New Pyramaze Clips with Barlow

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/progpower-usa/297744-matt-barlow-new-pyramaze-voice.html

What the hell?

VERY strange, but exciting to see him coming back if its true!

I hope it's true. Matt's one of my favorite vocalists.

A better translation.

A few years have passed since Matt Barlow´s departure from Iced Earth and Matt never told us his point of view. For Rockhard he made an exception. And the best thing is: He is not just talking, he is also singing again!

Totally surprising he joined the danish Prog-Metalband Pyramaze.
I get in touch with Matt at 7 a.m. in Delaware, where he now lives with his wife and his 18 month old son and is working as a police officer. Matt is very realxed and chooses his words wisely.

Matt, at what point did you, for the first time, have the feeling that being the singer of Iced Earth is not what you want do in your future?

MATT: Iced Earth was not the problem. Not even 9/11 was the reason for my decision, but it was the final sign. It was a time, when I was thinking about what to do with my life. I think everybody has a stage in life, when he thinks about everything. Back then I was 31 years old, just married, but had no financial safety. The years with Iced Earth have been great. The tours and all the experiences with the fans will forever be a positive memory. But there was no constant in the career with Iced Earth, I really had no financial safety, because I never had a side-project like Jon, in which I could make money. I had a long conversation with my brother – who also works as a police officer- and I was sure, that becoming a police-officer was, what I wanted to do. Everybody who knows me can say, that this is not unusual for me. I never broke the law, I didn´t even get a ticket for driving too fast. I was never arrested. Others, who only saw the long-haired rocker in me, maybe didn´t understand this. But most metal-fans are very respectable. Their only crime might be smoking a joint.

As it was time to sign the contract for “The Glorious Burden” I hesitated and told Jon how I imagined my future. This contract would have tied me to Iced Earth for many more years. Jon and I decided, that I would do the vocals on “The Glorious Burden” and go on the road with the band and leave after that. As the vocals were finished, Jon once again talked to me, and told me that he was not happy with my singing. Moreover Tim Owens just left Priest and I realized very quickly that Jon would decide for Tim.

Six months later I went to police academy. Leaving Iced Earth was very emotional, because Jon and I have gone through so many things together. It was neither easy for him nor for me.

This sounds like there never was an argument between you and Jon. Even though Jon said a few not too nice things, for example that you never gave 100% for Iced Earth.

MATT: I´m sure he said that very shortly after the split when he still was very emotional. I don´t blame him for that. Since then we met a few times and there´s no bad blood between us. I even talked to Tim Owens a few times. He loves working with Iced Earth, I love my work, and so everybody is happy in the end.

As a police officer you have a very dangerous job. What was your wife´s reaction to your decision?

MATT: Oh yes she was concerned. Especially when I was in patrol. But we police officers are well trained. Furthermore, my area isn´t that dangerous, even though there are some places you better avoid. I´m not chasing criminals all the time, I try to help people. Of course, if I had to, I would go into a fight, but to me the most important thing is helping the kids in my area and giving them a perspective.

Of couse there are times when I really miss being on stage, because nowhere else you get that kind of an adrenalin rush. But the thing I miss the most is being creative. That´s why I was so interested, as Michael of PYRAMAZE called me. He wants to record music of high quality, but on the other side isn´t interesting in touring for months. I had offers of many other bands, but I don´t want to go on tour for an eternity. A few festivals and club shows – that is perfect and I can do that besides my job.

There was also a very short interview with Michael Kammeyer of Pyramaze in the magazine. Here´s what he said:

Michael, how did you do that as a young and mostly unknown band, to get such a singer as Matt Barlow, who already turned his back on the music business?

