Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

In the summer of 2018 one of our guitarists enters with a can of cola on a warm, sultry summer evening. Sweet and refreshing with date taste … “Dubai Coke” was born. And as this special combination of flavors suggests, “Dubai Coke” also has many musical influences. We had a lot of band changes in the beginning. It turned out to be particularly difficult to find a good drummer. But since this year we have also found a good one in Dr. Ben. and a little bit about the various members? Marcel aka Mr. Red Lead vocals also known as the clown writes most of the lyrics. And does a lot of the art work for the band.
Gerwin aka The Assassin guitarist. And computer expert. He arranges our website, Spotify. But sometimes he also mix our songs. He is very important for the sound of Dubai Coke.
Felix aka Butcher Boy Bass guitar and show stealer when on stage. With his brutal bloody appearance. Benjamin aka Dr. Ben is our latest is our latest acquisition. He started at Dubai Coke at the beginning of this year as a drummer and it clicked immediately. Benjamin has also been promoted to the band manager and arranges many of our performances.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

We all live in the groningen area. This is a province in the Netherlands. Groningen is also the city of many music festivals. For example, every year there is Eurosonic here. And Rammstein recently played here in the city park. We got to know each other in the local music and rehearsal rooms. Marcel previously sang in other punk rock bands. Gerwin and Felix were in other rock and cover bands. And Benjamin and Marcel are neighbors. Which he persuaded to join us.  

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Oh man. That’s quite a difficult question. Because every band member really has their own influences and taste. But I think bands like ‘Nirvana, Rammstein, Rob Zombie, The Misfits, Danzig, Type O Negative, Metallica, Blink182 but also The Doors, Radiohead, David Bowie, Iggy Pop and other heroes definitely influence us and our sound.        

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

I always wanted to make music and sing. I started in my first band about 20 years ago. I still dream of doing a tour or being at a big festival. So who knows. But I actually love being on every stage. Playing with your friends is always a party.

Do you sing in the shower?

No, I don’t sing in the shower. Well when I’m in the car, or on the bike to work. I live with headphones on my head. Music is just as important to me as breathing and eating.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

We are busy organizing performances. It has become more difficult to get a place on a stage. After corona, many stages have also disappeared in the Netherlands. And organizers are more likely to choose big names. But we hope that venues and festivals will also give Dubai Coke a chance.  

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

We are busy writing new work and recording our existing songs. We expect to release a complete album in the middle of next year.  

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

A big festival like Burning Man in America seems fantastic to me. But secretly I would really like to play in the whisky a go go. Because there are a lot of my heroes from the 70s. Including Jim Morrison, but also Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix who all played there. That is real sacred ground.

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Also a tricky question. Type O Negative’s album October Rust is an important album from my teenage years. But also The Doors Alive. Now I listen to Zeal and Ardor a lot.  

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Oh dear, this is very bad. But I love watching the intros of old cartoons from the 80s and 90s on youtube. Like He-Man or Ghostbusters.. hahaha.  I think I can still sing most of them.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

I would prefer to choose a list of all my dead heroes. Jim Morrison, Kurt Kobain, Peter Steele. There is so much fantastic choice. But based on my spotify list at the moment: Zeal and Ardor, Slipknot, The Misfits (with Glenn) Goijira, Jinjer, Mushroomhead, Igorrr, Queens of the stonage, In this moment, Korn, Clutch, Rammstein, Placebo and Iggy Pop 😉 But maybe I’ll choose something else tomorrow

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

I bought from my first paycheck of my newspaper route, the single Three little pigs from the band Green Jelly. I saw them on MTV’s Headbangers Ball and loved the video. My very first album was of Iron Maiden, Live after death. And the Maiden album I still have.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

I would like to say; Keep going crazy and do your own thing. Whatever it is, do it with attention, love and do it together. And listen to Dubai Coke and hopefully we’ll see each other at a festival or stage sometime in the future.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Check: www.dubaicoke.nl

FB: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063536951682

Insta: www.instagram.com/dubai_coke/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6hiGahHQisNTYHK3nKR09c?si=a5DwW0VqTLyPFzmZsM_ZBg    

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Thank you so much for this interview. I really enjoyed answering the questions. And thank you for your support to the metal scene and of course to us as a band. On behalf of Dubai Coke – Mr. Red

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

Hi there 😊 The name “RISTRIDI” is derived from a character from the youth novel “Geheimen van het Welde Would” from the dutch writer Tonke Dragt. I needed a nickname for my YouTube Channel, which I created in 2007. The character was called “Ristridin” and I just removed the letter “n”. It has no special meaning, it’s just been a book that I read at that time. Now, it’s my common nick on the internet. I started with uploading cover videos in 2009 and since then, the channel had a slow but steady increase of subscribers, with now more than 20k subs. Then, in 2017, after having been a member of various local Metal bands, I started writing my own music and released it in 2018 under the name “OMEGA POINT”. These two albums were the result of a hard time for me. For the first time in my life, I had problems with my mental health. Music was my vent in that case. About a year ago, I decided to the project to my YouTube monicker to make the music easier to be found. The lineup for the new EP “Dark Solstice” consists of Mortos on the drums, Von Yanesh on Bass and Frankior on Vocals with various other guest musicians on some tracks. Mortos and Von Yanesh were my former bandmates in the Dark Metal Band “Agathodaimon”. And Frankior is actually the new vocalist of “Agathodaimon”. Due to me leaving the Rhine Main Area, I needed to find new musicians for taking the project to the next step – playing live. RISTRIDI now consists of Jonathan Rittirsch, who already sang in OMEGA POINT, on vocals, Daniel Brenner, a fellow student during my Sound Studies, on guitar and Felix Indra on drums.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Well, the original line-up as heard on the EP was mainly from the Rhine Main Area. The new lineup now consists of people I know to be good musicians. How did we get together? Well, I asked around my contacts and eventually these friends wanted to join me in making this a “real” band.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Oh, I love so many bands. My favourite for a long time was Megadeth with Marty Friedman, as you can see on my YouTube-Channel with mostly Megadeth covers (laughs). There is for example also Coroner, Wintersun, Death, Vektor and Symphony X, just to name a few.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Oh, at the age of 11 (2006), I for the first time heard Metallica and saw Kirk Hammett play the guitar. I was so hooked, and I wanted to know how to play like that. That’s when I got my first guitar as a present and started practicing. From 2012 onwards, I was almost always part of a band. First with Blackened Death Metal Band “Sektor”, then with “Agathodaimon”. When I left “Agathodaimon”, I started to think about what to do next – so I decided to transform my “Solo Project” into a full-fledged band.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Right now, I love listening to Ghost, old Rhapsody, Tribulation and Kamelot and Borknagar. Just a few songs from each band, but they do write some catchy stuff! I also recently discovered the band Set Your Sails at the Summer Breeze Festival. I love them!

