The title song began seventeen years ago with the late Jim Durkin (guitarist of Dark Angel). Which element preserved its relevance, and what finally made 2026 the right moment for completion?
Well it was completely done back then, but I made a promise to him if I ever used it, it would be with the right lineup and this is the right lineup. Great musicians everyone of them.
“Curse Of The Beast” followed “The Fallen” on a short cycle. Did writing begin during the previous album sessions, on tour, or after the lineup reconvened?
We always have ideas someone is always coming in with a new riff or idea in this band.
Lycanthropy, berserker warfare, religion, fate and civil violence appear across the lyrics. Is the collapse of human restraint the thread joining these subjects?
No, not I watch a lot of horror movies. Dave and I wanted to write a song about the Viking Berserkers, Viking lore has always interested me, infact we have a couple other songs on other albums written about Vikings, religion not really anything about that we have couple of songs on here about people that have lived with war all they're lives but that's about it. And yes, one song has to do with violence going on around the world, when we write songs there are many means in them. It's up to the person listening to make up their mind what they think it's about.
How did the current lineup divide the songwriting responsibilities for “Curse Of The Beast,” and where did creative disagreements arise?
As I was saying someone always has an idea all the time in this band. Glen might come in with something, Dave might come in with something, Sandy might with something, I sometimes have lyrical ideas and say what you guys think of this, Joe has ideas too, and we all write all the time. Sandy even wrote one of the choruses, and gave me some lyric ideas. I just ran with them, we all write together, there is really no disappointment on stuff.
What did Ron Sandoval ask the band to reconsider during the sessions, and which production choice changed the album most?
We've worked with Ron before he produced our “Evil Within” album back in 2019. In fact we wanted to work with him on the “Fallen” but he had a full plate at the time we were set to record. Ron has a lot of ideas, we have ideas we just bounce off each other, we love working with him he knows what we wants, and gets the very best out of us with it. He's a vocalist himself so we have a lot of the same ideas about this or that, in fact he's an all around musician he's as we call him our sixth member.
"I think bands just write what they feel like writing about heavy metal is necessary for anyone that loves and listens to aggressive style of music people need to get aggression out. And metal gives that to them."
How were riffs, harmonies, vocal lines and arrangements tested collectively before the final takes were chosen?
We worked on each song with every rehearsal and when we got into the studio. As I said Ron would make suggestions, but almost everything is completely done before we start recording but we will tweak. It’s a little here and there with Ron when we start.
How has working with Fireflash Records changed the band’s access to European audiences and what should an independent metal label offer beyond distribution in 2026?
Fireflash is great Markus has been great to work with, he's more then the head of the label he's a friend a brother. I really don't say what a label should bring. Markus brings a lot of PR, which is big for a band, his distribution is awesome he's gotten us into a lot of markets we had not really been able to tap into before, he's even helped us with European booking agents which is big time for us he's done so much for this band I can't name it all he's great FireFlash is graat.
What impact would matter most for “Curse Of The Beast”. Reaching younger listeners, changing the live set, or opening new touring territory?
Everything right there, everything you said right there my friend.
War, mass violence and social division dominate daily media. Does that reality make heavy metal a more necessary outlet, or can constant exposure numb audiences to the same imagery in songs?
I think bands just write what they feel like writing about heavy metal is necessary for anyone that loves and listens to aggressive style of music people need to get aggression out. And metal gives that to them.
Physical sales, streaming income, touring costs and shrinking club circuits pull bands in different directions. Which change would most improve the future of independent heavy metal?
Touring costs have gone up but so has the price of everything of everything else I think one of the biggest problems is ticket prices and that's not just in independent metal. Try and go see Iron Maiden for under 300 euro, you can't in the US it's worse, and good promoters are hard to find anymore here in the US, we have a few we work with I wish there was more.
AI generated music, rising tour costs, venue closures and growing dependence on festivals are reshaping the scene. Which of these could alter heavy metal most over the next decade?
We’ll touring cost nothing we can do about it, AI I'll never use it not for me. We love playing festivals, metal is a brotherhood and getting Hundreds or thousands of metal heads and bands together in one venue for 2 or 3 days is awesome. If I wake up one day at the end of my career and I'm able to say Sammy you got to play In front of thousands of metal fans all at once by playing festivals that would bring a big smile to my face heavy metal fans are the best fans there is.
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