Interview: Maja Trstenjak (maja@venia-mag.net)
Photo: Century Media

Adrenaline Mob is a recently founded supergroup founded by Russel Allen (Syphony X), guitarist Mike Orlando and drummer Mike Portnoy. They have recently released new album called „Omerta“ about which we have spoken to guitarist and songwriter Mike Orlando.

VENIA: How would you describe your new album to our readers?
MIKE: It is slamming, very groove oriented, just slamming old rock. A lot of great playing in it. But this stuff is definitelly based around the structure of the song. Not just about playing and the virtual elements. We were trying to get the musical taste we like.

VENIA: Are the song based on real life-experiences?
MIKE: Yes, definitelly. Some of the songs were coming when I had to crack from the beginning. „Angel’s Sky“ is definitelly an introspective into my life. It is a retrospective to look back on certain things that have been going in my life. Songs like „Down to the Floor“ are about rebracing which I am drag racer and have done that for years.  I still have my drag race car, it is something i love.  So yes, it is definitelly coming from a personal experience, always.

VENIA: How do you write songs?
MIKE: What happens is i start…those songs started very long time ago when i had a certain perception and a vision of the band i wanted to create and in certain different line-up changes and pretty much most of the songs deride from those previous bands and projects I was doing with different people. Once I got an idea for the album was full jamming stuff already done. Most of the songs were already written musically and lirically. Some remained the same.  But most of the stuff ruffles itself in and changed a lot in structure and in content. That is basically how we set up the album. But some of the stuff remained the same, but we also worked on some stuff.

VENIA: Did you know how should this band sound like at the beginning?
MIKE: I wanted to have this sound for a very long time, for years before I met Russsel. So I had always a vision of the sound and of the band. Everything from „Down To The Floor“, „Angel Sky“, „Hit The Wall“ all the musically are in this thing. First we have some musical ideas and then we create the lyrics together. The majority of the album like „Feelin’ Me“ and „Undaunted“ all these are based on what had done and was doing for a long period of time. I always had this vision of really hard rock with a lot of bounce and a lot of groove. It was always in my mind to create something that finally became real.

VENIA: Why is album called „Omerta“?
MIKE: Basicly, this is perfect, when looking to the name of the band, we feel like a gang, like a mob. I would say a musical mafia. Band started off with the different name, it was „Adrenaline Junkie“ was my original conception of the band. When Mike came in he loved the Adrenaline and he came up with the Mob. And soon the Adrenaline Mob was the name, and Russel came up with the great idea for the Omerta. Basically a guy with a card and idea of „Come and join us“. There are many things involved and that is the Omerta.

VENIA: Which is your favourite song from the album?
MIKE: That is really though becaue I have been working on these songs for so long. I was inspired by Billy Joel, one of my favourites. There are no the best, they are all like my children, you can’t love one more. There are certain songs in which i gave incredible a lot to. I love everything from „Hit The Wall“ to „All On The Line“ to „Undaunted“, „Angel Sky“.  I love them all.

VENIA: Who sings female vocals on „Come Undone“?
MIKE: The amazing Lizzy Hale from band called Halestorm. She is mean, she is basically like a female rock around.  Her voice is absolutely amazing, she is one of the best female voices in rock. She can hit any note, any intensity. Her and Russel together go perfect.

VENIA: What is most fascinating thing about guitar playing?
MIKE: It is such an amazing instruments. It gives you so many different landscapes and feelings can be great on so many ways on the guitar. It is always amazing. I’m not just a big fan of rock. I wasn’t always listening to rock, back in time there were amazing guitar players that were shredding, put in the different context. That is basicly the was I express my feelings, there are so many ways to get across the people with it. I love it.

VENIA: What is the future of Adrenaline Mob?
MIKE: Yes, we are hoping to visit every corner of this world. The album is going to be released world wide in a week or two and we have tour schedule that you can see on our website www.adrenalinemob.com. In July we will be across the Europe and play on all the big festivals and just continue to tour the world.

VENIA: In the end, do you have any message for Venia-Mag readers?
MIKE: Thank you for reading this article. I hope you will enjoy in Adrenaline Mob, if this is your kind of music, your kind of genre, put your fists in the air and turn up the volume when you are listening to it in the car and God bless all of you out there.