Interview with TAUNTED

Taunted – interview

Questions by Tomek/Nevermore (Pure Metal magazine)

Answers by Joey Genoni and Jacques Serrano (Taunted)

Hi guys! As promised a few months back, here’s a set of questions I prepared after the release of your third album. 

Pure Metal: Congratulations on the surprising, uncanny album!

Jacques: Thanks! Uncanny is a cool description we have never been defined as. We take that as a compliment!

Joey: Thank you! We spent a lot of time and effort on the new CD so now that it is out we are a bit relieved but know lots of work will still be needed to promote the music. Thanks for taking the time to learn more about TAUNTED!

PM: How was the ‘9 Sins’ session different compared to the recording process of your previous two albums?

Jacques: There are always differences as far as how it progresses. We have mentioned before that we never have control over fellow band mates that move in a different direction for one reason or another and we have to replace them for different reasons. As far as the actual methodic process of recording it was the same as always. First write songs and prefect them, teach all parts to all members and demo the songs before entering the studio, then kick some serious ass once you’re in the studio.

Joey: Working at TRIDENT STUDIOS with JUAN URTEAGA for the third time (TESTAMENT, EXODUS, VICIOUS RUMORS, MACHINE HEAD, etc.) made it smooth because of the familiarity. We were lucky that Larry Howe also stepped in and put his skills into the fold once we knew Henry Moreno was not able to do the record.

PM: The sound on your new album is mighty, and I think it’s better than that on the previous one. Pretty sharpened... How much of it is thanks to Juan Urteaga, and how much thanks to Joey Genoni?  

Jacques: Juan Urteaga has gotten better with each talent he works with and Joey has gotten better working along side Juan as well as just being the integral songwriter in TAUNTED. This makes Joey know how to steer the songs and the sound of TAUNTED but Juan unmistakably has a comfort level working with us as we do with him.

Joey: When TAUNTED goes in to record the production tracks of a CD I am involved in all aspects of the process. When the drums are done I am there, when the bass is done I am there, obliviously I record my guitars parts and assist with the second guitar parts. I help with the vocals and then oversee the final mix down and mastering process. Juan is the technical and sound engineer and I am the producer for sure.

PM: Your music appeals to my tastes perfectly, but I came across opinions accusing you of rehashing the same kind of sound all the time!

Jacques: Sometimes we hear the same thing but TAUNTED has never claimed to be some different scope of a band. We push the limits on our style and we hope that people can hear that we constantly get better at our own personal instruments as well as our song writing style but we are proud to be a "thrash" band and always will be proud. Way back in 1992 when alternative music was gaining ground, you saw bands like PRIEST, MAIDEN and OVERKILL stick to their guns while other METAL bands tried to follow trends. TAUNTED was never as big as our peers but we stayed true too. That 1992 demo that we recorded actually got lots of business type of people listening to it back then, and liking it, but they called it retro then and if they call us retro now. So be it! At least we know we have stayed true and at the same time always worked on becoming better artists in our field of expertise. If TAUNTED tried to be something different it would no longer be TAUNTED. We experiment still and that is why some people label us "THRASH", POWER METAL, TRUE METAL, and even elements of PROG METAL! TAUNTED is METAL and will always be METAL.

Joey: We like what we do and have stayed “true” to form from the start. We have been asked to change or do short songs or standard verse, chorus songs but we would not be happy doing that. By staying heavy we can venture in any direction we want actually and that is the way we like to be.

PM: With that release, you proved that you’re not stagnant, developing musically all the time. This time, you went towards even heavier music and dirtier sound. Why? You put out a very dark and heavy album. Where does it come from?

Jacques: Many true HEAVY bands influence us and we tend to reflect and shadow those influences. We enjoy exploring the dark side of life and METAL and music allows us to do so. We have said in the past that just because you hear the word "hell" does not mean we are saying that "hell" or "Satan" is all good... We tell stories and those subjects tend to be part of the story and make the songs even heavier than the music alone. We believe the concepts match the music and we are happy performing this style. Also, doesn’t the name TAUNTED just conjure up ideas that just scream HEAVY!! That’s who we are.... TAUNTED.... HEAVY.... DARK! Just like PRIEST, MAIDEN, KING DIAMOND, and BAY AREA THRASH but with modern elements.

PM: Some the songs on ‘9 Sins’ (‘7 Colors’, ‘Written In The Flames’) are, in terms of the music, a follow-up to your style from ‘Bleeding Black’. To me, a step in this direction seemed obvious... I guess you thought likewise. Weren’t you tempted to include some more modern stuff, or play something influenced by groove metal? I’m talking about the kind of stuff played by Steve Rice’s new band, Kill Ritual. Did you hear their album? 

Jacques: Steve Rice is a good friend and fellow musician we respect and we have heard some of his new offering. He is a lot like us and does what he wants as an artist. Obviously he and TAUNTED have shared some same musicians along the way but we do not know why STEVE does what he does and we really do not know exactly why we do what we do. All we know is that all of us do what we want to do and what comes out is what is in the furnace inside all of us and that eventually makes it's way to our songs.