Do you sing in the shower?

Haha, no. I don’t like my voice, hence I don’t sing in the shower.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?  

In September, we’re going to release the new EP and have a live concert accompanying it. And then, we will be on the lookout for concerts – hopefully, we’re gonna play some gigs and festivals in 2024!

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Yes, this friday on 25th of August, we’re gonna release the third single from the EP, called “Perihelion”. Then, on September 22nd, the full EP will be released.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

The Royal Albert Hall would be great! But with our current following, it wouldn’t nearly be filled, hence we have to grow some more to play in such an awesome venue!

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Oh, there are many favourite albums. For Megadeth for example, it’s Rust In Peace, for Coroner it’s Mental Vortex, and the list goes on. There’s awesome music in every genre, so I could go on and on, haha.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Lol, I do love some of the cheesy stuff. I’d say I actually like the song “Atemlos” by German Pop Singer “Helene Fischer”. I guess that’s a guilty pleasure.  

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

The Big Four, accompanied by some Tech Thrash Legends like Vektor and Coroner.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Sorry, I don’t remember it that clearly, haha. But it could have been the single “Can’t Break Me Down” by Exilia. Also, I once bought the Jay Z/Linkin Park collaboration during that time. Don’t remember though what I bought earlier. I still have both CDs, yes.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Thank you, everybody, for your continuous support! I hope you’ll like the new release.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

https://youtube.com/ristridi

https://facebook.com/ristridi

https://instagram.com/ristridi

https://patreon.com/ristridi

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

The band was founded in Arlington, Texas in 2003 by Blake Kincaid and Jared Evans. They were friends in high school and they actually met playing the tuba. We were on our way to a show and hadn’t picked a band name yet, so when they asked us for a band name I looked around the room until I saw it on a quote on a t-shirt Jared was wearing. And it stuck with us. We cycled through several drummers. The joke was that every show we played had a different drummer. We were headlining a show in Fort Worth and our drummer quit at the last minute. Jared brought in Brandon Keebler in 2007. He killed it in the audition, like absolutely blew us out of the water. He learned the whole set in one day, so we brought him in permanently. He introduced us to Chris Bell who started out as another guitarist but is our current bass player. We did our first studio album “Hard to Let Go” in 2008. We went on tour with it briefly. Jared left the band in 2011. We did an EP called “Immunized” in 2010. Our next studio album “Baked in Alaska” came out in 2016. Then we had three more back-to-back. A double LP “My Monkey, My Circus” in 2021, “Haunting Hominies” in 2022, and “Multifaceic” in 2023. We’re mostly a studio band now.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

We all went to school in Mansfield, Texas. We were all in the marching band together in high school. It just kind of worked out. The Dallas area is home to our fan base. Blake lives in Cincinnati now, so our challenges of later still finding ways to get together and make music even from a thousand miles away.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

We initially bonded over our love of grunge music. It kind of made us one of the last of the post-grunge era rock bands probably. We found that all of us knew Nirvana songs and we could cover them pretty well. I would say Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Screaming Trees, Aerosmith, Marilyn Manson. All of those bands we grew up with. Yet we also had an affinity for the classics. Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin, Paul Simon, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, RATT.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Brandon is the only one who has really made a career out of it. He does sound engineering, live performances, lighting, and studio work. His dad was also in a rock band so he was kind of born into it. Blake and Chris are teachers. Chris has another band called Playtime Rabbit. Brandon plays with several bands, After a Night of Unsettling Dreams being one of them. Social Hazard is mostly Blake’s child but he’s been playing music his whole life. It’s just been unrealistic to try to make music the only thing. I’m sure on some level we all wish that one of our songs would blow up and we could all quit our day jobs and rock full time. It’s just unlikely. No one has heard from Jared in years, so we don’t really know what he’s doing, but I don’t think makes music anymore.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

The real question is which one? We’ve all got playlists for days. I post mine to the Spotify page. Since it’s the Metal Asylum your listeners might appreciate some of the heavier ones. Facelift – Alice in Chains. Holywood – Marilyn Manson. Out of the Cellar – RATT, Aerosmith – 9 Lives, Ugly Mustard, Godsmack, Hole. These albums have been with me for most of my life now. Who is on my playlist? Rock bands your dad was listening to. Maybe even your grandparents at this point. I don’t believe that music has a fixed time period. Hundreds of years of music are at your fingertips now. Current is whatever you’re listening to, and if it’s new to you, it’s new. I do try to keep a list of about 100 new or “undiscovered” artists that we sound like.

Do you sing in the shower?

Yes. True story. I actually record my vocal tracks in the shower sometimes too. I have a 50-foot cable that I drag from the studio into the bathtub. The acoustics really are pretty good in there for some songs.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

We’ve put out 3 albums in 3 years. That was a whole lot of plans. Now I feel like we kind of spent too much time making music and not enough time sharing it. I guess our plan is to get the message out. We’ve got such an eclectic mix of songs it’s hard to cultivate a fan base that appreciates everything, so the plan is to just keep trucking along like we always have been.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

We just released the “Multifaceic” album in August. We probably won’t release anything new until at least this time next year. I’m not really a fan of the always-be-releasing-a-single phase that music is going through right now. At this point, we have 60 songs in our discography. If we had released them all individually it would have been a crazy mess.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Shea Stadium! Except it doesn’t exist anymore. Maybe Woodstock?

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

It’s definitely Facelift – Alice in Chains. I know I’ve dropped it like three times now. To be honest, I haven’t even listened to it in years. It’s not even my favorite to listen to. It was just very influential.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

The song “Lemon Tree” by Peter, Paul, and Mary. Somehow it was my most listened-to track of 2020. I would say most people find that unexpected. My other one is the band Flick.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Layne Staley, Alice Cooper, John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, Mark Lanegan, Led Zeppelin, Marilyn Manson, Courtney Love, Phil Colins, Matchbox Twenty. A lot of ghosts would be attending for sure.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

The first record I ever bought was Rick James – Street Songs. I wore out the vinyl playing Super Freak over and over again. I still have it.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Thank you for listening. Thank you for having a diverse musical palette. Thank you for skipping the songs you don’t like to find the ones you do. Thank you for coming out to the shows and believing in us all these years. Thank you for spending your hard-earned money. It’s truly been an amazing ride and we can’t wait to continue the journey with you. Let us know who you are. We love to hear from the fans.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSWDui6-L26b5Tg8yKGCL6w
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5i0eF8R20shSdjECNKOcJY?si=JXWXuAhuTP6EZVhcZeMuCw
Twitter – https://twitter.com/hazard_social
Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@socialhazardband
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/socialhazardband/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/socialhazardband/
Apple Music – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/social-hazard/291473646
Itunes – https://music.apple.com/us/artist/social-hazard/291473646

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Thank you for sharing! You’re amazing.

