Hilbert- though he makes an exaggerated expression, there's a skip in his step as Nate thinks about sinking his teeth into big bro Cheren's delicious cooking, sharing a meal with both him and the half-brother he had finally grown to love.

As they pass by the trainer school, closed down for the night, Cheren could not help but smile, warmth blooming in his chest.

[independentartistbuzz]

INDIE 5:0 - 5 Q's WITH STIGMA

With their gripping new single “Faraway” and an upcoming debut album that pulls no punches, Germany’s alt metal newcomers deliver a powerful message of redemption and pure emotion.

When a band chooses a name like Stigma, you know they’re not here to play it safe.

For the German band, music isn’t just about riffs and hooks. It’s about confronting the shadows we carry and giving them a voice.

Their debut single “Faraway” is already turning heads with its haunting emotional arc and unflinching honesty, and the upcoming full-length Second Chance promises to dig even deeper.

In this exclusive Indie 5:0 Interview, the band open up about the story behind Faraway, how a remote prison island in the Mediterranean shaped the lyrics and why their cinematic sound pulls from both sci-fi epics and real-life scars:

“Faraway” taps into a sense of longing and emotional distance. Can you walk us through the moment or experience that inspired the track?

Faraway was inspired by one of Europe’s last remaining prison islands - Gorgona, just off the coast of Italy - ironically not far from where we recorded our album. After watching a documentary about it, I (Gerald) went down to the basement that night, grabbed a pen, and the lyrics just poured out. The song is about being trapped—not just physically, but emotionally.

The verses reflect that harsh, confined reality. But the chorus had to break free. It’s the voice of someone still holding on to a distant dream of forgiveness and freedom. That contrast - between emotional darkness and the pull toward hope - is what Faraway is really about.Musically, we built the same contrast: quiet, narrative verses with plucked guitar lines, and a wide, explosive chorus where heavy riffs push the emotion outward.

While working on the track, Markus mentioned that the word faraway showed up too often in the chorus. But instead of reducing it, I restructured the lyrics so faraway would close every line. That decision locked in the song’s emotional focus and made the chorus unforgettable.

Your debut album is called Second Chance. Why the choice of title, and what does the concept of a second chance mean to each of you personally or as a band?

Second Chance is about the power of starting again - something everyone deserves, no matter where they come from or what they’ve been through. The idea goes deeper than just a fresh start. It’s about owning your story and daring to rewrite it.

We all carry some kind of stigma in life - visible or hidden. That’s where our band name comes from. And this album speaks to that. It’s a reminder that no matter the scars, the guilt, or the setbacks, there's always a moment when you can rise again, choose differently, fight back, or forgive.

Each track explores that idea from a different angle - personal, societal, emotional. We believe it's raw, it's honest and it’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they’ve hit a wall and needed a way forward.

There’s a cinematic quality to your sound. What artists, films or life experiences shape your aesthetic and direction of sound?

We’re drawn to big emotions, gritty textures, and storytelling that leaves a mark. Musically, we take inspiration from the energy and precision of Metallica, the drama and scale of Iron Maiden, the punch of Stone Sour, the dynamics of Alter Bridge, and the sharp edge of early Judas Priest. You’ll also hear a bit of Ghost’s atmosphere and Volbeat’s drive woven into our sound.

On the visual and emotional side, we’re inspired by epic worlds like Dune, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings. It’s not just about the spectacle – it’s about struggle, loyalty, and rising through the ashes. That’s exactly what we’re after in our songs.

Our music is also shaped by real-life experiences – facing hostility and mockery for not following the mainstream, and dealing with the loss of family members and close friends. We’ve carried those scars into the studio and onto the stage. We’re not chasing perfection – we want to hit hard, stay honest, and give every note weight and meaning.

You’ve been gaining traction in the German alt-rock scene. How has your local music community influenced your sound, and what do you think sets you apart internationally?

Germany’s rock and metal scene is demanding – the audience expects songs with substance, not just surface. That kind of environment shapes you. It pushes you to be real, to put out music that’s straight, powerful, and grounded.

At the same time, we don’t just follow trends or write for what’s supposed to work. Our sound blends emotional depth and hard-hitting rock, and we’re not afraid to get poetic, reflective, or even philosophical when the song calls for it.

Internationally, that might come across as a very German approach – focused, intense, deliberate. But in the end, it’s not about where we’re from. It’s about the way we do things. That commitment to meaning, to feeling, to craft – that’s what sets us apart, anywhere.

With Second Chance upcoming and “Faraway” striking a chord, what can fans look forward to next ? 

We’re just getting started. The full album drops June 4, and it’s a ride - every track digs into another layer of the human experience, from personal demons to the fight for freedom.

And then there’s the live shows. That’s where the real connection happens. Expect raw energy, no masks, and a sound that hits harder than the record.

Listen to Stigma's latest single "Faraway" here:

Keep up to date with everything Stigma on their Website

[socalcutiesau]

Levis Dresden files AU

Name: Levi Harry Silverstein

Age: 12-19 depends when you wanna meet him. But default will be 19

Sex: Male

Orientation: He doesn’t know, everyones hot!

Marital status: not married

Temperament/personality: Shy, goofy, dorky, bubbly

job: - Busser/Waiter/cook/baker at his Families delicatessen

-Carpenter at his families construction company.

-Wizard (in training)

-novice detective./

-inventor of magical gadgets.

Family: mother, father, grandmother, uncles and aunties, six older female cousins, three older male cousins, one younger male and female cousin.

Friends: none yet.

love interest: none yet.

