UN: Right off the bat I have to say that the new album is just insanely intense. Would you agree that this album is the bands most over the top and heavy album yet?

Sonny:I think so. We worked hard on this album to make really intense. It's 11 tracks, 30 minutes.I think that describes pretty much what we wanted to do here. Despite of what people would think we didn't wanna record a super-catchy hardcore album like all the other bands are doing. We just played what we love to play and what came out of our minds. It just turned in a tottally-not-commercial album, which was our aim.

UN: Would you say that this album also contains the bands best written songs thus far? Did you guys take a different approach with the writing of this album?

Sonny: We always worked the same way. Remy or Mike brings out a complete guitar track. After listening to it for a while, we put the rest on it. But this album was written quite differently because we knew that it was to be on G7WC, a label with hard-hitting artists. We worked longer on the riffs and rehearsed a lot for our songs to be heavier than ever. It was a different approach for us because we knew this was no more the independant stuff where you just throw your songs on a record and leave it like this. This was a hard work but we are really satisfied with the result.

UN: The new album is also the bands first with G7 Welcoming Committee. How did the label become interested in the band? Obviously you are a politically aware band, so I'm sure that must have piqued their interest possibly just as much as the musical output.

Sonny: At first, we just sent a couple of "In defence of politics" (the previous album) to some labels we have respect for. But actually we really wanted to have an answer (even just a comment) from G7WC. After that we just left for our European Tour in 2003 and we had this e-mail from Chris saying: "You guys are really good. I'm making the collective listen to your stuff. I hope they will like it. I want to work with you guys!".I would say we thought it was a joke but this was real. But you have to ask Chris if you want to know the reason why he was interested in us. We don't really know in fact!!

UN: The production of the new album is pretty much what you could call a metal production. The guitars are heavy, the drums are powerful and the vocals are right out front to rip your face off. Were you guys consciously trying to make this a heavier record?

Sonny: That's kind of what I was explaining a couple lines ago. We took more time to listen to what Mike and Remy could play. By listening to the other GFK albums, we discovered that the songs we prefered playing were the heaviest ones. The more "metal" ones... So we decided to push that further in composing the new songs. Result = heavy shit! Also, Pierre Remillard wanted to do the mastering. Considering he's a god in terms of metal productions (Anonymus, Kataklysm, Cryptopsy, Obliveon, and dozens more!) we couldn't be happier.

UN: I was curious to ask how exactly you define what the band plays. It has aspects of hardcore, metal, and punk, so I guess metalcore might fit. But I find that cutting you guys short. I think once the technical aspect comes in, it makes it hard to just classify it as hardcore punk, although it fits.

Sonny: That's THE ONLY question we fear when it comes to this! We couldn't tell what is our style. Some people call it metalcore, some people call it hardcore. When people ask me, I tell them that we play metal stuff mixed with hardcore parts. Or I simply answer: "We play plain heavy shit, period!"

UN: The album name definitely doesn't hide the fact that GFK is a politically minded band. Can you explain what the album name means to the band?

Sonny: I think the name implies different visions. The liberty word is used ironically as a reference to all those pro-american people who thinks the capitalist-imperialist way is the good one. What we thought is... By taking what you deserve (pacifically I mean) you prove to everybody they can achieve their goals if they really believe into it. We wanted this title to have an impact on our audience by telling them. If you leave the workd as it is, it's gonna STAY as it is. So react! Do what you have to do...

Jessy: It's really simple, we just think that people don't realize the power of the number. We are kept in a certain scheme cause we think that everything is normal. In fact, we can ask for more each day. A good example is an event in quebec city called "reclaim the street". Each year we choose a street and we block it. People can play soccer, volleyball, music..... It's not a big riot but we show to ourselves and to the authorities that we re still alive in a pacific mood.

UN: Do you think it's important for politics and personal beliefs to come into play with this style of music? I think that everyone has a right to voice their opinion, but I'd rather hear a song about change then another song about a broken heart.

Jessy: I have the same opinion but we really have a problem these days. In europe especially, some people think that bands who talks about politics are just preachers. When i talk about those subject, I want to share my vision. It s really important because we have the chance to have a mic and to speak in front of some open-minded people each night. We shouldn't spoil that opportunity. I hope we re going to see more and more politics in music in a next future.

UN: Sort of along with the last question, do you think that punk has become safe lately? It's become easy to package and slap into a Pepsi commercial. What punk once stood for really has to torn to pieces, and it's trendy nature really doesn't allow for musical growth. If you look at the early days all bands sounded different, now everyone sounds the same. Do you think GFK really fits into the current climate of punk?

Sonny: I sincerely hope GFK doesn't fit in this climate. Punk bands that fits that climate are staying together for 1 or 2 years, then when the waves comes down you don't hear about them anymore. We could have played the "popular" style like all those hardcore bands that started to put the "slow and/or emotive" parts to get some audience. We just decided it was not the way we wanted. I personally think that achieving your goals by the underground scene brings a feeling of accomplishment no band in the "commercial" scene could feel.

UN: Would you say that touring Canada is fairly hard? There seems to be quite a stretch in between a lot of the cities, and I'm sure certain cities just don't have any sort of scene whatsoever. Have you had any surprise shows that you thought might not be great, but ended up being amazing?

Sonny: It's not hard at all. We love touring Canada. Of course, sometimes you have to drive for 9 hours and then play, but most of the time it really worth it. There's not lots of cities where there was no scene. I would say we are really surprised of the "follow-up" we get out west! The best surprise, in my opinion, was in Medecine Hat, Alberta. We just arrived there in the afternoon and seen that poster with a big GFK and only one other band (which was a local band, by the way very good!) We said to ourselves: "Nobody knows us around here. Howcome they made that big promotion." The place was overcrowded with nearly 200 kids getting crazy and dancing with us (it was a floor show). People were really lovely there. We spoke to almost everybody in the crowd after the show. A fantastic night like all the bands want to have...

UN: I was really surprised to read that you guys have toured Europe quite a few times. Do you notice a big difference in attitude once you go over there? I've heard that people are much more grateful towards the bands and get very excited over shows.

Sonny: To make it short. I would say that you answered your own question ah! ah! But seriously, european people have a different vision of the bands and what they mean. I totally don't know why, maybe they don't have that much shows in their countries so they get super excited when they see foreign bands in their town!

UN: I was also surprised to read that you guys are planning a Japan/Indonesia and Australia tour for next year. I'm assuming this will be the first time you guys have toured these countries. Are you guys excited about the tour? How is it shaping up?

Jessy:We're so excited. All the bands we know that have been there all said that it is incredible. We can wait to exchange with different cultures and we have so much to learn there.

Sonny: We have a great support from people over there in terms of booking shows. Mark, our booking agent and Remy (guitar) are working hard on booking all the dates possible. On my side, i'm looking to find out gear and transportation in all those places. The D.I.Y. way dude!! Keep Rockin!!!