IGNITOR: Defenders Of The Faith!

Female siren Erika Swinnich (formerly AUTUMN TEARS) and guitar animal Beverly Barrington are the most eye-catching members of this great metal band, but there’s more! The fact, they are from Texas and play great true metal anthems, makes it perfectly clear, they‘re a very special and well-talented band. Besides, a band that goes by the name of IGNITOR, must be powerful! Old school heavy metal, made by great musicians. They already are a rising star in the underground scene, and now they aim for a bigger audience. Don’t say, we didn’t warn you! Watch out for the full story of IGNITOR, who are ready to spit fire, so you’d better take precautions before reading this interview!!!

When did IGNITOR get together as a band, and who is in the line up right now?
Erika: “IGNITOR formed in July 2003, just about a year ago. Stuart Laurence (guitar), Beverly Barrington (guitar), Pat Doyle (drums) and Brendon Bigelow (bass) had been in T.A.N.G. together, but found themselves ready for a change, when their vocalist left. They wanted to go in a heavier musical direction, but hadn’t yet started seriously looking for a singer. At that time they weren’t even sure, if they wanted to stick with the female-fronted approach. My boyfriend happened to call Stuart to ask him a question about his studio one day, and the next thing I know, he’s handing me the phone saying, “Stuart’s looking for a singer. Talk to him.” So, that’s how we came to be.”
Beverly: “Conceptually, IGNITOR was in the works towards the end of T.A.N.G. We’d written a lot of riffs and some partial songs, that were much more metal than what we were doing with our singer at the time. Then Erika arrived with this amazing metal voice and completely sealed the deal.”

Who came up with the band name, and why did you choose for IGNITOR?
Erika: “It took us months to come up with the name. It certainly wasn’t easy. We wanted something that would sound good, be memorable, and lend itself to a cool logo. We must have thrown two hundred names about, before we had this four hour band meeting, where we slowly narrowed down the list until we had about five left. Then we voted. I can’t even remember what the others were now. We were so glad once we settled on IGNITOR, that we forgot all the other attempts!”

Who can we see as your main influences, and maybe you can also name some influences for each band member individually?
Erika: ”Musically, our influences are strongly rooted in classic JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN. The rest of the band members are a little older than I am, so they also have deep roots in bands like BLACK SABBATH, where I’m more based in 80s classic metal. My own personal influences (for vocals) range from greats like Dickinson and Halford to my hero DORO, and current favorites Warrel Dane, Ralf Scheepers and Andy Franck.”
Stuart: “KISS started it off for me. The bands that have had the greatest impact on the way I play would be: PRIEST, METALLICA, ACCEPT, MOTORHEAD, AC/DC, and MERCYFUL FATE.”
Beverly: “O.K. I'm not that much older, but I do like BLACK SABBATH. For me, it started with AC/DC as far as my love of guitar and believing that Rock and Roll was the answer. After that came MOTORHEAD, early METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT and of course AGONY COLUMN. I also want to mention THE GREAT KAT for being the first female speed metal guitarist I ever heard of.”
Brendon: “My biggest direct influence is Jeff Berlin. I was inspired to play bass by John Entwistle of THE WHO. These days I don't just listen to bass players anymore. I've found that a great band is exactly that and personal achievement is kind of a non issue. In my opinion JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, BRAINSTORM, PRIMAL FEAR, THE GATHERING, EARTH CRISIS, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CRYPTOPSY, and NILE are all great bands. This is not a complete list.”
Pat: ”My early drummer influences were Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. By high school it was Cozy Powell, Simon Phillips, and John Bonham. When I saw THE CLASH, I knew I had to be in a serious band. Then I was literally bowled over, when I first heard D.O.A.’s “Hardcore ’81” and the DEAD KENNEDY’s “Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables”. All of the awesome bands I’ve seen live are my influence and inspiration. I also like listening to fusion drummers, even though the music is hard to stomach sometimes.”

