Tag Archives: Heavy Metal

SATAN’S FALL – Destination Destruction Interview

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Helsinki’s SATAN’S FALL has an outstanding new album out – Destination Destruction (SPV/Steamhammer). Check out my review elsewhere on this site, but if you’re in to SAXON, HELLOWEEN, or JUDAS PRIEST’s later albums – I highly recommend checking this album out. In tis following interview guitarist – Tomi Mäenpää answers my questions about the band’s forming, the making of and songs on Destination Destruction, and the band’s upcoming plans.

Enjoy the read, check out the new album, and links below!

Can you tell me a bit about the band’s beginnings, the band name choice, and up through the changes that happened since the band’s previous album?

Satan’s Fall started almost by accident and I’ve often laughed that this is a band that was never supposed to be a band. The band started when we played together with another founding member, i.e. our former guitarist Kride.
We didn’t intend to start a band, just to drink beer and play the guitar together, but when riffs and melodies started to emerge, we started asking more people to join us.
At that point, when we were looking for other guys to join the band, Satan’s Cross was chosen as the name. The name was meant to be attention-grabbing and maybe a little infuriating. At the same time, when we recorded the first ‘Seven Nights’ demo, some Mexican band managed to grab the name for themselves. Kride and I then thought about a new name and ended up with the name Satan’s Fall. We didn’t think of any Mercyful Fate connection at the time, even though everyone knows they have a song of the same name. Satan was thrown out of heaven because he started to rebel, and heavy metal has a similar rebellion against authority figures.

When did writing and recording begin for the new album? And what sort of direction or new ideas were decided upon for this new line-up and album?

I composed the first song ‘Lead the Way’ as soon as Final Day came out, so it was 2021. Then I did ‘Dark Star’ and Lassi (ex-guitarist) did ‘Garden of Fire’. With the demos of those songs, we approached record companies, which then led to a recording contract with Steamhammer.
After that, it was a bit quieter, because Ville (ex-drummer) decided to leave the band, as a result of which Lassi also left. We got new and current guitarist Ville Koskinen in the band immediately when Lassi announced his departure, but I had to look for a drummer for several months until I found Arttu.
Basically, we don’t think that now we have to make this or that type of song, but they are created purely by playing and feeling.
Personally, I at least want to try different approaches to music, as I did with the song ‘Dark Star’. I tried to see what kind of song you could build on one rhythm guitar riff. After all, everything else is built on top of that one rhythm track. I think it worked out well.

How do Satan’s Fall songs come together? Who writes them musically & lyrically, and what inspires musical & lyrical ideas?

Me and Ville, i.e. the guitarists, mainly wrote the music for the new album and Miika then does the lyrics and vocal arrangements.
Anything can be a source of inspiration, and it often is. Less often, I’m personally inspired by listening to old heavy metal to make my own music. I do notice which bands do that, because then they all sound exactly the same. Most of the time, things seem to arise by themselves and subconsciously. I don’t really know how to describe it any better, since I don’t really have any answer.
Miika’s lyrics are very much about the downfall of humanity.

Destination Destruction has an excellent sound, great production. Can you talk a bit about how happy you are with how things turned out?

We are satisfied with how the album sounds, but of course some things could have been done differently, but I guess everyone thinks the same way about their albums.
Our former guitarist Lassi was again responsible for recording, mixing and producing. Of course we also shouted out our ideas and how we wanted certain things to sound. The main thing is not to start repeating the same things we have already done.

You guys have an awesome 2 guitar heavy sound? Any 2 guitar bands you like to look up to or like to be compared to?

At this point, I’m not interested in comparing ourselves to anyone else or whether we’re being compared to another band. Totally irrelevant to us.

Can you talk a bit about some of the new songs – any antidotes or stories behind tracks like Afterglow, No Gods No Masters, Lead The Way…? Any that stand out for you guys personally?

Each song has it’s own story and you can read it in the lyrics. The listener can then draw their own conclusions about the theme of the song’s lyrics.
A song like ‘No Gods, No Masters’ is a pretty clear statement based on the name alone. Or what do you think?
My favorite is ‘Afterglow’, but I like all the songs on the album, because each song has its own place on the album.

I really like the last track ‘Dark Star”, a powerful track musically and vocally. I gotta say (if this doesn’t seem odd) the guitar solo (and faint keyboards!?) kinda reminds me of Neil Young’s ‘Like A Hurricane’. Love it.

