Interview with WEAPONIZER

Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.

Tell us a few things about WEAPONIZER (Members, Starting Year etc).

Jorden: Weapönizer was Justin’s brainchild from the start. He let me know what he was trying to do back in 2008 probably, and started practicing as a 3-piece with Mike in 2009. I always assumed we would get a singer to fill out the band, but we never did, so I just started yelling into the mic at practice one day, and that was that. We did finally get a 4th member. Nick Hooten came on as rhythm guitar sometime after we released our self-title in 2012. He lasted a couple years, but was replaced by Peter before we recorded Lawless Age. And that is the same line-up that recorded The Steel Beast.

Justin: What's up Stavros? Yeah, I was very pleased that Jorden took command as such a powerful vocalist. There are very few vocalists who aren’t absolute douchebags and fewer still who sound good. I met Jorden in the late 90’s at a local record store and had been in another band with the drummer since around ‘95 or ‘96.

You have recently released your single ''Victory''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?

Jorden: The feedback we’ve received so far has all been positive. It’s a bit of a departure from our previous stuff. Victory is a little more rock ‘n’ roll, less extreme metal, but that hasn’t seemed to bother anyone. 

Justin: We've received good words from it, mostly from our established supporters on social media. We hadn't pushed it to the press. So far, people seem a bit intrigued that it's more of a d-beat, raw rock 'n' roll track rather than some polished extreme metal effort. I think they're curious what the rest of the album sounds like.

You are going to release your new album "The Steel Beast". Tell us a few things about this project.

Jorden: We started writing material for The Steel Beast pretty soon after we released Lawless Age, so some of the earlier songs retain a lot of the feel of that album (The Masque, Future Graves, and Engines for example). But as we got more and more distance from Lawless, and playing live shows so much, we started to branch out a little more. Not a lot; it’s not like we have changed ships mid-stream or anything, but we definitely have more AC/DC and Motörhead in The Steel Beast than we have in anything else.

It took you around 10 years to release your new album following your previous record, Lawless Age, which came out in 2017. What was the reason for such a long delay, and what happened within the band during all those years?

Jorden: For much of that time we were touring and playing live shows around Denver and the American West. When we play live a lot, we tend to focus most of our energy into making sure we are show-ready, so writing falls by the wayside. But we had the new album mostly written by the time Covid hit. Then everything went on hiatus. When we were able to start practicing together again, we still weren’t able to play out live, so we were able to tighten up the basic structures of the songs and get drums and bass recorded. We got most of the rhythm guitars recorded then too. But I didn’t have any lyrics written yet. I let work and personal shit get in the way of writing, so it took forever for me to get anything done. Meanwhile we started playing live again around 2022-ish. I finally got vocals recorded in 2024, and Justin was able to then work solos around my vox so we could finally finish studio work before the end of the year.

Justin: In addition to a lot of live gigs immediately following that release, I took a much needed break from Weapönizer, touring and recording with Nekrofilth. I was also drinking and partying more than working on music for a stretch. The band endured many dilemmas collectively during that period which we don't have the space in this zine to fully get into, but not least of which
were COVID19, divorce, moving/losing rehearsal spaces, substance problems, a DUI, having a child, etc.

The Steel Beast's artwork has a killer atmosphere! Tell us a few things about it.

Justin: Thank you. I agree. It was created by our friend Arga Permadi. He's a talented artist and vocalist out in Jakarta. He’d done a few shirt designs for us previously which were great. Originally, I had commissioned Ariel, who did the art for the previous album, Lawless Age, again to do the cover for The Steel Beast. I wanted the follow-up album to share an aesthetic continuity from one album to the next. Unfortunately, Ariel took our deposit money and ran after stringing me along for a very long time. I finally had to accept that I'd been ripped off and wasn’t getting an album cover. That was one of the many reasons for the delay between albums. This was around the time Arga was doing shirt art for us and I approached him about doing the album cover. It actually ended up being a blessing in disguise because Agra’s art naturally fit the material perfectly and he’s hardworking, a great communicator, affordable, humble, and easy to work with. The complete opposite of Ariel.

And what about the lyrics?

Jorden: The lyrics are mostly about war history, literature (Poe and Lovecraft mainly), disaster, and my disdain for religion. Sometimes Justin will give me a song title or a theme, and I will write stuff around his ideas. Secutor, Empire of Ash, and Victory all started out this way. Sometimes a word or phrase will attach itself to one of our songs in my head, and I’ll have to make the song about that. Spitfire on the first album came to be that way, as did Vulture on Lawless Age. Once I have a theme, I’ll do research about it until I have enough material to make a cohesive narrative. That’s part of why it took me so long to finish lyrics for this album; I try hard not to just throw bullshit on the page and hope no one notices. I spend a lot of time learning about whatever I’m writing about, whether it’s watching military history documentaries or re-reading fiction over and over, so it’s not something I can just bang out in my free time. Also, sometimes I’ll get halfway writing and realize I’ve hit a dead end and have to start over. Beneath the Hammer started as a song about a Clive Barker story (“Rawhead Rex.” It was going to be called Funeral Beast), but I hit a wall that I just couldn’t seem to break through, so I scrapped it and started over with a completely different theme. Vulture was kind of the same; I had thought it was going to be about corporate lawyers, but then I came across Franz Kafka’s “Der Geier” (“The Vulture”) and knew that it had to be about that. When I’m finished, I will make copies for the guys to make sure they like them and give them a chance to give feedback.

