WILD WITCH The Offering
(Arthorium 2017)
 
In recent years, Brazil’s Arthorium Records has established a fine track record of shining a spotlight on high-quality traditional metal gems from South America, and The Offering from Wild Witch is no exception.  This is Wild Witch’s debut album, although they previously released a well-received 4-song EP (including a Tokyo Blade cover tune) on cassette via France’s Inferno Records in 2013.  During the recording process for this album, Wild Witch’s vocalist left the band.  In lieu of recruiting a new dedicated singer, bassist Felipe “Rippervert” took over the lead vocals and sang on the entire album, thereby streamlining Wild Witch to a power trio attack, alongside Mariano Burich on guitars and Weiberlan Garcia on drums.
 
To eradicate any doubt from the outset, Wild Witch play a form of old-school metal that bears all the usual influences (Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, pre-pirate Running Wild, Accept, Saxon, Angel Witch), without sounding specifically like any of them.  The Offering slides neatly into the intersection of the NWOBHM and the true-metal revival acts of today like Enforcer and Cauldron.  Songs are of the 4-5 minute anthemic variety, with relaxed mid-paced tempos (no speed burners on display here), big sturdy riffs, scorching lead guitarwork, and often-shouted gang choruses that are easy to remember and sing along with.  There’s a sincerity, an authenticity to Wild Witch’s approach that shines through in their performances.  It is perfectly obvious that these are three Brazilian dudes who live and breathe 1980s heavy metal, and play it from the heart.  Even better, the songs are well-written, catchy, and have a spark of inspiration that allows them to stand out even in the crowded marketplace of bands occupying the same general sonic territory these days.  So it’s not that Wild Witch are doing anything differently from their peers, they’re just doing it at a very high level.  Songs like “Night Rulers” (my favorite track on the album), “Blades of Pain,” and “To the Lions” are utterly convincing and instantly enjoyable, successfully capturing the spirit and the essence of what makes old-fashioned heavy metal so revered.  I’ve read some criticism of Rippervert’s vocals on the Internet, but I respectfully disagree.  He may not be a technically gifted singer, as if often the case when an instrumentalist assumes vocal duties following a singer’s untimely departure, but Rippervert does just fine in my book.  In fact, his slightly nasal, high-pitched delivery sounds like a lot of those charming underground German metal singers of the ‘80s or even Cauldron’s Jason Decay.  The important thing is that he fully compensates in enthusiasm for any technical shortcomings he may have. 
 
If there’s a knock on The Offering, I suppose it’s that Wild Witch haven’t really developed an individual sound and style, but instead sound like an amalgamation of their influences.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  I always have room in my music collection for bands that play well-executed classic heavy metal rooted in the ways of the old, with good songwriting and strong performances, even if the originality factor is not high.  When I put on this Wild Witch album, I feel an uncontrollable urge to crank up the volume, dust off the trusty air guitar and sing along to the cool heavy metal anthems for 40 minutes.  And that’s more than good enough for me.  Sometimes the pure, uncomplicated and true ways are the best, and that’s exactly what Wild Witch deliver.
 
8/10
~ Review by Kit Ekman ~

https://www.facebook.com/wildwitchmetal?fref=ts

FEINSTEIN Hail and Farewell – A Tribute to Ronnie James Dio
(self-released 2017)
 
It’s a sad reality of the times we live in that efforts to honor our fallen musical heroes are often viewed with skepticism, if not outright cynicism.  Sometimes (*cough*hologram tours*cough), that cynicism may be justified.  Other times, it is not, and a gesture of remembrance and love should be taken at face value, unsullied by ulterior motives or financial angles.  A perfect example of the latter category is the new Feinstein album, entitled Hail and Farewell – A Tribute to Ronnie James Dio.  Never heard of it?  That’s because Feinstein elected to release the album with a minimum of fuss and fanfare, suggesting it is not really intended as a commercial enterprise at all.  Who is this Feinstein?  That would be David “Rock” Feinstein, legendary guitarist/vocalist of The Rods, one of the finest American hard rock/heavy metal power trios ever to grace a stage.  To Rock Feinstein, this album is intensely personal.  You see, he and Ronnie James Dio were cousins.  They played together in Elf in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  By all accounts, they had a close relationship until Dio tragically passed away in 2010.  Feinstein wrote and recorded this album to pay tribute to his fallen cousin.
 
