A Dirty Dozen with MISFIRE – March 2025

Photo credit: Ed Kost

According to a recent press release: “Chicago thrash bringers MISFIRE will release their Product Of The Environment full-length May 2nd on MNRK Heavy, today unveiling the record’s lead single and preorders. When drummer James Nicademus co-founded MISFIRE back in 2018, he wanted to bash the skins and unleash full-bore tracks that could serve as musical therapy for his band and the fans. As with any new group, there were exciting opportunities to evolve and difficult circumstances that threatened to derail them. But under Nicademus’ watchful eye and vision, MISFIRE survived the brutal times and arose stronger than ever. MISFIRE’s renewed and reinvigorated lineup – which includes vocalist Tim Jensen, guitarist Kostadin Kostadinov, and bassist/vocalist Dan Stapinski – is now raging full steam ahead with their sophomore album, Product Of The Environment. This new, twelve-song collection is the product of the tumultuous changes that the Illinois foursome endured over the last three years. MISFIRE’s original lineup featured a different vocalist/guitarist and bassist. But in 2022, prior to a major tour supporting Warbringer, their frontman departed for personal reasons. Jensen and Kostadinov swooped in to save the day. After a successful cross-country trek, their bassist departed to pursue audio engineering, so MISFIRE enlisted Stapinski.” We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Dan: We are what we are. The music hits a nerve and you’ll find what you’re looking for if you listen hard enough.

James: There are a couple Diamond Plate references musically and lyrically.

Tim: This is the first release from Misfire to feature Kostadin Kostadinov on guitar, Dan Stapinski on Bass/backing vocals, and myself on lead vocals. It’s an all new lineup from the first record.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Tim: I recall it was around the year 1996. I was 5 years old at the local park when my older sister Jen presented me with my first walkman a.k.a a portable cassette player. Inside of that device was a copy of Help! the iconic 5th studio album from The Beatles. I was hooked before we even left the playground that day. Soon after that, that tape and cassette player became an irrevocable piece of my property. My Dad eventually got wind of this and showed me The Beatles movie A Hard Days Night. That film begins with a massive surge of Beatle fans, predominantly young ladies, lustfully chasing a rock band through the streets of their hometown while they try to catch a train. The bands music is playing in the background the whole time this is happening. Need I say more?

Dan: The show Metalocalypsc.

James: The moment I hear Ride the Lightning. Absolutely changed my life.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Dan: Slayer, Deicide, and W.A.S.P. I loved doing Vocals and bass in the beginning of my career.

James: Metallica, Exodus, Pantera, Dream Theater, Testament, Death, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Opeth. To name a few.

Tim: Guns N Roses is my favorite band of all time and I’ve maintained this ever since I was in the 5th grade. Their 1992 Use Your Illusion I & II live double VHS from the Tokyo Dome forever solidified me as a lifer in the music buisness. Unfortunately the original line up had split up by the time I had discovered them. However! GNR core members Slash,Duff, and Matt formed a supergroup with Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland in the early 2000’s called Velvet Revolver. At the age of 14 years old, on November 21, 2004, I found myself front row center at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL for their performance. Their set started off with Duff McKagan standing alone at the front of the stage, 5 feet from me, as he launched into the opening bass line of the first song. I got put into some kind of hypnotic trance at that concert and twenty years later it still hasn’t worn off.

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

James: Already did! Rob Dukes of Exodus did some vocals on our 3rd single coming out April 25th called “Left for Dead.”

Dan: Herman Li and Blackie Lawless.

Tim: The child in me would quickly say someone like Paul McCartney, Axl Rose, or Duff McKagan. The current singer of Misfire part of me, who wants to make sense, would suggest doing a vocal collaboration with Rob Dukes of Exodus, Chuck Billy of Testament, Dave Mustaine of Megadeth or Phil Anselmo of Pantera / DOWN.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

Tim: Hiking with a dash of rock climbing and/or white water rafting. However, my home state of Illinois doesn’t provide the best terrain for such activities. So when at home in Chicago I love to spend time downtown in the city with my bicycle. Beach hopping, soaking in gorgeous architecture downtown, and just wandering aimlessly never gets old for me. The food here is also on another level.

Dan: Playing old school video games and I own a card store called chupacabra games in Naperville, IL. Also spending time with people close to me.