Joey: If TAUNTED tried to be a groove-oriented band for example we would no longer be TAUNTED. In saying that, we do believe if you truly delve into our albums you do hear elements of a song here and there that is kind of different than the album as a whole and at those moments is when TAUNTED is experimenting with the sound. In the end, TAUNTED, as a group of people would not be happy performing music that is not complex and heavy with melodic parts thrown in.
 


PM: Far less catchy songs and melodies than the previous time... why did you partially resign from them now, limiting their presence?

Jacques: We have heard that some of our older stuff is not "catchy" as well as you say and that on this new CD "9 sins" there are more catchy songs. It is always up to who the listener is. We don't set out writing songs saying lets make a "catchy" song. It seems that every album we do, different people think certain songs are catchy and others think differently. We think that this is a good thing since not all people agree on the subject. Just as you stating this record is not as "catchy". We also are hearing that it is the most ear friendly CD we have ever done. I guess that is why there are fans and they all decide what they like and do not like. In the end, TAUNTED has always been a band in reviews that reviewers say TAUNTED always takes multiple listens and once you listen to our songs many times, they grow on you and then is when you start deciding which songs may or may not be your favorite songs.

Joey: We think this is a good thing and hopefully makes our music last for years to come. Sometimes we put on our oldest material after not hearing it for some time and go. "Wow that was pretty damn good". It is "cool" to hear old stuff and still be proud of it. In the end, most musicians that have been writing music as long as TAUNTED know how to write a song in the normal formula. In knowing how to do this sometimes we have a chorus that is "catchy" but we do not restrain our band and stick to that formula and maybe that is why some songs as you say are not as typical. As long as they are "cool" and story telling type songs we are in our element.

PM: The guitar down tuning was pretty surprising for me. It concerns, I think, every track, or at least a vast majority of them - it is clearly audible in ‘Dead Doll’ and in ‘Tower of Hellions’. I guess you did that to gain an even heavier sound? It’s a novelty in your music... much more similar to contemporary stuff...

Joey: We always like to play around with amp tones and tunings on several different guitars. In the early days we were A-440 standard tuning on everything. As the years went on we tried a half step down then decided on a full step down across the guitar for standard D-tuning. On “9 Sins” we stayed in our “standard D-tuning” with “Dead Doll” and “Tower Of Hellions” moving to two full steps down to standard C-tuning.

PM: A lot of dirty sound, sudden drum fills, and many shifts in the melodic lines - those songs are pretty convoluted. You placed your bet on ‘difficult’ music. Aren’t you afraid that such a complex form might scare away some of the listeners?

Jacques: Again, TAUNTED is who we are and our fans expect nothing less. We also do keep the melody going which a lot of bands of our style do not do for whatever reason. We grew up with melodic METAL bands such as HELLOWEEN, MAIDEN, PRIEST, etc. so that element will always be a part of us and hopefully the complexity of using those diverse parts will continue to make TAUNTED just a bit different than a full blown THRASH band. In the end we are just doing what we love to do and what comes out is just the recipe. If you listen to all of our music you will hear that on all recordings there are complexities that are not the common thread in a lot of thrash bands. Obviously we are not the only "THRASH" band that writes complex songs but we enjoy that style as it adds to our fun as a band to play more diverse, complex music.

PM: Did you resign from the neat, organized and fluid song structures on purpose?

Joey: We just set out every time to write good songs that makes us happy to write, record and perform. We always try to have a structure and theme but if it feels good to flow in different direction, we let it flow that way and then judge it afterwards. TAUNTED has never released a song on any recording that the whole band did not approve and enjoy and once it is approved it is done. That is it!

PM: The diversity of the vocals is just amazing. Jacques sings in a pretty intriguing, if strange way manner... besides, there are a lot of demonic, evil-sounding vocal parts on the album. I cannot help the impression that Jacques... has some devil in himself :))) The most frightening, otherworldly vocals are in ‘Dead Doll’ and ‘Taunted 2’.

Jacques: If you call me diverse that is the best compliment I could ask for. When I hear the word diverse, that makes me think the listener will not get bored. I try to expand my sounds with my voice constantly and not just resign and say, " I WANT TO SING GOOD". Sometimes I hear awesome singers flying everywhere above a song but I get bored after awhile. I would rather sing or utter a sound than have the longest or highest scream! I use what I am strong at and constantly push it to the limits. I am lucky that TAUNTED allows me to be very free as a vocalist and I think that has helped develop the over all sound of TAUNTED.

Joey: As a guitarist who understands what is involved to be a solid vocalist I am very happy to have a vocal resource like Jacques Serrano in TAUNTED. If it was not for his vocal range and natural ability TAUNTED would be very limited in the sound we have created over the years.

PM: There’s a lot of devil on your last album - the cover art, the titles, some lyrics... what does SATAN symbolize to you? 

Jacques: I do not like getting religious but obviously the DEVIL represents a darker side of the common beliefs of man and is also a personal choice. I use the themes of SATAN and such as story telling or songs of some type of historical fact. If you listen to every recording ever done by TAUNTED, I use these terms often but if you listen closely there are also many lyrics where I bring up GOD or ANGELS and they are used in the same way. Sometimes there is a small message there but usually I try to leave it wide open to make your own choice. If you asked me about a particular song I could answer you more precise. For example, in the new song "WRITTEN IN THE FLAMES" it is just about that your death as a person is fact and guaranteed since your birth. You cannot change this fact no matter what or whom you believe in. You are born, you live, and you die. It is written in the flames is just a cool way of saying this fact. Since we are a very dark band the cover art, song titles, and over all theme is dark and that darkness and heaviness is what makes the wheels churn in TAUNTED!

