Episodes

  • ALEX SKOLNICK Reflects On New ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO Album: “Everything Is Becoming So Dependent On Technology, But Our Music Is An Expression Of Being Human”

    ALEX SKOLNICK Reflects On New ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO Album: “Everything Is Becoming So Dependent On Technology, But Our Music Is An Expression Of Being Human”
    Nov 10 2025
    After weeks in Europe unleashing one of Testament’s heaviest tour runs, Alex Skolnick is back home, almost over the jet lag and coming down from nights of high-volume catharsis. The decompression is real. “I was there for a few weeks performing almost every night, and it takes a lot of energy,” he tells Rodrigo Altaf during their conversation. “You get used to it, and then you forget how much energy you’ve put out. And you get home, and you’re just exhausted for a few days.” That contrast between exhaustion and renewal sits at the heart of Prove You’re Not a Robot, the new album by the Alex Skolnick Trio. It’s a record that insists on human interaction in an era obsessed with automation: musical, cultural, and otherwise. The title is more than a clever nod to login screens. “Part of the inspiration for the title was the fact that everything is becoming so dependent on technology,” Skolnick explains. “I think there are just a lot of people that are not thinking for themselves and just sort of following podcasters or YouTube channels that are telling them how to think. And by not thinking, you’re behaving more like a robot.” We’re constantly asked to prove we’re not machines online, but he’s more concerned with how we behave offline. He points to a growing culture of conformity: in politics, in entertainment, in the way audiences let algorithms, pundits, and influencers decide what to think. For Skolnick, the trio’s music is the opposite of that: improvised, interactive, and unmistakably human: “It is music that does require interaction and being in the same room at the same time,” he says. “We are making this music together, and it’s an expression of being human.” Artificial intelligence hovers around his world from multiple angles. On Testament’s latest album, Parabellum, the band dives into dystopian tech on the track “Infanticide AI,” born from ideas by Chuck Billy and lyricist Del James. Skolnick notes how naturally that theme echoes the trio’s more understated concerns. “It’s interesting because even though my trio album doesn’t have AI in the title, you can certainly relate it to that as well,” he says. But where Parabellum channels futuristic dread through blast beats and razor-edged riffing, Prove You’re Not a Robot answers with nuance, swing, and space. It’s a reminder that resisting the machine doesn’t have to mean shouting over it; it can mean listening more carefully. The album’s visual world is as intentional as the music. The cover photo is Skolnick’s own black-and-white shot, born from a quiet moment with a “real camera,” not a phone. “This was an accidental image,” he recalls. “I was just going around taking photos, not thinking about what I was taking. And this really felt like it could be an image. And then once I had the title, it seemed to really fit.” Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God sits at the intersection of these elements: he’s the one who pushed Skolnick into serious photography, then stepped behind the lens for the band portraits. “Randy got me into taking photographs on a real camera,” Skolnick says. All the band photos on the album, “the photos I’m in”, are Blythe’s work, woven together by designer Maddie SJ with Skolnick’s own images. The result feels tactile and human, the opposite of AI-generated gloss. Photo by D. Randall Blythe One of the standout tracks, “Armando’s Mood,” nods directly to two unlikely but foundational voices for Skolnick: Chick Corea and Steve Howe. “Chick Corea is a massive influence,” he says, singling out pieces like “Armando’s Rumba” as essential, if daunting, study material. At the same time, he was revisiting “Mood for a Day” by Yes, rediscovering Howe’s hybrid picking approach. “I realized a lot of his acoustic parts are done with pick and fingers. And I’ve been doing more of that lately.” Somewhere in that overlap, a strange idea clicked. “Something about the melodies, I thought, oh, this is interesting. It’s almost like you could play ‘Armando’s rumba’ slow at this tempo. And it fits.” So he fused them, then twisted the meter into 11/8, more John McLaughlin than straight tribute. “It was really like a challenge, an exercise for fun. I wasn’t sure it was something worth putting on the record. But as I worked on it with the guys, it just really started feeling musical and challenging, but also fun. And now it’s this piece that’s very fun to play.” Their version of Tom Petty’s “Breakdown” began as an emotional reflex. “That one came about on the day we found out he passed away,” Skolnick says. The trio was about to play The Iridium in New York, so they slipped in a partial, faithful version on the spot. For the new album, he finally gave it the full treatment by breaking it apart. “Of course, I want to make it different from the original,” he explains. The trio leans into 5/4, tipping its ...
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    35 mins
  • CHRIS CAFFERY Reflects On 20 Years Of Solo Career, SAVATAGE’s Return, And The Balance Between Legacy & Future