I do not know. Neil Young has nothing to do with this song, but people hear things in their own way.
Dark Star was the second song I wrote for the new album. I wanted to try out what kind of song I could compose based on just one rhythm guitar riff. So the song has only one rhythm riff and everything else is built on top of it. We got a nice little extra spice to it with the synths and Ville plays a brilliant and atmospheric solo guitar at the end.

Interesting couple of cover songs as bonus tracks! Especially the Power Ranger theme, which is instantly recognizable here (my older kids watched this show way back). How did this idea even come up to record it?

The record company wanted two bonus songs for the CD version, so we selected a couple of our favorites. I personally don’t care for the bonus tracks on the album because they spoil the overall feel. There’s nothing worse than listening to a great album set and then after the last song a bonus song starts playing. At worst, they are some old shitty quality live or rehearsal tracks.

Can you guys tell me a bit about the album’s cover-art — who created it, how much input and ideas or suggestions did you put forth?

The cover art was created by Dan Goldsworthy, who has done covers for Accept and Gloryhammer, among others.
The idea was ours, but the execution was then completely in the hands of the artist. We didn’t like the first draft, but then Dan nailed it perfectly with this second version that ended up on the cover.
In the picture, people are walking towards the light, even though they are walking into a human slaughterhouse.

What have been some of the live highlights for the band over last few years – favorite festivals, bills you were on, opening slots, bands you’ve shared stage with and got to meet?

Perhaps the best gig memory is when we played the 2017 Headbangers Open Air in Germany to a big crowd that was very involved throughout the gig.
Good memories are also when we played a couple of times with Manilla Road (R.I.P. Mark Shelton) and warmed up Pentagram and Satan.

We also warmed up Primordial with a couple of gigs in Finland. After those gigs came the first member change, when singer Markus, drummer Tommi and Kride left the band after the second gig.

What is coming up for you guys in the near future? Any major festival announcements or tours?

We are trying to build a European tour for next spring, but the situation seems pretty impossible at the moment, because Venues don’t respond to e-mails or offer ridiculous deals where the artist pays for everything from sound technicians to drinks. We have a few festival gigs coming up, but no major festival shows. Heavy metal is not of much interest to big festival organizers these days, and it is unlikely that there will ever be a change.

There is a great hard rock & metal scene in Finland, can you give us a few bands or albums you guys would recommend to check out from there?

All Stratovarius material from 1989-2000, Children of Bodom’s first three records and Tarot’s first two records.

LINKS:

https://www.facebook.com/SatansFall

https://satansfall.bandcamp.com/album/destination-destruction

https://www.instagram.com/satansfallofficial

https://www.youtube.com/@SatansFall_official

SPIRIT ADRIFT – Ghost At The Gallows

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I enjoyed SPIRIT ADRIFT’s previous album, 20 Centuries Gone (2022), which included a number of covers), and Ghost Of The Gallows, this metal trio from Austin, Texas takes it up a notch. Based around songwriting, and vocals of Nate Garrett, who also handles bass, rhythm guitar and a few other things here, Spirit Adrift also features the lead guitar work of Tom Draper, and drums by Mike Arelanno, Ghost Of The Gallows is a classic modern day metal release. A lot to dig in to here, 8 solid tracks, all different enough and interesting enough to warrant many returns to find something more to like. Favorites include “Hanged Man’s Revenge”, the ballad “These Two Hands”, and the album’s epic title track which closes this. *Check out the press info and links below.

With Ghost At The Gallows, bandleader Nate Garrett has delivered Spirit Adrift’s most fully realized work to date; a record that confidently stands at the crossroads of heavy metal at its most epic and elemental and hard rock at its most honest and heartfelt.

The road lead to the album was nothing short of massive undertaking. Garrett has been weaving the sonic tapestry of Spirit Adrift since 2015, marking his own personal growth from doom metal and his much-documented sobriety to today’s sonic triumph with Ghost At The Gallows. The album intricately pulls together every element of Garrett’s riff-mongering musical mastery to arrive at a conclusion and start a new chapter for Spirit Adrift.

