I fight my way backstage after getting an almost indecipherable call from Ida, I'm there to have a chat with her and the rest of Triosphere about just exactly why they're one of Norway's best kept secrets!

AM: How was that for you?
Ida: It was great! Tight space on stage, but a little more difficult to do our thing, but always awesome to be onstage!

AM: Is this your first time in the UK?
Ida: Yes, we had our first show in a place called Dudley (cue groans from all around the room, including myself). We're very eager to tour here at all.

AM: You're with Sonata now until...
Marius: 1st April...we have two more here, and then we go back to Germany and The Netherlands.

AM: You're pretty busy, because after that in May...you're in with Crimson Glory.
Ida: *quiet squeal* That's more in Germany, Switzerland, Italy...

AM: You've been around for quite a while. How come you're so low key, considering you've been around with Arch Enemy, Destruction, WASP...
Marius: The first record was released on a small label, so we had to build up from there. Now that the second record is out on a bigger label, stuff has just started to happen. We started doing really well in Norway...we started touring Europe with Kamelot, WASP and Dio and we just felt the distribution wasn't really working. We needed a bigger and better label.

AM: How did you get from Norwegian only release of Onwards to worldwide?
Ida: Onwards was released in a collaboration with Plastic Head, it was very limited and didn't work too well. We've been trying to build and taking care of all the connections we possibly could.
Marius: We were touring with Destruction, and their main man Schmier, he got us on to AFM which is where they were at the time. He wanted us to be label mates!

AM:What are you guys up to for the rest of the summer? Hitting any of the festivals?
Marius: We're doing Wacken, and the Female Metal Voices Fest in Belgium...and a few other festivals before we'll go back and start working on new material. We've started writing, but we haven't actually got to the point where we're ready to record.

AM: Going back all the way to 2004, how did you guys get together? Let's hear the full story!
Ida: Well, I'll give you the speed version. Me and Marius, just by chance worked together on a thrash metal project which was really cool and we decided we wanted to form a band of our own...before I met him I'd been singer with our drummer for ten or eleven years, so it was quite natural to ask him to join in. Everything just went really well, we came together after just a few days and we started rehearsing songs that he (points to Marius) had written. Before we knew it, we'd done a demo which we sent to that Norwegian label...who picked it up quickly. We just kept on writing material...and went to the studio in 2006. We contacted Tor, our other guitarist...

AM: You still feel like the new boy in the band, after 5 years?
Triosphere: *laughing*
Tor: No...sometimes because people asked why I wasn't on the first...
Marius: But it's like why Ron Wood is always the new guy in the Rolling Stones, even though he's been there 40 years!

AM: You're from Trondheim, which is most famous for Keep of Kalessin, and some guy who won the Norweigan version of Pop Idol.
Marius: The guy who won that isn't from Trondheim, he's actually from Bergen.
                Whether this is just damage control or not, I have no idea. Let's face it, no one wants to be linked to Pop Idol, least of all a Norwegian metal band!
Markus: Keep of Kalessin I knew before, they're actually really good friends of ours. To your previous question, the thrash metal project...that was my project put together with those guys. Their drummer actually introduced me to Ida.

AM: Did that ever see the light of day?
Marius:  We did a few gigs and record an EP...but nothing really happened. We still have the band, but we don't really have the time.

AM: So, support bands get a fair bit of free time...what do you guys get up to?
Ida: Well, I have a lot of stuff going on at school...I'm studying law, for me it's not even a question...it's just work!

AM : So when the boys get into trouble you can bail them out?
Ida: Exactly, haha! *rest of Triosphere look around guiltily*

AM: And the guys?
Marius: We try to get out as much as we can, we try and get to know the rest of the bands, so we hang out a lot with them. Labyrinth are really great guys

AM:  Any rivalry between you and the Finnish?
Marius: Drinking contests!

AM: Who wins?
Marius: Well...they do!
Ørjan: I think we're going bowling on the next day off.
Ida: You really should mention your photography, Ørjan!
Ørjan: I'm an amateur! It's just the band site, I don't have a personal one yet.
Ida:  He's our link to the outside. Sometimes we stay inside the venue...and we'd been playing in Lyons and he disappeared. He came back and said "I found a giraffe! And a panther!"

