This week Chuck and Godless bring in MS Senior Editor Anso DF to discuss 2014's biggest news stories. Some things you might remember, others you might not; who the newsmakers were and who they should have been; and remembering several of our fallen comrades. There might be a couple of predictions for the new year packed in there too.

Doc Coyle stops in to "Reject The Sickness" and tell us why Christmas Metal is total bullshit and needs to stop before it even gets into your playlist.

Songs:
Babymetal - "Doki Doki ☆ Morning"
Dio - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

They wrote them out for you, and now they spend this episode of The MetalSucks Podcast discussing the Best Metal Albums of 2014!

Chuck and Godless received your Tweets and comments, and break down their picks versus yours as well as those of other MS staff members and critics. They also talk about what kind of year it's been for metal against what a stellar year it was in 2013, and they look at some of the releases they missed, plus jam a few extra tunes.

Songs:
Black Crown Initiate - "Great Mistake"
Fallujah - "Carved From Stone"
Wovenwar - "Matter of Time"
The Hell - "Everybody Dies"

Mike Muir, legendary vocalist for Suicidal Tendencies, is our guest this week. Instead of talking about their album and touring, we wind up hearing about his philosophy on life, how his passion for music pisses people off and how he relates to his kids differently than the way his father related to him; really, we just turned on the mics and let him roll.

Godless and Chuck also talk about their experience at the recent Slayer show, whether or not people are too cool for Slayer now, and how most people are posers when it comes to liking obscure bands and hating the mainstream. Stop pretending you don't like anything that sold more that five records; you aren't fooling anyone!

Songs:
Suicidal Tendencies - "I Saw Your Mommy"
Periphery - "The Scourge"

This week, the hosts of one of Godless' favorite podcasts to troll -- the Bad Christian Podcast -- are our guests. Podcast hosts Matt and Toby also play in a Christian Rock band called Emery. They stopped by the studio to get grilled about all things Christianity, the topic of Christian Metal and whether or not it's legit, if the guys making it are believers, or if it's just another cash cow people use to further their influence. Half of our discussion appears in our episide this week, then we'll dive into the fallacy of religion on the newest episode of their show later this week. 

Chuck and Godless also talk about the latest news: the passing of our friend Athon from Black Tusk, why Black Sabbath shouldn't have been named the #1 Best Metal band of All Time in the MetalSucks countdown, and why that awesome metalhead scientist wore that stupid shirt to a press conference. We also take a reader call-in and discuss some small but beloved bands people may not know about.

Songs:
Toothgrinder - "Relic of My Youth"
Psycroptic - "Echoes to Come"

Michael Lessard, vocalist of The Contortionist, is our guest this week. We go in depth about his home planet of Maine, his transition from his role in Last Chance to Reason as the new vocalist for this band and whether backing tracks are acceptable in a live show, among other topics.

Chuck and Godless also pontificate about the final five bands in the 25 Best Metal Bands of All Time countdown and, spurred by your calls, speculate if there were any misses, forgotten bands or glaring absences. They also gush just a bit over the cheesy but awesome new Scar Symmetry song.

Songs:
The Contortionist - "Language I: Intuition"
Scar Symmetry - "Limits to Infinity"

Richie Faulkner, guitarist for the almighty Judas Priest, is our guest this week. We talk to him about his relatively new gig with JP (seeing as their history dates back to before he was even born), which band member's daughter he might be dating, what it's like filling the shoes of the great K.K. Downing and breaking the news to Glenn Tipton that he's playing a song incorrectly.

Chuck and Godless offer some words about our friend Corey Mitchell's passing last week, they discuss Miss Fortune's dismall from the Sumerian roster due to the lead singer's run-in with the law, and they take a listener-suggested topic on whether a band's live performance is any better than watching a recorded performance of theirs online (after all, over five million people streamed Knotfest last week).

