Showing posts with label Yngwie Malmsteen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yngwie Malmsteen. Show all posts

Helstar: Something 'Wicked' this way comes

Going inside the 'Nest' with guitarist Larry Barragan 
By Peter Lindblad

Helstar is James Rivera, Larry Barragan,
Rob Trevino and Michael Lewis
2006 saw the return of Helstar, and what a welcome sight it was. After an 11-year hiatus, the nucleus of the classic lineup of one of the finest power-metal bands the U.S. has ever produced decided it was time to saddle up and ride again.

Birthed in 1982, the raging Texans, fronted by venomous vocalist James Rivera (also formerly of Vicious Rumors), emerged from the womb kicking and screaming on 1984's Combat Records release Burning Star, which set the stage for the fury that was to be unleashed in classic LPs such as Distant Thunder and Nosferatu.

A heavy touring schedule supporting metal heavyweights W.A.S.P., Megadeth, Savatage, Keel, Yngwie Malmsteen and Fates Warning served to spread the fire-and-brimstone gospel of Helstar far and wide. Lineup shuffling killed their momentum, however, and after a series of break-ups, Helstar fell apart, only to be revived again eight year ago.

Since then, Helstar has brought forth an album of re-recorded classics, plus an intense and gripping concert retrospective titled 30 Years of Hel. Then came 2010's Glory of Chaos, a punishingly aggressive testimonial to the technical brilliance and savage passion of a band that still has plenty to say. Released earlier this year, the AFM Records product This Wicked Nest is its evil twin, harnessing the frenzied melodic storms of Helstar's revered '80s material, while packing all the thrashing intensity of Glory of Chaos into an even more volatile and violent cocktail.

In Helstar, guitarists Larry Barragan and Rob Trevino have teamed to whip up a career's worth of heavy, roiling riffs and searing leads, bombing listeners with an assortment of tricks and designs meant to scramble the senses. Barragan recently took time out to talk about the band's latest record, it's glory days of the '80s and what the future might have in store for Helstar in this interview:

With Glory Of Chaos, it's been said that Helstar won't go that extreme again. Was there a point at which it struck you that perhaps that record was a step beyond what Helstar was all about, or do you just feel that Helstar is more at home being more melodic?
Larry Barragan: Never, I never thought that Glory was too extreme. I still don't. I never want to be put in a box were people can dictate what we should or shouldn't sound like. The new album is heavy as f--k, but I wanted to try to expand what we could do with the thrash influence and use, and mean really use, more of James' range of vocals. I wrote a lot of the melodies with that intention. The songs that James wrote the lyrics and melodies to also had that approach.  I think it sets us apart from other bands.  The fact that we have someone that can sing the way James can sing over those heavy riffs.

How has the material on This Wicked Nest been received live, and what do you enjoy most about performing it?
LB: So far I think everyone likes it.  I enjoy it because you do get a little tired of doing the same set after a while.  It's nice to make things fresh.  There are a couple of songs that we haven't done from the new album live that I think we should introduce into the set at some point.

Helstar - This Wicked Nest 2014
This Wicked Nest is still a very aggressive and intense record, and you can really hear it on "It Has Risen." Was it difficult to maintain a balance between creating really punishing, fast, thrash-like material, such as "Defy the Swarm," and stuff that has a slower pace and a darker atmosphere, like "Cursed"?
LB: No actually, it flowed fairly well. I want to say "Cursed" may have been one of the last songs we wrote for the album. So I think by the time we got to it we knew we needed something to change the pace.

"Fall of Dominion" has more of a power-metal feel to it, with those twin-guitar duelings and a huge chorus. It's such a powerful song. Is it more indicative of where the band is at currently and where it wants to go on future recordings, or does it simply fit in perfectly with the band's progression to this point?
LB: I can't really tell you where we're going to be honestly. I don't know what we're going to write next. I think if you start thinking about where you want to take this it may begin to sound forced and unnatural. "Fall of Dominion" is a song that everything just fell into place as it was being written. 

Tell me about making the title track. It has a real sinister feel to it. Did you want This Wicked Nest, on the whole, to be especially unsettling and scary?
LB: Rob wrote the music to that song, and I wrote the lyrics and melodies. And as it was presented to me I thought it had a very chaotic sound to it. You're right in that it is unsettling. I like stuff that has a very dark sound to it. I think we accomplished that.

To your ears, what makes This Wicked Nest more in line with the band's work in the '80s than Glory Of Chaos?
LB: I think some of the more intricate passages in the song give it that nostalgic feel. Other than that I think it's just as balls out as Glory of Chaos.

The classic lineup of Helstar
reunited in 2006
With 30 Years of Hel, what was the most gratifying aspect of that project for the band?
LB: You know the thing about that recording was that it may have not been the best night for us as a band, but it was a special night for us. We had so many friends and family come to that show. It was actually quite moving. I looked out to the left, and I could see my mom pumping her fist in the air. So to me, the actual show was the most gratifying experience. To be able to play songs that we wrote 30 years ago and have people to this day sing along with them is such a special feeling.

In 2006, the core of the classic Helstar lineup reunited. What was it that got you guys back together, and in 2014, looking back, has it gone the way you'd hoped it would?
LB: We were only supposed to do one show to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Remnants of War. It took a life of it's own and it snowballed from there. The next thing I knew we were in the studio and signed again. I really didn't think it was going to go beyond the one show. We've done more that I could have imagined. It's been great.

Helstar toured with the likes of Megadeth, Keel, Savatage, Yngwie Malmsteen and others back in the day. What was your favorite tour and why?
LB: I'll never forget the tour we did with Anthrax. It was the most fun and those guys were so cool to hang with.  

What do you remember about Helstar's first-ever performance?
LB: I remember it was in a garage at a house party. And we were doing "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Maiden and right at the end of the song, James started throwing up. He had like this mini heat stroke I guess, and he just started puking as the song ended. You couldn't write a better script. It was like, "Oh so you can spit blood, huh? Well our vocalist can vomit on cue!"    