Appearance:

Race: Magical Human

Skin colour: pale

Physical traits: freckles, gap in his two front teeth

Height: six feet

Weight: 150

Build: thinish build but muscular from years of dance and work with his male family.

Eye colour: brown

Hair colour/length: a reddish brown, shoulder length, flipped out and fluffy

Likes and interests: kids, making stuff, hunting for fey and aliens, helping people, cute girls and handsome boys, strong women, sensitive men, cats, frogs, wizards , unicorns

favorite foods: besides hebrew, italian

Bands: voltaire, greenday, volbeat, beatles, dean martin

Books: count of monte cristo, vampire novels, adventure romance novels

movies: pirate films, vampire films interview series specifically and the lost boys, buffy, twilight for what it could have been and not what it was

Dislikes: abusers of any kind, the way super bright sunlight feels on his skin, bug bites , talkative villains

Food: banana, quinoa

Band: modern country

Book: religious texts that don’t talk about verifiable history

movies: religious films

Quirks: he loves inventing, investigating, cooking and swears like a sailor

Originates from: Riverside California

Lives now: Riverside, California AND Chicago Illinois

background story: The silversteins packed the whole family and moved to Chicago to open new branches of their Construction and Delicatessen businesses. Levi was somewhat relieved because he was never much liked by the other children in his school because he was shy, quiet and liked weird things like aliens and fae folk as well as believed in magic.

So when they moved to chicago when he was in middle school and Levi found a real wizard in a phonebook of all places he was thrilled! He thought for sure he would fit in better here. But he didn’t.

His family spends half the year in Chicago and the other half in Riverside running their business. Levi felt he would never find a community that accepted him until he began to display magical abilities and he in an attempt to figure out what was going on stumbled into the magic scene and found weirdos like himself. Levis mood was instantly lifted and he began to explore the magical mysteries around Riverside and Chicago every day.

[ghostcultmagazine]

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[leviabeat]

I'm not crying, you're crying

“The lyrics are about the first time I was travelling through the US, to visit Graceland and Elvis’s grave, and Tupelo, Mississippi, which was Elvis’ birthplace. My father had passed, and he was a huge Elvis fan. He had always wanted to visit Graceland with my mother, but had unfortunately never made it. I had rented a car and was driving towards Tupelo when the navigation just went out. This was the first time I had driven in the US, so I wasn’t comfortable. Then I noticed an eagle that had been following the car for a while. I thought, ‘What is it with that eagle? Is my father trying to tell me something?’ I got emotional about it and I decided to follow the eagle. It went one way then the other, and the next thing I knew I was in Tupelo, Mississippi, and the eagle just took off. That was some strong shit. And that’s what the song is all about – it’s about me, today, trying to reach out for that eagle.”

— Michael Poulsen, Volbeat (via spaceboxingpsycho)

[leviabeat]

Volbeat and Asinhell's Michael Poulsen shares the secrets of his success and happiness

Emily Swingle | Metal Hammer | 5/8/24

From bruising hard rock to thrashing psychobilly breakdowns, Michael Poulsen is a heavy metal chameleon. Starting out in death metal band Dominus, the formidable Dane quickly realised the heavy music scene needed a makeover - and along came Volbeat, throwing out big anthems infused with the bounce of 50s rock’n’roll.

Although Volbeat’s latest release, 2021’s Servant Of The Mind, was met with acclaim, Michael deemed it a perfect time to switch things up once more. Last year ushered in his most ferocious outing to date - an 80s-tinged underground death metal monster of a side-project called Asinhell. We sat down with the man himself, to understand what motivates his hectic hunt for a new sound.

DREAM BIG

“A lot of kids dream of being firemen, football players or huge wrestlers… but I always wanted to be a rock star. From a very young age, I was a dreamer, lying on the floor with my head between two speakers, listening to music and drifting away for hours. My parents would come in and tell me I was gonna ruin my ears, but I just couldn’t stop myself.

I created this bubble of sound, just fantasising about the performers and how I could surround myself with music. The idea of becoming a musician wasn’t at the front of my mind, but I was definitely flirting with the idea. The signs were always there.”

IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT

“For my new project, Asinhell, we wanted to be true to the old-school metal sound. Yes, we have access to all this hightech, fancy studio equipment - but we wanted to do it like the old days. Fridays have become ‘Death Metal Fridays’, and we’d rehearse in [drummer] Morten Toft Hansen’s small garage. We even recorded it like we used to, back in the days when we were very young and didn’t have coin for anything. And it was exactly what we wanted.”

STIR THE POT (MUSICALLY SPEAKING)

“When it comes music, everything is about my roots. I started playing death metal when I was 15 or 16, but I also grew up with lots of 50s music. My parents were always listening to Elvis, Johnny Cash and those kind of performers. When I was in my death metal band, Dominus, you weren’t really allowed to mix different elements into the music. So, when I formed Volbeat, I made it my mission to cram as many different genres and inspirations as possible into the sound. It felt so liberating.”

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

“The struggles I’ve gone through have led to where I am now. There’s no good without bad, light cannot live without the darkness. You have to stay focused, stay positive. I’ve always had that mindset. People go through awful things, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Even though I’ve faced challenges, I’m in the right place now, so it’s been worth it.”

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU

“One of the greatest challenges of my life was becoming a father. Suddenly, it’s not all about you - you’re secondary. Life definitely changed when I had kids. You become more aware of existence, and don’t want to waste time on the wrong things. It forces you to become a better person; you need great personality to bring that to your kids, to make sure they’re good people. Being a parent is an amazing challenge.”

