Sigh
Sigh has been going on nearly 20 years and has continuously been pushing the boundaries within the black-metal scene. Their eighth studio album, "Scenes From Hell," will be released Jan. 19. This release also marks the original album debut from the Dr., who was recently named one of the “Sexiest Women in Metal” by Revolver magazine. Speaking from her home in Florida, Dr. Mikannibal talked about her recording rituals, eating bugs and Sigh's new album... [Read]

Richard Christy
Behind the redheaded boyish All-American look and Southern drawl, lies a monster of a drummer. The good-natured kid with big dreams from Kansas has been behind the kit for such influential bands as Death, Control Denied and Iced Earth. With his newly formed Charred Walls of the Damned, Richard is ready to pound the skins again, all for the love of metal. Calling from the Metal Blade Records office in Los Angeles, Richard talked about comedy, his love for metal and his new band... [Read]

Ronny Munroe
Fronting Metal Church for three albums and a span of five years, vocalist Ronny Munroe and the Seattle thrashers played their last show at Rocklahoma 2009 on July 9. The demise of Metal Church left Ronny to carry on as a solo artist. With the release of "The Fire Within," Ronny has been forging ahead with tours of his own and receiving great praise from the metal community at large... [Read]

Lillian Axe
Hard rock/metal band Lillian Axe have been around for a long time. Forming in the late '80s, Lillian Axe have only had moderate success, while accumulating a faithful fan base through their live gigs. Guitarist Steve Blaze has been the anchor of the band from the beginning and still carries on with the music he passionately believes in... [Read]

Acheron
Crowley and his mates in Acheron’s latest unholy rendition, “The Final Conflict: Last Days of God,” offers eleven tracks of heathen brutality. Said album is the first studio full-length since “Rebirth: Metamorphosing into Godhood,” a six-year hiatus. The always outspoken Crowley spoke with Metal Mayhem in the following interview about this new album, his leaving the COS and all things pertaining to his band named after the Hades’ river of woe... [Read]

Andreas Kisser
Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser has been churning out distinctive guitar leads and blistering riffs with his fellow Brazilians for over 20 years. He's not the original guitarist, but he's been with the band since 1987. The departure of the Cavalera brothers left Andreas steering the ship by himself, with original bassist Paulo Jr. still along for the ride. Calling from his home in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Andreas talked about his new double CD, the status of Sepultura and fatherly advice... [Read]

Mob Rules
German power metal band Mob Rules are celebrating fifteen years as a band this year and have released their sixth CD, "Radical Peace". Guitarist Matthias Mineur talked to our Kelley Simms about the band's lyrical topics, how they conceived their band name and their musical influences... [Read]

Nostradameus
Relatively unknown outside of their native Sweden, power metal band Nostradameus is determined to gain more popularity in the metal community with their sixth release, "Illusion's Parade". Kelley Simms spoke with vocalist Freddy Persson about the band's friendship, playing live and why internet downloading could lead to the band's demise... [Read]

King Diamond
He recently appeared on Guitar Hero: Metallica with the rerecorded Mercyful Fate song "Evil" as well being an animated character in the game, has had two songs on the Brütal Legend game soundtrack, and has remastered and re-released King Diamond CDs "The Graveyard" and "The Spider's Lullaby," with "Voodoo" and "House of God" on the way. But the most laborious project King has been involved with is the making of a three-disc DVD, due out this winter or early next year. Speaking from his home in Dallas, Texas, King spoke with me about his latest endeavors, religion and his severe back pain... [Read]

Vendetta
UK's Vendetta are built on a solid metal foundation. With NWOBHM and 80s thrash influences; the band has created an ass-kicking slab of traditional metal on their sophomore effort, "Heretic Nation." ... [Read]

Amon Amarth
After dropping the name Scum and emerging as Amon Amarth in 1992, the Swedish horde from Stockholm have been on a steady climb in the metal world ever since. Being dubbed as Viking Metal for its fascination with Vikings and 13th Century pre-Christian Norse mythology, Amon Amarth create original, aggressive-yet-melodic death metal like no other band ... [Read]

