Interviews

“If you can believe my parents, they said that I sang before I spoke,” Rautiainen explains with a small, but reserved smile, “So, I’ve always enjoyed singing and performing.” Luna Kills’ Lotta Rautiainen’s singing sounds like it’s been wrapped in silk, a jazzy full-bodied tone that bellows and bewitches with precision and authority. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to the fury of nu-metal that envelops her sound.

The timeless and historic masterpiece Grand Declaration of War (2000) by The True Mayhem represents one of black metal’s greatest moments. Blasphemer most certainly is the genre’s best guitarist as he combines superhuman technical perfection with divine artistry, ceaseless ingenuity, and pure emotion. In honor of Blasphemer’s full-length debut with Mayhem, Grand Declaration of War, we present our dialogue with the master himself.

Nine records deep, Bayside is more full speed ahead than ever before. Singer Anthony Raneri is energetic when asked about the band’s longevity and charmingly candid when presented with thoughts on the band’s calculated but numerous zigs and zags.

insaenum has returned with a phenomenal third full-length triumph, which is bound to leave listeners speechless: In Devastation punishes by virtue of its beauty and brutality. Sinsaenum stands as the project of Frédéric Leclercq of Kreator, Loudblast, formerly DragonForce, and a slew of other amazing bands.

Gaahls Wyrd will soon unleash their sophomore full-length masterpiece, the hypnotic Braiding the Stories, on June 6 via the revered Season of Mist. Formed by the legendary Kristian “Gaahl” Espedal in 2015, Gaahls Wyrd quickly earned much acclaim.

Coffin Feeder had no hesitation in turning the clock back a few decades so that they could pay their own personal homage on their debut album Big Trouble. “Arnold raised me, Stallone motivated me, and Jean-Claude Van Damme kicked me in the face emotionally.“

Izzy Reign showcases seamless transitions between unlikely elements that craft a symphony of melodies and harmonies on her debut self-titled record on FiXT. To the brain behind Izzy Reign, Kristin Matzkows, “being proud of being weird” allowed for this dance over the fine line between metalcore’s brutal instrumentals and synthesizers’ explorative potential.

OUTBURN #110 FULL INTERVIEW WITH MIKU KOBATO AND SAIKI ATSUMI BY SAMMIE STAR Band-Maid is proving with their new release, Epic Narratives, that their plans for musical domination have only just begun. “Well, of course, ever since we started the band, we wanted to conquer the world, po,” guitarist/singer Miku Kobato replies.

Warbringer’s thrash tongue lashings are legendary, and on new album Wrath and Ruin, it’s crystal clear that there's still plenty of ammo out there to fire up the SoCal crew’s engines. Vocalist John Kevill opens up on the band’s latest full-length offering. 

Original member Schmier—who formed the band back in 1983 originally as Knight of Demon—was a few days off the road when we caught up to talk about all things new and old as well in addition to what keeps things fresh for a guy who’s been at this racket for longer than much of the band’s fan base have been alive.