LINKS:

https://spiritadrift.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-at-the-gallows

http://www.spiritadrift.com

SAXON announce new album ‘Hell, Fire And Damnation ‘

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COVER ART BY PÉTER SALLAI

When internationally-renowned actor Brian Blessed OBE delivers a proclamation for opening track, “The Prophecy”, expectations are automatically high for Saxon’s latest album. Have no fear and make no mistake, Saxon meet and exceed them on their 24th studio album, Hell, Fire And Damnation, set for release January 19th 2024 via Silver Lining Music.
Biff Byford, lead singer and founder-member reminisces when asked about the title of the band’s brand new release, Hell, Fire And Damnation.
“I’ve had that saying in my head since I was a small boy because my dad used to say it when he was upset,” Biff smiles. “He used to say, ‘Hell, fire, and damnation, what’s tha’ been doing now?!’ when I was ‘messing up his cabbage patch’ or carving things into the kitchen table. It was a very ‘Yorkshire’ saying back in the day.”The title track unleashed today is a superlative British Heavy Metal classic exploring the juxtaposition between good and evil.
“There’s so much music out there about hell and the devil and the occult that I just thought it’s about time somebody wrote one about the battle just between good and evil!” explains Biff. “You can’t sing about the devil without singing about the good guy either, and the song basically says ‘make your choice’. We all have to make the choice, are we evil or are we good? The song’s about that fight. ”Listen To/Watch “Hell, Fire And Damnation” 

Hell, Fire And Damnation is an album which sees Saxon investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs yet. Biff delivers his richest vocals in years, Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter on drums and bass respectively lay down the rhythmic law with bombastic power, and the guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are fresh and fiery, a perfect complement to each other, carrying an overall energy and fury which will have fans salivating. Musically, Saxon bring it all to the table. There’s a furious tribute to actual heavy metal in the denim & leather coated super-sprint “Fire And Steel”, a wonderful nod to the NWOBHM’s birth in the electric mid-pace “Pirates Of The Airwaves”, but maybe the true treasure amidst the jewels is “There’s Something In Roswell”, with the sort of expansive groove and embrace which deserves arenas. Produced by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Accept and Priest guitarist) and Biff Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, Hell, Fire And Damnation strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal muscle which Saxon co-created. “I think this album’s one of the best he’s done sound-wise, and he’s done a lot of albums” Biff declares. “It has a really raw, vibrant sound… if you compress the total time making this album, it was four weeks tops… you can hear everything brilliantly, nothing’s overcomplicated, nothing’s over compressed. The guitar sounds are fucking immense, they’re just great, raw guitar sounds. And we haven’t done a lot of overdubbing on there, it’s just playing. I really, really like it.”2024 promises to be a great year for Saxon, with the European tour alongside Judas Priest and Uriah Heep kicking-off in the UK in March, plus the arrival of the heavy metal masterpiece Hell, Fire And Damnation.“Getting these shows in March 2024 with Judas Priest and Uriah Heep meant it made sense to push and get the album made faster,” says Biff, “so, we got on with it in haste and pulled it out of the bag. It was tricky, but I think it’s safe to say we managed it well. ”Oh, it’s safe to say alright!

HELL, FIRE AND DAMNATION WORLD TOUR (Part 1)

11 March – OVO Hydro, Glasgow (UK)

13 March – First Direct Arena, Leeds (UK)

15 March – 3Arena, Dublin (IE)

17 March – BIC, Bournemouth (UK)

19 March – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham (UK)

21 March – OVO Arena Wembley, London (UK)

24 March – Festhalle, Frankfurt (DE)

25 March – Olympiahalle, München (DE)

26 March – Volksbank Messe, Balingen (DE)

27 March – Westfalenhalle, Dortmund (DE)

29 March – O2 Arena, Prague (CZ)

30 March – Tauron Arena, Kraków (PL)

1 April – Wiener Stadhalle, Vienna (AT)

2 April – Roxy, Ulm (DE)

3 April – St. Jakobshalle, Basel (CH)

5 April – Halle Tony Garnier, Lyon (FR)

6 April – Mediolanum Forum, Milan (IT)

8 April – Zénith, Paris (FR)

13 June – Sant Jordi Club, Barcelona (ES)

15 June – Navarra Arena, Pamplona (ES)

17 June – Palacio Vistalegre, Madrid (ES)

1 July – Barclays Arena, Hamburg (DE)

2 July – Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin (DE)

4 July – Arena Nürnberger, Nürnberg (DE)

8 July – Sap Arena, Mannheim (DE)

10 July – Messehalle, Dresden (DE)

More dates to be announced

For tickets and more information visit: www.saxon747.com

Hell, Fire And Damnation will be available in a variety of formats and pre-orders can be placed at this location

