Mike Scheidt from Yob joins us this week. We talk about the trials and tribulations caused by his near-fatal diagnosis of diverticulitis, his near-death experience prior to surgery, the power of being mentally strong when dealing with health issues, the process he took to rebuild his singing voice and the precautions he'll be taking on Yob's upcoming tour with Bell Witch, how our emotions are tied into how we feel physically, learning how to say thank you when you are shown an overwhelming amount of support, and how he got a guest spot on the latest record by Will Haven.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn give you a glimpse into the exciting week Guns ’N’ Roses fans had, try to understand what bankruptcy means for Gibson guitars, talk about Babymetal's decision to start a record label, and discuss the recent slew of surprise releases from Sleep, Cancer Bats and Dead Cross.

Songs:
Yob - “The Screen”
Witch Mountain - “Burn You Down”

TesseracT guitarist James Monteith is our guest this week. We talk about the meaning behind the title of the band's new album Sonder, the dark storytelling process for their music video “King," how shorter records make more sense these days, the importance of trends and timing in modern music, his day job as a music publicist, the correlation between Brexit in Monteith's native U.K. and Trump's America, how technology is a part of the identity of today's youth, the psychology of the modern music fan, how big retailers are to blame for the mainstream fashion trend of metal shirts and more.

Petar, Brandon, and Joz tackle John Travolta praising Fred Durst, our excitement level for the new Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway record, Burn the Priest's voicemail advertisement, and the food that best represents America (according to Jozalyn).

Songs:
Tesseract - “King”
Octopus - “Supernatural Alliance”

Dimmu Borgir guitarist and founder Silenoz is our guest this week. We discuss the writing process of the band's new record Eonian and the motivations behind it, how after eight years a new record becomes an event for fans, Dimmu Borgir's 20-plus year relationship with Nuclear Blast Records, the 15th anniversary of Death Cult Armageddon, his thoughts on eventual retirement after 25 years of doing this, and the experience of playing live with a 100-piece orchestra.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn tackle Apple's plans to discontinue digital downloads on iTunes, being forced into streaming as a consumer, how that could be good for physical product sales, and value versus convenience when it comes to art. Following Vince and Axl's recent video, we have our own debate about whether a new Guns N' Roses record will be any good, and Brandon gives his take on ageism in meaningful rock and metal lyrics.

Songs:
Dimmu Borgir - “Interdimensional Summit”
Melvins - “Stop Moving To Florida”

Legendary frontman John Bush (Armored Saint, ex-Anthrax) joins us this week to discuss the early days of Armored Saint, their goal of getting signed prior to playing 50 shows, Mike Piazza’s favorite track by the band, the writing process for classic album Symbol of Salvation, the stories behind the Anthrax records he performed on, his approach to writing lyrics with a broad appeal while remaining honest, and how he would love to play Win Hands Down in its entirety in 2025.

Meanwhile, we create an ad for the new Twilight EP, discuss System of a Down touring without a new record, how System have managed to become both critics' darlings and fan favorites, and what it's like to watch bands perform when you think they hate each other on stage.

Songs:
Armored Saint - “Dropping Like Flies"
Armored Saint - “An Exercise in Debauchery”

We talk to Benji Webbe of Skindred about their new record Big Tings, the change in sound on this record, surviving getting stabbed in the neck and how close he came to dying, how gun control works in the UK, the importance of listening to the children, and the Babymetal controversy he was part of during the Kerrang awards.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn have a field day with Frankie from Emmure's diss track, prove that a two-year old can write a better one, make a formal challenge to both Emmure and Attila, and discuss the special edition of the Podcast on which MS co-founder Vince Neilstein and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante debate whether technology has affected the music industry for better or worse.

 Songs:
Skindred - “That’s My Jam”
Aura Noir - “Dark Lung of the Storm”

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and MS co-founder Vince Neilstein go one-on-one in a debate about how technology has affected the music industry. We discuss Benante's assertion that "Apple had a big hand in destroying music," his preference for listening to music on physical formats, the income artists and labels earn from streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube, "pay what you want" pricing models and how all those things fit into the overall economic picture of the modern artist. 

Song: Anthrax - "Breathing Lightning" (Live)

Underoath vocalist Spencer Chamberlain is our guest. We discuss the band's new record Erase Me (out April 6th), the decision to make a new record after reuniting to tour, the reason the band decided to call it quits in 2013, the importance of the break-up in hindsight, his past struggles with addiction and the way he beat it, the most irritating thing about the current state of our country and much more.

