Hurtlocker Interview

Just a year after their debut Fear In A Handful Of Dust, Hurtlocker returns with their sophomore effort. Embrace The Fall proves the Chicago thrash band is maturing and improving. Guitarist Tim Moe fills us in on the new album, Hurtlocker’s tour plans, the resurrection of thrash and the not so great metal scene in Chicago.

Chad Bowar: How did the band's sound evolve from Fear In A Handful Of Dust to Embrace The Fall?
Tim Moe: We took a different approach on the new album. For Fear In A Handful Of Dust it was like, let’s just slay everybody and leave them hurting. With Embrace the Fall we wanted the listeners to walk away with the songs stuck in their heads. That’s not to say that we lightened the load and changed direction, because it still is very much Hurtlocker, but we have grown as musicians and I think you can hear that on this record.

How's the metal scene in Chicago?
This town is no good for a metal band. I think if you want to play in a cover band this is your town, but the metal scene here is bad. I really wish that would change, but it has been bad for quite a while now.

Why do you think thrash is making such a strong comeback the last couple of years?
It's a great genre. I think if you look at all the pioneers of the genre, and like you said some of them are returning to the scene. Metal in general is always something that has flourished as an underground , kind of scowled at music. The only people that get it are the ones that the music is written for.

Read the complete Hurtlocker Interview

(photo courtesy Napalm Records)