    CHRIS CAFFERY Reflects On 20 Years Of Solo Career, SAVATAGE’s Return, And The Balance Between Legacy & Future
    Oct 1 2025
    For guitarist Chris Caffery, best known for his work with Savatage and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the release of 20 Years of the Music Man means much more than a career milestone. It’s a reflection of perseverance, humor, and the need to keep moving forward despite shifting musical landscapes. “Well, basically what had happened was I had been releasing a couple of singles, and for me that kind of became sort of easy to do, because I didn’t have to get a whole record done… I recorded a song last year that was called “Do You See What I See Now”, and I decided to contact Mr. Jeff Scott Soto to see if he would share the lead vocals with me, and he did, and I really liked the way this song came out,” he explained. What began as scattered singles evolved into a full compilation. Caffery admitted that the idea of a retrospective took on momentum of its own: “It started to feel like to me that it was going to have to be a record that was going to need to be done… I just kind of pieced together what I thought was a really neat timeline of the 20 years from when I first really started recording those songs… between 2004 and 2024, that’s where this music was recorded.” The result is not just a “best-of,” but a sprawling map of his solo journey, including previously unreleased songs, vinyl exclusives, and tracks that slipped through the cracks the first time around. It’s a statement of continuity, that his solo career is not an afterthought to Savatage or Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but a parallel voice he continues to develop. Among the compilation’s most talked-about songs are the ones that wear frustration on their sleeves. Titles like “Pisses Me Off”, “Sick of This Sh*t”, and “You’ve Gotta Be F*cking Kidding Me” might suggest pure rage, but Caffery explained that his intent was closer to comedy than fury. “Here’s the thing, I did ‘You’ve Gotta Be F*cking Kidding Me’ because I had ‘Pisses Me Off’, so I thought it was kind of funny… when Holger said to me, well, you had ‘Sick of This Sh*t’… I thought the trifecta of those three songs would be pretty fun to have on one CD,” Caffery explained. He added that the humor was deliberate: “I like to make people laugh, you know, and it’s like if I’m saying that stuff, it’s a way for me to use my sense of humor to control anger, not bring the anger out.” For Caffery, these songs are snapshots of a time, as relevant for their energy as their satire. This balance between metal intensity and self-deprecating humor reflects his personality onstage with TSO, where he often uses jokes to disarm audiences. Still, he recognizes the risk of updating the formula for today’s climate: “I considered doing a ‘Pisses Me Off’ 2025 version, or something like that, but people are so sensitive now that if I were to write what pissed me off… instead of making people laugh… they would hear what I say now, and they get mad.” However, not all of Caffery’s music stems from humor or catharsis. “Then She’s Gone”, one of the compilation’s most poignant tracks, was written in a moment of late-night reflection after personal heartbreak: “I was home one night in the band house… and I just kind of threw it all together really fast… I just thought it would be something that would be a really cool stamp to the end of this.” Even when the vast majority of his fans have followed Caffery primarily for riffs and power, he can channel vulnerability with as much authenticity as ferocity. Although he initially saw the track as a quiet closer, the label insisted it should be released as a single — a choice Caffery initially doubted: “After the video came out and people started hearing the song, I was really blown away with how universal the reaction was. I don’t think I’ve released a song that had as consistent a response from everybody… Everybody seems to associate with that song.” Of course, no conversation with Chris Caffery would be complete without addressing Savatage‘s return. The band’s performance in Brazil after more than two decades was deeply emotional for him: “You know, it just felt like it was a year ago that we stopped. It was so weird. You know, it was over 20 years since we were in Brazil, but it just felt like it was the day before. I mean, Savatage never broke up. We just had a really long pause.” For Caffery, the reunion is not revolving around nostalgia, but about the band that shaped him reclaiming their rightful spot in the musical landscape: “Once I left my band with my brother, Savatage was my band with my other brothers. You know, it was like, I mean, it’s my band.” Fans have long awaited the rumored Savatage upcoming album Curtain Call, but Caffery suggested it might symbolize renewal rather than farewell: “Jon wants to call it Curtain Call, but… I don’t think it’s a final curtain. Right. I think it might be rising again… maybe, fingers ...
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    30 mins
  • JOE DENINZON & JASON GIANNI On STRATOSPHEERIUS Recent Album “Impostor!”: “We Are Lucky To Be In A Band Where Everyone Goes Above And Beyond”

