Backstage Pass - Final Sign - Interview

ATP

For the record, who's answering the interview?

FINAL SIGN

I am Shawn Pelata, and I am the singer for FINAL SIGN.

ATP

What is your band's name? How did you come up with that name?

FINAL SIGN

We are called FINAL SIGN. I'm not even going to try and come up with anything clever or deeply philosophical to try and explain the name. I totally took it from the lyrics to "Children Of The Sea" by Black Sabbath. Sabbath, and Dio in particular, are a huge influence in my life and in the lives of my bandmates that it seemed natural and we think it fits perfectly.

ATP

So who's in the band and what instruments do you each play?

FINAL SIGN

Brian "Hellstorm" Williams plays the guitar and writes all the music. He's also a founding member of October 31. Kevin Haverlah plays the drums like a beast! Both Brian and I have been in bands with Kevin in the past, so he was the perfect fit for this band. That leaves us with Howard Baker playing bass. Howard and Kevin really lock in together, allowing Brian and I to do what we do...which is very important when your band only has one guitar player.

ATP

How would you describe your sound. What makes you unique?

FINAL SIGN

HEAVY METAL!! That pretty much hits the nail on the head. We're all fans of metal and that's what we love to play. We like to incorporate elements from different parts of the metal universe into our music. What is unique about us, from my perspective, is that we have strong dynamic versatility from song to song, incorporating elements of thrash, power metal, traditional heavy metal, etc while still sounding cohesive. It sounds like FINAL SIGN!

ATP

What bands have influenced each of you?

FINAL SIGN

Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Helstar, Vicious Rumors, Kiss, Accept, Rainbow, UFO, Riot, Mercyful Fate, Van Halen...so, so many. Ask any one of us individually and you'll get a long list of bands we love. We're influenced by all the great metal that came before us and the passion to create more! We're also influenced by each other. When one of us comes in with a new idea, we all get fired up and it spawns more ideas about where to take the music...it's fantastic!

ATP

How experienced are you on the stage, a virgin or whore?

FINAL SIGN

We're all pretty much whores, with Brian being the dirtiest whore of us all. That dude lives on stage and would play anywhere, anytime for anyone. He's cranked to 11 every single show and, no matter where he plays, he plays like he's on stage in front of a sold-out arena crowd. We've all been doing this for a very long time, so we can't wait to get out there with FINAL SIGN and do it some more!

ATP

How would you describe your shows?

FINAL SIGN

We have not yet taken the stage. We have spent the last 2 years working on the songs and finishing the album. We will be going live in early 2016 and the plan is to bring wall to wall energy! We will plug in and do what we do. The key aspect of a live performance, in our view, is intensity. Intensity will be front and center at a FINAL SIGN show! We believe in what we do, and we'll make you believe it too!

ATP

Tell Us About Your Dream Show, who you'd like to play with and where?

FINAL SIGN

My personal dream show would involve a time machine! I would want to open for Black Sabbath on the 'Heaven And Hell' tour at Madison Square Garden! Something more plausible? I want to play Ragnarokkr!!

ATP

Do you have a street team and how can you join?

FINAL SIGN

The metal community is our street team!! The response we have received so far to our songs and our album has been amazing! People are telling other people who are telling other people...word of mouth is everything for bands like us! You want to be on our street team? Buy our CD and tell all your friends about us!

ATP

Do you have a record label and if not are you looking for one?

FINAL SIGN

We are proud to be a part of the Divebomb Records roster! Our label mates include Judicator, Everthrone, Wulfhook, Enertia, Electric Age, Eradikator, Kenn Nardi (Anacrusis), Forte, Gross Reality, Project: Roenwolfe and many, many more! Divebomb owner Matt Rudzinski is a fan of metal and stays true to the community, and we could not be happier with them!

ATP

What are your plans for the future, in a year, 5 years?

FINAL SIGN

Live shows, more music, more albums!! We want FINAL SIGN to be as productive as it can be! With everything we have all done in the past, we all feel like the chemistry we have in this band is special and unique, so we want to do as much with it as we can. We don't want to take 6 months between shows or 4 years between albums! We have a lot of energy and we want to do all we can do until we can't do any more!

ATP

Finally, do have any words on what Arm The Pit means to you?

FINAL SIGN

Arm The Pit is a conduit between bands like us and the metal fans around the world, helping connect us and our music with the undying loyalty that the metal community is known for! Thank you for allowing us into your part of the metal universe and for all the support you have shown us! We will never forget it!! Hail ARM THE PIT!!