As far as you are concerned, what's Helstar's greatest achievement? And where does This Wicked Nest rank in the entire Helstar catalog?
LB: I think our greatest achievement is just the fact that after 30 years we're still around, still playing, still writing. It's not an easy thing to do but we've done it. This Wicked Nest is a dagger thrown at the heart of all those who thought we couldn't do it. If we didn't do another album I would be happy with this as an ending. Let's hope that's not the case though. Ha!

Yngwie Malmsteen brings 'Guitar Gods' tour to North America

Uli Jon Roth, Gary Hoey, Bumblefoot on the bill

Yngwie Malmsteen
Deities worthy of worship for their six-string wizardry, the "Guitar Gods" are coming to North America, with the "Paganini of heavy metal," Yngwie Malmsteen, headlining.

Known far and wide as the king of neoclassical shred guitar, Malmsteen will be joined by Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions, Electric Sun), Gary Hoey ("Hocus Pocus") and Bumblefoot (Guns N' Rose) on the first-ever "Guitar Gods" festival tour. Each show will also feature surprise guests. See a YouTube presentation here:



The tour was created and organized by April Malmsteen, Yngwie's wife and manager, and will be storming stages in partnership with Guitar Center, presenting six-plus hours of guitar fireworks displays that are sure to shock and awe.

She talked about what the tour means to her.

"Being able to put together this festival has been a lifelong dream of mine," said April. "I sincerely believe that 'Guitar Gods' will bring tremendous value and enjoyment to not only the guitar and heavy metal enthusiast, but also to anyone who loves music."

Malmsteen's most recent solo album, Spellbound, and his new autobiography, "Relentless: A Memoir," are both available now. Furthermore, the Yngwie Malmsteen premium artist signature series by Fender is also now available, featuring a full line of Malmsteen-endorsed accessories such as guitar strings, instrument cables, gig bags, electronic tuners and more. He was also recently profiled on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday.  

His career going on three decades now, Malmsteen is a Grammy-nominated guitar icon, whose technical brilliance and incredible speed have left audiences speechless. The first guitarist tohave his own Fender signature guitar model, Malmsteen is the world's pre-eminent practitioner of "shred guitar" and "neo classical" music and was named by Time magazine as one of the "Top Ten Electric Guitar Players."

Roth, of course, is another legendary guitarists, who intends on bringing the very special 40th Anniversary Scorpions set he's been playing to audiences from Europe to North America. Hoey will perform his radio hits, including the Billboard Top 5 smash "Hocus Pocus," while Bumblefoot, best known for his work with Guns N' Roses, is doing his first solo tour.

Here are the dates for Yngwie Malmsteen/Guitar Gods North American tour 2014:

June
13 Huntington, NY Paramount Theatre
14 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
17 Englewood, NJ Bergen Performing Arts Center
20 St. Charles, Ill. Arcada Theatre
21 Toronto, ON Phoenix Theatre
26 Seattle, WA Showbox Theatre
27 Portland, OR Roseland Theater

July
3 Beverly Hills, CA Saban Theatre
8 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre

For more information, visit www.yngwiemalmsteen.com.




Guitar master Ethan Brosh unleashes 'Live the Dream'


Ethan Brosh 2014
Prepare to be amazed! Live the Dream, the upcoming all-instrumental album from guitar wunderkind Ethan Brosh, is due out March 4 on drumming legend Carmine Appice’s new label, Rocker Records LLC, and Brosh’s dazzling chops and limitless imagination as a player and composer will undoubtedly delight metal aficionados and fill them with awe.

An honest-to-goodness guitar hero, Brosh, who grew up in Israel, is a daring six-string acrobat who plays with fire and precision, never sacrificing technical proficiency for flashy showmanship – although his dynamic, fleet-fingered solos, furious riffs and complex acoustic figures are wildly entertaining. Having added to his already bulging bag of tricks, the Berklee College of Music graduate, now an instructor at the school, soars to new heights on Live the Dream, pushing the envelope with supernatural guitar wizardry and drawing up stunningly inventive musical designs that are wondrous to behold.

“Rocker Records and Carmine Appice are excited to be working with one of metal’s up-and-coming young stars,” said the label’s Michael Cusanelli.

They are not alone in their admiration. Mixed by Max Norman (Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth) and mastered by Bob Ludwig (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and Iron Maiden), Live the Dream – with cover art painted by Joe Petagno – is progressive and intellectual in its construction, showcasing refined melodic sensibilities and a maturing instinct for developing intricate and diverse harmonies. Live the Dream, an album Brosh began promoting last spring while touring in support of Yngwie Malmsteen, finds Brosh quickly evolving as a songwriter, even going so far as to effectively experiment with flamenco, trading off nylon string and full-on electric guitar parts in a completely unique and beguiling fashion while also employing the formidable talents of Megadeth’s Dave Ellefson in a way nobody would expect.

Brosh used to be in the band Angels of Babylon with Ellefson, who appears on two Live the Dream tracks. Together again, they go nuclear on the track “Rude Awakening.”

“The intent here was to create a heavy, in-your-face kind of tune with a real mean groove to it!” said Brosh, joined by bassist Alex Pierce and drummer Tyler LeVander on Live the Dream. “I figured this tune could use the help of the greatest thrash metal bassist Dave Ellefson! I still can’t get over how huge Ellefson’s bass intro sounds after the incredible mix of Max Norman!”

Brosh is just as enthused about the title track. “I feel this tune defines a lot of my guitar playing at this point in time,” he said. “It’s an epic tune that combines some hard rock riffs that have lots of drive to them. I believe the beginning is a perfect introduction to this record and its dream concept!”

A product of an enjoyable creative process, “Space Invaders” is mind-blowing as well. “Since this is a guitar instrumental record after all, I figured I’d have some fun with writing a tune that has a fast riff and lots of guitar harmonies, etc., etc. … I’m really proud of the way it came out because I feel the melodies came out strong in the end,” said Brosh. “To me, that’s really important. People seem to respond really well to this one when we play it live. Maybe it’s because it has too many nooooooootes!”

It’s a good bet they’ll embrace “Clean Slate,” too.