MetalSucks co-founder Vince Neilstein joins Petar, Brandon and Jozalyn to discuss the controversy surrounding Watain: the image that surfaced of their guitarist giving the Nazi salute, frontman Erik Danielsson's response and the people who defend the band. We also talk about the discovery of Inquisition vocalist Dagon's past child pornography charges and the pass that certain artists get despite their heinous past behavior, and we talk about the tragic passing of Caleb Scofield of Cave In and how fans of the band have stepped up to show his family that they aren’t alone.

Songs:
Underoath - “Rapture”
Failure - “Dark Speed”
Cave In - “Luminance”

Emperor guitarist Ihsahn returns to the podcast this week to discuss his latest solo record Amr. He also tells us why a new Emperor album doesn’t make sense, how money and fame dictated peoples' views in the early days of black metal, his views on the crimes associated with the early black metal movement, the way Americans view those same crimes, his feelings on sharing the stage with Faust and Samoth in 2014, and how holding extreme viewpoints in your youth makes you grow up fast.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn follow the interview this week with a discussing of some of Ihsahn’s comments including his relationship with Faust, the difficulty of truly understanding perspective, and much more.

Songs:
Ihsahn - “Arcana Imperii”
The Absence - “Misery Trophies”

This week our guest is Thomas Youngblood of Kamelot. We discuss their new album The Shadow Theory, how Lauren Hart of Once Human (who guests on the new record) performed her first show with the band opening for Iron Maiden, how Kamelot made it into the Olympics, recent lineup changes, the reason he choose to film in the Netherlands for their upcoming live DVD and more.

Petar, Brandon, and Joz get super excited about the recently-announced sequel to The Devil’s Rejects, talk about Crematory’s drummer bullying his fans into buying their record and speculate what a solo show by Clown of Slipknot might look like.

Songs:
Kamelot - “Raven Light
Kobra and the Lotus - “Losing My Humanity”

This week we get to chat with BTBAM vocalist Tommy Rogers about latest the band's latest record, Automata 1, the reason behind the decision to release this record in two parts (Automata 2 is out in June), the process of making music with his bandmates, why concept records work so well for BTBAM, which of his albums is his most personal, the importance of North Carolina to the bands sound, the way he found his voice through the records, covering Chris Cornell early on in his career, and how lucky they are to be a band that truly gets along with one another.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn also tackle the sad news of Tommy Lee getting knocked out by his son and the social media fight that followed, Fred Durst directing a film with John Travolta, Slash making a new solo record instead of a new Guns N' Roses record, and their feelings regarding Tool's choice of producer for their new album.

Will Haven guitarist Jeff Irwin is our guest this week. We discuss the band's new record Muerte (out March 23rd), how the band functions and makes decisions these days, their evolution and three distinct chapters of their career, their debut album El Diablo turning 21 years old, the crucial role dark and angry art plays in his life, the possibility of a live album in the near future and growing up in the '90s.

Meanwhile Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn talk about Izzy Stradlin's new book and his decision to walk away from Guns N' Roses reunion money, the Taake tour cancellation due to pressure from antifa, antifa’s effect on the metal scene as a whole and much more.

This week we chat with Rivers of Nihil guitarist Brody Uttley. We talk about the band's third record Where Owls Know My Name, out March 16th via Metal Blade (order here), the depression millennials suffer due to technology, creating art in the form of heavy metal, the difference between artists and craftsman, his love of post-rock, the struggle he has with communication through text messages, his thoughts on bands that use backing tracks and how important first week sales still are in the music industry.

Meanwhile Petar, Brandon and Jozalyn tackle the gun control debate that has rolled into the metal world; we discuss Randy Blythe’s thoughts, Phil Labonte's comments, Chris Barnes' “crisis actor” statement and much more.

Songs:
Rivers Of Nihil - “A Home”
Zao - “The Host Has Bared Its Teeth”

Howard Jones is our guest this week. We discuss his latest project Light The Torch (formerly known as Devil You Know) and their new album Revival, the project he has been working on with Peter Wichers (ex-Soilwork), his bucket list moment with Dee Snider, his take on Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s rumored fight in the MMA, his thoughts on touring as a solo artist and much more.

Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn introduce the world to Van Damme’s debut hardcore album, discuss the news of Glenn Tipton stepping away from touring with Judas Priest due to Parkinson’s Disease, Clown saying Slipknot don't want to perform with the Foo Fighters, the strength of having a gimmick in the music industry, and the financial troubles of Gibson Guitars.

Songs: 
Light The Torch - “Die Alone”
Vexes - “Hellion”

Dave Wyndorf of the legendary Monster Magnet is our guest this week. We discuss the band's latest record Mindfucker, how Dave's approach this time differed from the last few records, the perfect live set list and how he tried to sequence the new record to mimic it, why “stupid is the new smart," writing lyrics during Trump’s inauguration, and his take on the current generation gap and all things rock n' roll.