Track Listing:

1. The Prophecy

2. Hell, Fire And Damnation

3. Madame Guillotine

4. Fire And Steel

5. There’s Something In Roswell

6. Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice

7. Pirates Of The Airwaves

8. 1066

9. Witches Of Salem

10. Super Charger

SAXON:

BIFF BYFORD – Vocals

NIGEL GLOCKLER – Drums

DOUG SCARRATT – Guitar

BRIAN TATLER – Guitar

NIBBS CARTER – Bass

Produced by Andy Sneap and Biff Byford

Album mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap

LINKS:

www.facebook.com/SaxonOfficial/
www.instagram.com/saxon.official
www.twitter.com/SaxonOfficial
www.youtube.com/PlanetSaxon
www.saxon747.com

MIKE SHANNON’s – A Ribbon Of Sand (Novel)

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My fellow Uriah Heep friend & fan Mike Shannon has written a novel ‘A Ribbon Of Sand’. As a Heep fan Mike manages to make a few Heep references in the book, as he tells me – “The book takes place in 1982, Abominog gets several mentions and pops up in pivotal segments. The album cover is also the focal point of a pivotal scene.” The main character is even shares the same name with longtime Heep engineer, and producer of a few Heep albums –“The main character’s name is Ashley Howe (😉) who’s a metal and classic rock fan, and there are several Heep song/album references, along with a bounty of classic rock and NWOBHM bands like Tygers of Pan Tang, Iron Maiden, Cirith Ungol, Venom, Motorhead, Sabbath, Purple, Witchfinder General, Thin Lizzy and so on. This music is the main character’s coping mechanism as he tries to navigate his precarious position in the backward community he lives in.”

*For more on A Ribbon Of Sand check out Mike’s bio below, and the back cover. Easily available on Amazon (hard cover, paperback, Kindle)

Ribbon of Sand is Mike Shannon’s first novel. He spent several years of his youth in the South Carolina Low Country; the culture and natural wonders are woven into his soul. His fascination with folklore and the supernatural stretches back to those boyhood days—and he’s had paranormal experiences signposting his life’s journey.

Before turning his attention to fiction writing, Mike had poetry published in various literary journals in America and the U.K. He has also had articles in several publications, including a major piece in the English music magazine Shindig. Finding music as essential as air, he listens to everything from Black Sabbath to Bartók. Mike has a Bachelors degree in anthropology from Loyola University, Chicago, and presently lives in Westmont, Illinois with his wife Julie and cats Scrimm and Magers.

SATAN’S FALL – Destination Destruction (a review)

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Destination Destruction is SATAN’S FALL’s 2nd album. This band from Finland delivers a heavy, 2-guitar, 8 song killer album. Full of big riffs, memorable melodic rockers, and anthems, and just a powerful sound with the production & mix. The first 2 singles “Lead The Way” & “Afterglow” were cool, but favorites here gotta be “Monster’s Ball” with it’s soft guitar built up intro before the band comes in, delivering a great melodic rocker (as light as it gets here), “No Gods, No Masters” with interesting little guitar intro (reminiscent of Saxon’s “Crusader”), before the band kicks in to a faster rocker, there’s a spoken word bit which I presume tells part of the story, and the last track is perhaps the best one here – “Dark Star”, some of this (guitar solo/melody) remind me of Neil Young’s “Like A Hurricane”, but dig this track. These guys even recorded a couple of covers as bonus tracks – one being a theme to a German TV show, and the other being the ‘Power Rangers’ TV show theme! Prior to 2020’s Final Day album, Satan’s Fall had released a few singles & EPs since 2016 – one of which included a decent metalized take of Kenny Loggins’ hit “Danger Zone”!

This is my favorite metal album lately, no bum tracks to skip over, a great listen all the eway through. Recommended to fans of Saxon, Helloween, Grave Digger, and and latter day Judas Priest. Looking forward to getting the actually LP.