The Housecore Horror Film Festival took place this weekend in Austin, TX, and Chuck and Godless were on hand to take in as much as they could over the festival's four days. They run down their experiences at the fest, including Gwar's new lineup, the Rigor Mortis documentary, and just hanging around with the artists and movie makers.

They also sat down to talk with several guests, including:

Rafał "Rasta" Piotrowski, lead vocalist for Decapitated, fresh from the side of the road outside of New Orleans where their tour van crashed once again.

Gwar's new co-vocalist Vulvatron transported from the future to tell us about her terrible experience with the men in the band, and how her lady bits keep them in line.

Michel "Away" Langevin, drummer for the legendary Voivod, gets an earful from uber-fan Godless. Away talks about the band's parting with Blacky, the loss of Piggy and keeping their 30-year history into perspective.

Songs:
Decapitated - "Veins"
Gwar - "The Road Behind"
Voivod - "Psychic Vacuum"

Our guest this week is Nick Schendzielos, bass player for deathcore heavyweights Job For a Cowboy. We talk about his new found work-out regimen, the songwriting process as a newer member of a band, how JFAC operates internally, his music listening styles and Ancient Aliens.

MetalSucks co-head-honcho Vince Neilstein drops in to add his two cents about the recent report from Billboard which found that no album released in 2014 has gone platinum, as well as other interesting data about record sales this year. He'll be writing on the topic more extensively later this week, so he gives us a preview and things to think about as you steal the latest albums off the internet.

Stavros Giannopoulos also adds his latest installment of "Storytime" with a harrowing tale of "eagle-man" and debauchery in the fine southern front of NOLA.

Songs:

Job For A Cowboy - "Sun of Nihility"
At the Gates - "Death and the Labyrinth"

David Davidson of Revocation is our guest on episode #71, with their killer new album Deathless coming out this week. We discuss the new sounds they play with on the record, touring with assholes, whether or not it is important to go to music school and the best things he learned while listening to jazz.

Chuck and Godless also discuss another listener-suggested topic: whether we need to stop worshiping the metal gods of the past and focus on the new gods of modern metal instead. We also discuss Pig Destroyer's ambitious new album, and whether they should keep doing the doom metal experiment permanently.

Songs:
Revocation - "Labyrinth of Eyes"
Pig Destroyer - "Red Tar"

Tomas Lindberg, frontman for the reactivated At The Gates, guests this week on the podcast. He tells us about the new album At War with Reality, why the band dissolved after such a seminal album, growing up in Sweden and his other career as... well, you'll have to listen to find that one out.

We take another listener call about why Slipknot smells like shit, or at least wants you to smell burning camel dung as part of your musical experience.

Doc Coyle returns for his monthly segment "Rejecting the Sickness" with the original band that sparked the idea, Avenged Sevenfold. Did they jump the shark with Hail to the King? Do they rip too much from the Metallica and GnR tab books, or are they the only thing keeping metal alive?

Songs:
At The Gates - "At War With Reality"
Rigor Mortis - "Rain of Ruin"

For episode #69 we thought it would be appropriate to talk about porn. Pornhub started a record label so Chuck and Godless discuss what that might mean in the New World Order of the music industry. Will it change the game? Has the game already been changed by Apple and U2? How, if at all, could this effect a niche genre like metal?

Chuck and Godless gush over the new Devin Townsend record and take another question from a listener about whether or not it is appropriate for fans of a band to criticize them to their face and be surprised if their reaction is not nuanced and measured.

Songs:
Machine Head - "Now We Die"
Devin Townsend Project - "Universal Flame"

Dave Lombardo guests this week on the podcast, and we discuss everything... almost: the new Philm record, his disdain for managers, his departure from Slayer, his relationship with Jeff Hanneman, and working for Disney. There just isn’t enough time in in one episode to cover it all, but Chuck and Godless tried.

Chuck and Godless also answer a question from a listener about Joey Jordison: was he fired from Slipknot for using drugs, and if that is the case, why did the band not fire Paul Gray before his death? They also ponder why Texas in July acquired a pretty good-sized set of cajones on their latest song. 