Joey: The dark themes are not necessary intentional. The music and lyrical content demand a “harder” appearance. The world as we know it is not always fun and games. People deal with some of the worst conditions and situations that life can present them with. TAUNTED has dark themes but we always try to say you still can “win” even in the toughest of events unfolding around you.

PM: While we’re on the topic of SATAN, what about GOD? What are your stances on religion?

Jacques: I just said in previous question I do not like discussing religion. Now if we were in a bar having a beer I would answer you face to face. I will say that everyone in the band has their own personal beliefs and that is the true free way to be in the world. None of us condemn each other for what we believe in.

Joey: It is not a matter of saying “God” or “Satan”. TAUNTED tells stories within our songs and not all of them have a happy ending. Once again it is for the listener to decide how they will play out the situation if they were the character in the song.

PM: What’s that demon on the cover? It’s good that the cover art, along with the inlays, was designed by Henry Moreno. Did he have free reign, or did you give him suggestion as to what should be there?

Jacques: Henry has progressed as a graphic artist and is still part of the TAUNTED family. We gave him suggestions and then gave him free reign as an artist. We had to approve the finals but in the end we felt the art represented the new CD and the band very well. Wouldn’t you say so?

Joey: Henry had the artwork concept and we gave him suggestions as we moved along to final production. In the end Henry did the overall concept, with TAUNTED and MAUESOLEUM putting the final touches on the CD packaging.

PM: The mysterious face motifs from ‘Zero’ and ‘Bleeding Black’ are, I guess, the idea of Henry too? Didn’t you want to continue that tradition?

Jacques: Actually the exact opposite occurred. We wanted something different for our 3rd CD yet felt Henry could give the artwork a solid foundation and we believe he did. All the CD covers are very interesting and cool and fit the feel of each album.

Joey: We wanted an entirely different concept for “9 Sins”. Henry presented us with the first artwork drafts and we were very happy with it so we ran with it.

PM: In ‘7 Colors’ you approached nevermore’s style. Probably I am not wrong? :))

Jacques: That is a compliment and not the first time we have been compared to the mighty NEVERMORE. We did not set out to do so but glad you think it worthy of a NEVERMORE mention. It is a band we listen to and respect to the fullest.

Joey: I actually felt the main riff of the song is a bit like EXODUS and the choruses like BLACK METAL. We love NEVERMORE and gladly take the style compliment with honor.

PM: Do you guys like Judas Priest? I guess you do – ‘Sinners Language’ sounds like a homage to them, the influences are audible, for example in the classic-sounding riff and Halford-like vocals (high and middle register). There’s some Halford too around the end of ‘Laceration’.

Jacques: Joey and I are tremendous PRIEST FANS! You have seen us mention PRIEST earlier in this review and obviously us and every band that exists in METAL is influenced by them. JUDAS PRIEST is one of the best METAL bands ever. In our youth we probably sounded even more like them and other great bands from the era. This is how we became musicians and fans of METAL. We pulled the JUDAS PRIEST card out of the hat on a couple of segments of tunes and glad you mentioned our TAUNTED in the same breath.

PM: In ‘Sinners Language’ there’s a mysterious verse: ‘Take the evil seed and feed it’. Sounds like some kind of ominous incantation!

Jacques: The melody line in that is kind of a chant and the title represents a theme of total evil. This song is telling you to grab a hold of evil and relish in it. Please do not tell our parents. Cool song, cool vocal. Very METAL!

Joey: We always have everything well thought out before we enter production for any CD. This is a chorus that we played around with in the studio. We just liked it and kept manipulating it until we got what you hear on the CD. I like the way it turned out.

PM: Why did you turn down the volume in the final, dirty guitar part (a background solo of sorts) in ‘Laceration’?

Joey: Just for affect that was done. That lead was added when we were playing around in the studio during the production sessions. It was not meant to be a dominant part more of an ominous fade to introduce the next song.

PM: Who exactly is the ‘Dead Doll’? („The devil’s daughter“?)

Jacques: Yes, it is loosely based upon a child that was killed by bad people and the mother was not good either. The child is reborn in a doll to revenge her death and any other innocent child’s death. It is a revenge song for those children that have been wrongly hurt and we are just telling the story in a metal type theme but it is truly a positive song about children that are hurt being justified and revenged from the scum that hurt them.

PM: What is Jacques singing about in „Chaos Theory”? What kind of chaos theory is present in that song? In this song a text appears: ‘Humans lie gods lie and all preach hate’. How should I understand the words?

Jacques: It is just about a person who believes their way and their way is good but they feel smothered by all the outside powers that are telling him," go this way or that way". Leave him alone in his box where he feels safe.  He is saying leave me alone and do not talk to me anymore. I want to live my way and that is it but in doing so it is very chaotic in his mind. It is an abstract title for a unique moody song.

PM: How should I understand the title ‘Tower of Hellions’?