Hostile
UK-based heavy metal band Hostile, with its Pantera-laced riffs and Judas Priest-influenced sound, are gaining some well-respected attention in the metal acropolis. Formed in 2006 in the Black Country, England, near Birmingham, known as the birthplace of heavy metal and home to veteran metal bands Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. The newbie outfit — guitarists A.J. Mills and Matt Waddoups, bassist Andy Mills (no relation to A.J.), drummer Gunga and new vocalist Jay — are determined to put Black Country metal back on the map. ... [Read]

Lazarus A.D.
Kenosha, Wisconsin is not a typical place where you would think a band with old-school sounding thrash roots like Lazarus A.D. would come from. Formed in 2005 in a state where people are affectionately known as "cheese heads," they grew up influenced by Bay Area thrash bands Exodus and Testament. They have been crafting their precision-like skills ever since and are now making the metal world take notice of their Midwestern brutality. ... [Read]

Cage
Forming in 1992 in San Diego during the dreadful grunge era, the American Power Metal band Cage stood alone, despite being unknown and unrecognized. After "Unveiled" was released in 1998, the band steadily gained popularity by playing prominent European festivals, such as Dynamo and Wacken. Five releases and more than a decade later, Cage is ready to catapult to new heights within the global metal community. Its new release "Science of Annihilation," improves the band's chances to dominate the metal scene. ... [Read]

Helix
It’s a long road from 1974 to 2009. Just ask the guys in Helix. The Canadian rockers gained popularity in the early to mid-1980s, most notably with the hit singles "Rock You" (1984) and "Deep Cuts The Knife" (1985). But a hard-work ethic, continuous touring and new material have gained the band a steady resurgence and allowed them to remain relevant in the metal/rock circle. ... [Read]

Saxon
Saxon have been flying the heavy-metal flag high for more than 30 years. The ambassadors of NWOBHM have toured in almost every country in the world, even christening the Monsters of Rock festival held at Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England, in 1980.... [Read]

Anvil
Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner are finally gaining the type of success they dreamt about as 14-year-olds in Toronto, Ontario, in 1973. Kelley Simms had a great-but-brief chat with hard-working leader, Steve "Lips" Kudlow, before Anvil's show at Rocklahoma.... [Read]

Ronny Munroe/Metal Chruch
Metal Church has been churning out memorable thrash riffs since its self-titled debut in 1984. There won't be any more, however. The band played their last show together July 9 at Rocklahoma, opting to go their separate ways to create or continue their own endeavors. ... [Read]

Enochian Theory
UK progressive rock band Enochian Theory was determined to form their brand of creative music on their own terms. They are inspired by such accomplished groups as Porcupine Tree, Rush and Tool, Enochian Theory's innovative, melodic and even aggressive approach melds a rich guitar tone with sharp vocals. ... [Read]

Hunted
You'd expect nothing less than an articulate brand of metal when you're driven by a passion for heavy metal and your inspirations are Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Helloween and Dream Theater..Enter Hunted! With roots in 2001 and Cwmbach, a little Welsh town the outskirts of Cardiff, the band grew into a “proper full lineup” in 2006 ... [Read]

Fashion Bomb
The Chicago-born band debuted in 2006 with "Devils to Some, Angels to Others," changed players a few times, then launched a new lineup in 2008, dubbing it "Era 2.0" to signify a new beginning. These days, Fashion Bomb is in the studio, working on a new album. Kelley Simms discussed the band's musical style, religion and soon-to-be-released CD with Val, Acid and Drone1. ... [Read]

The Heavils
The Heavils released a self-titled album in 2003 on the respected Metal Blade Records label, garnering rave reviews in Rolling Stone and Guitar Player magazines. They had a great local following and their live shows were met with chaotic frenzy, opening for major bands including Slayer, Slipknot and Fear Factory... [Read]

God Dethroned
Although subsequent recordings showed the band strip away much of their atmosphere and melody, God Dethroned still maintained an identifiable sound. With their newest release “Passiondale,” God Dethroned has returned to the sound that made those first two MB recordings such classics. “Passiondale” saw the return of two members, Roel Sanders and Danny Servaes, from the “Bloody Blasphemy” and “The Grand Grimoire” days, which along with a couple of clean vocal passages, really revived the sound from those two recordings. ... [Read]

