TYPE O NEGATIVE Drummer Talks About Upcoming CD

Lords of Metal webzine recently conducted an interview with TYPE O NEGATIVE drummer Johnny Kelly. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Lords of Metal: I understand that you are in the middle of the studio work for the new album. How are things going?

Johnny: "Things have been moving along. All the basic tracks are just about completed but there is still a tremendous amount of work that still needs to be done. We're hoping to have the CD completed in about eight weeks."

Lords of Metal: Can you unfurl a bit of style and some songs you recorded until now?

Johnny: "I'm not sure of the titles of the songs. That stuff will always be changing until everything is finished. I would say that this CD is covering just about everything we have done musically over our career. There are songs that remind me of something that we have done on every CD. The new album is very heavy at times, but I'm sure that it has the layers and textures on it that some of our later songs had."

Lords of Metal: I heard that it should be a return to the days of CARNIVORE, so, more close ties with the hardcore scene again?

Johnny: "There are a few songs on this one that could've easily fit onto a CARNIVORE CD. I don't think that the lyrics will be as shocking but I'm sure that the sarcasm will be in there though."

Lords of Metal: After 'Life Is Killing Me' you changed label from Roadrunner to SPV. Can you go a bit deeper into your parting ways with your original label? And your expectations right now signed by SPV?

Johnny: "There really isn't any drama attached to us switching labels. We fulfilled our contract with Roadrunner when 'Life Is Killing Me' was released. After that, we spoke to a few different labels and SPV felt like the best place for us. I think that SPV is great label for TYPE O NEGATIVE and they know what they're doing. So far the relationship has been good."

Lords of Metal: Does this DVD ["Symphony For The Devil"] mark the closing of a chapter in your career?

Johnny: "Every time the band has released something I always feel that may be the final chapter of our career. I don't know if it's a closing chapter or not. When we feel the time is right for something we try to go with that feeling. We may release another DVD somewhere down the road but it's hard to say definitely, yes or no at this time. It is something that fans have been asking for since we released 'After Dark'. The fans have been asking for a live one and now felt like the right time to do it."

Lords of Metal: How long is the recording process going to last and are there tour plans for this year? Or more occasional gigs?

Johnny: "The recording will hopefully be completed in about eight weeks. We're planning on a fall release and will tour then. We don't have any plans for any shows until then."

Read the entire interview at www.lordsofmetal.nl.