UN: For those new to Frightmare, give us a rundown of how the band came together? Did you have a specific sound in mind or specific influences you wanted to show in the bands music before you started writing for the band?

Maniac Neil: Well I had a solos project at the time called Maniac killer. It was super fast freaked out Goregrind with a drum machine. I got really tired of sitting there programming that bastard so I tried some stuff with me playing real drums. But at the time my drumming skills were not the greatest so I gave up on it. I had an idea to start a band that was influenced by old school death metal/grindcore and 70's and 80's slasher movies. So I asked some friends of mine if they would be interested in  joining me and they said sure.

UN: Are you pleased with the way Midnight Murder Mania has turned out? I’d have to say it’s easily one of the best cds I’ve heard in quite sometime and probably the best album Razorback has released so far. Did you have a specific idea in mind for the album cover or did you just let Jake go crazy? The cover turned out amazing and I love the layout and look of the entire album.

Maniac Neil:Yes I am. I do wish we had some more time with the production but overall i'm satisfied. I had some ideas for the cover but as usual Jake's ideas were way better, haha! He just told me the concept and then went to town on it. It turned out fucking amazing! Jake is THE best artist in the underground no question. His Tales From Uranus comics are killer gore comics in the old EC tradition but even sicker. Check out his stuff at www.talesfromuranus.com you wont regret it!

UN: Did you guys have contact with any other labels, or did you know right from the start that you would release the album on Razorback? I really couldn’t see you guys on any other label. You fit on the Razorback roster perfectly.

Maniac Neil: Well Billy came up with the name Frightmare! Billy and Jill are the coolest people in the underground metal scene and they run the best label. All my favorite bands Ghoul, Machetazo, GSR, Birdflesh etc. are on Razorback so there was no question. Billy and Jill were there from the beginning without them there would be no Frightmare.

UN: Are there any other releases planned for Frightmare as of yet? I know the cd just came out, but I’m dying to hear more already! Did you guys ever release a demo or is the cd the bands first release?

Maniac Neil: Yeah we have a split 7" with WTN a split CD with Embalming Theatre and another split 7" with Birdflesh so you'll get to hear some new stuff pretty soon. Well we didn't really make a demo just a 7 song rehearsal recording. Two of those songs (Midnight Murder Mania and Cropsy) will be on the split with WTN.

UN: How do you decide which movies to base your lyrics on? I thought it was extremely cool that you started off the cd with a sample from The Burning. I’ve always been a huge fan of that movie and think it deserves a lot more attention then it seems to get! Do you have the specific film in mind when you are writing the riffs as well? Do you try to get the horror vibe to come through with the music as well as the lyrics?

Maniac Neil: I just pick the movies I like! Haha! It's that simple. Yeah the Burning is one of my all time favorite 80's Slasher fests. It's got everything a crazed killer out for revenge, a summer camp, tons of dead teens and awesome Savini gore effects! Totally! I'm glad you asked that! I always have the movie in mind when i'm writing the riffs. I always try to capture the mood and feel of the movie the song is about,I think that's important.

UN: Do you think we will ever see a resurgence of horror? Granted, we still have a lot of low budget splatter, but none of it seems to live up the feel and atmosphere of the films from the 70’s and 80’s. Does it piss you off that they are running all of the classic horror franchises through the mud? Jason Voorhees was never meant to be in space! Also, what are your thoughts on the remake of Texas Chainsaw Massacre? I think it’s like taking a classic painting and throwing a full can of paint on it.

Maniac Neil:Sadly no. I've given up all hope on current Horror movies. Even the independent Horror films suck. It's mostly shot on video garbage that is a complete waste of time. I totally agree with you man it makes me sick to see these classic character and movies defiled like this. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is my all time favorite movie and has been since I was a kid. It fucking disgusts me what that Hollywood scum Michael Bay is doing. That's what Hollywood does when it doesn't have anymore good ideas,remake other classic films. It's a disgrace!

UN: What are your thoughts on the current underground scene? I think there are a lot of good bands, yet at the same time, there are far too many copycat bands, and just bands that lack the spark that makes bands vital and interesting. I think you guys stand out like a sore thumb within the scene. As do pretty much all of the Razorback bands.

Maniac Neil: Yeah I agree with you the scene is filled with Suffocation/Devourment/Disgorge clone bands. I really hate that style of Death Metal it sounds like Slipknot or something to me. I tend to like bands with a more old school feel to them band like Machetazo, Haemorrhage, Impaled, Engorged etc.

