Call them the thinking man’s metal band. Misery Index writes politico-grind in the proud tradition of steadfast old school stalwarts Napalm Death and the defunct but seminal grind outfit Assuck, a band whose final album Misery Index borrowed their name from when the band was founded nearly a decade ago. The booklet for their third full length album, 2008’s Traitors, features thought-provoking quotes from historical figures, while the lyrics for the title track reference Thomas Paine, one of America’s founding fathers, which should come as a surprise to no one given the educational pedigree of the band’s last remaining original member, bassist Jason Netherton. Any metal head worth his spiked leather forearm bands will be familiar with Netherton as the former bassist of tech-death giants Dying Fetus. After experiencing something of a burnout during his time in DF, Netherton went on to not only finish college, but also earn his master’s degree in international communication before throwing himself back into the metal scene, a move that, unlike his educational endeavors, was entirely unplanned.

Sometimes, bands don’t know when it’s time to bow out gracefully. Well past their prime, they knock out a few more albums of mediocre material before leaving the game not by choice, but by necessity, and in a state of semi-disgrace; their hard-earned legacy, what’s left of it, tarnished by a smattering of ill-conceived material written in the band’s waning days. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. One gets the sense when talking to In Flames front man Anders Friden that his band, one of the forerunners of the melodic death metal Gothenburg sound, won’t let such a scenario befall them. Though they may not know exactly how long they have left, the continually evolving quintet will definitely know when it’s time to go, and if they continue on their present course, their legacy will be nothing less than sterling. In January, Friden spoke to Fight about In Flames’ recent recognition, their inspiration past and present, the ongoing battle of their friend and recently departed band mate Jesper Stromblad against alcohol addiction, and their plans for the future. (Editor’s Note: As of the time of this interview, Stromblad had not yet announced that he was leaving the band)

A million tiny, finger-shy strands must be intricately and meticulously threaded together in precisely numbered succession in order for a band to be successful and, in the beginning, nearly every one of those maddening threads is held, if only tentatively, within the grasp of the band itself. Obviously there are songs to be written and an image to be cultivated, along with personal and professional conduct to keep in line, and any one of these things can fly off the rails at any given time if a band doesn’t have at least one member in their ranks who can serve as the responsible conscience and great regulator of the others. Luckily for Lamb of God, their level-headed, Zen-like voice of reason, drummer Chris Adler, has been there every step of the way, from the band's early days as the instrumental act Burn the Priest, founded in 1990, to these current, heady days of muli-million unit album sales and Grammy nominations. From day one he's been the soft-spoken, but well-spoken, rational and responsible counter to front man Randy Blythe's brash punk rock rage, bassist John Campbell and guitarist Willie Adler's shared exploding-cigarette-and-wacky-tattoos sense of humor, and guitarist Mark Morton's quiet and yet overt confidence. In the beginning, there were no endorsement or record deals, no crowds of thousands finishing Blythe's tobacco-coated, vitriol laden screams every time he held his microphone aloft. There were just five guys bringing a decidedly punk attitude and aesthetic along with a truckload of heavy, thrashy southern groove to the Richmond motherfuckin' Virginia metal scene, as Chris recalls.

Fused by the bitter winter cold of remote northern Finland, Sonata Arctica has developed its own sound over the years, a mix of metal, hard rock and melody that has allowed the band to straddle the border between the underground metal scene and mainstream acceptance. No strangers to chart success and gold records at this point, the band appears poised to take the next step in their career, and could very well move on to the level of their countrymen and fellow melodic rockers Nightwish if the chart success and sales of their latest album, The Days of Grays, are an indication of what’s to come. Band spokesmen Tony Kakko (vocals) and Henrik Klingenberg (keyboards) spoke to Fight prior to their show on an appropriately chilly night in Taipei in early January.

Fight: Your bio describes Sonata Arctica as being from Kemi, Finland, a place that is on the edge of the world.    

Tony Kakko: It’s far away from everything else, including in Finland. We’re pretty remote, although we’re not the smallest town.