How would you describe the music of IGNITOR?
Erika: “It’s our goal to create metal in the classic fashion infused with the driving energy of the current power metal masters. We like aggressive riffing with creative bass lines and lead work, backed up by strong, thunderous drums. One of the things Stuart asked me when I joined was, “We want lots of siren vocals, can you do that?” Of course, that’s one of the trademarks of power metal and I was very glad he was interested in featuring that type of vocal style. Our music is meant to be catchy and powerful, with memorable lyrics that tell a story and inspire thought.”
Beverly: “I like to think of it as seriously fun music. You can bang your head, sing along and wave your fist to it. If you want more, just listen to the lyrics.”

Did any of the band members play in other bands before they joined IGNITOR, and how did you actually meet each other?
Erika: “As I mentioned earlier, Stuart, Beverly, Pat and Brendon were in T.A.N.G. together for a number of years, and everyone has known each other for quite some time. Stuart was in AGONY COLUMN, which made him a fixture in the Austin metal scene in the late 80s/early 90s. Pat has also been around for a long time, playing in THE OFFENDERS, THE POCKET FISHERMEN and currently in a band called LAUGHIN' DOGS. Brendon’s been in the OFFENDED HOMELESS and DEATH OF MILLIONS to name a few and also plays in a band called THE OUTRIDERS. Beverly was in T.A.N.G. and I was in the neoclassical goth band AUTUMN TEARS. Stuart has a recording studio in his house, which has made his place a gathering spot for many local Austin bands. It’s the studio and the scene that got us in touch with each other.”

Your first CD contains six great traditional heavy metal songs, sounding like the best US Metal I’ve heard in ages. What was the general reaction like towards this CD?
Erika: “Thanks very much for the compliment! It’s really satisfying to hear that people are enjoying the CD. It’s always a little scary to create music different from your previous band. You step out of that comfort zone, stretch yourself and hope other people like what you’ve done. We’ve had a really positive reaction to “Take To The Sky”. Europeans seem particularly ready to embrace us. That is where we have gotten most of our responses, but word is getting out slowly in the Austin area and the US in general. I’m really excited about how much the Germans are enjoying the CD, since so many great fests take place over there. We would love to come over and play.”
Beverly: “Yes, thank you!! So far everyone seems to get what we're trying to do. I really love that each one of our songs has been at least one person's favorite. We try to embrace many early influences and I think people respond to that.”

How many copies have you sold of the album so far, and where can people buy a copy when they can’t find it at their local store?
Erika: “It’s a demo, basically. We didn’t start out with the idea of selling tons of copies. We were making them ourselves, but now we’re going to have get a pro run pressed, so we can meet the demand. I’m amazed! It’s only been out a couple of months! If you want a copy, you can buy them through CD Baby [http://www.cdbaby.com] or through German distros Hell Bent For Records [http://www.hbfr.de] and at Hard-Boiled Records [http://www.hard-boiled.net]. If you can’t find any there, email us. Our contact info is on our website at: http://www.ignitor.org.”

