Jason Price of Live-Metal.Net recently sat down with "Metal Mike" Chlasciak (HALFORD/PAINMUSEUM) to discuss his metal roots, his upcoming solo material for a release in 2009 and when fans can look for new material from HALFORD. Excerpts from the interview are below:

Live-Metal.Net: What is the current status of your band PainmuseuM?

Chlasciak: "Well, it was interesting because I really felt that we put out a unique album in the metal world. It wasn't easily categorized and it was a kick ass metal record. Anytime we got some shows, to be very honest, I got side-tracked. I got side-tracked into going to California to work on some Halford music. I got side-tracked by going on tour with Sebastian. I got side-tracked by going on tour with TESTAMENT and just living life. I don't regret any of those things because they were all really nice things to be involved with but that is what happened. The record has been out and it has become too old to really go out and tour on. That is what happened with PainmuseuM. I was really, really relieved because even though the music industry didn't know what to make of it, the fans really embraced it. It was a critically acclaimed album which I thought was a really nice for a band's first album. To cut to the chase, I already have a whole album done and demoed in the fashion that I mentioned earlier. There are 12 songs, some awesome music in there. I am just not sure whether I am going to make it a PainmuseuM type of release or if it will be my own solo album with half of it being instrumental and half having a singer on it."

Live-Metal.Net: Any idea when we can look forward to a release of that material?

Chlasciak: "I am hoping to for it to see the light around the later part of 2009. While I am working on that I will also be working on my first heavy metal instructional DVD."

Live-Metal.Net: Any idea on when we might some activity on a new release from HALFORD?

Chlasciak: "Rob's band, the musicians are quite prolific, and probably some of the most professional guys that I have ever been on stage with. There is so much material that has been accumulated over the past few years. It is just a matter of wrapping it all up and cutting out the songs that are not as good as the others, mixing it and then releasing it."

Live-Metal.Net: Well it sounds like we definitely have something to look forward to at least!

Chlasciak: "Yes, certainly. As you can imagine, we have to be very respectful to Rob's commitment to Judas Priest because we all know what that band means to him. We would all like to have one more stab at going out and playing some new music. We all feel, and this is including Rob, that the HALFORD band was a little more than just a solo artist hiring a bunch of dudes to play cover songs. We really have something to say as a band. It was just a little unfortunate, in my eyes, to release an album like Crucible and not have a fair shot at promoting it. That's all right and it's all cool and we have all been busy but when the day comes that we all get together and play as a unit, it is going to be really fun! Not only for us, but hopefully for the fans as well! It seems like there are a lot of them out there."

Live-Metal.Net: What do you think about the state of metal music today?

Chlasciak: "I think there are a lot of positives. I think for one, the scene has become really strong and two, you know the stereotypes and segregation of metal styles that we saw in the '80's and '90's is almost gone. You know, now you can have a death metal singer and a clean singer in the same band. You could break into a Sunset Strip riff and then into a Slayer riff and no one is going to tell you that you are kinda doing it wrong. I love that because who wants to be held up in the box. Remember in the late '80's, it got as bad as "If you liked Iron Maiden, you can't like JUDAS PRIEST." [laughs] That is so ridiculous, that is how you kill something, by segregating it into small little underground pockets. I love that metal is strong right now. There are always going to be bands that are going to be more commercially accepted or commercially minded with the material that they put out. If that makes them happy, good for them but I really love bands who take the later route. One of my favourite bands of all-time is DEATH. I thought that Chuck Schuldiner was doing such productive and great things. I really respect that. I think it is important to stand out from the pack because it is all about being individual and doing your own thing. That is really the idea behind heavy metal."

Read the entire interview here.