http://www.metal-zen.com Celebrating the Sublime in Progressive and Power Metal at America's PREMIERE Metal Festival Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:59:54 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Organizer Glenn Harveston again allowed me to be the official band interviewer for ProgPower USA. So, to Glenn, I say "Many thanks!" To all those about to read my interviews, I say "Get ready for an experience unlike any other in metal journalism!" On with the show... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/01/29/welcome-to-the-official-interview-site-for-progpower-usa-viii/ I spoke to Manticora’s energetic front man Lars Larsen about two weeks ago, on August 13. Our long, winding, and hilarious conversation covered topics ranging from his new foray into fatherhood to favorite books to the upcoming U.S. tours with Gamma Ray and Helloween, then with Jon Oliva’s Pain and ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/31/lars-larsen-i-have-to-fight-for-every-inch-i-take-with-my-singing/ Iced Earth is a band that requires little introduction. Since the release of their self-titled debut in 1990, Iced Earth has built a loyal, world wide following that has allowed them to establish themselves as one of the preeminent names in Metal. Despite constant line-up changes, label changes ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/26/jon-schaffer-iced-earth-has-always-been-abouta-way-of-life-and-a-certain-dedication/ No doubt about it. Amorphis is legendary, a much-loved powerhouse of a band whose place in history is secure. And not just in their native Finland, although they recently were awarded a gold record there for their latest releases, Eclipse [2006] and Silent Waters [2007]. Their eight CDs. spanning a ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/19/esa-holopainen-im-really-happy-that-we-are-called-amorphis-and-not-gore-fest-or-something-like-this/ Riverside is mesmerizing. Plain and simple. Case closed. Next? Seriously, in the span of just three full-length albums (a trilogy comprised of Out of Myself, 2003, Second Life Syndrome, 2005, and Rapid Eye Movement, 2007), plus a couple of EPs (Voices in My Head, 2005, and 02 Panic Room, 2007), Poland’s ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/19/bassist-mariusz-duda-riverside-has-two-facesthe-studio-face-and-the-live-face/ What can one say about Spheric Universe Experience (S.U.E.) that hasn’t already been said in dozens, if not hundreds, of reviews around the world? For a relatively new band (they released just two albums – Mental Torments, 2005, and Anima, 2007), they’ve quickly become a fan-favorite, known far and wide ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/14/sue-keyboardist-fred-colombo-perhaps-if-we-had-thought-a-little-longer-about-that-band-name/ It’s impossible not to like Iron Savior founder/guitarist Piet Sielck – even when he accidentally stands you up for an interview to take in a last-minute vacation out to sea. But it’s also hard to get upset at him when I, myself, did it to Martin Hedin of Andromeda (minus ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/10/iron-savior-founderguitarist-piet-sielck-i%e2%80%99m-quite-an-easy-to-get-along-with-person/ It’s a good thing Andromeda keyboardist Martin Hedin is a patient man with a great sense of humor. In my effort to coordinate the six-hour time difference between Eastern Standard Time and Sweden – plus do so using the 24-hour (military time) convention – I miscalculated by an hour. When ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/10/andromeda-keyboardist-martin-hedin-we%e2%80%99ve-never-been-over-to-the-states-so-it%e2%80%99s-going-to-be-very-exciting/ I love a great debut album. Some of my fondest memories are of the first albums from Led Zeppelin, KISS, Angel, Bad Company, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Marillion, Kansas, Dream Theater, Heart, Montrose, and Van Halen. I must be masochistic because when a debut album kicks my ass hard, I like it. I ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/08/pathosray-bassist-fabio-damore-i-am-a-fanatici-love-music/ During a career that spans some 25 years (and almost as many albums), Rob Rock has forged a reputation as being one of the finest metal singers in the world. He has worked with everyone from Tony MacAlpine, Tommy Aldridge, Rudy Sarzo, and Chris Impellitteri to Ken Tamplin, Gus G, ... http://www.metal-zen.com/2008/08/03/rob-rock-the-lord-has-sustained-me-for-a-long-timeits-been-a-blessing/