Justin: But we can’t read. No love songs, I'm happy to report.

Jorden: (They’re actually all love songs, but since none of them can read, they’ll never know.)

Label or DIY and why?

Jorden: Personally I’d prefer a label, if for no other reason than to have better distribution and promotion. But there’s a lot to be said for DIY and not having to be concerned with the editorial opinions of people who are not in the band.

Justin: DIY. Unfortunately, nowadays with how easy its been to make albums and thus the resulting flood of new bands/releases for decades now, most music is ignored if it's not on a cool label. There's just an overwhelming sea of garbage and mediocrity out there. Labels help people flag what should be exceptional stuff, but labels are pushing through some absolute computer garbage now, too. Back in the day, DIY was cool. People now seem afraid to like anything unless it’s attached to something cool and they’re told it’s cool to support it. We don’t really care, let the music and shows speak for themselves..

Is there any funny or weird story from the recordings or from your live shows that you would like to share with us?

Jorden: I remember once in Kansas City, very early on in our career - I think even before the first album - we had a show with Teratism and another band. It was summer, so it was humid and about 100º F (about 38º C) in an upstairs venue. I want to say it was called The Newsroom, but I could be wrong. The other two bands had singers who did not play another instrument and no backing vocals, so they didn’t need mic stands at all. We didn’t bring one and the venue didn’t have one (wtf?!). We had to duct tape the microphone cable to one of the rafters so that the mic hung right about eye-level and I could shout up into it Lemmy style. It was awkward, but we got through it. And it showed me that there’s almost always a work-around when stuff goes sideways.

Justin: Yeah, that was the Newsroom. The News being: find another room.

Photo Credit: David Harthcock

Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that

Justin: In the past, LP. Now, digital. There's just far too much music available now and I'm too busy. I’m always listening to new and old (new to me) music whenever, and wherever possible. Unfortunately, I no longer have time for the ideal situation, which is sitting down and just listening to an LP from side A to B with minimal distractions.

Jorden: Same for me. I’d love to sit and listen to an LP, or even a CD, all the way through while reading the lyrics and really taking it all in. But I almost never have that much free time. So I listen through headphones while I’m working, or through the stereo while driving. Which means it’s almost always through bluetooth from my phone.

Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)

Jorden: I grew up listening to a lot of Iron Maiden and Helloween, so even though nothing I’ve ever done sounds like them, they definitely were influences. I also spent a lot of time listening to Samhain and Misfits and the first few Danzig albums (I didn’t think about it at the time, but Glenn apparently had a big role in my musical upbringing. Ha!). Lately my favorites have been stuff like Satyricon, 1349, Marduk, and Watain.

Which things do you think a band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your band?

Jorden: Without question you have to sacrifice time, money, and energy. Lots of it. That’s time you could be spending with your friends and family; money you could be spending on vacations; energy you could be spending on raising your kids. You won’t get anywhere without that at a minimum. I’ve been fortunate enough that when I spend that time and money and energy on the band, it is for a band and guys that I hold in high regard so it doesn’t really feel like sacrifice.

Justin: Time. Most certainly. Nothing specific comes to mind, it doesn't feel like a sacrifice when it’s happening, rather just the way forward which you must go. Being a musician has impacted my career and cost me many financial opportunities beyond measure. I'll never be wealthy, but I have music and a lot of cool loser friends whom I never would've met without music.

Describe your ideal live show as a performance band. Have you already experienced that?

Justin: Yes I have: playing a venue with working mic stands. HA! Also, a decent PA and sound person who doesn’t tell us to turn down the Marshalls. When everything is just right, there's an indescribable energy that arises. It's about the connection with the audience: when they're pumped, excited, and intently enjoying the show, it empowers you and creates a feedback loop amplifying that energy. It's not something that a live recording can fully capture, there's an invisible magic that both the performer and audience experience and remember.

Jorden: We had a show in a garage in El Paso, Texas like that. It was the first time we played El Paso; before Lawless Age. Not that the PA was amazing, but that the audience really connected with us. Being in a garage, it obviously wasn’t huge, but it was packed to the gills and everyone just… unleashed for the whole set. We got run into repeatedly, the mic stands got knocked down, I got hit in the mouth with my microphone more than once. By the end of it everyone was sweaty and bloody and exhausted. I had a blast. And I think everyone else did too.

Photo Credit: Erik Bredthauer

Photo Credit: Victor Rollins

What do you think about the rise of AI in music production?

Jorden: I’m not for it.