Wacken Open Air 2009
Since the dawn of it’s birth, the Wacken Open Air festival has been hallowed land for metalheads of all nations. The trip to the small village of Wacken has become a pilgrimage for those who worship the extreme. Each summer, swarms of men and women clad in their black uniforms flock to Wacken to watch the finest bands in metal play to their most dedicated fans. What more could you ask for? ... [Read]

Cauldron
Cauldron’s main man on the mic and master of low tones - Jason Decay spoke with Metal Mayhem about the group’s beginning, his perceptions of their releases, and where the band is headed. Kick back, have a couple of brews and read about a band who believes in keeping the spirit of true heavy metal alive!. ... [Read]

God Damn
The French metal scene has imploded following the past five years, with acts rippling across France, into their neighbours, and across the water. We’ve managed to catch up with one such act, which appears to be taking the helm, emerging as successors from the underground. God Damn has exclusively been speaking with Metal Mayhem on their latest up and coming debut album "Old Days". ... [Read]

Eden's Curse w/ Paul Logue
After the release of their higly praised, self titled debut, Eden's Curse went almost instantly back into the studio to record the follow up, "The Second Coming". Compared to the debut, the new record is bigger and better all round. Better hooks, guitars, drums, vocals, production, keys, lyrics, songs, artwork and even photos! They've upped the ante big time! We caught up once again with Paul Logue to see how things are getting on... [Read]

Testament w/ Paul Bostaph
Legendary thrashers Testament have arrived back on the scene this year with a monster album that we have been waiting 10 years for! I got the chance to meet with veteran Slayer and current Testament drummer Paul Bostaph to see what he had to say about Download and the new record amongst other things.... [Read]

Babylon Mystery Orchestra
With the latest CD, "Axis Of Evil," BMO mastermind Sidney Allen Johnson has turned his vision toward the triumvirate of treachery and wickedness that seeks to impose its freedom suppressing will over the entire world: Islam, Socialism and the Illuminati. A future foretold centuries ago is happening before your eyes, beckoning for you to participate in your own damnation!... [Read]

Ahoora
In February 13th 1970 Black Sabbath, the true inventor of metal music, released their debut album. 36 years after that day, somewhere in an extreme Islamic country called Iran the debut album of a new metal band was released. Obviously Ahoora had no permission to do such a thing, and are actually outlawed in their own country. But anyway album was released to mark a historic event in Iranian rock history... [Read]

Alestorm
You could claim that since he is the keyboard player and vocals for ‘Scottish Pirate Metal Band’ Alestorm, Chris Bowes might be a bit strange, but you won’t find anything in this interview to support that theory!;)... [Read]

Made of Hate
It has been a couple of years now since the group members met as teenagers and decided to rock together. Since the very beginning, they were receiving very positive feedback from the audience while gigging around. The solid, energetic and skill proven music collected many fans, also abroad... [Read]

Shatter Messiah
Shatter Messiah's sound is a viciously intense mixture combining Hardcore, classic Thrash, Power Metal, and Goth, resulting in compositions of over the top aggression and melodic skill, with a flair for dramatic song writing... [Read]

Blood Red Throne
Norway's Blood Red Throne has been grinding listener's ears into sausage since their privately-printed demo in 2000. Their early material included "Monument of Death" (2001), "Taste for Blood" EP (2002), "A Taste for Butchery" Split with Severe Torture and "Affiliated with Suffering" in 2003, all released via Hammerheart Records.... [Read]

Destruction
German speed metal icons Destruction recently completed a full-scale U.S. tour with Into Eternity, Municipal Waste and Hirax, European festivals including a successful stint at Wacken, and then announced a full UK tour for this November with Onslaught as support on top!! The group tour in support of their latest AFM Records release "Thrash Anthems", and main man Schmier is promising something of a bonanza for UK fans. The said album is a reworked 'Best Of..' featuring a track-list that spans vocalist Schmier's first era in the band-the 1980s. Schmier was kind enough to answer a few questions for Metal Mayhem recently... [Read]

We are working on bringing the rest of the older interviews and features over to the new layout. Thanks for your understanding.