If you were expecting Hail and Farewell to be essentially a new The Rods album in different guise, guess again.  Even though Rock’s characteristic vocals and signature riffing style shine through in immediately recognizable fashion, and even though he’s enlisted the aid of his bandmates Carl Canedy (who plays drums on most of the album) and Garry Bordonaro (who chips in lead vocals on one track), this project bears little resemblance to Feinstein’s day job.  That’s because Hail and Farewell pays tribute, both musically and lyrically, to Ronnie James Dio.  What that means is that the music largely eschews the gritty, bluesy rock/metal that has long been The Rods’ calling card, in favor of heavily Rainbow/Sabbath/Dio influenced material, complete with a healthy dose of Hammond organ/keyboards.  It’s remarkable on tracks like “Chasing Rainbows,” “Song of Woe” or “Witches Brew” to hear how effectively Feinstein has channeled the sound, the mood, the energy, and the vibe of his cousin’s musical achievements.  (There’s even a brief trumpet passage in an intro track “March of the Elves,” paying homage to Ronnie’s first musical instrument.)  To be clear, Feinstein isn’t playing covers of Rainbow or Sabbath tunes, but he has penned a batch of songs cut from that same cloth and obviously heavily inspired by his cousin’s work.  There are no printed lyrics included in the six-panel, fold-out digipack packaging for the CD.  (There is, however, a wonderful collage of vintage photographs mostly of the Elf days, apparently taken from Rock’s personal archives.)  From what I can tell, however, the songs include biographical passages describing RJD’s life and career, one track (“Hold on for Your Life“) that pieces together multiple different RJD songtitles, and others that echo the same fantastical lyrical motifs that RJD utilized so brilliantly.
 
As you may have surmised already, Hail and Farewell is extremely well done.  It is a moving, heartfelt tribute that comes across as an entirely genuine labor of love to remember and honor a cherished cousin who was taken too soon.  The most stirring example of this would be the closing 8-minute “You Are My Hero,” which is a beautiful piano/orchestrated ballad sung by another family member, Eleanor Feinstein Phalen.  The song packs an emotional wallop and may well have you dabbing at your eyes with a tissue before it concludes.  But more than the emotional quality of the album, Hail and Farewell also feels infused with the spirit of Ronnie James Dio himself, capturing some of the magic and mystery that made him so beloved by so many.  No, Hail and Farewell isn’t the usual chest-beating old-school metal fare you read about here at True Metal Lives.  It might be a stretch to classify it as a metal record at all.  It’s more of a dramatic, emotional rock’n’roll record, I’d say.  But it is an immensely well-executed tribute to perhaps the greatest metal vocalist that ever lived.  And that outweighs any genre boundaries or classifications, warming me to the depths of my heavy metal heart.
 
8.5/10
~ Review by Kit Ekman ~

https://www.facebook.com/David-Rock-Feinstein-252167128195234/

NECRYTIS Countersighns
(Electrikill 2017)
 
In the music industry (much like life, I suppose), timing is everything.  Shortly after the turn of the millennium, a remarkable traditional heavy metal band called Onward (featuring guitar virtuoso Toby Knapp and talented vocalist Michael Grant (R.I.P.)) released two stellar albums on Century Media Records.  Unfortunately, old-school metal was not in vogue in those days, so the band never received even a fraction of the acclaim or success they deserved.  But Onward continues to hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the faithful.  So when Toby Knapp (who has gone on to do a wide variety of projects ranging from black metal to instrumental shred) gets involved with another traditional metal band, we sit up and take notice.  Such is the case with Necrytis, which is actually the brainchild of drummer/vocalist Shane Wacaster.  Knapp and Wacaster grew up together and played in a band together in the late 1980s, so when Wacaster needed a monster guitarist for Necrytis, he wisely enlisted the skills of his old friend Knapp.  The trio, rounded out by Mark Sobus on bass, recently released their debut album, the enigmatically titled Countersighns.
 