“The tune started as a guitar only idea,” said Brosh. “It developed through time. When I sit at the edge of the stage and play this tune, it is an intimate moment between the audience and me, regardless of the crowd size. Once the band joins in with a big bang, it really hits the listener hard! I think we managed to capture that vibe very well on the record, too. I have a feeling this will be a tune that stands out for people!”

Below is the track listing for Live the Dream:

Track listing:
1. Live the Dream
2. Forbidden Pleasure
3. Bottomless Pit
4. Knock on Wood
5. Space Invaders
6. Suspicious Exchange
7. Rude Awakening
8. Dawn of an Old Era
9. Clean Slate
10. Silver Lining
11. Up the Stairway
12. When Picks Fly
13. Crying Moon

For more information on Ethan Brosh, visit www.ethanbrosh.com - http://www.ethanbrosh.com

Ethan Brosh is 'Living the Dream'

Young guitarist reflects on tour with Yngwie Malmsteen, talks new record
By Peter Lindblad

Ethan Brosh recently toured
with Yngwie Malmsteen
In a duel reminiscent of the Old West, only without the bullets and the threat of imminent death, a brash young guitar slinger named Ethan Brosh recently challenged one of the fastest draws in metal history, Yngwie Malmsteen. It was a shredding showdown for the ages, with both players going down every night in a blaze of glory on a recent tour together.

Throughout April and May, fans of intricate guitar architecture, sheer technical brilliance and face-melting soloing were treated to awesome exhibitions of mind-blowing guitar work from both men, one an up-and-coming six-string dynamo seeking respect and the other a master of the instrument always pushing himself to greater heights. For Brosh, it was a coming-out party, a chance to show a whole new audience what he was capable of, and the sky is the limit for the Berklee College of Music graduate, who grew up in Israel learning classical music and is now a teacher at the school.

And the rest of 2013 has more excitement in store for Brosh, who will be releasing his second all-instrumental album, Live the Dream. He had help from a number of metal luminaries, as the album was mixed by Max Norman, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and Megadeth, and mastered by Bob Ludwig, whose work has pumped life into the recordings of Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi. And speaking of Megadeth, none other than Dave Ellefson plays bass on the record.

This isn’t the first time Brosh and Ellefson have teamed up. They were in the band Angels of Babylon together, along with drummer Rhino, although Brosh has since left to concentrate on his solo work and his other band, the melodic-metal upstarts Burning Heat.

Live the Dream promises to build off Brosh’s first record, 2009’s Out of Oblivion. A few stars of metal came out for that one, as well. Most notably, Brosh traded licks on the record with ex-Dokken guitarist George Lynch and former Michael Jackson guitarist Greg Howe, while Derek Riggs, the man behind all those great Iron Maiden covers, provided the art work.

Indeed, Brosh has been blessed, but he’s earned the respect of his peers. Whether Brosh is blazing away on his electric guitar or working out some complex acoustic patterns, his talent and dedication to his craft is impossible to ignore, and those who’ve seen him opening for the likes of Michael Schenker, Lynch Mob, Danger Danger and Enuff Z’nuff would undoubtedly echo those sentiments.

Brosh recently took time out after the Malmsteen tour to talk by e-mail about his education, watching the great Yngwie in action, his admiration for Lynch and Ellefson and other projects he has on the horizon in this interview:

How was the tour with Yngwie Malmsteen? Has your material been well received?
Ethan Brosch: Finally got back home! The tour has been amazing … it really was. Of course it was difficult on some levels, but overall it was an incredible experience. Actually, the crowd reaction to our material was the best part. Going into it I had no idea how Yngwie’s fans would react to my playing and if I’d be playing in front of many jealous guitar players who would boo me … I was very pleasantly surprised how warm and appreciative people were throughout the whole tour since the very first night in Cleveland.

In what ways has seeing him play live inspired you?
EB: In many ways. I would find some time during Yngwie’s set to be on the side of the stage watching him tearing it up very closely. Seeing the focused look in his eyes every night and seeing how things differ from one night to another and seeing how he deals with it had taught me a lot. I had also asked him about it. I also found it inspiring seeing him always moving onstage 100 percent of the time on every show without getting tired and discouraged at any point. It was a reminder for me to always give it my all regardless of how I feel on a particular night or venue. Also just listening to his amazing phrasing on a nightly basis and seeing how much he improvises is something that I’d like to incorporate more into my own music.

What led to you joining the Malmsteen tour?
EB: My great manager and years of hard work basically. Doing things like this in the music business is a long process with many factors involved.

What’s been your favorite moment on the tour so far?
EB: I can recall a few. Some of them are just random moments onstage where I was realizing all of a sudden what was happening. Seeing people responding so well to songs I wrote in my basement or some which I wrote when I was a teenager was a great feeling. Being back home in Boston as part of the tour and seeing my friends in the crowd was a very good feeling. Also having Yngwie tell me I was a great guitar player after he heard me play on a whole tour is something that will stay with me forever.

Ethan Brosh in action live
You went to the Berklee College of Music. What were your expectations going in, and in the end, was it everything you thought it would be?
EB: We’re talking about something that happened a long time ago. I do remember not knowing what to expect from Berklee at all. But coming out of it I thought it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I absolutely love Berklee – the teachers, the students, the never-ending music and the beautiful location in Boston. It’s one of the main reasons why I still live here in Boston. Being back at Berklee as a teacher in the summers is something I really enjoy doing.

How did that experience impact Out of Oblivion?
EB: Some of the material on Out of Oblivion was written as songwriting projects at Berklee. Also just growing as a musician and understanding more of what I was doing and composition ideas really helped develop Out of Oblivion. I also meet Mike Mangini at Berklee and that helped kick start the whole record to begin with actually.

Tell me about the making of Out of Oblivion. What pleased you the most about how it turned out?
EB: This was a two-and-a-half year project that took everything out of me. What pleased me is the result considering I had no idea what I was doing as far as making a record when I first gotten into it. Listening to George Lynch and Greg Howe playing on it still gives me the chills nowadays! My tune the “Hit Man” will probably forever be the tune people recognize me for. And having my guitar mentor Eyal Freeman playing bass on some of these tunes personally means a lot to me. And, of course, Derek Riggs, whose paintings got me into my first love, Iron Maiden, doing my first album’s art was a huge thing! I guess looking back I feel very proud of this record, and it was well worth all the work I put into it.

Explain if you can how the song “Downward Spiral” came about?
EB: I just remember me sitting in the dark on a hot summer night in my bedroom in Israel many years ago messing with my Washburn EC-29 guitar (It’s the guitar on the “Ancient Land” video that everyone’s always asking me about). I remember coming up with the two main riffs. It was only years later when I was recording Out of Oblivion that I came up with more sections and solos to complete it and be ready to record it. Then I had the idea of trying to approach George Lynch to play on it. I feel very lucky he did. He gave that tune a unique feel that only George can bring. He’s always been one of my biggest influences and a guy I respect so much. I’m very proud to call him a friend now. Working on the video of “Downward Spiral” was such a pleasure and will forever be a great memory. I’ll always be grateful to George for helping me out like that. What a great guy.

You’ve worked with George Lynch quite a bit. What do you admire most about his playing and what is it about working with him that you enjoy the most?
EB: What I admire about him is that George is a very artistic person. His whole look, persona, and playing is very different and just so colorful. I think he is the best metal player who ever lived. His attack on the strings is the coolest and most aggressive I’ve heard. It’s aggressive but with so much style. George is also a player who works 100 percent on instinct and has a true rock ‘n’ roll approach. His phrasing is so musical, different and beautiful. Not to mention his never-ending search for the perfect tone and how great it always sounded over the years. These are the type of things I’m trying to take away from these great players and bring to the new generation instead of just ripping off all the shred licks from these guys.

Ethan Brosh playing at Berklee
Now that you are off the road, what are your plans? Will you be heading into the studio again? What will the material be like, if you have indeed started on it already?
EB: Well I just finished my second instrumental record which will be released later on this year. I’ve been working on it for the past two years. It’s called Live the Dream. I had pre-release copies available on the Yngwie tour exclusively. I’m very happy to have had Dave Ellefson from Megadeth play bass on some of the record – having the greatest mastering guy of all-time, Bob Ludwig, master it. And convincing the great Max Norman to come out of retirement and mix the record! Max produced the first three Ozzy records and all the classic Megadeth records. We had a great time working together! I feel like Live the Dream takes things to the next level after Out of Oblivion. Many more things to come, the full length record of Burning Heat we’re working on. Maybe some instructional DVDs, more touring and hopefully me finally being the guitar player of one of the biggest 80s metal groups I grew up on. That’s something that I really want to do and I’m ready to go!

Is there any news on Angels of Babylon?
EB: Angels of Babylon will be releasing its second record soon on Scarlet records in Italy. I played lead guitar and nylon strings guitar on that record. I feel like it’s some of my best lead work to date. I have recently parted ways with AOB on good terms to focus more on my solo career and Burning Heat.

What was the studio experience like with Angels of Babylon? How different was it from the recording of Out of Oblivion?
EB: The Angels of Babylon records were very different than Out of Oblivion and Live the Dream. On the AOB stuff all I did was play just lead guitar and nylon strings guitar. Everything else was taken care of by Rhino pretty much. With my instrumental records all the writing, producing, recordings, etc. etc., was on me, so of course, it was a lot more work. Either way I like all these records.

Talk about working with Dave Ellefson.
EB: I love working with Dave Ellefson. There are very few bass players that I feel really understand the style and have the right approach, not to mention the tone. Dave is a legend without a doubt and it’s always a pleasure working with him. We were in Angels of Babylon together. I played a solo on one of his F5 band’s songs. He just recently played on my record Live the Dream. I hope to continue and do lots more work with Dave ‘cause I think we can do some really great things together. I also love how professional he is as far as communicating and working. There’s no BS with him, and I love that because that’s what I aspire to be like myself. I’m also learning a lot from him about the business … great guy and a great friend.

What were your favorite songs on the Kingdom of Evil album?
EB: Kingdom of Evil has a lot of great songs on it – “Oh How the Mighty had Fallen,” “Conspiracy Theory,” “Tear Out My Heart” and the title track are some of the obvious ones. I think all the songs are great on that record honestly.

Can we expect an “Ethan Brosh Yngwie Malmsteen” collaboration down the road?

EB : Only time will tell, All I can say is I hope so! I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all my fans because I love them all. I’d like to thank anyone who took the time to read this interview and check out my music. That’s what it’s all about for me. 

Jeff Scott Soto is about to get W.E.T.


Singer talks new projects, Queen, Yngwie Malmsteen and more

By Peter Lindblad

There is no rest for the wicked or Jeff Scott Soto apparently.

W.E.T. is (left to right) Robert Sall,
Magnus Henriksson, Erik Martensson,
Robban Back and Jeff Scott Soto 2013
Versatility is one of the veteran singer’s calling cards. His tireless work ethic is another. Seemingly always juggling a multitude of projects at one time, Soto’s ability to multitask and sing with power and dynamic range has made him one of the most sought-after lead throats in hard rock.

It all started for Soto in the early 1980s, when guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen tabbed him to sing on his 1984 debut solo album Rising Force. Soto stuck it out with Malmsteen for one more album, 1985’s Marching Out, but he bristled under Malmsteen’s dictatorial leadership and left to pursue other projects.

One was Talisman, the Swedish melodic hard-rock outfit he fronted from 1990 to 2007. Allowed to moonlight whenever he pleased, Soto – influenced heavily by Queen’s Freddie Mercury and Journey’s Steve Perry, as well as soul singers like Sam Cooke – also lent his talents to a wide variety of musical endeavors, including the movie “Rock Star,” which found him joining forces with guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society), Jason Bonham and bassist Jeff Pilson (Dokken), as well as Steelheart’s Michael Matijevic, in the fictional band Steel Dragon.

