HMTV Canada Interviews Warmachine

 www.myspace.com/warmachine

HMTV Canada: Hi Warmachine How is the Toronto music scene has the band been tearing up lots of stages with their killer performance locally throughout Southern Ontario?

Joe Di Taranto: The music scene over here is pretty good. We always draw really well. So, we’re quite lucky in that regard. As far as us tearing up the stages is concerned, we’ve basically taken 2009 off. We’ve kind of avoided performing live this year as we’ve been working on our live show and sound. We’ve recently incorporated Taurus pedals into our live show to fill up some space while Johnny and I play leads/harmonies. I’ve also had the other members work on covering more backing vocals. So, it’s sounding great and we’ll be back at it in 2010 with the release of our new record.

HMTV Canada: Curious when Warmachine won the TIMA award for the Best Metal band in July of 2008, did this help gain other media exposure opportunities for the band such as airplay on local or college radio or tours?

JD: It definitely helped us garner some extra attention from some more mainstream media outlets. I have also noticed a rise in our radio plays thanks to our win. It’s all been good as far as I’m concerned. We’re just happy to be recognized.

HMTV Canada: If the band had the chance to play live anywhere in the world what country would they like to tour and why?

JD: I think either Italy or Germany would be a real treat for us. We’ve got a lot of fans over there and haven’t had a chance to make it down there quite yet. We plan on touring Europe hopefully in 2010 though. Anywhere in Europe would be awesome to play honestly, as that was really the first place that really embraced Warmachine.

HMTV Canada: I really dig your new song “Moving On” it reminds me of moving onto the ever-changing whirlwind of positive sweeping changes happening in my life and wiping out the negative forces and monsters.

JD: Thanks!  I’m glad that you were able to connect with the song. That is pretty much what the song is about. I wrote the song with theme of “Divorce” in mind. The verses tend to deal with all the negative aspects of a relationship on its last legs, while the chorus focuses on the positive feelings of breaking away from something so toxic and moving forward and onto better things.

HMTV Canada: Another favorite is “Eternally” will the band be producing any music videos from these song tracks soon?

JD: That’s a favorite of mine as well from our debut album. I’m glad you like it as well. We do indeed plan to make a video for “Moving On” in the New Year.

HMTV Canada: How is your new Album coming along “Left for Dead” and when does the band hope to release this CD?

JD: The album is finished and it’s turned out 20 times better than we hoped. It’s a bit of a departure from “The Beginning of the End”. But it’s definitely still Warmachine.  We’re really excited about “Left for Dead” and it’s the kind of album that I’ve personally always wanted to make. We’re planning on released the record in early 2010.

HMTV Canada: Can you tell us some of the Album highlights such as the songs their themes?

JD: Well a lot of the songs and lyrics are based on some of my past relationships. They highlight what I was feeling while I was in these less than healthy situations. There is definitely a string of anger, sadness, & unhappiness throughout.

HMTV Canada: Who is helping with the engineering of “Left for Dead” from the recording to the mixing and mastering?

JD: The album was produced by Murray Daigle. The majority of the engineering was done by Sean Gregory. Both Murray and Sean worked with us on “The Beginning of the End” as well.  Murray also mixed the album and then we had Andy VanDette master the record at Masterdisk in NYC. Everyone did an amazing job with the album. We are super excited with the way it has turned out.

HMTV Canada: Are there any ideas for the cover art of this New Album?

JD: Yes, we actually have the final cover art ready to go. You can see it on any one of our websites. It’s very plain and simple. All black, with our logo and the album title directly beneath it. We really wanted to simplify everything with “Left for Dead”. The music speaks for itself.

HMTV Canada: Have there been any challenges in producing this Album to date?

JD: I can honestly say that there were not. It was an effortless album to write and record. I think that’s why it turned out as great as it did. Everything flowed for us. Nothing was forced or contrived at all. It’s almost like it was meant to be. And as far as recording it goes, we had a blast in the studio. Working with Murray and Sean is so much fun. We go in there and spend months in the studio laughing and joking around all day and night. It’s just an absolute pleasure. That’s probably why it takes us forever to release albums though lol. In addition to getting along so well, we really see eye to eye on a musical level, and that’s what is most important. I really can’t see making records any other way in the future.

HMTV Canada: Curious what inspires or motivates Warmachine to write intense graphical lyrics about relationships, the negative forces of life, the apocalyptic end of humanity and do the band members write all lyrics as one collaborative unit contributing their ideas to the songs?

JD: Well, I am the primary song writer in the band. There really isn’t a lot of collaboration between the band members when it comes to songwriting. Johnny Salerno (guitarist) did co-write the music with me on “Too Late” however. So, I’m definitely open to everyone’s ideas. The guys just kind of know what works for Warmachine and let me go off and do my own thing. When it comes time to jam on the new tunes that I’ve written, everyone puts in their two cents and we try their ideas and see what works.  This was actually the first time that Murray Daigle (producer) and I collaborated on some songs. Murray co-wrote 4 songs on “Left for Dead” with me (“Moving On”, “We’re the Chemical”, “Chalk Lines and Bones” & “Inevitable Crash”). That was a really cool experience for me as I’m so used to writing on my own with no one around. It really took me out of my comfort zone to sit in the same room with Murray and throw ideas at each other. It really forced me to come up with some different ideas that I probably wouldn’t have come up with on my own. As far as lyrics are concerned, my own relationships and my experiences with other people are usually what inspire my lyrics. I also often write about the things I see around me. Someone else’s experiences tend to inspire me as well. I try to put myself in their shoes and write about what I would feel if I were them. Being that I was raised Catholic, I tend to write about what a learned about growing up, and that’s the apocalypse and the end of days, etc. So these themes come up from time to time in my lyrics. But for the most part, I write about personal issues, as I find that others can relate to them much easier.

HMTV Canada: Can you tell us about the current lineup of Warmachine some of the crazy wild funny characteristics of the band and do the members like to try new ideas to their sound?

JD:  Our guitarist Johnny Salerno is actually my cousin and is a phenomenal guitar player. He’s a quiet guy until he gets to know you, then he lets loose and shows his true colors. He’s nuts and is one of the funniest people I know. He and I will laugh for hours on end when we’re together. I think it’s something in our blood! Alberto Campuzano is our bassist and is an amazing bass player and all-round musician. He was born in Venezuela and is a HUGE Rush fan…like the rest of us! Alberto is a great backup singer as well and covers the majority of backing vocals live. Adam Raymer is our drummer and Warmachine’s biggest cheerleader. We call him “Raymo” as he’s the only member of the band that is not Italian. So, we’ve given him an Italian name anyway. Adam is a killer drummer and the perfect fit for the band both musically and personally. He’s got a heart of gold and is just as crazy as the rest of us.

HMTV Canada: Has Warmachine been successful in finding a record label yet?

JD: At the moment we’re still viewing our options. We have some offers on the table. But we want to make sure that we make the right decision for the band and this new album.

HMTV : Before we wrap up our interview does the band have anything they would like to plug in or anything they like to say to fans and friends?

JD:  I’d just like to thank all our fans for their support and their patience of course. Look out for our new record “LEFT FOR DEAD” in 2010! We hope to see everyone out on the road in the New Year!! Cheers!

Thank you, Warmachine, for taking the time to complete this interview. I would also like to thank, Willy Forrest, for introducing our eZine to Warmachine. Horns High You Rock HMTV Canada.