Goolsby: We love what we do. I think that shows in every aspect of our lives. I feel like people pick up on that when they meet us. We have always cared about our fans and have always tried to go out of our way to make them feel like part of the band because in a sense they are. Not because it seems like the nice thing to do, but because I don't see any other way. Were where we are, wherever that is, because of honest dedication and honest appreciation for all we have. Without the fans you are nothing. Our fans are our family.

TB: I'm really flattered when I hear that, we all are. But I think people can see that we are genuine in what we are doing, and it translates into everything from our live shows to our albums to just talking to us at shows. You also have to consider that we've carved out a certain degree of success within this genre because we've done it on a DIY grassroots level. Nothing has ever been handed to us, and I think people respect that.

Recently, Goolsby has joined Mister Monster and J-Sin has joined Blitzkid. What affects if any has this put on recording or live performances?

Goolsby:Obviously it adds a new dimension to songwriting. Both J-Sin and I share similar songwriting styles yet they're both distinct of one another. Combined and tailored we have arrived at quite a few interesting turns in songs that I believe if independently explored without one another's aid would have been missed. Live performances follow this same blueprint. Live performances are all about radiating energy into the crowd, receiving a reception of that energy back, and constituting a cycle; a cycle that if created under the right atmosphere can be a very powerful thing. With J-Sin in BK and me in MM we have just added one more conductor for energy that in turn provides that much more of a force.

TB: Gools joining Mister Monster has given J-Sin and Adam another great songwriter/singer to bounce ideas off of, the same can be said for J-Sin joining BK. It hasn't put any affects on recording or live performances other than adding some thickness to our arrangements and more dynamics song wise. Live performances are definitely more energetic as a result of J-Sin playing with us.

From Revisited to Trace of a Stranger to everything in between, with every album it's easy to see the band evolve and mature. Can we expect this trend to continue on your upcoming album?

Goolsby:Absolutely, because we have always understood the importance to evolve. It's important to find your own sound, but it's redundant to sit on it over and over. You might find success with a certain style, but if you don't go below the surface and explore other avenues of expression you are going to fade. All music is connected on some level. You have to find which outside elements work the best and bring them to the surface. With so much music to glean from it's ridiculous to say any genre is limiting. It's all connected somehow either by theory or foundation so you're left with nothing but endless avenues to explore. if you dedicate yourself to being a musician you will find this naturally. If you just play in a band you might not.

TB: As Gools said, we've always recognized the importance of a band evolving stylistically and sonically. We could rewrite Let Flowers Die and Terrifying Tales a thousand times over, but there is no personal fulfillment in that for us. Many fans may appreciate the fact that we'd stay true to a formula, but there are just as many fans who've come to appreciate the curveballs we've thrown them with every new record as well. And yes, with the new album we're giving you everything we've got from melody, to aggression, to melancholy. It's our most diverse record yet. A highlight for me was working with Fang Alphamayle of the Serpenteens in NYC for the vocals, he definitely brought out the best in Gools and myself as singers and the vocal patterns are so layered and dynamic this time around. This will also be the best sound quality we've ever received, and I think it will make the songs stand out that much more. We've always had the songs, just never had the recording quality to highlight them.

You're scheduled to release an album sometime shortly on Fiend Force Records. What can we expect from this new release?

Goolsby: Evolution. Teeth. Harmony and urgency.

TB: People will either love it or hate it, which seems to be the case with every album we release. Having said that though, I think this is going to be THE record people refer to when it comes to "their absolute favorite Blitzkid album". We're also going to try to make it back over to Europe and finally, pull off a full scale US tour if we can.

Speaking of your new release, I've heard rumors about Paul Lifeless (A Lifeless Alliance, Gotham Rd.) picking up the drum duties. What can you tell me about that?

Goolsby: Paul provided his skills for the albums recording. He will not be joining the band as a result. We just felt that his abilities captured the essence this album needed to reveal. Paul is one of our best friends and we are tight. He is a no nonsense person with an incredible talent and understanding for this type of music.