MICHAEL: Well, we already have some experience with american musicians, because our keyboarder comes from the United States, and our last singer Lance King was American too. I admit: The idea of Matt joining Pyramaze was absurd. But after I fired Lance, I took some time to think about a replacement. My absolute favorite was Matt Barlow, because I am a huge Iced Earth fan, since I first saw the band at the Wacken festival. And I knew, that Matt has a job, as the rest of Pyramaze does, and that he is not interested in doing long tours. So I decided to call him, because I had nothing to loose. What else could he do than say no.

But your old singer sounded very different than Matt.

MICHAEL: When we did our second record I asked Lance to do the vocals in a more powerful and rough way. I was sick of this clean vocals and the high voices.I mean, we do the music for ourselves, and it was clear to me, that our third record will be more powerful and rough.

Will you have do change your style of songwriting, to make the music fit to Matt´s voice?

MICHAEL: I don´t think so, because Matt is a real profesional, who can fit into every sound and still give it a personal note. We don´t want to sound like Iced Earth, and nobody should expect this. We are Pyramaze and our new singer is Matt Barlow – that´s it.

The next Pyramaze record is set to be released in spring 2008. After that the band wants to do some festival shows. Before that they still have to find a new record company, which will be no problem concerning the new line-up.

Totally legit!


---------------------------------------------------------------^^Not Tim Owens^^

fantastic! he was a great vocalist. i'm looking forward to hearing those pipes again.

but don't diss Tim.

Cool. I'm very interested. Never heard Pyramaze. I'll check it out. Glad to see Barlow back, he has an incredible voice.

Pyramaze is a great band, but they had a very different kind of vocalist. They had a falsetto type of squeeze-yer-balls vocalist. Barlow has a much deeper tone.

Barlow is much more aggressive sounding. more powerful than their previous vocalist. this will be interesting!

Read that yesterday at PM board and it is great news hope their sound is a little more heavier. With Lance King they were more melodic in nature.

Wargod48

Wow. This is something I did not expect to see. This is great news, Barlow is one of my very favourite metal vocalists. I'm shocked by this turn of events.

If you go to their myspace site:

http://www.myspace.com/pyramaze

Statements from Michael Kammeyer and Matt Barlow

Statement from Michael Kammeyer:

I'm very happy to finally announce our new singer.
Matthew Barlow (former vocalist of the American metal band Iced Earth) will be taking over the job as Pyramaze vocalist. I've been in dialogue with Matt about his comeback for a few months now, and after we've been getting to know each other better and doing a few test demos where Matt has re-recorded a couple of our old songs, we've come to the conclusion that we are a perfect match. I've always regarded Matt as one of the very best voices in metal, and I was (as any other fan of his incredible voice) saddened by his departure from the metal scene a few years ago. Therefore I'm proud to say that Matt is back, stronger than ever, and from now on officially a part of the Pyramaze Fellowship. We are currently in a song-writing mode, and we expect to enter the studio early 2008 with Matt behind the mic. I hope and believe that old as well as new fans will welcome Matt into the Pyramaze line-up. I now leave you with these great news, and with Matt's statement below.
Cheers!

M. Kammeyer / Pyramaze





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Statement from Matthew Barlow:


Brothers and sisters... The last time I made a statement to the metal community it was one of sorrow but certainly not one of regret.

There are people, things and experiences - once not thought possible - that I have attained in the last several years. It's an extension of friends and family that has truly made my life whole, and one that I would not jeopardize for fame and glory.

That thought in mind, I was posed an interesting proposition by a true talent in heavy metal. Honestly, I had not heard a lot about Pyramaze, when I received an e-mail from Michael. After our initial correspondence I began to realize that this was a guy that really had his head in the right place - a musician who was in music for the music. Michael spoke to me of his band - a bunch of guys who want to put out solid music but would not sacrifice their souls to attain greatness. This is by no means a slam on I.E. or any of the great musicians I have worked with in the past. It simply means that the music industry can suck you in, chew you up, and spit you out if you don't keep firmly planted on the ground. Pyramaze are working class metal heads with something to prove! Metal is what they live for but it is not their livelihood.

