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The name Jack Frost is known in the metal community for his work with several bands and projects. His main band is Seven Witches, but many know him from his work with Savatage, Metalium, Bronx Casket Co. and others. Early this year Jack's Seven Witches released their 4th studio album Passage To The Other Side. Now just a few months later a solo album - Raise Your Fist To Metal - gets in the stores. Unusual is that the songs were written by the Raise Your Fist band. "You know me, I never been that way, I always loved to work with different people. To get input from other people," Jack explains. "Beside that it came naturally, coz this is an all-friend project. I did this album with 14 of my closest friends." That seems to be the secret behind, coz this album sounds not like a project thing. "Sure, this is like a family." For Seven Witches' Passage To The Other Side they got good reviews everywhere, but didn't came on tour in Europe... "We were too late for the festivals and then nothing came up. First we got a tour offered in the States, but I didn't want to do it without Joey who was busy with Fates Warning." Now the Witches will come on tour at the time Jack's 'solo' album will get into the stores... So, fans don't really know what to expect. "This is a Seven Witches tour. Unfortunately Joey is booked for a Metal Blade record and can't come with us. I talked to some of my friends who played on Raise Your Fist To Metal, but Mike Duda (W.A.S.P.) was busy and so where others. Now Dennis Haze is coming on tour with us." Some fans here in Europe might be disappointed. "Well, actually I didn't want to do the tour, but Joey started jelling at me 'Don't turn up the tour!'" In Seven Witches Joey Vera is the most important part beside Jack and his closest friend. Even if there was a line-up change - Wade Black is out and James Rivera (Helstar, Destiny's End) is in - the band has in drummer Brian Craig and bassist Joey Vera a stable line-up. Joey Vera is already so important that he can't be replaced. "Believe it or not, but James already is a very important part of the band. He can't be replaced, too. James is live even better then on CD!" Something they proofed at the shows with Symphony X in the States. A great experience for the quartet. Most shows were sold out, a good possibility to introduce themselves to a larger audience. On a Seven Witches tour he won't play songs from Raise You Fist To Metal, so will we ever get the chance to hear these songs live? "The problem is not only to get everybody together, it's too expensive to tour with several singers and bassists, drummers, etc. But I think about doing a handful of shows next summer. To bring my band and two or three singers. Perhaps one show in Germany, one in Greece... If we should do that, we will record the shows for a live album and DVD." "And what about a Seven Witches live album / DVD?" you might ask. Well, there are plans... "We already wrote a lot of new stuff for the next Seven Witches album. The album should be out in time that we can play all the important festivals like Gods of Metal, Sweden Rock, etc. Meanwhile we will record some video stuff during the recordings of the coming album." Some 'behind the scenes' material for a DVD they will do somewhere in future. And another surprise might be the cover versions Mr. Frost will present on the next Seven Witches album. "Everybody called me crazy when I said that I'll do a Def Leppard song. Or when we did Grim Reaper's See You In Hell. You know I like this obscure stuff. Lack Of Communication is one of this obscure songs. I remember when I saw them live, I was 13 years old and it was really cool. I just wanted to make it sound real heavy. Make it sound up-to-date. I picked Fight Fire With Fire coz I'm a huge Kansas fan. It's my way to say thank you to them. Kansas influenced me and always been one of my favorites. But I wanted to do it Jack-style!" To record 2 cover versions for a 10-track album is unusual, too. "Actually it was planned to do more covers. To do it 50/50. We started working, recording and things really start to come together. It happened naturally." It seems that we will hear and see a lot of Jack Frost in future. His life is his music. He's a workaholic. Next on his schedule is the Seven Witches tour with Overkill in Europe, then the next Witches album, festivals, etc.... Looking forward to see you on stage!
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