Songs:
Philm – We Sale at Dawn
Texas In July - Nooses

The legendary King Diamond is our guest this week, and we don't use the word "legend" lightly. His three decade history in music with Mercyful Fate and his solo band have influenced countless bands, and we consider it an honor to be able to pick his brain. We talk about his recent heart surgery, the upcoming tour and promoters' hesitation to book him, and his public split with Hal Patino. We even get to chat with his lovely wife Livia for a bit.

Chuck and Godless also talk about the demise of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal bands of the early '00s, inspired by Doc Coyle's piece that discussed why so many of his contemporaries are falling by the wayside. We premiere a new segment called "Storytime With Stavros" in which Chuck and Godless ask Stavros Giannopoulos of The Atlas Moth to dig up a "good" story from his memory about Blake Judd. Really, there has to be at least one good story about Blake... right?

Songs:
King Diamond - "The Family Ghost"
Unearth - "The Swarm"

Paul Mazurkiewicz, drummer of the legendary Cannibal Corpse, is our featured guest this week. We chat about how they stay active to remain on their game, the difficulties of changing things up when you are set in your ways, and how shifting lineups has effected the band. Godless almost asks him to reunite with Chris Barnes... almost.

Chuck and Godless also discuss the arrest of a man for posting lyrics of an Exodus song on his Facebook page. Was he jailed for eight days for committing no crime, or did he make a veiled terroristic threat?

Our new voice message system lends us a few topics to talk about: Century Media vs. Blake Judd, and why old bands who go out to pasture don't stay there.

Songs:
Cannibal Corpse - "Sadistic Embodiment"
Black Crown Initiate - "Great Mistake"

Senior VP of A&R for Roadrunner Records Dave Rath guests this week as Chuck and Godless try and expand the knowledgebase for bands of all levels. We discuss what it takes to get signed, the state of the industry and metal in general, and whether your band isn't doing enough work or just plain sucks. We also talk about the trajectory of one of their latest signings, King 810, and how their rise has happened seemingly out of nowhere.

Doc Coyle rejoins the podcast this week for another edition of Rejecting the Sickness, this time defending Phil Labonte of All That Remains even though he seemingly called out God Forbid by name last week for not being "musicians." Chuck and Godless discuss Vinnie Paul's recent revelation that he doesn't make any money on music; could he live a decent lifestyle on Pantera money, or are strippers simply more fun to look at than royalty checks?

Songs:
Slipknot - "The Devil and I"
Anaal Nathrakh - "Idol"

Mike Schleibaum of Darkest Hour is our guest this week; Axl and Vince try to figure out who got in trouble with the law on the Mayhem tour, how the transition to a new label came to pass and whether or not using electronic gear to change their tuning is cheating or totally legit. Vince also stuck around to give us his two cents about the band no one can seem to ignore, Babymetal, citing his recent trip to Japan to try to put them in perspective that many may not entirely grasp.

Chuck and Godless also rehash the topic of merch and how your band needs to do it better, with prime examples from a recent tour stop with Scale the Summit.

Songs:
Darkest Hour - "Infinite Eyes"
The Haunted - "Time (Will Not Heal)"

Jason McMaster -- formerly of Watchtower and Dangerous Toys, and current lead screamer for Evil United -- is our guest this week. We talk about about Watchtower's status as possibly the first-ever prog metal band, his experience with major labels as a hit-maker in the '80s with Dangerous Toys, and working with Gene Hoglan on the new Evil United album.

Fresh from his trip to Heavy Montreal, Chuck and Godless invited MS Senior Editor Anso DF to fill us in on his experience. We talk about what Babymetal are doing step up the metal game, what one of the biggest metal festivals in North America looks like and whether Canadian metal fans have a different way of treating the festival environment.