LINKS:

https://satansfall.bandcamp.com/album/destination-destruction

https://www.facebook.com/SatansFall

Satan's Fall

https://shop.season-of-mist.com/satan-s-fall-destination-destruction-lp

Review SATAN’S FALL ‘Destination Destruction’

SVEN GALI release comeback album ‘Bombs & Battle Scars’

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HARD ROCKERS SVEN GALI RETURN WITH EXPLOSIVE COMEBACK ALBUM BOMBS & BATTLE SCARS RELEASED IN CANADA

SVEN GALI’s trademark blend of heavy riffs, gritty vocals, and anthemic melodies span decades. Cutting their teeth in the bar circuit of Southern Ontario, Canada in the late 80’s, SVEN GALI’s live show was a full on circus of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.

Emerging with a record deal with BMG, SVEN GALI released their debut self-titled release in 1992. From the first chord of “Under The Influence” SVEN GALI made their mark. Follow up singles “Tie Dyed Skies” and “In My Garden” paved the way for the ballad number 6 CanCon song of 1993 that also went Top 10 nationwide, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.” As the album went Gold, SVEN GALI won the MuchMusic Best Metal Video Award in 1993 for “Under The Influence” and was nominated for two Junos. With a worldwide release, SVEN GALI toured with the likes of Def Leppard, Foreigner and April Wine.

SVEN GALI’s follow-up, Inwire, was partly recorded in in Seattle with producer Kelly Gray and saw the band take on a more alternative experimental tone. The band broke up soon after the album’s release and played sporadic shows before solidifying a new lineup with original members Dave Wanless (vocals), Andy Frank (guitar) and TT (bass) bringing in guitarist Sean Williamson and drummer Dan Fila from former BMG labelmates Varga.

SVEN GALI’s new release Bombs & Battlescars through Canadian label, Music In Motion Ent, combines the best of both SVEN GALI eras. The album contains five new originals. “One Gun” is a relentless driver that sets the battlefield ablaze with its blistering guitar work and commanding vocals. The massive groove of “Coming Home” and fierce anthem “Monster” showcase Sven Gali’s unapologetic attitude while the sonic prowess of “Life Inside” stands side by side with any current alternative metal peers. Closer “Nothing New” showcases the melodic side of the band with a catchy acoustic groove.

Bombs & Battlescars also brings the band full circle with a cover of Triumph’s “Spellbound.” Recorded at Toronto’s Metalworks studio where many of SVEN GALI’s early songs were recorded and demoed, acclaimed Coney Hatch frontman Andy Curran produced the track bringing the song into the modern age. Triumph drummer Gil Moore also appears in the video. The album is filled out with three remastered unreleased tracks from the band’s 90’s recording vault.

Bombs & Battlescars is out now, for both physical and streaming. Videos for “One Gun” and “Monster” are presently available online. The band’s third single, “Coming Home,” is set to coincide with the international release of Bombs & Battlescars on Feb 02, 2024. This date will also feature the debut of “Coming Home” mixed in Dolby Atmos (courtesy of Iguana Studios in Toronto ON) along with a new video for the single.

Bombs & Battle scars on CD and limited edition army green vinyl are available through retail. Signed CDs and LPs are available through their web store. *Watch for the Record Store Day release of Sven Gali’s 1992 debut on marble purple vinyl on November 24!

*Go to Svengali.ca for social media links, videos, merchandise and shows.

Metal Mike issues ‘A Hair Metal Journey’.

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‘Metal’ Mike has written his own story on the 80s Metal bands he grew up with and interviewed. Independently published, at 214 pages, and available on Amazon for a mere $15! Check it out. Also, check out the press info below and links at the bottom.

80’s Glam Metalcast podcaster, “Metal” Mike, takes the reader on a journey through Hair Metal’s highs and lows, from 1986 to 1991. “A Hair Metal Journey” is loaded with stories about Metal’s glory days from past and current members of bands like KISS, RATT, Winger, Dokken, Britny Fox and more! You get a peak behind the scenes of Hair Metal’s classic albums and tours. All along the way, the author looks at back at his own 80’s adolescent journey, going to EPIC concerts, and keeping up with all the head banging fandom that came along with this legendary genre!