    JOE DENINZON & JASON GIANNI On STRATOSPHEERIUS Recent Album “Impostor!”: “We Are Lucky To Be In A Band Where Everyone Goes Above And Beyond”
    Oct 18 2024

    Joe Deninzon has got to be one of the busiest guys in rock music. For over a year, he’s been the violinist for the legendary band Kansas — which is in the midst of an extensive 50th-anniversary tour.

    But Joe’s other focus is his group Stratospheerius… which melds rock, jazz, classical, and a bit of anything else. Stratospheerius has a new album which came out on October 11 (check out our review HERE).

    Their new album is called “Impostor!” — with an exclamation mark. And it’s the culmination of six years of work. The pandemic threw a block in the timing. Then Deninzon produced the live Stratospheerius album, “Behind the Curtain (Live at Progstock)”. He and drummer Jason Gianni had to learn the ins and outs of video production for the DVD of that one. But the main thing that held up the release: the group wanted it done the right way.

    Recently, Deninzon and Gianni talked with Mark Boardman about the new album, what it’s like to experience newfound success in middle age, impostor syndrome, and the challenges of scheduling live gigs amid all their other commitments. Watch or listen to their conversation below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, follow us on Facebook, Flipboard, and Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.

    The post JOE DENINZON & JASON GIANNI On STRATOSPHEERIUS Recent Album “Impostor!”: “We Are Lucky To Be In A Band Where Everyone Goes Above And Beyond” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
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    Less than 1 minute
  • MANDOKI SOULMATES’ Mastermind LESLIE MANDOKI Talks New Album “A Memory Of Our Future”: “Our Voice is Only As Strong As Our Audience Is Propelling Our Music!”

    MANDOKI SOULMATES’ Mastermind LESLIE MANDOKI Talks New Album “A Memory Of Our Future”: “Our Voice is Only As Strong As Our Audience Is Propelling Our Music!”
    Jul 29 2024
    After the Mandoki Soulmates‘ 30th Anniversary Tour, the band retreated to singer, songwriter, composer, and drummer Leslie Mandoki‘s studio on Lake Starnberg in Germany to work on a brand-new prog rock album. The result was “A Memory of Our Future,” released worldwide on May 10, 2024. Leslie and his Soulmates have long been revered for their unwavering commitment to the principles of peace, respect, and resilience. With the recent release, he and his rebellious musicians have once again demonstrated their ability to craft music that beautifully encapsulates these core values. At the heart of “A Memory of Our Future” is a profound sense of harmony, both musically and philosophically, that resonates with listeners on a deep, emotional level. The band seamlessly weaves a lush tapestry of sound that invites the audience to reflect on the importance of maintaining a harmonious coexistence, even in the face of adversity. With each note and every lyric, the Mandoki Soulmates challenge listeners to embrace the transformative power of music, using it as a conduit for cultivating a greater sense of unity, compassion, and resilience within our global community. The album’s title track, “A Memory of our Future,” serves as a poignant reminder that by honoring past lessons, we can forge a path towards a more peaceful and understanding tomorrow. “Devil’s Encyclopedia” is an outcry against the war of aggression in Europe and the propaganda machinery via social media with the agenda of fomenting division and hatred through manufactured conflicts, and “Enigma Of Reason” reflects our times, in which normality is going crazy, certainties are breaking away, and reality is overrunning fears and writing dramatic scripts. “A Memory Of Our Future” The twelve songs form a masterful concept album as if cast from a single mold. They are filled with incredible musical diversity and transport listeners to a realm where the ideals of peace and respect reign supreme. Leslie made a deliberate choice to record the album using analog technology rather than the slick precision of digital methods. This analog approach allowed him to imbue the music with a raw, visceral quality that evokes the gritty realities of his upbringing while also giving the compositions a timeless and classic feel. Correspondent Robert Cavuoto spoke to Leslie as he delved into the fascinating history and inspiration behind the concept of his heartfelt love letter to his audience. Leslie eloquently described how his upbringing of being born and raised behind the Iron Curtain during the era of Russian oppression cultivated his rebellious spirit which he channels into his songwriting, and spoke at large about the inception of “A Memory of Our Future.” Watch or listen to their conversation below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, follow us on Facebook, Flipboard, and Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified about new content we publish daily. Order “A Memory of our Future,” HERE The post MANDOKI SOULMATES’ Mastermind LESLIE MANDOKI Talks New Album “A Memory Of Our Future”: “Our Voice is Only As Strong As Our Audience Is Propelling Our Music!” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
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    27 mins
  • Guitarist GAVIN HADES Talks About THE GAVIN EVICK BAND: “We Want To Bring Back The Feeling of 80’s”

