Albums of Purgatory interview the Venting Machine

Firstly, whats the band up to right now? We just finished our full length c.d. and we're gearing up to hit back into the Northern California metal scene. We're also working on some new material.
>
>How would you describe the Venting Machine sound? Super heavy and technical. Brutal, intellectual, melodic metal.
>
>How did you get involved with the band? Jeremy(guitarist) and our drummer, Joe Tobin, hooked up in highschool because of similar tastes in music.
>Can you remember your first gig (how did it go)? Our first gig was back in March of '99. We opened a show in our hometown of Tracy, Ca. to a pretty packed house. At the time, we were still under our old band name of "Breach".(Not to be confused with the European band of the same name). Crowd response was excellent!

>Are you involved in any other projects and if so how do they compare to the Venting Machine? No.
>
>What are your favourite Venting Machine tracks? Pica, Venting Machine, Pottymouth, and Grapholagania-----shit, they're all good!
>
>What are your favourite all time songs? S.A.T.O. by Ozzy, Domination by Pantera, the list goes on and on......
>
>What the first record you ever bought? Jeremy---Metallica-And Justice for All. Chad---Kiss-Destroyer---On 8-track!
>
>Which album was it that got you into metal and can you explain why?

Jeremy--Listened to Van Halen and Ozzy at an early age.

Chad--Started to listen to Dokken, Judas Priest, and Metallica because my Mother didn't approve of it.
>Whats the last album you purchased and what did you think of it?

Jeremy--Anthrax--We've Come for You All. Best metal c.d. out right now.
Chad--Black Label Society--The Blessed Hellride. Not as strong as 1919 Eternal and Stronger Than Death, but still great shit from Zakk Wyld and Co.

>What would be your dream band line-up?

Dimebag Darrel on lead guitar, Cliff Burton on bass, Charlie Benante(sp?) on drums, James Hetfield on rhythm guitar, and Matt Holt(of Nothingface) on vocals.

>If you could do a cover for a tribute album to any band, which song of which band would you pick and why? Ozzy--Over the Mountain. Because it's balsy and for Randy Rhodes' solos.

>
>What do you think of the position of metal and music in general today?
In Europe, you guys know "what's up", but here in the U.S., metal is more image oriented and going through "trends". Good metal is once again on the rise in the states, but we're still weeding out shitty "nu-metal" and "rap-rock" bands.

>Which other bands stand out for you at the moment?

Jeremy--Nothingface and Diesel Machine.
Chad-- The Gathering and Katatonia.

>Do you have any funny stories about the band you can share with us?

"One time at band camp........" no, just joking. Can't think of any at the moment.
>and finally, what do you see in the future for the Venting Machine?

Heavier writing and exploration of new metal ground. Lots of fun, lots of metal, and hopefully some good recognition.

***You can check out two of our current songs at http://www.mp3.com just look up The Venting Machine. We can also be found on www.Powerslave.com, just look us up under Central Valley bands. Our own website, www.theventingmachine.com should be up in a couple of months.We will eventually have our latest c.d. "Hate Release Project" available there with some other merchandise as well as our first full length c.d. "The Stillpoint" under our old name of Breach.***