Needless to say, I was instantly intrigued by Michael's delivery. Especially considering the nature of my career choice of late. I wondered if Michael had really thought the courting process through. I'm sure that there are some people that never really understood my reasons for leaving the industry and certainly don't like who or what i represent in my current vocation. There is also the fact that Pyramaze has been rather stereotyped as a prog-metal act and I as Satan / Paul Stanley. What kind of crazy mixed up world is this????

Well... The way I see it... I'm in a point in my life, where I love what I do for a living and for the first time, I can support myself and my family doing it. Now for the other great thing... That's how this band thinks. There is no expectation of co-signing (under the name Mephistopheles) in order to have your record sell. The record will sell if the music is great. The music will be great, because the guys doing it, want to do it... For all the right reasons. Pyramaze has proven that!

I sense hesitation... And rightly so... After all, there are a lot of I.E. fans out there that still just don't get it. I would imagine that there are also Pyramaze fans that love what Mr. King did for this band. Hell, I love what he did for this band! I think that the guy is a true talent and feel the same about Tim Owens (that's Ripper to you!). I also feel, that in the same way I.E. fans have taken Tim into the fold, I too can find a place within the Pyramaze family. I would venture to say that Pyramaze, already unique and uncompromising, will not be placed inside of a prog-metal box once the sparks start flying.

I am really looking forward to working with Michael and the guys!!! I also look forward to hearing feedback from the brethren and sisterhood of metal.

Up from the ashes, back from the depths, when the voices have risen, fire becomes flesh!

Barlow.

That's some cool news. That will really put Pyramaze on the map.

Wow! Interesting news! This could help Pyramaze break out of the underground a bit more as well. Good news.

Very cool...I knew Barlow could not stay away...

This is exciting and scary at the same time. I mean I LOVED Barlow in IE, and I LOVE both the Pyramaze discs w/Lance, but i'm not that sure that 2 will match. This will be the same as with Masterplan. There is no replacing Jorn, and there will be no replacing Lance. It will be 2 different bands!

Having checked out Pyramaze, it seems like having Matt Barlow will radically alter their sound. I'm sure it'll sound great, it's just definitely going to be a departure from these smoothly clean vocals.

kmorg wrote:

This is exciting and scary at the same time. I mean I LOVED Barlow in IE, and I LOVE both the Pyramaze discs w/Lance, but i'm not that sure that 2 will match. This will be the same as with Masterplan. There is no replacing Jorn, and there will be no replacing Lance. It will be 2 different bands!

I don't even understand why so many people are upset about Jorn leaving. Mike DiMeo sounds very much like Jorn.

I do think Pyramaze will sound very different, though. Unless Matt sings in a higher range just to prove that Tim Owens could lose his job with Iced Earth at any moment. Haha.

I read this the other day. Very Cool. I like Pyramaze and Barlow. Why did he have to cut his trademark long red hair?

GrandNational wrote:

I read this the other day. Very Cool. I like Pyramaze and Barlow. Why did he have to cut his trademark long red hair?

Because he's a cop, not a bounty hunter.

Eyesore wrote:

GrandNational wrote:

I read this the other day. Very Cool. I like Pyramaze and Barlow. Why did he have to cut his trademark long red hair?

Because he's a cop, not a bounty hunter.

That's right, he did join the law enforcement when he left I.E.

Yea, Matt's a state trooper in Delaware. Seems that was one of the reasons he joined this particular band, they're not a full-time recording and touring machine, so he'll be able to keep his day job and still get his metal on during his days off

Fat Freddy wrote:

Yea, Matt's a state trooper in Delaware.

The safest job on the planet next to Teddy Bear Herder.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Fat Freddy wrote:

Yea, Matt's a state trooper in Delaware.

The safest job on the planet next to Teddy Bear Herder.

I keep thinking of that bit in "Wayne's World"... "Wow...we're in... Delaware."