AM: It keeps you sane on the road, then.
Marius: We always try to have a look around the city we're in, but we've not had time today sadly.

AM: What's the big dream, then?
Ida: Well, we know we have to take it bit by bit. The way the music scene is now I don't think you'll ever wake up one morning and you'll be huge. I think our ambition are of course to do this, and to pay bills at the same time! We want a chance to play cool concerts and meet a lot of people.

AM: The new record has a very positive message, compared to the thrashier sound of the debut.
Marius:  Life's been better the last couple of years! We've been touring a lot and you just end up writing more positive stuff, you gotta write what comes naturally.

AM: So when you get even bigger, the next one's going to be about unicorns and rainbows then?
At that suggestion, I was promptly thrown out of the band's dressing room for implying they'd turn into tree-hugging pixies. You can check out their new album, The Road Less Travelled, now on AFM Records

A Chat with Steve Dagg at Scorpio Tattoo, Selby.

I like a bit of ink me … and like Pringles and high grade amphetamines, once you pop you can’t stop.
My preferred port of call, when it comes to any idea about getting a cool picture on some excruciatingly painful place, is Scorpio Tattoo in Selby.
Run by Steve Dagg (tattooist) and his missus, Debbie (Designs, advice and front desk,) Scorpio has been going from strength to strength over the last 5 years with Steve’s art and dedication earning him high praise among the tattooed denizens of this quiet market town.
So, when I decided to have some Tyla artwork permanently etched into my chest, I thought I’d ask Steve a few question about his work while I was there. Cue tape!

Hi Steve, oww! So, how did you get started?
I worked for Thomo, at Ruby Arts in York, as he needed someone on his front desk. The front desk is as important as the back room, because if you don’t have all your art, paperwork and times sorted out, the tattooist can’t work properly. So, as I was a good people person, and not bad at the old drawing, I made myself indispensible, then said ‘Ok, now I want to be a tattooist.’.  Thomo said ‘On yer bike, I don’t wanna teach anyone’. So, I threatened to leave and, because I was a good front desk person, he agreed to teach me.

Had you always fancied being a tattooist?
I’d always wanted to be a tattooist. I just never had the opportunity or time. I’d had a few goes at what we call ‘scratching’ on mates and that, but nothing serious. Saying that, it was when I was doing that, my mates said ‘It’s about time you did this for real y’know’.

Did you find it easy once you got into it?
No! I was the hardest thing I ever did. When I first started I had to apologise to people because I sweating that much. It was pure fear, fear that I’d not do it right. Your first customer is a nightmare. I told mine I had a fever so he wouldn’t wonder why I was sweating so much. I still get a bit of a dab on these days if what I’m doing is a bit tricky.

What designs did you first ink commercially?
Japanese symbol, or a rose, simple stuff to start with.  Start slow, and you’ll learn right. No point starting with something complicated because you WILL get it wrong.

And, what was the first tattoo you got?
A skull with a top hat on and the word ‘freedom’ – I was 18 and it was on my arm. There wasn’t much choice in them days! Then I had a skull with a dagger and A Place In Hell. I still have them, didn’t cover ‘em up. You can’t read ‘em now, like.

What is it you enjoy about tattooing?
Everything. Talking to people, having the craic is the best bit. I’ve only tattooed about half a dozen people I couldn’t wait to get out of the chair.  I treat everyone the same, but some people you just really don’t want back.

Do think there’s a difference working in a small town like Selby than in a big city studio?
I love working here. I could go to a city if I wanted, but you build a clientele up in a place like this, and a lot of my customers become like friends. Which makes it awkward charging them sometime!  

Do you find the diversity of work is still there?
Yep, people will always want their own personal designs and not what I wanna give ‘em!

And what would they have if you were choosing the designs?
They’d all have Japanese Body Suits, or Rockabilly type suits.

Why?
I just find them very interesting to do. You can make them so different … plus, I think the Japanese work just has that ‘wow’ factor. I do a lot of cover-ups for older gents in the Japanese style. It covers great and looks fantastic.  That makes you feel good too - some fella hasn’t been able to take his shirt of for years, because he’s embarrassed by his crap tats, then I give him something to be proud of … you can’t buy that kind of satisfaction.