MUSIC CONNECTS US ALL

“When I started, the internet wasn’t really a thing. It was all about getting out there, meeting people - and music was how you could do that. When you loved, say, extreme underground stuff, you quickly became aware of the scene, and you could get involved with those groups of people. The underground scene has always been about connecting with other people.

Even now, you see fans travelling to different cities, different countries, and they immediately know they’ll meet like-minded people at a show. No matter where you go, if there’s a concert, or a music community, you know you’ve got a friend. There’s something very special about the music community.”

LET A PROJECT SPEAK FOR ITSELF

“Before the internet, how you promoted yourself was totally different. The only way to be heard was by tape trading, sending out flyers, or meeting people in people in record stores or venues.

The internet can make it easy to over-hype yourself - and I never want to over-hype my own music. I hate it when certain bands are shoved in your face – you see them everywhere before you’ve even listened to one note. Music shouldn’t be pushed to a level where it becomes overexposed. If it’s good, people will find it.”

YOU SHOULD SEE THE WORLD

“When we started touring, it was magical. Suddenly you were going to another country that you’d never been to, and the next day, it’d be somewhere else new. I’d get home and my family would be so excited, saying, ‘You’ve seen more of the world in one week that we have in our whole lives!’

The lessons you learn when traveling are so important. I’d say traveling is an incredible thing to experience and that everyone should immerse themselves in as many cultures as humanly possible."

...BUT HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

“There comes a time when, after many years of touring, you just want to be at home. I’m not really a fan of traveling, nowadays. I like being with my family, picking my kids up from school, from kindergarten. I am a homebody - when I get back from tour, sometimes it’s a battle for my wife to get me out of my house!”

FAMILY COMES FIRST

“I have a twin sister, and we have such a strong connection. But having a child only made me more aware of how ridiculously special a family connection is. My daughter was born a little too early; when my wife started going into labor, I was actually on tour with Metallica in the US, maybe in New York.

My wife called in the middle of the night saying, ‘My water just broke’, and I knew I had to be there - even if that meant canceling a show with Metallica. When I went to the hospital and held my daughter for the first time, it was the most amazing thing. I can’t even describe it.”

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

“I’m a very bad sleeper, so sometimes with touring, the lack of sleep is terrible. Tour buses are a nightmare. When you’ve not slept in five or six days, it really impacts your energy, and my voice really suffers. So I’d say sleep is essential. In terms of the body, I’ve also really gotten into running - I just love it. I need it. It’s like a drug for me, that runner’s high. Runner’s high is an actual high, I promise you!”

WHILE YOU’RE AWAKE, BE USEFUL

“The biggest challenge I’ve ever faced was losing my father. You become very quickly aware of what life is all about, but also how short it is. My father always said, ‘Michael, while you are awake, be useful.’ That’s a great life lesson – I live by it. I’m not good at sitting around doing nothing. Before music, I’ve always had hobbies, be that football, cycling, or breakdancing - I even came second place in a breakdancing competition once.”

…AND IF YOU CAN’T BE USEFUL, KEEP BUSY!

“I’m always extremely busy, and I always want to be. I surround myself with good people who inspire me to keep pushing myself. I’m very, very proud of what I’ve accomplished in my musical career. I could retire if I wanted to, but that’s not how I function. I’m always inspired, I love what I’m doing. Ultimately, life is all about experience. I believe that the more we live, the more we get done, the better people we become.”

[black-arcana]

Former NIGHTWISH Vocalist ANETTE OLZON Releases Music Video For New Solo Single 'Hear My Song'

Anette Olzon, the former powerhouse vocalist of NIGHTWISH and one half of the dynamic duo behind THE DARK ELEMENT alongside former SONATA ARCTICA guitarist Jani Liimatainen, has released the official music video for her new solo single, "Hear My Song". It is taken from her third solo album, "Rapture", which is being released today (Friday, May 10) via Frontiers Music Srl.

Set to captivate audiences worldwide, "Rapture" promises to deliver an electrifying blend of heavy melodies and soaring vocals that solidify Olzon's esteemed status as one of the premier female voices in the metal genre.

Following in the footsteps of her critically acclaimed second solo album, "Strong", Anette once again teams up with acclaimed Swedish guitarist and producer Magnus Karlsson to craft a musical experience that pushes boundaries and excites the senses. Together, they have curated a collection of songs that showcase Anette's unparalleled vocal range, complemented by Karlsson's masterful riffs and the addition of growls by Johan Husgafvel, adding a dynamic layer to the album's sound.

"Rapture" seamlessly navigates through various musical genres, from symphonic to melodic power metal, with hints of melo-death, while maintaining an irresistibly catchy and melodious essence. Olzon's performance on this album is her most versatile yet, proving her ability to evolve and innovate while staying true to her signature style.

Renowned mixer Jacob Hansen, known for his work with PRETTY MAIDS, VOLBEAT and THE DARK ELEMENT, returns to the fold to ensure that "Rapture" achieves the perfect balance between heaviness and hookiness, resulting in an album that is both impactful and memorable.

"Rapture" is set to unleash its sonic fury upon the world, cementing Olzon's status as a force to be reckoned with in the metal music scene. Prepare to be swept away by the sheer power and beauty of Anette Olzon's "Rapture".