Pete, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss the end of the CD era at Best Buy, how important Bill Burr's praise for Meshuggah is for the band and for metal in general, the revelation of Michael Keene’s drug addiction and how we feel about AC/DC continuing on with Axl Rose. Jozalyn writes and records her first bit for the show.

Songs: 
Monster Magnet - "Mindfucker"
Earthless - "Gifted By the Wind"

This week we chat with legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde. We talk about Black Label Society's newest record Grimmest Hits, his recent debilitating sickness while on tour, the humor he brings to his Twitter account, his thoughts on retirement, his coffee endeavor with the Death Wish Coffee brand, his involvement on a possible new Ozzy record, the final tour with Ozzy, and how he reacted when he heard the recent news about former guitarist Nick “Evil Twin” Catanese.

Meanwhile Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss the recent tweet by Maynard about Tool lyrics, our reaction to ex-Machine Head bassist Adam Duce's negativity towards his former band, and the “top notch” performance and “commanding presence” of new STP singer Jeff Gutt, according to Brandon.

Songs: 
Black Label Society - “Trampled Down Below”
Black label Society - “Room of Nightmares”

This week we talked to Stavros Giannopoulos of The Atlas Moth. We discuss Coma Noir, their first first record in four years, which comes out February 9th via Prosthetic (pre-order). We also talk about how Joe Duplantier from Gojira almost produced the record, Stavros's love for the lyrics on Metallica’s Load album, the future of the Twilight project, he current relationship with Blake Judd, the decision to sign with Prosthetic Records and how Chris Jericho turned real-life heel on Stavros.

Petar and Brandon discuss the end of Slayer, the final tour not having Dave Lombardo, if we feel these will truly be Slayer's final shows and the next band that we think will retire from the Big 4.

Songs: 
The Atlas Moth - “Galactic Brain”
The Atlas Moth - “Coma Noir”

John tells us about his new live record It’s Alive (out January 25th; pre-order here), how he and his bandmates challenge each other during live shows, how much improvisation happens when recording, how he names instrumental tracks, the obstacles he faced when arriving in L.A. to follow his dream, the 20th anniversary of Mechanical Animals and an update on the latest album from Rob Zombie.

The post John 5 on The MetalSucks Podcast #222 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the band's new album World Down, his passion for classic horror films, going on tour for three weeks after breaking his ribs on stage, his solo project and how some of those songs become Tribulation songs, the expectations he has for every record, his goals in life and more.

The post Tribulation Guitarist Jonathan Hultén on The MetalSucks Podcast #221 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss what fans can expect from the band's new album, the absence of Mario and David from this recording cycle, finding the groove with new musicians in the studio, his thoughts on clean singing, what makes a guitar solo truly special, his favorite unsung guitarists in modern thrash and his passion for the road and being a metal lifer.

The post Exmortus Guitarist Conan Gonzalez on The MetalSucks Podcast #220 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss how he came to return to the band, the creativity of Trey’s riffs, the importance of his era with the band in the grand scheme of their legacy, the message of the lyrics on Kingdoms Disdained, why the band separated during the Heretic era, the importance of Erik Rutan as producer, and his memories of the late, great Dimebag Darrell when he toured with Pantera.

The post Morbid Angel’s Steve Tucker on The MetalSucks Podcast #219 appeared first on MetalSucks.

This week is our special best of 2017 episode! We break down our top fifteen metal albums of the year and why we feel these albums were the best released in 2017, counting them down all the way to our number one. We also grab interviews with three of the musicians who made our favorite records -- David Sanchez (Havok), John Kevill (Warbringer) and Jordan Gaw (Final Drive) -- find out THEIR favorite albums of the year, congratulate them on the great music they made and much more!

The post The Best of 2017 on The MetalSucks Podcast #218 with Special Guests David Sanchez (Havok), John Kevill (Warbringer) and Jordan Gaw (Final Drive) appeared first on MetalSucks.

We talk about the inspiration that led to the band's formation, the costumes and themes of each band member, their upcoming New Year's Eve gig opening for Primus, and yes, of course, we had to ask Danny about a new Tool album (and he gave us a juicy quote!).

The post Legend of the Seagullmen’s Jimmy Hayward and Danny Carey (Tool) on The MetalSucks Podcast #217.5 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss why bassist Evan Brewer is not on their current tour with Whitechapel, playing as a three piece, the change in direction and sound on new album Dark Future, the appeal of living in a small town as opposed to city life, the draw of major sports in major cities, and we chat about some of his work in prior bands.

The post Entheos Drummer Navene Koperweis on The MetalSucks Podcast #217 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss how their new record No Cross, No Crown is their first as a four piece in 12 years, the difference between the writing process with Pepper Keenan as opposed to as a three piece, the loyal fa base that allows them to write the material they want and consistently land spots on amazing package tours, the importance of producer John Custer, the re-release of Eye for an Eye to honor the late vocalist Eric Eycke, their upcoming 60-day tour with Black Label Society and much more.

The post Woody Weatherman of Corrosion of Conformity on The MetalSucks Podcast #216 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We speak about the latest entry in the Dimevision series, her feelings on a potential Dimebag hologram tour, how much she is involved in the Ride for Dime and Dimebash organizations after the negative press from the last few outings, her favorite scene in Dimevision Vol. 2, her desire for the surviving members of Pantera to be on good terms and the legacy of a true metal icon.

The post Rita Haney on The MetalSucks Podcast #215 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We talk about Trump's America, Charlottesville, race relations in America, NFL players taking a knee, Flynn's stand against Phil Anselmo's racist outburst, how Dimebag Darrell's death affected him, the rape allegations against Decapitated, Machine Head's new album "Catharsis," its more melodic direction and how fans may react to it, how it's similar to The Burning Red, his decision to rap on the album, how current political and social events inspired the lyrics... and that's just the beginning.

The post Robb Flynn of Machine Head Sits Down with Axl Rosenberg and Vince Neilstein on The MetalSucks Podcast Special Episode #214.5 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the current Soulfly tour on which the band is performing Nailbomb’s Point Blank in its entirety, the influence younger bands had on Cavalera Conspiracy's new album Psychosis, his favorite underground metal bands, Max's top four records he's ever made, his hopes for the future of Killer Be Killed, the 20th anniversary of Soulfly (and a new record coming out in 2018), and his favorite records that were created by one of his kin.

The post Max Cavalera on The MetalSucks Podcast #214 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We talk about the origins of Big Dumb Face, how he keeps his different projects from crossing lines, his stint with Marilyn Manson, being isolated in Detroit, the lessons he learned from the Black Light Burns records, the importance of writing full albums, the extinction of music as an art form and the future of all of his projects.

The post Wes Borland (Big Dumb Face, Limp Bizkit) on The MetalSucks Podcast #213 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We talk about riding out Hurricane Irma in an elementary school shelter, his take on NFL players taking a knee during the anthem and the impact the discovery of CTE will have on the game, how the band's new record Red Before Black compares to the last four Corpse records, the magic that producer Erik Rutan brings to the studio, who he thinks invented death metal vocals and much more.

The post Cannibal Corpse’s George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher on The MetalSucks Podcast #212 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the band's new album The Blood of Gods, the benefit they saw from doing the Warped Tour this year, the current climate and culture and how Gwar fits in, the public’s response to the negative Linkin Park comment following Chester Bennington’s suicide, Kathy Griffin's publicist calling them out, their upcoming tour and much more!

The post Gwar’s Blothar on The MetalSucks Podcast #211 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the band's final shows ever this coming December, his memory of being on Soundgarden's last tour, his label Party Smasher Inc, meeting fans' expectations for Dillinger's unhinged live shows, the meet and greet debate for a band that stays private, how to make our kids like good music and some dad talk, including how he felt when his first daughter was born.

The post Ben Weinman of The Dillinger Escape Plan on The MetalSucks Podcast #210 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the creation of Trivium's new record The Sin and The Sentence, Matt ranks his favorite Trivium records in order, shares his experience riding out Hurricane Irma, talks about writing the foreword for the new book Hellraisers, names his picks for the Big Four of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal and looks ahead to the band's upcoming tour with Arch Enemy.

The post Matt Heafy of Trivium on The MetalSucks Podcast #209 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the band's new EP The Solace System, how they amassed so much material in such a short amount of time, the jobs she had prior to joining Epica, the choice of not bringing her children on the road, the seven-year anniversary of her blog and her passion for photography.

The post Simone Simons of Epica on The MetalSucks Podcast #208, with Special Guests Axl Rosenberg and Emperor Rhombus! appeared first on MetalSucks.

We talk about the band's new record "Medusa," the challenge of assembling a live set list after 15 records, the addition of a 23-year-old drummer to such an established act and more. Axl Rosenberg and Emperor Rhombus talk about their new book "Hellraisers."

The post Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost on The MetalSucks Podcast #207, with Special Guests Axl Rosenberg and Emperor Rhombus! appeared first on MetalSucks.

We chat about how he's maintained a 25 year friendship with his bandmate Frost, an update on his brain tumor and how it's affected his life and music, the band's new album Deep Calleth Upon Deep, the expectations of following a #1 record in Norway, which black metal performers may own mansions and more.

The post Satyricon’s Satyr on The MetalSucks Podcast #206 appeared first on MetalSucks.

We discuss the band's new record Clairvoyant and the pressure of following up their critically acclaimed previous album Language, the role producer Jamie King plays in helping to craft the band's music, negativity from the band's fans on Facebook, his passions for video work and MMA, and much more.

