Visitors of Metal To Infinity webzine who check out our online information from time to time will already have noticed that I’d like my Metal most of all when shred guitar tactics appear. Yeah, I really have a burning passion for guitar virtuoso since many years ago actually. Early 80s and the US Metal compilation albums on Shrapnel Records – these vinyl long players caused some kinda spark deep inside my body… from then, Metal music with flaming and hot boiling shred guitar duties stole my heart. Tons of great guitar wizards I can mention right now but I refuse to do – instead I’d like to have a talk with one of my favourite axe wielders, Mr. Toby Knapp from the United States.

Q: Hey Toby – thx for your time first of all! What’s up there in the US at the moment man? 

A: Hello Stefan! Currently I am preparing for the release of two albums on two great labels, "The Campaign" which is a solo album coming out on Shredguy Records and an album from Godless Rising "Trumpet of Triumph" on Moribund Records. Godless Rising will be touring hopefully in January 2010, but we also have alot of other great shows for later in the year. Things are going very well.

Q: Can you remember when you took a guitar in hands for the very first time?

A: I started taking lessons with an acoustic guitar when I was around 10, but my fingers were so little I couldn't play chords. I became very discouraged and quit..........temporarily of course. I couldn't even play "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Q: What pulled you over the line to become a guitar player and who were your idols back then? 

A: This also applies to the last question. I saw the Led Zeppelin concert film "The Song Remains the Same" and when the film was over, I picked the guitar back up thanks to Jimmy Page and never turned away from the instrument again. Had I not saw that concert film at that time I do not know if I would have become interested again. I have named my latest solo album "The Campaign" as a salute to Jimmy Page. The Led Zeppelin tune "The Song Remains the Same" was originally called "The Campaign" until Robert Plant put his vocals to it.

Q: Can you tell me something about the guitar equipment you’ve started with? 

A: First it was cheap Les Paul copies, then I tried some Ibanez and Jackson guitars which I didn't like, I tried a Gibson Explorer and a "V" guitar and it just wasn't me. So I saved some money and purchased a stock Lake Placid Blue Fender Stratocaster, that was in 1988, and I am using that same guitar on this latest solo album. It's perfect. Plus I am a huge Yngwie Malmsteen, Hendrix and Ritchie Blackmore fan, so a Strat seemed logical and much more in my budget than a Les Paul.

Q: Is it true you were actually discovered by the almighty Mike Varney? You’ve signed a deal with Mike’s label Shrapnel Records back then – must have been an unforgettable experience for a young musician like you, right? 

A: Absolutely. I signed to Shrapnel when I was the ripe old age of 20 which resulted in my debut album "Guitar Distortion". The guitarist for Apocrypha, Tony Fredianelli produced it and legendary drummer Ray Luzier came in and kicked some serious ass on that album. I was blown away working with such high caliber musicians and Mike Varney knew I was a vinyl collector so he sent me as many Shrapnel LP's as he could, that was almost as exciting as recording the God damn album! It really was a great experience.

Q: Through Shrapnel Records, your first album saw the world – what kinda effort was it actually? Only instrumental compositions an the tracklist or not? 

A: It was instrumental thrash/death metal with few solos and riff after riff. We did alot of strange time signatures and most of the rhythms are highly complex. That record still sells and I know firsthand, it influenced some big name guitarists. We decided to not fill it with guitar solos and concentrate on outrageous compositions, It was Shrapnel's heaviest album, maybe it still is.

Q: Debuted on one of the most prestigious Record labels who gave birth to such a great of phenomenal shredders – first with the almighty US Metal compilations albums, followed by many other awesome albums – can you tell me what such an experience does with someone’s way of living. All around the world, your first album was sold! 

A: Roadrunner released it in Europe and Sony in Asian countries I believe. It did not change my way of living, but it did give me some much needed self-confidence. Just the fact that my then favorite record label put my first album out made me realize it was the beginning of a life dedicated to music. There has been difficult times since then, but I always come back stronger because I knew if Mike Varney believed in me, I must have something to offer listeners.

Q: What about the reactions from both national and international borders? 

A: Much better reaction in the US, it sold very well here. Overseas it was okay, I remember getting alot of fan letters from France and Hungary. The thing about "Guitar Distortion" is that it was ahead of it's time, and as the years went by, people began to discover it and go "yeah, now I get it". I've taken alot of praise for making that album as well as some insults because it was so different than the other Shrapnel albums, some fans got pissed. Who cares? I never saw their albums on Shrapnel.

Q: The following years, you kept going on without no looking back. Teaching guitar, giving guitar clinics, collaboration with S.I.T. strings and so on… 24 hours to enjoy in one day for everyone on earth but I'm sure that ain’t enough for a guy like you… some many activities to take care of in one day – an explanation please. 

A: I still have to work a regular job and sometimes things get so busy I wish there was more time in the day. In 2009 I wrote all the music for the Godless Rising album, licensed my solo album "Misanthropy Divine" to Germany's Rock It Up records, toured Canada playing guitar for Darkane and almost joined Mayhem from Norway, then I signed with Shreduy Records and recorded the new solo album. Searched high and low for a Godless Rising touring line-up, Vital Remains asked me to tour with them in 2009 but I didn't because they were considering me as a full time member in 2006, got my hopes up and then just blew me off, what comes around goes around.

Q: Somewhere at the end of the nineties, you formed the band Onward which is a fantastic US Metal to me… how everything came to be Toby? 

A: At that point in time I was signed to Defiled Records with my Black Metal project Darken. The president asked if I would be interested in doing a traditional metal record. I wrote all the music for 8 songs, formed a band with no vocalist figuring we would find one later to finish the album, then we recorded the 8 songs in a couple of days in a studio in Denver, Co. Then Defiled sold my contract to Denis Gulby and Sentinel Steel records realizing Denis could really help us out. Denis introduced me to Michael Grant, and Michael went and laid down his vocals in L.A.

Denis financed the rest of the album's mixing and mastering and intended to release it on his label. He sent out a few cd's of the album and they got into the hands of Century Media and Metal Blade, both labels wanted to sign us and release the album. Century Media won the album and it did extremely well for us.

Q: "Evermoving" and "Reawaken" are outstanding, favourite albums of mine – any idea how many times these efforts were sold? Don’t know for sure if the band’s still active or not at the moment. I know some guys left the ranks to enjoy other units – do you know more about it? 

A: I'm not exactly sure, they both did very good and I remember "Reawaken" sold 800 units in the US within a week of release based on soundscan alone, which is excellent business for a new band. CM were very pleased. The band is not active, but everyone has other things going on. I think everyone is happier now, I am. Looking back, I do have alot of respect for Michael Grant, Chris Payette and Jon Pereau, they were good guys and we had some great times. I wish only the best for them.

Q: There is a third Onward album entitled "The Neverending Sun" – unreleased songs on the songlist but which label released this album / where to order?

A:  I originally released a few hundred on my own label, Spectral Evidence, but with the demand for this recording I needed the help of a proper label to really get it out there, and that was Metalbolic Records. I don't know if it's sold out, but I do know if you look up Sentinel Steel, amazon or e-bay, the fan might find success in getting a copy.

Q: You’ve seen surely a big part of the world while shredding numerous stages – biggest experience on stage was? 

A: Too numerous too mention, whether it be playing in front of a thousand screaming fans who know every part of your music or playing in a cover band and really having a good time. When I went on the road with Darkane, alot of people stopped me in Canada with a pen in their hand and a stack of my cd's saying "we don't care about Darkane or Soilwork we just wanted to see you play". That is not a slam to either band, just a fact.

Q: Ever swum into troubled water – most nightmare experience so far, what about that?

A: I almost died on tour with Onward years back. We were going to LA and San Diego for some shows and such, I traveled in a camper, it broke down and stopped dead on the L.A. freeway during rush hour.....the next thing I remember is people carrying me outside of the RV because I had past out due to Carbon Monoxide. I was fading out, just about ready to begin my journey to Hell, but they carried me out and helped bring me back to consciousness. A few hours later I was on stage in San Diego.

Q: Other bands to announce you were involved with through the years? 

A: So many in one way or another, Onward, which was my band, Mayhem wanted me and now I am working with the vocalist Attila. Vital Remains wasted alot of my time.......currently I am a solo artist and the composer/guitarist for Godless Rising which features Vital Remains co-founder Jeff Gruslin on vocals. I was going to do some guest solos on the upcoming New Eden album but just ran out of time and didn't want to mess up their schedule. I tell you one thing, New Eden's new music is some serious kick ass metal, hopefully I'll get to do something with them sometime.

Q: Can I ask you what exactly means a great skilled guitarist to you? Is it right that everything starts with the right equipment – if you haven’t the right stuff, forget about it. Correct or not? 

A: Equpiment? No. It's in your heart, soul and in your fingers. Equipment has nothing to do with it. I know spoiled rotten kids who get top of the line equipment, but their actual playing doesn't improve, they just suck worse because they are louder. If your destiny is guitar, so it shall be, a piece of equipment definitely does not determine how far you will go. I know so many idiots that think once they have the perfect set up and sound, they can create a masterpiece and rule the world. Bullshit, Bullshit!! All you need is real, unadulterated inspiration. Grab a Strat and a Marshall combo and get out there and do your thing.

Q: While giving guitar lessons to your student – what is the first move you try to learn them? 

A: I help my friends out a bit. It matters to me what they want to achieve, I usually ask "what's your ultimate goal, the ultimate sound you are trying to achieve?" they let me know, and I work from what the student desires. I add my own theory and philosophy to the lessons, but ultimately, keep your student interested and inspired by talking about the music they like. It's their money, help them with what they want!! My guitar teacher, Paul Lenz, was brilliant...... I called him when I was a little kid and said "help me play like Jimmy Page"! He then showed me a pentatonic scale phrased a certain way, and I was pissed. Then I practiced what he showed me and realized it was the main riff to Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker"! Holy shit, the joy I had once I realized he was using Page and Blackmore stuff to actually trick me into understanding music theory, the perfect teacher, he made it fun.

