Interviews

“It started as an internet project with all kids from Connecticut.” After going through lineup changes and unplanned sound adjustments, the band Half Hearted from Hartford has finally found its voice. They have gone from a local band to being streamed all over the country. Their short career has been quite a journey, but every part of those experiences is what makes them who they are today.

Lajon Witherspoon recently spoke with us about Sevendust’s new album, the October 23 live streaming event, his long awaited solo album, and the band’s future plans amidst the ongoing pandemic.

During a father and son getaway at a remote mountain property in the middle of the Arizona desert, Cavalera senior and his youngest son, Igor Amedias Cavalera, spent the COVID summer of 2020 writing Go Ahead And Die’s self-titled debut full-length record. Igor speaks about the writing and recording of the album, what it means to be a Cavalera, his stoner metal band Healing Magic, and much more.

Dirty Honey and Dorothy, two bands that have exploded onto the rock scene, are hitting the road together this month on the North American “California Dreaming” tour to prove that rock is absolutely not dead. Before they jumped on their respective tour buses, we got Marc Labelle and Dorothy to answer five questions for Outburn.

Norwegian/German folk metal band Leaves’ Eyes has overcome several obstacles in the past year and a half. From the divorce of husband/wife bandmates Liv Kristine and Alex Krull (keyboards) to new powerhouse singer Elina Siirala and the band’s latest release, Sign of the Dragonhead, Leaves’ Eyes has been rejuvenated.

It would be an impossible feat to discuss the entire history of legendary rock band Sum 41 in one sitting. Now, the group’s years of touring and 15 million records sold worldwide have culminated into some of their most raw and vulnerable material ever written on their new album Order in Decline.

Hindsight can be a funny thing. I’ll admit that, at the time, I didn’t quite hip myself to what Satyricon was doing with their fourth full-length LP, Rebel Extravaganza [1999]. Gone were the medieval trappings of The Shadowthrone and Nemesis Divina, and in its place were songs that were cold and aggressive, with a very noticeable mean streak. Oh sure, I eventually grew to dig the album pretty hard, based largely on the presence of undeniable jams like “Havoc Vulture” and “Filthgrinder,” but the actual sound of the album always felt like it could’ve used improvement.

With a legacy spanning 30 years, Sinister has endured many changes in its career, such as different lineups, but the band has remained consistent by constantly releasing heavy and ravaging material. Deformation of the Holy Realm, the band’s 14th album, is no different. Sinister guitarist Michal Grall talks about Deformation of the Holy Realm, his contributions to the album, and the band’s plans during and after the quarantine.

To celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary of their 1999 seminal concept album, Metropolis Part 2 – Scenes from a Memory, the band has released Distant Memories – Live in London. Mr.Petrucci recently spoke with us about the band’s early days, the new live album, beard care, and more.

ManiaCult has all of the usual traits of an Aborted album—brutality, technicality, and absolute craziness. Even with some newfound diversity, Aborted is still a classic gore and guts band. We spoke with Sven de Caluwe about writing and recording the album during the pandemic, the sound behind ManiaCult, and his best music business advice.