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1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the solo project?
THE GAUNTLET is my project to channel the early spirit of back metal, informed of course by old heavy metal and pushed to the extreme. There is no technical or fast playing to be found here – everything is very simple, and to the point. These are meant to be songs that you can drive hard and ride fast to, without using your brain very much.
2.In 2023 you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?
I think “Dark Steel and Fire” is all around better than the EP. Musically, it is very similar and I used the same equipment on both recordings. The biggest difference is that the album is a more complete representation of what this project is all about. With a long play format I was able to explore more sides of THE GAUNTLET’s sound, whereas the EP stuck to the quick-attack format.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with your music?
THE GAUNTLET’s lyrics are fictional and deal with war, speed and death! The backdrop is a world with swords and motorcycles, where kings rule only by the strength of their forces, and where the fastest live to fight another day. The stories range from warrior’s marching to a last battle to fateful battles between heroes and demons. I’ll leave the listeners and readers to fill in the blanks how they like.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Gauntlet'?
I wanted to name the band “Gauntlet” after the 1985 Tengen/Atari game, but there were too many bands with that name so I added “The” to specify that this Gauntlet is THE GAUNTLET, and the only Gauntlet you need to care about! I wasted a huge amount of time in my childhood playing Gauntlet games and, at least back then, they gave me a sense of adventure with urgency. I think that feeling of a “desperate-fight-against-the- clock” fits what THE GAUNTLET is all about.
5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The cover art was done by Raul Gonzalez and is a continuation of the ideas you can see on the EP. After working together on the concept of the EP art, Raul took the ideas one step further and I think this cover fits the mood and atmosphere of the album very well. He is an incredibly talented artist and is excellent to work with!
6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
I am open to working with other musicians and hope to some day bring The Gauntlet to the stage, but in the mean time I find it a lot faster to do everything myself. I cannot read or write music, so all of these songs live entirely in my head. It takes less time to go and record each piece myself than it does to struggle to explain it to another person, rehearse it, then have them record the part.
7.One of the labels that has been helping out with your releases in 'Nihil Verum Nisi Mors', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
NVNM are a bunch of Jersey die-hards pushing out a lot of different projects. NVNM is probably recognizable for its adherence to lo-fi and DIY production approaches.
8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black'n'roll and black metal?
From the responses I am aware of, reception has generally been positive. Mostly I see THE GAUNTLET being called Bathory-worship, but I take that as a huge compliment. Bathory is probably the greatest extreme metal band of all time. Regarding the “black’n’roll” tag, I don’t really know what this is and I don’t think THE GAUNTLET is a rock band nor do I draw from any rock and roll. Maybe you can say there is hard rock influence on the first Manowar LP, which is something I am a huge fan of.
9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
I’ll see if I can make another album better than this one, but if not, then I would be happy with “Dark Steel and Fire” being the last record of THE GAUNTLET.
10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
For overall influence on the sound of THE GAUNTLET, its Bathory (all albums), Manowar (first 4 LPs), Venom, Celtic Frost, and Slayer. I usually just listen to my car now, and the last month I’ve had Leather “Shock Waves”, Bathory “Under the Sign of the Black Mark”, and Judas Priest “Painkiller” in rotation!
11.Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?
No, not really. There is an element of magic in the lyrical subjects, but that’s as far as it goes.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for taking time to get in touch and I hope that you enjoy “Dark Steel and Fire”, out soon on Eternal Death Records. I’d also strongly encourage anyone reading this to check out Eternal Death’s broad catalog of real underground and extreme metal. Eternal Death is the real cult!
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