LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR

A minotaur is hard to kill. Only guy I know who was able to do it was Theseus and I think even he would have had a hard time trying to put an end to Chicago’s gnarly LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR. Wormwood has been singing the praises of these mythological metalheads since their earliest days.

Their road has been a bumpy one. Several times I thought their luck had run out. But lo and behold, they are back with a roar on new album “I Hail I”, a tribute to perseverance that Prometheus himself would appreciate.

Steve Rathbone has always been the voice of the Minotaur, so I ventured into the labyrinth to speak to the gravel-throated bruiser about the latest ups and downs of LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR…

WORMWOOD CHRONICLES: Hails to the Minotaur! It has been a long journey from “Evil Power” to “I Hail I”. Was there ever a time you thought about ending the band or was it just a matter of finding the right time for a new album?

STEVE RATHBONE: The band was on hiatus while I was sorting out some health issues. I don’t like to force myself to write. I would rather wait for the gods to hit me with riffs. 

WC: Has the motivation for doing LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR changed at all since the earliest days? Is the mission statement still the same?

SR: The mission statement has been the same. Heavy fucking metal. 

WC: The biggest change is the addition of Sanford Parker as bass player. How did this come about?

SR: Sanford has been a part of the band from the beginning. He’s been our recording engineer, mixer, co-producer and helped us achieve our signature sound. I played bass on the album. Sanford joined right after we recorded “I HAIL I”. Our original bassist DJ Barraca is focusing on work and family right now.

WC: Sanford is a super busy guy and much in demand as a producer. Is LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR now his primary focus? Will he be able to tour extensively?

SR: We do not plan on touring extensively. So far, our schedules work.

WC: What’s the major quality he brings to the band that wasn’t there before?

SR: Tremendous knowledge about gear and live sound. He is also from Florida. So we can make “Florida man” jokes all day.

WC: Are the songs on “I Hail I” relatively new or have they been around for a while?

SR: They are new. I wrote them all last year. Most were written over a 3-day period. Like a mad rush.

WC: You really bring the doom with “Tartarus Apocalypse”. It’s always been a part of your sound but this is the doomiest epic yet. Is this a direction you will be exploring further?

SR: Thanks! Yeah, I’m always interested in bringing the DOOM. I have threatened to do an entire slow Lair record before. You never know…

WC: Another unusual track is your cover of Ethel Cain’s “Family Tree”. How and why did you choose this for a MINOTAUR treatment?

SR: I am a big fan of her music. She has a lot of demos she records that are on YouTube and Soundcloud. They are really impressive. The writing. Her vocals. The recording. Her stuff was a big inspiration for this album.

WC: Is there a thread running the songs on “I Hail I” beyond just Greek mythology in general? A lot of it seems to be about the underworld…

SR: The title track is a rebellious declaration from Prometheus to defy the Gods and bring fire to humanity. This album is what LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR is all about: A loud and proud, punch in the guts. The overarching theme is never giving up. 

The stories in the songs often take place in the underworld. The lyrics have a Hades heavy point of view. Hades wasn’t necessarily a horrible guy. He was given a horrible job of managing the underworld. And his brothers were given the sky and sea. I’d be pissed too.

WC: LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR sounds about as raw and brutal as any band out there. The guitar sound on “I Hail I” is absolutely grinding. I’d say it’s way heavier than what we heard on “Evil Power”.  Are you always looking for ways to be as abrasive as possible or does it just happen naturally?

SR: Thanks. I am really happy with how the guitar sounds on the new album. Sanford and I worked on it. I want it to sound like a grinding lion’s roar. I think we achieved that.

WC: I know Sanford is involved with lots of different projects and Chris drums for VANISHMENT and COKUS. Are there any other bands and projects the members are involved in?

SR: Sanford is in an industrial band called BLACK CROSS HOTEL and alsso BURIED AT SEA. I have an electro side project called LASER LUCIFER, and my old grind band 7000 DYING RATS. And you mentioned Chris’ other bands. 

WC: Any touring or major shows planned for “I Hail I”?

SR: We are doing fests and one-offs right now. We are playing the Maryland Deathfest in May and Motoblot fest with HIGH ON FIRE in June. More show announcements to come.

WC:The record is out once more on the band’s own label, Grind-House Records. Would you consider signing to another label if the offer was right or will everything be on Grind-House from now on?

SR: We are stoked to release this album independently. Our first independent release, “Evil Power”, is our best-selling album. And has our most-streamed song on it. We hope to continue that success.

WC: Do you have any thoughts on what comes after “I Hail I” yet or is it too early to say?

SR: Whatever happens. It will be organic and on our terms. 

WC: Have you ever thought of writing a real sword and sorcery book based on LAIR’s concepts and characters?

SR: I write about a lot of well-known mythologies and then some I make up my own. It’s a mix. 

A novelization could work if written properly. I am no author. But I know a few. Cool idea.

WC: Any last words to the faithful?

SR: “I HAIL I” is intended to be listened to all the way through, at maximum volume on real speakers. Moving as fast as possible. A 30-minute thorough cathartic experience.

LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR