“Keep it simple, keep it old-school” is a pretty simple mantra, but Mausoleum Gate founder and guitarist Count LeFay makes sure his band lives by it. Sure you’ve heard that one a thousand times, but these Finnish worshippers of all things old school and heavy as hell really do mean it. Speaking to Count LeFay, he explains that their sound and approach to music harks back to years gone by; “We bring in quite a different approach to metal. For example, songs on our new 7” ‘Obsessed By Metal’ are pretty much driven by guitars instead of drums and bass. The rhythm section is floating on it, that’s quite uncommon in metal these days. Of course back in the ’70s it was different.”
With that 7” out earlier this year with two brand new tracks, what can you expect to come thundering from the speakers? “Old school metal has lot to give and for me it has been a great part of my life”, says LeFay, but this is no straight-laced, by-the-book affair; “Sabbath, Deep Purple and Zeppelin are great influence for me and all the NWOBHM stuff of course. Then there is Mercyful Fate. We have a lot of different influences in the band: ’70s progressive bands like Yes, jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. A lot of different things.”
There’s a lot that goes into this melting pot of sound, but what comes out is thick and heavy with a nostalgic charm. When we talk of music now its MP3 this, free download that, but Mausoleum Gate have a refreshing attitude; “The underground never dies. Never. There will always be players and listeners with serious conviction,” Count LeFay explains, but he realises that “for a band in our position it is very important that as many people as possible can hear our music”, which is exactly what you should go out and do. You won’t be disappointed.