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Questions answered by Sebastian (lead vocals, guitar)

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

First of all: Hey metal maniacs, Sebastian is talking, vocalist and guitarist of Olymp. In fact, Olymp started out back in 2011, when Dommi (drummer) and I got a rehearsal room. We both played together in a punk band before but at that time we wanted to start something new, something more suitable for us. Soon after, Armin, a friend from schooldays, who plays the guitar, joined us and he brought our bassist André with him. Together with Mascha on the vocals, we founded Moral Hazard, a female fronted Heavy Metal band. However, in 2018 Mascha left the band and we started over as a 4-headed band with me on the vocals. Our sound became more rough but yet powerful. We thought of thunder bolts like the ones from Zeus or a stormy sea by the wrath of Poseidon and so we came up with the name Olymp, the German word for Olympus.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Yes, everyone of us lives in Augsburg a city near Munich, Germany. Armin, Dommi and I know each other from schooldays on; we’re friends now for more than 20 years! Back in 2010/2011 it was Dommi who took action and motivated me to find a rehearsal room to jam around. Having first some Tankard like alcoholic fun metal in mind we could convince Armin with that idea to join us. As you know, things turned out differently sound wise, haha. Armin formally played in a Crust Core band and knew André from his Crust days. André’s former band split up (luckily for Armin, Dommi, and me ;-)) and he was willing to play the bass. I think what’s really special about us is that from the first day on we had some sort of chemistry in writing our songs together and we’ve always been having a great time together.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Obviously 80ies Heavy Metal like Priest and Maiden but also early Speed/Thrash from Exodus, Slayer, Exciter and so on. But I think you can also hear that we’re big fans of earlier Metal or Hard Rock like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and even Queen. However, we don’t try to copy our idols. We just keep it simple in the sense that we do what we want to do. If one of us comes up with a riff or a melodic line during rehearsal, we work on that together and build a song around that.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Since everybody of us simply loves music, especially creating music, I would say yes. But no one of us plays his instrument on a professional level. We all have our jobs with music being our biggest hobby.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

My Playlist mostly depends on vinyls I recently bought or concerts I attend to. Lately, I’ve listened a lot to the Somewhere in Time album by Iron Maiden as they’ve play a concert in Munich recently. The last vinyl I bought was Rain after Draught from Tytus. A great album by a fantastic live band.

Do you sing in the shower?

Haha, yeah sometimes I do that. However, since I’m mostly showering in the morning before going to work, my singing practices in the shower are restricted to the weekend and times when I’m not in a hurry.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

On October 13 we will release our first full length album. Next year we want to promote this album with a couple of shows. Furthermore, we’re in the process of writing new songs, which will be continued next year.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

We have recently released the first single, Hades, of our upcoming album. Within September we’ll probably release a second single, so you better keep track of our social media sites 😉

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Athens Olympic Stadium of course! Where else?

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Yes, I’d pick Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden. It was the second Iron Maiden Album I’ve ever heard and it just blew my mind. Caught somewhere in time still gives me goosebumps every time I listen to this song. What an insane opener for an album.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Not really. Maybe some readers would agree that Turbo Lover is such a song. I really like that song, especially its live version. But in the end it’s about music and art. You like it or you don’t and that’s OK, no matter what others say.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Sabbath, Priest, and Maiden, each having their complete musical backlog up to this day but being in their mid 20ties. The show would extend over three nights, so that each band can headline one night and that the eras of their musical backlog can be dignified by three different sets. And to round things up, Olymp would open the last night, haha.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Oh yeah, I remember. It was Trash by Alice Cooper. It was the first time I went to a music store in the city of Augsburg and I only knew a few Rock artists back then. Alice Cooper was one of them and I blindly bought this CD. Well, I really don’t regret buying this album. By far not a bad kick off for listening to Rock and Metal. And yes, I still have this album in my CD collection.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Thanks for supporting us and underground metal in general. The metal gods will be merciful to you!

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Check out our link tree for a rather complete collection of interesting links: https://linktr.ee/olymp.metal
Explicitly here the links to Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube:
https://www.facebook.com/OlympMetal/
https://www.instagram.com/olympheavymetal/
https://www.youtube.com/@olympband2727

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there anything further that you would like to add?

Thanks to The Metal Asylum for the interview and for supporting metal music and bands. Keep up the great work. Another thing we like to say to everyone reading this interview: Go to concerts and experience smaller bands live. Talk to the members, have a beer with them, show them your support and buy their stuff. That’s the best support you can ever give. We don’t make music to hide in our rehearsal room and release our stuff only online but to play it live for metalheads who have the same passion for metal music.

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, the history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

The band name Necronomicon Ex Mortis is simply a reference to the Book of the Dead in the original Evil Dead from 1981. Mike Bala, the guitarist that writes most of the tunes, is a total fanboy for all things Evil Dead. Coincidentally, Craig Schmuhl, the vocalist, is also a bit of a horror buff. Manuel Barbara and Yusuf Rashid, guitar and bass respectively, prefer to watch things with higher production budgets and decent acting, and are therefore “lame.” We’re not totally sure our drummer Joey owns a TV, as he lives quite close to Amish country. The band formed more or less after Mike had a cache of songs written but no one to actually perform them with. A few phone calls were made to friends Mike made at Berklee and bam! Horror movies inspired death metal for all.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Mike and Craig live in the Chicagoland area, where the metal scene is pretty big and diverse. Manuel lives in New Jersey, where he performs solo shows with material off his EP. Yusuf lives in Toronto, playing jazz on drums when he isn’t performing mind-melting bass acrobatics with Necro. Joey is in a basement somewhere in the north Philly area of Pennsylvania. We’re all good friends from back in the Berklee days! Getting together was as easy as making a few phone calls and organizing schedules.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Necronomicon Ex Mortis has a lot of influences across the board; some may even be unexpected given the fact we’re a death metal band. For overall songwriting, we take influence from bands like Arsis, Black Dahlia Murder, At the Gates, Obscura, Decrepit Birth, Death, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Carcass, and Dethklok. For more influences outside the genre we play, we’re big fans of Dream Theater, Racer X, Dokken, Opeth, and Freak Kitchen. It’s worth noting that the 80s shred guys like Vinnie More, Yngwie, and Paul Gilbert are huge influences on both Mike and Manuel.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

I only had the ambition to play in a band and write songs. Practicing and writing is the only time the world makes sense to me. I’ve had the same “it’s this or nothing” mindset for my entire life.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

I keep going back to the old stuff, it seems. Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of the Odyssey record by Yngwie. Street Lethal by Racer X is also constantly in rotation, as well as The IVth Crusade by Bolt Thrower. In addition to those, there’s also been an assortment of records from Entombed, Whitesnake, Mercyful Fate, Death, Megadeth, and Warrant.