You would be forgiven for assuming – from the band name, cover art and Knapp’s track record – that Necrytis is some kind of extreme metal project.  You would also be wrong.  Countersighns is a pure traditional heavy metal album through and through, with just a hint of black metal seeping into the guitars (not the vocals or the rhythm section) from time to time.  Comparisons to Onward are inevitable, and not at all misplaced.  There are undeniable similarities in terms of musical style, Knapp’s characteristic fiery guitar work, and the theatrical, emotional, slightly quirky vocals.  On that last point, both the timbre of Wacaster’s voice and his delivery definitely recall the late, great Michael Grant in places, although I am also reminded of James Paul Luna (Holy Grail) and perhaps a touch of lower-register James Rivera (Helstar) throughout.  Necrytis specialize in a brand of traditional metal that is dramatic, bombastic, moody and dark, equal parts Loudness and Sanctuary, if you will, with just a pinch of King Diamond.  Also, Countersighns is a lyric junkie’s paradise, as Wacaster’s words are mysterious, poetic, and extremely well written (sample couplets “Footfalls in dust, blood turns to rust / Allegiance to the light, in dark we trust” or “While the shallow shrink and shirk their fate / The hateful rush the gates”).  There is a red-line concept running through the album having to do with the afterlife, but it is intentionally enigmatic and open to interpretation, without ever coming across as heavy-handed or distracting.  Somewhat surprisingly, given the lyrical complexity, the songwriting on this record is straightforward for the most part, showcasing 4-5 minute tunes with sturdy old-school riffs, well-defined choruses and memorable hooks, and leaving adequate real estate for Toby Knapp to go off on guitar, with just the occasional unconventional intro, sound effect or spoken-word bit.
 
To be perfectly candid, not everything in Countersighns clicks with me.  There are spots where the melody choices, atmosphere and vocal phrasing are a bit grating.  But those moments are vastly outnumbered by passages where the killer 80s-style riffing, catchy melodies and cryptic lyrics come together brilliantly.  Songs like “My Asylum,” “Sentry’s Scream,” “Countersighns,” and “Palace of Agony” are simply fantastic and are sure to find favor with the defenders of the olde.  Perhaps the best news is this: Not only is Countersighns an excellent debut album that is worthy of your scarce time and hard-earned cash, but also Necrytis are already nearing completion on a follow up, to be entitled Dread En Ruin.  Keep your eyes peeled for it, but for now go check out Countersighns.  You can get your copy at tobyknapp.bigcartel.com.  Onward and upward!
 
8/10
~ Review by Kit Ekman ~

https://www.facebook.com/Necrytis

FIRE STRIKE Slaves of Fate
(Stormspell 2017)
 
For my taste, California’s Stormspell Records has been one of the most consistently excellent underground old-school metal labels for years.  The only problem (if you want to characterize it that way) with the label is their propensity to release numerous albums at a time.  Why is this a problem?  Well, it means that sometimes really strong albums slip through the cracks because they are overshadowed by higher-profile Stormspell releases coming out in the same batch.  Case in point: Brazil’s Fire Strike, whose full-length debut album entitled Slaves of Fate was issued contemporaneously with highly anticipated new albums from the likes of Blazon Stone and Stereo Nasty.  The purpose of this review is to place Fire Strike squarely on your radar, in case you missed out on them earlier.  The label accurately describes Slaves of Fate as “Iron Maiden meets Doro Pesch” (I’d also mention early Crystal Viper), so if that summary intrigues you, read on.
 
Although the name may be unfamiliar, Fire Strike are anything but neophytes on the scene.  To the contrary, the Sao Paolo-based quintet, led by founding guitarist Helyad Amaro, has been a viable entity since 2005, with their first demo dating back to 2008.  After a couple of demos, Fire Strike released an EP entitled Lion and Tiger in 2013.  Four years later, the band’s full-length debut sees the light of day.  Interestingly, not all songs on Slaves of Fate are new; rather, two tracks from the EP (“Master of the Seas” and “Streets of Fire”) are reprised here, and the lineage of the closing anthem “Our Shout is Heavy Metal” can be traced all the way back to Fire Strike’s 2009 demo.  As you will no doubt have surmised from the reference to Doro Pesch, Fire Strike feature a female lead singer, Aline Nunes, and she’s a good one.  She sings with a little accent but a lot of power, a lot of enthusiasm, and a lot of heart, even if she has a tendency to overdo it sometimes with some of the over-the-top screams and high notes (see “Master of the Seas” for a good example of this).  She sounds a bit like Crystal Viper’s Marta Gabriel and A Sound of Thunder’s Nina Osegueda, just to give you an idea.  The real star of the show, however, is the twin-guitar team of Helyad Amaro and Henrique Schuindt.  Despite the simple, anthemic structures, many of the songs on Slaves of Fate hover between five and six minutes in length to allow ample opportunity for Amaro and Schuindt to spread their wings and light up their fretboards with early Maiden-styled guitar histrionics.  I would understand if some listeners feel that the material could be trimmed into a more concise attack, but I like the way the songs breathe and the guitars are endlessly entertaining, offering plenty of fist-in-the-air moments during those extended instrumental breaks.
 
