'The Painful Truth: Revealed'

Managing to combine the sounds of ‘80s era first-wave thrash and ‘90s era power metal, Albany, New York’s Addicted to Pain will appeal to a wide variety of heavy metal connoisseurs.

Comprised of Leo Curley (vocals, guitar), Bob Horvath (bass), and Gregory Nash (drums), it all started when Bob and Leo met in a band called Eyesore, before finding the missing piece to the puzzle with Gregory.

But come 2010, the trio has unleashed their first-ever release – a self-titled four-song EP – which is available for purchase via iTunes, as well the group’s official site and Myspace page.

LEO CURLEY recently sat down with Exclusive Magazine to chat about the band, their music, and, of course, ... Penguins!.

Taking it from the top, and your bio has you listed as a "vintage, manly metal" band ... is this accurate, to your mind, or would you phrase it differently? "We definitely have those elements. I think we offer that up with some current aspects as well. We all grew up on all those originators from metal and hard-core. This project is strictly from the heart. We have no intention of sounding like anything. It's just what comes out."

You have just released your first-ever CD, a self-titled four-song EP, but why self-title it? And, along with that thought process, what actual EP titles did you toy with before negating? "Self titled simply because no-one really knows who we are ,why confuse them at all. We never even threw a title out there, we all looked at this as our introduction. Maybe we'll have a tag for the full length ,havn't gotten that far yet."

It's been said that this new EP combines the sounds of '80s era first-wave thrash and '90s era power metal! Hmmm, I never knew the two could co-exist so harmoniously! But, behind the scenes, creating these songs, were there times that some thrash/metal tracks you had written just didn't come together as one, perhaps? "Not really. Most of the songs came together pretty organically. Start with a riff or a beat and build from there with no real aim in mind. Straight from the gut kind of shit. 'Trust me' got the hardest workout in the studio. It was only a skeleton when we brought it to Alex, he insisted on this one. The result is probably my favorite on the ep."

For those that don't know, please tell us how ATP came together ... and does it have anything to do with Eyesore?! "Addicted to Pain is probably the third time Bob and I have done a three piece. But now we have THE drummer in Greg Nash. Bob and I met in a band called Eyesore, a five piece that I sang for and just happened to have Jason Bittner on drums who we've both known forever."

"After that fizzled I stuck with Bob because he is THE bass player.Not a guy that couldn't play guitar, a category I find a lot of bass players fall into."

And could Eyesore ever reunite for a small tour, perhaps? "That was many moons ago. And I hate just singing. That was the only project I only sang for. I'm a guitar player at heart. But I guess you can never say never."

It seems that going into the studio to record this EP you actually had 12 songs lined up, but only four were used. Why only four and how did you choose those from the 12? "I think there were 14 we threw at the wall. But we had time constraints and needed a great demo. We put our trust in Alex to make the final choices."

With the power and passion that you guys put into your music widely known, were there any studio recording session mishaps along the way? "Our drummer plays with a single kick, at one point his foot started bleeding. You might think he's got to be using a double kick in spots but it's all one foot."

Indeed, with regard this new EP, how easy or hard is it to create a new, vibrant, wanted-by-the-public sound that both builds on and surpasses the musical wonderments and accomplishments that preceded it within the industry? "If I approach music that way I'll go nuts! I'm a musician who is a blue collar union machine operator. I write from the heart. A pissed off American heart that is sick of watching everyone f**k it up from the bottom to the top. I think people might identify with that."

Is there a song from these four that had the most reworking done to it during those recording sessions, and has since turned out to be your personal favorite? "'Trust me' for sure is that song. It was two guitar riffs. One of them to a swing beat. No vocals. But Alex heard something in there. He insisted on growing that one and grow it did. For me it's the monster of the 4 song ep."

If asked to record one for charity, what '80s (and possibly cheesy!) pop/rock song would you love to cover today...and why? "A Flock of Seagulls - 'I Ran.' We actually almost did it for a movie soundtrack. But it was heavy as hell."

Lastly, and throwing you a journalistic curve ball, Exclusive Magazine loves Penguins ... do you? "I don't know about love. But much respect for surviving in those conditions. New York winters are tough but I don't go swimming!"

Interviewed by: Russell A. Trunk

myspace.com/thepainny

So, if you would like to win a copy of their new EP, and you think you know all there is to know about the band, just answer this easy question: One of the previous bands mentioned, Eyesore also included a pre-Shadows Fall member in its ranks. What is his name?!