METAL MONTHLY: To begin, how would you explain the meaning of your Headline, “People often say to us…. XNO”?

XNO (Brian): Hahahahaha! You know that is really just a joke. Whenever we show up for a gig, the manager or stage manager, not knowing our individual names always just refer to us as XNO.

Over time, we have found that MySpace is a waste of time for promoting a band as small as us. So I just use the Headline as a way to be sarcastic and convey how I am feeling at any given point in time. Nobody reads it. So I just post silly and stupid things up there on a regular basis. I think a few weeks ago I had something up there about holding puppies hostage or something like that!

MM: Oh, you’re too funny!…Although you’re initially classified as a metal band, in what ways is your music also “experimental”?

XNO (Brian): We try to leave our comfort zone as much as possible when we write new music. We find that staying in the same "Box" musically really starts to make us sound like everyone else. So we try to blend several styles of music into our songs. A good example of this is the song "Spit". It incorporates a little funk, a little hip hop, and of course rock. One thing that was very important to us when the band was started was that we never have a group of songs that sound the same.

You guys should hear some of the newer stuff we are working on! It is very unlike the songs that are currently up on our MySpace site right now. We have played some of these songs live and they got a very good reception! But we have yet to seriously record them. But.... That’s coming very soon!

Lately we have been messing with adding sound effects and keyboards and various other instruments into the songs. So I guess a good explanation of the "Experimental" tag is that we never try to take ourselves too seriously. We never have that mindset that "We are a metal band and we only need to play metal".

MM: Artistically, that sounds very freeing….“So Cal” is listed as your band’s home. Is it merely your location, or is it also a regional culture with which you guys identify?

XNO (Brian): The band members are from all over So-Cal. I think we cover just about every area except San Diego. We have members from Riverside County, Orange County and San Bernardino County. So we really try to capture not only what is going on in our lives at the moment, but we try to capture what is going on all around us as well. We pull a heavy influence from the hard rock and metal from the 80's and early 90's; especially, what was going on in California at that time. So we are trying to stay true to that whole thought process not only in the music but also, in our attitudes and our live show as well. So I would have to say it is a little bit of both; home and regional influence.

Back in the early days of the local hard rock/metal scene here in California, there was a sort of brotherhood amongst all of the bands. They would help each other out, party together, and fill in for each other when needed. It isn't like that anymore. But, we are trying our hardest to hold on to that spirit and to convey that type of attitude to the bands we share the bill with. Most of the time it backfires on us but.... Oh well.

MM: You know, that’s too bad, but at least you guys take the high road….In your minds, what elements transform regular metal music into the “skull-splitting” metal that you want to be known for?

XNO (Brian): I think we need to remove that from our bio! When the band was first started, we were going in a very thrashy direction. The music was very fast and a lot harder than it is today. I think that once we got settled in with the long term members, and the wide range of musical influences we all brought, the music took more of a groove oriented vibe. We went away from that hard hitting, "Skull-Splitting" style, of 1000 beats per second. And please don't get us stared on the lineup changes that have occurred over the last year! We are so happy that frustration and confusion has finally settled down.

MM: Yes, congratulations on your band surviving such turmoil!….When considering your style of guitar-playing, at what point can it be defined as “shredding”?

XNO (Brian): A lot of bands have moved away from soloing. We want to hold on to that element. We are old school. We like the solos and the riff heavy bridges. It gives more depth to the feeling and meaning of the song when it can be conveyed both instrumentally and lyrically.

MM: Oh yeah, it’s nice to keep some old school around….In terms of showmanship, you’ve made it XNO’s goal to deliver a performance that is “second-to-none”. In as much detail as possible, what would your band’s ideal live-show look, and sound, like?

XNO (Brian): It would be a wall of sound... right now we get a lot of complaints that we are too loud of a band... FUCK THAT! The louder the better. Bring ear plugs if you need to!