UN: Is it important to keep the music memorable? Flashy riffs and solos are impressive, but if you don’t remember a thing after the cd is finished what’s the point in listening? Do you think the catchiness in the music mainly comes from the fact that you draw influence from bands that tended to have memorable songs?

Maniac Neil: Definitely! I wish more bands would get that concept. My all time favorite band is early Misfits. They had the most simplistic songs ever but at the same time it was some of the most memorable catchy stuff ever recorded. Yeah, I hate bands that just jerk off for an entire song without creating a single moment of memorable music. I'm influenced by bands that wrote catchy simple straight forward kick ass songs bands like Repulsion and Impetigo for example.

UN: Do you guys have any plans to release any t-shirts? I know a few of the Razorback bands have released t-shirts and I think that the album cover would look amazing on a t-shirt! Do you have any merchandise available other then the cd?

Maniac Neil: Were working on a website and then were going to make some shirts soon after that.

UN: Do you find it a bit ridiculous how anti-punk so much of the metal scene seems to be? I’m not sure how into any of the newer stuff you guys are, but you thanked many of the old greats like Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Brains and The Misfits in the booklet of your cd. Grindcore after all has always been very punk and hardcore influenced, yet a lot of people that listen to grindcore and death metal despise punk music.

Maniac Neil: I love punk rock and old 80's Hardcore. I don't get it either ,it's stupid,music is music. Grindcore is totally influenced by Hardcore punk but for some reason a lot of people deny it. Listen to early Napalm Death or Terrorizer every song has hardcore riffs in it! With Frightmare I combine elements of punk and metal cause I love both forms of music. You don't get any better than old Misfits in my book and I'm a total metal head.

UN: Are there any plans to put together a website for the band? Do you think it’s important for a band to have a website to expose the band to new people? I’m still a big fan of snail mail, but it seems like the web can be a valuable promotional tool. Will the lyrics be available of the site if one ever sees the light of day?

Maniac Neil: Yeah like I said were working on one now. I think it's very important for a band to have a web site. There's an endless amount of people you can get your music out to through the internet, it's insane! I think we might put the lyrics up on the site well see.

UN: Do you find it a bit sad that VHS seems to be dying out? I’m happy that many of the movies I love and have shitty quality dubs of are coming out on dvd, yet it still sad to see vhs die down. Any classics you want to see on dvd that haven’t been available yet? I wouldn’t mind seeing an uncut version of The Mutilator surface one of these days!

Maniac Neil: I'm glad to see VHS go. I'm a total DVD freak! So many killer movies have been released on DVD lately. I'd like to see some more obscure slasher movies out on DVD like Humongous or Night of the Demon. Actually it's funny you mentioned the Mutilator because I have a uncut version of it on DVD already! It's a region 0 PAL DVD so you have to have a region free player to watch it. There's going to be song about that movie on the next Frightmare album for sure!

UN: So why do you chose the slasher genre for inspiration over any of the other styles of horror? I’ll admit the zombie theme has been done to death, and there are so many killer on rampage movies that would provide inspiration for great lyrics and samples.

Maniac Neil: It's may favorite subgenre of Horror. I've been big into them since I was a kid and i've been wanting to start a band like this for awhile. Yeah there a whole slew of movies to write songs about so we're not worried. Look for songs about Driller Killer, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Last House on the Left, Sleepaway Camp, The Toolbox Murders and more on future releases.

UN: What would you say is your all time favorite horror flick? Also, what would you consider the most disappointing horror flick ever? Any movie that had your hopes up high and then just fell flat on it's ass?

Maniac Neil: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! The king of all Horror movies in my opinion. Um, I would have to say Jason Goes to Hell. I was like 12 or 13 when I saw it and I really disappointed.

UN: Let’s end this on a fun question. Sum up what horror means to you. If you are anything like me, it’s more then just a hobby; it’s like an obsession. I have a full sleeve of horror tattoos! Do you have a crazy collection of horror related stuff? Any prized possessions?

Maniac Neil: Horror is way of life for me. I spend most of my time watching horror flicks and reading horror mags. It's been this way since I was real young and I don't see it changing anytime soon. My favorite stuff that i have is my old Fangoria collection and my DVD collection which is still growing. Thanks for the interview it was great!