Pic courtesy of: Dreams of Damnation "We have fans in our age group that is in the 30’s and 40’s but there is a crowd of young thrashers that we know we need to reach. We can’t let Thrash die out with us old farts!"

CR: It seems that Dreams of Damnation is looking to grab the attention of the young metalheads in America, trying to play and book gigs in high schools and venues were the young kids are allowed to hear you guys, is there any special strategy behind this?
Jim Durkin: Well yes…we realized that in order for this band to grow we HAVE to get the most energetic and hungry crowd. That means the young folk. We have fans in our age group that is in the 30’s and 40’s but there is a crowd of young thrashers that we know we need to reach. We can’t let Thrash die out with us old farts!

CR: What were the elements that you brought from Dark Angel, I mean what part of Dreams of Damnation can be best compared or that resembles the old sound of your legendary band previous band?
Jim Durkin: Well from what I hear it’s the riffs, and energy. The style is different in the sense that it’s different people and that always changes the sound. The NON stop hammering.

CR: Has your figure helped the band achieve a better “position” in the US metal scene?
Jim Durkin: I would say yes and no…I mean the older fans of DA might take notice, BUT at the same time we are getting people that never heard of Dark Angel. Or at least didn’t grow up on it.

CR: Did the decision of having a female singer on the band shifted a little the way Dreams of Damnation was planning on carrying out the recordings, the band’s image and the gigs?
Jim Durkin: Well I chose Loana because of her voice not because she was female. She kicked ass on any male guys I’ve worked with since DA. She was already my friend but when I heard her sing I had to ask. We’ve worked together for over four years now. It’s not always been easy for us but we both know good things are coming. We’ve worked very hard and put up with a lot of bullshit to get to this point.

CR: What can you tell me of “Let The Violence Begin EP”? Did the ideas and the “spirit” of Dreams of Damnation was borne along side that production?
Jim Durkin: That was a very raw recording and was a look at what we were at the time. We had more of a garage vibe.
We just wanted to go in and bang it out, no polish or any studio tricks. I wish we could have had more time but. We are a very live band. Most things we record are done in very few takes.

CR: You guys created a label for Dreams of Damnation “Say It In Blood Records”, what’s the story behind this, and why did you guys decided to start your own record company instead of just looking for a establish label?
Jim Durkin: We started the label as a platform to show the band to the world on our terms.
We are now looking for a label that can do as much for us as we can do for ourselves. We are a self sufficient band, we tour, we make our own merch.
Pay for our own trips. We all pitch in no one works for me. It’s like a club.
“Hey guys wanna take a trip to Canada? If so, here’s what it will cost each of us to go…”

CR: Loana seems to be very open minded when it comes to talk about her inspirations and what makes her “tick”, in one interview with the zine www.mrrock.net, she talks a lot about the positive input anger can give to music; is Dreams of Damnation a band that exploits all of its members “repressed” emotions in order to achieve the level of “heaviness” you guys are looking for? What’s the most important feeling in order to write a song for this band?
Jim Durkin: It’s a hit and miss thing really…RAGE I would say is my fuel.

CR: After some time of the official release of your first full length album I think I can ask you, how did Epic Tales Of Vengeance did, what was the most “impressive” respond you got from the metal media?
Jim Durkin: Well it’s only been out since May. The press has been SO Great. I am floored by the support we have gotten. I mean you can’t please everyone. I never tried to do it in Dark Angel and I don’t try now. As long as the people I have in the band with me are behind the music, we’ll go on. The main thing is this HAS to be fun for me, or I’m done with it. I have no other motives than to play the music I love and have fun.

	Pic courtesy of: Dreams of Damnation "They lay their lives on the table so guys like me can have freedom of choice. we are your children not just names on a wall"

CR: “Kill for peace” a very political song as well as one of the best tracks on “Epic Tales Of Vengeance” I may add; was that song a direct criticism on US foreign policy?
Jim Durkin: NO. The point of the song is that in any of our WARS ...there are people we will never see, or thank, or hear about. They lay their lives on the table so guys like me can have freedom of choice. ”we are your children not just names on a wall”.
They are people with dreams too… but they put those dreams on hold so the rest of us can feel safe. I’m not a fan of wars or people getting killed but I do support the people who have to do this job with little or nothing in return. These people don’t make the policies. They have to enforce them. To them I say THANK YOU.

