Pic courtesy of: Bonded By Blood "I believe Thrash never went away on its own. It was more of the industry pushing Nu-Metal and grunge bands into the media. The industry is like religion itself."

HK: All of you are below 20 so I’m thinking you were born around the time “Rust in Peace” came out. At what point in your lives did each member of the band discover ‘heavy’ music and when did Thrash enter the picture?
Ruben: Well, first we have someone who is over 20. Jose “Aladdin,” our lead vocalist/manager/band father, is 22 years of age. Not much older, but old enough, hahaha! We all discovered classic metal bands mostly from family and friends, but got to Thrash Metal through specifically different ways. When he was around 16 he used to listen to a lot of hardcore punk bands like Discharge and Black Flag. It eventually led him to some crossover bands like DRI and Agnostic Front. Those bands eventually led him to a lot of Thrash Metal bands. Our guitarists Juan (Juarez) and Alex (Lec) had a different approach. They were both really into their instruments and would listen to a lot of solo artists. Their main focus in music was how well the guitarists were and they discovered Testament and Megadeth. Juan would also listen to a lot of Death Metal however, and it really showed on his incredible rhythm speed and precision. Carlos (Cerveza, drums) loves his Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin, but joined a Metallica cover band when he was 14. He was eventually booted for being too young when the band got serious. I had my little brother actually show me Metallica when I was 13. I went on from that to listen to many other bands.

HK: Describe the amount of practice and time the band spent to get its chops to the level they're currently at to suit your sound. Did your fingers bleed?
Ruben: We all take our instruments very seriously. When Alex joined the band, he wasn't very social. Turns out he was practicing from six to eight hours a day to get better at his guitar. Juan was a bit different. He met Alex and was inspired to become as good as him. So he stopped going to school but would still wake up at 10am and sleep at 2am to practice his guitar. This is no joke. I’d stay over at his house a few times and just play video games while he practiced all day. He’d also learn about amps and amp sounds and now I believe he knows more than the people at studios. After two years of practicing twice a week as a band, we now practice every day, only to take a break when we have a show, want to go to a show, or if there is an emergency.

HK: When did five kindred souls ultimately come together and form “Bonded By Blood”?
Ruben: The Summer of 2005, when everyone had left their last band, and there was nothing but gay emo and hardcore bands around us.

HK: How long and how much work did you put into making “Feed the Beast” a reality?
Ruben: When the band started, we never thought we’d be recording a full-length album. We never planned anything until our second demo, “Extinguish the Weak.” After that, it took us about five months of making, recording, remaking and re-recording. It was tough, without a doubt, but we’re glad we got to finish. It was good experience, and we can’t wait to put 10 times the effort in the next one to make it better then the last.

HK: Who is the cyborg with long wavy hair on the cover of ‘Feed the Beast’? He happens to be smiling above the flames of a ruined city.
Ruben: His name is Brutus, and he's a character we made up when we wrote the song “Immortal Life.” We’re also into comic books, and it’s a big influence on our lyrics as well as on our conversations in our spare time. The cover has our own story, but even within the band we have disputes on what the cover really means. Especially on whether it was the demon sitting on the throne or Brutus himself who destroyed the city. Brutus also came out on the first shirts we ever made when the band had just recorded the “Extinguish the Weak” EP.

HK: Shit! You guys did Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, that’s really awesome because I also grew up on that cartoon. That and GI Joe, He Man, and The Uncanny X-Men, which also had an awesome soundtrack that would do well if given a Metal makeover. Any future plans to pay tribute to your childhood heroes?
Ruben: We have no plans so far, but we never planned the TMNT cover either. We had just done it in a few shows and we decided at the last second in the studio to do it. So if we do an X-men or Eek the Cat cover, it’ll be completely and entirely on the spot for us.

HK: The guys at Merciless Death smoke pot and party all the time. Does the same apply to Bonded or do you prefer playing Guitar Hero instead?
Ruben: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with both of those. Except that we prefer Super Street fighter, Mortal Kombat, or Mario Party.

	Pic courtesy of: Bonded By Blood "If I see potential in a crowd, then sometimes I'll jump down and start the mosh for them. Sometimes a crowd just needs a little push."

HK: Thrash was built on a solid foundation of sweat-drenched tours. What vehicle of choice does the band use to reach its gigs and how insane have some of the shows been so far?
Ruben: We have what we like to call the RADwagon. It’s a 1992 family wagon in white and what used to be brown. It’s so faded that when I got the insurance for it, the lady wouldn't let me put brown anymore. She said the van is now “white and pink.” We've had a couple of mishaps with the RADwagon such as the water pump giving out, over-heating, and us suffering because the air conditioner doesn't work. All in all, I'd say the RADwagon, with its window curtains and the backseat, which converts into a bed, has done more good to us than it has bad.

HK: Regarding tours, didn't you just come off the Thrashing Like A Maniac thingy in the middle of this year? What kind of crazy shit was going down on and off the stage?
Ruben: The tour was awesome. We got to hang out and party with Merciless Death and tons of fans. We got to go outside of Southern California, which had only happened a few times for us. We also got a taste of life on the road. We are totally prepared to face whatever any tour brings us from now on.