Along the way, Soto has sung with the likes of Axel Rudi Pell, Panther, Takara, Eyes and Soul Sirkus, among other bands. In the U.S., he’s probably best known for stepping in for Steve Augeri in Journey on their 2006-2007 tours and singing with the heavy-metal theatrical caravan Trans-Siberian Orchestra in recent years. However, he’s also provided background vocals for such metal and rock luminaries as Lita Ford, Stryper, Glass Tiger, Saigon Kick and the aforementioned Steelheart.

W.E.T. - Rise Up 2013
For years, though, Soto has also been friends with Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, and in the summer of 2012, he toured with Queen Extravaganza, the official Queen tribute band that Taylor produced.    

As if that weren’t enough, Soto released his solo album Damage Control in the spring of 2012, and in 2013, he plans to tour in support of it. But, there’s the not-so-little matter of his involvement in the super group W.E.T., which releases its sophomore LP, Rise Up, on Feb. 26, via Frontiers Records. Soto is responsible for the “T” portion of W.E.T., having been in Talisman. The other two letters refer to the bands of Erik Martensson, from Swedish pop-metal act Eclipse, and Robert Sall, keyboardist/guitarist for the Swedish melodic rock outfit Work of Art.

Surprisingly heavy, but still infused with big hooks and generous melodies, Rise Up, the successor to W.E.T.’s unexpectedly successful self-titled first album, is chock full of great songs and thick, crunchy riffs. And it is a complete band effort, whereas the first album saw Soto singing to tracks sent to him by Sall and Martensson. Rounding out W.E.T., a project devised byFrontiers Records President/Founder Serafino Perugino, are guitarist Magnus Henriksson and drummer Robban Back. They’ll be touring in 2013 as well. Soto discussed W.E.T. and his fascinating career in this recent interview.

I’ve been listening to the new W.E.T. album. It’s very good.
Jeff Scott Soto: We’ve been sitting on this for almost a year because we started working on it earlier in the year, but because we’re all in different bands and all so busy, it was kind of hit and miss as to when we could get together and do it. And then we finally finished it, and then we realized, you know what, it’s not strong enough. Let’s get a couple of other songs on there, and then let’s decide what’s going to make it on. It was really just a total work in progress for almost a year. So, we’re excited to finally get it done and get it out there, and now we’re getting the excitement level building for it.

The songs are great and the production is really spectacular. Did you want to up the ante from the first one or do you feel that this is not necessarily another step in the progression of W.E.T. but a fuller realization of what you want to do with the band?
JSS: Well, it’s kind of all of the above. The first album was more of a session for me. It was more an idea that I did for the record label. It was just a concept – let’s see if this works. And the fact that it worked and then some … I mean, this thing outsold all of our collective bands individually by more than double. So overall, it was something we didn’t expect, but also with that now thrown into the equation, we realized if we’re going to do a follow-up, let’s do it as a band. Let’s follow up and turn this into something that is real, not just something that was kind of an accident that kind of happened in the studio. And ironically, and I’ve said this a couple of times already, this whole thing came about almost in the same way Talisman came about – and Talisman was my band for 19 years, up to 2009, when my bass player [Marcel Jacob] took his own life – it was kind of an experiment that turned into longevity for part of my career. So that’s kind of how we’re treating this thing. It started as, “Let’s get these guys together who kind of barely know each other and see what can resolve of it.” And now it’s kind of turned into a real thing. So, yeah, we knew we had to up the ante. We knew we had to make the album sound as good as we possibly could. We knew the songs had to be strong. It wasn’t just something that we threw together and said, “Well, okay. Let’s do it as we did before.” We had to put a little more effort behind it if we were going to have people take it seriously.

From listening to it, it had to be difficult to choose a first single, because every song is radio-friendly. Why did you choose “Learn to Live Again”?
JSS: That’s pretty much out of our hands. That’s when the label comes into play. They helped us decide which songs could be on the final product, but also, they have the final say on what’s going to be the first single that gets out there. As far as we’re concerned, we have no problem with that, because as you said, there are so many strong songs on there. They could have chosen any one of them to be the first single, and we would have said, “Yes,” because we feel that strongly about a lot of the material there.

Is that one of your favorite songs on the record, or is there another you feel better about?
JSS: You know what? Strangely enough, and on this album, I’m a little closer to the heavier stuff and the ballad stuff, because the AOR, middle-of-the-road rock stuff, the melodic rock stuff, that’s stuff that the first album was built on. We had more of that middle-of-the-road, melodic thing going on there, and so we knew to have that kind of stuff on here would be important, but I don’t think the heavier songs and the ballads were as strong on the first album as they are on the new album. That’s one of the reasons I’m so close to the ballads, and there’s actually an unreleased song on there that I hope at some point gets out there – whether it’s going to be on a compilation, whether it’s going to be on a single – but there’s a song called “Bigger Than Both of Us” that didn’t make it on the final album that’s a ballad and it’s one of my favorites that we did. And for it to be just a bonus track or something that’s going to be floating around, it’s kind of strange that we’re sitting on such a strong song. So it’s weird to actually try to choose one that’s your favorite. It’s kind of like saying, “Which one of your kids is your favorite kid.” You love them all, and you treat them all with the same adoration.

Before we get into some of the individual songs on the record, it’s such an interesting way that this band came together, and you said before that you didn’t really know the other guys that well. When they first approached you with this idea, what did you think of it?
JSS: Well, it was the label that came to me with it. I’ve had a long-standing relationship with Frontiers Records pretty much since they started. I’ve been with them since 2001, and they came to me with the idea of just having these two guys from two different bands in Sweden co-write some songs and that I would end up singing on them. At first, I was like, “Okay, I’m a bit busy. I don’t know if I’m interested. Let me hear the songs first.” As I started listening to the stuff they were coming up with, I got really, really excited about it. It wasn’t just a studio project for me. I knew it would be something that could be or would be accepted by my fans, but also it’s still a touchy situation when you’re doing something that’s considered a project per se, because a lot of people that end up liking these kinds of things, they realize you’ll never tour, you’ll never follow up, so they don’t get behind them. And so just the idea of doing yet another project that would just be a one-off, that was really the only reservation I had about it. I had known Eric from years past through association s with Marcel and other Swedes. I had seen Eric play before, and I met him a few times, but I didn’t know him in a working environment. And Robert, from Work of Art, I had no idea who this guy was. I hadn’t even listened to his band at that point. So, it was all so new and fresh to me, without any idea of what it was going to be like, but I really liked the songs and with that, it flourished because I got to know these guys especially once we got together to do the videos and the EPK for the album. I got to really know the guys behind the music, and with that, we realized that we’re on to something here. And the fact that Frontiers wanted to do a second album, that’s when we realized if we’re going to do it, let’s do it as a band would do it. Let’s do it, let’s take our time and do it the right way, as opposed to, “You write the songs, you send me the melody, you send me the lyrics, I knock them out and I send them to you” – this is the way a lot of people are doing things today, and I wanted to actually be more involved on this new album, which I am. I’m co-writing a lot of songs on this new one with them.

