"It's definitely cool to see where we have taken our music. This is quite an accomplishment, I'd say", starts guitarist Jonathan Hodges about the band's obvious evolution through the years. "When we started out we just wanted to play loud and aggressive music. Throughout our past few releases [early European EP _Who Says Time Heals All Wounds_ and 1997's _Anchor_] we have focused on being heavy and all that shit and I think people have come to expect that from us. Now with this record we wanted some catchier stuff. We wanted a mood as well."

"_From Bleeding Hands_ [their US debut] was a great record for us because it really helped introduce us to the music fans out there. But it was all just grouped together as hard songs and all that aggression. We took our time with this record, and took the songs into consideration when we were in the studio. We wanted to get something out of these songs rather than just blasting them out one at a time."

He continues: "It's a lot harder nowadays to put together material. I mean, each time out you want to outdo yourself on each record and make it exciting to listen to. The last record we started to see it becoming a bit more difficult, but we managed to get through it and on this record as well. We have a lot of ideas as to where we want to go right now."

Unlike a lot of other bands out there who tour frequently, Turmoil (rounded out by other guitarist Jim Winters, vocalist Jon Gula and bassist Jamie Getz) is -always- on tour, playing every nook and crannie that they can. It's about exposure and showing that you are dedicated to your profession and music. Hodges explains: "We have been going strong for the last little while, but to be honest, you don't make a lot of money doing hardcore and it's hard to pay the bills when you're not home. That is the unfortunate thing about doing this. But we have had a great time touring and a great response from the crowds. We can't wait to tour more and go back to places where people know us now."

I ask Hodges to explain the significance of the album title. He responds: "It's actually pretty simple. It just describes the amount of work we have put into the songwriting and how difficult it has become to carry on with what we do, to have to reinvent or carry out our particular sound. Songwriting sounds easy, I guess, but it is far from it. It also signifies hard work, how many say that artists suffer for their work."

And suffer they have. With numerous tours and a lot of work going into the band, it took a long time for things to actively start rolling for Turmoil. They eventually conquered the scene, gaining solid support from bands and fans alike. "I think we have a lot of support now and that is a good thing", quips Hodge. "It was tough for us to get things going because we were out so long and bands out less time than you have a better response. [Turmoil's label] Century Media isn't really a hardcore label. I think it would be a lot easier if we were on Victory Records or something like that, but we're happy with Century Media. We get a lot of exposure, so we can't complain. They certainly did help us out in that aspect. They opened us up to the European market, something a smaller hardcore label would not have been able to do. I just wish they would push the records harder sometimes. It seems as though with a roster as big as theirs, they only seem to spend a few months pushing a record before they move onto another current release."

"I'm still enjoying what I do", he says. "The thing that keeps me going right now is that I have the ability to create some cool music. I am constantly working hard making music. I like the fact that I can try to bring the music I like into the music we play. I mean, we play hardcore and are around hardcore all the time. It gets boring sometimes. We all listen to a variety of music styles that goes from oldies to old school thrash metal. It just keeps it interesting to try and work our influences into what we do and still make it sound like ourselves."

"It's hard to play music and be happy with it", finishes Hodges. "I mean, we have really worked hard to get where we are doing things our way. Sure we have tried different things and so have many other bands. Some bands add a pop element to hardcore, others death metal. You have to do what you want to do with your music or you'll just fade away. If you have the dedication and commitment to a band then your music should be able to stand the test of time and be something that someone can look back on and still get excited about."