Do you sing in the shower?

Not really. My voice is pretty atrocious and I could really only pull off the Top Gun theme.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

At the time of this interview, we’re about to drop our second EP called “Silver Bullet.” The first single, Crypt of the Gorilla God, did very well and we were extremely happy with the results. In October, we’re going into the studio to record our 3rd EP, as well as (hopefully) find a label that would be interested in having us on as artists. Early next year will see us recording a 4th EP and planning a short tour.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Silver Bullet should be out soon! It’s a 4 track EP that really tries to capture a few different flavors of our eclectic influence list.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

This is an easy one. I would love to headline a night at the Worcester Palladium during New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. That was the first big metal festival I ever went to and it was a blast!

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

I don’t think I could pick just one, but if I absolutely had to, it would probably be “We Are the Nightmare” by Arsis. To me, this is everything a death metal album should be; great songwriting, technical moments, melodic moments, and incredible guitar playing. This was the first death metal album I ever bought, and it still blows my mind every time I hear it.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

I really don’t have any guilty pleasure music, but readers may be surprised to hear I’m a big fan of Dua Lipa, Carly Rae Jepsen, and The 1975.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

I would put together a 3-day festival with 4 bands per night. Thursday night: Firewind, King Diamond, Candlemass, and Arsis. Friday night: At the Gates, Black Dahlia Murder, Racer X, Obscura. Saturday night: Yngwie, Dying Fetus, Cannibal Corpse, Iron Maiden. A whole lot of these bands don’t make sense together, but this kind of heavy-metal cocktail sounds amazing to me.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money?

What was it and do you still have it? The first album I bought with my own money was For Those About to Rock by AC/DC and I definitely still have it. I’ve been a big Angus Young fan my entire life.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

The older horror movies are great and should 100% get more attention than they do. There’s so much style and personality, and it will bring you back to a more simple time in life.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Absolutely! We just started beefing up our YouTube channel a bit more, and we are most active on Instagram. We also have a website and a Bandcamp Page.
https://www.youtube.com/@necronomiconexmortisofficial/videos
https://www.instagram.com/necronomiconexmortisband/?hl=en
https://www.necronomiconexmortisband.com/
https://necronomiconexmortis.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mwhqFK69UHCSeS9YtzSer

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Thank you, Metal Asylum, for the interview! And thank you to all the fans and listeners. Silver Bullet will be out soon, and we hope you guys love it!

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members? 

The origin of our name, Haunter, goes back about 15 years actually. It was originally the title of a demo Jake and I wrote for a past project, but it was never recorded or released. We decided to use it as our band name. Sadly, and despite popular belief it is not derived from the Pokemon franchise although that would have been a simpler answer. Haunter was formed in May of 2021, originally as a solo project of our frontman, Thomas Grim. However, the project wasn’t made public until the release of “Dance Gothica” our first hit single and music video from our debut EP, The Grim Matrix in May of 2022. Around the time we released our debut EP, we decided that Haunter should become a full band,
rather than a solo project. We recruited dark trap artist, BLK//HRT (Michael Gilhuber) on drums, and Sonny Vega on guitar. Completing the band is Jacob Stone, the other founding member, primary songwriter, and bassist.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Tom, Jake, and Sonny are from West Allis, Wisconsin. Michael is from Cascade, Wisconsin. We are Wisconsinites all the way! Frontman Thomas Grim and Songwriter Jacob Stone are basically the Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of the band. Together, they’ve been making music since high school. Michael and Sonny had been members of our old blackened deathcore band, Archiver. So, it was a no brainer to add them to the mix. All of us love the same music and share the same goals and aspirations. When it came to finding the right members for Haunter, everything sort of just fell perfectly into place like it was fate or destiny.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

KISS, AFI, Motionless In White, and Cradle Of Filth — to name a few! These bands are why we love being theatrical and atmospheric musically, and during our live performances. We’ve learned so much from them and can only hope that someday we can get the chance to thank them personally. 

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

There was never such a thing as an “other plan” for us. All of us have had this ambition since we were toddlers. Music is forever entwined with our hearts and souls. Couldn’t get away from it even if we tried. 

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Great question!
Tom: Cradle Of Filth’s album Existence Is Futile. Cattle Decapitation’s album Terrasite, and The Backstreet Boy’s album A Very Backstreet Christmas. : : Sonny: My most recently, and most frequently played tracks are: 10:35 by Tiesto and Tate McRae, All My Life by Lil Durk and J. Cole, and UP (LIKE AN INSOMNIAC) by XXTENTACION Jacob: The albums on my current playlist are: Gallery of Suicide by Cannibal Corpse. House of God by King Diamond. Retrograde by Aborted.Terrasite by Cattle Decapitation and Nothing by Meshuggah. Michael: Amongst the low, and The empty by Signs of the Swarm. The whole discography of Sworn In. Transylvania 90210 and Horrifier by Wednesday 13. Women and Children Last by The Murderdolls. All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot. Feast Of Ashes by Dying Fetus. Jar by Superheaven. Everything Bleeds by Crown Magnetar and Gloomlord by Worm.

Do you sing in the shower?

Yes, the shower is nice to sing in, but we have a question for you… Have you ever sang while taking a bubble bath? It’s much better trust us.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

Beyond any shadow of a doubt. We’ll be performing around Wisconsin at multiple venues and festivals (especially the spooky ones!\y), including Slamoween 4, Saturday October 28th, 2023, in Sheboygan. 

We also have plans to write, record, and release even more music. Within the next few months we are planning to record brand new music video, and we’re currently in talks for our very first tour! You’re the first to hear that last bit of info!

