The Metal Crypt - Warlord Interview

Interviews

Interview with drummer Mark Zonder
Interview conducted by Luxi Lahtinen

Date online: February 8, 2026

Thanks to Michael Brandvold Marketing for helping with the interview

In the realm of heavy metal, few bands have left as lasting an imprint as Warlord. Known for their distinctive blend of power and epic metal, Warlord has remained an essential cornerstone of the genre. While the band's lineup has evolved over the years, one constant presence has remained: Mark Zonder, the legendary drummer whose skill, passion, and relentless dedication to the craft have been a defining element of the band's identity since its inception.

In this interview, we have the privilege of sitting down with Mark Zonder (via Zoom), the only remaining original member of Warlord, to discuss his journey, the evolution of the band, and what lies ahead for this iconic US metal force. From Warlord's early days in the '80s to their monumental return with their latest album, Free Spirit Soar, released in May 2024, Zonder has seen it all. This ten-track masterpiece marks a new chapter in the band's storied career, bringing forth fresh energy while staying true to the timeless spirit of Warlord's sound.

But the excitement doesn't stop there. Warlord is gearing up to embark on a highly anticipated US tour in March 2026, where they will join forces with the legendary British thrash metal band Onslaught. From March 18 to April 14, 2026, they'll be tearing through various cities across the United States, bringing their heavy metal thunder to fans old and new.

In this interview, Mark reflects on Warlord's storied legacy, the meaning behind their latest album, and what fans can expect from this thrilling new chapter, both in the studio and on the stage. So, sit back, and enjoy this deep dive into the world of Warlord, as told by the man who's been there since the very beginning.

WARLORD'S HISTORY

As many of us know, you're the only original member still in Warlord. How does it feel to carry the legacy of the band after all these years?

Mark: See, I look at it differently. I look as it like we still have 50% of the band because Warlord is and always was Bill and me. When you have that legacy where you started off playing in a little garage, where it's just him and I, a lot of people don't realize this. When Bill and I first got together and started playing, it was him and I for a year or so. That's where the interplay between guitar and drums came into play for Warlord because there was nobody else there. It was just us. We tried to make it creative and make it interesting and those kinds of things.

No, I'm very proud. I always said of all the work that I've done, this was the one band that could have, should have, would have been a lot bigger. I could tell you some interesting stories, but it's just one of those things. It was maybe the wrong place at the wrong time. It was obviously always difficult without a solid singer. Bill and I used to joke, and we said, "Hey, if one of us could sing, we wouldn't need anybody else."

I take great pride in it. I always have. It's a special thing because it was Bill and I, and there have been a lot of moments, good and bad, and different things that have happened. I think one of the coolest things is just the impact that Deliver Us has had and how it has stood the test of time over 40-some odd years. Even to this day, when we go out and play it live, it sounds brand new.

Looking back, what's one lesson you've carried with you since the earliest days of Warlord into the present?

Mark: It's something that I have had since I was very, very young and everything. When it comes to music, I guess, follow your heart. Go with your instincts of what you think you should do instead of just doing what everybody else is doing. I wanted to make sure when I was very young and growing up that I wasn't relying on somebody else for a gig or a paycheck, like, "Oh, I'm going to play in this cover band," or "I'm going to do this session." I wanted to be a rock star. I think the way you get there is you have to be original. You have to be unique. You have to, obviously, be dedicated to what you're doing.

The thing that I've always had in me is I'm always pushing that envelope. I'm trying to be different. I'm trying to be overly creative. Sometimes that hurts me. Sometimes that helps me in my career. Whether it's Warlord, Fate's Warning, A-Z, or the other million things that I've done, I think you can always hear it and go, "Oh, that's Mark." You can tell. That's something that I'd always strive for is to be an original, to have that Eddie Van Halen thing that, within 10 seconds, you know who it is. That kind of thing. Just the originality.

THE NEW LINEUP

How did the current lineup come together and in what ways has it reinvigorated the band's creative dynamic?

Mark: Giles came to me after Bill passed. We both had emails and texts from Bill saying how he wanted us to carry on. He said, "If you guys don't carry on, it's just going to stop." We decided after a while, well, it took me a while, because obviously, when he passed away, it hit me. Once that period passed, Giles came to me and we started talking about it. I'm not sure how we found Eric, the guitar player, but Eric and Diego are friends.

