(From The Depths Entertainment)
Genre: Melodic metal akin to As I Lay Dying or Killswitch Engage.
Interviewed on: 2/6/11
From: Wiesbaden, Germany
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1. You guys formed back in 2005, having the experience you have now, are things any easier than they were in the earlier days?
Randall: Well as you go through the years you learn what works and what doesn't work. I think the easier thing for us nowadays is touring and being better organized. When we started out we didn't have the contacts and resources as we have now.
2. You recorded with Sky Van Hoff (Machinemade God, Caliban), how did the recording process go? How did the awesome artwork come about?
Jappo: The recording process was very very awesome and a bit difficult to be honest. Only in part because there was a line-up change during the time of recording. Tom was the singer for the band and decided to leave to provide a better commitment to his family. We picked up John and he hit the ground running but there was a bit of a break during the time Tom left and the time John joined so it delayed the record for some time. The artwork was originally going to be done by Mike D. of Killswitch Engage but we collectively felt that it did not represent want we wanted to have on the cover. We then decided to ask Juan Franco to do the artwork because he had done such an awesome job on a shirt design from us but again it wasn't what we were really looking for. So then Sky's girlfriend Julia surprised us all and came up with the artwork that you now see on the album. We felt that the Medusa had a great representation of the album concept and title "Break The Illusion".
3. You guys have shared the stage with big name acts such as Slayer, Sepultura and Trivium to name a few. Was there a show you played that you'll never ever forget? What happened?
John: Well sharing the stage with big name acts like that is just an awesome feeling in itself. Some of those bands are childhood heroes for us, but if we'd have to pick one that we'll never forget it would have to be Rockarea Festival last summer. It was a lot of hanging out with the Sepultura dudes, getting photos with Entombed, Sacred Reich, and Napalm Death. And our merch guy "The Dude" was tackling everybody like in those Terry Tate commercials. Of course we were all intoxicated so that always raised the level of craziness!!!
4. How did the name THE HAND OF GLORY come about?
Jappo: Well the name came from Tom our former singer. The story behind the name is that it's a dried and pickled left hand from someone who had died in the gallows. The hand was then formed so that a candle could be placed inside and then was used to cast a sort of spell and render motionless all persons to who it was presented. At the time the band was formed George W. Bush was in office and America was then deeply involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We chose the name because it fit with the message we were trying to get across. It's as if people were put under a spell and nobody cared that hundreds of people were dying each day in a war that should have never been waged.
5. What's your favorite song off the album? What's the crowd favorite?
Chris: We think "Break The Illusion" is a favorite from all of us. It deals with a pretty intense subject having two of our members who were in the US Army at the time America invaded Iraq. We have friends that are still over in Afghanistan and Iraq and we hope for their safe return back to their loved ones. I think it's also the favorite one from the crowd. They get pretty crazy on that one!
6. Your music has a underlying deeper message to it, what's your views on what's going on in Egypt right now?
Sascha: We think the people are standing up for what they believe in and that's a good thing. It's a shame that peaceful demonstrations turn out to be violent and we hope that the violence will resolve itself. The people have spoken and the world is listening! We just hope the outcome will be a peaceful one and the President of Egypt will step down.
7. What three bands would you love to tour with? Any thoughts on coming to the US?
John: We would love to tour with Darkest Hour, As I Lay Dying, and In Flames. Also would be cool would be At The Gates and Himsa but they are no longer around. We are planning to go to the US next year in the spring. It would be cool because myself and Randall are both from the states and road trips in America are always awesome!!!
8. You guys have a headlining tour coming up in April, you guys excited to be out on the road again? Any cool stories from the road?
Randall: We are always excited to get on the road we live for that! There are so many cool stories but I think the coolest thing on the road is just hanging out with friends and meeting new people.
9. What are you guys currently listening to?
Blind Witness, As I Lay Dying, Carcass, The Ghost Inside, All That Remains, Misery Signals, Heaven Shall Burn, Darkest Hour, The Sorrow, man there are so many others.
10. What’s next for The Hand Of Glory?
John: Well we have this tour coming up in April, we will also be doing a video soon. We just released our album as well so we will be supporting that pretty much this whole year. We haven't decided which song to do the video for yet that's something that we still have to decide on.
11. Any shoutouts?
We'd like to say what's up to Sky, Tom, Kevin, Black Xion, Devilstick, Unleash The Sky, Centerfall, For All My Sins, Arma Gathas, Awaken Demons, Avenue Six Left, The Green River Burial, I Defy, Destroy Yourself Clothing, and of course all of our fans who support us you guys rule!!!
