• I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THIS NAME, BECAUSE I THINK THAT SOON ENOUGH WE WILL LISTEN MORE ABOUT THIS BAND. A NEW HEAVY METAL FORCE THAT COMES FROM AUSTRALIA...

1.TELL US IN A FEW WORDS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S HISTORY. WHICH IS TODAY'S LINE UP?

• Well there are a few moments that immediatly come to mind and they are..
• Forming in 2000.
• Releasing our 'Battle Call' EP later that year.
• Playing with Deep Purple,
• Releasing 'Destructor' full length album in 2001
• Playing with Judas Priest..

• We were just looking for a solid name that fitted with the metal vibe we were going for. Black Steel is a strong sounding name that is unapoligetically metal. For us the name was inmportant because we want it to reflect that we are a non trend / fashion oriented heavy metal band. There is definately no branding problem with this band. We didnt want to name ourselves after a vegetable like(Korn) or food item (Bizkit) or something hip, trendy sounding .. we wanted a name that embodied strength & power that sounds strong and in no way weak. Black is solid and Steel is strong.. our lyrics, music and attitude reflect this so it is an appropriate name I think.

• To those who say we have no reason to exist I would say everyone has the right to play what they want and what they enjoy. If you have a passion for a particular style of music then you should play what is in your heart and not just what you think what other people want to hear.. because ultimatly that is what people really want - so be true to yourself and who you want to be..

• We have a great apreciation, understanding and respect for this style of music and are embracing the classic elements of traditional style metal - everything from the early 70's beginnings like Sabbath, Purple, Priest thru to the N.W.O.B.H. explosion which spawned Maiden, Leppard, Saxon, Raven, Angel Witch, Diamond Head & that whole do it yourself movement of underground bands with all the great obscure underground stuff like Praying Mantis, Samson, Stormtrooper, Paralex, Diamond Head, Raven, Sledgehammer, Witchfinder General, Legend etc etc. Of course 80's metal is where our biggest influence lies coz we all grew up in the 80's and were little kids then listening to stuff like American 80's metal Dio, Fifth Angel, Jag Panzer, Riot etc etc and german metal like Scorpions, Accept, Helloween, Stormwitch, Pretty Maids and a zillion others up to the present day with the whole modern power metal revolution HammerFall, Rhapsody, Nightwish, Nocturnal Rites, Lost Horison, Seven Witches, Primal Fear etc .. If I had to pick one album I would say Iron Maiden's Powerslave and Matt would pick Dio's Holy Diver I think..

• It was a great honour to play with legendary bands the calibre of Deep Purple and Judas Priest and it is always nice to actually get to meet some of your idols. Personally for me it is not a feeling of stress but more a feeling of anxiousness either way it is great to be able to play in front of huge crowds and take your music to an appreciative audience..

• I am not quite sure but I think it is good! Australia is quite an isolated country from the rest of the world so it can be a great spawning ground for talent and a great place for musicians to hone their craft before they get discovered by the world audience.

• I am fine with that term, true, traditional, power, melodic.. whatever.. If it means playing whats you feel and not giving a fuck what is commercially popular and being true to yourself and your ideals and not selling out then I am fine with whatever tag we get labeled with as long as it is not shit.. Manowar popularised the term 'Death to False metal'which is a fun phrase but I don't quite understand it because I would say life to all metal that kicks ass!!

• Our Battle Call Ep released in 2000 was really just a demo that we decided to put out but alot of people in the underground really love the rawness of it.. Of course given the budget we had to work with I am very happy with the Destructor album although I think in retrospect there is always stuff that you would maybe do differently but given the resources that we had to work with then both releases acuratly reflect where we were at when we recorded them and were good efforts and the best we could do at the time with what we had to work with...