By now it should be obvious that Fire Strike aren’t trying to revolutionize the genre.  The band’s passion for straight-up, no-frills traditional heavy metal shines through in everything they do.  In general, Fire Strike’s philosophy and approach to their craft are aptly summarized by the chorus to the Maiden-worshipping “Our Shout is Heavy Metal,” which goes “We’re making heavy metal / We’re singing heavy metal / We’re playing heavy metal / We’re living heavy metal.”  And god bless them for it.  The songs themselves are catchy and energetic, bolstered by an in-your-face powerful production job.  To understand what Slaves of Fate is all about, one need look no further than the exceptional opener “Reach for Your Life,” which boasts an infectious dual-guitar melody, showcases an arena-worthy chorus and captures the 1980s true metal spirit perfectly.  Most of the other tracks follow suit.  Fire Strike only broaden their template in a couple of spots, such as the French-language spoken-word Napoleon intro to “Master of the Seas” or the gentle, beautiful acoustic guitars that introduce “Losing Control.”   
 
If your shout is heavy metal (and it must be, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this review), then you owe it to yourself to give Fire Strike’s Slaves of Fate a chance.  To my ears, it ranks as one of Stormspell’s finest releases in 2017, which is high praise given the quality standards associated with that imprint.
 
8.5/10
~ Review by Kit Ekman ~

https://www.facebook.com/FireStrikeBand

Twenty Questions With… EMERALD

1. First of all, thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me. Before we really get rolling, please introduce yourself and can you please give us some information on your band and its background?
(DH) I'm Duane Hollis, bassist for Emerald, and we are a classic metal band from the U.S.A., (Arizona).
 
(JM) I'm Jeff Melin, and I play guitar and sing.
 
(DH) We originally formed sometime in 1984. Our then drummer Larry Salisbury put an ad in a local music store advertising for a guitarist/singer and Jeff was one of the first guys to respond. We all liked the same bands, and things just seemed to click for us in rehearsal. We tried out 2 or 3 singers over time but none of them really worked out for us, so Jeff, with some hesitation, took on the role as singer/guitarist.
 
(JM) I had been looking for a band but most I heard at that time were into playing hit songs by other bands. I wanted to do something slightly different; a bit more original and more raw or unexpected than what I was hearing at the time.
 
 
2. Please describe your band’s style. Genre, similar bands, etc. What should a potential new fan expect upon hearing your music for the first time?
 
(DH): We consider ourselves a classic metal band. We grew up in the 70's/80's listening to Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Armored Saint and old school hard rock like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin etc ... I think that's where we got our inspiration.
 
 
3. What other bands have you played in previously?
 
(DH): Some of the other metal bands that I've been associated with in the past were Sage Meridien, Imperium, Shok Hilary and Giant Destroyer. But, I've also played in numerous rock and alt country bands over the years
 
(JM): My only other band of note was Second Sight, we did the Hollywood clubs in the late 80’s without much fanfare. I had many years where I was not able to work on music too much due to other obligations. And then I got heavily into songwriting and recording but mostly on my own.
 
 
4. What are some of your musical influences both in metal and maybe in other styles of music?
 
(DH): For me personally, I'm a huge metal fan, but I also dig so many other styles of music ... In Emerald we were really (and still are) into Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath, so I think that has influenced our writing. When we first started playing, we were somewhat new to our instruments, and learned a lot of cover songs while also learning from each other. Those early days really shaped who we are today.
Some of my favorites are of course Black Sabbath, Scorpions (Uli era), Fates Warning, Thin Lizzy, Witchcraft, Death Angel, Flotsam and Jetsam, and then on the other spectrum I dig bands like Marillion, Utopia, Grateful Dead, Black Flag, Dead Hot Workshop and Son Volt. I'm really all over the map ... Charles Mingus!
 
