My love for the old school is no secret. You name the genre and I will tell you there is good and bad in all.  In the world of Thrash Metal, Exodus was one of the bands that were at the top of the heap along with Testament, Overkill and others. This is my second interview with Steve “Zetro” Souza and this time around I had the chance to speak with his son Nicholas Souza who is Hatriot’s new drummer.

CHECK IT OUT BELOW

RN: When I spoke with you last year around this time, you just released one song. Since then you released 4 songs all together and a video for “Blood Stained Wings” are these songs going to be on the CD?

Zetro: Yes, there is also going to be 6 songs on the record that you have not heard. It’s about an hour of heavy music. It’s fucking amazing, your going to love it.

RN: Have you found a new drummer yet?

Zetro: My son Nicholas is now the drummer. He didn’t get the job easy. He had to audition for the gig along with other people. I didn’t want to do it because I didn’t want people to think he got the gig just because he is my son. But now I have Nickolas and Cody in the band.

RN: That’s great, it must be real cool being in a band with your kids.

Zetro: It’s working out real well. He said he could do it. He started playing drums about eight years ago. Initially he was the drummer a few years back when we started out, but you could tell in a few more years he would be better so he kept at it and he came in a nailed it.

RN: You must be proud to have your boys with you and being able to experience some of the same things as you.

Zetro: I am really excited. Not just for me but for everybody. I am also excited to have them do what I have done for the past 30 years or so. This really is the next level. I think every one will see that when they see us live on stage.

RN: You might be the first metal band to have a father and his two sons in a band together. If there is a band like that I never heard of them.

Zetro: I know right, like the Partridge Family of Metal. It really wasn’t planed this way. He really had to try out. He tried out 2 years ago for us and it just didn’t work. This time he nailed it. They both are very well versed in their craft and they have to be because of the music I put out in the past. I can’t have these guys come in and play shit and just deal with it because they are my sons. The guitar players are so good I couldn’t have a bass player and a drummer that sucked. And some people might think this is nepotism but it really is not. I wanted them to stand on their own merits and they can and it shows.

RN: What’s up with Dublin Death Portal?

Zetro: The album came out August 13^th. The album has been done for almost a year. I don’t know what took so long for Mascot Records to release it. But I am happy that people can get their hands on it now.

RN: Do you see any shows in the future for D.D.P.?

Zetro: To be honest I have no idea. I know Chuck is busy with Testament and I am focused on Hatriot so I don’t know.

RN: You also did some writing on the new Testament CD as well right?

Zetro: Yeah I have two credits on the record “True American Hate” and “A Day in the Death”. Hatriot and Testament played a show together back in February and Alex and I were talking and just couldn’t believe it has been 30 years and we are still writing songs for the same band. It’s just great.

RN: You must be psyched being in a band with your Dad.

Nicholas Souza: Yeah, it’s like a dream come true to be playing with my Brother and my Dad and 2 amazing guitar players.

RN: How old are you.

Nicholas Souza: I’m 18

RN: Growing up, when did you realize what kind of impact your Dad had on the thrash scene?

Nicholas Souza: I always knew he was a musician but it wasn’t until 2001, we were at a huge festival called “Thrash Of The Titans“. You had guys like Scott Ian, Billy Milano and Chuck Billy and just all these people.  All these guys back stage kept coming up and talking to me and being so friendly. The crowd was just crazy. That’s when I realized that this was something special. That’s what really opened my eyes.

RN: When did you start playing drums?

Nicholas Souza: I got my first drum kit about eight years ago for Christmas and I starting banging on it. And little by little I just got better over time.

RN: What drummers have inspired you?

Nicholas Souza: I had people like John Tempesta and Paul Bostaph give me some pointers when I was hanging around the studio once in a while. That always inspired me to go back and play harder. Nick Barker taught me how to properly play a blast beat. It’s cool meeting these rock and trash legends and them being so cool and down to earth people.

RN: When is Hatriot’s CD going to be finished?

Zetro: The record is supposed to be finished and handed to Massacre Records September 15^th.  It’s coming out January 2013 than it’s world domination.

RN: Thank you guys for taking time out and talking with me.

Zetro: No thank you for spreading the word.

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT:

HARTIOT – “Blood Stained Wings” Official Video (2012)

http://www.facebook.com/stevezetro.souza?ref=ts#!/hatriot

http://www.hatriotmetal.com/

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Another interview from The Trespass America Tour, This Time with Lead Vocalist Byron Davis of God Forbid at Festival Pier in Philadelphia PA 8/19

RN: How is the new CD Equilibrium doing?

Byron Davis: It is doing alright. In a world where no one is really buying records it’s moving for us. It kind of surprised some people. That’s what we do. Not knowing what to expect on the next record. Our last record “Earths Blood” was more progressive, it had longer songs and we kind of condensed this down. We wanted to trim the fat so to speak. We tried to write the catchiest metal songs we could with out selling out per say.

RN: Was this process different from your other CD’s?

Byron Davis: This is the first time we recorded with our newest member (Guitar Player) Matt Wicklund. So recording this CD was a whole new process, he brought a new flare to the album Doc and I stepped up to the plate and did a little more singing this time around. I didn’t really sing on our previous records, Since Dallas is not here it opened the door for Doc and I to do a little more singing. It’s still aggressive it’s still in your face and it’s still God Forbid.