HK: This is for Aladdin: What do you do to work the crowd? Do you affectionately refer to them as ‘motherfuckers’ and incite them to mosh?
Aladdin: Well, I do enjoy calling them motherfuckers affectionately of course. If I see potential in a crowd, then sometimes I'll jump down and start the mosh for them. Sometimes a crowd just needs a little push. Also, before a good song, I can point someone out, put the person on blast, and pressure that special someone to start the mosh going for everyone.

HK: With bands like Evile becoming known across Europe and Black Tide signed to a major label, why are so many kids discovering the music of a near-forgotten generation and embracing it like religion?
Ruben: I believe Thrash never went away on its own. It was more of the industry pushing Nu-Metal and grunge bands into the media. The industry is like religion itself. No one questions it, everyone's doing it so why not do it yourself, but somewhere out there, there are always people keeping the alternative alive. You’ll always listen to what’s popular before you find what you truly like. More and more people are making Thrash available, and the number of people that like Thrash is growing exponentially. Be thankful people can still think for themselves.

HK: Do you think there’s a connection between the current up-surge in thrash bands across the US following Machine Head’s “The Blackening,” the rise and decline of Metalcore as a genre, and Trivium’s “Crusade” album? Do you think the trends I mentioned contributed in preparing Metal audiences and the Metal labels for a shift toward the legendary Thrash bands and those who wish to carry the flag of those legends?
Ruben: I don’t think bigger bands are changing labels and the audience, I believe the new, rising bands are shaping the audience and labels while those bigger, more well-known bands, are changing themselves to stay where they are now.

HK: I want your impressions of the latest opuses from Exodus and Testament, namely ‘The Atrocity Exhibition’ and ‘Formation of Damnation’.
Ruben: Although I can’t say I really listened to both albums, I did go through them a couple of times. I believe both bands are still trying to do what they want to do, and I have respect for them both. If they come by my town, I am totally down to go support them. Juan bought both albums and I heard them from him. We enjoyed both albums, but I wouldn’t put them at the top of our list.

HK: Has Gary Holt or any member of Exodus ever given the band their blessing?
Ruben: Actually yes. A long time ago, Gary Holt sent us an e-mail saying something short like, “nice name, keep it real.” When we played with them at the Whisky in Hollywood, Tom Hunting told us, “nice set” and he chatted a bit with our drummer. We were a bit too shy to really talk to them then, and we regret it now. A lot of fans have also sent us e-mails telling us that they talked to Exodus about us, and they always have something positive to say. It doesn't sound like much, but the band likes to hear these things.

		Pic courtesy of: Bonded By Blood "No one in the band knew each other until we all got together. We have different kind of arguments than most bands. We have the normal arguments over what riffs should be kept and which should be dropped, but most of our arguments are about fights between Hulk, Superman, and (Dragon Ball Z’s) Goku, or something of that nature."

HK: Are you stoked about Exodus re-recording the album you're named after with vocalist Rob Dukes?
Ruben: We can't wait to hear it and we're prepared to buy the album. We heard it was going to be called “Let There Be Blood.” Maybe we're going to have our band name changed, hahaha!

HK: The nature of my work sometimes causes me to reflect deeply. I’d like to hear you’re your opinion on this matter, what purpose does interviewing bands and artists serve for Metal webzines?
Ruben: It’s awesome. It is a great way to put bands out there. People get to not just hear about us, but they also get the chance to know us a little better. We really appreciate everyone helping us, and if there’s anything we can do, just ask, and we’ll do our best to help.

HK: After all, you’re named after an Exodus album. How long will it be before another bunch of kids comes along and call themselves ‘First Strike Still Deadly’?
Ruben: Hahahaha! I don’t know, but when it happens, I hope they can live up to the name. I know we’re trying our hardest.

HK: What does ‘growing up’ mean to a bunch of young guns like you? And are there fights and misunderstandings that happen between you guys? How do you make up?
Ruben: No one in the band knew each other until we all got together. We have different kind of arguments than most bands. We have the normal arguments over what riffs should be kept and which should be dropped, but most of our arguments are about fights between Hulk, Superman, and (Dragon Ball Z’s) Goku, or something of that nature. We also enjoy making fun of each other and getting on each other’s nerves. But in the end, we only have each other as friends and bandmates, and we rely on each other a lot. We’re a close band, whether it’s noticeable or not.

HK: Are you counting the days before Bonded By Blood graces the shores and stages of Europe?
Ruben: Just 16 days, 8 hours and 23 minutes until our flight leaves from LA, but who is really counting?

HK: I’m glad I got to interview you guys, thanks Bonded By Blood! Is the band open to touring in Asia? Because where I am from, Thrash has a fairly humongous following.
Ruben: We don’t plan to ever stop touring, and we do not limit ourselves on where we want to tour either. The band would like to thank you for your time as well and we hope the best for you and everyone who gets to read this.