| When you guys formed The Horde, did you have a concept for the band in mind, or did the whole idea of epic war themes with vikings and stories from that time period just come naturally when you started writing? |
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Tim:
I wrote around 5 songs at home before I started putting the band together. All I knew was I wanted to play in a metal band that encompassed everything I had ever loved about metal. The barbarian theme came as I had the first song written, which is now called "Dogs of War" off of our first album. We are swords and sorcery but we are the brutal and violent side of it!
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| Is it difficult for the band to write material for The Horde considering all the newer styles out there like Deathcore and even the mainstream Alternative Metal styles like Slipknot flooding the airwaves? |
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Tim:
No. Nu Metal is not for me. We have played with some Deathcore bands like Job For A Cowboy and they are good but their style is not
an influence in this band. We have no breakdowns yet there is plenty to bang your head to. We know that our style of metal will probably
be more appreciated overseas but there's no way we are going to back down from playing what we want here in America.
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| In the years leading up to your first EP, was it hard to get shows to play out because of your approach to performing "true Metal"? |
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Tim:
We have never had an issue getting shows due to our live show. People that might have an issue with what they hear on CD from us "get it" after seeing us live. We've played with Skeletonwitch several times and we seem to fit in real well with their crowd. When
Thy Blackened Reign comes out in August you'll see a lot more of us as we will be playing a lot more.
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| The Horde originally signed with Scenester Credentials. I've heard of one of the few bands on that label by stumbling onto them on-line, and it wasn't you guys sadly. Why did you guys issue the CD through such a small label? |
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Tim:
Two reasons. They were friends with our original rhythm guitarist John Hopkins and also because they showed interest even before we had played our first show. They are a good group of guys. Yes they are more indie/punk/noise but they really liked us and showed a lot of enthusiasm.
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| Well you can't really ask for more from a label then their support. In the years that followed, you guys signed with Stormspell Records for your first full-length, Thy Blackened Reign. What exactly made you choose to go with Stormspell? |
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Tim:
We knew we wanted to be on a metal label for our next release... That is no slight to Scene Cred. We also knew we wanted to take that
next step and Stormspell is the perfect record label for us at this time. Iordan has a good thing going by releasing CD's from new bands
as well as re-releasing music from the past that most of us may or may not have heard before.
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| Have you played any of the material off this upcoming album live yet? If so, what songs and what was the crowd's reaction to those tracks? |
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Tim:
Yes we have and the reaction has been great! We have been playing songs like "Odin's Blood" and "Vengeance for a King". By the time the second chorus to "Odin's Blood" comes around the whole crowd is singing it with us! It's fun when the crowd is participating with you. They feel like they are a part of it too.
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| With Thy Blackened Reign, the only thing that seemed off were the drums, at least with the bass kicks. Were there problems in the studio when it came to the drums, or was that the sound you guys agreed to go with or intended to use at some point? |
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Derek:
No, there wasn't a problem in the studio. From day one, we knew we wanted a more raw realistic sound for the record. Also, we wanted
the album to sound similar to our live show, and simply put, those are what James's kick drums sound like live. H e prefers a 'slap' sound outof the kick drums and I think it has turned out to be a signature sound of his playing. Also, keep in mind there is absolutely no drum samples used on the record. Every sounds was live, acoustic, and recorded to tape. You'll be hard pressed to find real drum sounds on modern metal records, and I think that is beyond lame.
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| Aside that, the band goes into each song with a very simple chorus, with or without an epic musical approach to it, typically the name of the song repeated until you're done with that chorus. Why did you approach these parts in such a minimalistic manner? |
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Tim:
A lot of today's metal become[s] more about intricacy and technicality and a lot of metal has lost it's "Hook". We want to make extreme metal music that will be in your head three days from now as your at work or at a family picnic!
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| Stormspell Records is issuing this as a CD limited to one thousand pressings only. Are you guys saddened by the limited press, or are there other emotions you guys have to it? |
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Derek:
I'm definitely not saddened by this... In fact, I'm thrilled that Stormspell has picked us up and is putting out the album! I think one thousand copies is appropriate for the current status of the band. In reality, we are just starting to make some things happen with the band, so I think this is a great opportunity for us to grow. Also, I'm excited to make this album readily available to a European audience, and am curious to see the reaction it gets internationally. It's rough to be an American band playing this type of metal.
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| The music here clearly takes from older Metal acts. Who were some of the biggest inspirations for this effort, or even just for the band in general? |
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Derek:
Although I'm the youngest member of the band, old school thrash metal is what got me interested in extreme metal in my early teenage years. As far as inspiration from bands, I'd say Metallica, Testament, Death, Slayer, Forbidden, and Sadus are what comes to mind in regards to The Horde. Specifically for my guitar playing/soloing, I think shades of Alex Skolnick, Trey Azagthoth, Jason Becker, and Kirk Hammett are evident in my playing on this record.
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Tim:
Influences for the band as far as the writing are Venom, Destruction, Bathory, old Slayer, Cro-Mags, old Metallica, [Black] Sabbath, Celtic Frost, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon, etc...
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| With that being said, given the old-school nature of the music, are you saddened that this effort is not going to be pressed in vinyl with this run, and do you think it would have sounded much better in that format considering the approach The Horde went with? |
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Tim:
I honestly would love to hear us on vinyl. Maybe someday that will happen. I know that vinyl albums are popular again. When I was a teen listening to thrash and speed metal I couldn't wait for Friday to come to go to the record store to see what new Combat Records releases there were.
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| Is there anything else you'd like to mention to the readers I didn't get a chance to touch upon? |
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Tim:
Please visit our Facebook page [www.facebook.com/hordemetal] and to support your local and national metal bands as much as possible and...keep it METAL!!!
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| Well I thank you greatly for the interview. I hope you guys manage to sell all the copies of The Blackened Reign, and I wish you luck with everything related
to your lives and The Horde. Take care! |
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