Songs:

Evil United - "Ghostcrushed"
Origin - "Retribution of Filth"

Brad Roberts and Mike Derks of the mighty Gwar guest this week to talk about the upcoming Dave Brockie Memorial, the Gwar-B-Q and plans for the Gwar Bar in Richmnd, VA. We talk about carrying on in the absence of their fearless leader, what it took to make the decisions about going forward and whether it's "too soon" for Godless to joke about the death of a legend.

Chuck and Godless also discuss the "controversy" of racist and homophobic lyrics by Demoniac, an early incarnation of Dragonforce. Should bands have to own the things they've said in the past? Should bands be apologetic about insensitivity that may not be part of their present day ethos?

Songs:

Gwar - "Sexicutioner"
Slipknot - "The Negative One"

Phil "Landphil" Hall (Cannabis Corpse, Iron Reagan, Municipal Waste) is our guest this week. The new Cannabis Corpse album is out now and features some great guest appearances from Chris Barnes and Trevor Strnad. We talk about the record, how he is able to keep three touring bands organized, and Godless tries to figure out how pot works all at the same time.

Chuck and Godless also talk about the Wintersun vs. Nuclear Blast controversy and how we've all become trained to have thicker skins thanks to anonymous trash-talking on the Internet. Ex-God Forbid guitarist Doc Coyle debuts in a new segment we call "Rejecting the Sickness" in which he defends some of the bands we take issue with; in this episode he tackles Godless' disdain for the band Ghost. 

Songs:
Cannabis Corpse - "Individual Pot Patterns"
Fallujah - "Carved In Stone"

Mark Kloeppel, guitarist and vocalist for Misery Index, guests this week. We discuss how a metal band can make a living these days, whether or not low level bands are touring too much (and if that's ruining things for everyone else), and their new record The Killing Gods, the record Kloeppel claims they really wanted to make all along.

Chuck makes the claim that Motley Crue need to retire after seeing Vince Neil butcher their set last week (even with his teleprompter), and we hear a new song from In Flames that has some really... different... production choices.

Songs:
Misery Index - "Gallows Humor"
In Flames - "Through Oblivion"

Bass wunderkind Dan Briggs of Between the Buried and Me, Trioscapes and Orbs guests this week on the podcast. We discuss the foundations of his writing techniques, playing with two bands on the same tour, and why the members of BTBAM choose not to interact with their fans at shows.

Chuck and Godless discuss the recent fascination with Babymetal, Unlocking the Truth and metal "youngsters" in general. Do we not have enough young blood making music, or are we setting the bar too high for these up-and-comers? We also discuss whether $25K is a good salary for a touring musician in light of the revealing statement released by ex-Testament bass player Greg Christian.

Songs:
Trioscapes - "Stab Wounds"
Monuments - "Origin of Excape"

Josh Scogin, ex-lead singer for The Chariot and current frontman for '68, is our guest this week. We talk about the demise of The Chariot, leaving Norma Jean, Christianity, labeling metal as "Christian," and Godless takes him to task about curing a woman's cancer with prayer and believing the Earth is only 6,000 years old.

Chuck and Godless also discuss the biggest news story of last week, Upon A Burning Body's publicity stunt. In the most real genre of music is it right for a band to pull a hoax on their fans and those of us who try to keep up with real information?

Songs:
'68 - "Track One"
Cannibal Corpse - "Sadistic Embodiment"

Every Time I Die screamer Keith Buckley guests this week on the podcast! We find out about his favorite karaoke song, his cover band, the gauntlet of summer tours, and why ETID's new album, From Parts Unknown, is their best yet. Chuck and Godless also discuss the recent onslaught of ex-singers returning to bands, and whether or not TesseracT and Exodus can benefit from these reunions the way Iron Maiden and Judas Priest have. Plus, if you are in a band and your record gets a bad review, do you a) be a dick to the guy who wrote the review b) STFU about it and just be satisfied that people are talking about your record at all, or c) find a happy medium?

This week, guitarist Nick Hipa goes on the record about Tim Lambesis, the demise of As I Lay Dying, and the rise of Wovenwar, his new band with the other former members of AILD. The chat went so long, this episode is pretty much dedicated solely to the interview!