The rockers tell similar stories that help paint the picture of what it took for them to get to the top and stay there. It seemed liked the party would stay wild forever until it all came to a clashing halt in 1991. Many reflect on the challenges they faced as Hair Metal got bloated and Grunge emerged. “It’s a breath of fresh air to see someone like Mike release a book that is based on true research and experience.This guy knows his stuff when it comes to Glam Metal. He is a true fan of the genre and proves without a doubt, that his knowledge is deep and genuine. He knows how to ask the right questions and give credit where it is due to the bands who created this genre of Rock music. Great job Mike!!!!” – Steve Blaze (Lillian Axe)

“80’s Glam Metalcast podcaster Metal Mike knows what people want to hear about when he does interviews. That’s what makes his interviews interesting and fun to read.” – Olivier (Editor-In-Chief, Sleaze Roxx)

“Mike the 80’s Metal Man will take you back 40 years. Back when the music had balls, the hair had spray, and bands knew how to party their arses off and entertain a crowd for a cheap price. Bring me back Mike!” – Doc “Killdrums” Wacholz(Savatage/Reverence)

“From one Hair Metal fanatic to another, Mike’s knowledge, passion, and commitment to Rock n Roll’s most exciting, flamboyant, and decadent era is completely unparalleled” – Rob Wylde (Midnite City/Ex Tigertailz)

“Hair Metal Mike knows his shit! He knows how to take you on a trip to way back when. He’s always tasteful in how he gets the artists and readers involved.” – Chris Laney (Pretty Maids)

“I love Metal Mike’s insights into the history, songwriting, and musicianship of my favorite bands. I’ve always been a fan of this music… but I’ve never learned so much as I have from Mike. That’s what makes this book so fantastic. It’s not only packed with more insight, knowledge, and appreciation than could ever fit in a single podcast episode, it’s chock full of Mike’s personal stories and experiences. This is a book not just for the Metalcast audience, but for anyone who loved this music when it first came out… and still loves it today.” – Chad Gervich (Co-Executive Producer, “I Wanna Rock: The 80s Metal Dream)”

LNKS:

https://www.facebook.com/80sglammetalcast

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPIOdVmAzIR6RTfkExogf-w

HELLOWEEN – KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS: PART I reissued on splatter vinyl

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Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I is the second studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1987. It marks the first appearance of vocalist Michael Kiske, and is considered the album that created the genre of European-style power metal. Now as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations for Noise, this classic album gets a limited edition reissue on splatter vinyl with album cover poster.

Loudwire named the album at third in their list “Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time” and commented the album is “a tireless LP and perhaps the first genuine power metal album.” ThoughtCo also named the album in their list “Essential Power Metal Albums.”

Tracklisting:

Side A
Initiation
I’m Alive
A Little Time
Twilight Of The Gods
A Tale That Wasn’t Right

Side B
Future World
Halloween
Follow The Sign

To Order – https://helloween.lnk.to/kotskpt1

DOKKEN – An interview with Jon Levin on Heaven Comes Down

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DOKKEN‘s new album Heaven Comes Down is now out. The band has released 3 singles from it, and has upcoming shows in the US in November (dates can be found at www.dokken.net). I recently exchanged questions and answers with guitarist & songwriter Jon Levin about Heaven Comes Down and a bit about his past. As well I’ve added on a brief exchange I had with co-producer/engineer Bill Palmer. Enjoy the read, check out the clips & the new album, as well as the links below!

Heaven Comes Down is the first Dokken album in 10 years. Can you kinda talk about some of the things that went on over the last several years that set the band back (health issues..)?

Yes, unfortunately we had some physical issues to overcome, but
everything seemed to work out! For me, no matter what happens I always
look at it as there are other people that have far worse, so I just keep on
plugging along and try and keep a smile on my face and move forward.

How did Heaven Comes Down come together, as far putting songs
together, recording time, and signing with Silver Lining?

In the past Don and I would always get together and write collaboratively. But due to the Covid pandemic, on this particular album, we were not able to do that so we both wrote independently in our own studios and would email each other ideas. After the Covid vaccine was available, Don flew out to me and I would play music that I had here and we would work. It was a completely different process than we had in the past as in the past we would always get together, because Don used to live near me. As far as Silver Lining, I knew Rod Kukla, who is a VP at the label since I owned a label of my own back in the late ’90’s. We ran into each other when Dokken played the Wacken Open Air Festival in 2018 and that’s how it came about.

https://www.hellfire-magazin.de/02-08-2018-dokken-live-wacken-2018/

How does a Dokken song come to the recording stage – do you guys
collaborate or write separately and bring ideas in? Are lyrics usually or
always Don’s or do you both contribute fully written songs?