"Rapture" track listing:

01. Heed The Call 02. Rapture 03. Day Of Wrath 04. Requiem 05. Arise 06. Take A Stand 07. Cast Evil Out 08. Greedy World 09. Hear My Song 10. Head Up High 11. We Search For Peace

Recording linup:

Anette Olzon - Vocals Magnus Karlsson - Guitar, Bass, Keyboards Anders Köllerfors - Drums Johan Husgafvel - Growls

The Swedish-born singer originally joined NIGHTWISH in 2007 and recorded two studio LPs with the band before being dismissed in 2012 in the middle of the group's North American tour. She was replaced by former AFTER FOREVER frontwoman Floor Jansen.

Olzon reflected on her time with NIGHTWISH in a 2021 interview with Finland's Chaoszine. Asked how she looks back on the entire five-year experience, she said: "Well, it's mixed emotions. It was a hell of a ride. You know how it was with the media in Finland. And for me, I didn't understand what was happening because I didn't know how big the band was, since I don't live in Finland. So it was really fun the first years with everything and also crazy. I wasn't home a lot. They did their heaviest touring when I joined. All of a sudden, they wanted to do so many long weeks [on the road]. I remember just that I had a five-year-old son [and] I came home after five weeks. I was home one week. I didn't almost have time to unpack my bags before I went off again for four weeks. So I don't remember everything, to be honest. There are so many things that I don't remember. And also, of course, the last years where it wasn't such a nice atmosphere between us. And I had my third child, and things happened.

"So I remember it both with really happy, happy feelings, but also with very, very negative and sad feelings," she explained. "But, of course, it was an amazing experience, and it was my dream that came true to be a full-time singer in an amazing big band. And they are a super-good band. So I bless the albums that we did and will always cherish that time, of course."

Not long after Olzon was fired from NIGHTWISH 11 years ago, she claimed that an argument arose between her and NIGHTWISH when she asked for an Australian tour to be postponed during her pregnancy. Keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen suggested that Jansen should front the band on a temporary basis, but Olzon said no.

Anette explained in a 2014 interview: "I would have been too pregnant to go to Australia, so I wanted to push the dates back, but Tuomas didn't want that. Discussions about a substitute came up, and at first, I was, like, 'Yeah, well, okay.' But when they mentioned Floor, it was an automatic 'no' from me. I didn't think it was a good idea, because I knew what would happen — I knew the fans would love Floor, because she's a metal singer and I'm a pop singer, and I wanted to keep my job."

A year after NIGHTWISH fired Olzon, the band released a statement denying that she was dismissed because of pregnancy or illness. "We discovered her personality didn't fit this work community, and was even detrimental to it," the group said. NIGHTWISH went on to say that Anette was initially receptive to the idea of hiring a temporary replacement if she couldn't "manage everything," but that she later "took back her decision, and the difficulties really started. Fear of losing money and position seemed obvious." The band also insisted that "Anette and her company" were "paid a fifth of everything that was done during her time" with NIGHTWISH.

Since the end of her stint with NIGHTWISH, Olzon also formed THE DARK ELEMENT with Liimatainen. The group's self-titled debut album was released in 2017; a follow-up, "Songs The Night Sings", came out in 2019.

Olzon and noted progressive metal vocalist Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X, ADRENALINE MOB) released a collaborative album titled "Worlds Apart" in March 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl. The project was issued under the moniker ALLEN/OLZON. A follow-up album, "Army Of Dreamers", arrived in 2022.

[leviabeat]

IT'S NOW OR NEVER

HOW INTERNATIONAL MEN OF MYSTERY VOLBEAT ARE SEIZING THE MOMENT TO INTRODUCE THEIR "ELVIS METAL" TO THE U.S.-WITH THE HELP OF A LITTLE BAND CALLED METALLICA

Revolver Magazine | Mar/Apr 2010

By Richard Bienstock | Photos By Justin Borucki

It's just past 7 on a fall evening in New York City, and the lights have dimmed at mega-arena Madison Square Garden. As four men in black don instruments and take the stage, the opening anthem to the cartoon American Dad blares from the P.A.: "Good morning, U.S.A.!" To those in the know, the introduction is a humorous poke at the rest of the audience: Onstage stands Volbeat, Denmark's finest heavy-music export and possibly the biggest Scandinavian metal band you've never heard of.

"It's very obvious when we take the stage that a lot of the crowd isn't familiar with us." said Volbeat singer-guitarist Michael Poulsen the previous night. "If we're lucky, maybe a few people in the front even know who we are. [Laughs] But most everyone doesn't have a clue."

This, of course, may soon change, as Volbeat spent much of the fall playing to thousands of American metal fans a night, and in some of the country's largest venues, as the opening act on the final U.S. leg of Metallica's World Magnetic Tour. It's the gig of a lifetime for any band and one that begs the question: Danish popularity notwithstanding, how did a relatively unknown act land a coveted spot on the biggest metal bill of the year? Easy: Metallica asked them to do it.

"Apparently James [Hetfield] and Lars [Ulrich] are fans of the band," Poulsen says. It's the afternoon before the New York show, and the Volbeat singer is relaxing with guitarist Thomas Bredahl in a hotel bar across the street from the venue. (Bassist Anders Kjølholm and drummer Jon Larsen are absent.) The Metallica gig marks only the second time Volbeat have performed in the city, and, as Poulsen gazes out the window at the arena, he jokes, "I guess it's not a bad venue. Though I don't know where we'll play next time we're here. Is there anywhere bigger?"