Who wrote the songs on “Take To The Sky”, and what are they about?
Erika: “The music was written by Stuart, Beverly, Pat and Brendon. I wrote all the lyrics, except for the title track, which was already fully written by the time I joined.” “Demonslayer” is a combination of fantasy and reality. The theme is rooted in the recent story surrounding the child molesting priest, who was murdered once he was convicted and put into prison. Priests and religious figures who abuse their influence in such a manner are reprehensible creatures. They are true demons. When I joined the band, the song was already titled “Demonslayer”, but the previous singer had left without leaving the lyrics. “Demonslayer” is a magical sword, whose purpose is to slay hideous priests who destroy the lives of children.
“Execution” is about the death penalty in the US. If you read the lyrics carefully, you’ll see the song is neither for nor against the policy. Texas has the highest death penalty rate in the US, and in some cases I think the death penalty is justified, but in others I don’t agree. If anything, this is an anti-crime song at the root.
“The Grey Ghost” is a song about the great ocean liner, the Queen Mary. She was built in the early 1930s and made many voyages across the Atlantic. Enormous and opulent, she carried many rich travelers. In WWII, she was used as a troop transport and painted grey, as to blend in with the horizon, thus gaining the name “The Grey Ghost”. A lot of people died onboard, from fires and overcrowding, as well as drowning in her two luxurious swimming pools, also from poisoning, maintenance accidents, etcetera. She’s considered one of the most haunted places on earth, with about 600 ghosts remaining on board. I would like to visit her one day, as she is permanently docked in Long Beach, CA.
“The Last King Tiger”. I found the idea of the last stand of the German army in Berlin at the end of WWII quite poignant. Stuart is also fascinated by the King Tiger tank, which is a very bad ass piece of military equipment. After doing some research, I decided to portray a different point of view than what is usually taken when dealing with WWII subject matter. Americans tend to forget that millions of German boys died in the war, and not because they were evil, or because they supported or even knew about Hitler’s machinations, but because it was their duty to serve their country and defend it. War is senseless in many ways regardless of which side you are on, and sometimes I wonder how long Germany is going to pay for their past history. Sometimes it seems like the German people will never be able to comfortably display pride in their own excellent country. I think it’s a terrible shame.
“Take To The Sky” is a straight up song about why being metal is cool. Stuart: “It was also written to be a battle cry against crappy, boring music.”
Beverly: “Actually, the title was inspired by a secret flying stage prop we were planning to use in T.A.N.G., but never did. Stuart and I wrote these lyrics together in reaction to a lot of popular cookie cutter bands in America that don't really put forth much effort. It was meant to be a humorous stab at that scene by declaring war against it.”
“Lean Mean Leather Machine” is a really fun song about the dangerous metal chick that all guys want to have and all girls want to be.

Are you fascinated by war, or is this part of your image?
Erika: “There’s only one war song on the CD; “The Last King Tiger.” We like interesting subject matter of a compelling nature, and war is quite compelling, you must agree. I’m not out to make this a war-themed band, but there will be more songs about battles or important historical moments, because I enjoy history. I think there are many great stories in history waiting to be put to music.”
Beverly: “War is not so much an interest to me as is unique human experiences or unusual lifestyles. As for me, I just worry about the music and my chihuahuas. Sometimes other members throw in a conceptual idea for a song, but we fully trust Erika to be the voice of the band as far as that goes. She writes lyrics and melodies, that I like singing along with and that's a great thing.”

Did you play any live gigs already with IGNITOR, and with whom did you share the stage already?
Erika: “We’ve played a bunch of shows, in fact we just played one last night. We had a great time and the crowd was very inspiring. So far the biggest band we played with was AVERSE SEFIRA, at a small multi-genre show a couple months ago. That was excellent! We are very excited, because next month we will be opening for W.A.S.P. in both Austin and Dallas. That is somewhat hard for me to believe that I will be sharing stage space with a band, I enjoyed when I was a teenager!”

What can people expect, when they come and see an IGNITOR show?
Erika: “Expect energy, lots of studs and leather and chrome. Expect full force 100% metal in your face and in your ears. Someday there will be pyro, I hope! IGNITOR and fire… How can we not have pyro someday? We have fun and we want the crowd to have fun, too. This is about celebrating the free spirit of metal and leaving your worries behind.”
Beverly: “And an occasional high kick!”

Do you play any covers on stage or just stick to your own penned material?
Erika: “We play one cover right now: JUDAS PRIEST’s “Electric Eye”. It’s a classic with very pertinent subject matter, especially for Americans. Our Patriot Act law threatens our privacy very much and the current government is very much the “Electric Eye” of the new millennium.”

Which songs do you play to complete your gig, since there are only six songs on the CD?
Erika: “We’ve occasionally used some older T.A.N.G. material to fill out the set, along with “Electric Eye.” However, there are two new songs almost finished, and we will be adding them to the set soon.” Stuart: “One song we play is "Rock N Roller Derby". It's about Austin's all female Roller Derby League. It a bunch of tough chicks kicking ass, while being cheered on by 1300 screaming drunks! It's pretty fun!”