    Guitarist GAVIN HADES Talks About THE GAVIN EVICK BAND: “We Want To Bring Back The Feeling of 80’s”
    Jul 15 2024

    The Gavin Evick Band has been riding high on critical acclaim following the recent release of their highly-anticipated new single, “Young, Wild & Free.” Debuting on June 20th, the song has already made a significant radio impact, capturing the attention of music fans with its driving anthemic rock.

    Frontman and songwriter Gavin Evick has crafted a song that celebrates the carefree spirit of youth, with lyrics that speak to the universal desire to embrace life’s adventures and live in the moment while guitarist Gavin Hades propels the song with his shimmering guitar work and fretboard wizardry.

    Together, they make “Young, Wild & Free” a contender for rock song of the summer. The success of the new single has only further cemented the Gavin Evick Band‘s reputation as one of the most exciting young acts in the contemporary rock landscape, with critics praising the group’s ability to blend classic rock influences with a fresh modern twist.

    As the band continues to bask in the glow of this latest triumph, fans eagerly await more music as they continue performing live across the country. Correspondent Robert Cavuoto spoke with guitarist Gavin Hades about his musical foundation, how his father’s gift of a guitar inspired him to perform with Bret Michaels at 14 years old, what it was like to hear his song on the radio for the first time, and what fans can expect in terms of new music.

    Watch or listen to their conversation below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, follow us on Facebook, Flipboard, and Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified about new content we publish daily.

    The post Guitarist GAVIN HADES Talks About THE GAVIN EVICK BAND: “We Want To Bring Back The Feeling of 80’s” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
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    27 mins
  • AXEL RUDI PELL Discusses New Studio Album “Risen Symbol” & The Importance Of Staying True To One’s Craft: “I See Myself As A Regular Guitar Player Who Can Write And Compose Good Songs”

