Members

Date of birth: 24th June, 1973

Instruments: Vocals, guitars (so far Ibanez Prestige), kokle (11-string board harp), pipes.

Musicians I like: Guitarists: Glenn Tipton/K.K. Downing (Judas Priest), Tony Iommy (Black Sabbath), Paul Quinn (Saxon), Jeff Waters (Annihilator), Brian May (Queen) and maybe some others. More than just a super technique I like when guitarist puts his feelings, compositional skills and fresh ideas into the songs. More or less all those advanced guitar solos are boring for me and are heard already 100 000 x before. Vocalists: Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Biff Byford (Saxon), Dio, Doro, Eric Adams (Manowar), Tom Angelripper (Sodom), Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead) and some others of course. More than growling and screaming I like those who can sing and come with their own unique style!

Favourite bands: My all-time metal faves are bands such as Judas Priest, Saxon, Dio, Exodus, ZZ Top, Bathory, Manowar, Cathedral, Sodom, Motorhead, and of course many more artists.

Albums: Saxon – Rock The Nation, Judas Priest – Turbo / Painkiller / Jugulator; Black Sabbath – Dehumanizer / Eternal Idol; Exodus – Fabulous Disaster; Iron Maiden – Somewhere In Time; Bathory – Hammerheart; Manowar – Fighting The World / Kings Of Metal; Cathedral – Forest Of Equilibrium; Napalm Death – Harmony Corruption; Venom – Ressurection; Van Halen – Balance; Amorphis – Tales From The Thousand Lakes; Mekong Delta – The Music Of Eric Zann; Peter Gabriel – So; Sodom – M-16 and many more. I am listening a lot of music, starting with pop and ending with metal. The main factor in music which attracts me to some certain album or artist is the mood, which is generated. For me are important also the lyrics of album and people who work in the band. If lyrics are stupid, I am not interested so much about the band. The same is with people – if I see that band or artist is arrogant, or just copying other bands’ ideas; in such case they are not for me anymore and I don’t care about them, despite how popular they’d be.

Interests: History, historical books and films, music, beer/vodka drinking and talking things, true friendship, some PC games, fishing, traveling into nature, my bicycle, being together with friends. Also I like to do nothing.

First played concert: About 1988 year I played in Iecava town with my first band ”Bez Greznības” (Without Luxury). They were kind of punk/HC/alternative styled. I was really young and don’t remember much of that gig. Later after few years I went to form my own metal band – Grindmaster Dead (death doom metal).

Most interesting event on stage: Maybe it’s not really interesting, but surely funny. Once our old drummer Imants came to the gig pretty drunken and could not play at all! It all ended when in the middle of set, he just fell asleep! 🙂 Most emotional was the concert in Festung (Germany), when we toured with Menhir and Trimonium. We all together sung Latvian folk song and all crowd was trying to sing with us! Also great memories are from first “Baltic Sun” festival when we performed “Div’ Dūjiņas / Two Doves Fly” at local river Daugava shores.

First metal album: Accept – “Metal Heart” 1985. It broke down all previous musical views and I became a passionate metalhead.

Favourite books and films: Sat-ok “The Land of Salt-Rocks” (about Indians of Canada), Laimonis Purs “Castlemound” course, Vilis Plūdonis and his poetry, Robert Holdstock – “Mythago Forest”, but generally I read documental literature about history. Novels I read very seldom. From movies I like something like: “Braveheart”, “LotR”, “Gladiator”, polish “With Fire and Sword”. But as with books, mostly I watch and I am interested into historical stuff, documental films. A good place to see something is also Discovery channel.

Favourite drinks: Beer, some local soft drinks, sometimes vodka or brandy. But beer is the best one!

A dream, which you’d like to materialize: I don’t think that way. For me most important is to live the life this way: when it’s time to die – I have no pity about time I’ve spent here on Earth and have not much to regret.

About yourself: I can describe myself as pretty shy and kindhearted man; I try to not be an asshole. I don’t like to be in places where much people are. Sometimes I think, what am I doing here on the stage, but if this is once started… so, let it be that way. I would like to work against the mainstream, be different then others. I don’t count myself as a good singer or guitarist as well. But all I can do, all is done in self-educated way despite my big laziness. I am pretty average person and don’t try to look like a rockstar, because do not like them. Money is not big issue for me, there are another values in this world. I highly honour the real friendship, but sadly, this is rarity to meet in these times. Also I am a bit melancholic and a dreamer. Ok, so this is what I what I can about myself 🙂 Surely, other people see me differently.

Date of birth: 27th May, 1972

Instruments: Bassguitar V string “Hohner”, giga, vargan, backing vocals

Musicians I like: Bassists: Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), Lemmy. Guitarists: Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai and many more. Vocalists: Michael Kiske (Helloween), Rob Halford & Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest), Warrel Dane (Nevermore), David Lee Roth (Van Halen). Drummers: Mikkey Dee (Motorhead), Dave Lombardo (Slayer) etc.

Favourite bands: Hard to say, they’re too many, including almost all styles: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, this and that from Death Metal and also folk music. I have too huge record collection to pick up few faves.

Albums: Exodus – Fabulous Disaster / Tempo Of The Damned; Razor – Malicious Intent; Celtic Frost – Into The Pandemonium / Emperor’s Return; Living Death – Protected From Reality; Judas Priest – Jugulator; Overkill – The Years of Decay / Horrorscope / Under The Influence; Helloween – Keeper Of The Seven Keys 1 & 2; Malice – License To Kill; Paganini – It’s A Long Way To The Top; many albums from Dio un Ozzy.