Jacques: It is an abstract telling of a people trying to escape from hell and as they climb out of hell, below are demons/HELLIONS that are racing up to grab people back! People above the gates of hell cry for the dead below and hell’s definition in this song is a place built of human remains and if you fail to make it out of hell you become those same remains. Nice story to tell a kid before he goes to bed.

PM: Is ‘Taunted 2’, lyric-wise, a reference to ‘Taunted’ from the ‘Zero’ album? Or is it perhaps a continuation of it?

Jacques: It is loosely a continuation. In the first TAUNTED a person is walking alone and is attacked and murdered. Then the person comes back as a ghost and taunts the person or persons that killed him. In part two the ghost is back but this time to take revenge not for his death but for the death of all the innocent children. He takes revenge in a harsh way. The original song TAUNTED actually was on our first demo in 1992 so hence fast forward to today and it has been 20 years since that demo and the ghost "TAUNTED" is back after 20 years a whole lot stronger and a whole lot meaner. Just like the band itself. stronger and meaner!

PM: The multilayered, complex ‘Taunted 2’ is a difficult song to grasp... this is your first 10-minute piece. It’s your longest song, and hardest to comprehend too... whence the idea for such a monumental recording? And with a proggy ending too...

Joey: If you can believe this I actually nailed the first production rhythm track in one take. What an insane task that was but the challenge was well received when it came down to the production mix. That song took a lot of effort to form and get right but once I got the skeleton of the song done the rest just flowed. I am very proud of that tune and hope to play it live back-to-back with TAUNTED from ZERO. 16-minute epic!

PM: The song ‘Taunted 2’ is fantastic... awesome vocals and a simple yet brilliant riff. How much effort did it cost you, was the composing process hard for you?

Joey: “Taunted 2” is my favorite song on “9 Sins”. It took a long time to make the song perfect. Once I had the skeleton done the rest fell into place. It is a very long song but once you digest the entire piece it is actually quite simple in structure. The solo section will probably be the most difficult part to duplicate live just because it is long and complicated.

PM: Who is the lyrical subject in ‘Taunted 2’? Jacques is singing: ‘Taunted you are’...

Jacques: A little was explained earlier but on the original TAUNTED there was a bridge singing "TAUNTED YOU ARE" so that is the wording that I brought back to this newer TAUNTED song, as they are both related and I wanted something to connect between both songs. Also, on a side note, we always tell our fans, "TAUNTED YOU ARE"! Which we think is a cool way of saying to all our fans that they are part of our TAUNTED family.

PM: ‘9 Sins’ was released on an accomplished, yet not really big label - Mausoleum Records. How many albums was the contract signed for?

Joey: We had several options for this 3^rd CD. A few offers were scrutinized but ultimately MAUSOLEUM is a perfect fit for TAUNTED. MAUSOLEUM is solid label and they have done everything they said they would. TAUNTED will return the favor!

PM: What kind of support do you expect from Mausoleum? What do you think will come of your cooperation?

Joey: MAUSOLEUM and TAUNTED will do whatever it takes to promote “9 Sins”. The initial physical release is done now we are expanding the digital distribution and promotions will start in magazines. A CD Release Party most likely in the San Francisco Bay Area to be announced. Mid to Late Summer “9 Sins” Tour to be follow. Somehow we need to play in Europe.

PM: Is there a chance that thanks to them your underground band status will change?

Jacques: There is no doubt we are and will be heard by more people than ever before and that should gain us some ground in popularity but if we will be above an underground band that remains to be seen. As long as more people hear us and buy our albums we will continue to grow and as a band all we want is to perform in front of more crowds and keep sharing our music with everyone.

PM: Did you, in the hour of TV and videos, try and record some clip to promote your latest offering?

Jacques: We did not but you never know what the future holds for the new CD “9 Sins”.

Joey: We will always have bootleg audio and video of TAUNTED. Hopefully we can pick a song from “9 Sins” that a video would increase the value of the composition. We might even use some old video footage from Headbanger’s Open Air to cause awareness of TAUNTED.

PM: What rule do you, Joey, adhere to while songwriting: are the songs fruit of sudden strokes of inspiration, conceived on the spot while you play, or do you tweak your ideas seeking for the best variant? Do you spend much time on grooming the instrumental layer?

Joey: Both are true sudden bursts of creativity and on the spot riffing come into to play. Normally I sit down and work on whatever part I am trying to write a chorus for example. For solos I start with a mindset to jam and record “jamming” sessions and then locate the style or technique I want.

PM: Joey - what’s more fulfilling for you when it comes to composition, the riffs or the solos?

Joey: Every aspect of composing music is fulfilling for me. Every song is different. Some songs start with a solo riff like “Tower Of Faces”. Or it starts with a riff for that takes months to learn like “Taunted 2”. Or it starts with the killer intro riffs on “Laceration” and “Sinner’s Language”. I like it all.

PM: Joey - did you share solos with Matt Gower? What’s him input into ‘9 Sins’?

Joey: I did all the guitar solos on “9 Sins”.  I always welcome more guitar solos and now try to make the long guitar solo sound like it changes guitarists at least once if not several times like in “Taunted 2”. Matt Gower is an asset creating the songs “Laceration”, “Room 237” and we co-wrote “Dead Doll” and “Sinner’s Language”.

