Not so very long ago DMB reviewed an album by an international Folk Metal collective called Folkodia. We scored the album, titled Battles and Myths, a 7 out of 10, liking the heroic/epic inclination of the songs. Over the past few days we’ve been in contact with Michaël, a.k.a. Saga, composer, guitarist, bassist and vocalist to the group. We talked about the band, how he joined it and how it works to write for a big musicians collective like Folkodia.

It wasn’t very long ago when I wrote a little something about a Russian outfit named Shturm. They are hot shit and so you should read that article if you haven’t already. I thought it worthwhile to sort out an interview with these chaps. Didn’t take long to get it arranged!

Thanks to Adar, vocalist and guitarist, for answering the questions and to Alex, from the band’s label, for arranging the interview for us!

Writer and colleague KevinP did an interview with our demi-god Tuomas Saukkonen, over at NCS. The man has passed by countless times on our website and is just short of having his own tag. Before the Dawn, Dawn of Solace and Black Sun Aeon are just three of the millions of projects and all of them are in high regard with us metalheads.

Kevin actually shared the link on our facebook, and I was happy to read the interview. In stead of watching with envy, I asked Kevin if we could share in his epic moment with Tuomas, and we could! So I’ll serve you a small fragment below and if you want more click the link after that. On top I’ll get you the video of their latest single Phoenix Rising and a link to a free download from Nuclear Blast.

About half a year ago we posted something about Welicoruss, a bunch of Russian Symphonic Black Metallers that many of you will have heard about throughout your Metal-loving careers. Today we’re back. Not with new songs, but with an awesome new music video as well as an interview with the band’s frontman / vocalist / guitarist, Alexey Boganov.

You may remember that some time ago CroOZza wrote a little piece on a Canadian formation named Karkaos. They delivered this immensely intense piece of Melodic Death Metal, with elements of darkness, Folk and pirate atmospheres, as well as a bunch of other stuff. Stuff’s definitely cool!

Anyway, one thing led to another and before we knew it we got into contact with Veronica Rodriguez, lead singer in the band, who got some of her band mates to agree to do an interview with us. That’ll follow in a bit, but first let’s present you with a brief overview of the band’s history, to give you some perspective.

After we reviewed Krokmitën’s 46-minute one-shot of Experimental Death Metal, Alpha-Beta, last week, it seemed like a good idea to shoot some questions over to the band and get some clarification on this very conceptual and freaky-as-fuck album from them. Turns out that when we hooked up with Simlev, guitarist, vocalist, main writer and main man, it wasn’t a good idea, but a great idea. To understand Alpha Beta you need to get back into the band’s history. And that’s precisely what we’ve extensively done. Though we haven’t forgotten the future either.

Honestly, this was one of the most pleasant and insightful interviews I’ve undertaken to date. Thanks to Simlev for spilling his guts and giving us an awesome interview!

After our review of their upcoming album Alternate World, we’ve decided to give them another knock on their door. Vocalist/guitarist Rafael Ortiz came out and was prepared to answer some questions for us.

In short, The Right Wing Conspiracy is this politically outspoken Grindcore band from South Carolina, the States. Their songs are short, intense and always contain a little twist that keeps the listener awake. They have been around for about 5 years now, and they have released three full-lengths and one split-album. After the jump, Rafael’s going to tell us a bit more about the background of The Right Wing Conspiracy, the songwriting process and their influences. So get ready!

[A short while ago, DMB writer Angel did an interview with Finnish Pagan Metallers Moonsorrow when he attended their gig. The original transcription of this was published on Angel’s own weblog, In Angel’s Head [Phones]. We’re publishing a slightly adapted version of the article today.]

When you talk about Folk / Pagan Metal, Moonsorrow is one of the bands that’s often named first. They’re from the Finnish echelons of the genre and have been active since 1995. Their name stems from a Celtic Frost song, called Sorrows of the Moon, however, they didn’t immediately start out as a Folk Metal band, but as a Black Metal outfit. An influence still heard in their stuff today.

Recently, I checked in with Ville (bass) and Mitja (guitars) from Moonsorrow, while in the midst of the Dead Tyrants Tour with Tyr and Crimfall, supporting the latest album release, Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa. They took some time out before preparing for the gig (drinking tea and vodka, in good Finnish fashion) to answer some questions about the tour, the album and a few surprises along the way.

[In early November we published an article written by contributor Havik Incarnate. It was about an unsigned Swedish band called Mudpusher, a band that has been rocking his boat for a while now. Today Havik returns with a full-blown interview with the band. This is going to be a hell of a long read, but it’s definitely worth your time! You might want to play the music at the end of the article while you read though.]

Mudpusher is as Metal as Metal can get. It’s been 3 years since its inception, and the 3/4^th Swedish machine has kept turning. In a clichéd and decaying Metal scene, few bands have provided the sledgehammer impact that this band has, making them a breath of fresh air. They have successfully continued to draw a distinct line between evolution and straight up rip-off, in terms of sound. After all, who else can match the sacred element of groove?

The plethora of ‘screamo’ bands these days? Please, their priorities are about what side they should don a fringe on every morning. The cavalry of mindless ‘Black Metal’ warriors? That sub-genre is a perpetual popularity contest to see who’s more evil, and nothing else. Mudpusher emanate more conviction on a plain ol’ bad day, than all those bands do when all combined on their best.

I recently had the pleasure to sit down with the band to talk about what exactly fuels their drive.

The questions from this interview date back to the time that I reviewed Loch Vostok’s Dystopian, which is a few months ago. It was lying around somewhere and still needed some answers so I contacted Lars from Intromental Europe. Within five hours I had it returned, answered by the one and only Teddy Möller.

So, today is the day I discovered that my favourite Loch Vostok song Navigator is about a GPS in stead of about God and that Teddy Möller is a very “metal” guy.