NIGHTMARE ECLIPSE WITH DAVID MILLER, STEPHEN BEHRENDT
David Miller: ‘Nightmare Eclipse’ is a culmination of everything we could find to push our musicianship. We tried to write riffs and structure the songs on this album, which was almost outside our capabilities. We normally start with a pile of riffs and then build a blueprint out of them for full song structures. We like to be very “riff-based” in our music. Sick riffs are sick!
Stephen Behrendt: We have no rituals or anything. Our studio is super laid back, so we don’t have to use too much time. We can just go in and do our thing. As for making it, we are always writing, so when we feel like we’ve got sufficient material for a record, we get the time set up.
Stephen Behrendt: I grew up with heavy metal. I have been listening to it for as long as I can remember. My favourite album of all time is Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche. There’s just something about that album that has stuck with me for all these years. But that’s not what started me playing. What set me on my path was hearing Iron Maiden. When I heard how Harris played bass, I was blown away and wanted to learn to do that.
David Miller: I have a similar story too. I mean, my father was a metalhead from the early 80s, so it wasn’t too farfetched that I got sucked into it as well. Being raised in Wisconsin, it was either that or country music. I think I made the better choice.
Stephen Behrendt: Music is important to me because it’s helped me thru every hardship in my life. I feel like it should inspire people. If one day someone comes up to me and tells me my music made an impact on their life or inspired them to start playing, then that’s all I need. I feel like that is the most important. It does need to be entertaining, though as well. A performance may also inspire. We just try to make the best music possible and present it live the most entertaining way we can.
https://toxicruin.bandcamp.com