The post The Contortionist Vocalist Michael Lessard on The MetalSucks Podcast #205 appeared first on MetalSucks.

Legendary drummer Dave Lombardo returns to the MetalSucks Podcast this week to discuss Dead Cross, his new collaboration with Mike Patton. Lombardo waxes ecstatic about Bill Ward’s inclusion of Dead Cross's debut as one of the best albums of all time, talks about performing and recording with Fantomas, which recordings throughout his career he is the most and least happy with, his opinion of the reunited Misfits, how the timing for Suicidal Tendencies worked out and more.

Petar and Brandon tackle Devin Townsend’s proposed 10 million dollar symphony about dicks and vaginas, tackle their feelings about the reactivated Carnivore A.D., and much more!

Songs:
Dead Cross - "Shillelagh"
Dead Cross - "Seizure and Desist"
Spotlights - "Learn to Breathe"

We catch up with Slipknot founder Clown to discuss the theatrical release of Day of the Gusano, an upcoming documentary about Slipknot fans in Mexico. We also talk about the importance of the visual artistry behind Slipknot, the difficulty of editing a live show with nine guys in the band, the roar a foreign crowd brings and how American audiences compare, the way he would like to present a double concept album with Slipknot, his experiences as a director with Officer Down, and a little trip down memory lane with One Minute Silence.

Brandon and Pete dissects the last four months of metal and give you their five choices for albums you need to hear before the summer is over. With only four months to go and the top 15 albums of 2017 on the horizon, the boys help you out with some gold you may have overlooked.

Songs: 
Loviatar - "Discordant (Stygian Wyrm Part 2)"
Goatwhore - "Mankind Will Have No Mercy"
Beastmaker - "Of God’s Creation"
Dead Cross - "Obedience School"
Decapitated - "Kill The Cult"
Byzantine - "Vile Maxim"

This week we talk with Metalocalypse/Dethklok/Galaktikon creator Brendon Small. He tells us about the process of creating entire conceptual worlds to go along with albums, trademarking your own character's voices, his youth and how it influenced his art, the accidental origin of Galaktikon and the importance of South Park.

Meanwhile Petar and Brandon get into a discussion about race in the metal scene, discuss the confluence of a Juggalo march and pro-Trump rally in September, Mike Patton going bowling during a Dead Cross performance and much more.

Songs:
Galaktikon - “My Name is Murder”
Loviator - “Nascent (Stygian Wyrm Part 1)

Myrkur mastermind Amalie Bruun is our guest this week. We discuss her new album Mareridt, her collaboration with Chelsea Wolfe, how she feels more connected with nature than most humans, balancing style and substance as an artist, some of her favorite books and her passion for knitting.

Brandon and Petar tackle the issue of groping when people stage dive and crowd surf, try to make sense of the guy who peed on a child at a Metallica concert, discuss the disappointment of Jeff Loomis not writing on the new Arch Enemy album and the wizardry of Yngwie Malmsteen.

Songs
Myrkur - “Ulvinde”
Myrkur - “Maneblot”

This week we hit a milestone with Episode #200! We catch up with the first guest that ever graced the podcast, Valient Himself of Valient Thorr, to talk to us about being on Warped Tour, the band's efforts to create new fans on a festival geared towards youth, his unhappiness with the way the band's latest album Old Salt was handled by Napalm Records and more.

We also connect with the forefathers of The MetalSucks Podcast, Chuck and Godless to discuss the genesis of the podcast, their favorite and least favorite interviews, and the “white whale” guest we'd love to have.

Finally we talk to Vince Neilstein over at the MetalSucks Mansion about the past four years of podcasting, ten years of MetalSucks, his most memorable podcast moment, and if we ever made a bit that embarrassed him.

Don’t miss the celebration and the THANKS to all that helped us reach this milestone!

Songs:
Valient Thorr - “No Count Blues”
Valient Thorr - “Mirakuru”

The mercurial, supremely talented Julie Christmas calls in this week. We discuss the upcoming North American tour for Mariner (her collaboration with Cult of Luna), her career as an educator, her past musical endeavors with Made Out of Babies and Spylacopa, her love of novelist Cormac McCarthy, the possibility of future work with Cult Of Luna, and which record in her catalogue would make a great starting point for new fans.

Brandon and Pete talk about the Dio hologram tour and discuss whether the name change from Devil You Know to Light this Torch will hurt their brand. 

Songs: 
Cult of Luna/Julie Christmas - “Cygnus”
Julie Christmas - “July 31^st”

Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree -- whose fifth solo album To the Bone comes out on August 18th -- is our guest this week. We discuss how social media is anti-social, the abuse and criticism people give artists' work without even listening to it, the loss of ambitious music and the fear of change in the mainstream, how the underground maintains the arts and much more.

