Metal Pit: We are one month removed from Voyager’s performance at ProgPower USA so I have a few questions regarding your time at the fest. After speaking to many of the festival attendees (and in my own opinion), Voyager stole the show on Friday night. What are your recollections of your time on stage? Was it a blur or do your have any specific memories of the crowd’s reaction?

Alex: ProgPower USA was a real trip for us. We had no idea what to expect going over there and felt so gracious that we had the opportunity to prove ourselves on a world stage. After you play and time goes on the memories of the actual performance tend to fade but the whole fest itself is still at the forefront of my mind. We had a ton of positive feedback from the fest and were just blown away by the kindness showed to us from everyone.

Metal Pit: Did you have any interaction with the other bands on the bill? Did you get to witness any of the other bands performances? If so, who were your favorites?

Alex: I met Ihsahn which was really cool. He’s a lovely guy. I didn’t really get to witness too many bands on the bill which was a bit of a shame but I really wanted to get out there and talk to all the awesome people which I did for the most part; I’m quite the social butterfly! Haha! I did see a lot of the Forbidden set which was great. Gene Hoglan destroyed the drums that night.

Metal Pit: Yeah, Hoglan is a monster! Any funny stories to share with our readers of your time in Atlanta? Besides playing, what were the other highlights from that weekend?

Alex: I’m sure everyone will agree that the night of the gig was the highlight for us. Playing an awesome set to a great crowd, working with the great stage crew, signing autographs for an hour and a half and meeting great new people, then hanging out at the Artmore courtyard till the wee hours. Matt, you managed to sneak me a delicious slice of pizza (thanks brutha!)

Metal Pit: You’re welcome! You and Simone were starving and I felt bad! Haha!

Alex: and then our sponsors kindly brought a whole bunch of food for us to gobble down. There are about a million stories from that tour. It’s great because we’re all very loving band mates and we love to get up to mischief too. There’s never really a dull moment on a Voyager tour! Someone (and I still don’t know WHO... Matt?) left half a pizza at our hotel room door. We found it when we got back from the after party at about 5am. Suffice to say the pizza got a good humping. I seem to remember lying on top of the pizza box then there was a “pile on” and the pizza ended up flat as a pancake. Haha fun times.

Metal Pit: It wasn’t me that left the pizza! I swear! Maybe it was Andy Selden! Haha! You played a warm up show in Brooklyn NY at Bar Matchless, which also happened to fall on the 10^th anniversary of the September 11^th 2001 terrorist attacks. How was that experience?

Alex: It was quite surreal. Not entirely because of the ten year anniversary of the world trade center attacks but also because I’ve always wanted to go to NYC and to go there specifically to play a show was just incredible. There were about 8 kind folks that had driven all the way down from Boston to see us which was very kind. It was a small show but we played our hearts out just the same as we did ProgPower.

Metal Pit: You definitely did! Voyager pre-released the new cd “The Meaning of I” at ProgPower. From what I could tell, you sold quite a few cds that weekend and the response was extremely favorable. As of this date, the cd was just officially released worldwide. How has the reception been thus far for Voyager’s new album?

Alex: The response so far has been very positive. We’re really glad to hear that so many people are digging it as we feel this is our best album. We couldn’t be happier with the way it sounds and with the composition of the songs. We like to hear constructive criticism about it too. It’s interesting to hear what some people say about our albums. There was a review that said the guitars sounded really thin and the overall production was below average. I was thinking to myself “Are you serious, mate? Thin!?” I think it sounds huge! It might sound thin if you’re listening to the album from the other end of one of those paper cup and string walky talkies, but you gotta take the good with the bad haha!

Metal Pit: That reviewer must be a fan of the new Queensryche album! HAHA! So how is the tour with Children of Bodom going? I've been hearing a lot of complimentary things about your performance.

Alex: The tour is going great so far. The crowds have been really responsive and it's a great opportunity for us to perform next to such a huge and experienced touring band. We played an intimate side show in Melbourne last night and we met a lot of people that had come after seeing us opening for CoB. Today we're traveling to Sydney for the second last date on the tour.

Metal Pit: You are not Voyager’s original bass player, replacing Melissa Fiocco. How did you come to be in the band?

Alex: I was in a different band with Simone and the then guitarist at the time. I had become good friends with the rest of the band by that stage and also used to do their lights for them at shows so I felt very at home with the songs. When Melissa left the band they let me play some songs with them and I guess they were impressed. They rest is history.

Metal Pit: For “The Meaning of I” Voyager is signed to New Jersey independent label Sensory Records. How did the signing come about and what are your impressions thus far in being on Sensory’s roster?

Alex: The deal was negotiated by our manager Brad. It’s really great to finally be on a label that supports us and pushes our album. From what I can tell so far Sensory are a great label!

Metal Pit: What are Voyager’s plans for 2011 and going into 2012? I know that you are about to start an Australian tour with Children of Bodom. Any plans on returning to the U.S. or Europe?

Alex: We’re planning on doing a headlining tour around Australia in March next year and aiming to get back over to Europe later in 2012. We would love to come back to the USA as soon as possible and build our fan base over there. We’re trying our best don’t worry ;)

Metal Pit: Try harder!! Haha! Will there be an official video filmed for the album? If you were to choose one song on “The Meaning of I” to be filmed for a music video, what would it be and why?

Alex: There is at least one video clip going to be made for this album. I think if we are going to do a clip for one song in particular it would probably be the title track “The Meaning of I”. I think it’s got a cool modern sound to it that would be perfect for some kind of futuristic looking video. I think something that looks like the movie TRON LEGACY would be cool, but that’s just me!

Metal Pit: That would be my choice too. I know that Voyager’s ProgPower performance was filmed for the festivals DVD compilation, but are there any plans for Voyager to release your performance yourselves?

Alex: We’ll be releasing two live tracks for the ProgPower DVD but currently don’t have any plans to release the rest of the set. Hopefully in the future we can release a very comprehensive dvd/bluray with a bunch of extras.

Metal Pit: Crossing my fingers! You could make it like Kissology and call it ‘Voyagerology’? Simone would hate that! haha! In closing, is there anything you would like to say to the Metal Pit readers?

Alex: I’d just like to thank you for reading this and thank you Matt for the opportunity! Check out our facebook page and drop us a line! Boomshanka!

Metal Pit: HAHA! Thank YOU so much for taking time out of your busy touring schedule to do this interview! Best of luck with the new album and tour!

Alex: Thanks, Mate! Honey badger don’t care… He don’t give a shit! ;)