The Militants

THE NAMM SHOW 2022 INTERVIEWS

Interview by Ken Morton Photo by Jack Lue

Meet Charlie Zeigler of The Militants, who presents fist pumping metal from the LA indie music underground! Gathering Darkness, the latest manifesto from The Militants, has been gaining a good amount of acclaim and was an absolute inspiration for all as the pandemic days of 2020 consumed the world at large. Now back at The NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center to do a Meet and Greet at the Highwire Daze Booth, Charlie Zeigler filled us in on all the grand and epic metal masterworks The Militants has to offer, as well as news on a BRAND NEW album! Read on...

What did you enjoy the most about The NAMM Show this year?

My name is Charlie Zeigler - Vocalist / Songwriter of The Militants and CEO of the record company Aggressive Records. I started the band in 1994 and sure have come a very long way.

Let’s go back to your album One Nation One Death. What was the inspiration behind that title and looking back, what do you think of that album in retrospect?

ONE NATION UNDER DEATH is a very good record and still stands with the times. I am very proud of this album and YEP! SOLD OUT 1100 copies and that is an incredible feat itself. The album is about how the world puts War For Profit a Price on the head like a bounty on a country if you do not conform then destruction most is certain ~ ONE NATION UNDER DEATH.

Let’s talk about Fuel The Aggression and the story behind that album and title.

Oh Yes the album FUEL THE AGGRESSION this came out in 2013.This record really pushed The Militants up to another level. The record is about standing your ground, take no shit from any one or anything, protect what is yours, and your rights to keep alive. I am very proud of this album, it sounds KILLER!!

Front Line Kill – what is the story behind that album and title?

FRONT LINE KILL came out 2017 and this is when I decided to go Vinyl besides CD. .I did some experimenting on different tuning of my guitar. This album is tuned to Open “C” - it give that really low heavy tone and it sounds awesome all the way. The Album is about being on the frontlines and dealing with death every day and it is either be killed or kill is the sanction. FRONT LINE KILL is simply an amazing well composed record. Every song is a hit!

Your recent album Gathering Darkness is amazing! Give us a little background on the title and album.

Thank You Ken. Yes, GATHERING DARKNESS came out 2020. The album is very special to me cause once

again did different tuning. This Album is tuned to Open “D” and concept behind the album is about the world living in Dark Times. Slowly but surely things are coming to change in the future, and it seems it is not looking very good around the world, and I do hope for the best for all - but the path the world is leading and coming to is becoming quite dangerous.

How close are you to releasing a brand-new album and how has the writing process been going?

The Militants new album is completed and it is called SIGNS & SYMBOLS. The World and people from day one on this planet we call Earth are driven by SIGNS & SYMBOLS. It is a belief ~ it is religion ~ gives hope and shows you the way , it is worship as in statues creation to Idolize it can represent good or it can represent evil ~ your choice and you decide which path a person wants to take to find destiny. The Album will be out this November 2022 or early December 2022. YES it sounds that good. I really captured amazing moments upon every song. It is for sure a Heavy Metal hit Record. Every song is timeless and priceless.

I’ve seen your vinyl in stores such as CD Trader in Tarzana. What is it like to have your creation released in a vinyl format?

Ken, I love going to record stores, and to see The Militants albums in the stores is such an honor. I made a dream come true and so many people really adore the records that I have produced and recorded and engineered. Yes it feels great, looks great and to see people buying The Militants albums when you are in the record store and when they see it is me in the store shopping as well is awesome, and yep I always make the time to chat with the people and to see their face glow and light up is worth everything to my metal soul as to their metal soul.

What’s up next for The Militants?

I am going to keep writing new songs which I have already begun to do so right now. I have 9 new songs, Drums are all done and now composing music and this next record will be released sometime in 2024. And I can tell already it is going to be KILLER!!

You can pick up The Militants albums at: www.themilitants.com

Promoting the all new full length album “Down In Wuhan” out August 28, 2021 Worldwide on all major platforms DOWN IN WUHAN TOUR 2022 Thursday July 14, 2022-8 PM Thursday August,18,2022-8 PM Friday September,23,2022-7:15 PM [w Pretty Boy Floyd]