I like the live show we are doing right now. It could be better if our budget was a lot higher, but I think it gets the point across. We have a nine foot tall banner that has our ankh logo; it sits behind my drums. Then we have two six foot tall mummies that flank either side of my drums. The mummies each have a custom made ankh being held in their folded arms and a strobe light that sits at the feet of each one. It is insane to see when all the lights are down! There is a Raven that sits on Sphynx's amp; it also looks killer when the lights are low. At the start of each show, I walk out onto the stage wearing my cowboy hat. Before I go and sit down at the kit, I place the hat onto one of the mummies. So we end up with one scary mummy and one shit kicker mummy. Hahahahahahaha!

If our budget was higher for our stage show, I think we would go all out with some type of Goth meets ancient Egyptian theme. The mummies would be anima-tronic and they would have the ability to move around the stage. And, a lot of lasers! I love going to shows where they have a killer laser light show while the band is playing. I would also like to have a very theatrical show. Maybe have an actor or two playing out and singing different parts of the songs. As a matter of fact, we are currently working on something very similar to this. If it works out, we are going to use it in future shows!

MM: It sounds like you’re developing a real experience for the fans….Now, not to ignore Sphynx’s 80’s Glam roots, to what degree would you say that this influence is/will be incorporated into lyrics, performance, and/or styling (vocals/instrumental)?

XNO (Brian): Most of his influence is seen on stage. He is the person who appears anti- the rest of the band. We all tend to wear whatever the hell we feel like while on stage. Sphynx tends to enjoy more of a gothic vampire look. It really plays out well in a live setting; people are a bit taken aback when they first see him. His style of dress also matches our current stage setup with the props and everything.

Musically... Sphynx’s playing style is a mixture of the 80's glam music, 80's metal, and 70's greats like Kiss. This gives him the ability to lay down heavy grooves that don't involve a lot of riffing. But it really accentuates the bass and drums. It also helps me and Louis really bring out the bottom end in our songs. Without Sphynx, that really heavy grooving bottom end that we strive for, just isn't there. Trust me! We have tried playing some of the songs without him, and it just sounds hollow.

MM: Sphynx must like hearing that!…Okay, let’s change gears and take a look at each of your six songs: What is the significance of the titles, what were the inspirations, and what do you like best, about each song?

Track 1, “Naked” -- XNO (J.T.): I used to live next to this chick and she was extremely sexy. I was also very attracted to her and we eventually became really good friends. After a couple of months of knowing her, I knew I wanted to take the next step. So, I asked her, "how do we go from friends to lovers?" That night, I wrote the lyrics to Naked. They just came to me and expressed exactly how I felt at the time. My favorite part of that song is actually that same line: "How to make that transition from friends to lovers". As far as the title, I thought it was very fitting.

Track 2, “Control” -- XNO (J.T.): Now Control is an interesting song, to say the least. When I heard the music for it, I wasn't really feeling the vibe. After several practices and some encouragement from my band mates, I came up with the lyrics. They are actually from a personal experience in my life....When I was younger, I used to experiment with many different types of drugs. I pretty much wrote the lyrics about a particular occasion when I was all spun out and how that felt. It was definitely a low time in my life. The title was easy to come up with because at that time, it was all about who was in control of my life: me or the substance. I actually overcame that particular time in my life, and I choose not to go back. My favorite part of that song is really the whole song! There is no one part that I like the most.

Track 3, “Live Again” -- XNO (J.T.): Live Again came to me one night after I saw the movie, “Interview with a Vampire“. The whole song is about a newborn Vampire who struggles with having to make his first kill. He feels trapped from knowing his past life, having some moral issues over it, but still not being able to control his urge to feed. He knows he must feed in order to be strong. The title “Live Again” is about being born again after his first kill. The break in the song is my favorite. There is the build-up of all the instruments and then the vocals also power up; it’s all focused at this one point in the song.