PM: You have three albums out already... and pretty few fast songs, save for ‘Dream Reality’ or the fragments of ‘Taunted’ from ‘Zero’. You don’t have hyper fast songs - don’t you feel tempted to dabble in speed metal?

Joey: “Dream Reality” has a meter of 185. “One Demon At A Time” and “Dead Buried” from “Bleeding Black” have a meter of 180 and we have these in the live set today. “7 Colors” from “9 Sins” is a smooth 170-meter that we probably like with “Sinner’s Language” at 165. On the “Bleeding Black Tour” we played an OVERKILL cover “Live Young Die Free” from HORRORSCOPE with a meter of 190. Stayed tuned since we now have the longest TAUNTED song look for the fastest TAUNTED song on the next CD.

PM: Larry Howe recorded the drum parts on ‘9 sins’. Will he also play with you live? I don’t think he’ll abandon Vicious Rumors... As not he who will seat itself behind percussion?

Jacques: We are setting up rehearsals with LARRY HOWE and yes he will be doing live shows with us. We just will work around VICIOUS RUMORS schedule as well as all of the other members in TAUNTED. We all have busy lives but we know the world deserves to hear this version of TAUNTED, as it is the best and strongest yet! Hopefully we get offers in the future to perform in EUROPE again but we are definitely working on a USA tour.

PM: Do you already know something about the live promotion of your new album? Do you have any dates set?

Jacques: DATES for the “9 Sins” Tour will be in the summer of 2013 in California to Southwest USA when it is hot and sunny!

PM: Which songs from ‘9 Sins’ are going to stay in your set for longer?

Jacques: We have a handful of songs that we will be performing off the new CD as well as some best of from "ZERO" and "BLEEDING BLACK”. We will be bringing back a couple of songs that we have not performed in awhile but obviously the more we perform and see which songs people like, we will juggle the set list accordingly.

Joey: I foresee “7 Colors”, “Laceration”, Written In The Flames” and Sinner’s Language as staples in the current setlist.

PM: Word has reached me that you aren’t terribly popular or even liked in Bay Area. Is my information wrong, or is it true? Could you verify this (not mine, I heard it from someone else) opinion?

Jacques: That is definitely wrong! We are sure that we do not please everyone but who does? We are one of the last bands around from the biggest time in the "THRASH" movement in the "BAY AREA". We do get respect for being around that long and we have a hard-core fan base. We are friends with all our peers and we know that as far as most the bands lower or above us on the ladder, we all get along with them. There might be some newer people or bands we do not know but we are sure they are "cool".

Joey: We learned a long time ago not to talk negative about bands but that comes with experience and maturity. We are all in this together and if someone badmouths someone else they usually do not last very long in the scene. Maybe that is one reason we have been around for 20 years! How many local bands can say that besides the obvious legends of the BAY AREA!

Jacques: From the response we get when we perform or even when we are just hanging out it seems to us that we are well liked. Also, when we do our radio promotions the DJs tell us we are number 1 and on for weeks at a time. Hell, the radio still plays our old stuff to this day! TAUNTED has never written, performed, or done anything at an amateur level. TAUNTED always has been a professional band and always has claimed to be. When we get out and perform live we make sure we do everything possible to put on a pro performance.

PM: How’s the San Francisco scene today? Any young bands worth knowing?

Jacques: There are always bands coming and going. The scene is decent. Some bands complain that it is not that great of a scene anymore like when we were younger. In those days you could go to a show almost every night of the week that was METAL but now there are a select number of venues and harder to get gigs if your a smaller band. The one thing they have to remember that living and performing in the San Francisco BAY AREA is still much better than being stuck in the middle of nowhere with some small barn playing country music. The BAY AREA is still viable and you can still be in a METAL band and thrive. They are not that new but the band "SKINNER" with NORM SKINNER has been tearing up the scene for a while and are well deserving of being mentioned. Also, an old friend of ours named JEFF STEWART that is an old school musician has a newer band called ENVIRUSMENT and they are sounding heavy and good.

Joey: Lot’s of death metal bands are in the SF Bay Area. Desecrater and Abysmal Dawn for example. All the bands from the “Thrash” era still play here all the time. Death Angel, Forbidden, Testament, Exodus.

PM: Is there some kind of bond between the old Bay Area thrashers and the new wave? Or, in other words - do the old stars of thrash metal (Death Angel, Exodus, Forbidden) share the stage with the new bands (Hatchet) happily?

Jacques: When it is left up to the bands, YES! When promoters keep putting the same band on every bill it gets a little boring and tiring. TAUNTED being around for 20 years as well as both of us being in bands before TAUNTED, we know most of the older bands and get along with them and in some cases are very good friends with some of them. As far as the newer bands we do not know what relationships they have and with whom but when we meet newer bands we always treat them great and give them positive feedback. We get newer bands contacting us asking us to put them on some of our shows and when we can, we do.

PM: I don’t understand one thing though. You play exactly the kind of metal that’s popular in Germany, you’re a top-notch band both live and in studio, and yet you’re not known there as well as, for example, Cage (an unsigned band). Imagika was in a similar situation... Is getting out of the underground just a matter of good promotion? What do you think, why did they succeed?

