“This is the most powerful project from the Metal Gods! “
– Tell us a few words about the band
Well I am one of two guitarists in the band Reverence, I was previously in the NWOBHM bandTokyo Blade. Our vocalist is Todd Michael Hall from Jack Starr’s Burning Starr, on drums is the legendary drummer Steve “Doc Killdrums” Wacholz, a founding member of Savatage and Crimson Glory. Shredder Pete Rossi from Sanxtion is our second guitarist and Ned Meloni from Jack Starr’s Burning Starr and Funny Money is on bass. Together we are Reverence and have just released a new album called ‘When Darkness Calls’ out via Razar Ice Records and can be bought from our website, ReverenceMetal.com as well as iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and many other outlets around the world.
– Who`s idea was it to form the band?
You can blame me, haha! I wanted to create a band that was heavier and a more power metal in style than my previous band Tokyo Blade. So after my split with Tokyo Blade I found Todd online in early 2010, I contacted and met with him and we hatched a plan to begin writing for this project. When we had a few demos done I approached my old friend for many, many years, Doc Killdrums and he signed on immediately. A few months passed as we continued writing and Doc suggested Pete Rossi for the second guitar slot, I got with Pete, he sent me some material and finding he and I had such similar influences and playing styles it was like fate that he join us. Todd recommended his bandmate in Burning Starr, Ned Meloni to fill the bassist spot and here we are today.
– Why did you choose the name REVERENCE?
Actually my wife thought of the name. We went through a ton of names and nothing seemed to stick. A line of lyrics in the very first song Todd and I wrote called ‘Revolution Rising’ uses the word Reverence, Tracy picked that out of the song’s lyrics and suggested it, once we heard the name Reverence we knew that was it, it fit us perfectly as we Revere our metal roots, the music we grew up on and therefore want to keep alive in our own music.
– Which bands are your sources of inspiration?
I would have to say that it would be the classic metal sound we all loved growing up like Judas Priest, Savatage, Helloween and Queensryche. Pete Rossi (Reverence’s, 2nd guitarist) and I are worshipers of the late Criss Oliva and Randy Rhoads and I feel without a doubt those influences shine through on our songs. Todd’s vocal style has some bits of vintage early Queensryche style, so with that being said I think we have a really firm grip on some elements from the bands I mentioned above but with our own flare too. I feel confident we’ve captured just that in Reverence!
– Tell us a few words about the album
Well, Todd and I are the main writers in the band. Pete Rossi co-wrote a few songs with us but we had a very specific direction. We both agreed that we wouldn’t pursue any kind of typical power metal cliché’s with dungeons and dragons, Vikings or wizards, we’ll leave that to some other bands, we just wanted to write what we felt was our brand of straight up metal which incorporated aspects from many of the bands we grew up loving. From all the great reaction we’ve gotten so far from the fans and great reviews from the media I think we accomplished our goal. I think the fans or this genre have been waiting a long time for something new and exciting, modern metal has moved away from what old-school fans loved, ‘When Darkness Calls’ was designed to fill that void. We recorded the new album ‘When Darkness Calls’ at Metro 37 Studios in Detroit, MI on 11/11/11 it was mixed and mastered by Sid Garcie at Sight16 Studios in albuquerque, NM. and was just released on May 31st 2012. You can get it at our website, ReverenceMetal.com.
– What are the lyrics about?
We just draw from our own frustrations within the business and life in general. The album is titled “When Darkness Calls” because there are a lot of heavy dark topics, frustrations with our governments, which is the topic of the song ‘Revolution Rising‘, ‘Vengeance Is Mine‘ is directly about my time in Tokyo Blade, “Lost Generation‘ is about society, ‘Bleed For Me‘ is about obsession, ‘Price you Pay‘ is about karma. We used these songs as outlets for those feelings which is really cathartic.
– My traditional question: Do you have a favourite song you have written and why?
‘Revolution Rising’ has a special place for me because it’s the first song Todd and I wrote for Reverence and has the distinction of also naming the band too from its lyrics. ‘Vengeance Is Mine’ is also special as it really captured feelings I had about my past band and allowed me to vent and heal, it’s amazing what music can do.
– Have you any favourite guitarists?
Several guitarists influenced my early beginnings, Criss Oliva from Savatage is probably my very favourite, and Randy Rhoads also had a massive influence on me, as did Rik Emmett from Triumph. These three guys really shaped my playing and writing. I hope fans of these guitarist’s bands may be able to hear some of those influence in Reverence’s music.
– What about the tour to support your awesome album? Any plans for Europe?
We’ve already begun booking for a UK and European tour; we have confirmed dates in Belgium, The Netherlands and Switzerland so far. There are still lots of time for booking and with the buzz the band has been generating, booking shouldn’t be a difficult task, we’re really looking forward to going back over to rip it up with our friends in Europe and the UK!
– What do you think is different between 80`s metal and the current metal scene?
To me a lot of the new metal bands all sound the same, it’s hard to tell any of them apart, all of them tune way down and have singers that all sounds the same and usually don’t really ‘sing’ they growl or yell, instead of really singing. I gotta be honest I rarely listen to the radio anymore, back in the 80’s most of the bands were distinctly different, you could tell Ratt from Ozzy and Motley from Kiss, etc. Some of the new traditional metal bands are good but they sound like they’re trying too hard. You can’t fake it, it’s gotta be real, its gotta be who you are. Reverence IS who we are!
– What is your favourite food and drink?
I’m not a big drinker but I love an ice cold Guinness, I drink coffee or ice tea most of the time. Some of my favorite meals are authentic Greek and Indian plus my wife’s Spaghetti, it’s heavenly.
– Have you any message for metal fans and K4M readers?
I appreciate anyone’s interest in myself or Reverence; we’ve been blessed with so many fans that love our music, great reviews and interest from the media. We’re really glad to hear that so many fans are enjoying our new album When Darkness Calls; we’re really looking forward to our fall tour and bringing the music alive onstage. No band makes it to success without big support from people behind the scenes and from the fans and for that we thank you all!
– Thank you very much for this interview and for sharing your time with us.
You’re very welcome, it’s been my pleasure and again I greatly appreciate your and your reader’s interest in Reverence. Please check our website at ReverenceMetal.com to get our music and for updates on the band.
M.C.
