Notes From The Other Side

Leatherwolf is a legendary band. Big in the 1980s, disappeared for a while, and now back with a vengeance. Big time. Their latest CD, World Asylum, is metal from start to finish, thanks to new members Wade Black on vocals, Eric Halpern on guitar, Pete Perez on bass and original members Geoff Gayer on guitar and Dean Roberts on drums. I recently spoke with Dean about Leatherwolf’s past, present, and future.

BM: Hello.

DR: Hey, it’s Dean.

BM: Hi, Dean. How are you?

DR: I’m good, how are you?

BM: Doing well. Doing very well. I appreciate your time this evening.

DR: My pleasure.

BM: Let’s chat a little bit about Leatherwolf and the new album, and what audiences can expect from you guys at ProgPower.

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Well, the guys in Zero Hour outdid themselves. Again.

Obviously battling hard to unseat Shane DuBose as The Nicest Man in Metal, brothers Jasun and Troy Tipton and Chris Salinas (3/4 of California’s mighty Zero Hour) spent the past few days typing up a track-by-track analysis of their soon-to-be-released CD Specs of Pictures Burnt Beyond. Last night, Jasun sent me the last installment via e-mail.

For all of you eager to experience Zero Hour’s blistering set at ProgPower USA VII, I think you’ll be twice as stoked once you see what Troy, Jasun, and Chris have to say about their CD (the name of the person who wrote each analysis is in parenthesis). Here’s what’s what, straight Read the rest of this entry »

Zero Hour was quickly added to this year’s ProgPowerUSA lineup when the visas for Greek band Wastefall didn’t materialize and the band had to cancel. A bittersweet moment for Zero Hour and their fans, to be sure. But the band stepped up to the plate with typical good-naturedness, class, and exuberance.

Talking to Jasun is like having a conversation with The Simpsons’ Otto the bus driver as he channels motivational speaker Tony Robbins. Lots of energy. Lots of “Dude” and “Awesome” and “Bro.” Yes, Jasun’s enthusiasm can’t be denied. Neither can his talent. The man is a certified guitar monster and he – along with his twin brother Troy on bass, drummer Mike Guy and new vocalist Chris Salinas – are ready to storm the stage at ProgPowerUSA VII.

In this interview, I was fortunate to be able to speak to both Jasun and Troy, who picked up the phone near the end of my interview with Jasun.

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I first spoke with Mark Jansen when he was in the Dutch “Beauty and Beast” band After Forever, some four years ago shortly after the release of After Forever’s Decipher (one of my favorite albums of all time). At the time, I was teaching a class in Advertising at a nearby university and I contacted Mark (and vocalist Floor Jansen) as a class project. I wanted my class to see if it was possible to “market” After Forever in the States and, shooting for the moon, see what it would take to bring them over here to play a gig in West Michigan.

So I ordered a dozen copies of Decipher from LaserCD.com and passed them out to anyone in the class who wanted to be part of the After Forever Group.

The class was psyched. We were all set to hook up the group’s leaders with Mark to do an interview when — out of the blue — he and After Forever parted ways. It shocked everyone (not least of all Mark) and ended our project.

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Evergrey. That’s really all I need to say. And that in a reverential, almost hushed tone.

Just Evergrey.

Anyone reading this already knows who the Swedish power/prog metal band is. Read the rest of this entry »

Piet Sielck is surely on the of the hardest-working guys in the business, often switching roles between producer and player – and sometimes switching between bands Iron Savior and Savage Circus. He’s also a fun chap to talk to, a guy who laughs often, isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and has a zillion anecdotes to share.

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Jorn Lande needs no introduction. The man is a legend, with a voice on par with some of rock’s most highly-regarded singers. His latest CD – The Duke – is nothing short of stunning.

It’s worth nothing that while I interviewed Jorn, our respective cell phones cut out Read the rest of this entry »

As soon as I got a promo copy of Mercenary’s new album — The Hours That Remain — I requested a brief follow-up interview with vocalist Mikkel Sandager. The album blew me away. On a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a 9. Easily. The songs are aggressive, yet melodic, introspective yet accessible. It’s easy to see why Mikkel Read the rest of this entry »

Zak Stevens is a raconteur. The man simply loves to tell stories. Which is great for someone like me who loves to listen. Read the rest of this entry »

I make no bones about the fact that I’m a big Chris Caffery fan.

On stage, as part of the awe-inspiring Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), he’s a constantly-in-motion source of entertainment – cracking jokes, trading licks, and running from one side of the stage to the other – and, sometimes, from one end of the arena to the other. In Savatage, he’s a powerhouse, laying down riffs that are an air-guitar fan’s wet dream. As a solo artist, he’s intense, aggressive and philosophical. As a collaborator on some songs on the first two Circle II Circle CDs (a band lead by former Savatage vocalist Zak Stevens), he’s an artist whose presence is immediately noticed — and appreciated. Read the rest of this entry »