    AXEL RUDI PELL Discusses New Studio Album “Risen Symbol” & The Importance Of Staying True To One’s Craft: “I See Myself As A Regular Guitar Player Who Can Write And Compose Good Songs”
    Jul 6 2024
    Somewhere between the organic feel of 70s hard rock and the wild technical craze of 80s heavy metal exists a middle ground where true magic resides. This is the realm occupied by Axel Rudi Pell, German virtuoso guitarist, and longtime solo artist, alongside one of the most prolific artists in the business at present. Originally cutting his teeth in the European rock scene in the mid-80s with the Wattenscheid-based Steeler (not to be confused with the L.A., Ron Keel-fronted band that was the original springboard for Swedish shred god Yngwie Malmsteen), Pell has since amassed a strong following across the European continent and beyond, fielding a massive 20 full-length albums of original material, alongside an impressive array of compilations showcasing his ballad work and an eclectic selection of cover songs adapted to his own signature style. Amid his longevity as an artist, Axel’s band has proven a marvel stylistic consistency with a correspondingly stable lineup despite changing and wildly divergent trends throughout its 35-year run. Even at the height of the grunge explosion that saw many similar bands west of the Atlantic lose viability, Pell would unleash an unapologetic display of 80s melodic rock/metal mysticism that bridged the divide between Rainbow’s “Bent Out Of Shape” and Dio’s “Holy Diver” with zero signs of stylistic impact from the Seattle craze in question. From his own perspective, Pell has expressed admiration for several of grunge’s prominent artists, not the least among them being Kurt Cobain, but his conviction in continuing on his path would see him pen such extravagant albums as “Eternal Prisoner,” “Between The Walls” and “Black Moon Pyramid” with famed former Rising Force vocalist Jeff Scott Soto at the helm during the darkest days of metal’s history as an art form in the public eye; albums that arguably functioned as a rallying cry for the subsequent second wave of European power metal. “Risen Symbol” Album Artwork Yet when considering the entirety of Axel Rudi Pell’s run as a band, the most pivotal development would occur in the years that would follow. Arguably the most consequential album of Pell’s solo career, namely 1998’s “Oceans Of Time,” would see the arrival of former Hardline vocalist Johnny Gioeli and keyboardist Ferdy Doernberg, codifying what could be dubbed this band’s signature sound. Though several drummers of note such as ex-Stratovarius kit man Jorg Michael and prolific studio and touring veteran Mike Terrana would filter in and out, the current incarnation with ex-Warlock drummer Robby Rodinelli in congress since 2014’s “Into The Storm” stands as the fold that Pell himself considers the most potent and finely tuned incarnation of the project. The albums that have followed have showcased a band continually refining their vintage 70s and 80s-inspired sound, with a controlled sense of evolution that has kept things from becoming an overt throwback and well within the realm of present-day studio practices. One might argue that the song ultimately remains the same here, but with the arrival of Pell‘s latest studio entry “Risen Symbol” standing as a culmination of the past 10 years of studio work, it’s a song that also seems to get better and still has few surprises left in store. Though his fans might see him as either a king who is also a wizard, or possibly the reigning king of wizards, Axel Rudi Pell is a veteran of the stage and studio who has remained humble and approaches his craft with a clear-cut philosophy of his skill serving his songs, rather than the other way around. Jonathan Smith was fortunate to catch up with this auspicious weaver of an older style in a new era to reminisce upon his formative years as a guitarist in the 70s, his subsequent tenure in both Steeler and his eponymous solo band, and his newly minted 20th studio album “Risen Symbol.” Alongside his glowing words for such noted influences as Ritchie Blackmore, Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, and Eddie Van Halen, Pell was of good humor when discussing the occasional comparisons to Malmsteen, the odd coincidence of his first prominent band sharing the same name with the latter’s first noteworthy project, and was frequently self-deprecating in his approach to humor while plugging his extensive body of work. Words like staying power, stalwart, and tenacity don’t begin to do justice to the commitment and ethic that has kept him in the game into his mid-60s, and it’s a foregone conclusion that he will continue to build mist-shrouded, magical castles of sound as long as his mortal avatar remains upon this Earth. Watch or listen to their conversation below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, follow us on Facebook, Flipboard, and Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis. The post AXEL RUDI PELL Discusses New Studio Album “Risen ...
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    29 mins
  • GARY WEHRKAMP (SHADOW GALLERY) & MARC CENTANNI Talk Prog-Metal Opera Project HARPAZO: “This Is A Theatrical Concept Album, With Powerful Musical/Lyrical Passages”

    GARY WEHRKAMP (SHADOW GALLERY) & MARC CENTANNI Talk Prog-Metal Opera Project HARPAZO: “This Is A Theatrical Concept Album, With Powerful Musical/Lyrical Passages”
    Jun 28 2024

    The Prog/Metal/Rock project Harpazo has been 16 years in the making. Back in 2008, Marc Centanni began taking guitar lessons from former Shadow Gallery axe-man/keyboardist/background singer Gary Wehrkamp. Centanni was something of a writer, and a poet, with an interest in religion.