Jacques: As you know it takes many different variables to break out. In some countries TAUNTED is well known in the underground but we cannot explain why we have not become a bigger band. When we performed Germany's HOA festival a few years back we were amazed that fans had our old cassette demo from 1992! Also, our "BLEEDING BLACK" vinyl was released at the KEEP IT TRUE festival and we also had a song featured on the compilation CD from HEAVY magazine. This is all GERMAN UNDERGROUND but obviously we would like to be even bigger in GERMANY.

Joey: Some of it is timing, luck, decision-making, and just the way life is sometimes. TAUNTED knows there has to be some way that we grab a bigger piece of the pie. There are so many bands deserving of more exposure and we fall into that category but as long as people keep following us and we are all still alive we will continue to work hard. Also, with people like PURE METAL we will continue to grow and reach more fans. 

PM: Joey I wanted still to ask you: when did you move to Phoenix? How often do you have rehearsals with Taunted, now when you live there?

Joey: I moved to Phoenix a year ago for work. I was transferred here. I traveled to California for rehearsal every two months. Now with the new CD “9 Sins” out I will probably be there once a month. We continue to use current technology to transfer ideas back and forth.

Would you find a moment for me?

I don’t want to bother you, but i don’t know you, guys, well, so i want to ask a couple of less ‘official’ questions :)

PM: Joey... How did your adventure with the guitar begin?

Joey: I started playing guitar at age 13. My mother played acoustic guitar and my grandfather played classical guitar and ukulele so family was a huge early influence. I am mostly self-taught with a few months of technical music theory. I was a guitar teacher at a local guitar shop for about 4 years during the early 1990’s.

PM: Which musician/guitarist was the greatest inspiration to you?

Joey: In the early years and still today guitarist influences would be Dave Murray, Yngwie Malmsteen, Wolf Hoffmann, Andy LaRocque, Marty Friedman, Ace Frehley and Jeff Waters. Today it is Alexi Laiho, Chris Amott, Michael Akerfeld and Roy Z. Musicians would be King Diamond, Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson.

PM: Jacques, Why did you choose singing?

Jacques: I fell into it. I always took choir in school but never thought much of it as part of my life. Little did I know it would be a major part of my life. I used to be an athlete and used to sing tons of JUDAS PRIEST at my sporting events to get excited to compete. Then I used to have fun with some friends singing to vinyl records just because we loved METAL so much. One day when my athletic career was over some friends said I should join a band and so I did! The rest is history.

PM: Do you keep humming while shaving? If so, which song?:)

Jacques: I don’t think I ever did that.. ha ha but when I catch myself humming while doing things it is usually something that is second nature that takes no thought and it would probably be something from DIO. I think I catch myself humming HEAVEN AND HELL lots!

PM: What was that one album that made you start listening to heavy metal?

Joey: As a kid KISS was an early influence. Dressed To Kill is probably my favorite KISS album along with Destroyer. The album that was the measuring stick was RUSH 2112. After that Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and King Diamond dominated my music list.

Jacques: There were lots of early albums but the one that totally took me to start listening to METAL was OZZY OSBOURNE "DIARY OF A MADMAN" Totally grabbed me and made me search out every other METAL band I could find. I had not even begun to sing. I was attracted to the darkness of it and the haunting solos of Randy.

PM: You probably don’t play for a living. So what do you do normally?

Joey: I am an Information Technology analyst for a large corporation. I maintain both MAC and PC computers throughout the enterprise. I tell my co-workers “ IT by Day, Rock N Roll by Night!”

Jacques: I am a sales representative for a packaging supply company.

PM: Finish the sentence please: to me, music is... 

Joey: ...the everlasting consciousness of life without it we would all be lost.

Jacques: ...something that lifts me in life and makes me constantly dream a good dream.

PM: Finish the sentence: in music, the most important things are...

Joey: tonality and harmony...

Jacques: As a fan to listen and enjoy and look forward to all new recordings of my favorite bands. As a musician to constantly push my voice and make TAUNTED the biggest and best it can be.

PM: One single unfulfilled wish of Joey Genoni would be...?

Joey: To go on a sub-orbital spaceflight and space tour on Virgin Galactic. “TAUNTED you are on the Moon!”

PM: One single unfulfilled wish of Jacques Serrano would be...?

Jacques: To be on stage in Europe touring with great bands sharing conversations and meeting more and more people.

PM: Which of the Taunted releases are you most proud of and why?

Joey:  I am proud of all three CDs. ZERO because it was a long time coming. BLEEDING BLACK because of the trials and tribulations to get it done. “9 Sins” because we now know we can overcome anything to get the CD out to the masses.

Jacques: That’s a tough one as they all have different satisfactions. Obviously the newest is always your favorite because of the freshness and satisfaction of finishing a new album but I would have to say I am most proud of "ZERO" because it took so long to make and Joey and I battled so many obstacles to get it out. Once it was released we both said "we did it" We finally did it and put out a full album out that we could die and go to our grave knowing we were proud and satisfied!

PM: Your 5 favorite Taunted songs...

Joey: From Zero – “Stereo Furniture”, From Bleeding Black – “Dead Buried” and “The Floating Ghost” From “9 Sins” – “Written In The Flames” and “Taunted 2”,

Jacques: In no particular order: STILL BELIEVE, LUCIFER, TOWER OF HELLIONS, 7 COLORS and RIDE ALONE but ask me another time and I will sneak a few more into the top 5 HA HA.

