Exclusive Interview: Christmas with… #5 Metal Noise!

Drum roll please! If Metal Hammer can do an Editor’s column note in each edition then why can’t Metal Noise (dot) Net do a “Letters to the Editor” style Christmas Interview?! Who makes the rules?! After one of our biggest years to date we asked our Editor Michael the same damn questions we asked the bands for this Christmas Interview series to see what he had to say! Let the fun begin!

This one rears its ugly head every year, so lets start by addressing the elephant in the room. Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie? Do you have a movie you watch every Christmas? “Yes! It takes place during a company Christmas party and features a Run DMC Christmas song in one of the scenes! It’s called “Christmas In Hollis”. Die Hard 2 feels like more of a Christmas movie because it’s got a lot more snow in it. Probably a bit of a cliche but the first or second Home Alone Movie are hard to beat, wholesome family viewing with people getting bricks thrown at peoples heads. How can you go wrong?!”

Metal Hammer contact you about doing a cover of a Christmas classic for their Spotify playlist. What are you picking to make over? A bit of Mariah Carey? Slade? or something more left field? “I am a guitarist so if I was in a band I’d be choosing something a bit left field. I’ve always been a fan of some of the alternative Christmas tales and there is one about Krampus the goat demon who comes to take away all the children who have misbehaved during the year in a traditional central European folktale not too dissimilar to the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Kansas City Missouri Thrash band Hellevate did a rendition of that story called “Krampusnacht“ so that would be my choice of cover!”

What will you be listening to this Christmas? Are you a fan of seasonal classics are you going to be sticking to your usual tunes? “”Buried by Christmas” by Wednesday 13 is a Christmas classic in these parts as a song “Sleddin’ Hill, A Holiday Album” by August Burns Red usually gets put on at some point. Other than that it will probably be the usual, aside from the EPs and albums I’ve been reviewing I’ve been listening to Periphery, Lionheart and Soulfly of late, especially while driving”

Do you have a favorite Christmas treat? “Christmas isn’t Christmas without a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. It’s been a stocking filler classic for pretty much my whole life, so I think its safe to say they’re they taste of Christmas! Brewdog Clockwork Tangerine is a distant second! We’ve done the whole Mince Pie taste test thing in previous years, that’s kind of getting old now…”

Bottle of Baileys and a Christmas movie on Christmas Eve? Do you have any family traditions in the festive season you’d care to share? “We have Chinese takeaway as an extended family group on Christmas Eve. A tradition started by accident by my father who never wanted takeaway until one random Christmas and we’ve continued that in his honour for the past 30 odd years. We’ll also take that opportunity to toast to his memory.”

Is it straight to the presents at dawn’s crack or more of a Full English with a pint of Guinness at 11am kind of vibe at your place? “Stockings followed by Panettone for breakfast at Christmas, which is an Italian sweet bread, kind of like a brioche but with fruit or chocolate in it. Booze waits until a little later when the presents get unwrapped at which point it will probably either be Guinness or Neck Oil because you can’t go wrong with the classics”

What does Christmas mean to you? “For me Christmas has always been a time for family, for taking a breath and thinking about what others have done for you in the past year or so and giving gifts in gratitude. I love seeing the looks on people’s faces when they’re presented with a gift and I like to use my imagination rather than ask people what they want.”

Champagne at midnight on New Years? Do you have any New Year’s Resolutions in mind? “Aren’t New Years resolutions made to be broken in less than 3 weeks? I’ve never been a New Years dude, it’s always been more of a post Christmas afterthought. Bah Humbug. Haha. We’ll probably sink a couple of beers, enjoy some leftover chocolate and play a board game while we wait for the midnight hour. There is also a tradition where at midnight you open the front and back doors of the house to let the new year in…”

What’s next for Metal Noise? “Hmm let’s see… Metal Noise is a 24/7 operation and the wheels don’t stop turning but looking into the crystal ball… The return of our “5 Albums I Want To Be Buried With” series for which we’ve got some classics stashed. Our traditional Listmania awards season between Christmas and New Year will celebrate the Underground Metal scene. In January there will be live reviews for Born Of Osiris and Jinjer shows and of course new albums from from Kreator, Ov Sulphur and Skulld to look forward to!”