16 Horsepower's sound is symbolically harsh and forbidding. Their lyrics tell the fragile story of the bankrupt condition of a man's immortal soul and the undeserved mercy of his creator - they somehow combine the paradoxical status of being the post-apocalyptic howl and birth-seed of the new breed. This time around the band are promoting the release of a live album entitled Hoarse.

Interviews during their career have been sporadic and Edwards is not at ease playing the media game. "We're a nightmare for the record company to market. You just can't work our music that way. It has to happen on its own without the help of this whole music machine." Self-righteous as that may sound, Edwards is equally ready to acknowledge his own slice of luck. "I feel privileged to be in this position. I really do."

Privileged he may be, but life in 16 Horsepower is closer to a crown of thorns than a bed of roses – the band are often on tour for five months out of every ten. "It can get hairy sometimes. Life away from the family is hard." But this band are aware that touring is what they need to do and it's what they're best at. "We don't get to be on the television or radio, so for us it takes constant touring," admits Edwards, "but this is the best tour we've had in Europe so far. There's more people coming, we're playing bigger places and there's just more people interested in our music, I guess."

To witness 16 Horsepower live is tantamount to being present at a mass exorcism. And with the devil's cloven hooves only ever clacking a few steps behind, you'd better be thankful that 16 Horsepower are the band onstage, because they're the only thing that's gonna save your soul. The sheer natural power emanating from the Colorado-based foursome is as destructive as it is creative. Edwards spits with a deep rooted and furious torment and he rarely addresses the audience during the show. 'Intense' is the only word.

Edwards' likens his own performance to an out of body experience, "The songs are outside of me, so often I hear things the way the audience is hearing them. The songs themselves force you to react in a certain way." The only other music Edward considers to have a similar effect are German artcore band Einstürzende Neubauten and Hungarian folk, "I do get a similar feeling from old traditional music too. I try to give people the feeling I get from Appalachian music. It makes my hair stand up."

Biblical references in 16 Horsepower's own work and others' writing about them are inevitable - David Eugene Edwards is the son of an Appalachian preacher [sic]. "I grew up listening to church music mostly," starts Edwards as he begins to explain his inspirations, "I'm influenced by everything I come in contact with really. Literature. Other music. The Bible. I sing about how it affects me and my relationship with people."

Edwards' obsession with the past is most visibly carried through in his choice of instruments (mostly banjos and accordions), "It's not like I grew up playing the banjo. I've just always had an affinity to old music and old things. I was always fascinated by my own family history and background. That's just developed throughout my life and made its way into the music." Fair enough, but where on earth, other than Denver, do you find a banjo instructor? "I just taught myself. I can't tell you what note or key I'm playing. I just do it by sound. And I make myself happy with the sounds I'm making."

16 Horsepower's live strength has been there from the outset and it taken a while for the band to try and commit that intensity to record. But if Edward's had his way, Hoarse,still wouldn't exist. "Ever since we started out people have wanted a live record from us. But I hate live records. Rarely do I listen to one that I like. To me, listening to our album would be torture."

16 Horsepower also use their live shows to preview new material. "It's pretty important for us. We try to settle new songs live first before we record them." In fact, 16 Horsepower have already written most of their next record which they hope to record later this summer. "We’re not a band who write on the road. In fact, rarely do we sit down and write music at all – it just happens."

16 Horsepower's live album, Hoarse, and the single 'Splinters' are both out now on Glitterhouse. The band return for more live dates in July 2001.