It was really different this time, because we did everything in the studio and thought out the writing and song structures. Before this album ["The Black Crown"], we used to just write riff after riff and then worry about the rest of it later.

With our last album ("No Time To Bleed"), we recorded most of it in New Jersey. And with being on the road 9 months a year, recording an album on the other side of the country- it just wasn't a good experience for us. All I wanted to do was go home and see my daughter, so for us to only be a couple hours away was huge- I could go home if I needed to.

This time, we went up to Big Bear for 3-4 weeks and sequestered ourselves writing this album [ "The Black Crown"].

I'd rather die riding 95 than live a life full of nothing but filthy lies.

You only live once, for a very short time. So make every second divine.

I try to do things positive on my throat, but a couple things are negative like smoking and drinking heavily. I really don't know. There's no particular thing that I do that's beneficial - it just kinda works. I guess I'd say warming up every day before a performance is the biggest thing.

In 2008, we had barely put our first album out and a lot of people were unsure about us on that tour. But the crowds were insane to say the least.