This week, guest Michael Amott discusses the new Arch Enemy record War Eternal, the transition from vocalist Angela Gossow to Alissa White-Gluz, and his decision not to continue with Carcass after their reunion tour a few years back.

Chuck and Godless also discuss the arrest of Roadrunner Records signees King 810 and BTBAM's statement that they'll never play their pre-Colors material again. 

Songs:

Arch Enemy - "Never Forgive, Never Forget"

Septicflesh - "Order of Dracul"

Ice T is our special guest this week: Axl gets to chat with the actor, rapper and frontman for Bodycount, the latter of whom has their first album in eight years coming out soon. Ice and Axl talk about making the new record, the state of race in metal, working with Jamey Jasta and more.

Chuck and Godless invite MetalSucks Senior Editor Anso DF to talk about upcoming changes to the site including a new feature called "Friday Five" that will debut on June 20th. We also discuss the toxicology report on Dave Brockie's death and how it made us all disappointed and sad.

Songs:
Body Count - "Talk Shit, Get Shot"
Opeth - "Cusp of Eternity"

Herman "Eddie" Hermida, the new lead singer of Suicide Silence, guests this week on the podcast. He talks about the difficulties of coming into the band after the death of Mitch Lucker, his role in taking over the helm, why leaving All Shall Perish was not as easy as just saying goodbye, and his experiences with both bands.

Chuck and Godless ponder what the GwarBar will look like, if they're going far enough with the idea (how about a Gwar Theme Park??), whether or not you can have a restaurant with broad appeal when considering some of the extreme imagery of the band, and what other bands might be able to pull off a similar thing. Chuck also remixes the new Judas Priest song into something more Priest-y.

Songs:
Suicide Silence - "Cease to Exist"
Judas Priest - "Redeemer of Souls"

We mark a year of podcasting with a double episode! Vince and Axl jump in to tell Chuck and Godless if they get to keep their jobs and discuss a recent post Vince made about bands taking risks. Should a band who has a signature sound experiment? Everyone's got a different opinion on the issue, and there's nothing like a bunch of metal snobs to tell dudes how to make music.

We also interview Matt Heafy of Trivium, right on the heels of canceling some tour dates and exchanging personnel. We get the scoop about the news, talk about the metal scene and why the brotherhood between metalheads has changed over the last few years.

Journalist Ryan Downey guests to talk about his recent, incredibly in-depth interview with Tim Lambesis. Ryan and Tim have been friends for years, and Ryan spent quite a bit of time putting together the piece prior to Lambesis' sentencing.

Stream this week’s episode below. Remember to subscribe to the MetalSucks Podcast on iTunes, subscribe to our direct feed or download this episode directly.

Songs:
Trivium - "No Way to Heal"
Austrian Death Machine - "Get Your Story Straight"

Sam Dunn, director, producer, anthropologist and co-owner of Banger Films is our guest this week. He has become the de facto record-keeper for heavy metal, having produced Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, Metal Evolution, Global Metal and more focused documentaries about Iron Maiden, Rush and now Super Duper Alice Cooper. Sam tells us the history of a legend who so many of us know little to nothing about, and we pick his brain to find out who might be next, how he became a metal filmmaker and more.

We discuss the fascinating story of Vik Guitars founder Vik Kuletski, hating on gay people and headless guitars, whether a niche businessman can come out against an idea and lifestyle that is now in the mainstream, and whether those consequences are just. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but when you're selling $5,000 guitars can you afford to lose even one customer? We also hear the new Wovenwar and avoid talking about the sentencing of Lambesis, instead focusing on the damn catchy song the other members made without him.

Songs:
Gwar - "School's Out"
Wovenwar - "Rise Up"

Stavros Giannopoulos of The Atlas Moth guests on this week's episode... and so does his girlfriend, at least for a little bit. Stavros points out the flaws with dating ladies who are into metal, explains how measuring his metal dick is a pain, what it means to be a true Cubs fan, and yeah, he talks about the new record a little bit too.