TB: Paulie is an incredible drummer and a great friend to the band, and he agreed to do it no problem. As a testament to his talent, he learned the songs for the record with only a demo cassette Goolsby sent him and two rehearsals. He will not be joining the band, it was just a case of Rhea not being that well versed on the new stuff, he was I agreement with us, so we asked Paulie to play on the record. Rhea will be playing all of the new songs live though.

Blitzkid has done a split with Mister Monster and The Spook. Who is the next band you'd like to perform a split with?

Goolsby: THE OTHER.

TB: I'd love to do something along those lines with the Rosedales or Nim VInd.

On the import version of Trace of a Stranger, you guys re-recorded "Slaughter at the Sockhop" from your first release "Revisited". Why did you add an extra track and what made you decide to choose 'Slaughter'?

Goolsby: At that point we felt we had reached full circle. We had circumvented a very wide range of development and felt like we had reached our sound and carved our own niche (by our own standards) into the face of death rock. It was our first horror rock song and we had just completed what we felt was a horror rock album we could be proud of. It was a nice knot to tie it all off with.

TB: We wanted to include that song, because as Gools said, we felt like TOAS was us turning a corner and coming full circle within finding our own sound. It was a nice addition for the fans who've been there with us from the beginning, and a way to say thank you for that. It represents us at our greatest infancy as a band, but is included as a definite nod to our past while recognizing the future.

Being on many different compilations (This is Horror Punk vol. I & II, the 540 Compilation, and @ntidote Records compilations) would you say this is a main factor in why the band is as huge as you are?

Goolsby:Not at all. Don't misunderstand, we owe a lot to the kind people who take the time to involve us in their comps and I'm sure that helps us out in the exposure department, but we have only actually been doing comps for about 2 years now spuriously. The thing that makes this band go is going on even when we can't see around the corner.

TB: I think it has helped us out to a degree, and is a factor in increasing visibility for us, but I don't think it's the main factor. We're grateful for anyone who has or will ask us to be on a compilation and we will always continue to do them.

Now that you've toured outside of the U.S. as well as in, what would you say is the main difference between the fans? Would you say they react differently to the band and the music then the fans in the U.S.?

Goolsby:The main difference? A more unified stance towards one another. No politics from what we experienced. You can feel that everyone is there to have a good time. I'm not saying its different here and that people are with drama because that is farthest from the truth. It's just that there, we experienced this more consistently than in the US.

TB:Absolutely. Here in the states, you get a mixture of kids coming out to see us, whether they be punk, hardcore, rockabilly, metal or goth kids. Overseas we experienced NOTHING but death rock fans, and that was a pleasant surprise for us. I think the fans across the pond have a different appreciation for this music, and unlike here in the US they don't get so caught up in scene politics/drama or the socialness of shows. They don't wanna be seen, they are there because they just enjoy the music.

What was the last album you bought and what currently are you listening to?

Goolsby: I just bought another Minor Threat CD because my old one is scratched all to hell. I've been listening to a lot of Corrupted Ideals lately. And The Crimson Ghosts (Germany).

TB: I just picked up the new Bane record called "The Note" as well as the new Avenged Sevenfold, "City of Evil". Bane's more old school hardcore where A7X are a bit more metal and epic. Both are amazing releases. Other than that, the new Alkaline Trio has been getting tons of spins as well as the newest Green Day. Say what you want, but they schooled everyone and slapped all their naysayers in the face with "American Idiot".

The new George A. Romero movie "Land of the Dead" is out. What are your feelings on this film?

Goolsby: I'm going to see it. So far no rappers or hotel heiress whores.

TB:As long as it's not CG I'd all to hell, and the film soundtrack isn't comprised of a who's who of TRL and MTV mainstream crap, I'll more than happily go see it. I'm glad he's finally getting a budget he's worthy of to make a film. I think it will be great. Maybe with this one we'll finally learn how the whole zombie apocalypse happened in the first place.

And finally, in the eyes of Blitzkid, who do you guys think are the next big bands in horror rock?

Goolsby: It's up to them. I really like the Rosedales, the Green Goblyn Project, and the Epedemic.

TB: I would have to say that the Rosedales, the Crimson Ghosts and the Epidemic and NIm Vind are all contenders. Anyone who is going to step outside of the box and do something original is worthy of that "next big thing" tag within this genre.