It sounds funny, but the music has never sounded so good. These guys and Jimmy Waldo, the keyboard player, really, really spent a lot of time and energy and really got inside Bill's head. When we go out and play live, it sounds exactly like the records. They're not adding anything new. They're not trying to be cute or play different solos. We're honoring the legacy of the band and the songs. People want to come, and they want to hear it the way they remember it when they were younger. They don't want to come to hear somebody's interpretation of it. That's very important.

We found guys that got it. They understand it. They're not sitting there going, "Oh, this is about me, and I have to play my solo," and "Oh, no, I want to do it my way," and stuff like that. We're really true to what it is. To be honest with you, if you see the videos online, we have never sounded tighter. One thing I can say is that Warlord before this didn't sound, to me, very tight because Bill and Paolo, the other guitar player, he barely spoke English. Great guy. Great player. Everybody was cool, but it's not like they had months to play together. We'd throw it together and go to play some shows. It was rough.

I'm going to be honest. I'm not going to sugarcoat it and lie to you. When you have musicians that are playing this kind of music, where it's required to be very, very specific and exact on what you're playing, Bill and Paolo, and even the keyboard player, Angelo, never really had the time to get tight. Warlord never did 30-day tours. Warlord never went out and had that chance to rehearse for two weeks. We rehearsed for two days. The band right now, it sounds perfect. It's absolutely tight. We've got a flow and a groove. Everybody's extremely comfortable with everybody else. I think it's great. Musically, I think that's the last thing I worry about with this band.

What unique qualities do the new members bring to Warlord's sound and live performance?

Mark: They have the ability to get in Bill's head, get Bill's sound, understand how he was approaching things. Giles understands that Bill just looked at the vocals as another instrument. If you ever noticed, in Warlord music, the vocals are never like David Coverdale or they're never even really like Ronnie James Dio, where they were like little ad-libs, and those kinds of things.

Bill, seriously, just looked at the voice as another instrument that was like a piece of music. Okay, you got this. You got the cellos. You got the violins. Okay, you got the big bass drum and maybe a snare drum and the flutes and the clarinets, and they are all supposed to work together. He looked at the vocals exactly like that. He didn't want David Lee Roth-style vocals. That would have just never worked for what Bill wanted. Giles very much understands that.

Do you feel that this lineup represents a new chapter for Warlord, or does it continue the spirit of what started in the early '80s?

Mark: Oh, no, it's a new chapter. You've got a band that can definitely capture the old sound to a tee. I've watched some of those videos and I was impressed. I was going, "Wow, this is great. These guys are nailing this stuff." I also think what's cool is the youthful energy because the guys are younger. There's a youthful energy when you come to see the band. It's definitely a new chapter of moving forward with the Warlord sound. It's good.

REMEMBERING WILLIAM "BILL" TSAMIS

William (Bill) Joh Tsamis was such an influential original member. What's a memory of him that you carry with you personally and musically?

Mark: Probably when we first did our first demo, and it was him and I, and back then you'd have a cassette [*chuckles*]

We came home to this little apartment, and there's a little alcohol involved. Let's leave it there. The more the night went on, the closer we'd stick our heads to the speakers because we thought it sounded better. There was just the look on both of our faces. I think it was "Lucifer's Hammer" and "Child of the Damned" or something like that. It was the first time that we really heard it for real. We'd done a bunch of cassette recordings, where you set up two microphones, but this was actually in a recording studio, per se. Just that look on both of our faces.

Also, here's a memory that I'll never forget. It wasn't the first gig because the first gig was at Wacken years ago with Joacim Cans. When we played Keep It True, Bill and I were sitting backstage, and all we heard was, "Warlord, Warlord, Warlord." We both looked at each other, and it was twofold. It was number one, like, wow, this is really cool. This is probably what Iron Maiden feels like before they go out and play. It's like, no matter what you do, the crowd loves you. There was something else, too. We both looked at each other, and we talked about it later. We went, "What took so long?"

We were gratified that we were at that point where people got it, but what took so long? Then again, you have to remember, when Warlord came out, you had Ratt, you had Cinderella, you had Mötley Crüe, you had Warrant. You had bands like that we were trying to cut through.

The glam boom was on back then...

Mark: Yes, in Los Angeles. We weren't a British band. This wasn't Def Leppard or Saxon or Tygers of Pan Tang or whatever. We were an LA band, but we had more of a European kind of thing happening.

How did Bill's passing in May 2021 impact the band, emotionally and even artistically?