It must be interesting to come into a band without any real preconceived notions of what everybody does. Was that a different experience for you?
JSS: Well, yeah, and I just put a lot of trust in my label. They had an idea of what they wanted out of this. They oversaw every aspect of it, the first album, regarding the songs, the song selections, the direction they wanted it, and they trusted in me as well. They didn’t come back to me and say, “Could you do this differently?” Or, “Could you change that?” They gave a thousand percent trust in me that I knew what to do with this kind of music and what I would actually be laying down to complete it. And so that first album, there was a magic behind it, because there wasn’t any interference from the label, aside from them choosing the songs with Eric and Robert in the initial stages of it. This time around, they completely left us alone, and we chose the direction, kind of the mapping out of where we were going to go with the new album. And with that, they know … especially because Eric’s been writing a lot of stuff for a lot of their other artists, like Jimi Jamison; he did an album with Bobby Kimball (Toto) and Jimi Jamison (Survivor), he’s a few things with Frontiers that he’s writing a lot of stuff for them that they’ve got this trust between all of us, knowing what we’re going to deliver working together as well as individually.

I wanted to ask you about if you remember how some of the songs came about in the studio or the writing process for this record, starting with “Walk Away.”
JSS: “Walk Away” was one of the newer ones. That was one of the ones that came about at the end when we realized we needed something more like that. There were three recent ones … actually, “Rise Up,” we didn’t even have the title of the album. We were just calling it W.E.T. II. And “Rise Up” was also a new one that came about in September, as well as “Walk Away” and “The Moment.” Those three songs were last-minute additions, and we’re just happy they came about because it just happened that Eric was writing, and he said, “Man, I got this new song. I know we’re pretty much happy with the direction we’re going in and what we have, but we’ve got to check these out.” And when he sent me these three, I knew immediately the album would be more complete if we had these three on there. So “Walk Away” was one of those that we … ironically enough, we kind of emulated “Separate Ways” from Journey on this one. It’s got that vibe to it, and I really think the label fell in love so much with it that they wanted to open the album with it.

I know this doesn’t run through the whole album, but in listening to “The Moment,” in the choruses, it reminds me of Def Leppard, especially in the vocals.
JSS: Oh, okay.

Did you take anything from them?
JSS: No, but I can hear where you’re using that analogy.

Just with those big pop choruses, just very strong.
JSS: That’s just how we write. We just have this idea of writing really hooky kinds of choruses and just trying to make the songs as strong as we possibly can. A lot of songs are based on riffs. A lot of songs are based on how great the band is. We wanted the actual songs to stand out more than how well somebody can sing or how well somebody can play guitar.

One of the tracks that really stands out to me and that I think is a really great closer is “Still Unbroken.” How did that one come about?
JSS: Um, that one went through different stages along the writing. I have earlier versions of it that … the intros and certain parts of it sound completely different. It had a bunch of different trial-and-errors before we decided how it was going to sound, how it was going to end up sounding the way we have it now. But “Still Unbroken” was probably in the earlier stages, the very beginning stages, where we knew we wanted to have as many rock songs to choose from as opposed to just the melodic stuff. The melodic stuff, we can churn that stuff out a lot easier in the sense of that’s where we all come from. We all come from that school and that world of hard rock music, but we also didn’t have heavier rockers on the first album that we were extremely happy with. I think “Invincible” was the only one on the first album that I felt stood out, and I wanted to make sure we had enough rockers on this, so “Still Unbroken” went through those stages of “let’s make this one more hard rock sounding.”

And how about “Learn to Live Again.” That song just has great hooks.
JSS: Yeah, and that’s another one where Eric and I discussed doing a duet for this album, because Eric, of course, is the lead singer of the band Eclipse. And he’s got a great voice. He’s singing all the background vocals on the album, and he comes up with a lot of the layering and a lot of the parts … I submitted a few ideas, but for the most part, when he’s writing, all these things are swimming in his head as he’s writing the songs. But I wanted to take it to the next step further, especially if we decided to play live. I want to utilize Eric as a lead singer, and not just as a background singer, and I said, “We should do something where …” And we tried a couple things and “Learned to Live Again” seemed to work the best as far as him start off the first line, and then I kick in and then we sing harmonies for the next couple lines. And it just made the most sense, as opposed to doing a duet where we sing entire verses and kind of switch off where a duet would be. We kind of treated it more like the way Styx used to do it back in the day, where one would sing a line and then another one would sing a line and then they’d sing harmony together. And that’s kind of cool.

There’s so much ground to hit on with your career, it’s been so varied. But I wanted to ask you about the summer of 2012 tour with Queen Extravaganza. How did you become involved in that and what kind of impact did Freddie Mercury have on you as a singer?
JSS: Well, Freddie, he was more than just a singer for me. Every aspect of being a performer I got from Freddie Mercury. He was the mentor, so to speak, of … the king who can actually make someone in the back of a stadium filled with 70,000 or 80,000 people feel like they’re part of the show, as well as the people in the front row. And that’s a hard thing to do. That’s an important lesson to be able to acquire as a student of live performance. So aside from all the things I was inspired from and influenced by as an actual singer, writer and such, it was even his stage persona that was such a massive influence. And to this day when people give me kudos on my stage performance, I owe it all to somebody like Freddie Mercury, who was basically my teacher. I watched how he was able to entertain everybody and not just the people in the first few rows. I’ve been involved with Brian May and Roger Taylor for many, many years and I was with them in the initial talks when they were talking about putting this thing together, and I told them immediately if I can’t be singing with you … and I said it in kind of a joking way, that if I can’t be singing with you guys, I’d love to be a part of this thing, if and when you put it together. And so, of course, they held me to my word and when they pieced it together finally, they did the auditions through the Internet, and that’s the way they did it, but they reserved a spot for me when it was actually all said and done. And it was a great privilege to be a part of it, and it was a lot of fun. It’s great to sing those great songs, and now they’re actually moving on and they’re pursuing it in a different realm now. And I’ve gone back to doing what I’ve got to do, because I’m just swamped. Between doing that and TSO, and W.E.T. and my solo thing … there’s a lot going on right now.

