Residing in an oasis of potential unleashed Canada’s own CRADLE TO GRAVE lets out a brutal hashing of extreme thrash musical metal of powerful proportions with their self entitled release. Letting loose the inner thoughts behind the bands origins, aspects of recording to the bands down home southern way of musical variations guitarist Sasquatch being a true gentlemen lets loose his thoughts of what makes this group such a creation itself.

Jussi: Would like to say first of all a good album well done. I was wondering how the band came about the name. When I first heard of CRADLE TO GRAVE I thought of COF, and instantly thought of a black metal band. Does that ever happen to you guys?
Sasquatch: Thank you. Greg (singer) came up with the name and we liked it right away. I understood that using the word "Cradle" would get us some COF confusion and we could be tag as a Black Metal band but really it's only a matter of time until it goes away. Look at "Down", "System Of A Down" & "Downset"...or "Black Sabbath", "Black Label Society" & "Blackfoot"... After a while your sound stands on your own and so his your name.

Jussi: With CRADLE TO GRAVE’s sound would you say that the band adds more to than most traditional extreme thrash bands out there considering with track Nuclear Flowers for which adds some funk groove disco parts to it and then it breaks into the heavier aspects?
Sasquatch: Well why sound like everybody else? Plus we made a pact on day one of the band formation saying they would not be any musical restriction in the band. We are all into Mr. Bungle, Franz Zappa, GWAR and weird shit and as well I always liked 70's funk/porn music/disco...So....It's only the beginning.

Jussi: With the bands self-titled album was there additional elements that went into the recording mix that came out differently that what was expected?
Sasquatch: Yes. Both songs Just Cause & Nuclear Flowers are not even close to what it should be. Just Cause is probably a minute shorter live. No kidding. Greg's voice on Nuclear Flowers is not is best take. It's good but he did it way better on our "Lifespan Sessions" demo, my slide guitar on Sunrise Sunset can't be heard, Crown Of Snakes is missing the violence we demonstrate live. With new drummer Zeus & second guitarist Scott "cup cake" Dennis we have now the sound we are looking for and we will not make rookie mistakes again for our next project. Wounded was written a day before we started to record. It's nice to be able to add up to the creativity process as we go. It's fresh & pure...Well as pure as we can get… :-))

Jussi: As with CTG influences do you think the band adds some of these musical elements into this latest release?
Sasquatch: For sure. We are all listening to different stuff that range from country to extreme black metal so anything is possible. The key here is no restrictions.

Jussi: For being a Canadian band CTG displays almost a southern Texas feel vibe do you think that this has to play into the influences that the group draws from?
Sasquatch: Well there is a twist behind our sound. I lived many years of my life in Florida where I discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, The Allman Brothers, Blackfoot, The Outlaws, Charlie Daniels Band, etc...When I put an add in the paper looking for a band up here in Vancouver, BC I was looking for musicians who would understand and love that Southern Rock vibe and funny enough when I arrived at Greg's house and met those fuckers for the first time, Skynyrd was blasting inside the jam space. It was love at first sight. To me it is still a mystery why 2 guys from BC love Skynyrd so much. Especially young guys like em'.

Jussi: Any current news to report on the group?
Sasquatch: We are hard at work writing new material for our next CD. We have 7 songs done and they sound killer. With Scott's addition we have now 2 band members that can write with Greg so it is a lot easier. We should enter the studio mid-September. We will have a video out shortly as well.

Jussi: Was there one thing that the band wanted to do different with any of the songs in the recording process?
Sasquatch: Some of them are too slow. Some of them don’t sound right. You have to realize that this whole album was recorded in one take. It was paid from our pockets so not much room to improve and improvise.

Jussi: Any planned shows in the upcoming future? If so are there any US dates?
Sasquatch: We are playing Seattle, WA October 1st and probably Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles in January. We should hit the Eastern United States sometimes next year.

Jussi: Can you give me a brief introduction as how the group formed?
Sasquatch: I moved to Vancouver in July 2000. Played with idiots for about a year and a half then put an ad in the local music magazine. Greg emailed me (he is too anti-social to pick up the phone and call) in February 2002. We played the first time together the same day Canada won the Hockey Gold Medal at the Salt Lake City winter Olympics. We had some issues with drummers (most people have) and we finally got Zeus and then Scott joined in January of this year. It's one of the best team I ever had the chance to work with.

Jussi: What do you think are some of the song strengths to this self-titled release? Any favorite song that band likes to cover?
Sasquatch: I personally think that only half of the CD is good. I think that As We Lay Dying, Projectile, Southern Oak & Shut My Eyes are dead on. Every other song could have been written better or in some case recorded better. But the day you will be satisfied with your recordings is the day you can retired… :-)) We still play the above 4 songs plus Nuclear Flowers (fan favorite). Just Cause, Sunrise Sunset, The Manipulated Dead & Crown Of Snakes regularly.

Jussi: If you can explain what makes CTG a band like none other in a sentence, how would you describe the group?
Sasquatch: We have no musical restrictions and thrive on surprising the listener.

Jussi: Any groups that CTG shared a concert bill with? Any group in particular that is a favorite?
Sasquatch: We played with Infernal Majesty, Dayglo Abortions, Quo Vadis, Aggression and many others. There are so many different bands we liked that pin-pointed one would be impossible.

Jussi: Where do you see the group progressing towards in the next 2 years?
Sasquatch: Only Satan knows... :-))

Jussi: Wanted to say thanks for allowing Nocturnal Hall to get the chance to interview you and CRADLE OF GRAVE. Keep up the good work and looking forward to hearing more music from the band in the near future.
Sasquatch: Thank you Nocturnal Hall for keeping metal music alive!!