Mark: I can only speak for myself. Bill had been very sick for a long time, like years. He'd had stomach issues. I remember the last gig that we played, the Chania, I guess it's called, Festival, with Blind Guardian one night and Warlord headlining the other. We were just happy and lucky that Bill could get to the stage. He was in so much pain, and he was just so hurt. Truthfully, I knew it was coming. It wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of when. I'd seen him for three to four years, even when we did Rising Out of the Ashes. He came to New York to my house, and he recorded.

He was taking so many drugs to calm his system, his stomach. It was really sad to see someone in so much pain. Even before we went out and did the K.I.T. thing, he was seeing doctors and they were doing this and they were doing that and they were trying to get him better and physical therapy and all kinds of stuff. I knew it was coming but it's always a shock, obviously. It wasn't like all of a sudden everything was great and then he was gone. You know what I'm saying?

It is one of those things where it's rough. It was rough just knowing that he had passed. He always told me, he said, "Hey, man," when he was sick, he goes, "just go get a guitar player that's good, that can play the parts, and go out and play. Spread the music." He was about spreading the music. I've got emails and texts saying, "Hey, man, just go get a guitar player. Go play 'Child of the Damned.' Go play 'Lucifer's Hammer.'" He goes, "You're in the band. You're part of it. Go play. Keep the legacy alive."

He was suffering for such a long time.

Mark: Exactly. We were working on material that just wouldn't go anywhere for months and months on end because he just wasn't in the position physically to record. It was sad. It's very sad. Getting back to your question, you knew it was coming. It was just, when's it going to get to that point where I'm going to get that phone call?

Do you feel his spirit or influence shaped the direction of Free Spirit Soar or the band's current momentum?

Mark: I think the record, I'm tongue-twisted right here, is older stuff. We put together stuff. Bill's actually playing on some of it. I think really where the strength of the band is, because you have to remember, Warlord wasn't a band that for 10 years was touring. This is almost like a new band. When we're out playing and we're playing all the classic songs by Warlord, most likely the people there, it's the first time they've seen the band or a second time because they saw us somewhere else.

It's not like, "Oh, yes, I've seen Warlord 10 times." We just weren't around. We're new right now. The fact that we go out and we can play those 17 songs and just completely light it up, the energy is amazing. The power, the strength, the musicality, and just the melodicness, it's like I see Bill every night we play. He's there. There's no question. You can hear it in the music. He's there.

ON FREE SPIRIT SOAR

Yes, he definitely is. Anyway, your latest studio album, Free Spirit Soar, was met with great anticipation. What was the creative process like making this record compared to previous albums?

Mark: Like I said, this was like raiding the vault. This was like trying to find all the older stuff so we could actually put it out. It was a different vibe, I guess you could say, just because Bill wasn't there. That's the main thing. Bill wasn't there.

I remember the records that he and I used to make. Like I said, we'd be sitting in front of the speakers getting closer and closer because it sounded better. I missed that whole thing, which is probably 60%, 70% of the whole process, because the music is the music. It's those experiences with him next to me and me next to him, and like, "Hey, what do you think about this part? Why don't we change this and do that?" "Oh, man, that's cool." Then just sit there and record the drums and sit there and listen to him actually play that stuff to record it and stuff like that. I miss that.

I even remember Warlord Manor, where we lived and rehearsed. We had a really cheap, I think it was a Fostex X-15, which is like a cassette four-track recorder. It's really cheap. I remember sitting there and making little demos and listening back and going, "Oh my God, this is amazing. This is so good." We'd say, "I can't wait to record this for real," but there was something there. There was the spark of genius. On this latest record, Bill just wasn't there, obviously. It was a different experience. I don't really feel like doing it ever again. I don't want to start recording stuff with guys that passed. Not my idea of a good time.

It was definitely done for the fans, number one. Number two, it was also to re-introduce the band, if that makes sense. There is a business side to this, where you have to show the fans that there is a working band. Let's go show the band or the fans that we're going to go out and play. Wow, there actually is a Warlord. It's not just Mark and Bill. The music's still there. What I find very funny is when I hear anybody talk about it, it's just the fact that obviously we're all getting older. Everybody knows when Deliver Us came out. No, I wasn't six. It was like, okay, we all know how old everybody is.

There's a lot of bands where either guys can't tour because, they're in bad shape or they've passed. Is that a good reason for a band to just to stop? Not necessarily. Obviously, there's a lot of fans that want to hear those songs. Then you get into that whole discussion about tribute band or not. It's one thing when a guy passes, it's like, yes, we'd love to have Bill here. I just can't figure out how to do that.

