The MetalSucks Podcast (general)

Tarja Turunen is our guest for our first-ever holiday episode of The Metalsucks Podcast. We discuss some of her favorite memories of Christmas while growing up in Finland, how a personal tragedy ruined the holidays for many years, her decision to make her first solo record in 2006 a Christmas album, her upcoming Christmas livestream performance, and her favorite Christmas album as a child. She also speaks to the difficulty of not being able to work during the pandemic, the struggle of finding inspiration during this time, her desire to do a full tour for the In The Raw album before releasing a new rock album, and how livestreams will endure as a platform for bands for years to come.

Petar, Brandon, Jozalyn, and Sylvia tackle the four metal bands that get the vast majority of streams, our first hard rock/metal albums we got for the holidays, and much more.

Songs: Tarja - “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (Live) and “Dead Promises”

Direct download: Tarja20Turunen2028Ex-Nightwish2920Episode2036720-20FINAL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:36am PDT

Trevor Strnad is back on the show to discuss the new Black Dahlia Murder album, Verminous. We tackle the vampire-related lyrical themes of the record, how it's easy to trace the new elements on each of the band's albums that helped them evolve to the next era, the myriad easter eggs on Verminous, and Ritual landing on many best-of-the-decade lists. We also discuss the power Bram Stoker’s Dracula has on women in particular, the greatness of actor Bill Paxton, Trevor's love of Symphony X and power metal, the danger of revisiting movies that you loved as a kid, and how today's films don't have the same cult impact they once did.

Petar and Brandon dish on Tommy Lee thinking the Mötley Crüe summer tour will still happen, our thoughts on what has to occur in order for that to be the case, and what the risks of doing a tour that soon would be.

Songs: The Black Dahlia Murder - “Verminous" and “Child of Night," and Allegaeon - “Roundabout” (Yes cover)

Direct download: Trevor20Strnad2028The20Black20Dahlia20Murder2920Episode2033320-20FINAL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:51pm PDT

Testament vocalist Chuck Billy is our guest this week. We discuss the band's new album, Titans of Creation, how it's the biggest risk the band has taken in their career, what it was like touring with Slayer on their farewell run, and the reason he prefers being on the road over being in the studio. We also talk about his recent bout with COVID-19, his fear of assimilating back into the public now that he's recovered, how dealing with it at the same time as other members of the touring party helped (and update on all of those people), and his thoughts on how the coronavirus could impact the future. On a lighter note, Chuck tells us about how he finds golf and boating as peaceful ways to get away from the world right now, and his desire to get a new dog.

Petar and Brandon discuss how the Testament record Dark Roots of Earth had a factor in Petar spending eight hours in jail back in 2013, and they jaw about the latest metal news as usual.

Songs: Testament - “Children of The Next Level," “Night of The Witch,” Wolfheart - “Hail of Steel”

Direct download: Chuck20Billy2028Testament2920Episode2033220-20FINAL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:14am PDT

This week we we welcome Darkthrone's Nocturno Culto as our guest! We discuss the Darkthrone's new album, Old Star, the way the songs on the album are sequenced between ones authored by him and ones authored by Fenriz, his increasingly diplomatic view of music, the possibility of a sequel to his documentary The Misanthrope, the importance of being extreme during the rise of black metal, the Darkthrone album he feels is most under-appreciated, the process of getting the Old Star mix right with Sanford Parker, and the art of doing interviews after not doing them for many years.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn also discuss the sad news that Dave Mustaine has been diagnosed with throat cancer, Spotify's claim that they overpaid artist royalties in 2018, and Tom Morello's response to backlash over throwing a fan's phone into the crowd.

Songs: Darkthrone' “The Hardships of the Scots” and “Duke of Gloat”

Direct download: Nocturno_Culto_Darkthrone_Episode_294_-_FINAL.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:24am PDT

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?

Direct download: METALSucks_Podcast_Ep0057.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:44am PDT

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