CR: How long did “Epic Tales Of Vengeance” took to record, since you guys work with your own record label, you probably had to record, promote and maybe distribute your material, how was all that process handle by you guys?
Jim Durkin: It’s a day to day process. It’s never over. We are still building our network.
Making deals etc…
The album took a week to track the rest was mixing and edits. Our producer Chris Trent
Was a dream to work with he worked very hard to get this done.
I am forever grateful for his friendship and support.

CR: In your opinion what’s the best thing on “Epic Tales Of Vengeance”; what’s the element you guys are more proud of?
Jim Durkin: For ME. Loana’s voice.
It has been our dream to do this together and we did it. We put out a CD. We survived horrible fights over different things. We survived line up changes
All the things a friendship and band can go through we’ve seen most of them come at us. We’re still here. And better than before.

CR: Personally I love every single intro to the songs, you know those first couple of second that really manage to create expectation on how the song is going to sound and then a huge discharge of thrash fall on your lap, is the intro of the songs a big factor on the whole Dreams of Damnation experience?
Jim Durkin: Not really we just go with what seems right…no formula. As long as you get your head ripped off that’s all that counts. hehe

CR: “Epic Tales Of Vengeance” maybe short on length but the lyrics and the riffs really made a big impact on anyone that listens to it for the first time, just how important are the lyrics for a fast aggressive thrash metal band like yours? Is there any specific topic that you guys will never print on your lyrics?
Jim Durkin: For Lyrics everything is fare game. Loana writes most of them. She just needs to believe in them. They have to say something.

CR: Is there any specific topic you guys wanted to deal in the track New Flesh?
Jim Durkin: Pain as pleasure. Plain and simple. Haha break out the bullwhips!!

CR: Can we call “Epic Tales Of Vengeance” a classic thrash metal album, are there any other genres in metal that you think may apply to this production?
Jim Durkin: It’s Thrash…that’s all it is…that´s all I’ve ever played EVER. It’s what I do, it’s in my blood. Give me a fast beat and I’ll give you a riff! Hehe. That’s all we’re about.

	Pic courtesy of: Dreams of Damnation "If you vote for it. You get what you asked for. If you don’t vote you can’t change anything"

CR: Metal has certainly changed a lot since 1990 (just to name a date) what do you think is the best change the scene and the music has experienced and what’s the worst?
Jim Durkin: Easy. Recording technology is the best and the worst hehe…it’s easy now to do a nice sounding recording at home. But it’s also easy to cheat with drums and guitar tracks can be fixed. Anyone can put out a kick ass recording! It makes people lazy I think triggers and such. They have their uses I’ve used drummers who use them. It’s just not my thing.
I prefer the old ways I guess. It should also not take 20 takes to do your guitar tracks if you can’t hang yet you shouldn’t be in the studio. Do your home work or don’t show up. Don’t waste everyone’s time.

CR: Loana said in a previous interview that the reason why “Epic Tales Of Vengeance” was so short was because you guys wanted to make people want more, does that mean that a future album of Dreams of Damnation will be extremely long or what are you guys planning on doing to fulfill that “need”?
Jim Durkin: For me an album over ten songs is too much for my attention span period .I want to get in there say what I have to say and go home and have a cocktail! People don’t need to hear every fuck’n riff known to man in one sitting…ya know?

What has been until now the best show of Dreams of Damnation?
Jim Durkin: Each show has something special about it. The Gates of Hell in Toronto with our buddies Piledriver, Razor, Nuclear Assault ,and Anvil was a biggie for me coz I love all those bands. That was my personal fave so far.

CR: Any plans for a future DVD or something of that matter?
Jim Durkin: None yet…but we’ll see. I have a ton of video footage. That’s next.

CR: This may be a question out of topic but, on what extend do you think a country deserves the government that they have?
Jim Durkin: If you vote for it. You get what you asked for. If you don’t vote you can’t change anything.

CR: So what’s on the future for Dreams of Damnation?
Jim Durkin: It’s my hope to keep making GOOD thrash albums that’s all I want. I just want the band healthy and happy and ready to kick ass!

CR: Thank you very much for your time it was a pleasure, and congratulation on a very good album; hope you enjoy the questions, and if you have something else to add please do…
Jim Durkin: I Just want to thank everyone who bought the album or will buy it .Give us a chance we’ll kick your ASS!! And thanks again!
The album is available at www.theendrecords.com