Your new album “True Self” is already available in Europe. Why have
your American fans be patient until May?

ON THE LAST ALBUM 'REDEFINE' WE HAD TO CANCEL OUR HEADLINE UK PLANS BECAUSE OUR OLD SINGER QUIT. SO TO MAKE IT UP TO THEM, WE TOURED THE UK IN JAN/FEB AND RELEASED THE ALBUM IN EUROPE FIRST TO MAKE UP FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAD TO CANCEL THE TOURING THERE. WE ALSO TOURED WITH STAIND IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, AND ITALY IN MARCH TO LAUNCH THE RELEASE.

The title “True Self” implies an illusion to your line-up change on
vocals.

THE TITLE CAME ABOUT FROM THE SONG 'TRUE SELF' WHICH IS ABOUT HONOR, INTEGRITY, AND STAYING TRUE TO WHAT YOU BELIEVE. WE ALSO THOUGHT THAT THE TITLE SUMMED UP WHAT SOIL IS ALL ABOUT. WE COULD HAVE EASILY GIVEN UP ON THE BAND WHEN THE OLD SINGER LEFT AND WE LEFT J RECORDS, BUT WE DIDN’T. THIS BAND IS OUR LIFE. IT DEFINES WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE. WE COULDN’T LET OURSELVES OR OUR FANS DOWN CAUSE WE HAVE ALL INVESTED SO MUCH TIME AND PASSION INTO THIS BAND. WHEN AJ JOINED, HE FILLED IN THAT MISSING PIECE THAT WE HAD GONE WITHOUT FOR SO LONG WITH THE PREVIOUS GUY.

Introduce your new member AJ Cavalier.

WE GOT 2 PHONE CALLS AFTER OUR LAST SINGER HAD LEFT. ONE WAS FROM
WAYNE STATIC OF STATIC-X AND THE OTHER WAS FROM PAT LACHMAN OF
DAMAGEPLAN. BOTH SAID "WE HAVE YOUR NEW SINGER FOR YOU" AND BOTH SAID AJ WAS THE GUY. AJ AND PAT ARE BEST FRIENDS AND HAD BEEN IN A BAND TOGETHER CALLED DIESEL MACHINE. WE CALLED HIM UP AND SENT HIM SOME NEW MATERIAL WE WERE WORKING ON AND HE JUST NAILED EVERY SONG. WE TRIED OUT A COUPLE OF OTHER GUYS AS WELL, BUT WE KNEW AJ WAS THE RIGHT GUY FOR THE JOB, SO WE ASKED HIM TO BE IN THE BAND. HONESTLY, I CAN SAY THAT GETTING AJ IN THIS BAND WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS WE HAVE EVER MADE AS A BAND.

How was it to work with Burton C. Bell?

BURTON IS A LONG TIME FRIEND OF OURS AND WHEN WE WERE RECORDING IN LOS ANGELES, HE STOPPED IN ONE DAY AND WE ASKED HIM TO SING ON A TRACK CALLED 'FOREVER DEAD'. IT REALLY ADDED SOME SPICE TO THE SONG AND YOU CAN HEAR SOME OF THE SIGNATURE BURTON/FEAR FACTORY TYPE VOCAL DELIVERIES ON THE SONG.

How did you get in contact with your new record company
DRT-Entertainment?

WE HAD RECORDED 4 SONGS FOR THE NEW ALBUM WITH PRODUCER ULRICH WILD AND DECIDED TO SHOP THEM TO LABELS. WE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST INCLUDING A COUPLE OF MAJOR LABELS. BUT AFTER THE EXPERIENCE WITH J RECORDS AND THE STATE OF THE BUSINESS, WE FELT ANOTHER MAJOR WASN’T THE BEST CHOICE FOR THE BAND AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE SAT DOWN WITH DEREK SHULMAN FROM DRT AND JUST LOVED HIS PHILOSOPHY AND VISION HE HAD FOR THE BAND AND THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR CAREER. JUST LIKE WHEN WE FOUND AJ, DRT WAS THE EXACT SAME THING. WE JUST KNEW IT WAS THE RIGHT PLACE TO BE.

What do you do for a living? Can you completely concentrate on making
music?

I PLAY BASS IN SOIL....THAT IS MY JOB AND HAS BEEN FULL TIME SINCE 2001
AND THE 'SCARS' ALBUM...IT IS NICE THAT WE CAN MAKE A SEMI-DECENT
LIVING OFF OF THIS BAND AND NOT HAVE TO BE BUCKLED DOWN WITH DAY JOBS.

How would you describe the music scene of Chicago in 2006?

THERE ARE SOME GOOD BANDS OUT THERE....I DIG THE BANDS SKANK AND
AMERICAN MOTHERLOAD FROM OUT HERE. THERE ARE A LOT OF EMO BANDS WHICH IS KINDA DISAPPOINTING AS THAT IS NOT MY TASTE IN MUSIC, BUT THERE IS STILL A DECENT ROCK/METAL SCENE...MAYBE NOT AS KICKING AS IT WAS IN 2001-2002, BUT IT IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL.

Where do you see your musical influences?

WELL, FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT ALL STEMMED FROM HEARING MOTLEY CRUE FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD...THEY HAVE BEEN MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BAND EVER SINCE....AS A WHOLE, OUR BAND ENJOYS THE LIKES OF METALLICA, COC, SABBATH, LIFE OF AGONY, COLD, STAIND ETC.

What albums do you currently have on heavy rotation?

ALWAYS MOTLEY IN THERE....LATELY I HAVE BEEN DIGGING ON THAT NEW PAPA ROACH ALBUM, MORBID ANGEL, TRIVIUM, MURDERDOLLS, AEROSMITH, AND AC/DC

What are your plans for 2006? Will you perform in Germany again?

WE ARE CONFIRMED FOR THE ROCK IM RING AND ROCK AM PARK FESTIVALS AND WE PLAN TO HIT GERMANY MANY MORE TIMES ON THIS ALBUM....WE HAVE ALWAYS TOURED EUROPE BEFORE MANY TIMES ON EACH ALBUM, BUT WE REALLY WANNA TRY AND BE THERE AT LEAST 5-6 TIMES ON THIS ALBUM...WE FEEL THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO BUILD OURSELVES THERE AGAIN.

Thank you very much for this interview! The last words are yours.

THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME AND WE LOVE YA GERMANY!!!


FLORIS