Brandon and Pete discuss the tragedy of Chester Bennington, the disrespectful comments that followed, how being a fan shouldn't give you license to be disrespectful, and the unanswerable questions we're left with following a successful artist's suicide.

Songs: 
Steven Wilson - "Pariah"
Steven Wilson - "The Same Asylum As Before"

Legendary Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne is our guest this week. We discuss the last time he had a regular job, his philosophy on how to be truly successful in life, his take on getting a college education in America, how important it is to find the right person to share your life with, plenty about his various musical projects and much more.

Meanwhile, Brandon and Petar find a truly great politician to oppose Kid Rock’s Senate run, discuss why the recently-announced grunge musical hurts our feelings, and ask a timeless question: are there any good Juggalo stories out there that don't involve someone brandishing an axe, like this week’s debacle?

Songs:

Melvins - “Christ Hammer”
Crystal Fairy - “Chiseler”
Dale Crover - “Little Brother”

Ben Falgoust of Goatwhore is our guest the week. We discuss the band's latest album, Vengeful Ascension, his hobbies of cave exploration and deep sea diving, the current state of the world, calling black metal “catchy" and a few words about Soilent Green.

Brandon and Petar discover a new version of the bible by Blameless Dave Mustaine, and Pete shares a tale of when he first saw Goatwhore and the hijinks that followed. 

Songs:
Goatwhore - “Mankind Will Have No Mercy”
Goatwhore - “Chaos Arcane”

Byzantine vocalist/guitarist Chris “OJ” Ojeda is our guest this week. We discuss the band's recent move to Metal Blade Records, their upcoming album The Cicada Tree, OJ's personal experience with the opioid epidemic in the band's native West Virginia, how he balances touring and family life... and, of course, no interview with Byzantine would be complete without a discussion of the catchphrase “Nobody Beats The Byz."

Brandon and Pete shine light on a “Real Hero of Metal” and talk about the latest Rammstein show, the amazing poop-throwing story Every Time I Die's Andy Williams shared, the Jenner sisters' mind-boggling shirt design and much more.

Songs
Byzantine - “New Ways to Bear Witness”
Byzantine - “Trapjaw”

Jason Keyser of technical death metal masters Origin guests this week. We talk about the band's new album Unparalleled Universe, their 20th anniversary, his lyric-writing process, his thoughts on bands that wear their own merch, and the decision to cover a Brujeria song despite not being fluent in Spanish.

Brandon and Pete discuss the recent spate of "Best Of" metal lists provided by Rolling Stone, Lars Ulrich and Rob Halford and the difficulty that goes into creating such lists. Pete shines a light on Brandon’s “problem," we talk about the beef between Corey Taylor and Chad Kroeger, and much more.

Songs:
Origin - “Cascading Failures, Diminishing Returns”
Origin - “Accident and Error”

Boy oh boy, we do have a special episode for you this week! It's a short one -- we'll return to our regularly scheduled full episode this Thursday -- but it's such a rare treat that we had to release it right away. 

In our chat with Tool bassist Justin Chancellor we discuss the band's recently wrapped up tour, jumping back into the studio following the run, the record being 90% complete (!), how the band members are getting along with one another, seeing Youtube videos of Tool cover bands, and much more.

Meanwhile Brandon and Pete introduce the world to a new seminar, discuss Gene Simmons giving up on the devil horns trademark, and Maynard James Keenan getting “Stockton slapped” by Nate Diaz.

Songs:
Tool - “Right in Two”
The Melvins - “What’s Wrong With You”

This week we interview Trey Williams from Dying Fetus. We discuss how the title of the new record, Wrong One to Fuck With, came about and the writing process for the album, their extremely intense and NSFW new music video, the way they approach set lists on tour and all of our day jobs.

Brandon and Pete tackle the saga of Five Finger Death Punch's disastrous show in the Netherlands: the show itself, the confusing statements that followed and the band's decision to ultimately do the right thing by scheduling a free show. We also ask the obvious question of when it's time to fire a member of a band and the difficulties that come along with that.

Songs:
Dying Fetus - “Die With Integrity”
Dying Fetus - “Fixation on Devastation"

Brann Dailor talks to us about his new project Arcadea. He tells us about the origins of the band, finding time to create music outside of Mastodon, the angle he would pursue if he did a solo project with other members of Mastodon, his ongoing desire to create art and much more.

Pete and Brandon introduce the world to a new feminine product for men, discuss Suicidal Tendencies' L.A. show being shut down by police, the young metal fan who received a guitar from his recently deceased farther for his 16th birthday, and how great being a part of the metal community really is.