What can people expect from the new material?
Erika: “The songs follow the same classic metal theme. “Broken Glass” is a song about being trapped by your anger, and “Scarlet Enigma” is about a serial killer trying to resist the urge to commit murder. ‘Scarlet” is darker and a little more heavy than the other songs – some parts of it make me think of NEVERMORE, in places. I’m interested in hearing peoples’ reaction to it.”

What’s your favorite IGNITOR song and why?
Erika: “Demonslayer” or “Last King Tiger”. It depends. There’s a fantastic energy in “Demonslayer” that gets the crowd going, but I really like how “King Tiger” builds and ends with Stuart and Beverly’s dual guitar work.”
Stuart: “I like "Grey Ghost". To me this sounds like classic metal.”
Brendon: “I'm becoming very partial to "Grey Ghost" as well. My favorite was "Demonslayer", but I think that was more nostalgia than anything else. That song was the first one that we came up with, that made me realize our collective power.”
Beverly: “Mine is "Execution", mainly because it exemplifies a lot of our musical influences in one song. I love the contrasts of the different parts and the energy of Erika's vocals, and especially Stuart's solo.”

Stuart, you played guitar for AGONY COLUMN. What kind of music did you play with this band, and did you also record anything?
Stuart: “AGONY COLUMN was mostly thrash metal in the beginning. I believe they suffered a bit over time from trying to incorporate too many different musical styles. The first record,“God Guns And Guts” (1989), was released on a label called Big Chief. It was very metal and pretty good. The second record, released by Metal Blade, was “Brave Words And Bloody Knuckles” (1991). Half of the record was great and the other half was crap (or wasn't very heavy). Our last record “Way Back In The Woods” (1995) was recorded for a division of Koch Records called No Bull, for European release only. It was probably our best work, but it was very diverse in style. There was classic metal, thrash, southern rock, even blues rock, but it was all very dark and heavy. The weird thing was after we sent it to Koch, we never heard from Koch again. As far as I know, it never came out. The band at the time was kinda falling apart and our singer kept going to jail and ended up in prison for a while. Because of the band problems, I never persued Koch in finding out what happend. We did a licensing deal with Koch for the first two records and I know they were released in Europe. Anyway, I learned a lot from my experience in AGONY COLUMN: never be in a band with a drug addict, don't fuck around with weird music that nobody likes, never wait for someone to do something for you, just do it yourself.”

What’s the best memory you have with this band?
Stuart: “Getting Paid! (just kidding!) Probably the friendship I had with Richie, the singer and Charlie, the drummer. We played together for twelve years and had a lot of fun together. There were tough times too, but that doesn't matter in the end.”

Pat, you were the drummer of THE OFFENDERS, who were a punk band. Isn’t it difficult to switch from punk music to traditional heavy metal, and what’s the biggest difference between a punk public and an heavy metal public?
Pat:“I still play with a hardcore band (LAUGHIN’ DOGS). Three minute thrashers are a great way to keep the drum chops in ship-shape!! Actually, there’s not a great deal of difference in the intensity level, but IGNITOR’s music demands more precision and complexity than I’ve been accustomed to. Of course, the miraculous transformative power of metal’s massive double-kick attack cannot be ignored. As for the fans, I would say the punk public is definitely a younger and maybe a more diverse group than metal’s minions. Metalheads tend to be less politically dogmatic than their punk counterparts. But that’s only on the surface. Punk and metal are like-minded in that both originate from a DIY/underground mentality, and the passion and commitment to the music and bands is similar to both groups.”

Brendon, what can you tell us about DEATH OF MILLIONS?
Brendon: “DEATH OF MILLIONS was a great band of great friends. I was actually the last to join and I was still in that band for more than seven years. Those guys started very young and I think in the end we just had grown beyond the youthful original idea. When we got dropped from our last record deal, we decided to concentrate on our other projects. We're still great friends and I'd work with them again in a heartbeat as long as it was something different. I'm very proud of what we did, but it's time to move on.”