Justin: It’s clearly garbage if you've seen the art or heard the sounds. It's more comical than anything. The problem is the mass public enjoying and/or preferring it, knowing that it is AI. Public tastes in art is the creepy part: the "stupefying" or dumbing-down of culture, just look at what’s making money and popular. Music has been faked and produced deceptively with computer aid for decades now, particularly in metal starting with triggered kicks, and pitch shifters in the 90s and moving into ProTools. I could see AI inadvertently making live music, and real live rock bands even more important and interesting again. To the general public, that is. It has always been interesting to us rock people.

What attributes do you think that a new Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?

Justin: A great live show. A solid meaningful lineup of players, as opposed to one person’s project that is supported with hired guns. Something unique beyond trying to simply compete with, or out-do other acts in some specific niche genre which has already been established.

Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a band to promote its work?

Justin: I do. Bandcamp, and YouTube. Plus Spotify, Amazon, and Apple music. It’s just the way it is now.

From your experience in the music industry, what would you tell to a new Metal band to avoid or what to do?

Jorden: Don’t take your girlfriends (or boyfriends) on the road. It’s vacation for them, but it’s work for you. If you are focusing as much on the band and being prepared for every show as you should, you won’t be able to give them the amount of time or attention they will want, and that will breed resentment. 

Justin: No lovers, no video games. Just practice, write songs, listen to music, and go to local shows. Choose to play with people who are really serious about music, as opposed to people who are your friends and just available.

Jorden: We sound like a couple of incels. “No girlfriends on tour. No lovers.” Ha! I promise we’re not. 

Justin: Just trying to remind ourselves of past mistakes, really.

Photo Credit: Peter Beste

Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Denver/Arvada, Colorado (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)

Justin: Not much, sadly. Or else I'm not allowed to know about it because I'm too old. We continue to lose cool venues and spaces. They finally bulldozed our beloved Bar Bar. We've got a few great clubs still, The Hi-Dive, The Crypt, and some all ages spaces like D3 Arts.

Jorden: I have also gotten less and less familiar with the new bands coming out of Denver lately. Part of it is letting the rest of life get in the way, and part of it is that we haven’t played live in quite a while so we’re not seeing the other bands that would be on the bill with us or meeting the guys starting new bands anymore. It’s easy to lose touch with the scene if you step away even for a little bit.

What does Metal mean to you? And give us 10 metal albums that run in your veins.

Jorden: Metal for me has always been a source of energy. Like a life force. I hear people describe it as a release or catharsis, but I’ve always felt the opposite. I’m not releasing anything when I listen to it or play live; I’m gaining power. I have no evidence for this, but I think a lot of other people feel the same way -consciously or subconsciously. I think that is part of what makes the Metal underground such a strong community; we are all being built up by this energy while simultaneously helping to create more of it and that bonds us together.

Emperor - Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk
Satyricon - Nemesis Divina
Watain - Sworn to the Dark
Samhain - November Coming Fire
Iron Maiden - Powerslave
Old Man’s Child - The Pagan Prosperity
Megadeth - Rust in Peace
Metallica - Kill ‘em All
Xytras - Passage
Tom Waits - Blood Money

Justin: Metal to me means underground, counterculture, disturbing, outsider art. The huge festivals, ultra expensive high-end merch wear, and exotic LP color variants, it all feels false to me. These bourgeoisie hipsters who took over the scene really missed the point, particularly in death metal. It's a highly marketable aesthetic now. They need to be saving their money for the new Weaponizer album instead.

-Napalm Death - Scum
-Motorhead - Ace of Spades
-Obituary - The End Complete
-Celtic Frost - To Mega Therion
-Grim Reaper - See you in Hell
-Cianide - A Decent Into Hell
-Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness
-Destruction - Infernal Overkill
-Judas Priest - Hell Bent for Leather
-Tank - Filth Hounds of Hades
-Ratt - Invasion of Your Privacy
..sorry had to go to 11. This is hard.

Photo Credit: Zeela Aeschliman

Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?

Jorden: Not a whole lot. Like most people, most of my exposure to Hellenic Metal is through Rotting Christ (who I just got to see at Beyond the Gates, in Bergen! They were great!). I was also introduced to a band called Arrayan Path a while back (not “aryan,” in case anyone is concerned), when they released Terra Incognita. I really enjoyed how much they reminded me of Helloween, but with their own flair. I know that they technically started in the U.S., but they’ve been based out of Cyprus for most of their existence. That’s about the extent of my Hellenic Metal knowledge.

Justin: No, but I want to go there!

What are your future plans? 

Justin: We're waiting to see what the reaction from the new album will be to decide whether or not to get back on the road and gigging. Other than that, I have a few new projects that I'd like to get going. Then eventually dying, which would be a nice break from all the constant bullshit.

Jorden: Yeah, I’d love to go out on the road again, but we shall see if that is in the cards for us.

Thank you very much for your time & keep up the good work! The closure is yours.

Justin: Thank you for having us, Stavros. We appreciate you and all that you do for metal!

By Steve the Filthy Dog.

WEAPONIZER CONTACT:

https://www.facebook.com/Weaponizer/

https://www.instagram.com/weaponizer303/

https://weaponizer.bandcamp.com/