UPCOMING US TOUR WITH ONSLAUGHT

Now, if we are talking about touring a little bit, you will be joining British thrash metal veterans Onslaught on their upcoming US and Canada tour in March 2026. How did that pairing come about?

Mark: Giles manages Onslaught, number one. Number two, we talked about it a long time ago how America is going to be a lot tougher market for Warlord than going to Europe and hooking up with another band that could have a draw. They hadn't been here in a while. They're a little bit of a different style than we are. I still think, at the same time, we'll be playing our one hour set in front of them. The thing about Warlord that's cool is you can get into a song for about 15 seconds and they can catch the beat. They can catch the groove. They can almost know the song. By the time the second chorus comes around, they know the song.

It's very easy to get into. It's not like we're a prog band or some band that's so over the top that it just sounds like a wall of sound. I'm not worried about that. The opportunities, a lot of times, don't come around. It's not like we're in a position to pick and choose. I'm not saying that we wouldn't have chosen it, but I'm saying we really wanted to play in the States. I haven't played in the States, I think, in 20 years possibly. Maybe since that last Fates Warning reunion or whatever that was years ago. I spent too much time in Europe. It's going to be really nice just to be in the United States.

What excites you most about touring with Onslaught and bringing Warlord's music to audiences across the States?

Mark: Just playing Warlord's music. On a personal note, it'll be nice to see a lot of friends that I have across the country that I haven't seen in years and years. That's always good when we're in the United States. I purposely make sure I get in touch with a lot of people. I'm talking about people I haven't seen in 40 years, 50 years, the guys that I went to school with that'll come out to the show. Just getting out. An American audience is totally different than a European audience. I'm just looking forward to playing. That's what it really comes down to. Let's just go play the songs. Let's go rock out, as they say.

FAN CONNECTION AND LEGACY

As you have probably noticed over the decades, Warlord has an incredibly dedicated fan base. How does that connection influence what you do as a musician?

Mark: Truthfully, it has no bearing on it whatsoever. Not to sound nasty, but I play for myself. I play for myself first, and then, if the audience likes it, great. I think at this point in the game, I'm smart enough that, okay, we got Warlord. What are we going to do? Let's make Warlord a jazz band. As much as I play for myself, I think that would be a little ridiculous. I'd like to think that I'm smart enough to give the fans what they're looking for, obviously.

I'm not sure if you've heard the A-Z records, but when doing that second record, we were keeping it headed in the same direction. It's very much that kind of thing. I play for myself first, but I'd like to think that I'm smart enough to have it so I'm playing for the fans as well. Obviously, they're going to like what I do.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

After all these years, and all the changes, what does Warlord mean to you today, both personally and musically?

Mark: Like I said, it was the band. It was the diamond. It was the could've, should've, would've. The fact that I'm sitting here, I don't know, 40, 45, I don't know, 40-some odd years, and here we go, we're going to go out and actually play for real. I've been very fortunate, I've been blessed. I'm very thankful for that. I just love to play, and I love to play in front of people, especially with these songs that I love that I think are great.

I've always said, "Hey, this band might have a better singer. This band might have a better drummer. This band has better pyrotechnics or whatever, but Warlord's got the songs." I think that's hit it, especially when you take that, you play that live, and it's note for note, it's tight, and it basically kicks ass.

The other thing that's cool, too, I think, for the old Warlord fans and the new Warlord fans is that it sounds funny, but the guys are younger that are up front. Guys aren't running all over the place, but there is a presentation, a little bit more of a presentation, and you can feel the energy. It's about energy. You can feel that from the stage and how it goes to the audience.

... and what's a very cool thing about those Warlord fans, you have both these younger fans who found the band maybe just 2-3 years ago and then you have these old-school Warlord fans who have been following you since day one.

Mark: Exactly.

It's a nice mix-up of Warlord fans there.

Mark: Absolutely.

Well, Mark, my time is up now. I sincerely want to thank you for this nice chat and wish you all the best with the tour with Onslaught. Hopefully, we will see you here in Europe someday, too.

Mark: Oh, no, we've got that whole thing planned out. There is actually a small run. If you go to the Warlord website, it starts, I think, with the Rock Hard Festival in Germany.

Oh, wow... I had no idea at all that you will also come to Europe to play.

Mark: There's a few dates. The Warlord website has it.

Okay. I need to go and check all the updates on your website then. Thank you so much for your time again. Have a good one.

Mark: Thank you.

Other information about Warlord on this site

Review: Deliver Us

Review: Free Spirit Soar

Interview with guitarist Bill Tsamis on December 8, 2013 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)