MCB: On this year’s Sounds of the Underground bill, have there been any bands that have surprised you?

RJ: There were a lot of bands we thought were just okay before we got on this tour. We respected them, but once we saw some of these bands live, we thought they were awesome. Bands like Goatwhore and Amon Amarth blew us away. Plus, there were bands like Gwar that we already knew were gonna be awesome before we started the tour.

MCB: Speaking of Gwar, have you escaped their on-stage wrath yet?

RJ: So far, yeah. I’ve been keeping my distance from the craziness. But I have told the guys in the band that for one show, we are throwing on some white t-shirts and get in the thick of the craziness and fun.

MCB: You guys are out of the Long Island/New York hardcore scene; do you feel the scene is still going strong?

RJ: I think Long Island hardcore goes back and forth, but even at its worst, it's still respectable. But the scene will always go in a cycle, because of old bands breaking up and then forming new bands. There are a new wave of bands such as Ice Age and Incendiary that solidify themselves and the scene. When new bands come up, it makes us feel proud because we can talk them up.

MCB: When writing your Sundowning album, what sort of mood was the band in coming in to write this?

RJ: We took 3 to 4 months writing and recording this record, and during that time, we lost 3 or 4 people close to us. It was a hard period for us and even though the music is still heavy, its very melancholy as well. We had feelings and ideas how the songs were going to sound before we started the whole process. In the end, it was very therapeutic and it’s the album I’ve been trying to write for years.

MCB: Any survival tactics for being on the road on a tour like this?

RJ: Probably the biggest thing is that 5 out of the 6 guys drive the van we drive around the country. Trying to stay healthy is also a tough thing while touring the country. We probably should respect each other’s space a little more on the van. But part of the fun of the road is pushing each other’s buttons and seeing their breaking point.

MCB: While on the road, are there any musical guilty pleasures that you or the guys have?

RJ: We’re pretty open about everything, so nothing surprises much of anybody anymore. We like our fair share of mellower music; I really love groups like Bayside, I really like Dido as well. It’s good to have variety, but the hardcore music is what I love.

This Is Hell’s “Sundowning” is out now on Trustkill Records.

This is Hell is part of the Sounds of the Underground Tour. The tour heads to Detroit on Thursday, July 19^th @ the Fillmore (State) and to Chicago on Monday, July 23rd @ the Congress. Find all tour dates @ www.soundsoftheundergroundtour.com.