Please tell us a few words about the new release, about the music on it as a whole or a few words on each track in part. How are you happy with the final release?
This is the third album but first with Scott Featherstone on vocals and Chuck White on drums. It’s a more focused/in-your-face record than the first two and I believe we’ve really come into our own on this album, I’m very happy with it!
How would you describe/label the music on it? Does it sounds like anything we might have heard before?
Some people call it “US power metal” and throw names like Iced Earth, Metal Church, Nevermore, and Flotsam & Jetsam around to give it something to compare to but I don’t really think we sound like those bands per se but there are some moments, I’m sure. It’s just heavy, groovy riff based melodic and powerful metal with some sprinkles of thrash in there for good measure. haha
Where was it recorded and how much time did it take you to record it? Any interesting stories from the recording/producing the material?
The majority of it was recorded at Rax Trax in Chicago, with producer, Neil Kernon, manning the helm, while some vocals and guitar solos/colors were recorded at our home studios. Geez, the basic tracks were done in a few months but everything else took forever as we did all the vocals with one singer (not original vocalist, Russ Klimczak, for the record) and then re-did everything with Scott after we fired the other guy who turned out to be a real whack job.
What can you tell us about the cover artwork? Is there a link between the artwork and the lyrics? What are the topics of your lyrics?
Scott Jackson (Monsterman Graphic) did a killer job with the cover although it took us a long time to come up with the concept, and in the end, he did a last minute blend of several things we talked about over a period of about a year, and delivered probably his best cover yet! The Phoenix on the cover depicts the rebirth of the band and everything else represents the struggles we face as we move through the chapters of our lives. The lyrical topics deal with those real life struggles and the idea of overcoming them to achieve.
What do you expect to gain through this release? What are the band's aims at the moment?
We hope to gain many new fans and notoriety to help the band get firmly back on the map as it had been so long since our last album, Reigning Memories, in 2003. Our main goal at the moment is to keep building momentum and to finally get out to Europe, South America, India, China, and Japan to play for the great metal fans out there that we constantly hear about!
Is there a special format the material is released in? Or is it released in multiple formats? How many copies were pressed?
The album is currently released in CD and digital format but one of my goals is to get it released in vinyl format at some point as well. I believe that MVD did a run of 1000 copies to start but not where things are at in terms of a second pressing at the moment.
Where and how will you promote this new release?
The promotion in Europe is handled by CMM and the promotion in North America is handled by Clawhammer, both of whom are doing a great job getting the release around and getting it plenty of exposure. Of course, these days, you really have to get out to tour and play in front of people to get things moving so we are working on that as well.
Where can we order it from?
You can buy our stuff via Amazon http://amzn.to/1k1ofeI iTunes http://bit.ly/1nnnmxj and everywhere metal is sold. Check out www.ionvein.com; www.facebook.com/ionvein www.twitter.com/ionvein and www.youtube.com/ionveinband for all the latest info on the band….thanks for your support, cheers!
October 2014