Bredahl goes on to explain the band's connection to Metallica, which extends back to both acts' Danish roots. The members of Volbeat hail from around Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, where Ulrich spent his childhood years. "A few summers ago, Metallica came over to Denmark to play some shows on their Sick of the Studio (2007) Tour," the guitarist says. "Lars is still connected to people back home and likes to know what's going on there with new music. So he made some calls, asking. 'Who should we get on the bill with us?' And people mentioned our name to him. So he checked us out, liked what he heard, and we wound up as the main support for their Danish shows."

That led to more gigs together and, eventually, a friendship. When Metallica returned to Denmark on later dates, Hetfield's assistant phoned Poulsen inquiring if he would like to grab a bite with the frontman on one of the band's days off. "James wound up coming over, and my girlfriend cooked dinner for everyone," Poulsen says. "I mean, I remember being a teenager and lying in bed looking up at posters of this guy on my wall, and now here he was, sitting in my house, having something to eat. It was very weird, to say the least." The next time Poulsen got a call from the Metallica camp it was the offer to join the band on select U.S. dates of their World Magnetic Tour. The Volbeat frontman says, "It wasn't a hard decision to make."

The appeal of the pairing from Metallica's standpoint is easy to understand. Volbeat's music, in particular on their third and most recent release, Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (Mascot), mixes beefy "Black Album"- type riffing with pop-punk hooks à la Metallica faves the Misfits. In addition, the band evinces a serious fixation with early rock-and-roll and outlaw country artists - in particular Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash - which permeates everything from the music's swaggering rhythms to Poulsen's soaring Elvis-via-Danzig vocals. Essentially, Volbeat is a straight-up metal band that also manages to sound more inherently "American" than most current American acts.

"If you ask me, all great rock songs were written in the '50s and '60s," Poulsen says of his inspiration. "Everyone since is just a copycat. Including us. You can listen to any of those early American rock or country songs and they still sound great. So it's my way of paying respect."

Poulsen, who grew up in the small Danish city of Ringsted, credits his father with first exposing him to classic rock and country music. "My dad would always be playing Elvis, Fats Domino, Jerry Lewis, stuff like that around our house," he recalls. At the same time, Poulsen's older siblings [I would like to add a correction here. It was his uncle, not his older sisters] introduced him to Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. As a teenager, he got into Metallica and Mercyful Fate ("We have two kings in Denmark," he says with a laugh. "Lars Ulrich and King Diamond") and then into metal's heavier subgenres. "In the early '90s I really got into the death-metal thing, when the Florida scene was exploding." he says, "and then the melodic death metal that was coming out of Sweden."

At age 16, Poulsen formed his own death- metal act, Dominus. The band relocated to Copenhagen and made a name for itself in the city's underground scene. Dominus first two albums, 1994's View to the Dim and 1996's The First 9, were staunch death metal efforts, but Poulsen soon found himself growing bored with the format. "It was very rigid," he says. "I could feel that I wanted to write songs that were a little loosor, a little more rock and roll." His band's next album, Vol. Beat - a mashup of the words "volume" and "beat"- awakened Poulsen's dormant rock tendencies and laid the groundwork for his eventual exit from the group. "A lot of people thought that album shouldn't have even been called a Dominus album," he says. "It was pretty different sounding." After one more record, Poulson disbanded Dominus, adopting the title of the group's transitional third effort as the name of his new project.

Although Volbeat's sound wasn't an immediate hit - "at our early shows," Poulsen says, "some people were still screaming for Dominus songs, while others were like, 'What is this shit?' " - the band's unique blend of music genres soon began to find an audience. "Suddenly, a lot of girls started to show up," Poulsen recalls. "It certainly wasn't due to our looks, because we're ugly bastards! But they could find something to like in the music, because there was melody. And so then the guys thought, OK, maybe we'll give it a chance, too..."

As the band's following grew in the underground scene, mainstream Danish music fans and press began to take notice. Volbeat's first full-length effort, The Strength/The Sound/The Songs, was awarded Debut Album of the Year at the 2005 Danish Metal Music Awards. Two years later, the follow-up, Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil, entered the Danish album chart at No. 1, eventually reaching platinum (30,000 copies sold). Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood earned the group their second No. 1 and platinum record and cemented their status as Denmark's biggest metal act.

"For a band like Volbeat to be so well known, and to be played on the radio alongside international pop stars like Madonna and Britney Spears, it's really pretty unbelievable," Poulsen says. "It's not typical at all. You don't usually hear double-bass drums on Danish mainstream radio."

And while no one will mistake "Hallelujah Goat" for "...Baby One More Time," Bredahl does believe Volbeat's accessibility has opened doors previously shut to metal bands in their country. "Some people have tagged us with the slogan, 'Metal even your mom would like," he says. "And it's true - my mom really does like our songs! Even people who are not necessarily huge music fans can hear one of our songs and say, 'That's a good melody.' It reaches people."

The following evening at Madison Square Garden, Volbeat do an impressive job of connecting with the rabid Metallica crowd during their brief 30 minutes onstage. Although most in the audience, as Poulsen says, are not familiar with their music, the band whips through crowd pleasers like "Sad Man's Tongue" - a virtual rewrite of Johnny Cash's classic "Folsom Prison Blues" - and a faithful cover of the Misfits' "Angelfuck." When the audience responds to the final tune, "Still Counting," Poulsen counters, in his best Elvis sneer, "Thank yuh. Thank yuh very much."

"We tell ourselves we win more than we lose," the singer reasons, and at present, they appear to be on a pretty good winning streak. Volbeat just released a two-DVD set, Live: Sold Out!, that will provide newbies with a crash course in the band, with one disc devoted to live performances, and a second featuring a biographical documentary and video history. In addition, they recently signed an international deal with Universal and are preparing to begin writing and recording their fourth album. At the moment, anything looks possible.