PM: Most valuable metal albums (best metal albums) according to Joey are...? And why?

Joey: King Diamond – THEM and Conspiracy – Two classic metal albums that are one great story. Iron Maiden – The Number Of The Beast – Just sounds so good and clear. RIP Clive Burr! Helloween – Keeper Of The Seven Keys I & II – Classic melodic power prog metal series. Many, many more…

PM: Most valuable metal albums (best metal albums) according to Jacques are...? And why?

Jacques: DEEP PURPLE "MADE IN JAPAN" because it made me hear a singer that was incredible, JUDAS PRIEST "DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH" because it started me on my path of singing and wanting to sing like ROB HALFORD, DIO "HOLY DIVER" because I still hear it and remember so many great times with friends, and OVERKILL and KING DIAMOND records because they still make my soul happy.

PM: Joey, you are the boss, does Jacques listen to you?:))) What do you like about his singing? Maybe something irritates you in his vox?

Joey: Jacques and I are the bosses of TAUNTED. We have worked together for so long that there is a comfort level you cannot just find in other musicians. It takes years to build the trust we have and that reflects in the songwriting process in a positive way. Singing is a difficult instrument to maintain. TAUNTED is fortunate to have a vocalist that has the natural ability and vocal range that Jacques has.

PM: Jacques, what are Joey's strong and weak points as a guitarist and a man?

Jacques: Gosh, I never look at his weak points as a man or a guitarist. Honestly as a man he is as honest and genuine as you would want in a band mate and a friend. He would always have your back and has had mine when it comes to music. So, he is a man I put on a high level and that must be obvious since we have been together jamming for over 20 years and three bands. Now as a guitarist that is something that only a guitarist can answer. I love his rhythm and have always thought he has super clean notes in his solos but so do all the greats right? Joey works in his realm and in his realm he is a JEDI MASTER! The only weak point about Joey is that he lives in ARIZONA now and I can't see him on a weekly basis working on tunes or drinking a brew but that is hardly a weak point. That is just life.

PM: Jacques, i’ve seen your pictures. Do you often ride a bike?

Jacques: Yes, the athletic side of me has never left. I was a state champion in wrestling back in my youth and for over 20 years I have been riding mountain bikes. When music can't take me away from the world the bike does. I am blessed to be able to sing and ride bikes and they both bring satisfaction to my life.

PM: What is your favorite way to spend free time?

Joey: I spend all my time working. Either working to pay rent or working to move TAUNTED forward musically. Every once in a while I get to sit back and drink a few beers at the local pub!!!

Jacques: Besides music and bikes I enjoy being with my girl of 10 years Leanne as well as our Chihuahua "Peanut" as we spend every moment in life together doing EVERYTHING together. I have yet to find earplugs for dogs though so she has not been to a Metal concert.... YET!  ha ha

PM: Your CDs are unavailable here in Poland. Who distributes your previous albums, ‘Zero’ and ‘Bleeding Black’, in Europe? I ask, because it would be cool if our readers had any information where to seek your albums.

Joey: Both ZERO and BLEEDING BLACK are available via digital distribution on iTunes and physical CDs at WWW.CDUNIVERSE.COM and 

WWW.CDBABY.COM/ARTIST/TAUNTED Check the Official TAUNTED website also. WWW.TAUNTEDMUSIC.COM

PM: And for the end... Your favorite songs from the album ‘9 Sins’ and why hey, you?

Jacques: I LOVE “7 Colors”. It is also like “TAUNTED 2”, a continuation of a concept from our first demo. It speaks about "EDGAR ALLEN POE's " The Masque of the Red Death" A very cool take on that subject matter and it was fun to revisit that concept. I also enjoy singing the heavy "TOWER OF HELLIONS" and the song "ROOM 237" which is a take on the movie "THE SHINING"

Joey: “Taunted 2” because it took so much time to make perfect. “7 Colors” because it has sounds we never recorded before. “Written In The Flames” because final production always has a surprise song rise to the top. “Sinner’s Language” because the verse riff pulls people in when performed live.

PM: Many thanks for your time and for the interview. I wish you good concerts and good next albums. Goodbye friends!

Jacques: Thank you too and I think this was one of the best and intensive interviews I have ever been a part of. You do a great job and we appreciate your time and effort! Lets hope one day our music takes us to your side of the world where we can perform and have a beer with you!

Joey: Thanks for your time Tomasz!!! Thank you very much Tomasz and PURE METAL. “TAUNTED you are!” and we appreciate all the fans there and around the world.

Annihilation/Taunted – interview

Questions by Tomek/Nevermore (Pure Metal magazine)

Answers by Joey Genoni (Annihilation/Taunted)

Joey... I would like to ask about the band’s beginnings and the first years of your musical journey.

PM: Joey, when and in what circumstances did you join Annihilation? Did you know the guys before? 

Joey: I did not know any of the guys in Annihilation. Jacques and I were friends and he answered and ad for a vocalist. He went to one audition and they wanted him then it turned out they wanted a new second guitar player.  

PM: Was Annihilation your first band?

