 |
|
July 24, 2008 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
Stu Block
July 31, 2005
By Tony Antunovich
|
In the last eight months or so, Canadian progressive death metal up-and-comers INTO ETERNITY have gone from great to even greater. Not only have they completed two consecutive North American tours so far this year, they have not one, but two more coming up - back to back. The first trek with HAMMERFALL and EDGUY begins on August 10 in Toronto, ON. Immediately following that, the band will be joining Finnish giants STRATOVARIUS for a slew of dates across the U.S. and Canada starting with the first one in West Springfiled, VA on September 19. Ah yes, the life of a traveling metal band. But INTO ETERNITY aren't complaining one bit; and why would they? I caught up with vocalist Stu Block recently while the band were on tour with HATE ETERNAL and KRISIUN, and as he explains in this exclusive interview, INTO ETERNITY are all about bringing their music to the fans and they'll keep doing it wherever they can.
How has the tour been despite HATE ETERNAL's van problems?
Well, it's good man because we keep plugging away and we just want to give the audiences what they want, so regardless if HATE ETERNAL showed up or not we're still playing the shows. There's a lot of comradery with everyone. We're the lightest band on the package. We're going out with death metal groups and I know that INTO ETERNITY actually went out with HATE ETERNAL before and that's how we scored this one again - because we are a blend of death metal and power metal. But we get a lot of response from the death metal crowd too, you know. There are certain nights where there are, of course, the elitists that are out and that's all they like, and we totally respect that, man. We're just trying to get out there and show everyone our music, and if we can turn over some elitists - death metallers - to our style man, then our job is done. Our regular crowd comes out along with those guys. So it's definitely a positive thing.
The tour is definitely shaping up to be somewhat of a positive atmosphere and everyone's really cool with each other. There are no "rock star" egos or anything. So it's definitely a good thing.
You guys are booked solid for another three or four months.
Yeah, exactly. We're going out in August and then September and October, so including where we are right now, we're out for another four months. We're definitely going to go out with HAMMERFALL and EDGUY (smiles). I mean, I'm smitten right now, man. I get to talk to Tobias (Sammet) about the AVANTASIA albums and stuff like that. It's definitely a cool thing and it'll open up doors for us. I think with all the touring, it's really tightened us up as a unit. We've really got our stage show down and we bring forth a lot of action on the stage. We don't just sit there. There are a lot of cheesy power metal antics going on, and that's the school I'm from, man. I'm from the school of (Bruce) Dickinson and (Geoff) Tate, man - and of course, Tobias Sammet is one of my favorites. For the stage show, man - for everyone out there that's seen an EDGUY show - they know! So, we aren't just sitting there.
We're definitely bringing forth an onslaught of all genres of metal and the stage show is there - very highly energetic.
Well, you definitely have the charisma. The crowd just sucks you up. All of your antics on stage really provide a lot of the backbone of the show.
Exactly. We don't even look as it as a filler, but I guess it would be that, but when a guitar solo is going on, it's cool to just have the guitarist up there - but hell man - have the singer licking a headstock, you know what I mean? That's what I'm doing, man. I work the crowd and the guitarist too - as a stage show.
Tell me about the Monterrey Metal Fest. How did it go?
It was absolutely amazing. Personally, it was my first huge festival that I'd ever done, and of course, we're playing with some of the gods. I got to meet Tim "The Ripper" Owens - he was a really cool guy. We were playing with W.A.S.P., and they put on a stellar show and MOTÖRHEAD - I mean they were just on fire. The crowds were amazing. I think for our set we played in front of about 6,000 people. It was a rush, man! I'll tell ya, the Mexican metalheads out there, I just want to let everyone out there know, man - those guys know how to fucken party, man and they are so passionate about their metal. It floored me. I was almost in awe. THEY were the show - just seeing them out there and rockin' out, man. There was no judgment; there were no accusing eyes or anything like that. They were there for one thing and that's metal, and I think that was definitely a positive thing. I can't wait to go back out there, man! We're hooked on that place because we loved it.
All the fans would just surround you and they want to know everything about you.
I knew that the Mexican metalheads would eat you guys up.
And they did. They embraced us a lot and we didn't know how many fans we had out there until we actually got out there. It was inspiring, man.
How has the response been from the North American crowds?