You mentioned Rockabilly type tats. Do you think they’re making a comeback?
Yep, definitely, that and the American Gaff stuff. The rockabilly is the new style of an old idea though. It’s the next generation doing their thing isn’t it? I know people making very good living just doing that style – especially people who work in big cities.

Do you find clients are still mostly male?
No, not at all. It’s probably half and half going toward more girls. And it’s not little cutesy stuff, these are big pieces. Plus, the range of professionals is incredible, police officers, prison guards, nurses – everything.  5 years ago it wasn’t like this, it’s was mostly blokes, but the mix is fantastic these days. Which reflects the increasing acceptability of tattoos.  TV probably has a lot to do with it, with shows like Miami Ink and London Ink being so popular…. and people like Beckham being so heavily inked.  When I got my first tat only ‘dodgy characters’ had them.

 

And what would you say to anyone thinking about getting inked?
You only get one life, live it. If you wanna get some ink, and it makes you happy, do it.

I finished there, but frankly I could talk to Steve all day, he has great opinions on what’s right and wrong in the word of tattoos, and he makes every session interesting and enjoyable.
Having said that, the reason I stopped was because this chest tattoo was probably the most painful thing I’ve ever had … looks ace though doesn’t it?

WINTERUS ANNOUNCES NEW LINEUP

‘In Carbon Mysticism’ out now on Lifeforce Records

KALAMAZOO, MI – Michigan black metal act Winterus has announced its permanent updated lineup, which will embark on a headlining tour, the “Lone Wolves Tour”, in June.  After the recent departure of guitarist Nathan Barnes (guitar) and Cody McCoy (drums), guitarist Les Paul and drummer KollinPerpignani have been added to the mix, along with bassist Donovan Bates, to round out the strongest Winterus lineup yet.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            “As bands grow, you find people that really get what you are trying to do,” said vocalist Christopher Erich Neu.  “Things are only getting tighter.”
            "We all have the same mind set, the same mission, the same goal,” added new bassist Donovan Bates.
            Winterus will hit the road on the “Lone Wolves Tour” in support of its Lifeforce Records debut In Carbon Mysticism, which released on April 26th.
            Ohio heavy metal outfit The Convalescence will accompany Winterus on the trek around the US.

            In Carbon Mysticism, Winterus’s latest effort of black metal blasphemy, can be purchased online through Amazon.com as a hard copy CD or digital download here.
The self-produced and engineered album was recorded last winter in Battle Creek, MI, and mastered in Los Angeles by Maor Appelbaum (Cynic, Therion, and Rob Halford).  It consists of six studio tracks and three live recordings. 
            Artwork comes courtesy of Joshua Davis.
            The track list for In Carbon Mysticism is…
01. Lone Wolves
02. Reborn
03. No Rest
04. Harmonious
05. Moonlust
06. Eternal Ghost
07. Christ Reign (recorded live)
08. Dusk Unveils (recorded live)
09. Through The Mist (recorded live) 

“Brutally loud and honest” – Kalamazoo Gazette

 “…this band is capable of captivating work” – MetalManiacs.com

“…these guys nail that all-important black metal atmosphere.” – Outburn

            In Carbon Mysticism sees the band further developing its blackened death metal with a subtle atmospheric edge, drawing influence from such acts as Immortal, Enslaved, Napalm Death, and Nachtmystium.
            The recently released music video for “Harmonious”, the album’s first single, can be seen online now at: http://www.metalinjection.net/tv/view/6795/winterus-harmonious-video-premiere.
            Stay tuned for more information on Winterus, In Carbon Mysticism, and the “Lone Wolves Tour”.