Interests: Music, excursions and resting by the nature, to make delicious food, drive on a car and ride bicycle.

First played concert: With Grindmaster Dead, Riga 1993.

Most interesting event on stage: 1. That happened in Prague 2005 year, in Hells Bells club. Already after second song it was so hot on a stage, that it was impossible to endure it. So I did hit the spotlight away from me. It caused an electrical shortcut and lights went down in all the club for about 15 minutes. To save the situation, we did some 3-4 folk songs a capella style and it turned out to be real success, because all hall sung with us! Later we had a laugh that we shouldn’t have played metal songs when lights returned, but go on with a folk stuff 🙂
2. In Holland 2006 year, in Arnhem city during the gig Peter hit my forehead heavily with his guitar axe (accidentally, of course) and all my face covered with blood. It was big pain, but had to stand until the end of gig. Probably, some fans thought it was some planned stage show with blood, but it was not. If it was just 3 cm down I would lose the eye. Next day we went to hospital to put stitches on.

First metal album: Living Death – “Protected From Reality” 1987

Favourite books & films: Books: works from Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle, V. Rūmnieks novel “Kurshi Vikings”. From movies i can mention Juris Podnieks movie about Latvian Riflemen “Strēlnieku zvaigznājs”, english TV serial “The Adventures Of Robin Hood”, “Braveheart”, various westerns.

Favourite drinks: Vodka, cognac, beer, mineral water.

A dream, which you’d like to materialize: To reach some recognition with a band and be good father to my both sons.

About yourself: 3 main values in life:

1. I am happy that I can play in a band with these guys.
2. Having two great sons.
3. Being a good man.

Date of birth: 4 July 1991

Instruments: drums, guitar, vocals

Favourite artists: Alan Cassidy, Shannon Lucas, Trevor Strnad, Brian Eschbach, Brandon Ellis, Romain Gaulon, Muhammed Suicmez, Chad Smith, John Frusciante, Les Claypool, Serj Tankian, Eloy Casagrande, George Fisher (Corpsegrinder), Alex Webster, Wictor Wooten, Jojo Mayer.

Favourite bands: The Black Dahlia Murder, Beneath The Massacre, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Necrophagist, Cannibal Corpse, Sepultura, Primus, System Of A Down… that should be enough! I have a lot of favourite artists and genres, from punk to death metal! What matters to me is the story behind a song, its quality and the musicianship.

Favourite albums: Cannibal Corpse – Gore Obsessed; The Black Dahlia Murder – Miasma, Nocturnal… Well, these are all great albums, each in their own way. Also, Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magic, One Hot Minute, Californication; Primus – Brown album, Antipop; Necrophagist – Epitaph; Korn – Korn; Sepultura – Arise, Chaos A.D., Roots; Beneath The Massacre – Marée Noire; System Of A Down – Toxicity; Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill.

Interests and hobbies: For me, life should be fun and exciting. I like all sorts of adventure and discovery… This could be a spontaneous road trip, a hike in the nature, going fishing, baking bread or cooking. Of course, it’s also music – playing it, making it, getting to experience a finished piece. Sometimes I draw, or go for a swim in winter, or meditate.

First ever performance: that happened in 2005 in Valga, Estonia, at Rokiklubi, an underground punk club, with Concomitant from Smiltene, a small town in North Latvia. I was on vocals back then.

An interesting experience from touring: So, I was about to perform with the NUVO guys at Melnā Piektdiena, a top rock and metal venue in Riga, at some festival. Everything looked great, things were going great, the club was at capacity, business at the merch stand was booming, everyone in great mood, all those impressive bands we didn’t know much about playing… Even if that was not entirely our typical crowd, it sort of felt good and we started looking forward to a great show. We were supposed to go on stage right at midnight, but things somehow got so behind the schedule, that we only got to play our show at almost 2 in the morning in front of an empty room! The previous guys had apparently left along with everyone else in the building! Well, except some five people… So, we played our show anyway, which felt more like a public audition or rehearsal… And we weren’t even the last to play that night!

My first heavy metal album: I’m not entirely sure, but it’s got to be Roots by Sepultura!

Favourite films: Dog Soldiers; From Dusk Till Dawn; Inglorious Basterds; the Latvian WWI epic Blizzard of Souls, Baltic Tribes; Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit; Pineapple Express; Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle

Favourite TV shows: Family Guy; Southpark; Vikings; Game Of Thrones; Breaking Bad; Supernatural

Favourite music DVDs: The Black Dahlia Murder – Majesty, Fool’ Em’ All!; Cannibal Corpse – Centuries Of Torment; Unearth – Alive From Apocalypse

Favourite stand-up performers: Tom Segura; Joe Rogan; Bert Kreischer; Dave Chapelle; Bill Burr; Joey Diaz

Favourite books: Jelgava ’94 (released as Doom ’94 in English); Dracula; Latvian horror novels, Man-eater of Kumaon; Invisible Man

Favourite drink and food: I really like it when something is made with skill and care. My top foods are definitely pasta and anything that comes off the barbecue! My favourite drink? It’s ice cold sparkling water mixed with some orange juice! And yeah, a decent beer, some fine rum or whisky, too! It’s all about the taste!

Something that I aspire to: I have always wanted there to be music in my life – and this has come true! I have this dream of getting to see the world in some relation to music. Touring the United States is something that has always seemed impossible, but that is what I’d definitely like to do someday.

My three fundamental values:

1. Family first.
2. Keeping a cool, rational mind when life gets tough and stressful.
3. Trust, reliability and friendship.