Fresno metal band Jet Black Horror is starting off 2008 with a 20-city West Coast tour that's taking the group to Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle.

It's a big move for a 3-year-old band that has been marred with lineup changes. Now with a stable lineup, the five-piece band is looking toward a big year, so says bass player Matt Turya. We caught up with him from the road.

How's your tour going so far? Are you getting a good response? The tour is going great. We've experienced a few setbacks and difficulties on the road, but we're beginning to understand the full effect of touring. The crowd response has been amazing. In the past few days, our MySpace has been flooded with positive feedback from fans and promoters we've met along the way.

In what city have you guys gotten the most love so far? Corcoran and Modesto. The fan base in both cities has been very supportive and helped to promote our music.

There are a lot of rock bands in Fresno. What's different about you guys? It's all about putting on a good show. Not only playing good music, but giving an amazing performance for the crowd. We want to leave a lasting impression and make it memorable so that we have the people coming back for more.

I was driving down Shaw Avenue not that along ago, and there was this car in front of me with a Jet Black Horror sticker on it and two people making out like crazy in the back seat. Your thoughts? Things like this make us laugh because this isn't the first time we've heard about people showing affection while supporting our music. It's an amazing feeling and a great accomplishment as far as we're concerned.

What should people expect from Jet Black Horror in 2008? Later this year we will be touring a lot more and recording a new CD with all new songs and a slightly different sound. It will be more technical and brutal while still remaining melodic and pretty at the same time.

For music and more: Go to myspace.com/jetblackhorror.

Know a local musician that more people should be familiar with? Send the who and why to Mike Osegueda, mosegueda@ fresnobee.com.