"You look at a guy like Lars Ulrich, who grew up right outside of Copenhagen, playing tennis, going to rock shows, and then he came to America and started the biggest metal band in the world. That's a nice story," Bredahl says, perhaps seeing hopeful parallels in Volbeat's path. "It's inspiring."

Of course, as Metallica's frontman learned on this tour, you may be able to take the musicians out of Denmark, but you can't necessarily take Denmark out of the musicians. "Backstage the other day." Poulsen says, "the Metallica guys posted a sign that said "No Danish Language Allowed." Basically, it was James and his assistant who were behind it. Because Lars will walk into our dressing room, and we'll sit and talk to each other in Danish. And then James will drop by, and he doesn't know what the fuck is going on." Poulsen laughs. "He's always like, 'Speak English!' "

💀

– From The Tattoo Issue of Revolver Magazine, March/April 2010.

(The best damn Volbeat blog you’ll find!)

[tisthenightofthewitch]

‘Blasphemous’: how metal band Ghost became the acceptable face of Satanism

Fronted by 'anti-Pope' Tobias Forge, Ghost are one of the world's heaviest stadium bands – and it's all thanks to Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tobias Forge wants you to know that “Death metal has always been a very humanistic thing. When we’re talking about darkness, death, despair, it’s to express our discontent at the world. It’s our way to explain how s___ things are”. The 41-year-old mastermind behind Ghost has spent the last 12 years taking influences from the murky underground worlds of black metal and mixing it with radio friendly pop. The result is something that’s as much ABBA as it is Cradle Of Filth.

They’ve been touted as future Download Festival headliners, have supported Foo Fighters, Metallica and Iron Maiden in stadiums around the world and they’ll be supporting the release of fifth album Impera with a European arena headline tour of their own. Almost three million people listen to them every month on Spotify, with the band appealing to lifelong punks and metalheads while also acting as a glam introduction to the world of heavy music. In a scene full of legacy acts, Ghost are the sound of the future.

For the first half of their career though, no one even knew who was in Ghost. On stage the band were led by demonic anti-Pope character Papa Emeritus or one of his successors (one for every album) while the band was made up of a gaggle of “nameless ghouls” who also handled interviews. It was even rumoured that Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl was an occasional member of the gang.

Then in 2017 those nameless ghouls filed a lawsuit over unpaid profits, revealing Tobias Forge’s identity as the man in charge. The case was dismissed and fortunately, Forge took his unmasking in his stride. “I’ve read every classic rock biography of every band I’m a fan of [and] the same s___ takes place in every single one,” he said at the time.

Then, as if to prove there was more to the band than mystery, he wrote 2018’s brilliant, synth-driven Prequelle: a record of survival set in the mediaeval plague era. It went on to elevate the band even further and was nominated for the Best Rock Album at the 61st Grammys (their second Grammy award after winning Best Metal Performance in 2016).

“I am as much of an exhibitionist as anyone else who has ever put on a guitar and walked onstage but I like the idea of being able to step in and out of my celebrity,” says Forge, explaining the reason for Papa Emeritus. “If Bono comes to dinner, you’d expect a long spiel about Greenpeace. I don’t have to be that person, but I still get to play a rock star.”

Stadiums, award ceremonies and talk of stardom are a world away from where Forge started his musical career. Aged 15, he joined his first DIY punk band and spent the next few years experimenting with death metal and alternative rock in a variety of underground bands. “There’s a natural limiter on how successful you can become, playing extreme metal,” Forge tells me over Zoom, a day off from a US co-headline tour with Danish rock band Volbeat.

He formed Ghost in 2006 as a way to combine traditional rock (he’d grown up idolising The Doors, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd) his love of theatre (The Phantom Of The Opera and Cats have both been hugely influential, with Forge calling Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals “mind-blowing”) and the horror and darkness of death metal. The result is something flamboyant, dramatic and, he adds, “with a lot more visual elements than your average grunge band.”

“Without the music, we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere,” says Forge. “I know a lot of bands that look cool, but suck.” Ghost released spooky debut single Elizabeth in 2010 without any press photos “to let the music do the talking” and signed a deal soon after. Debut album Opus Eponymous followed later that year. While most other occult rock bands were happy to “stay on the carpet, as we say in Sweden” Forge wanted more. “My background might be in underground punk but I never wanted to limit us.”

Blending rock, prog and metal with Eurodisco and 1980s pop, as well as taking influence from the gothic worlds of Tim Burton’s Batman and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, new album Impera is about the self-destruction of society. Played out against the backdrop of Victorian England, it’s another leap forward for Forge – even if society appeared to be crumbling as he created it. “When I was writing Prequelle” says Forge, “the world was in a relatively stable place but I wasn’t in a good place mentally. For Impera, I was in a way better place but the world was in complete disarray.”

The album also sees the band engage with life more directly, a change in direction from Ghost’s early albums dealing in fantasy and escapism. Sure, the stories told on driving metal anthem Twenties (a rebellious call to arms against the disparity between social classes) and the wailing Driftwood (about religious hypocrisy) are set over a hundred years ago but their messages are relevant today.

Epic closing track Respite On The Spitalfields talks about the fear Jack The Ripper stirred in Victorian England, and how the fact he was never caught meant women were afraid to walk the streets of London after dark. Sound familiar? Throughout Impera Forge sings about the abuse of power.

