In a new interview with Ultimate-Guitar.com, drummer Dave Lombardo (Philm, ex-Slayer) talks about the new Grip Inc. EP, Hostage To heaven. An excerpt is available below:

UG: Grip Inc. just released a great EP of unreleased tracks, the "Hostage to Heaven" EP this week. Could you tell us a bit about that?

Lombardo: "Yes, before Gus Chambers passed away, while we were recording, I think it was [from the recording of] Power of Inner Strength that these songs are from. They were leftovers. We didn't use them on the album. 'Hostage To Heaven', the first song on the EP was obviously a collaboration between Waldemar, Gus, and I. Basically, on the EP version play the drum beat in half time. So instead of thrash metal, it's the same rhythm but slowed down. I thought it was great. I loved it when we did it and I still love it now. 'Paint it Black' was a song that I suggested to the band because it was a piece that I always interpreted in my mind as being heavier than the Rolling Stones performed it. Although for that time, in the '60s when that song was released, it was very heavy. What people interpret as 'heavy' today, that same heavy element, back then, was Black Sabbath and the Rolling Stones, certainly for that one song anyway; Jimi Hendrix has some songs that for me had a heavy feeling to them. But I'm really happy with the drums on that track - I think they're phenomenal. I'm very proud of that one. The other one on that EP was..."

UG: 'Bittersweet.'

Lombardo: "Yes, thank you. That song was written by Gus Chambers. He wrote part of it anyways and again, that just another classic. Then the instrumental track, I don't know too much about. I don't remember it. It was one of those pieces that we worked out in the studio and did it and then it was over with. So yeah, that pretty much sums it up, I'm really proud that we have these pieces and I'm glad they're out there for fans to enjoy."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

For the first time ever, Grip Inc, have made four previously unreleased tracks available digitally worldwide as part of their Hostage To Heaven EP.

These four tracks have been sourced from the Grip Inc. vault, and as such feature three unreleased tracks and an alternate never before released version of “Hostage To Heaven” (The Power Of Inner Strength), it’s been 11 years since Grip Inc. released their last album, Incorporated and 7 years since the passing of vocalist, Gus Chambers. Hostage To Heaven serves as a bookend and tribute to the talent and contributions of late great front man, as well as a true testament to the legacy and deep impression he left.

Tracklisting:
“Hostage To Heaven”
“Dragging Me Down”
“Bittersweet”
“Crawl”

Dave Lombardo comments:

“Grip Inc. is an exceptional band that I am very honored to have co-created.  Gus Chambers was easily one of the most effective and distinctive vocalists/frontmen in the business.  To be able to release music that pays tribute to Gus and his talent, memorializing the unique sound that the four of us created is a gift... not just to us, but also to the fans that always hoped for more.

“Gus can't be replaced.  Grip Inc. will never be Grip Inc. without him.  We could try and replace him, but it would never be the same as the original four.  This is the closest thing we have to working with Gus again.  This release is without question a tribute to his talent and his legacy.”

Waldemar Sorychta comments :

“I always like to experiment with songs that we have already released from our past albums, so needless to say I have many versions of ‘Hostage To Heaven’ (a techno version, church organ, acoustic and the slow version).

“The slow version of, ‘Hostage To Heaven’, is the only version with the original vocals from Gus, recorded while we were making the album Nemesis.

“Actually it gave me the main idea for the song ‘Rusty Nail’. While we were playing the slow version of ‘Hostage To Heaven’, we changed some rhythms and worked out some other parts and ‘Rusty Nail’ was born. I really like how it all came together especially the solo that was more or less just improvised. Overall it’s a great version which shows that good songs still have a drive even when you change the way of playing them.

“We always improvised at rehearsals, sometimes even live. In rehearsal we used to jam even more then rehearse our songs. Many Ideas and songs got started like this. Even at every recording session we jammed between main recordings. We have never looked at recording a record as a kind of job that has to be done, well, we always had a professional way of recording but, we always made sure to also keep it fun and spontaneous. The main point was always, love for music!

“In hindsight, I am glad we always recorded more then just the album tracks and always tried to experiment. It’s just a shame that many of these songs don’t have Gus’s vocals. Don’t misunderstand me; these songs aren’t leftovers or anything like that! We had always planned to record them but some just didn’t make that album or didn’t have the time in the studio, really we had the chance while we were recording the albums, and we just wanted to take advantage of the studio environment.

“To release these tracks 20 years after Power of Inner Strength means a lot to me. After Gus’s death there has been an empty place in my heart that will never be filled. I miss our craziness, I miss our friendship, and above all our passion for music. We all came from different countries, with different backgrounds but Grip Inc. united us all under the same goal. We were ‘ONE’! Simply a great example of how powerful music really is. But music in itself doesn’t make a friendship; ours went very deep and will stay forever.

“Since the 13th of October 2008 I have found life is much harder to catch a day with a relaxed smile, always thinking of my friend. Life goes on but the knowledge that a big part of you isn't there anymore is sad. Gus I will always miss you!”