BLAZE - Metal Flows Toward The Path Of Least Resistance Page 2
By Martin Popoff

Touring as Blaze, have there ever been other Wolfsbane or Iron Maiden songs you guys have played, but that didn't make it onto the live album?

"We played 'Kathy Wilson' live and we played 'Man Hunt' from the first Wolfsbane album, over the last couple of tours. We also played 'Man On The Edge' in our set. But we don't normally play 'Sign Of The Cross', but a lot of fans have been asking me to hear that song so we wanted to do something because it was our Christmas show. So we tried that out in rehearsals and we really enjoyed it."

And what kind of band do you think Blaze is versus Wolsbane and Iron Maiden?

"I think we're a metal band, really. And I think Wolfsbane was much more of a rock 'n' roll metal band, a little bit on the wild side, the kind of line-up we had, and the way we arranged our songs. Just much more of a rock 'n' roll, happy go lucky kind of style, a bit more punky, I suppose. Maiden are of course a bit more... they're kind of on their own, really. They're one of the great heavy metal bands of all time and they kind of have their own style. They are traditional and have their own sound. But Blaze, the band, we wanted to do something that had two guitars and used those guitars effectively in the arrangements. And it's something that has power, really, power and emotion. We've got just more of a heavier edge; we're more metal than Maiden, just by virtue of not having keyboards, and our sound is more guitar-based. It's definitely about getting those two guitars right up in the mix, just trying to get that powerful guitar sound over."

Do you figure that you do things different vocally with Blaze than you did in Maiden?

"I think I've just learned so much. From the Wolfsbane days and from when I joined Maiden, it's like learning another half of my voice. And the great experience I had from those days and making those albums, I've carried that over into my own music and it's worked out great so far. I feel that I'm singing better than ever. I sound like I feel and I waste a lot less energy trying to get the results I want. I feel that I've tapped into it more; the singing that I'm doing is a lot more emotional and connected from a power and energy point of view. I've managed to combine those things and I feel pretty good about it."

BLAZE - Metal Flows Toward The Path Of Least Resistance Page 3