You really do. I was going to ask you about Damage Control, too, and you’re going on tour for it [in 2013] I believe.
JSS: Yeah, we’re finally hitting Europe in April … April and May. And I eventually hope to get to the U.S. There’s also so much going on in the summertime. There’s a possibility I may be doing some more stuff in the studio and possibly live with [Trans-Siberian Orchestra] next year – not just the winter thing, but some additional things as well, and there’s talk about a possible Talisman reunion in the summertime as well. So between my solo thing and now the W.E.T. album coming out, and now people are going to want W.E.T. live, it’s pretty much a full plate. The plate is running over.

Talking about Queen again, what songs did you sing on the Queen Extravaganza and what was it like to sing Freddie Mercury’s stuff? Was it easy for you? Did you find anything difficult about it?
JSS: It’s extremely easy for me, because it’s embedded in my brain. I know those lyrics and those songs better than I know my own, strangely enough. I was pretty much the rocker representative of the group, because they’ve got a guy named Marc Martel, who is quite … if you know Queen Extravaganza, you know who this guy is. And he’s very good at all aspects of Queen, but they also knew they might need an edgier [singer] to come up with the stuff like “Stone Cold Crazy” and “Tie Your Mother Down,” “Fat Bottomed Girls.” So that was my role in there. I was more of the hard rocker representation of Queen’s music and the others who were singing lead, they were utilized for what their strengths were. And I was fine with that, because I wouldn’t want to have to try to sing these more obscure songs or one of these novelty songs after somebody like Marc Martel, who does them so well and does them like Freddie. If I did it, it would sound like me doing it, but when I do the rock end of things, it fits. It doesn’t have to sound like Freddie. It doesn’t have to sound like a Queen kind of a take on things. It’s me doing it, but it still represents the song in the proper way.

Do you have a favorite Queen album?
JSS: Oh, that’s always been a tough one to answer, and I’ve done it in many an interview. I go with the obvious when I answer that. I usually choose A Night at the Opera, just because it’s one of the albums that … well, I mean most of their albums I can listen to from top to bottom. I don’t find any filler, but I have to go with one of the more obscure ones. I have to go with Sheer Heart Attack as my favorite.  

I want to take you back to the beginning of your career. How did you become involved with Yngwie Malmsteen and what do you remember about meeting him for the first time?
JSS: I’ll give you the abridged version. Basically, he left Alcatrazz in 1984. I just happened to be at a friend’s house when the news came out on “MTV News” that he was looking for a singer. And literally, I just sent the cassette in, and – Cinderella-story luck later – I got the call to go meet him. It was a strange meeting and a strange situation to be a part of, but it took three weeks of singing with him at his house and demoing up things until I was finally inducted as the permanent singer of the band. And even the first two songs – the only songs that had vocals on them on the first album, the debut, Rising Force album – I didn’t know the songs until he put me in the studio. I basically learned them as I was singing them, and he kind of gave me the, “Well, if you sound good on them, then I’ll keep you on them. Otherwise, I’m going to sing on them.” And so I literally had the time I was singing on them to learn them and get a good performance in, and he actually really liked it. Strangely enough, I was 18 years old. I had no idea what I was doing at the time, and I pulled it off.

What’s it like to work with such a virtuoso guitarist as a singer? Was it a matter of you not wanting to step on any toes?
JSS: Well, yeah, and tongue in cheek, I usually answer that the same way. I didn’t really work with him; I worked for him. There were a few times where he kind of let me do my own thing when it was time for it, and we were collaborating and co-writing songs together, but he always had final say. He had a vision of what he wanted, and if it strayed too far from that vision, then he would cut it. It was a great situation for me as far as cutting my teeth in the business, but it also was a frustrating one, which led me to not sing with him too long because I was too strong-headed over where I wanted to go and I knew I wasn’t going to get that singing with him too long.

I know we don’t have too much time left, but you mentioned the Talisman reunion. It must have been so tough to get Talisman going because of all the label stuff. Do you feel as if you have unfinished business with Talisman?
JSS: Yes and no. I understand what bands go through, bands like Queen and bands like Journey, what they have to go through to have to replace somebody who is such a key figure in the band to continue. Now, we didn’t have the success that those two bands had. We didn’t have the interest and the sales of those bands, so of course, those bands to continue they have to find the right people. They have to be the right decision to move on. I don’t feel personally that there’s a reason to continue Talisman without Marcel [Jacob]. I wouldn’t want to record new albums and go on tour with Talisman without him, because I felt the same way those bands feel, that the body work was there because of that nucleus. And without that, it’s just kind of bastardizing the situation. Now, we do have surviving members of the band. We do have a body of work that deserves to be heard, and that’s what I’m more interested in. I’d rather reunite with the guys and play some shows and celebrate what we created, as opposed to just continue and try to come up with something that sounds like a continuation of what we already did.