Songs:
Arcadea - “Magnificent Façade”
Arcadea - “Army of Electrons

This week death metal icon Terrence Hobbs of Suffocation is our guest. We discuss their new record ….Of The Dark Light, the latest line-up changes, the old days of fliers and long distance phone calls vs. today's mass emails and social media, what it's like to play a classic record in its entirety and the band's approach of "no small talk" death metal.

Brandon and Pete introduce the world to a new wonder drug, discuss how Kathy Griffin stole a heavy metal idea, Oceano's surprising first-week sales numbers, Linkin Park topping the charts after becoming a pop act, Tom Araya getting a statue at a Ukrainian Zoo and much more.

Songs:
Suffocation - “Return to the Abyss”
Suffocation - “Your Last Breaths”

Bill Kelliher of Mastodon calls in this week. We discuss the band's new album Emperor of Sand, being old and the hassle of playing music from a cloud, what his solo record would sound like, his bandmates' various side projects, how Mastodon decide on their setlist and much more.

Meanwhile Brandon takes the opportunity to ambush Pete’s interview skills, finding an awful bit Pete threw away and bringing it back from the dead. Then they check out the latest Linkin Park song and discuss Chester Bennington’s comments about wanting to punch people in the face. 

Songs:
Mastodon - “Andromeda”
Mastodon - “Show Yourself”

Local H recently won Metallica's "Hit the Stage" contest to become local openers on their tour, so we talk to frontman/guitarist Scott Lucas about their victory, the criticism they've received about not being a true local band, their recently completed "Two Balls and a Dick" tour and the ups and downs of being a music lifer.

Brandon and Petar tackle the weight of the Chris Cornell tragedy, discussing the complete surprise of his suicide and personal memories of his career. It’s a very emotional and personal episode as we honor a true irreplaceable icon.

Songs:
Temple of the Dog - “Say Hello 2 Heaven”
Local H - “The One With Kid”
Local H - “City of Knives”

In our interview with James Hart from Eighteen Visions, we discuss how the reunion of the band came to be, the writing of their new record XVIII, the Orange County music scene from which they came, the loss of bassist Mick Morris and the band's future plans.

In light of the allegations that Pentagram's Bobby Liebling physically harmed his mother, Brandon and Petar discuss when it's time to finally give up on a band due to its members' actions. They also share their opinions on the drama with The Faceless, Tool and A Perfect Circle giving up on 2017 for album releases, and contemplate if Pete is a “metal hipster."

 Song:
18 Visions - “Crucified” 
18 Visions - “Oath”

This week we interview Aaron Turner of Isis, Sumac, Mamiffer and Old Man Gloom. We discuss the end of Isis, his memories from the new live record, Live VII (out now on Ipecac), his journey with Hydra Head Records and his decision to release new music on the label after shutting it down in 2012, the recording process for the new Sumac record, and the art vs. business side of technology in music.

Brandon and Petar introduce the world to a new company called Jump into the Fired, tackle the comments made by Chino Moreno about not touring with Korn again, talk about the guy who was so angry at Suicide Silence he burned their album, and discuss pros and cons of retiring Nazi lyrics in the metal scene. 

Songs:
Isis “Ghost Key” (Live)
With Our Arms To The Sun “Memory: The Drift”

This week we talk to Mike IX Williams from Eyehategod. He discusses his recent liver transplant, the person that kept him together through the whole ordeal, the New Orleans heavy metal scene, surviving Katrina, the status of new music from Eyehategod, and all the times in his life he's cheated death.

Brandon and Petar introduce the world to a new dispensary, discuss Local H winning Metallica's local band contest, Guns N' Roses' massive earnings on their current world tour, The Agonist versus former vocalist Alissa White-Gluz, Ozzy's reunion with Zakk Wylde and much more.

Songs
Eyehategod - “Flags and CitiesBound”
Iced Earth - “Raven Wing”

This week we talk to Mix Master Mike of The Beastie Boys. We discuss his upcoming tour with Metallica, his stint touring with the Axl Rose-led version of Guns N' Roses (before Slash and Duff rejoined) and the terrible reception he received, his love of metal throughout his career, the difference between scratching records and modern day DJs, the story behind how he got involved with the Beastie Boys, and some tales of their legendary live shows.

Brandon and Petar have short attention spans, so we tackle the first four months of metal in 2017 and name five albums you need to listen to before the summer starts. We delve into why each records mean so much to us, the reason they are all potentially albums of the year, and why you should check these out before the summer storm of album releases.

