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Agent Steel
von gl anno 2003

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CHOSEN TO STAY: AGENT STEEL

The Metal-Astronauts are back in full force - back to reign (again) and have shown in comparison to the much hyped new METALLICA crap record what a real old school-back to the roots record should be and here is an interview with the three members Bernie, Bruce, and Juan:

First of all: Congratulation to the new record, finally released June 2003! Since the last record, which was actually released way back in 1999 a lot has happened, we don't want to repeat it all, but for our readers a short summary: You had changed by 2000 your name to ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI (for legal reasons, we don't wanna go into that) but luckily were able to use the original name now. A European tour planed for fall 2001 had to be cancelled because of the tension following the 9-11 scenario. Then there were endless delays in this record. Were you ever at the point to give up, or did you know all along the result will come out this great?
Bernie: I never got to the point where I wanted to give up. This is a labor of love. I knew eventually we'd get this album done. It's kind of good that we didn't have a label for most of the recording, only near the end, when I really had to shift things into gear.
Juan: I had a good feeling about this new album; I was patient with all the delays, and obstacles in the recording. I personally never thought of giving up; our drummer and founding member Chuck Profus gave up and retired but I am an optimistic person and my motto is "never surrender".
Bruce: I knew what we were writing all along so I knew it would be a strong album otherwise I wouldn't have put my family in debt to make it happen. Fact is, when we get together to make music it is a great thing. Also, we wouldn't want people to mistakenly think "Omega Conspiracy" was for money. It certainly wasn't then and it isn't now.

Did as a result of all this Chuck Profus quit? Because I noticed he is mentioned as writer to all tracks - so he was very involved?
Juan: Yes, Chuck was very involved in the writing of the album; he was very dedicated and had good work ethics when it came to rehearsals. I think he just had enough and decided it was time to walk away; we still communicate and he is doing just fine and is very happy with his life.
Bruce: Chuck was involved in the writing on every song on OOTI. When Chuck was in the band he was as big a part of the group as any one of us, even moreso at times. Chuck and I sold the band on the name Order Of The Illuminati together. Chuck is a huge part of the band whether he is playing drums with us or not.
Bernie: Chuck just got to the point where he wasn't having any fun anymore. I guess playing drums is way more difficult than playing guitar, since it's so mentally and physically demanding. There were no hard feelings, though, when he left. We all consider him a good friend, and sometimes miss his whacked sense of humor.

This question is personal and is actually addressed to Chuck: Some material is very fast and difficult to play for a drummer and requires extreme playing ability, I notice Chuck wears white gloves while playing, was he having some problems also with his health maybe?
Bruce: I think it isn't too personal but check with everyone else. The main reason Chuck isn't in the band anymore is because he lost the movement of one of his arms for several months, to the point where we needed Rigo to fill in for him at Chuck's request for the Classic Metal Festival in Michigan. When we returned home, Chuck decided all the drama surrounding the band was too much for him and he opted out. Totally understood by me, though sadly understood. Chuck is not interested in the drama anymore and at the time the whole band had become a fuckin' lame soap opera. I was getting irritated too but I didn't want to let the sideshow detract from the fact that the music we make is heartfelt regardless of any name, Agent Steel, Order Of The Illuminati or goddamn Flower Puppies. The music was getting buried in bullshit. Thankfully, that is behind us now but, sadly, so is Chuck's involvement in the band.
Juan: I think Bruce explains this very well and to the point. The gloves that Chuck wears when he is playing are Golf gloves (he feels comfortable wearing them while playing drums). A lot of drummers wear gloves while performing live. He did sustain an injury but he is fine now.
Bernie: Chuck had an accident years ago where he put his hand through a glass window, severing his nerves in that hand. So when he grabs a stick, he can't feel if it's slipping or not, so the gloves help with his grip.