(JM): I'm inspired and influenced by the likes of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, UFO, pretty much all the classic metal and hard rock bands but then going a bit earlier it was the Beatles, Stones, and the Who that initially got me fired up and into listening much closer to music. Once I found the heavier stuff, I definitely ran towards it and was guitar shopping in no time. I still love listening to metal, but Pink Floyd is a favorite too and also am a big classical fan. Classical and Metal match up really well for me, even without getting into the real technical neo-classical shred style (which I love), but more in the way melody and dynamics are used and how one musical theme can move into the next. I will say that over the past several years though, I spend more time working on our music than listening to anyone else.
 
 
5. Can you please share with us your band's recording history and any interesting stories and experiences from the studio?
 
(DH): In the early days we were limited to a Tascam 4-Track cassette recorder. We would get together and record at my mother's house in one of the spare rooms that we turned into a band room. In 86' we recorded a 4 or 5 track demo called "The Libya Tapes", that we passed around to our friends, and one of the songs "The Harvest" was later re-recorded for our second cd of the same name.
Fast forward to 2013. That's when we reformed the band and started doing remote recordings. Currently, we all live in different states so we do everything through the internet. Jeff and I will write all of the music, lyrics and all of the arrangements.  We send it off to Will, our drummer, who lives in England, who then adds his parts. Then Jeff and I will usually meet somewhere for a few days of mixing and editing.
 
 
6. How about your bands live experiences? Any amusing or memorable shows you would like to share with us?
 
(DH): Live shows ... We've only done a hand full of live shows. Most of our gigs were in 85/86. We used to do desert parties here in Arizona. They were a lot of fun. We would get 2 or 3 bands on the line up, buy some kegs of beer, charge a couple of bucks to get in and party and jam all night.
We also did a one-off reunion show in 97 or 98' in Tucson, AZ at a warehouse/recording studio called 7 & 7.
 
 
7. We have all heard of the big 4 of thrash. Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. It has been talked about in the past and critiqued quite often. In your mind, what are the Big 4? You don't have to just list thrash bands, lets open it up to all metal genres, past or present, what is the big 4 in your mind?
 
(DH):  My Big 4 thrash bands are - Flotsam & Jetsam, Sacred Reich, Testament and Voivod.
 
(JM) My top 4 including non-thrash: Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Accept, Metallica.
 
 
8. What would be your dream supergroup? Again, lets open it up to past or present musicians, what would be the dream band lineup?
 
(DH): Wow, Dream Supergroup. Ok ... Bill Ward on drums, Richie Blackmore on guitar, Geezer Butler on bass and Eric A.K. on vocals ... That's a hard question, it may change in a few days.
(JM): Rob Halford on vocals and that might be all I'd need for it to qualify as a super group of metal. Rob singing A Capella … hell yeah!
 
 
9. Now if you were to be a member of any band, who would you love to join up with?
 
(DH): - Black Sabbath
(JM) Yeah, same for me. I guess we would be rhythm guitar and rhythm bass!
 
 
10. Now it’s time to get philosophical. What IS heavy metal?
 
(DH) I think heavy metal is about aggression, release and expressing beliefs and emotion ... in a healthy way. If you are a metalhead, you are in a special tribe, and you see the world and its challenges through a hard musical lens.
 
(JM) Metal has a quality that I actually find very difficult to put into words. Certainly, the heaviness has a magic to it, and when you “get it”, it can take you all kinds of places in your life. On the lyric side, it can and has covered anything in the imagination. There are no limits. It's also been very enduring and resilient over the decades when people said it would die, it got even stronger. I think that also describes many of those of us that listen to it. We don't give up, we stand up for what we believe in.
 
 
11. What has heavy metal done for you thus far both in music and in your personal life?
 
(DH): Heavy metal has given me a consistent outlet for any and all of my personal trials.  It has influenced my views, and offered me a sense of belonging.
 
(JM): Definitely, it has always been there for me and never once let me down. It's been an outlet and comfort and taken me through the highs and lows we experience in life and I feel like part of making music for me currently is in part about taking our experiences and putting them back into the collective pool of thoughts and ideas. Maybe someone else needs a lift and hears something in a song of ours that they can connect with in a positive way.
 
 
12. If you were not playing in a metal band, what do you think you would be doing currently?
 
(DH): I'm always playing music ... If I'm not playing metal I'm out gigging in other Rock -n- Roll projects
 
(JM): If I wasn't working with Duane in Emerald, I would still be writing and recording as much as possible. I think the songs would be less focused though. I tend to get into mad scientist mode when putting ideas down. But I also like writing and recording acoustic numbers, and particularly I am into non-standard tunings these days. It makes guitar brand new again and there are many surprises to be found.
 