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

We have actually over-written and recorded plenty of music, just to be safe, and because we love too, and because we can, haha! Our next single to be released will be “A New Voice For The Mirror” from The Real Phantom EP, featuring Sonja Romanov of The Maiden Voyage, and will be released this August or September. 

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

It’s not exactly a venue per se, but rather a particular festival… OZZFEST! 

We would love nothing more than to see Ozzfest return in full glory and get to share the stage with legends such as: Black Sabbath, Dimmu Borgir, The Black Dahlia Murder (RIP Trevor), Bleeding Through, Iron Maiden, etc. etc. etc!

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

As a band, our collective favorites are: Cradle Of Filth, Motionless In White, AFI, and KISS. We love each of their discographies because each release always has something new to offer which is something we strive for in our releases. However… The Backstreet Boys album, Millennium and Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park come close! 

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

NONE. We are never afraid to let people know what we love and what we love is everything from Eminem and t.A.T.u. all the way to Cannibal Corpse and Dark Funeral.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

First of all, the event would literally be called: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, and it would consist of:

KISS, MERCYFUL FATE & KING DIAMOND, CRADLE OF FILTH & DEVILMENT, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, AFI & BLAQK AUDIO and HAUNTER

Headlining at Madison Square Garden while Wrestlemania is happening at the same time! Music and wrestling! Can we get a HELL YEAH?!  

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Thomas: I remember buying Sisqo’s Unleash The Dragon album because I loved the hit single “Thong Song”.  7Ji. Do I still have it? No, but I would LOVE to have it on vinyl!  

Sonny: I don’t remember exactly the first album with my own money. But the last was Red Death Sabaoth by Danzig. 

Jake: First album I remember buying was Zao – legendary. It broke during a move. Michael: I want to say it was either Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast, or Korn·s Greatest Hits Vol. 1, and I think I still own both. 

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Life is a cruel game we all must play… We just hope that our tunes make things a little easier, just as our favorite music does for us.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

You can find everything you need in our Link Tree at: https://linktr.ee/hauntermusic666     

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

To The Metal Asylum, we thank you for this opportunity. We truly appreciate this. This was fun and hopefully sometime we can do this in­ person.

As for our fans old and new thank you for reading and please don’t hesitate to say hello to us when we come to a city near you!

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Answers by Steve O Leff

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

If we go back for about 10 years, Ste Vy Leff (now our lead guitarist) and I met in a martial arts class and I overheard him talking about playing in a small band at his place just for fun. At that time, I was your common basement guitar player and didn’t have a lot of friends I could jam with. So I initiated the subject with him, and soon enough, I was playing in his band as a rhythm guitarist. After a few months, the band decided to split and we were left wondering if we would search for other musicians or just jam together once in a while. At some point, we met Joel (currently our drummer) and we invited him to tag along. After a while, it just made sense to add a bassist and start doing a few shows. So that’s when we started as a cover band and therefore we had to find its name. At the time, we had no idea about the future of the band, so we didn’t worry too much about a “good” name. So that’s when we came up with the stupid name of Rockin’ Engine; because we love rock and anything with an engine! After a few years of covering our favourite hard rock and metal bands, we started writing our own music, just to see where it would bring us. When we released “Midnight Road Rage”, it was more like an experimental album; we didn’t know the exact genre we wanted to fit into yet. It’s only when we wrote our first EP “The Wretched And The Damned” that we knew exactly the direction in which we wanted to go. That’s when we met Jean-Pierre (our current bassist). Between 2018 and 2020, we had to replace our bassist twice, for personal reasons on their end. But I have to admit, I’m very happy to have welcomed JP in the band. He’s a freaking animal on stage!

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Although we did not all grow up in the same area as kids, we somehow ended up in the same region as adults. We all kind of met in unusual circumstances when you think of it. Steve Vy Leff and I met in our martial arts class. We both have the exact same name (first and last name, no joke), so it was very confusing for everyone even though we found it funny at the time; until we ended up in the same band, what a nightmare haha! Afterwards, I met Joel Bilodeau in a tattoo parlour. I was a good client there and friends with the owners, and Joel was an apprentice tattoo artist. We started talking about music and that’s how it all started. Jean-Pierre Proulx was introduced to us a little later, by a friend from another band in Ottawa. We were looking for a bassist before producing “The Wretched And The Damned” so I called him and we had one of the longest chats ever! The chemistry we have together is unimaginable. We’re all very different and unique, with specific skills, and combined all together, it’s just the perfect blend of craziness!

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

I’ve had several major influences throughout the years, but in the past two or three years, I’ve been very fond of Gojira and Lamb Of God for everything musical. The guitar riffs and bass runs in both bands are meticulously well-executed and super heavy, which is everything I love about metal music. And what can I say about the drums? Both bands use very particular rhythm patterns that really inspire me when I write my guitar runs for new songs. As for vocals, I’m a huge fan of Corey Taylor and the way he’s able to sing as clean as a whistle or as harsh as a tank whenever he wants to. That kind of vocal range takes a lot of work to develop, and it’s definitely something I’m working on as we speak.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Since I was like 4 years old, I’ve always been attracted to music. When MTV was a thing, the first artist that really caught my attention was Billy Idol; he was everything I hoped to be when I grew up… until I grew up haha! As a teenager, I played a lot of music by myself, at home, and I just loved experimenting with different instruments. In all honesty, I never thought about being in a real band until I was in my thirties. Since the age of 18 years old, I’ve always focused on building a career rather than pursuing my dreams, it just made more sense to me and it still does today. As the saying goes: Work hard, play hard!

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Well, I do have my regular “go-to”s like “L’enfant Sauvage” by Gojira, and “Redneck” by Lamb Of God. But lately, I’ve been listening to some killer tracks like “Shattered” by Bullet For My Valentine, “Amongst The Shadows And The Stones” by Trivium and “Indoctrinate” by Angelus Apatrida. Angelus Apatrida is one wicked band and we were lucky enough to open for them in Ottawa recently, a very cool bunch of guys!

Do you sing in the shower?

I definitely did when I was young, but now I don’t haha! I don’t know why, I just stopped at some point. I usually take a shower early in the morning or late at night, so if I start singing while others are asleep, all Hell is gonna break loose in the house for sure! Anyway, my kids do it for me, and it doesn’t mean it sounds good haha!