Well, it was during Covid and we were all quarantined. I spent a lot of time in my home studio, writing and recording and Don did the same on his end. I think the vibe of the world created from the Covid pandemic created musical inspiration for me. We would work via the internet. At some point after the vaccines were available, Don came out to my house and we worked in my studio. We have a truly special writing chemistry together. He is my musical soulmate. As far as lyrics, Don writes them on his own. Sometimes I play him a track and he comes up with them on the spot!

Heaven Comes Down is a solid hard rock album, and although there’s no
blazing metal anthems (ala ’80s), the songs really suit Don’s vocals. Can
you tell me if what sort of ideas or directions you guys discussed taking on this album?

We both wanted a heavier record but you just write and it is what it is. You can’t really force anything. Somehow on this one, I think we just managed to get lightning in a bottle. Since I am a long time Dokken fan, I think that I naturally write in a style that fits into the direction that seems to work. I understand that the music needs to fit into what fans are used to hearing from us and if I come up with something that I don’t think fits, I usually won’t even play it for Don. That said, I had the tracks for “Over the Mountain” and “Saving Grace” – neither of which I were going to play for Don; I said, “hey, I have 2 tracks that I don’t think will work”, and Don said play them for me anyway, so I did. As soon as he heard ‘Over The Mountain’, he sang the first line of the song and said it reminds him of old Gary Moore, “I like it.” So he finished it right then! Same for “Saving Grace”. They were both supposed to be throwaways.

Can you give me any stories, antidotes, … on some of the tracks(?) I love
‘Gypsy’ (and Don’s story behind it), but also ‘Fugitive’, ‘I’ll Never Give
Up’, ‘Saving Grace’… Any tracks you’re particularly excited about?

For ‘Fugitive’, the intro riff came to me while on an airplane and it stuck in my head. When I got off the plane, I immediately sang it into my voice recorder. I demoed up the track and Don came out to my house and I played if for him. Here’s what amazes me about Don. There was a mic set up in front of him while he was listening to it and he started singing the lyrics and melodies to Fugitive on his first listening. Right off the top of his head he sang “I’m a Fugitive from life.” Fortunately, I was recording while he was singing. I knew I loved it right away and said , dude that’s freakin great!!!! Don is much more than a singer. He is a true instrumentalists and musician. It’s remarkable to watch him come up with lyrics and melodies on the fly like that. I’ve never seen anyone else do that. It’s truly something to see and it’s really exciting when we’re in a room together and that happens. We have a truly special writing chemistry together. About 4- 5 tracks came together that same way, one of which was “Gypsy”.

One track that really stands out is the last one – ‘Santa Fe’. Love the song and ending the album with such a unique song. Can you tell me a bit about putting that one together, and how it suits the record?

I had nothing to do with ‘Santa Fe’. Don did that one alone on his end and
our engineer Bill Palmer played guitar on it. Don sent it to me and asked if I wanted to redo the guitar parts. I thought it was great and told him there is no reason for me to replay this.

Having such a lengthy and cool catalogue of songs to choose from, is it a challenge to put together a Dokken live set, particularly when you have something new out?

It is a challenge, because if we add a new song in, that means we have to
take a classic song out. Either way someone is upset. We will be playing
songs from ‘Heaven Comes Down’ for sure though.

Over that time away from recording any new Dokken (prior to Heaven
Comes Down), were you involved in anything else (recording-wise…)?

I am constantly recording. I amassed about 2 other records worth of
material during COVID. It is just not the right material to present for
Dokken. I just write what I like. Sometimes I record ideas I like but for
example, they are more instrumental, or stylistically, just not the right
direction for Dokken.

Going back to your time before Dokken, can you tell me what sort of bands (any recordings) you were involved in, and can you talk about what lead you to go in law, And then get back in to playing in bands (w/ Dokken) in the early 2000s?