Track 4, “Spit” -- XNO (J.T.): Spit is actually one of my favorite XNO songs because of its funky sound. It is actually about a psycho stalker that I once had. That is no joke! I went on a few dates with this chick and she used to follow me around all the time. She had to know where I was at all times and would secretly follow me. At first I found it amusing, but then it just became irritating. I told this chick several times that we just weren't going to work out and we should go our separate ways. For some reason, she didn't get what I was trying to say because she would just act as if everything was ok. After continuously showing up on my doorstep and calling, she came to my place one day when I was in a bad mood. I knew it was her knocking on the door, so I simply opened the door and said: "What do I have to do? Spit in your face, for you to get the hint?" You can imagine how the title came to be. After she left, I literally wrote the lyrics right there in my living room. Obviously, I made some changes as far as the lyrics. Instead of saying spit in your face, I changed it to spit in your “eye“...I LOVE THIS SONG!

Track 5, “Break Me Down” -- XNO (J.T.): Break Me Down’s lyrics are actually the first ones I wrote, when I joined the band. This song is also about a chick, but she was different! We got along great and she drove me crazy, but in a good way. The thing I remember the most about her is the fact that we had the most amazing sex! That’s how the title came to be; we broke each other down in the bedroom. So much so, that it was probably the most intimate experience that I have ever had with a woman. It was special at the time...but now it is over….Hahaha......My favorite part of this song is the story line; it’s easy to understand what it is about.

Track 6, “War” -- XNO (J.T.): Being a marine, I had a lot of experiences in the Marine corp. I am partial to all the vets that have come across my path. I respect them fiercely. I can kind of relate to some of the things that they have been through, despite never having experienced combat myself. The lyrics to War are my salute to all the vets and what they’ve been through. My favorite part of this song is the aggressive beat and tone.

MM: Wow, thank you so much for sharing such in-depth information about your songs….Now, in terms of the resources on your MySpace page, why not provide lyrics and blog entries for your fans?

XNO (Brian): We used to do blogs and no one read them! We have been up on Myspace for well over a year and we have yet to get one comment or any feedback on our music, or our live shows. From what we have been told, only 3 people from MySpace have ever been to one of our shows. So like we said above, it's just a waste of time. Everyone on MySpace is looking out for the best interests of what they are trying to sell. They really seem to take no interest in what others are doing or saying.

We have tried to cross-promote shows with other bands and other folks on MySpace, but it never works out. They make you all of the promises in the world, but when it comes time to deliver, they are no where to be found. I wish I had the money from every ticket that someone or some band on MySpace said they were going to buy for one of our shows. We would be making a really good living at this!

The same thing goes for bands wanting to play shows on the same bill. We have talked with one band in particular several times regarding this. We have even set these shows up, but they never do what they say they are going to do. Then, they book shows and never even try to return the favor. They... well I guess I should say, their singer, is only out to promote himself and doesn't care about anyone else, unless it benefits him. He is one of those clowns who thinks he's a Rock-star...like everyone else is beneath him.

As far as providing lyrics.... I don't see any other reason than pure laziness for them not being posted. That’s my fault... Sorry.

MM: Admitting laziness - how cool! Really though, no apologies are necessary….
Now that we’re concluding your interview, let’s talk about your current record label status, “unsigned“. I was wondering, who do you dream of being signed to?

XNO: Well, before I answer, I just want to say: Thank you so much Mary, along with Metal Monthly, for taking the time to bullshit with us! It means a lot to us. You guys are fucking awesome! I am sure you have bigger interviews you could be doing. You guys have no idea how killer this is for bands that are trying to make their mark on the world.:)
Anyway, in a dream, of course we would like to be signed to one of the major labels: Geffen... Warner..... and so on. But in reality, I think we would be happy with a very supportive independent label.

MM: Well, we wish you the best of luck in that dream coming true! On behalf of METAL MONTHLY, Mary would like to thank the band for such a thoughtful and genuinely FUN interview. XNO, you guys ROCK!

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