All Out War Interview

All Out War

All Out War is a killer metal core band on the Victory record label. The band just got off the road with The Cro-mags and here is a interview I did with Matt from the band.

By Chris Forbes

CHRIS FORBES: How are things going with the band now? I know u got off tour recently. How did that go and what were the highlights and low points of the tour?

MATT: The Cro-mags tour was fun for us. We played to a lot of fans who have never heard of AOW at a lot of bigger clubs that we've never played before. We sold a lot of t-shirts and what-not, it was really good. It's great to be able to tour with a band that you've been listening to for years. Not many bands get a chance to tour with a band that was one of their musical influences. That's a high point in itself. Low points- The fuel pump in our van went in Cleveland. It was freezing cold. That really sucked. Also, we love to play Canada, but it's always a real pain getting over the border withmerchandise, and getting searched, etc.

CHRIS FORBES: What kind of crowds do you get when you play? Do metal kids get into what you are doing?

MATT: We play to a mix of people: Hardcore kids, skinheads, long-hairs- what ever you want to call them, whoever loves heavy music can get into this band. Doesn't matter what you look like. We love playing with metal bands and to people who like straight-up metal. That's who we are- metalheads! Anyone who has a taste for brutal, low-end, heavy double-bass music should like us. We look forward to playing to more metal crowds.

CHRIS FORBES: How hard is it to come up with a song? What was the hardest and easiest song for you to write?

MATT: I think writing a song is pretty hard. It's easy to write crap. The task is to write something that directly reflects what you're feeling, lyrically and musically. Anything we write, we want it to be aggressive and honest, brutal and heavy. We want to be the heaviest metal band on earth. We focus on that and we write.

CHRIS FORBES: I have heard u are a great live band. Do u think so? What was the wildest show you ever played?

MATT: Thank you for the compliment. All our shows are completely wild. An ALL OUT WAR show is made up of hard, violent dancing, a crazy stage show, and yes-- fighting. Not that we condone it or anything, but it seems that at least one fight breaks out each show. It's great to know that we can invoke such chaos. I would like to think that we're a great live band. Personally, I hate going to see a heavy band and watching them just stand there looking bored. That's what heavy music is all about, a crazy live show. If you can't get into it and go crazy to your own music, then why are you up there playing it?

CHRIS FORBES: How are things going with Victory Records? Do you think u will be with them for a while now?

MATT: We're are completely happy with Victory. They treat us well and they're easy to work with. Our new album will be out on Victory some time this summer, so keep an eye out!

CHRIS FORBES: Looking back now, what do you think of your old songs and stuff? What advice would you give to a young band? What was the worst mistake u did as a band?

MATT: We all love the old stuff, but we collectively feel that the new stuff is much more powerful and heavier all around. We're progressing in the right direction. We'll always play the old stuff, but our focus is on new stuff. Any advice I could give would be to trudge on with what you're doing. There are always down's and they really suck, but you get through them. everybody always does. Try to stay focused on the up's and work towards them. Worst mistake- Delaying anything we were trying to do because of member problems. It's important to work together as a unit, and move forward as a band. If everyone is not into it, it just won't work.

CHRIS FORBES: What do you think of the internet and computers? Does the band have a web site or plan on getting one done?

MATT: Our e-mail is forthosewho@hotmail.com. Drop us a line and say what's up. Our website is in the works- Listen.to/aow. It's all to common to become one of those "no-job, no-life, I just like to go to chat rooms" people. But on the plus side, if it wasn't for computers who knows if I'd even be given the chance to do this interview!

CHRIS FORBES: What are some of the things as a band that you still want to do? What would u like to see the band remembered by?

MATT: I still want to tour with Slayer. Who knows if it will ever happen. They're one of our main influences along with many other metal bands. I think we would like to be remembered musically as one of the heaviest bands on earth at the time. Lyrically, I would like to think that we will have opened humanity's eyes to how hypocritical, greedy, and self-destructive we are.

CHRIS FORBES: Tell the readers why they should buy an all out war cd?

MATT: To make us rich and famous, so we can forget who we are and where we came from, make cameo appearances in crappy movies, become closet drug addicts, die and fade into oblivion.or buy one because It's the heaviest, most brutal New York Heavy Metal that you will have heard in a long while. Either way, you'll be satisfied and so will we!

CHRIS FORBES: Last words?

MATT: What's up to all our favorite bands that we've toured with, listened to, and have been influenced by. Bringing the metal back and keeping it alive, that's what it's all about!