 
13. What is your heavy metal dream? I am not talking about goals here, I am talking about going to bed and dreaming...what is the dream you are having? Or is it a nightmare?
 
(DH): Man, I wish I did dream in real time, but I don't.
(JM): For me the dream would be being able to make a decent living off it, not having to work at all outside of music, but not getting to a point where your world goes crazy. I don't know that I'm suited for the public life...something to be said about the bands that wear makeup I guess! I don't need or want to be rich and famous, but music is my passion.
 
 
14. What is your view on the current state of heavy metal?
 
(DH): I think heavy metal is in the best state it's ever been in. There are tons of great bands out there ... Access to music is so easy now, you can get on the internet and discover new great talent everyday.
 
 
15. What are your thoughts concerning the digital era of metal. I am curious what you think of digital downloading, recording in the modern era and anything else that has changed since the early days of the industry.
 
(DH): So the digital era has brought lots of changes with it, since I discovered music. In the old days if you wanted to know the who, what, and when of any band you had to subscribe to a magazine or do a lot of research. Now it's at your fingertips.  As far as digital downloading goes, I'm ok with it as long as it is done legally. Stealing music sucks. I don't buy digital music myself, I'm still into CD's and LP's. It is also a great way for new bands to get their music out there. The digital era and recording:  As I said earlier, it has worked out really well for us.  This is the first band I've been in where I've never been in the same room or on the same continent as the drummer.
 
(JM): On one hand, it's very hard to sell music and make any money. On the other hand, there are very few limits on reaching people all over the world. We don't sell a lot, but I've had emails from folks in something like 20 countries that found us online and reached out to say hello, thanks I like your music. That's pretty amazing. I am past the point of expecting to make a living on this, but reaching new listeners like that is worth a lot to me and definitely keeps me motivated to keep at it and keep putting it out there.
 
 
16. Heavy metal has gone through some changes since the early days. New movements have come and gone as has its overall popularity. With that in mind, what direction do you see heavy metal going in the future?
 
(DH): The future of heavy metal:  It's all good! I just saw Exodus the other night and there were more long- haired 12 year old kids with their dads than I have ever seen before. The tradition carries on.
 
(JM) The level of musicianship I see from younger players is off the charts. I think that everything goes in cycles, but heavy music keeps coming back stronger and stronger.
 
 
17. Several musicians have gone on record to say that the full length album is dead. That with the digital age there is no need to produce a full length release. What are your thoughts, is the full length dead or still viable?
 
(DH): I don't know who listens to singles?  I guess people do.  We sell singles on the internet on a daily basis, so I guess someone is ... and we thank you.
I'm still old school.  I have to listen to albums front to back.
 
(JM) And this is an advantage we have in recording and producing ourselves. It costs us almost nothing other than printing. So should we put out 8 singles instead of all of them on a CD? That doesn't seem to make sense either.
Someone can still have the option to download or listen to a track at a time if they want, but for those who still enjoy the album format, and those who have to drive 45 minutes to work, this is for you!
 
 
18. Okay time to talk and promote your band some more. What is the current news coming from your camp. Any new music, tours, festivals or anything going on?
 
(DH): Emerald has a new cd out called 'Angels of Oblivion' (our third release) which came out in July of this year.
(JM): No gigs or tours at all. It's just about write, record, release for us. Starting to dabble a bit more into promotion though so hopefully more folks will find out about what we are doing.
 
 
19. What are the immediate short range goals for your group?
 
(DH): We are in the process of writing material for a new cd which we hope to release some time in 2018. As far as live gigging goes, if we get a good offer to play some festivals or workable tours, we may consider those options. But now it's all about getting Emerald out to the heavy metal community
 
 
20. What about ultimately any long range goals?
 
(JM); Just keep doing what we love, making music. As we go forward, maybe explore ways to reach a bit larger audience, and maybe try targeting some areas that we've not heard from.
 
 
21. Finally if you have any last words you wish to express to your fans and the metal community in general please do so here.
 
(DH): We would like to encourage anyone out there who hasn't heard us to get on the internet, check us out and take a listen ... And we, Emerald,  thank you!
(JM): Yes, we are thrilled by the people who have joined us already and appreciate their support, and we are just glad to be part of their metal families.