 

“Lone Wolves Tour”…
June 24 - Van Buren, OH - The Dragon's Lair
June 27 - Allentown, PA - Sterling Hotel
June 28 - Richmond, VA - TBA 
June 29 - Murfreesboro, NC - Zakk's Coffeehouse
June 30 - Fayetteville, NC - The Rock Shop
July 02 - Savannah, GA - Leapin Lizards  
July 03 - Daytona, FL - The Chamber
July 05 - Jacksonville, FL - Burro Bar
July 06 - Defuniak Springs, FL - Woodlawn Community Center
July 07 - Pensacola, FL - The Handlebar
July 08 - Alexandria, LA - Safehaven Skatepark
July 09 - Conway, AR - The Soundstage
July 10 - Nashville, TN - The Muse
July 11 - Clarksville, TN - The Coup
July 13 - Des Moines, IA - House Of Bricks
July 16 - Fort Worth, TX - The Rail Club
July 17 - Houston, TX - Cain's Ashes
July 18 - San Antonio, TX - Zombie's
July 21- Albuquerque, NM - Amped Performance Space
July 22 - Gallup, NM - The Juggernaut
July 23 - Las Vegas, NV - Meatheads
July 24 - South Lake Tahoe, CA - Fat Katz  
July 25 - South Lake Tahoe, CA - Whiskey Dicks
July 26 - Klamath Falls, OR - Yesterday's Plaza
July 27 - Salem, OR - The Wasteland
July 29 - Seattle, WA - El Corozon  
July 28 - Portland, OR - The Red Room
July 30 - Spokane, WA - The Hop
July 31 - Boise, ID - The Shredder
Aug 04 - Omaha, NE - The Hideout
Aug 06 - Milwaukee, WI - Summer Slaughter Pre Show party 
Aug 07 - Portage, IN - Camelot Bowling Alley
Aug 08 - Ft.Wayne, IN  - The Berlin
Aug 10 - Lansing, MI - Mac's Bar

Winterus is…
Christopher Erich Neu – vocals
Les Paul – guitar
Dominic Simmons – guitar
KollinPerpignani – drums
Donovan Bates - bass

Winterus online…
www.facebook.com/winterus
www.myspace.com/winterus
www.lifeforcerecords.com

 

Conquer the Decade
www.myspace.com/conquerthedecade

Judging a band based on one song is like judging a book by its cover – not a wise move. You make a snap decision, put your money and time on the line, and often wind up more disappointed than a polar bear at Iceland.

However, sometimes a song comes along that you just can’t let slip by unannounced. ‘There’s A Snake in My Boot’ by Conquer the Decade is one such track. Digging deep into the genre bank, ‘There’s A Snake in My Boot’ marries speed and finger-throbbing technical ability with gruff vocals to achieve a surprisingly upbeat feel. The infamous track-title-quote from a well-known children’s film, is an amusing twist, opening into the driving breakdown.

As Conquer the Decade themselves say: “we tend to experiment a lot with various different genres and never seem to care what we sound like as long as it’s good.” Nice to hear. In terms of the band then, which formed in 2008 in South Wales, it all seems fairly standard, until the penny drops that most of the members are only 17. It’s enough to make you check their birth certificates.

Whilst it could all just be a honeymoon phase, given the army of listeners Conquer the Decade had won over in this year’s Red Bull Bedroom Jam competition, it might just be worth getting your ears around the rest of their debut EP.

 

Leather PiG
www.leatherpig.co.uk

Check the list of influences and you’d agree that Leather PiG have no choice but to be awesome. And yet with so many bands failing to live up to the standards that they set themselves, you’d be forgiven for not holding your breath.

From the Metallica-esque opening of ‘Horses Heads in Beds’, Leather PiG more than deliver the whole package, they personally gift wrap it at no extra charge. Whilst this Birmingham based five-piece tag themselves as metal-punk, the hallmarks of the former are certainly far more keenly honed, albeit done at a furious speaker-shattering pace.

Words tumble from vocalist Pete in a high-speed lip-curling snarl, and yet remain distinguishable in their own right, whilst the band behind lead the enthusiastic charge of punishing percussion and sterling solos. Sure they use the same opening tricks more than once, but each song sounds different in its own right.

‘Insexsessions’ sounds like it’s trying to kick start a circle pit in your CD player, but Leather PiG seem equally at home when the melodies drop in, as in the close of ‘Biggles Bites the Dust’. Indeed, Leather PiG’s first EP ‘No Apologies, No Remorse’ sets a dangerous precedent for the band’s follow-up, which is currently being mastered. One thing’s for sure, Leather PiG’s enthusiasm and distinct personality serves to shove the steel back into metal’s backbone.