“That abuse of power is the central mechanism that corrodes, but also builds societies,” Forge says. “We like to think we’re so enlightened in this modern world but right now, people believe in taking away other people’s rights, rather than the opposite. It’s all to do with control and money. Politicians are pro-life not because of their religious beliefs, but because if you have a baby, you’re going to stay in one place and buy s___ like a good little capitalist.”

That said, Impera is an optimistic record, all pomp and empowerment. From the wailing guitar riffs of opening track Kaiserion to the thundering reassurance of the anthemic Call Me Little Sunshine, Ghost’s fifth album is a constantly surprising, consistently brilliant listen that’ll appeal to both the mosh pit, and the theatre stalls.

“I believe in karma,” says Forge. “I believe that the bad empires, the ones that are actively trying to destroy the world, will fail. Especially if they’re based on some crazy person who is trying to go against the will of the people,” he adds, weeks before Putin mobilised.

Forge explains that “pop culture has always been a symbol for freedom”. MeToo and the Black Lives Matter movements were driven by protest songs and lyrics were often the source of snappy slogans painted on banners. Even the Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion has taken on Twisted Sister’s 1984 hit We're Not Gonna Take It as one of their unofficial anthems.

“The reason we don’t tour certain places of the world is that they would refuse us, because of what we sing about,” says Forge. Ghost has never played a show in China, and has also faced issues in America. Their second album Infestissumam was delayed because four different US manufacturers refused to print its “blasphemous” artwork – a 16th-century depiction of an orgy – while in 2018 a horrified Texan pastor led a protest outside their “devil-worshipping” show.

But Forge does not worship the devil, and has said that his views are more aligned with modern-day Satanism, which is centred around atheism, scientific scepticism and a passion for wildlife and nature. “I believe in pop culture, in freedom and in being kind. I believe in people having fun, and that they have the right to put their genitals into whomever consents. I believe that love is stronger than hate,” he says.

Backed by an eight-piece band, Forge will launch Impera with an arena tour of the UK and Europe. It’s set to be Ghost’s most ambitious run of shows yet – and that’s saying something.  “Everything is about the live show. That’s where you’re making memories with people. I compare a lot of what we do, with what I’ve experienced as a fan of other bands. “

However, according to Forge, “everything we ever do is always a lesser version of what I intended it to be.” He’s been sketching out stage shows and plans for world domination since before Ghost had even released a song. “We’re still working off that to-do list.”

“From the outside, it might look like our success has happened overnight but it’s taken us years to get to where we are today,” Forge continues. “Compared to AC/DC though, we still feel like a new band. We’ve got plenty of improvements to make before it’s time to throw in the towel.”

Telegraph

[a-silent-symphony]

“Life is short”: Nightwish singer Floor Jansen opens up – only in the new issue of Metal Hammer

Following her successful cancer surgery, Nightwish’s Floor takes us inside her brand new chapter in the latest issue of Metal Hammer

The new issue of Metal Hammer(opens in new tab) features Nightwish on the cover – and a brand new exclusive interview with their unstoppable singer Floor Jansen.

Inside, Floor opens up about the difficulties of the last few years, including her breast cancer diagnosis. Following successful surgery, she tells us why she’s determined to make the most of 2023, by releasing debut solo album Paragon and recording a new Nightwish record. “It’s not like I think ‘I’m gonna die’ all the time,” she explains, “but I realise how life is short. Time is not endless. We have it now.”

In the same issue, we ask Nightwish founder Tuomas Holopainen to rank the band’s albums from worst to best. But which will come out on top?

Elsewhere in the issue, we revisit the gigs that changed metal forever. From Black Sabbath birthing a genre, to Slipknot huffing dead crows and Mayhem throwing raw meat, it’s all here.

We also celebrate metal’s love affair with Dungeons & Dragons, chat to legendary composer Danny Elfman, save cats with Obituary, put your questions to Ville Valo, and meet rising symphonic stars Beyond The Black. Oh, and there are some Iron Maiden puzzles to solve, too!

Plus: Bad Omens, Napalm Death, Cassyette, Pupil Slicer, Dream Evil, Holy Fawn, In Flames, Volbeat and much, much more.

Only in the new issue of Metal Hammer, on sale now. Order it online(opens in new tab) and have it delivered straight to your door.

[poke-entomology]

What's the weirdest thing that's happened to you, like having a legendary being steal your hogie roll or somthing

Italian herb with ham and provolone actually... But it was probably that time I found a gynandromorphic Ilumise. They're so pretty! An Ilumise's coloring and body form, but a Volbeat's tail light and antennae! They even found a lady friend one night around sunset~

...But yeah, they like to carry me around places. Ever see a tiny bug lifting a grown human? I mean, it's not fast or anything, only around 3mph at top speed. But they did carry me to an interview that was on an island so still pretty impressive!

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

Richard Kruspe interview - Berliner Zeitung 2021-11

published 2021-11-11, by Björn Springorum

Richard about the new Emigrate album, and for the first time (that i remember) in the recent set of interviews he gave, he throws in a traditional RZK quote 😊

Disclaimer:

Before taking offense with anything RZK says in this interview, please consider

although my intention is do translate as correct as possible, there may be nuances lost in translation (neither english nor german is my first language)

the interviewer may have written down RZK's answers with a different nuance than Richard intended

Interview with Rammstein guitarist Richard Z. Kruspe: "Emigrate was my salvation"

Without his solo project Emigrate, he would no longer be with Rammstein, says Richard Z. Kruspe. Now his fourth album is out: "The Persistence Of Memory" 

Berlin- Before the colossal Rammstein circus travels the world again, guitarist and composer Richard Z. Kruspe quickly wrote a few demons off his soul. His most recent Emigrate album “The Persistence Of Memory” contains pieces that have never been used over the last 20 years, a rather interesting Elvis cover with Rammstein singer Till Lindemann and a lot of knowledge from the life of it's creator.