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

Right now, we’re focusing on booking shows and festivals for the rest of the year and 2024. We have a few small tours in the making, but we’re still waiting on a few confirmations. We have a pretty wicked Halloween weekend coming up with two different theatrical shows. We’re looking to recreate the stories behind the songs of our new album during our performances, with actors and props from our music videos. We might have a few special effects and maybe new stage props… just saying.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Since our new album “Altered By Evil” has just been released, we’ll take a short break from writing, and focus on performing in different cities and perhaps a few festivals. However, if the inspiration for new riffs or new lyrics occurs, I will definitely start working on it right away rather than wait and forget the ideas. Even when I’m at work, if I have a sudden idea for my music, I will write it in my phone, or even record myself humming some melodies that pop into my head. There’s nothing more frustrating than forgetting a great idea.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

I guess playing at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal would be freakin’ insane! This place is huge and it’s at the core of one of my favourite cities. The challenge would be to fill the place with enough people to make it look like an ocean wave coming right at us on stage. I’ve seen a few events there and I got to say, Montreal sure knows how to bring the energy.

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

There are so many, but in the past two years, I would have to say that “Fortitude” from GOJIRA is an album I can’t get tired of listening to from start to finish. The production sounds absolutely massive and the music is amazingly captivating. This album tells a wonderful story from one song to another, exposing the realities of the world we live in. Definitely, an album to listen to!

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Absolutely! In the past few years, I’ve dealt with severe depression and I was going through a really rough patch. I was overloaded with medication and it caused me to experience high anxiety and really dark thoughts. So sometimes, I needed some soft music with a soothing voice to calm me down and relax, and the album 30 by Adele really did the trick. There’s one song in particular that really twisted my heart to the point of tears when I wasn’t feeling well. That song is “I Drink Wine”. Even if you’re not a fan of Adele, the message in that song is quite strong and it really helps you change your perspective on life when feeling low. So thank you Adele for this amazing song!

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Having seen them live, I know for a fact that this show would be sold out! Three bands with amazing energy and charisma. I would open the night with Gojira (imagine that) to set the pace for the rest of the show. Following up would be Lamb Of God, to get the crowd loud and rowdy. And to finish the night, I would get Slipknot on the bill with high intensity and crazy visuals. These three bands know exactly how to drive an audience and make the experience that much better.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Oh yeah! I remember travelling to my home town once in a while with my parents when I was a kid. I loved to spend time with one of my cousins who was really into all kinds of music, but mostly metal. He made me discover many bands and albums I didn’t know about at the time and he’s kind of the reason I listen to pretty much anything nowadays. At one point, he had the entire Ozzy Osbourne library and we would listen to these albums on repeat for as long as his parents could tolerate it haha! My favourite album from that collection was Live & Loud, a live recording with all the greatest hits. So before I travelled back home, I absolutely needed that double album. So my cousin and I walked for about 10 miles (no joke) to the only record store in town and I bought the album on cassette with food money my mother gave me. Who needs to eat when you have your favourite music blasting in your Walkman, right? Yes, I’m that old.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Thank you, thank you and thank you! The genuine love and support we receive from our fans is just mind-blowing. There’s no better feeling in the world than having people come up to you after a show and tell you how much they loved your music, it makes all our hard work absolutely worth it and it motivates us to push ourselves even more. Without our fans, we wouldn’t be where we are now in our musical adventure, so THANK YOU!

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

Our main platforms for promoting purposes are Facebook Instagram and Twitter. We also have a Bandcamp page and most definitely a YouTube channel. We have a Spotify account that we use quite often to promote our music on social media since so many people are using this streaming platform. https://rockinengine.bandcamp.com/music
https://www.facebook.com/rockinengineofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/rockinengine/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/Rockin_Engine
https://youtube.com/@RockinEngine
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2t981sILvRjiJ77UA1tbOp?si=EJPW8no3Sgu-DOTRRfFRZg

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who helped us with our latest album. Dark Moon Productions and Light Is Art Studio for music and music video production, Asher Media Relations for an outstanding job promoting our release, to all the media outlets for the amazing reviews and support throughout the process, and most importantly, thank you to all our fans who keep supporting us in every way they can. Without all of you, none of this would be possible!

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Answers provided by André-Jean-Henri Mertens

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

I try to make long story short. The band name has no particular meaning but over the years you could think of some sort of riddle like the origin of the name from the book and film „The Da Vinci Code“. When you turn on a Cryptex record you don’t know what to expect. So lets put it that way, expect the unexpecting.
The Cryptex was founded in 2008 by our frontman Simon Moskon. In 2009 we released our fist EP called „Even Nature will be thrilled“. In 2010 we signed wait CMM/SAOL in Hanover and released our Debut Album „Good Morning, how did you live“ in 2011. From 2008 to 2014 we played over 200 shows around Europe including European support tours with Pain of Salvation, Threshold and an Arena Support Show with Alice Cooper in Brno, Czech Republic. In 2014. in 2015 we released our 2nd album „Madeleine Effect“ and toured with it in Germany and played Metaldays Festival 2016 in Slovenia. In 2017 we played at the great
70.000 Tons of Metal in Miami/Florida/Labadee. We continued writing for our 3rd album and released a couple of EP`s the Rain Shelter Sessions Part I and II in 2017 and 2018. In 2019 we signed a worldwide record deal with SPV/Steamhammer and released our 3rd album „Once Upon a Time“ in April 2020. We could tour it properly cause of the worldwide
covid virus but started with writing extensively for our 4th album „Nimbus“ which is going to be released on the 29th of September 2023.
This year on the 8th of September we have the honour to open the fantastic Prog Power Festival, Atlanta/USA. We celebrate the Release of the new album with a big club show in Hanover, also celebrating our 15th year anniversary as a band. More to come!

Band Members:
Simon Moskon: Lead Vocals, Piano, misc instruments.
André-Jean-Henri Mertens: Lead/Rhythm Guitar/Backing/Partial Lead
Vocals/Misc instruments
David Silesu: Bass, misc instruments
Markus Kleiner: Drums