Q: Did you see some of your students grow out as a real professional active in a band? 

A: Alot of my students have went on to do great things, some are fucking music teachers at big schools now! Others refuse to give me due credit and that's why I don't teach anymore. If I wasn't so involved with recording, teaching, playing, leading the way and setting the standards here in this part of the country, there probably wouldn't be much going on, but everyone in this area has rock star delusions of grandeur, everyone has a cd, everyone makes themselves out to be important, in reality nobody has done anything significant. For example, during the year when Onward were very active touring and promoting "Reawaken", I had no time to teach, I was on the phone constantly, getting business taken care of, and this fucking ex-student calls and calls, begs and begs after I told him a million times "I am not teaching right now", he finally showed up at my house and begged for just one lesson, finally I scheduled it for him and the fucker never showed up. That's the way alot of musicians are around here. He blew me off on purpose because he was jealous.

Q: Besides a third Toby Knapp effort ‘’Polarizing lines’’, I’ve read something about a Black Metal masterpiece, Waxen’s "Fumaroth". Never heard of – help me out. 

A: The listener must realize, "Polarizing Lines" is an album that can go head to head with any shred album out there. It has everything, I advise guitarists to track this album down. Waxen's "Fumaroth" is the ultimate Black Metal cd, it has a crazy fan base just how I intended it. It is cold, minimalistic Black Metal based on apocalyptic themes, I also utilize technical guitar parts at times and that is what makes it unique. For the most part it is cold and bombastic, but the musicianship is strong. Waxen's "Fumaroth" and my solo cd "Polarizing Lines" were recorded back to back and released by Metalbolic Records, there are some distros like Full Moon Productions and Sentinel Steel, all the titles can be found on amazon and e-bay as well.

Q: "Misanthropy Divine" is album number four in line, released in 2008 and yes, great one to me Toby. I gave the very high rating of 98 / 100… very versatile album with both intense and aggressive movements to detect. What is your own meaning on this album?

A: "Misanthropy Divine" is quite an interesting record. I was heavy into the Police, Rush, Robert Fripp and Jimmy Page chord voicings on that album, subsequently there are some clean and pleasant tones as well as some over the top brutality such as heard on "Flies" and "Entity Unseen". It is an experimental/prog album all the way and having Dean Sternberg sing on half the album really sent it over the top, I am pleased with the outcome of that record. 

TOBY KNAPP and DEAN STERNBERG

Q: Mike from Shredguy Records told me there is a new Toby Knapp album well underway to be released in the early days of 2010. First of all, from where the collaboration with Shredguy Records? 

A: The collaboration with Shredguy? It was just a natural progression. Shredguy owner Mike Mcdowell was a fan of some of my music and I was very impressed with what he was doing, the way he was helping musicians simply because he loves music and guitar. I hinted I was going to be recording new material soon and he and I just clicked. It is an album I have wanted to make, it is an album he wanted to release. I have very positive feelings about the whole situation, Mike rules. by now many guitarists know that.

Q: What can we expect from the new album Toby? Nothing but instrumentals or can we look forward to tracks with singing parts? 

A: It will be similar to "Misanthropy Divine" but darker and more focused. The sound quality will be better and Dean Sternberg will be returning to guest on some vocal tracks. I also have a talented vocalist named Tom Cline who is going to do a song, a total rock song in the vein of Led Zeppelin. Mayhem vocalist Attila Csihar agreed to do a track, so I have sent him a song to work on, but he is so busy, I can't guarantee he will meet the deadline. If he doesn't, we will have to collaborate when his schedule isn't so hectic, but hey, Attila may very well appear on this forthcoming album. We will see!

Q: When exactly the new Toby Knapp album shall see daylight? 

A: January 2010 "The Campaign" will be available! I am excited for people to hear this album, it is so pissed off musically and the cover is incredible. Shredguy have been doing alot of cool promo for it, as much as Century Media did with Onward and more than Varney did when I was on Shrapnel.

Q: You also worked something out with band called Godless Rising – what type of Metal play these guys? 

A: There is a "new" Godless Rising because I am the sole music composer on the forthcoming album, replacing previous line-ups. Godless Rising is traditional Heavy Metal with elements of Death, Black and even Neo-Classical metal. Just think about the original Vital Remains singer collaborating with Onward's guitarist, it worked very nicely and this album sounds incredible. We will hopefully be busy touring alot for this, it's release date is Feb. 9th on Moribund Records.

Q: As good as your career as a top notch guitarist looks so far – also the future seems outstanding. You deserves it brother – working fingers to the bone all days long since many many years led you to where you are right now – on top of the ‘world of the International shred’ where you belong for sure. I hope to get the chance to hear your new album to review early 2010. Expectations are high but I'm sure you won’t let us down. All the best brother – something to say before breaking up the connections? 

A: All I can say is thank you for taking the time to listen to the music and all your positive feedback on what I am doing. I also say hello to all your readers and a big hello to all my supporters. Support UNDERGROUND METAL!! I hope to see many of you in 2010 and Onward!