Agent Steel

Really one can feel the power and aggression with reflectioning your situation in the songs, but you always master the task of still being melodic within all this high speed, that's why I enjoy it so much. Would you agree you were Melodic-Thrash inventors because it's never only just senseless noise it always has a concept within the songwriting in your music.
Bernie: I don't think we invented it, but I think we do a good job doing it. We are musicians, first and foremost, so melody is just as important as being heavy. Our style isn't contrived, it comes out naturally. We don't have a formula for songwriting, as it should be with anyone. If something sounds good to us, we keep it.
Juan: I do not know if we are Thrash inventors, but we do enjoy writing speed/thrash metal parts, and songs. We like our style of music and work hard on trying to be as original as possible; sometimes it seems like a task to work in the harmony solos and important bridges to the songs but the important thing is the end result and I think we accomplished a lot with the new "order of the illuminati" record.
Bruce: High praise and pretty deserved though I wasn't there in the beginning. I think John has a great sense of melody as do both Juan and Bernie so the blueprint is there since 1985. I couldn't have found a band more suited to my own taste.
Bernie in my opinion you did a great job producing the disc, could you tell us why exactly it took so damn long (besides finding a company) and what happened when you lost some data when a harddrive crashed and the band had to record again?
I had just bought a new power amp, and installed it directly under my computer. I guess the magnetic field from the transformers really did a number on my hard drive, so I lost a few songs. Luckily, I had backed up most of the music, so we only had to re-record some parts here and there, and two complete songs.
As for taking so long, that's just life getting in the way. With lawsuits, finances, bills, family, and beer, it's hard to consistently work on something that really doesn't make us enough money to quit our jobs.

Bernie, am I right in saying the beginning of "Human Bullet" is a reminder of the vibe in "Traveller" - a song you also co-wrote? (And you want to remember on that?)
I didn't intentionally want it to sound like the "Traveller". Originally, it was the piano and the weird sounds. Then I added the voice, then Bruce and Juan suggested I put a solo over the whole thing. In the end, I realized it sounded like the "Traveller", which is cool.

Juan and Bernie - Is it because the overall comradery and friendship within the band now seems very very good that you share the songwriting credits very fair to all 5 members equally.
Juan: We've always been good friends; We are at a point where we all contribute equally; especially on this album.
Bernie: Even though we are all very good friends, that's not why we decided to split the songwriting five ways. Since we spent so much time writing all those songs together in the studio, it was only fair. We all spent the same amount of time learning each others parts, driving to and from the studio, hauling equipment back and forth.

Agent Steel

But I realized now the whole band is involved in writing the lyrics, where as on the last record, Bruce wrote the words all himself, so did you let the others allow also to wrote words, Bruce?
Bruce: Where'd ya get the idea someone else wrote the words? :) I write the lyrics. That isn't ever going to change.
Bernie: Just because we have equal songwriting credits doesn't mean we all write the lyrics. Everybody just put in there time and effort equally. Bruce still writes all the lyrics, Juan and I write all the guitar parts, and so on.
Juan: Bruce wrote all the lyrics to the new record; he would give us updates on song concepts and we were all comfortable with the direction; we did however change a few songtitles along the way but that is normal in the writing process to an album.

Ok: Misunderstanding by my side because in the booklet it says "All music and lyrics written and arranged by Agent Steel".
Bruce - speaking about the lyrics: Well done, good job. I found it very refreshing someone daring to criticize the "official version" the mass media is trying to brainwash us into! After the 9-11 things got even worse and you were always very open with what you were saying and not afraid that people will laugh about you or ridicule you. How far will you go this time, do you want to clearify your standpoint?
The overwhelming majority worldwide and a lot of people in Europe in the music press, (you notice this by comments now and then) is very sceptical and critical about the way the American Administration is handling the political power right now, a lot of artists especially in the movie branch were brave enough to voice their opinion against Bush (like Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Martin Sheen, Tim Robbins, Jane Fonda, George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman and thousands more luckily) Now pro-Bush people call them Anti-Americans in your country! You were also attacked on your board by some people, how do you deal with it?