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

No we aren’t. Simon was born in Salzgitter and formed the band in 2008. So the main base and also the rehearsal space is in Salzgitter. David is from Einbeck and also lives there. Markus is from the region as well and I was born in Dortmund. I moved to Rheinland-Pfalz near Trier in 2008 and studied music from 2013-2018. At the university of music in Hanover
I saw an advert that Cryptex was searching for a new guitarist in 2014 and I applied and luckily got the job. Since 2014 I´m a loyal member to the band. David Silesu joined in 2021 and was originally a roadie, guitar tech and also photographer of the Band, so he worked behind the scenes and got eventually in the first row as a band member, which is
great. Markus Kleiner joined in 2022 and is the youngest member of our band.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Simon is a big fan of „The Beatles“ and „Queen“. As he founded the band and was originally the main composer for the first 2 Cryptex records you hear quite a lot of Beatles and Queen influences in our music. David is a big guitar fan also, and likes Steve Vai and Devin
Townsend but also Prog Rock and Metal Bands. Markus is a full on Punk Rock fan and likes easpecially many German Punk Rock Bands, so that gives another approach for the forthcoming songs we are going to write and also the performance of older stuff. When I joined we became slightly heavier and marched towards that direction more and more. I´m
a die Hard „Iron Maiden“ fan. So since I joined The Cryptex focused also more on the guitar side and we really like Heavy Guitar Riffs as well as melodic guitar playing which you kinda hear also in Maiden of course. I also sing a lot and we added more and more in the „The Cryptex“ sound on the new record „Nimbus“, which I feel very honoured and proud of. I think the combination of Simons and my vocals is quite different and something new, as well as the music we create, cause you can’t compare the sound of ours to any other band out there, I promise.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Since I´m a kid and 7 years old my dream was always to become a musician. So I started working on that since that time. At first I wanted to be a drummer and started playing drums on pillows in my bed room and in the yard where I played on cooking pots. We couldn’t afford a drum kit therefore I thought about possibilities and actually learned to play it while
listening to my favourite music and just play along with it. My father said that I can learn the drums, but at first to learn a proper instrument hehe. He found an old guitar that was thrown in the waste and I started playing since then. I fell in love with guitar and with that old particular guitar, which I still have and would sell for a million. So I followed my path which I knew from a small kid ages one and here I am. Releasing my 4th album with a band I love playing with, I played hundred of gigs around the world. I did win a guitar award as the best young guitarist in Germany in 2011, called the „Robert Johnson Guitar Award“. In 2012 I
toured the USA and Canada with guitar legend Uli Jon Roth. I played with many different bands over the years and studied music (electric guitar/songwriting/producing) in Hanover at the university of music, media and drama from 2013-2018. Since then I make my living just with music, gigging and teaching. I also teach vocals, guitar, bass, drums and songwriting/arranging/producing. I´m also Education Manager for the Modern Music School International and Guitar Department Head and Lecturer of the Professional Program in Guitar, of the Modern Music School International. With The Cryptex I played great shows like 70.000 Tons of Metal, Metaldays Slovenia, Headliner Tours and another highlight for me is that we’re playing at the Prog Power Festival in Atalanta, USA. I also have an Iron Maiden Tribute Band „Ed Hunters“ where we played Shows in Europe, including France, Belgium, UK, Luxembourg and Germany. We played two times in London, at the Cart&Horses. So I just can recommend, always follow your dreams, despite the circumstances. Never, ever, ever give up!

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Puh, I have different playlists. But if I´m honest I hear so many different types of music, not just rock and metal. For instance I had a period when my new relation ship started where the last record of Taylor Swift called „Midnights“ was released. Back in October 2022, I listened to it on repeat. I also like Lana Del Rey and some Indie Stuff like Alt-J. I also like The Weeknd quite a lot, so even modern stuff. Shoot me, I´m still a rock and metal head. Therefore Iron Maiden is always on my playlist and I already saw 4 shows of the current European „The Future Past Tour“ which is again an insane tour of my favourite band of all time. I´m a Die Hard Metal fan so every alternate weeks I´m listening to Maiden. I´m also a big Ghost Fan, first saw them in 2013 supporting Iron Maiden.

Do you sing in the shower?

Who doesn’t ? Hehe, yes I sing in the shower. Besides the car the best place to sing hehe.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

We have plenty of plans. At first we are going to release our 3rd single own the 1st of September 2023 of the new album „Nimbus“ called „Devils Casino“. Then well be heading over to the USA and playing the Prog Power Festival Atlanta. On the record release day on the 29th of September 2023, we also celebrating the release with a big club show in Hanover and also celebrating our 15th year anniversary as band, as mentioned above. Afterwords we hope to play as many shows as possible presenting and performing the new album live in as many countries and continents as possible.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

I think I already answered most of the question. But we also released two brand new songs already with 2 music videos. The first was „Cobra“ in April 2023 and the second single was „Fall Down“ which we released in June 2023. The last single of the new record is going to be released just after the release of the album and is the title track of the record
„Nimbus“.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Tough question. I think its not just one venue I’d love to play. In my head comes The Madison Square Garden in New York, Royal Albert Hall in London, Wembley Stadium in London, the national stadium in Chile, River Plate Stadium in Argentina, and I think most importantly the „The Westfalenhalle“ in Dortmund. I was raised in Dortmund and my first ever concert was there and it was the mighty Iron Maiden. So in every kind of thinking the place I would choose first when thinking of my dream gig.

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Puh, again very tough to answer. But I think its „Somewhere in time“ by Iron Maiden. I think thats the most listened record I own, so it has to be that one! Next to it comes „Brave new World“ by Iron Maiden and „In Rock“ by Deep Purple.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Sure, who doesn’t ? I´m honest I have some old Pop Stuff when I was very very young, like 5 years old. Backstreet Boys I guess, and some strange compilations. I also have to admit that I listen to some Pop Stuff that isn’t metal at all sometimes, like Harry Styles, some country, some modern stuff. I also really dig Daft Punk and The Weeknd, so for me its
very important to be open minded. But I will always remain a metal head from the heart and the isn’t any genre and lifestyle I’d rather choose, if I’d be at an lonely island.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Wow, I think it would be a great show with some beloved musicians that are unfortunately no longer with us. I think the singer would be no other than Ronnie James Dio, and Freddy Mercury dueting. On guitar it would be Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain, Drummer would be John Bonham, Keyboard the late great Jon Lord and on Bass John Entwistle. Of still existing bands it would Iron Maiden as Headliner, with Ac/Dc, Rainbow, Deep Purple with Ritchie Blackmore, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin playing.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

I think the first album I bought was Rock in Rio by Iron Maiden. But it could also be Killers, or Dance of Death or Brave new World. I bought them around the same time and in the same year, so I don’t remember exactly. But yeah I still have them all.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Thank you fall for reading and taking time with us. Support our music, buy the new album „Nimbus“ and come to one of our live shows, hopefully in our town near you and listen as much as you can to „The Cryptex“ cause its food for you. Also Spotiy or the streaming of your choice, every stream or hit is great ! Enjoy Life, Love and Music.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

https://www.cryptexofficialband.com/
https://www.instagram.com/thecryptexband/
https://www.facebook.com/cryptex.band
https://www.youtube.com/@Cryptexchannel
https://www.tiktok.com/@cryptexband
https://www.youtube.com/@PHONOTRAXX
https://www.youtube.com/@spventertainment

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

I´d like to thank you as well for the interview and the great questions, it was a pleasure! To the whole team of Metal Asylum and all the readers out there, thanks for supporting music and bands and not forget to enjoy life, love and music to the fullest. Have a great one !