Beverly, you played in T.A.N.G. What happened?
Beverly:“T.A.N.G. originally consisted of myself, Stuart, Brendon, Charlie Brownell (drummer for AGONY COLUMN) and our first singer Leah Bogan. It was conceived in 1996 by Stuart and Charlie, while AGONY COLUMN was waiting for their singer to get out of jail. Our band started out as a side project by Stuart and Charlie, who were writing and recording songs just for fun about teen-age girl problems. When AGONY COLUMN disbanded in 1997, they decided to make T.A.N.G., a real band since the music turned out really good. That's when Brendon, Leah and I joined. It was fun, power punk with a raspy JOAN JETT style singer (Leah). We released one independant CD, called "Pussy Power" and we played out as this line up until 2001. We had begun moving into a more classic rock direction ala AC/DC with some metal tinges and hired a different singer named Melanie Oxley. She was pretty bad-ass in her own right and sounded like a female Axl Rose. She was the fire dancer/twirler for a very popular local band in Austin, called SINIS. We then released a six song demo called "Defenders Of Rock". In 2002, Charlie left the band and we hooked up with Pat Doyle, which "metaled" us up even more. Eventually, Melanie left in 2003 to persue other interests and that's when we found Erika. The rest is history!”

Erika, you sang in a band called AUTUMN TEARS. Does this band still exist, or did it fall apart, when you left
Erika:“AUTUMN TEARS is still around, although they haven’t put anything new out in a couple of years. Laurie Ann Haus of RAIN FELL WITHIN and EPHEMERAL SUN is doing the vocals on the new CD. I hear it will be coming out soon, and I’m interested in hearing it.”

It must have been quite a change from AUTUMN TEARS to the shredding guitar sound of IGNITOR?
Erika: “It was time. I’ve spent the last three years working on this vocal style after leaving AUTUMN TEARS. I have always wanted to be in a metal band, ever since I was seven or eight when I first encountered KISS. I wanted to be them. I’d dress up like them and run around the house with my little plastic guitar, sticking out my tongue and terrifying my mother. Despite all the years between pretending to be KISS and now, I never lost that desire. I never forgot the first time I saw DORO in a magazine and thought, “What an awesome metal chick! I want to be her!” (I actually still have that picture stashed away in a folder somewhere!). In truth, I never was into the goth scene and kind of fell into AUTUMN TEARS, because it was my first opportunity to record and write music. Don’t get me wrong, AUTUMN TEARS was a fantastic opportunity and I enjoyed my time in the band. But this is what I was meant to do… I’ve always been into metal and always will be. It’s what I love!”

What happened to your record label Dark Symphonies?
Erika: “Dark Symphonies wasn’t my label. I just helped them run it. They’re still around.”

Why did IGNITOR release their CD independently? Wasn’t there a label willing to release this great CD? Or do you want to have total control, without having to do concessions towards the sound, the CD artwork and all these other things?
Erika: “Like I said earlier, “Take To The Sky” is actually our demo and not an official CD. We’re quite pleased people are viewing it as a complete release. We wanted to make it as pro as possible to make the best impression. Stuart, Beverly and I all work in the fine and graphic arts fields, so image and presentation are really important and so is having control. We want our work to be presented in the manner we feel is best.” Beverly: “Exactly, this CD was designed to help us find a good label, but selling them is great, too!”

Will the next CD also be released by you, or are you looking for a good record label right now?
Erika: “We’re going to actively start shopping the demo next month, after the W.A.S.P. shows. There is only so much you can do with a small, in-home studio. Plus, it’s very difficult (and expensive) to manufacture and distribute enough material effectively to spread the word. We would like some good label backing, so we can reach a lot more listeners.”