Before Dokken I played with Doro in the late ’80s. After that, I was in
another band that got signed to Atlantic records which also was ’80s rock type material. After that didn’t work out, I moved to Los Angeles and had yet another band. Then grunge rock hit the scene and as soon as that happened there was really no more guitar soloing. I didn’t know what to do so I went to law school. It was just by chance that one day in 1998 Jeff Pilson called me and asked if I would play some solos. When I got that message, I was at my father’s house for dinner and he convinced me to go down and play. I really didn’t want to because I hadn’t played much Guitar for years at that point. I had a record label and a law practice. I had no idea it was for Dokken or frankly, I never would have gone. When I went to the studio to my surprise the whole band was there. I was still in a suit and tie from having been at work that day! I remember Don opened up the studio door, handed me a Guitar and told me to play. I ended up playing a solo on the demo for what later became “Maddest Hatter”, and on a song called the “Irish Song”, which was released as a bonus track in Japan. A few weeks after that Jeff called me and asked if I could play a show at the Dallas Starplex with the band on July 4, 1998, which I ended up doing.

Can you give me a few of your favorite players and bands from growing up, as well as a ‘top 10’ favorite albums from your younger years?

Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Randy Rhoads, George
Lynch, Michael Schenker and Nuno Bettencourt. Favorite albums, in no
particular order:

  1. Van Halen
  2. Van Halen II
  3. Van Halen “Fair Warning”
  4. Van Halen, “Diver Down”
  5. Ozzy Osbourne, Blizzard of Ozz
  6. Ozzy Osbourne, Diary of a Madman
  7. Lynyrd Skynyrd, “One More For The Road”
  8. Dokken, “Tooth N Nail”
  9. Dokken, “Under Lock And Key”
  10. Dokken, “Back For The Attack”

What are you listening to these days?

I just go on Youtube and find live clips of bands I like Jimi Hendrix, Michael Schenker, Eric Gales, Joe Bonamassa, etc…

From BILL PALMER : Bill Palmer co-produced Heaven Comes Down, as well he played the acoustic guitars on the final cut “Santa Fe” (something I hadn’t realized when I sent questions to Jon). I wrote Bill and he was kind enough to give some insight to the song, and it’s direction. Bill works as a producer & engineer out of Austin, TX, as well as his studio in the border town of Terlingua. “There’s an old church that I make a lot of records in. People come out here to get the desert border vibes. It’s magical! Very remote.” Bill is on Instagram (see below), and I’ve tagged on a local article about him. I asked Bill how the track “Santa Fe” came about, and kept as just an acoustic song to close the album – “Don had the idea that he wanted to do an acoustic “western” type song that painted a picture of his life and his move to the desert, a sort of spiritual journey. It doesn’t really have a chorus until maybe the very end. It just unfolds, much like his life….Don told me what chords he wanted, and I played the part. When it was all said and done, they liked what I played, and we left it”.…I like it. If anything, I hope he might do more of this type of songs in the future. “We’ve discussed it. The way his voice sounds nowadays really suits that type of sound.” I think that would be an awesome direction for him, especially with story-type things like ‘Santa Fe’, and ‘Gypsy’ or ‘Fugitive’ – “When we were starting to make the record, Don and I discussed songwriting and how he had so much to say. Hence the story songs on this one.”

https://www.instagram.com/billpalmer73/ https://www.abqjournal.com/things-to-do/from-writing-to-producing-bill-palmer-is-a-creative-force/article_4ff4effe-11c9-5229-abb2-99bbfa7beab4.html

LINKS:

https://dokken.tmstor.es/

https://www.facebook.com/DokkenOfficial

https://www.instagram.com/dokken_official/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/officialjonlevin/

https://www.instagram.com/jonlevinofficial/

https://allthatshreds.com/jon-levin-rokken-with-dokkens-axe-master-the-interview/

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/don_dokken_details_bands_health_troubles_they_wanted_to_cut_off_his_arm.html

https://blabbermouth.net/news/don-dokken-is-very-proud-of-upcoming-dokken-album-heaven-comes-down

DORO covers Bonnie Tyler hit on new album, w/ ROB HALFORD

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DORO’s brand new album Conqueress – Forever Strong And Proud features a duet with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford on a cover of Bonnie Tyler’s hot “Total Eclipse Of The Heart”. Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler recorded in 1983, penned & produced by Jim Steinman for her. The song was a #1 hit in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and a few others. German metal singer Doro (Pesche) also shares vocals with Halford on a cover of Judas Priest’s classic “Living After Midnight” on DORO’s new album as well. Metallica’s “The Four Horsemen” is covered as a CD bonus track. *Check out both clips below.

LINKS:

https://www.doromusic.de/

https://doro.bfan.link/conqueress.ypo

https://www.facebook.com/DoroPeschOfficial