Let's speak with...Seventh Calling (2016)

Seventh Calling came to my attention through their mixture of old school styles on their album "Battle Call". The band is a good package of traditional metal elements along with slight parts of thrash mixed in that is rounded out by anthemic refrains. The production and songwriting of the music is kept in a more modern package so it is nice mixture of the best of the traditional roots all along with what today has to offer.

We spoke with Steve Handel, vocalist and guitarist of the band about the inspiration to the band's lyrics as well as the effect that being a musician has on the private lifes of the bandmembers and what happened when two ladies had a few drinks too much at a show of the band...

Heavy Metal Underdogs: How did the band come together?
Seventh Calling: 'This particular lineup happened from the result of getting together and jamming on cover songs first.  Then it progressed into doing the recording of the Battle Call album.'

The cover of the Battle Call album, (c) by Seventh Calling, used with kind permission.

Which sources do you use as inspiration for writing new songs?
'Well in some instances I use realism in life, or news that we will hear in the morning on tv, radio or read in the newspaper.  The song Perfect Silence on the new record is such a song.  Then there are other times such as in our song Battle Call, which is the title track, that is a strong anthem type song calling for all traditional metal heads to rise and stand strong in their beliefs in the metal.'

Do you feel that writing and performing music helps you to push on further with your own personal lifes?
'It certainly has a way to keep you focused by having the life of music to enjoy.  It is a way of getting together with friends and having a good time playing on some music or simply having conversation about random things that happened in the passing day.'

Social media surely plays a big role in the communication between a band and their fans. Do you feel that fans contact you more or less personally at gigs these days?
'As far as coming up and speaking to us after a show fans speak to us usually.  We encourage it actually.  But yes we are contacted regularly through our social sites and it helps out alot for fans to look us up and find us.'


Do you still prefer releasing music on traditional media like LPs, CDs and the like or do you feel the same satisfaction when putting out music digitally?
'We prefer to do both.  Yes, having the actual release of an album in my opinion, is much better.  It is nice to read the words inside our booklet when I forget the words! HA!  Seriously however, we do prefer physical releases as compared to digital only.'

Have you ever experimented with other styles over the years and thought about changing?
'We have experimented with different styles within our genre surely.  However we still end up coming out sounding like Seventh Calling!  A call to the traditional or classic style heavy metal.'

The band Seventh Calling, (c) by Seventh Calling, used with kind permission.

Did you come along points where you thought about leaving it all behind? If you reached that point: how did you keep the motivation up to move on?
'Never.  I haven't ever thought of not performing.  It has simply been a way of life for myself since I can remember.'

What was the funniest story that came along your way when you performed live? Or did things happen that you would have never thought of to occur (not only at gigs but maybe anywhere else as well)?
'The funniest thing I have ever seen at a Seventh Calling show was one night we were performing in Superior, Wisconsin I believe. Anyhow, there were 2 ladies that were having way too much fun at the club.  Must have been a long day at work.  HA! But! As we began our set, these 2 lovely ladies walked up on the stage and proceeded to pull their pants down!  HOWEVER! What they did after that was awesome! They both took a run at the end of the stage and jumped off the stage trying to reach this pole that was about 15 feet off the front of the stage right in the middle.  They did not reach this pole.  Both of them bounced very hard off of the floor like in throwing horseshoes!  Needless to say, both got up and continued about the evening like nothing had happened.  Except it took them awhile to get their pants up! HA!

Contact Data

Check out Seventh Calling's social accounts on Facebook and Reverbnation to get in touch with them. 

The logo of the band Seventh Calling, (c) by Seventh Calling, used with kind permission

Let's speak with...Malice (2016)

Malice came around to me as sort a positive sign of the truemetal side of the Heavy Metal genre. I can remember a couple of years ago when I used to listen to more bands of this sidearm of our beloved music but somehow things changed as they do ever so often in life and I began to listen more to other bands.

This band and their debut album "Triumph and Glory" brought back a lot of the good memories to me of the old days so I started to wonder who may be behind this band and what their intentions are to bring on music in such a subgenre of metal that is not heard too often these days when a lot of bands tend to go into the metalcore direction.

Gladly "THE METAL WARRIOR" Rayman James, Bassist and founder of Malice picked up my questions and gave a good insight into what keeps him motivated and how music influences the day to day life as well a a memory of his time on stage.

The cover of the Malice album "Triumph and Glory", (c) by Malice, used with kind permission

 Q. )How did the band come together?

A.) Like Magic it just happened.   I was trying to get it going for a while then the pieces all just fell into Place

Q.)Which sources do you use as inspiration for writing new songs?

A.) Inspiration is all around, in other music, or books and movies different stories will inspire things or certain moments in my life will inspire me to write something.  Its really in everything

Q.)Do you feel that writing and performing music helps you to push on further with your own personal lifes?

A.)  Well music kinda is my own personal life.  If anything writing and performing kinda hurts the social life and dating life I guess.  But i write or try to write more inspiring and empowering music so in that way It keeps me strong in my day to day life I would say cause I cant write about something I dont live or believe myself.   As far as the personal life and dating life goes it does hurt that. 

Q.)Social media surely plays a big role in the communication between a band and their fans. Do you feel that fans contact you more or less personally at gigs these days?

A.) well at gigs it just depends on if we are around before we play or how long we are able to hang out after we play.   We always have a few fans able to catch us and chat a bit, and we do enjoy talking to them as well and knowing they had a good time.   It just dont always work with our schedule to be able to stick around and chat.  Lot of times after we finish its very late and the venue is closing and we have to pack our stuff up and get going. 

Q.)Do you still prefer releasing music on traditional media like LPs, CDs and the like or do you feel the same satisfaction when putting out music digitally?

A.) I still prefer to have a hard copy of everything, if I buy music I buy a cd, I am an old timer I guess.

Malice live on stage, Photo credit: MtLProductions.com, used with kind permission

Q.) Have you ever experimented with other styles over the years and thought about changing?

A.) is there other styles?  I am who I am and write exactly what I think and believe.   I like this style and genre so this is what I play I couldnt have it any other way.

Q.) Did you come along points where you thought about leaving it all behind? If you reached that point: how did you keep the motivation up to move on?

A.) Never give up never surrender.  Music is my blood, my oxygen my life.

The Malice band logo, (c) by Malice, used with kind permission

Q.) What was the funniest story that came along your way when you performed live? Or did things happen that you would have never thought of to occur (not only at gigs but maybe anywhere else as well)?

A.) Oh well there are many things I guess for me the first thing that comes to mind is that I ran onto stage and busted the laces on my leather pants.   These were side lace pants and the spread started to go further down my leg and I started to fall our of my pants.  So I was attempting to still play the guitar while holding my pants from coming open and trying to signal my stage manager to come help me out.   Soon as the song ended I was able to fix the problem but that first song we play is MALICE and lasts a little more than 7 minutes so yeah it was a bit of a situation for me there.

Make sure you'll keep a eye upon Malice. Take a look from time to time on their homepage or give their Facebook page a thumbs up.