Have you got any touring plans yet?
Erika: “Not yet, but we have high hopes for the future. We’d love to come to Europe to play some shows. That would be an incredible experience. There is nothing like a crowd of European metal heads. You guys are the best. I was at the Blind Guardian Open Air 2003 and it was just perfect. Everyone was so cool, and the sense of camaraderie was very strong. I really enjoy the European attitude towards metal.”

Please name any band of your choice, you would you like to go on tour with, and why?
Erika: “I think we’d make a good fit with DORO, PRIMAL FEAR, SHADOW KEEP, BRAINSTORM, GRAVE DIGGER or SEVEN WITCHES – any of the great current power metal bands. It would be an incredible honor. I recently got to meet DORO, Ralf from PRIMAL FEAR, Andy from BRAINSTORM, James from SEVEN WITCHES and Manni from GRAVE DIGGER. They are all such fantastic people and great inspirations. It would be an honor just to come overseas and play!”
Beverly: “In one word: MOTÖRHEAD! (Need I say why?)”

What’s the metal scene like in Austin, TX area? Are there any good clubs where you can perform?
Erika: “The scene seems like it might be revitalizing. Austin is a college town and populated by a lot of “hip” (in other words, not metal) bands. Crowds react well to us though, and seem to be inspired. Our music brings back a lot of fond memories for people. There’s a very nice club called The Back Room in South Austin, that has a killer sound system and a nice stage. All the big metal bands that tour through Austin play there.”
Beverly: “There are a lot of great bands here in Austin, that don't get the recognition they deserve. They are frequently overlooked by the local media and the music scene is so oversaturated with literally hundreds of differing bands and lots of little clubs. Maybe one day we can unite again in the name of metal! (at The Back Room, of course.) One thing we do have is a pirate radio station KAOS 95.9, which you can listen to online at: http://www.kaos959.com twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. It's run by a bunch of local punks and metalheads and plays lots of local music. Nothing commercial, just DIY fun! They even simulcast our last show. They are really cool people and truly suport local music and the scene.”

When I hear the name of Texas, it always brings back great memories about the best US Metal bands ever. The Texas metal scene has always been the richest and best in the USA, with great bands like RIPPER, MILITIA, SA SLAYER, WATCHTOWER and WINTERKAT. What’s the Texas music scene like right now? Because I have the idea, Texas is the only state in America where the people still like their rock hard and heavy?
Erika:“You may be surprised to learn that while Texas still has some great metal, especially DISTANT THUNDER from Houston, AVERSE SEFIRA from Austin, and ABSU in Dallas, the Northeast US is a real hotbed for metal of all kinds. There was just a huge power metal fest in Cleveland, OH put on by Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles mag. It was excellent! Worcester, Massachusetts and that surrounding area have a lot of bands and the great New England Hardcore and Metal fest. There’s a classic metal fest in Michigan taking place this summer. I think HIRAX is playing. There’s also some decent action taking place in Los Angeles on the West Coast with bands like CRESCENT SHIELD (editor: featuring Melanie Sisneros on bass guitar) writing really good music. And I can’t forget ProgPower in Atlanta.”
Beverly: “It's still alive, but kind of suffering in some places. In Austin the hipsters lean towards the southern swamp rock sound which is cool, but there is very little in the vein of what we are doing. Most of the Death and Black Metal scene has to play elsewhere to be recognized. Jason McMaster from WATCHTOWER plays in about five bands here now. You can catch him singing his ass off on just about any night of the week!”

Are there any good record stores in Texas, where you can buy your metal stuff?
Erika: “Sadly, many of our independent stores in Austin have gone out of business lately. The internet distros and CD burning are really affecting how people get music. There’s a cool store in San Antonio, called Hogwild that carries a lot of metal, and there are still a few in Houston. As for me, I get my CDs online because the prices and selection are better.”