    He showed some of his work to Wehrkamp, who was suitably impressed. He decided to put the words to music, just to see what would happen.

    Neither man could have imagined that it would take so long for the project to come to fruition. Life provided challenges. Wehrkamp’s home and studio were destroyed by fire—although the Harpazo tapes were saved. Covid put things on hold. The pair were continually refining the work, changing words, trying new instrumentation, and looking for a goal that they weren’t quite sure existed.

    “The Crucible” Album Artwork

    But it did. Harpazo – which basically translates to the biblical Rapture – comes out with the album “The Crucible” today (June 28). The final story, as Wehrkamp and Centanni told our contributor Mark Boardman, is a bit of a mashup. There are many references to the Bible’s Book of Revelation, with an anti-Christ figure and an ending of redemption and salvation. But it also has touches of AI, cyber tech, and more. Wehrkamp’s music—most of which he performed, with the help of several guest vocalists and instrumentalists—drives the Rock Opera to greater and greater heights.

    The conversation also touched on the nature of faith and how the project brought each of them into a deeper understanding of and relationship with God. But it took them a long time to get there…

    Order Harpazo‘s debut album “The Crucible” from HERE (USA) or HERE (Rest Of The World).

    Watch or listen to their conversation below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, follow us on Facebook, Flipboard, and Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.

    The post GARY WEHRKAMP (SHADOW GALLERY) & MARC CENTANNI Talk Prog-Metal Opera Project HARPAZO: “This Is A Theatrical Concept Album, With Powerful Musical/Lyrical Passages” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
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    29 mins
  • DARK TRANQUILLITY’s MIKAEL STANNE Talks “Endtime Signals” Album: “In Many Ways, This Was Like A New Beginning For Us, It Felt We Had Something To Prove”

    DARK TRANQUILLITY’s MIKAEL STANNE Talks “Endtime Signals” Album: “In Many Ways, This Was Like A New Beginning For Us, It Felt We Had Something To Prove”
    Jun 25 2024

    One of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg/Swedish metal scene, along with In Flames and At The Gates, Dark Tranquillity has remained a steady force in the realm of melodic death metal.

    On August 16th, the band will unveil their 13th studio album, “Endtime Signals”. Building on the success of previous releases such as “Atoma” (2016), which climbed up to #2 in the Swedish album charts, and “Moment” (2020), which earned the band a Swedish Grammy Award, the new album is posed to become a fan’s wet dream.

    Despite counting on a revamped lineup, it showcases the band’s identity in every aspect – from the cover to its themes of despair, the varied vocal delivery, and right up to the last note. The album release date, August 16th, was strategically picked: it will coincide with the band’s appearance at the Summer Breeze Open Air in Dinkelsbühl, Germany. In addition to that, the band has scheduled a North American tour with Amorphis in the summer and will be touring in Europe with Moonspell, Wolfheart, and Hiraes in the fall.

    “Endtime Signals” Album Artwork

    Pre-order “Endtime Signals” HERE.

    Singer Mikael Stanne, the only original member of Dark Tranquillity, not only keeps himself busy with his main band. He’s also involved in other acts, such as The Halo Effect, currently touring, and the newly formed Cemetery Skyline, a who’s who of Scandinavian metal with a melodic yet heavy sound. Cemetery Skyline is planning its live debut for August, which means Mikael is gearing up for a lengthy period on the road.

    Collaborator Rodrigo Altaf sat down with Mikael to discuss the pessimistic view that “Endtime Signals” exudes, how the new lineup dynamics influenced the creative process, his involvement with other bands, and a myriad of other topics.

    Watch or listen to their conversation below, and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, follow us on Facebook, Flipboard, and Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.

    The post DARK TRANQUILLITY’s MIKAEL STANNE Talks “Endtime Signals” Album: “In Many Ways, This Was Like A New Beginning For Us, It Felt We Had Something To Prove” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.
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    29 mins