RN: This is you first release with Victory Records, how does it feel to have a new home for your music?

Byron Davis: I have all good things to say. As soon as we come out of the gate, they were down to make things happen.  They really put their money where their mouth is as far as getting us exposure and getting us some videos and just being really supportive and allowing us to do what we do. They just left us alone, we made the record and we gave them the product and they put it in the places it needed to be at. You can’t really ask for more than that.

RN: How has the Trespass America Tour been for you guys?

Byron Davis: The shows are awesome. In between shows, its kind of rough because of the distance between shows but everyone on the tour is great, Emmure , Pop Evil, Battlecross, Trivuim, Killswitch and Five Finger Death Punch. We toured with a bunch of these guys in the past so it’s kind of like summer camp for adults. Get together for the summer and hang out with friends you haven’t seen in awhile. It’s been great. Don’t get me wrong you have your good days and your bad days on tour but that’s life. Everything can’t always be good.

RN: The last time you played Philadelphia was just a few months back with Overkill and Givethemrope. What was that like?

Byron Davis: You know what we love going out with other bands from New Jersey. Overkill flies that Jersey flag high and I give them all the credit in the world. They have been around for a long time and they always stayed true to who they were. It ment a lot to us just being on the road with another band from Jersey that has been through all the changes in the industry. It’s different being on the road with older bands that have been to the top and keep going after all these years because they love what they do. There are a lot of younger bands that get out there after a year or two things don’t work out or they get discouraged and they just stop. And to see a band keep going even after the trend or that style of music died out is good.

RN: Especially since they made it through the 90’s playing Thrash.

Byron Davis: Yeah man they deserve a lot of credit. Thrash Metal wasn’t big in the 90’s at all but now is back. The wheel is always turning, soon something old will become new again but it might look different.

RN: What’s next for you guys after The Trespass America Tour?

Byron Davis: We have something’s in the works for a possible U.S. thing. But I really can’t say because is not carved in stone yet. I know we will do some more touring but in our down time we are going to be writing more songs for our next record. We have songs written already but we need to work on them a little bit.

RN: Is there anything you what to say to your fans before we wrap this up?

Byron Davis: I just want to thank everybody that has supported God Forbid through out our 15 year career. There is no way to really express what you all have done for us through the good times and the bad. Keep on the look out for another God Forbid record because there is definitely going to be another one and if you like “Equilibrium” you are going to love our next one because I think we hit our stride, we know what we want and we know how to convey our message. Every record will be different form our last and that is what God Forbid promised from the beginning. We are just staying true to our word.

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT:

http://www.facebook.com/officialgodforbid

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The Trespass America Tour is a great a great tour package The lineup is killer and with a few dates left I suggest you get to one if you can.  I had a chance to catch up with Frankie Palmeri of Emmure at Festival Pier in Philadelphia PA 8/19

RN: How is your CD “Slave To The Game” doing since it‘s release?

Frankie Palmeri: Slave To The Game has done very well. It’s has done very well. We have some great tracks on there that have been well received. It’s kind of a transition for what we are about to do, which is go back to our roots. It’s a little more honest and a little more laid out there. I think Slave To The Game was my chance to write for the band and now I think I can express my self and how I am feeling about things. The next step for us is to open up more gates and get more people involved.

RN: How was Slave To The Game different than your previous efforts?

Frankie Palmeri: As far as writing goes, Slave To The Game is not what I would normally do. I write from personal experience and things I’m feeling at the time or about myself. This time I kind of decided to use fictional people I kind of relate too as an avenue to express those same feelings. Rather than walking in my own shoes I put my self in some one else’s to tell a story. But I don’t think ill be doing that anymore.

RN: How is the Trespass America Tour going for you guys?

Frankie Palmeri: Trespass America Tour is awesome. We are getting to play to tons of new people. There is mad love and respect between all the bands so it’s going great.

RN: What’s next after this tour?

Frankie Palmeri: We are going on tour with static X in September. That’s going to be a great opportunity for us as well and then we are going to Europe than make another album.

RN: So you are already going back to make another CD. Why so soon?

Frankie Palmeri: The only time I hear people talking about when is the next record coming out is in the Metal and Hardcore community’s. In other community’s there are artist that put out a mixed tapes every other month or a new single every other week. As an artist I think we should always be creating content. Things for people to enjoy, videos music, its all content, it all relative.  If it were up to me I would be putting out a new CD every month but it’s not like that. You have to play the politics of it. If it were up to me I would have the Metal and Hardcore community put out new music when they want. And create music that they enjoy. But it’s not like that.

RN: Before we end this is there anything you want to say to your fans?

Frankie Palmeri: I know this sounds cliché but are fans are amazing. Are fans are really dedicated to our music and they are passionate about it.  They mean everything to us and they are the only reason why we are able to continue to do this. There have been days when I woke up and questioned if this is still for me and one person could come up to me and shake my hand and say thank you for coming to my town and that makes it worth it. It wasn’t money or a girl, it was some one out there that appreciates what I do. That’s what makes it worth it.

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT:

http://www.facebook.com/emmure

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