James: Big fan of the THC and video game combo when time allows. haha Also spending time with people that are important to me.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

James: We’re heavily rooted in thrash metal but there are different influences all over that give our music a unique sound. Heavy driving riffs and grooves. Lyrics that address personal and social issues. I’ve never been into lyrics that sound like a fantasy novel. This music is the product of who we are and the lyrics are as well.

Tim: I’d describe this music as very loud and fast rock n roll haha. For me personally, I’ve been compared to vocalist Chuck Schuldiner from the band Death. I’ve been getting this one for the past 15 years. While Chuck is a legendary pioneer in the death metal world and great vocalist, I just don’t hear it when listening to myself.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Dan: Tim’s on Dinner. Me or Jim on beers.

Tim: Funny you ask. I pride myself on cooking for the band or any of my friends when I get the opportunity. We recently spent 10 days in a home studio recording our latest record. I found myself hitting the grocery store and cooking almost every night for the band. Our drummer James also knows his way around the kitchen and has taught me a few things as well. Kostadin and Dan are just there to eat.

James: Yeah we have Dr. Kosta always giving us health advice and the other 3 guys half listening while we pour another beer. I’d say it’s me or Danbag pushing the drinks, Tim on the food, and any of us on the guitar because we all play guitar.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

James: Doesn’t happen to me often anymore but meeting Mike Portnoy and Dave Lombardo got me. Both super influential players for me.

Tim: I always allow myself to be a kid inside and get excited by the presence of a celebrity regardless of their stature. There is absolutely nothing wrong with looking up and admiring someone who is in the spotlight. It’s a good way to catch a spark. The one that really struck me to the ground was a few years ago when I was a only a few feet away from Bob Dylan after one of his Chicago performances. I walked through the alley behind the venue in hopes that I might get to say hi to him. I surely did and he surely did waved back to me. My head still spins whenever I think about that encounter.

Dan: Meeting Michael Angelo Batio… immaculate hair.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Tim: Meeting new people from different parts of the world all through a mutal love for a sound. That’s the best part. If I could no longer be a musician, my dream job would be a tour guide of some sort. One of my best friends works as sailboat captain in Key West, Florida where he, along with his crew, take travelers out on the ocean everyday. That guy is meeting new people from all over the place everyday of his life, he even met his wife who was a tourist on his boat. That is a person and a lifestyle that I greatly admire.

James: Still in the industry. I loving doing lighting so I’d continue doing that.

Dan: I’m living the dream man.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Tim: A question I would like to be asked would be phrased something like this… Tim, you often cite non metal bands from the 60’s and 70’s as some of your biggest inspirations but you are pursing a career in heavy metal, how does that work? My answer would be something like this… As far as I’m concerned the greatest heavy metal bands & records came out in the 80’s. That’s when the most iconic albums were written and released. The metal bands in those days only had the music from the 60’s and 70’s to inspire them. So that is the era of music that inspired the best heavy metal when you think about it. So yeah I tend to keep my ears focused in that time period quite a bit. That’s where my heavy metal predecessors drew their inspiration from that lead them to create the best metal records that we are all still worshiping 40 plus years later. As for what question am I tired of answering? I would say at this early point in our bands career, I’d welcome any and all questions. I’m happy that someone is interested in my band and wants to listen to me. I think the rest of my bandmates would agree with this.

James: I’m not an interviewer and I’ve never thought about that. Tired of the “So how did your band start or what got you into music.”

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

James: Don’t live your life regretting things. Life happens. You live you learn. I am who i am because of my past but I’m only looking forward.

Tim: I regret nothing. However I’d advise anyone starting a band and pursing this career to seek professional management. I count my blessings every single day to have our manger Frank and his management team FM Entertainment on our side. We wouldn’t be making the moves we are making with out them.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

James: Master of Puppets is the greatest metal album of all time and I wish they had a making of.

Dan: The Freddie Mercury and David Bowie Queen sessions or Boston first record recordings.

Tim: That is such a tough question. I’ll be boring and say the Use Your Illusion double album by Guns N Roses. I’ve always cited Use Your Illusion II as being my favorite album ever. Who wouldn’t want to sit in on watching their life long favorite record being created?

MISFIRE LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

X – TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews