Beam Me Up Scotty with Joseph Palmer of Into Pandemonium

Let's begin with the honesty. 

I just discovered that this interview was sitting in my inbox. It's time to do some cleaning in there as I'm pushing 3,000 unread emails which is frankly panic attack inducing.

So, here's this interview from a couple months back and I'm not going to rob you of any quality Star Trek or metal content.

Especially since my wife and I are currently rewatching Star Trek The Next Generation.

Don't pass up Darkest Rise on BANDCAMP.

1. Star Trek is the world's most perfect universe. In what show (era) would you be the happiest? Why's that?

I would have to say that I would be happiest in the next generation era. Reason being that one, it is the era that was current in my youth and it was a show that my dad and I shared together in enjoyment and interest. 

Two, I had the biggest crush on Deanna Troi played by Marina Sirtis and I don't believe I am alone on that one either.

2. In the second season of The Next Generation, Commander William T, Riker had to prosecute Lt. Cmdr. Data on whether or not he was sentient and not property. Where do you stand on this issue and why?  

I agree with Number One (as we all affectionately know Commander Riker as) on Data being sentient and therefor not property. 

True he may be an android but he more than showed his capacity to learn and understand consciousness and also proved he has self awareness. Self awareness I feel helps play into the morality spectrum and Data has shown us his own struggles of morality within the show. 

Something one would say is very human or sentient.

3. The only time we ever got remotely heavy music was on the bus in Star Trek IV. Why do you think they've not pursued heavy music?  

I believe space exploration and discovery is a truly awe inspiring event so they chose to go a traditional route by using a more orchestral approach. 

After all orchestral composition is filled with variety and emotional interpretation on top of the music itself being a story from beginning to end with conflict and resolution. I also feel it is easier to get an attitude of awe, wonder and mystery from an orchestra or philharmonic, especially when it has been tried and found true and used so commonly. 

Heavier music is more commonly used to create an "attitude" feel or segway into something traditionally looked at as against the grain or "badass" or "violent". 

Well, that or philosophy aside, heavy music did not have the same popularity at the time of the show and its predecessor Star Trek and was not commonly used with mainstream television productions. 

Had it been then I believe we would have more "heavier" music in the series and other productions as a whole.

4. In the Star Trek TNG Novel, worlds, universes, and centuries collided when Peter David posited that Trelane from The Squire of Gothos, was actually a member of the Q Continuum.

Do you think that's anything more than simple fanboyism?  

It is definitely "fanboyism" given the novel is non-canonical. 

Is there something to the connection? Quite possibly, many sci-fi hits have left ambiguity over major characters, other planets and life forms but, as we have come to find out, creators do this from time to time to allow the fans to create or expand on stories themselves. 

Often times this brings awesome new and innovative ideas and connections that even the writers would have never thought of and it really brings the fanbase into a feeling of being a part of it all. So yes, out of technicality it is fan oriented but a good connection to get one thinking about new possibilities. 

Even if the purists cannot see it.

5. What's the most metal alien in the Star Trek Multiverse?  

This for me comes down to the Klingons. A warrior species rooted in honor and warrior code, much like the vikings.

And vikings are metal as fuck or f**k or eff, depending on how friendly the language has to be.