Chuck and Godless weigh in on the chart success of Whitechapel's latest album; is this one of the heaviest releases to ever make the Top 10 in its first week? They aren't sure, but they definitely have an opinion about it.

Songs:
The Atlas Moth - "Collider"
Black Anvil - "Still Reborn"

Ben Falgoust, front-man for the almighty Goatwhore, guests this week after the band's appearance on the Metal Alliance Tour stop in Austin. We talk about the NOLA metal scene, his experience after his debilitating van wreck, Goatwhore's new album and his new favorite band Vallenfyre; we even get to see the new album artwork before anyone else does.

Chuck and Godless also discuss the announcement of a crowdfunded metal festival to be hosted in South Texas and why it may be a terrible idea, and how a promoter could help to ensure a successful fest in Texas (and the world, for that matter). Godless also reminds you to put your cell phone away at live shows after he smashed a few in the Dillinger Escape Plan pit on Saturday night.

Songs:
Vallenfyre - "Scabs"
Agalloch - "Celestial Effigy"

Nergal of the mighty Behemoth is our guest this week. Chuck and Godless had the opportunity to have a conversation with the man about his personal life philosophy, where he stands in the world of metal, his role in the band and their success and how his battle with disease has shaped his worldview. Kinda heavy.

The Revolver Golden Gods Awards took place this week, and although it's great that there is some form of award for metal music, does it really represent what is happening out there in the world of metal, or is it just glad-handing the most popular bands they can find at the time? We also listen to and dicuss the new Slayer song: is it even necessary, or does their legacy supersede the music?

Songs:
Behemoth - "Oro Pro Nobis Lucifer"
Slayer - "Implode"

Amos Williams, just one of the masterminds behind Tesseract sits down with us before their show in Austin, we talk about how a band can go through four vocalists when they only have two albums, whether or not Ashe O'Hara is the right fit for the band now, and how the past effects the future of this ground breaking band; also he just has a sexy accent, that goes a long way.

After Shane Blay said he can't quit Oh, Sleeper because he has it "tattooed on his chest," Chuck and Godless want to see your shittiest tattoos of a band, you know you have them so be ready to tweet them, or add them to the comments, and they try to figure out why you would even think about getting a band tattoo, if there is a circumstance where it makes sense to get your favorite act permanently added to your skin, probably not.

Songs:

Tesseract - "Nocturne"

Conquering Dystopia - "Ashes of Lesser Men"

Opeth mastermind Mikael Akerfeldt guests on this week's podcast to talk about their new album that drops in June, his life, how his kids take to metal and whether or not he is done with "death metal" altogether.

Chuck and Godless also discuss the week's news about As I Lay Dying and the new project without Tim Lambesis, and they try to figure out why the band members keep having unfortunate missteps with their soon-to-be incarcerated lead singer.

Plus, with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction of KISS this week, Chuck and Godless argue about who the first ten inductees into the Metal Hall of Fame would be. Not bands, individuals. Not hard rock, not R & B, not heavy metal, but METAL! It's harder than you think!

Songs:
Opeth - "Slither"
Trap Them - "Salted Crypts"

Vince and Axl sit down with the spandex-wrapped vessel of hair metal, Steel Panther. They don't get to talk for long, but they don't need much time to make you laugh, and, for that matter, cry. They talk about the new Steel Panther album, inspiration for their hit songs, and their talents for flatulence.

Chuck and Godless talk about the rash of performers getting caught on video completely blotto on stage and discuss whether it cheats the fans or makes for 'special' moments you will never see again. We also invited MS contributor Grim Kim to offer a serious discussion about women in the metal scene and metal journalism, we talk about how musicians treat young women, but also how young women metal fans are viewed in general and ways to address the stereotypes every female metal fan must confront. Changing lives one podcast at a time!

