MCB: Do you feel your latest record, Deliver Us, is your most melodic record to date?

MS: I definitely feel the record is our most melodic, but it’s also our most aggressive and intense record to date. We were really going wanting to be more dynamic on this record, and I think we accomplished that.

MCB: Is it safe to assume that Deliver Us is a less politically fueled album than Hidden Hands of a Sadist Nation (2003)?

MS: Well, there are still elements of the political side of the band on the record. But as a whole, I think its not as overtly political as that record. I think John (Henry- lead singer) did a good job of expressing what he wanted to say on this record. I think he said exactly what he wanted to say this time around.

MCB: Being from D.C., does the political vibe of the city fuel the band’s music?

MS: Well, I don’t live there anymore, but the rest of the guys in the band still do. But when you do live in D.C., you cannot help but get immersed in it. It is all around you. It was a sense of the whole world is watching what is going on there.

MCB: What were the biggest things that producer Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad) brought to the table with the last two records?

MS: Devin brought clarity and a vision to the records that we hadn’t seen before. He was able to take the ideas that we had and consolidate them on song structures and riffs, things like that. He was able to take the wings from help us with the album from there.

MCB: On Deliver Us, do you feel you are letting your shred side out when playing guitar?

MS: I think I did on this record. I had to concentrate when putting together the riffs for the record because Kris (Norris- guitarist) is f---in’ crazy when putting together his riffs for the record. It seemed as like we were playing and battling each other to see what kind of crazy s--- we could put on the record.

MCB: Speaking of guitarist, who are your favorites?

MS: Oh man, I would have to say Eddie Van Halen, Dimebag Darrell, Randy Rhodas and Angus Young. Those are pretty classic Guitar World type heroes, but it’s the stuff that helped mold the way I play guitar. I think these days, you’re starting to see a lot of dual guitar teams. It's because they want to make the music bigger, where one guitarist may not be able to do that. But there may not be too many of them left after a while.

MCB: Do you feel sites like MySpace are a useful tool to develop the fan base?

MS: It’s helpful, but it is a shaky crutch of sorts. It’s cool that they are into the music, but it’s not the same as listening to the entire record or seeing the band live. But overall, it's good because it is a gateway to reach fans and give them exposure to the band.

Darkest Hour will be playing at the Magic Stick on Monday, February 25^th. Tickets are $14 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional tour dates are available at www.darkesthour.com.