Bruce: I deal with it by realizing the truth, these days for sure, is an uncomfortable thing. It makes people upset to think they are being manipulated. It does me, certainly. Regarding being Unamerican, I am anything but Unamerican. This country was founded on the right to speak your mind. I don't see George Bush as the enemy, per se. That is way too simple to be true. America is just playing their part in the construction of the New World Order. The NWO has nothing to do with what America was or is or will be and the NWO is hardly an all American corp. The hands that grasp at us all lurk around the globe and come from many different countries.

Also a lot of people in the Metal community have said their opinion: Mille from KREATOR has said something against Bush and he was attacked for it. Now DESTRUCTION want to play a cover of DISCHARGE's "Fuck the USA", and of course SYSTEM OF A DOWN have always said their opinion against the Bush-Administration, also Eddie Vedder of PEARL JAM he trampled on a mask of Bush on their opening concert. (By the way John Bush wore a T-Shirt saying "Fuck Bush" at the Bang Your Head festival 2001 which was pretty cool!) On the other hand there are bands like ICED EARTH where Matt Barlow just quit to join the "Homeland security" forces!
How do you see the development in this connection - do you fear to be also called "Anti-American" just because you ask questions?!?

Again, I don't define being American as being a party shill. If being American means being brainwashed by the government into believing everything they do is in the best interest not only of my own country, but of the world, then I guess I am anti-american. But what I really am is anti-NWO, pro-sovereignty, and pro-human. No government should be bigger than the people it purports to represent. I am bummed that people see things as so black and white as to blame a single country for the state of the world because it isn't that at all. It isn't America. It is much larger than that, sadly.

It's actually much more frightening with Muslim people getting arrested throughout America and thrown into prison for no reasons! This is a development a lot of writers say leads into a global fascist state in the US. And American citizens being actually very arrogant, rude and impolite to French and German people: One example a woman wrote to our newspaper here, she said a Taxi driver stopped and asked her to get out, just because she was German, he will not serve her, happened in NYC! Or people throwing French Wine away or calling French fries "Freedom fries" how much more stupid can you get?!? What is your opinion about all that?!?
I think that is part of the brainwashing of people. Can I point to your own Football Clubs? I mean, it is really too silly to even reference because those incidents are far from normal. Most people here don't hate foreigners at all. Where I live almost everyone came from somewhere else and they are not spat at, ridiculed or persecuted. Let's not forget, people are still people and we generally still really like each other regardless of where we come from. You are talking about the sorts of extremes that the media uses to foment war. Georg, I know you and you know me and we both know those examples are far from commonplace. I think it'd be best if everyone ignored those unfortunate mind-addled flag wavers and concentrated on the idea that we are all born onto the same earth. Regarding Muslims, well, they are indoctrinating in the most severe of ways so it doesn't seem wrong to take a closer look at them for the sake of safety. That said, I wonder who was really behind Mohammed when he wrote the Koran?? Religion, more than the media (the new religion) is the most powerful brainwashing tool used against mankind ever. Imagine this life is only a passage to the next, good if you do what your "god" decrees, terribly bad is if you slight him. Ridiculous and frightening and all the more reason to be concerned about any religious zealot, muslim or otherwise, and all the more reason to use these people to execute a New World Order to defend ourselves, without weapons, of course. What a joke.

Bruce, the song "Forever Black" is dealing with the origins of the "Philadelphia Experiment" going into Montauk Project at Camp Hero in Mountauk Point, New York. This would be another 10 questions alone - knowing all five Mountauk books … But to shorten it: What do you answer to people who still do not believe it all really happened? (The film "The Philadelphia Experiment" is still called fiction!) when the actual HAARP Project is very much happening and effective now.
Bruce: I am a little exhausted after the last couple of questions but suffice it to say it is real, was real, and is going on now. It is the last frontier, your mind, and it is being attacked mercilessly, especially here in America. Using Chemtrails of Barium and Aluminium your mind is being softened and more likely to accept the signals used by HAARP. In it's simplest form, crowd control; In it's most malignant, crowd manipulation. Of course a lot of people think the idea is crazy but who wants to see the truth? Like in The Matrix, wouldn't you rather have a big fake steak and think that it is real than have some gruel???

Bernie and Juan: Just a small question: Well because the setlist was known since about a year plus, we know the Instrumental was called "Final Dawn" - why did you change it - was it because you inserted the voice "We are controlling mission" or you want to make a honor for us germans because control is written in german language "Kontrolle", ha?
Juan: Me and Bernie agreed that "Kontrol" was a better title specially after we inserted the vocal sample. Bernie: The title was definitely German inspired. I never liked the title "Final Dawn". I told Bruce it sounded like a cheesy post-nuclear B-movie. Plus, he didn't write any lyrics to it, so why should he name it? Just kidding. We all thought "Kontrol" was cool, and I had the perfect sample to go with it.

Juan, now there are 3 members of your ex-band TERROR in AGENT STEEL, when is the 4th coming over, :-) does anyone in AGENT STEEL have to fear for their position now!?! So if Bernie and Bruce quit, you can rename the band again and go on tour with HOLY TERROR, TERRORIZER and TERRORSQUAD! Seriously: By the way, did you still got interest or requests because of that band?
Juan: That is funny!!!! We are very satisfied with the current line-up and don't anticipate any changes anytime soon. I still get some interest for TERROR but I have no desire to re-start the band. I have no time for this; between AGENT STEEL and my operations at the record company I have no time for other projects.

Juan you are also overlooking World War III Records, a division of AMC, as an Director of A&R, do you want to summarize your work there for our readers as what you basically do there.
Juan: Basicly I oversee the production of projects from start to finish; for example the moment an artist or band turns in the CD master and artwork my job is to get things moving in production (making sure there's no mistakes in the text, making sure the artwork is correct and to specifications and within the marginal templates, making sure the barcode is correct, etc ...) then there are other things I do there that take up a lot of time as well; reviewing demos and giving my input on certain potential new artists, there are so many things going on at a record company sometimes it is literally insane!

Bernie: One ENGINE-related question will be allowed: Your 2nd album is now out one year - looking back what are your feelings? Would you agree you guys have a small but enthusiastic following who analyse your songs, but unfortunately the CD sold very few units? So probably with all 4 members being busy there won't be a third ENGINE?!?
Bernie: It makes me sad that ENGINE is virtually unknown here in the States. Most everyone who knows the music tells us we deserve to be much bigger. Then I hear the crap that the radio is shoving down peoples' throats, and it makes me wonder, "Do I have to suck to be successful in music?" I guess so. Maybe if I didn't play such "complicated" chords and Ray didn't sing in key so much, we might sell a few more albums. Do I sound bitter? You bet.

You guys did release a couple of cover versions for Tribute albums, I know basically most people do not like tribute albums except really cool stuff like the Powergod "Bleed For The Godz" record were you were also involved. There was mentioned somewhere you maybe will do a album with all those cover versions on it. I am sure more people will buy this rather than a mixed cover record, how realistic is that?
Juan: That was an idea at one time, but I don't think we will release all our cover versions as a packaged CD; well at least not at this time. I personally would not mind releasing this but not to make money but to make it easier for me so when I do want to hear our cover songs; they are all on one CD! Instead of searching for all the tributes! I am tired of tributes to be honest with you Georg; me and Bernie did participate on the POWERGOD project of "Bleed For The Gods" - we had a great time laying down the solos to the AGENT STEEL cover they recorded.
Bruce: Pretty unrealistic, Georg. Those covers are to pay tribute to band we dig and a chance for people to get a version we like to do. I, for one, am totally against an album of covers cause it seems cheap, like an easy way to make a buck for a record company. As it is doing these covers is just that but we like to think we do the songs differently (except "Beyond The Realms Of Death") and it is decent promotion to let people who, otherwise, might have never heard of us, have a dose of OOTI.
Here the members of the band have different opinions (why not?) I have checked back but it's ok to print them. Lets wait for a success of this record and then see in 2004 for future plans. So in contrast here is what Bernie has to say:
Bernie: It's very realistic. I think we have a lot of fans that haven't heard most of the covers we've done in the past 4 or so years. I like the way we've made the songs in the vein of AGENT STEEL, as opposed to bands that just try to play and sound exactly like the original.

