LH: Greetings and congratulations on signing to Metal Blade Records! How are you all doing?

FBF: Thank you! We are doing real good! Thanx for asking!

LH: Your debut album "Spread The Fire" is about to be released via Metal Blade Records. Of course, you have already had some success with the same album already as a self-released effort. How many copies of the album did you manage to sell without the help of a label, and for those who have already purchased it, are there any reasons to buy the Metal Blade release?

FBF: Well we pressed a limit of 1000 copies of our self release, and we sold about 900 worldwide without the help of Metal Blade, and with the help of some distros that got in contact with us in Germany and in Japan and other countries. Yes there are reasons to buy the Metal Blade verson – the whole album has been re-mixed and re-mastered, along with two new bonus tracks, and new cover artwork and a new layout, pictures and stuff like that – it’s like a total new album!!

LH: Where was the album recorded and who produced it?

FBF: The album was recorded at Love Juice Labs in La Habra, CA and produced by ourselves, but originally it was mixed and mastered by Jason Decel at Love Juice Labs. For the re-release Joey Vera re-mixed and re-mastered it, and we produced it!

LH: I am aware that two of the guys from Merciless Death created the original cover for "Spread The Fire". How come you did not use this artwork for the re-release? Who designed the new cover and what other album covers has he done?

FBF: Yes. Andy and Cesar Torres from Merciless Death illustrated our artwork for the original “Spread The Fire” album (Thanx guys!) but we did want to do a whole new thing for the re-release, so we got Dez Ambrose to illustrate the new cover art, but of course it was our concept!

LH: Did you get interest from any labels besides Metal Blade and how did you come to the attention of the label?

FBF: Yes we did have big interest from Earache Records before Metal Blade came along, but the same way Metal Blade contacted us so did Earache. We just got a message from Al Dawson, prez of Earache U.S. saying that he was interested in us and we started to try and work out deals with them, and then Metal Blade came along so we were working out deals with both of them at the same time to see which one was better, and well you know we’re on Metal Blade now!

LH: You’ve been through a few line-up changes since you began in 2002. How are things going with the current line up and do you envision any more changes within the band?

FBF: Yes we have had a few line up changes since we started, but this line up is doing great. We’re all happy with the way we’re doing and it is just going to get better! And no, we don’t envision any line up changes from now on! This is the classic line up!

LH: I know that you pretty much decided on Gio as a vocalist straight away so what do you feel he brings to the band that previous vocalists lacked?

FBF: Yeah Gio is our vocalist and he’s here to stay! He brings to the band a great voice and great stage presence which gets the crowd pretty pumped up! Our first vocalist Ray Fierro lacked on his voice – his voice wasn’t too great but he had really good stage presence. The voice is what we kicked him out for. Then we got the other guy who remains nameless ‘cus that’s what he deserves! That pussy! He had a good voice but lacked on stage presence really bad! And I mean really bad. He had real bad stage fright and hid behind the drum set pretty much, and the rest of the band. And he was a li’l bitch so we kicked him out! Then we got Gio which…everything is going great!!!

LH: Tell us about the song writing process – is this a democratic effort or do some of you contribute more than others? Do you write the music before the lyrics or vice versa?

FBF: Well we all try and have our input on all of our songs, and yes we do write the music before we come up with the lyrics. After the song is done with, we sit there and say what this song sounds like it would be about and then we throw out ideas and we usually pick the best idea, then the name comes.

LH: What kind of things inspire you as far as writing the lyrics are concerned? Is there any particular message behind the songs?

FBF: Well on Spread The Fire we did write some songs about the whole thrash scene and some crazy live shows and what has happened at these shows. Sometimes we write about the bullshit we have to deal with, like security at the shows and other things that come to our mind…whatever sounds fuckin’ cool!

LH: You have shared stages with some pretty big names including Agent Steel, Hirax and Municipal Waste. What has been your most memorable gig experience to date?

FBF: Well all these shows you just mentioned were all great shows but the most memorable show we have had to date is the “Thrasho De Mayo II” which happened May 11 2007. No big names, all local acts like Merciless Death, Whitchaven, Execution, Armored Assassin, Malicious assault and our very good friends from Mexico, Strike Master!. That show was fuckin’ crazy! It was sold out by 200+ over capacity at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, 700+ people and there was still people trying to get into the show! Non stop circle pits, stage dives and headbanging the whole night!!! Best show of the year so far!!!

LH: Are there any bands in particular that you would like to play a gig with that you haven’t yet had the chance to?

FBF: Yes! We would love to play with Violator from Brazil, those guys kick fuckin ass! Those guys play true fuckin’ thrash metal!! And of course big names like Testament and our other influences.

LH: I was hoping you could tell us about the scene over in California. I’ve watched a few of your live videos and you look to be playing to some pretty big crowds and have some brutal pits going! Here in the UK there is a bit of a thrash resurgence happening at least on an underground level, is it a similar case where you live?

FBF: Well like I said in the last question, that’s how it is here in L.A. California, Thrash City…it’s fuckin’ crazy! The pits are fuckin’ amazing, some of the best pits I’ve been in other than when we went to see Anthrax out here in L.A. but it gets crazy out here. If you’ve seen the videos that’s proof that the L.A. thrash scene is alive and well!

LH: I read on your MySpace that you used to play some covers including Testament – Over The Wall, Exodus – Piranha and Slayer – Die By The Sword which I think is awesome because I see so many bands play covers and they always seem to go for the most obvious tracks that everybody knows. Do you still play any of these covers live at all?

FBF: Yea that’s what we see too. They pick the obvious ones, that’s why we pick the ones we just want to play. But no, we don’t play these songs any more. We try to play different covers, we just recently covered Vio-Lence – Eternal Nightmare, which was a kick ass song to cover, and we do have some other songs in mind to cover that we won’t say!

LH: Have you played many gigs outside of your home state and is there any chance of you coming to play the UK any time soon?

FBF: No we have never played outside of our home state, just up and down California, but we are setting up a U.S. tour very soon, so that should be good! And hopefully we will get to play the U.K. sometime next year while we are in Europe playing the “Keep It True X” metal festival in Germany, so hopefully we will have more dates out there in Europe by that time.

LH: Thanks for doing this interview. Do you have any final words for our readers?

FBF: Thank you for the interview! And thankx to all of our fans around the world, if it wasn’t for you we wouldn’t be here. Thank you and we will see you soon! Keep fuckin’ thrashin!!!

Spread The Fire is available from August 13th.

Check out Fueled By Fire on My Space at www.myspace.com/fueledbyfire

Interviewed by Luci Herbert
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