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

We Do Not Belong Here is made up of AJ Martinez (drums), Troy Bennett (guitar and vocals), and I, Nat Heck (bass and lead vocals). We formed the band in the summer of 2022. I had been trying to get a heavy band where I did lead vocals together for a couple of years, and Troy and I had tried a couple of times with a few false starts. This time, with AJ involved, the ball got rolling.

We did not have a clear idea of the sound of the band when we started, outside of the very broad descriptors of heavy and screamo, and I think that really worked to our benefit. We organically landed on, what I believe to be, a defined, yet chaotic, sound by pulling from our varied backgrounds. I have spent my entire musical life playing in emo and indie bands, AJ has been pounding the drums in death metal bands for decades, and Troy fronts both a folk band and a death metal band.

As for the name, we’re based out of Louisiana, a place that feels less hospitable by the day, courtesy of climate change and wannabe fascists.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Yes, we’re all currently living in Hammond, Louisiana, a college town about an hour outside of New Orleans. The three of us have known each other years and are friends. AJ and Troy play together in Faustian, and Troy and I play together in Troy Bennett’s Graveyard Lips.

When I brought up starting this project to Troy, he suggested that AJ would be into it.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

If you asked all three of us, you would get drastically different answers. For this project, I’m pulling from a lot of my favorite screamo bands, such as Portrayal of Guilt, Respire, City of Caterpillar, Envy, Ostraca, etc. As a bass player, Portrayal of Guilt is certainly the biggest, as I’m always listening for ideas on how to be more impactful with my bass parts. Blake Given carries so much weight in that band.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

I’ve always wanted to be a musician, and I started playing in original bands when I was 14 or so. In my 20s, my entire professional life was based in the music industry, and I honestly burned out a bit. I transitioned to being a public librarian over the last half decade while still being in bands, and the balance has worked a lot better for me.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

I’m not a playlist person, but there’s a bunch of albums that have been in heavy rotation.

Here’s 10.
Burning Shadows in the Southern Night by Necrofier
Devil Music by Portrayal of Guilt
Repetition by Unwound
Heavy Heart by MOOR
Dance You Monster to My Soft Song! By Victory Over the Sun
Black Line by Respire
Disaster by Ostrace
Null by KEN Mode
All the Footprints… by Envy
Derramar / Querer / Borrar by Massa Nera

Do you sing in the shower?

Nope.

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

Absolutely. Our debut EP, Strange to Cope in Today’s World, releases on September 8th. We’d love to hit the road to support it and play it for people between the end of this year and the middle of next year.

Beyond that, we’ve already finished nearly an album’s worth of material for the next release, so we plan to record the LP follow-up in the spring.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Yep! The full EP releases on September 8th, but you can stream the single “A Life, Explained” right now on our bandcamp!

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

I’m probably the wrong person to ask because my favorite shows are packed house shows and DIY spaces. I honestly don’t know.

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

Hm. All-time? Probably Relationship of Command by At the Drive-In or The Ugly Organ by Cursive. I grew up in post-hardcore and emo, and those two records changed how teenage me listened to and thought about music.

Christfucker by Portrayal of Guilt has been my favorite album of the past five years, for sure.

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Guilt implies I’m ashamed of my fandom, and I’m not. I love Celine Dion. Celine slaps, and I will not tolerate Celine Dion slander. Abba, too.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

This is tough, and I think my answer would change dramatically based on the vibe of the show. For the context of this band, I would love to see Ostraca, Respire, and Portrayal of Guilt on the same bill.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Absolutely. I bought Gorillaz by Gorillaz at the Circuit City in New Orleans East in 2001. My book of CDs is one of the few things I still have from my childhood pre-Katrina.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

The world probably won’t get better anytime soon. Find catharsis where you can.

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

We’re on Instagram @wedonotbelonghereband and on Bandcamp, wedonotbelonghere.bandcamp.com.

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

No, thank you for having me!

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum

all questions answered by Nick (bassist)

Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

The band name was decided upon when Mike (vocals) was looking through a thesaurus for words related to “grave” and came across Inhume. He thought it sounded cool, added the “D” to make it past tense, and that’s how the band name came to be.
Our current lineup consists of:
Mike- (vocals)
Liam- (guitar)
Ian- (guitar/vocals)
Nick- (bass)
Blair- (drums)

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

We are all from Winnipeg, MB. Mike, Ian (guitar/vocals) and Blair (drums) all previously played in a band called Laika together, and when that band split up in 2015 they decided to form Inhumed. Myself and Liam both joined the band in 2019.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Speaking for myself, I have a fairly broad musical taste. Everything from Darkthrone to Devo to Steely Dan. I also know Mike enjoys a lot of classic rock as well, such as Thin Lizzy, Molly Hatchet and Rush. As far as influence on our sound goes, I can confidently say that the entire band and our sound is heavily influenced by 90s death metal.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Music has been a huge part in my life since I was very young. I wasn’t always sure I wanted to be a musician, but I did know that I wanted to be involved in the entertainment industry in one form or another.

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

Looking at my iPod, the last 3 albums I listened to were:
Dissection- The Somberlain
Gorguts- Considered Dead
Devo- Duty Now For The Future

Do you sing in the shower?

Absolutely!

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

We have a bunch of local shows lined up all the way to the end of this year, and are hoping to take our show on the road across Canada as soon as possible.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

We have a new 5 song EP entitled “Feasted Upon Like Carrion” which is set to be released on July 14,2023.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

Disneyworld.

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

It changes often, but right now it’s probably ‘Under A Funeral Moon” by Darkthrone

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Not really. I listen to a lot of things that could be considered “guilty pleasures”, but I think music and art are subjective and people should like what they like and not be ashamed of it.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Carcass, Devo, Cannibal Corpse, Snoop Dogg.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

I’m sure it was Blink 182 or some other pop punk type stuff. I was into punk before I got turned onto metal, and that pop punk stuff from the 90’s/early 2000’s was my stepping stone toward the heavier punk stuff, which then lead me to metal. I’m sure cd is long gone at this point.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Thank you for your continued support! We appreciate each and every one of you!

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

http://www.inhumedcanada.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/inhumed
Instagram: Inhumedcanada

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Pick up “Feasted Upon Like Carrion” on July 14! Thanks for having us!