Well, every crowd is different. There are certain cities that are more of a "death metal" city - like we went out to Quebec, and we didn't quite get the response that HATE ETERNAL or KRISIUN would get, you know. Sometimes it's all over the place, but all in all, the response is positive. We can't complain because the venues are half-full and some of them are full, and they're rockin' out and they love it. I can't complain whatsoever.
How does it feel to be aligned with HAMMERFALL, EDGUY, and STRATOVARIUS?
It's a dream come true, man! A lot of musicians in this genre of music dream about going out with such bands. I don't think it's really all going to sink in until I'm actually at the tour and I'm meeting all the guys. It's going to be amazing. I see it as an opportunity and as something that would open up doors for us. INTO ETERNITY has been around for about eight years, but we've noticed that the distribution in certain places isn't there. We always get new fans all the time. We were out in Worchester and we were actually playing the same venue as MANOWAR and RHAPSODY. We were playing our show - and it was a good little show - and we were looking at these crowds that these types of bands draw - and it's HUGE!! They sell these crowds out. So, I think when we go out with HAMMERFALL and STRATOVARIUS, we're going to be reaching a whole other crowd and a whole other fan-base. It'll definitely be a positive thing. I think that a lot of the fans will enjoy it and we'll be reaching new people.
Are you guys getting enough rest on this tour?
Well, when we went out with AMORPHIS, we were in a small van and because of that we ended up getting sick. Now we're in an RV with KRISIUN, who are probably the coolest dudes we've met so far. They're all about being true man. They are true to what they do and who they are - not only as musicians but as people. It's good to be touring with people like that, and of course, we have an RV, which sleeps eleven people. We each have our little coffin (chuckles), but it's a good coffin and when we use it, we use it man. We're getting a lot more slumber on this tour and we're keeping healthy.
(pertaining to a discussion Stu and I had earlier on) You mentioned that you were going to be taking some time off to write the new album. Can you elaborate on that?
Yeah, after STRATOVARIUS we've decided - as a band - that we're going to sit down and really just get this new album out with the new lineup. We're really stoked on this new lineup, and if you talk to Tim Roth, he's definitely stoked with all the efforts that everyone's putting forth. I think we'll probably take a few months off maybe - I don't know how long - but as long as it takes to put out this album, and then of course, back on the road again. It'll definitely be a positive thing. We've got fourteen songs so far; we're all just learning all the riffs and we're writing too; I'm writing lyrics too. After this tour, I'm going to chill in Regina and Tim and I are going to work on some lyrics and melodies for some songs. So we'll use that time most efficiently so we can get going on this new album because it's been a long time coming and I think that people are definitely hungry for this new album, so we really have to buckle down.
So after STRATOVARIUS, we'll leave everything on a good note with these tours and then we'll go and get this album out. To beat "Buried In Oblivion" is going to be a tough challenge. I mean, it's a wicked album, but we're positive and confident enough about what we're doing that I think we'll be able to match it and/or even surpass it.
Do you think metal is on an upward rise again?
It is. I'm a firm believer in that for sure. My hopes are for metal to be alive and well in ten years from now at a level where hip-hop may be at right now. Let's bring it right back to the '80s, man! The '80s guys were making just as much money as Nelly and all these types of guys. It's just a big circle of music where whatever catches on catches on. We're hoping, man. We're hoping that good metal musicians and good metal bands out there can make a living doing what they're doing and not worry about paying the bills and shit like that - and still do what they love and not have to quit because they have to buckle down and get a real fucken job, which is bullshit in my terms. The real job to me is doing something that you love. That's a real job, man - no matter if it pays five bucks an hour or fucken a hundred bucks an hour.
I agree. You have to be happy with what you do. And from what I can see, when you're on stage singing in front of people, you’re at home. I can see you're passionate about what you do.
I love what I do, man. When people are smiling, I'm smiling and when I'm smiling, people are smiling. I think that's key to your fans too. Keep them smiling; keep them happy; keep them involved. Don't segregate them.
That's a good attitude. I think a lot of rock stars do that to their fans and you guys definitely don't have that "rock star" attitude.
We're not rock stars. We are normal human beings that can play instruments and we're doing it - and we get to travel the world and do it. We think that that's a cool thing.
You said earlier that you want to see metal rise to the same level as rap. With bands like INTO ETERNITY, that's going to happen.
We're hoping, man. And if it doesn't, I'll keep doing it - even if I have to play every CD bar for the rest of my life, man, I'll still fucken do it. [FIN]
» Official INTO ETERNITY Website
|
|
|
|