Well, you talked about learning so much from Freddie about stage presence and singing to a live audience. How does that carry over to your work with Trans-Siberian Orchestra?
JSS: Well, TSO is a whole different animal. I mean, of course I still utilize my own persona and what I have to offer as an artist, but there’s more theatrics in the sense of … like musical theater behind Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which I never was into, I never followed, even while loving bands like Queen and Styx, who were very musical-theater-sounding rock bands, they didn’t sound like that to me. To me, they didn’t sound like a cast from “Les Miserables” or “Chicago” or one of those musical-theater numbers. With TSO, I have to kind of engulf myself into that world. I have to learn a little bit about it, because it is about going into characters. It’s not just about singing the songs. I can take any one of those songs and just sing circles around them, but it’s not about the performance of the songs as a vocalist. It’s more about the performance of the songs as a character. There are two different worlds there that I had to learn, and I look at it as an extension to who I am and learn something new and challenge myself into doing something that I’d never done before. That’s one of the reasons why TSO has become such an important part of my life, because I am now learning something different that I never had in my life. And I’m now able to now maybe, possibly utilize it to do something on my own. 

Doing the vocals for the movie “Rock Star,” did that prepare you in any way for Trans-Siberian Orchestra?
JSS: Not at all. I went in there and sang the way Jeff Scott Soto would be singing in Steel Dragon.

Looking back on the experience now, was it something you enjoyed?
JSS: Absolutely, a thousand percent. I had so much fun with that. I’m longtime friends with Zakk [Wylde, of Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne] and [ex-Dokken bassist] Jeff Pilson. Just to be a part of that whole experience with those guys, it felt like even though it was a fictitious band, it felt like we were a real band for the time we were in the studio putting that stuff together.

What do you think of the movie now?
JSS: I still love it. I loved it then. I thought it was tongue-in-cheek and there were parts of it that were, eh? And there were a lot of parts I really liked, and I think it still holds up. If we didn’t have the tragedy of 9/11, that occurred literally days after the release of the movie, I think it would have had a better chance.

Talking about tragedy and the new album, from a lot of uplifting and hopeful songs, with the tragedy that happened in Newtown, Conn. it seems like a perfect time for this kind of a record.
JSS: Anytime there’s positivity out there … I mean, there’s enough negativity in the world that we have to deal with, and we’re going to be dealing with it, it’s just the world we live in today. So I think it’s good to have some positivity when we can get it, just because we need it at this point in time. 


Jeff Scott Soto rises up with Yngwie Malmsteen


Melodic hard-rock singer reflects on his time with the virtuoso guitarist
By Peter Lindblad
Jeff Scott Soto’s plate is not just full ... it’s actually spilling over the sides.
Jeff Scott Soto - Damage Control 2012
One of the busiest and most in-demand singers in melodic hard rock, Soto spent much of last summer touring North America with “Queen Extravaganza,” at the behest of Queen’s drummer Roger Taylor. Before that, he released a solo album titled Damage Control in the spring on Frontiers Records and EMI, and more recently, he’s been carrying out vocal duties for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, while also collaborating in W.E.T. with a couple of hot-shot Swedish musicians, Robert Sall from Work of Art and Erik Martensson of Eclipse, on an unexpectedly heavy, but also thoroughly accessible, second LP, Rise Up, that is due out in February on Frontiers Records.
In 2013, Soto is scheduled to hit the road in support of Damage Control, and there may be more tours in the offing with W.E.T. and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Versatility is his calling card, as Soto’s strong, commanding voice works well with pop-infused heavy metal, album-oriented rock and even hot funk.
Perhaps that’s what Yngwie Malmsteen found so appealing about Soto when the virtuoso guitarist hired the then 18-year-old unknown as lead vocalist for his Rising Force project way back in 1984. It was the chance of a lifetime for Soto.
“Basically, [Malmsteen] left Alcatrazz in 1984,” says Soto, recounting how he first hooked on with Malmsteen. “I just happened to be at a friend’s house when the news came out on ‘MTV News’ that he was looking for a singer. And literally, I just sent the cassette in, and – Cinderella-story luck later – I got the call to go meet him.”
To say the least, Malmsteen was a demanding taskmaster, and at first, Soto wasn’t sure where he stood with the supernatural shredder, whose ambition it was to make to classical music and heavy metal co-exist in a manner few had thought possible. The legendary Malmsteen put Soto's feet to the fire almost immediately.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Rising Force
“It was a strange meeting and a strange situation to be a part of, but it took three weeks of singing with him at his house and demoing up things until I was finally inducted as the permanent singer of the band,” remembers Soto. “And even the first two songs – the only songs that had vocals on them on the first album, the debut, Rising Force album – I didn’t know the songs until he put me in the studio. I basically learned them as I was singing them, and he kind of gave me the, ‘Well, if you sound good on them, then I’ll keep you on them. Otherwise, I’m going to sing on them.’ And so I literally had the time I was singing on them to learn them and get a good performance in, and he actually really liked it. Strangely enough, I was 18 years old. I had no idea what I was doing, and I pulled it off.”
In addition to his involvement with the Rising Force recording, Soto also sang on Malmsteen’s 1985 LP Marching Out. With Malmsteen controlling almost every aspect of his musical enterprise with an iron fist, Soto felt suffocated and wanted to spread his wings. So, he left soon after Marching Out and then helped get Talisman – the band he played in for 19 years – with bassist Marcel Jacob, who had also played in Malmsteen’s Rising Force band.
As for his time with Malmsteen, Soto has mixed feelings about it. Though it was certainly a great learning opportunity and a chance for increased exposure, Soto wished for a bigger say in the music.
When asked what it was like working with Malmsteen, Soto replied, “Well, I usually answer that question sort of tongue in cheek, and I usually answer that the same way: I didn’t really work with him … I worked for him. There were a few times where he kind of let me do my own thing when it was time for it, and we were collaborating and co-writing songs together, but he always had final say. He had a vision of what he wanted, and if it strayed too far from that vision, then he would cut it. It was a great situation for me as far as cutting my teeth, but it also was a frustrating one, which led me to not sing with him too long because I was too strong-headed over where I wanted to go. And I knew I wasn’t going to get that singing with him too long.”
With Swedish rockers Talisman, Soto took on a more prominent role, and the band experienced success in their home country and beyond. Interestingly, during our interview, Soto advanced the notion of a possible Talisman reunion in the summer of 2013, as well as his involvement in some potential Trans-Siberian Orchestra studio work and less wintery live outings for the epic power-metal institution. Stay tuned for further news on those subjects.