• Here is a rough track by track breakdown of the lyrical content ideas for the 'Destructor' album - of course they are open to interprestation but this should give you some idea..
• BREAKING THE CHAINS - Lyrically is about breaking free of limiting beliefs in your life that may be holding you back from reaching your full potential.
• TIME MARCHES ON - The title is kind of self explanitory - its about how time does not stand still and waits for no man so basically to not take things for granted and make the most of the time we have here in this life because you never know when your time is gonna be up.
• DESTRUCTOR - Is a classic fantasy kind of heavy metal lyric about cyborg predators who are gonna take over the earth. Its fun like to mix up between fantasy and reality based lyrics and this is like our fantasy sci-fi inspired track on the album.
• HELL'S GATES - Is a song about bravery.. it is the Gladiator warrior spirit in all of us to stand up and be strong even when adversity in life can hit you hard and knock you on your feet.. you get back up as the lyrics in the song say when all is lost - We fight!
• BONDED BY STEEL - Basically a song inspired by the fans and written for the fans it is about the bonding experience that this music can have in bringing people together and no matter what happens in your life then you always have this music to make you feel good!!
• RISE UP - About rising to the challenge and being a winner! Endless battles we will fight as one to glory we will rise Up! A metaphor for adopting and embracing a power winners mindset.
• VENGEANCE OF THE DAMNED - A revenge type song basically turning other peoples negativity into positivity that works for you at least that is my interpretation but others may get something different from it.
• HAIL OF FIRE - I love these lyrics. They are about being your own person and being true to yourself and who you want to be. Other people may try to cut you down or throw arrows at you but its is about being strong and rising above all of that crap and not letting others control your emotions in a negative way. Standing in a hail of fire they'll never take control, standing in a hail of fire they'll never take my soul..
• TOO WILD TO TAME - Self explanitary - a song of freedom!
• FOREVER (SANDS OF TIME) - Similar theme to time marches on about making the most of your life and realizing that every second that passes is never gonna come back to you..

• Live it is pure metal.. smoke, lights, sweat, pumping sound, fists punching the air, banging heads and lots of sing along crowd interaction. It is hard to pick one song to represent our work but we have just finished a video to the track 'Time Marches On'. As for promotion we like to support the people who support us the most - the underground metal community who have been so supportive.. Interviews, reviews, MP3's, they are speading the word and 100's of promos have gone out..

• Yes the reviews have been excellent and very supportive and we really appreciate that. Considering our music is not the latest trend or fad the response has been phenomenal. Yes there are a few labels who have approached us and we are about to have the 'Destructor' album released worldwide very soon.. but I shouldn't mention names just yet..

• Some of the best have been big mags like Powerplay, Kerrang and being included on the Heavy Oder Was!? Metal Crusade sampler was very cool as well.. To be honest I have not read many real bad reviews at least not the ones written in English!!

• I have heard Rob Halford mentioning he would like to do something with Dimmu Borgir - I would like to hear that!! I would also like to hear a melodic death band like Arch Enemy or Soilwork do an album with an awesome ranged melodic metal singer like Ripper Owens, DC Cooper or Bruce Dickinson because their guitar melodies / riffs are awesome..

• as far as being known outside Australia there is Dungeon, Pegazus, Vanishing Point & a ton of extreme stuff like Destroyer 666, Devolved etc..

• I like the melodies and I think there is always room for improvement especially when you listen back to stuff in retrospect there is always something you would have done different.. Generally I am pretty happy with what we have done considering with the resources we had to work with it was the best we could do at the time. Next album I think we will try to get a real massive 'lively' sound in the rhythm section and bring out a fatter lively sound in the bass and drums.. except I would say that coz I'm the bass player..

• Cover songs are fun & we have done our fair share when we play live sometimes for a bit of fun.. Tribute albums are everywhere these days maybe too many.. At the end of the day I suppose I do prefer originality.. The Running Wild competition sounds like a unque concept and a great fan interaction / promotion..

• What Are We Doing Here & why is there so much crap music on the radio?

• Don't know sorry..

• Of the last millennium I would maybe go back to the 1970's because I love the music and vibe of that whole time period but I was too young to have been there to experience it.. Prior to that I would also go back in time also to the creation of the Pyrimids because I will be damned how they did that and I would like to find out.. and also what the hell is Stonehenge all about could be interesting to see? I would miss the technology of the information age..

21.THANK YOU!HAVE I FORGOT TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

• Cheers for the interview and thank you very much to anyone for taking the time to read this.. You can find out more about Black Steel music, news, merchandise by loging on to our website www.blacksteel.org If you want to check out some of our music then try www.mp3.com/black_steel