Songs:
Steel Panther - "Gangbang at the Old Folks Home"
Misery Index - "The Calling"

Howard Jones, ex-Killswitch Engage and current Devil You Know vocalist, is our guest this week. We talk about his bout with depression, his reasons for leaving KSE and his new project, and we generally atempt to psychoanalyze a way too humble man.

Chuck and Godless also talk about the cuttlefish in the room, the death of Dave Brockie; what his death means to them and what it might mean for the band -- Godless already thinking about their future and Chuck stuck in the past. They also let you hear the new supergroup Killer Be Killed which they can't help but like, and they discuss the reasons why bands try to make something new when they already have a good thing going (or if that is even the point of the exercise?).

Songs:
Devil You Know - "Seven Years Alone"
Killer Be Killed - "Wings of Feather and Wax"
GWAR - "Maggots"

Trevor Strnad, lead screamer of the Black Dahlia Murder, is our guest this week. We talk about death metal bands versus scene metal bands, his run-ins with fans about buying albums, what he has tattooed on his ass and what his mom would have named the band.

Chuck and Godless also talk about the big news of the week: Angela Gossow's departure from Arch Enemy and how the band handled the transition. Did they do it the best way possible? If you have a female vocalist, should you replace her with another female vocalist? They also try and figure out if Down losing Kirk "Riff Lord" Windstein has harmed their sound forever.

Songs:
The Black Dahlia Murder - "Raped In Hatred by Vines of Thorns"
Down - "We Knew Him Well"

Wendy Dio is our guest this week. We talk about Ronnie James Dio's final days and his legacy, their relationship, her mission with the Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund and the new tribute album coming out in April featuring Motorhead, Metallica, Anthrax, Rob Halford and many more.

Chuck and Godless had to make a few adjustments to their recording this week with the wicked SXSW festival in their fine city of Austin, but Chuck tries to defend his other passion -- terrestrial radio -- and make the case for its relevance, although Godless doesn't buy it (ane we're not sure if anyone else will either).

Songs:
Motorhead (Feat: Biff from Saxon) - "Starstruck"
Indian - "Directional"

Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel guests on the podcast this week. We talk about Phil's incredibly troubled childhood, from both of his parents dying at a young age to the severe anxiety problems he experiences to this day. Of course we talk about the new Whitechapel album as well. 

Chuck and Godless also talk about how Emmure caved to pressure by changing the title of one of the songs on the new record and whether that is a tell-tale sign of metal losing its balls; should we (the royal ‘metal’ we) be afraid of offending people? We also talk about SXSW and whether it's relevant for you or your band in general, musically, professionally or otherwise, and the most important thing to consider during the conference: tacos and beer.

Songs:

Whitechapel – "The Saw is the Law"
Destrage – "My Green Neighbour"

Jonathan Nuñez of Torche joins our podcast this week; we talk about the ease of recording in his own home, having Kurt Ballou as the go-to guy for their albums, plans for their next record and which bands reached him at an early age.

Chuck and Godless also tear down the Revolver Golden Gods Awards nominees, and they try to be kind to all of you A7X lovers out there -- but really just try -- and cover a few other big headlines of the week like the Lambesis guilty plea and Malevolent Creation's "gay" drummer controversy.

Songs:
Torche - "Without a Sound"
Whitechapel - "The Saw is the Law"

KEN mode brothers Jesse and Shane Matthewson sit in on this episode. We talk about their recent Converse video; the realization that they're both accountants as are their parents, what it's like to put everything on tour in terms of dollars of merch sold, and whether or not their extremely high frequency of touring is worth while or not.

Chuck and Godless also revisit the topic of the mosh pit and audience safety in light of the $1.4 Million judgement against Fishbone, the fan arrested at a Bring Me the Horizon show and the security collapse during the Thy Art is Murder set at Soundwave festival. Who is to blame?

