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Hail of Bullets/Gorefest (Ed Warby)
What are your top five albums that were released in 2008?
- Grand Magus - Iron Will
- Funeral - As the Light Does the Shadow
- Facebreaker - Dead, Rotten and Hungry
- Testament - The Formation of Damnation
- Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God
What band did you discover in 2008 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
Virgin Black! What makes them unique to me is that they manage to take all these things I usually dislike, such as female soprano vocals, full-blown classical arrangements and quasi-gothic flirtations and mix into an absolutely irresistible and truly addictive whole. Their melodies are stunningly gorgeous, and the fact that their lyrics are rooted in genuine religious beliefs only amplifies the emotional impact to me.
How will you remember 2008? (In terms of music)
The year in which the Hail of Bullets debut album came out and proved that (fortunately) we're not the only ones who long for the glory days of death metal? otherwise I'd say it was a really good year in general, with lots of great releases. Oh, and let's not forget the glorious return of one of the best bands on the planet: AC/DC!
Vinyl record sales saw a significant increase this year while hard copy sales continued to dwindle. Is this a return to the glory days for vinyl or just a phase? Explain.
Well, relatively this may seem the case, but most vinyl releases only number around 500-1000 copies, so it's hardly setting the stores on fire. It's cool for collectors to whom the compact disc has lost what minimal collectable value it once had, but I don't expect vinyl to make a complete comeback for the general public. It's a clunky medium, and most people want the exact opposite, hence the success of iPods and the like.
What was the most memorable moment for you in 2008? (Can be in terms of anything)
Professionally I'd say the first Hail of Bullets gig was an absolute highlight. After working on the album for a long time, getting out on stage for the first time with this relatively "new" band was an unforgettable experience. Another was seeing KISS twice in a row and discovering they can still make me feel like I'm 12 years old? awesome.
What can we look forward to from you in 2009?
I'm working on a cool doom concept album with a project called The 11th Hour, which is basically me playing everything and Rogga from Demiurg/Paganizer/Ribspreader handling the growls. After that we'll start working on the next Hail of Bullets album, which will obliterate ?Of Frost And War, so be prepared! And if all goes according to plan there will also be new Gorefest and Demiurg albums, so it's going to be another busy year for me.
What three records are you looking forward to most in 2009?
I'm very much looking forward to a release from Tryptikon, Tom Warrior's follow-up to Celtic Frost (RIP). Also I hear KISS are going to do a "back to the ?70's" album, which might be cool, and lastly the new Candlemass which I know is going to be fantastic.
Homepage: http://www.hailofbullets.com
