On January 8, 2022 six bands will scrap. Two will head north to Seattle for the semi final round.  Dante’s is the place.  Tickets on sale now.

MIRP had a chance to talk with Beautiful Skeletons.

Beautiful Skeletons is a quartet out of Oregon and Washington consisting of Einar Einarsson on guitar, Soren Einarsson on drums, John Oxford on bass and Tina Firefly on vox.

Einar and Tina have been active and long-time members of the PNW rock/metal music scene, hailing from bands like Voodoo Machine (hard rock) and Cryptic Shade (prog metal).

John comes from local rock band Mind Palace and Soren is proud to start his drumming career with Beautiful Skeletons after having watched his dad, Einar, play shows all his life.

Einar brings heavy nu-metal influence with Icelandic rifts and tasty hooks. A beautiful and dark under current that is complemented by John’s beefy bass and Soren’s dynamic drumming.

Tina’s vocals hit all ranges: melodic, belting, whispers, screams, growls and the bands memorable lyrics tie it all together in a unique way.

Beautiful Skeletons will surprise and delight you – you may even need to change your panties.

 

MIRP: Tell me what it would mean to you to perform at Wacken 2022?

BS: Being able to play at one of the most iconic events alongside bands we have idolized our entire lives. “A dream come true” is just not a strong enough statement – playing Wacken would be an epic opportunity of a lifetime.

 

MIRP: Sizing up your competition in a friendly manner…who are you most worried about?

BS: Pitch Black Mass and Set in Stone are seasoned bands we are familiar with and they set the bar pretty high. Our direct competitor is probably the other female-fronted band Splintered Throne with their new fronts-woman and local legend Lisa Mann. Bands on this bill represent the cream of the crop for PNW metal and none of them should be underestimated (including ourselves 😉

 

MIRP:  During the Covid 19 pandemic, what highs or lows did the band experience?

BS: Our debut show was 3/14/19 right before the statewide lockdown – we had the pleasure of meeting AJ and Glenn Cannon and the Damage Done.  It was disappointing to find out after this show that our other gig dates were cancelled for a while with no real ETA.  But we seized this moment in time to reorganize, write new material and take it one song at a time. More than anything, we supported each other through the hardest parts of the pandemic and leaned on our music to shine a brighter light on the future.

 

MIRP: Playing this battle of the bands…what will you do differently now that there is a big prize at stake?

BS: Unlike playing a regular gig, our performance is merely the beginning and not the end. Planning out the higher-level details and being on the same page for all potential outcomes is a must for this opportunity and the most important difference in playing this battle. However, competition anxiety can color our perspective on our performance – we have to remember to be ourselves but the BEST version of ourselves.

 

MIRP: If you are chosen as the band to go to Wacken, how do you feel about performing in front of 75,000 – 100,000 people?

BS: How does a God feel after surveying the universe and life it created? We imagine the closest we could ever get to this answer would be to play Wacken. Having the opportunity to share our music, our love, our passion, our blood, our souls to an endless ocean of metalheads while being within short distance of some of the greatest bands of all time would be a total Out-Of-The-Body type experience.

 

MIRP: Who was the first band that made you want to be a musician?

Einar (Guitar): Nat King Cole, The Beatles at an early age but the pivotal moment was when I heard George Lynch for the first time.

John (Bass): My life changed forever the first time I saw Rush live when I was 15 years old.

Soren (Drums): Growing up watching my dad (Einar) play live with his band as a kid. Watching them play live and how much fun they were having – that’s what made me want to play music.

Tina (Vocals): Incubus, Kittie and Nine Inch Nails

 

MIRP: If you could only pick two bands to listen to for the next year, who would you choose?

Einar (Guitar): Sevendust + Killswitch Engage

John (Bass): Harrahs Void + Drawn By Knives

Soren (Drums): Whitechapel + Slipknot

Tina (Vocals): Sumo Cyco + In This Moment

 

MIRP: Tell me what the dream is if you were chosen to play at Wacken 2022?

BS: The dream is exposure and opportunity on a national level, the dream is to work hard and play hard, the dream is to share Beautiful Skeletons with the entire world and Wacken would be the catalyst for that.

MIRP: In the list of performers below, who have you seen before?

BS: As I Lay Dying, Death Angel, Gwar, Judas Priest, Lacuna Coil, Limp Bizkit, Mercyful Fate, Slipknot, Wolves in the Throne Room

 

MIRP:  What is currently in your playlist?

Einar: Sevendust, Tremonti, Stitched up heart, JinJer Godsmack, Alter Bridge, Megadeth, Drawn By Knives, Alice In Chains, Jerry Cantrell solo stuff , Glenn Cannon and The Damage Done, Butcher Babies, The Loyal Order Suicide Silence, Harrahs Void

John: Rush, Iron Maiden, KISS, Ghost, Tool, Enchant

Soren: Whitechapel, Slipknot, Korn and the Black Dahlia Murder, Polyphia.

Tina: Sumo Cyco, Sevendust, Alina Pash, Ashnikko, In This Moment

 

MIRP:  What would people be surprised to know you listen to?

Einar: Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi, Harry Connick Jr

John: Level 42

Soren: 90’s rap and hip hop

Tina: ABBA, Barbara Streisand, Qveen Herby

 

MIRP:  Preparing for the Battle in January, what is the emotion most felt by the band?

Humbled, Excited, Nervous and Determined

 

MIRP:  Regarding the Battle in January, have you already picked the music you’ll play?

BS: Yes

 

MIRP:  What goes into picking the music?  Heaviest?  Oldest?  Newest? Most Technical?

BS: Picking the music was the easiest part, obviously we also want our heaviest songs however – it was important to pick tracks that distinguish us from our competitors and that we believe will be the most memorable for the judges and the audience.

 

MIRP:  What do you think it is about your band that would be the best fit?

BS: Melodic heavy and dark music coupled with drive and performance in our opinion produces our unique sounds.  At the end of the night after all bands have played, we want to be the one that you remember, the one that blew you away, the one that made your head bang, the one that you can’t compare to many mainstream bands because our sound is smorgasbord of unique and opposite influences and elements.

 

MIRP:  Any final words?

BS: As a band we are humbled to be in consideration for and playing in this battle. Regardless of what happens, we will have fun and we will have the privilege of sharing the stage with some of the NorthWest’s best!

 

https://www.facebook.com/Beautifulskeletons

https://thebeautifulskelet.wixsite.com/beautifulskeletons

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr4M5SfxV2H9ij33uxMgoKA

https://www.instagram.com/beautiful_skeletons_band/

 

Beautiful Skeletons is:

Bass: John Oxford

Drums: Soren Einarsson

Guitar: Einar Einarsson

Vocals: Tina Firefly