Songs:
KEN mode - "Your Heart Warming Story Makes Me Sick"
Hark - "Black Hole South West"

Scott Ian drops in for this week's episode to talk about his upcoming Speaking Words tour, crowd funding his new DVD, Anthrax reclaiming their spot on the big four, getting made up as Jack the Ripper for Kirk Hammett's FestEvil and most importantly where his child was conceived. SO many news items to cover, Chuck and Godless focus on the band changes going on, The Faceless, Dave Lombardo and Slayer and what the hell happened to Newsted and Mustaine with the Soundwave Festival?

Songs:

Anthrax - Got the Time

Junius - Battle In the Sky

Chuck and Godless spent a week floating around the Caribbean with 40 bands and 2000 metalheads on the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise, and they've got a couple stories to tell... at least what they can remember.

Soilwork, The Haunted and 70,000 Tons of Metal organizer Andy Pillar are the special guests on this week's podcast: Chuck and Godless get into how Soilwork deal with equipment issues, how the members of The Haunted handle the At the Gates reunion taking up so much of their band, and how a festival on the open seas can happen without as much as a hiccup.

Songs:
The Haunted - "Eye of the Storm"
Soilwork - "Spectrum of Eternity"

Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society brings his wisdom to this episode. We talk about his run-ins with health issues, his recent birthday, how his dad's service in WWII affected him and whether he could be the man who could bring Pantera together.

Chuck and Godless also talk about some of their experiences from the 70K Tons of Metal cruise and coming back to the non-metal real world. They also discuss whether there are more women coming to metal shows in light of the recent MTV article, and if that matters other than growing the fanbase.

Songs:
Black Label Society - "My Dying Time"
Within Temptation - "Dangerous (feat. Howard Jones)"

Paul Masvidal of Cynic is our guest this week. We have a long chat about his childhood, anger issues, his career as a writer for television and movies, the new Cynic album and why Focus broke up the band nearly 20 years ago.

Chuck and Godless also talk about the importance of bands getting an accountant and deciding up front how to divide up the workload in light of the current situation Machine Head find themselves in, with former bassist Adam Duce suing the band. We also get stoked for the upcoming 70K Tons of Metal cruise this week.

Song:
Cynic – "Kindly Bent to Free Us"

We grill this week's guest Trevor de Brauw of the mighty Pelican about taking a break from his job to do an interview, if he's learned anything from his time in the music industry to help his band's career, how cloth diapers effect his neighbors and if not having a singer means less band drama.

Chuck and Godless try and figure out why Metal, with a capital M, is getting less flak in the media lately when violent acts happen. We're not getting blamed for mass shootings, but we still have crazy dudes stabbing people and threatening politicians on Facebook. We also ponder a return to the kinder, gentler age of Fred Durst and Nu Metal; has Metal Hammer accidentally conjured that terrible time in metal just by shining a light on it? You hope so... for reals, yo!

Songs:
Pelican - "The Tundra"
Cannabis Corpse - "The Inhalation Plague"

You may have just seen them perform on Letterman on Friday night, and now Aaron Beam from Red Fang is our guest on the podcast. We talk about turning 40 years old in an up-and-coming band, knowing that you just wrote a hit song, and his wishlist for a no-nonsense and mixed bag tour lineup.

We cover the latest revelation from Jason Newsted about his ouster from Metallica and the main reason no one remembers Echobrain (hint: not because of James Hetfield). We also talk about musicians deciding to retire in light of Dan Lilker's recent announcement that his time in music is done, and we wonder why anyone would quit, or mostly why they would bother to announce it.

Songs:
Red Fang - "Blood Like Cream"
De La Tierra - "Maldita Historia"

The always controversial Dave Mustaine is our guest this week. We chat about his kids, learning to be a better person, his relationship with Roadrunner Records and we try to get an answer out of him about that whole "big four not happening again" thing from last year.

Chuck and Godless talk about metal drumming and whether or not drummers are even necessary anymore, Godless predicts what will happen in the metal world during 2014 and Chuck tries to hammer out the details of his birthday party coming up in a few weeks.