Updated: 12/21/02
The future of thrash metal is here. They go by the name of Metal Militia, and are set to bring head banging sounds to a whole new generation of listeners. Our interview is with vocalist Paolo Gregoletto.
First of all, tell me how long Metal Militia has been together.
Paolo Gregoletto: We’ve been together for about three years now.
Where is the band from and is there any kind of metal scene there?
We’re based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and, yeah there’s a pretty decent metal scene here. It’s getting better – a lot more bands coming out and playing. We all kind of play the same shows and go around together and support each other.
If you had to describe your music to someone who has never heard it before, what would you say?
I’d say it’s kind of thrashy. We’re fast a lot but sometimes we’re not. We try to be thrash but technical at the same time. And that’s how I usually describe it to people.
Who are some of your influences?
Slayer definitely. Old Metallica, Megadeth, Death – just those kind of bands – that’s where we get our influences from.
Where do you get the ideas for some of the lyrics you write?
I keep similar metal themes that other metal bands have like Slayer and Metallica. I’m influenced by what other bands write and what I see in the world. That’s how I usually write stuff.
How did you become involved with Metal Militia and meet everyone else?
I was in a few bands a long time ago and I wanted to do my own thing. I wanted to get more into metal because I started liking it three years ago. I have a guitar instructor named Damien and he introduced me to Chris, the lead guitar player and he introduced me to the rest of the band. I had already known the drummer that we had then. So that’s how we met and we’ve been together since then.
What other musical styles had you played before Metal Militia?
Primarily just rock I guess – hard rock. But once I heard Metallica and that kind of music, I wanted to play that because it just appealed to me more.
You’re a little bit younger than everyone else in the band. Has that ever presented a problem?
No. I’m younger than everyone else, but not really that much younger. We have other people in the band that are 18 – I’m 17 now. It’s not really a big deal. Age doesn’t really matter – it’s how everyone plays.
Do you guys ever have any problems getting bookings in clubs out there because of your age?
No, we never have any problems. The clubs down here know who we are and know that we have a pretty decent following and that we’re probably just as good as some of the adult bands. So we really have no problems.
What is your favorite Metal Militia song to perform and why?
I think my favorite song right now is Omnicide. That song is really cool. We play really fast in it and do a lot of technical stuff. Another song I like too is Perpetual State Of Aggression. That’s one of the newer songs we wrote a few months ago. It’s in a different style. We try to outdo every song and make it better than the last.
Were you nervous at all about performing at the Milwaukee Metalfest?
I wasn’t like that nervous. I wanted to do it. I was excited about it because it was a show just for metal and everyone there liked metal. Everyone involved was into it, and it was really cool to play to that many people that were into our music.
Were there any bands there that you were excited about seeing?
I wanted to see Hate Eternal, Nile – a lot of death metal bands that always don’t come down to Florida that much. Arch Enemy was cool, Exodus, it was crazy…
What can one expect from a live Metal Militia show?
A lot of intensity. The music is pretty brutal live. We usually play faster and heavier. We’re pretty crazy. It’s an intense show to see. Plus we’re all under 20 and people aren’t used to seeing that.
Have you guys ever opened for any big name metal bands?
We opened for God Forbid and Diecast on one of their earlier tours. We got to meet them and they were into us a lot. We’ve kept in touch with both bands.
If Metal Militia could open up for any big name band, who would it be and why?
It would probably be Slayer. Slayer is just awesome. I think we appeal to that group of people pretty well. I think most metal bands would want to open for Slayer.
What’s up next for Metal Militia?
We want to start playing shows out of state more. We get a lot of e-mails from up north like Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio – even the Midwest. We want to go everywhere because we want to take our music to everyone anywhere.
Do you have any messages for people who might be interested in checking out Metal Militia?
Definitely go to our website and check it out. That’s probably the best way to find out about us. It’s got pictures of us and media. It basically just says what we’re about and who we are – people can see what we look like and what it looks like when we play live.
The members of Metal Militia are Paolo Gregoletto 17 (Bass/Vocals), Chris Reiser 19 (Lead Guitar), Mike Alber 18 (Rhythm Guitar), and Nick Phares 18 (Drummer). Check out http://www.metalmilitia.cc for more info on the band and how to order Perpetual State Of Aggression, their debut CD coming soon from Sonic Wave Entertainment!!!
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