Joey: No Jacques and I met in 1989 and were in two bands before Annihilation and then eventually TAUNTED in 1992. Before 1988 I was in a “garage” band playing cover tunes.

PM: Did Jacques Serrano join Annihilation in the same time you did? Why did the previous singer - Jeff Stewart - give up singing in favor of guitar? Apparently the band was revived with both you and Jacques, so... there must have been some turbulence... can you describe the situation?

Joey: Jacques and I joined Annihilation at the same time. We shared a studio with Forbidden in Fremont, CA. It was a fast and furious time. We learned a 45-minute live set quickly and started playing live within weeks. We would have huge parties at the studio after several shows and they would turn into a chaotic mess. The police never broke up the party though. I guess our rehearsal studio was far enough out in an industrial park to not bother the neighbors.

PM: Do you remember - not as a musician, but as a fan - the atmosphere of the heyday of metal? In San Francisco, you were in the middle of the greatest metal scene in the world - Bay Area.

Joey: Yes I remember it vividly. It was a crazy time and so many bands to see all the time. Back then three clubs that Jacques and I played with one of our earlier bands at The Stone in SF, The Omni in Oakland and the One Step Beyond in Santa Clara were famous for packing the house all the time. The start of moss pits and stage diving and the pit-cam in the moss pit started at a VIO-LENCE video shot at THE STONE in SF. Then at the monster sized arenas you had IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and later METALLICA. It was truly insane all the time. 

PM: What acclaimed thrash bands did you get to play with as a member of Annihilation?

Joey: Annihilation played with SANCTUARY, FORBIDDEN, VIO-LENCE, PIGS, MILITIA, KAOS, EPIDEMIC, IMAGIKA and many others.

PM: The last Annihilation demo – ‘Fourth Reich’ - was produced by Paul Bostaph. How big was his input, did he help you much?

Joey: Paul Bostaph is a great person and one of the best drummers in the world. He helped an “old” school band learn “new” school “chops”. The demo song “Fourth Reich” reflected that effort.

PM: How could you describe Annihilation’s music? I don’t know the songs.

Joey: Annihilation played high-energy thrash with a new attitude. They headlined over several bands that would later become VIO-LENCE, MACHINE HEAD, ANGEL WITCH and many others. They never got the break or global exposure they needed. Jacques and I entered when they needed a shot in the arm and several people said we did that for Annihilation.

PM: During those six years, Annihilation recorded only four demos. Not much. Were you planning to record an EP or a LP?

Joey: Yes we did the “Fourth Reich” demo and then the musical direction discussions of where a band wants to go came up and the band dissolved.

PM: Did the other guys send the demos to fanzines, radio stations - tried to get someone interested in Annihilation’s music, in other words?

Joey: Yes we tried to get more exposure. Back then there was no Internet so it took a bit more effort on everyone’s part. We would go to several shows and promote the band as much as possible.

PM: Did Annihilation try to get a contract with some label?

Joey: Yes we would go to the “Foundation Forums” in Southern California and met with “people in the industry”. We never gave it enough time to materialize.

PM: What did Annihilation lack to... get out there, become more known?

Joey: Their chemistry was never right. They tried with members before us and changed over and over. Then Jacques and I tried with them but it was just not the right formula.

PM: You shared the stage with Forbidden and Sanctuary in 1991. How do you remember those gigs? Did you open for them just in California, or did they take you to Arizona too?

Joey: At that time Annihilation only had the finances to play within California. It was a memorable time playing with such greats bands as them. Just the overall atmosphere. Everyone was excited to play. We would play as fast as we could it seemed all the time.

PM: Not long after that, the grunge era came, „sweeping“ down the Bay Area scene... many thrash bands collapsed. What did you feel back then? 

Joey: We felt it directly because some many bands just fell under its spell. Bands were moving to Seattle literally. Guys were cutting their hair and changing their look. It sucked actually but what would become TAUNTED we did not care. We still loved KING DIAMOND.

PM: What happened with Annihilation? You and Jacques founded Taunted. Where did the other guys go?

Joey: The founding members Jeff Steward - guitar and Pat Sauger – bass formed a band called “Throttle Body”. They did a demo and then everything in the music world was changing again. Just recently actually in late 2012 we have quietly discussed an Annihilation reunion for fun but it has not materialized.

PM: In the early period, Taunted released two demos, but you recorded only four songs total: ‘Taunted’, ‘The Masque of the Read Death’, ‘Body of Lead’ and ‘Against the Grain’. Why so few? 

Joey: Back then in 1992 not many bands if any had home recording gear of the quality of today. You were forced into a professional studio and money was always an issue. So you would put as much effort into 2 or 3 songs and hope a record label would take you to the next level.

PM: Do you remember the first Taunted gig? Where and when was it, how were you received?

Joey: The first TAUNTED gig was a not perfectly planned party in a residential part of town during the day. Once the party commenced we started our live set and were quickly shutdown after three songs by the local police. Several neighbors called the authorities because of the noise ordinance. Apparently we started 10 minutes to early. The police gave the owner of the house a ticket for disturbing the peace. We had three kegs of local beer at the party so everyone was very happy. TAUNTED joined the party!

PM: Thank You for the interview.

Joey: Thanks Tomasz and PURE METAL for your never-ending support!!!!