On previous albums of your solo project Emigrate there were always quite a number of guests. This time only Till Lindemann can be heard - on a cover of the Elvis classic "Always On My Mind". How did that happen?

Years ago our record company wanted to do an Elvis cover album. I started to write, but at some point I discarded it. But I was so incredibly fascinated by Elvis' voice in this song. No matter which instrument I used up in the studio, it always prevailed. So I considered putting the song with my music and his voice on the album and thought about who could sing this song. Iggy Pop? Michael Poulsen from Volbeat? But somehow I never thought of Till. Sometimes it's just too obvious. He is simply the only one who can sing like that. I asked him, he wanted to, and we ended up recording the whole thing as a duet because I found it more emotional that way.

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To the person

Richard Kruspe was born on June 24, 1967 in Wittenberge as Zven Kruspe. Before he devoted himself to music, he had success as a wrestler and then trained as a cook. In every spare second he played the guitar, through his band 'Das elegante Chaos' came on the radar of the Stasi, fled to West Berlin, but later returned to the former GDR and met Till Lindemann in Schwerin.

With him he founded Rammstein on January 1st, 1994. Almost 28 years later he released seven studio albums with this band and sold over 20 million records. An eighth Rammstein album will follow soon.

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So there is harmony between you?

I am old enough to enjoy our relationship. There are no longer those little fights and egos that clash. Now it's all about having fun.

That wasn't always the case with Rammstein ...

I used to fight for everything, for every word. Now I choose my battles very carefully. I don't fight everywhere anymore. I now have the foresight that I don't always know everything better. The balance of the band is more important than my eagerness. This realisation is what kept Rammstein alive.

Is that also due to Emigrate?

Yes. Emigrate has solved many problems that needn't have been. At Rammstein, some of the guys always wanted to contribute as much as I did, but couldn't. That led to envy and stress, which I couldn't understand because I was of the opinion that the others wanted it that way. It felt good to let all my energy flow into another project, to work with completely different people. As far as cooperation is concerned, Rammstein is of course a tight corset. That's a good thing, that's how it functions, but I needed and still need Emigrate for my balance. It was my salvation. Without Emigrate I would no longer be with Rammstein. Still, with every new Rammstein album I think: Okay, but this really is the last one.

Does that also apply to Emigrate? In the run-up to the release of “The Persistence Of Memory” it was said that it might be the last album.

One will see. This album may be the end of an era, the clasp before something new begins.

The album consists of old songs that were never published or finished. A look back before moving on?

Maybe it took that look back to start something new, yes. My present was unpleasant and my future was empty. So I basked in my past. It was the only thing I had. I came across all of these old songs and ideas and looked at them again. They helped me move back into the present so that I could finally look into the future again. A journey back in time back to inspiration.

Why was the present unpleasant? The last Rammstein record including a huge stadium tour broke all records again ...

After the last Rammstein record I fell into a deep hole and was lost in my world. Different wars raged inside me and I felt like I had to stop playing music. I no longer saw any point in it. It was a really hard crash landing that I had never experienced as such before. There was a real emptiness in me. Even for us, this stadium tour was definitely something new. And when everyone tells you how great and good you are, whether that is true or not, then you are like in withdrawal when it is over. I first had to get back on the ground again. So I fled into the memories, into the past.

The Persistence Of Memory” also features “Freeze My Mind”, the very first song you wrote in 2001 for Emigrate. At that time, "Mutter", Rammstein's big breakthrough, also appeared. What was your life like at that time?

Back then, my life was marked by an insane disappointment. It resulted from the fact that I felt misunderstood. I had this anger inside me, this need to show it to everyone else. It was like entering a new world and I had to keep moving. It was definitely a step out of the comfort zone. Hence the name Emigrate. It all made sense. I wrote “Freeze My Mind” in New York City, it must have been around September 11th. During that time I lived in New York and saw the second plane crash into the tower. To see how people fell out of the tower was extremely shocking for me.

So with Emigrate it was also about a certain increase in self-esteem?

I think the greatest motivation always comes from wanting to prove something to someone. Whether these are the parents, whether these are your colleagues, or maybe it is you yourself. It's about feeling your worth. You want to please, but that can also be a big trap. Especially when writing. At Rammstein I have to stop very now and then when I notice that I'm writing a second "Du hast". But I always ask myself: Do I just want to please again? This is very, very thin ice. On the one hand you don't want to lose your own identity, on the other hand you want to keep trying new things. A difficult topic. In this context, I like to speak of that healthy naivety that one had in the beginning. One should strive for that.

Some bands become caricatures of themselves at some point.

Yes, maybe it's just that every art or band has a specific time in which to it is creative. After that one just only repeats oneself.

The Beatles also wouldn't have maintained this insane creativity until this day.

Absolutely! Maybe it's just a law of the universe and we're all fooling ourselves. I keep continuously ask myself the question if I still have anything to say. What motivates me? Am I only doing this because I have nothing else to do? Or am I really passionate about it? Of course, it helps to have a band through which I am financially and economically secure. Many others are a lot worse off, I understand that.

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See, finally the "this will be the last Rammstein album" quote that he always uses after every single Rammstein album... i was almost getting worried he'd forgotten 😁