Bruce: You were also mentioned in a book (with CD). Could you explain that more for our readers here. You were telling me you got some tips from the singers Harry Conklin and Rob Rock - so hopefully your voice will be ok this upcoming tour. (Last tour he could not speak - he wrote stuff down when I communicated with him.) How do you train your voice?
Bruce: I will still probably limit the amount of speaking I do because it hammers your voice. I also hope you'll mention how the show was because all that "no talking" made it possible for me to sing through a nasty cold and shitty weather. My voice will be fine on stage, where it matters, just as it was then. Harry and Rob are two very gracious talented vocalists who were kind enough to share some thoughts with me when I asked. I hope you are prepared to let people know my conservation of voice when speaking was the reason they got to hear me sing when they paid for it. I could yak all night with you or sing for 500 people the next night. Singing isn't like strapping on a fucking guitar, and singing, like I do, doesn't come easy for anyone. Try it. See if you can talk for a fuckin' week let alone sing again 24 hours later.
Juan: Bruce was able to speak on tour Georg, he just chose not too to save his voice for the tour since we had hardly any days off.

I would like to add that the show they put on there back in January 2000 was Killer! The demand for AGENT STEEL was so high, that they headlined over RIOT and ANVIL most of the nights, and people were just going nuts!!! Just to clear this up!
Can anyone say something to the extra-ordinaire cover? And the symbols in the star, it's not Japanese, not Thai, is it Chinese?!? What language is it? Great computer-simulation!

Juan: It is ALIENese (Ha!!) just kidding. They are reversed letters, and partial character texts; we just wanted to created something weird looking and this artist we knew came up with this alien alphabet.

You now have a deal in Europe and in Japan (on King Records who will use the old song "Brainwashed" that was being released by you in 2000 as an internet single already) but how about in your homecountry?
Juan: We are releasing the album in the United States through our imprint AOS/Artillery Music in conjunction with The End Records. The U.S. version is exactly the same as the European version but with a different album cover artwork. "Brainwashed" is a bonus track for Japan only.

Looking forward to the "THE BONDED BY METAL OVER EUROPE 2003" tour - don't you think 8 bands is really too much?!?, your name is third on the bill only, does that mean you play as the third but last band?!? Remember last tour you ended as playing last every night!
Bernie: 8 bands? Make that 9! It's ridiculous. The last tour AGENT STEEL was on there were only 4 bands, and sometimes people didn't get to take showers at certain places. I don't know how this tour is gonna go, but I guess the important thing is putting on a kick-ass show, and I promise we will. Stinky or not.
Juan: I am looking forward to this tour as well; I think it's gonna be fun and at the same time a lot of work as well, but it's awesome that we are touring with one of my favourite bands EXODUS. Of course I think 8 bands is a lot but at the same time this makes for an interesting billing with such a diversed style of music from all the bands; I've met BEHEMOTH here in Los Angeles and they are great guys, and NUCLEAR ASSAULT and CARNAL FORGE will be interesting. We are anticipating more tour dates so check www.agentsteelonline.com for additional dates.

Anything you want to add or think is important to mention here?!
Bernie: Thank you Georg for the interview, and the great review of our new album. I'm sure we'll see you at one of the German shows, and I'll sneak you in through the back! So don't buy a ticket. And thanks for holding up the AGENT STEEL flag, and keeping real metal alive.
Juan: Thank you for your support through the years and for those of you who haven't checked out our new album "order of the illuminati" please do; it is in my opinion a fantastic fresh new AGENT STEEL record. There are plenty of guitar solos and heavy riffing but at the same time very melodic with intense thoughtful lyrics. Stay metal.

The US Release for "Order Of The Illuminati" is two days after this update, July 8, with alternate cover artwork which looks like this:

The cover of the US version of




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