Beverly and Erika, we are a metal magazine dedicated to all the female musicians in the hard rock and heavy metal. Do you think you still need this special kind of attention or do you believe, you already get the recognition you deserve?
Erika: “Thoughtful attention, like what you provide, is always helpful. More girls are doing metal than ever before, but the fact remains that we are held to a higher standard than our male counterparts. The population of female artists is smaller and if you suck, you stand out much more clearly than a guy. I know that my vocals have to be the very best they can be, as I am being compared to many very accomplished male singers. It’s not enough to just hit the notes and have a nice voice. Many women vocalists can do that with great skill. Look at Tarja from NIGHTWISH! She’s an absolutely amazing singer and beautiful girl. No wonder so many people admire her. But I don’t want to be Tarja. I want to be known as a metal singer – someone with power and grit, not just range and skill. Disappointingly, there will always be people who judge a band by its bio photo, so to say, and will write us off as substandard because we have female members. That’s the nature of the beast. We’ll let publications like yours set them straight… Women can be as metal as any guy.”
Beverly: “Until I pick up one of my Guitar World magazines and see less women selling guitars and more playing them, I believe that magazines like yours are vital. I have been a subscriber of Guitar World for years and I can count on one hand how many female artists have been featured. I realize we have come a long way since I was a kid, but I fear that metal will be the last frontier for women being appreciated. I really wish it didn't matter that I'm a female and because of it I have so much more to prove. I work so hard at what I do in both playing and writing music and it's nice to be recognized for that. At our last show I was approached afterwards by an ecstatic girl from a local roller derby team exclaiming, "I'm so proud of you! You play so hard!!" and I was thinking the same of her! I think, it's important for women to see other women kicking ass and magazines like yours are a great way to do that.”

Our magazine is based in The Netherlands. What more do you know about our beautiful country, besides the fact that we’re famous for our beautiful tulips and our Dutch cheese?
Erika: “I have not yet had a chance to visit The Netherlands. I have been to Germany, Ireland and England. Perhaps we will play Dynamo someday and visit your lovely land. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?”

Are there any Dutch musicians that you know of and admire?
Erika: “The first Dutch band I ever heard was PESTILENCE and I still love “Consuming Impulse.” And THE GATHERING are incredible! Anneke has a fantastic voice and is an excellent lyricist.”

How important is the Internet for a band like IGNITOR, and where can people find your site on the World Wide Web?
Erika:“Critically important. It provides an effective way to spread info about our music throughout the world. We’re very lucky to have Stuart and Brendon as our talented webmasters. You can visit our website at http://www.ignitor.org. Please have a visit.”
Stuart: “It was the internet, that changed our demo into product. The capitol generated can be invested back into promotion and it is rather elegant.”

What are your future plans?
Erika: “Our immediate plans are to finish one new song for debuting at the W.A.S.P. show and to subsequently write more. As I said earlier, we’re going to actively start shopping the demo to get some label support, and release a full length CD. Then we’d like to come overseas and play some shows.”

What are your goals for IGNITOR?
Erika: “To create high quality music, that sets a new standard for American power metal.”
Beverly: “To go to strange places and drink beer. I'm sorry, for IGNITOR...to connect with all kinds of people in the spirit of metal.”

Is there anything you’d like to add to this interview? Maybe there’s something we forgot to mention here, that is essential for the story of the band?
Erika: “Europe rules! The land and the people are just the best – regardless of country. So much history, culture and great enthusiasm for this music. There is a purity surrounding European metal, which we hope to distill into our own work.”
Beverly: “Stuart and I are married.”

Have you got any personal messages for the readers of Metal Maidens?
Erika: “If you’re reading this mag, then you are a supporter of women in metal, and for that I salute you. Without open minded people to give metal ladies a chance, we might never get the opportunity to share our ideas and music with you.”
Beverly: “Thanks for checking us out!”

The last words are for you....
Erika: “Death to false metal! Keep it true! Thanks for your support and rage on…”
Beverly: “Metallum Ergo Imperium.”

copyright: METAL MAIDENS
interview by: Toine van Poorten, 2004.

This interview was published in Metal Maidens #37/Oct. 2004.