MetalNightmare.com has posted a new interview they recently conducted with guitarist/ vocalist Lasse "Leper Of Berzano" Pykko of Razorback Recording artists HOODED MENACE. An excerpt follows.

MetalNightmare.com: How exactly do you go from wanting to play CANDLEMASS covers with death metal vocals to this? There's a big difference between traditional sounding doom and the cacophany of HOODED MENACE.

Lasse: "We used to play Candlemass covers with death metal vocals with my old band PHLEGETHON right from the beginning dating back to 1989. So, doing that was nothing new to me. Jamming Candlemass classics with Hunchback (drums) and Crimson Executioner (bass) was so much fun that we decided to form a doom/death band after the first jamming sessions. We never wanted to be a traditional doom band in the first place. We wanted to mix doom and death metal. I don't see a big difference between the riffs of Hooded Menace and the riffs of Candlemass. I almost feel like we ripped them off! [laughs] The vocals are the biggest thing that separates us from being just a doom metal band. That's probably one element that doesn't appeal to some doom freaks. If you want vocal melodies we are not the band for you, but if you dig slow, creepy, crushingly heavy stuff with just a slight hint of melody and rotting death metal vocals you will love us. I hope!"

MetalNightmare.com: Why the name Hooded Menace? I guess Cloaked Cadaver would have been too cheesy?

Lasse: "The essence of The Blind Dead, a 70's Spanish horror series including four movies, is nailed pretty well with these two words: Hooded Menace. Actually it was Billy from Razorback Records who came up with the name. He's pretty good in coming up with cool names, concepts, lyrics and stuff like that. So, thanks Billy!"

Head here to read the interview in its entirety.