Songs:
Havok - “Intention to Deceive”
The Obsessed - “Punk Crusher”
Pallbearer - “I Saw The End”
Final Drive - “Six Feet Down”
Darkest Hour - “In the Name of Us All”

This week we talk to Dan Briggs from Between the Buried and Me and Nova Collective. We discuss the importance of side projects, how the Nova Collective came about and the band's latest album “The Further Side." We also talk about the tenth anniversary of BTBAM's classic record Colors, the new live Blu-Ray for Coma Ecliptic, modern bass players he respects and the new BTBAM record coming out this year!

Brandon and Petar promote the new tour of the greatest band of the '90s. We talk about David Wu’s experiment of playing metal on the streets, Mastodon’s strong first week record sales, Korn touring with a 12-year old, and Sleep’s Morse code message. Brandon loses his mind when he finds out about Babymetal pedophile day at the Five Fox festival.

Songs
Nova Collective - “Dancing Machines”
Between the Buried and Me - “The Ectopic Stroll” (Live)

This week we speak to Josh Weaver from Royal Thunder. We discuss the band's new album Wick, the black metal band he was in with singer Mlny Parsonz prior to Royal Thunder, his passion for hot tubs on the road, the importance of listening to albums as opposed to individual songs, and how they maintain a metal fan base with their mostly un-metal sound.

Brandon and Petar advertise a new book, discuss the damage the Ghost lawsuit situation could do to the band, the not-so-surprising record sales from Northlane’s surprise album release, Max Cavalera performing the Nailbomb album in its entirety and Brandon’s jokes going from G-rated to XXX. 

This week we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the legendary Metal Blade Records by talking to three generations of musicians on the label.

Our show starts with Joey Vera of Armored Saint and Fates Warning. He talks about the Los Angeles scene from which the label was born, the evolution of the formats on which music is consumed, and the label's importance to Armored Saint.

Next we talk to Greg Burgess of Allegaeon; we discuss his favorite Metal Blade release of all time, the 35th anniversary tour he's been on with Whitechapel, Cattle Decapitation and Goatwhore, Bush vs. Belladonna Anthrax and the future of Allegaeon.

Finally we chat with Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder about how his band got signed, when to expect new music from Black Dahlia, horror movies, and more. 

Songs:
Armored Saint - “Last Train Home” (live)
Allegaeon - “1.618”
The Black Dahlia Murder - “Receipt”

This week we talk with John Kevill of Warbringer. He discusses the long delay between records, the starting-over process that occurred between album cycles and the direction of the latest record Woe to the Vanquished. We also get into his knowledge of history and his take on the current era -- the best time to be alive, according to him -- and he throws down an epic Arnold monologue per our request.

Brandon and Petar introduce you to Brent Hinds' new fast food restaurant, tackle the Harlott vs. Slayer similarities and break down the argument of plagiarism vs. homage, and discuss why Tool joining streaming services so late may work in their favor. 

Songs:
Warbringer - “Silhouettes”
Warbringer - “Remain Violent”

This week we have legendary Bolt Thrower vocalist Karl Willetts on the show to discuss his new project Memoriam. We talk about his approach to lyrics on Memoriam's new album For the Fallen, which Bolt Thrower songs they plan on playing live, what he envisioned when he decided to create a new band, the decision to end Bolt Thrower after Kiddie’s passing, and what newer bands he's digging.

Brandon and Petar find a company that helps out the unappreciated bass player, discuss James Hetfield’s recent comments about “Escape," talk about Marduk and their statement on the Oakland concert cancellation, Judas Priest not being metal according to Brent Hinds, Steve Tucker's promises that new Morbid Angel will be death metal, and the new Baroness/Neurosis punk cover tribute band.

Songs:
Memoriam - "Reduced to Zero"
Memoriam - "Surrounded (By Death)"

This week we interview Mike Schleibaum from the mighty Darkest Hour. We talk about the new record Godless Prophets & The Migrant Flora, what producer Kurt Ballou brought to the table, the crowdfunding campaign behind the record (and how scary it was to make the decision to try it), the tenth anniversary of Deliver Us and how to mobilize the youth with music in this day and age.

Brandon and Petar talk way too much about Overdose of AIDS, Wes Scantlin’s latest rant, if Juggalos can became a prison gang, the next move for Suicide Silence after the crash in album sales, At The Gates losing Anders Björler, and we take our guesses about what's coming up in the current 25 Most Important Metal Bands of the '90s countdown on MetalSucks.

Songs
Darkest Hour - “Timeless Numbers”
Darkest Hour  - “Those Who Survived”

We talk to producer and Fit For An Autopsy guitarist Will Putney about his band's new record The Great Collapse, his non-traditional role in the band, the writing process for the record and how being a third guitarist makes it less stressful to tour. We discuss which type of bands he prefers producing, his views on remixing and remastering older material, and his biggest success as a producer/musician.

Brandon and Petar tackle Otep's feud with the Butcher Babies, how metal cover albums usually don't end up being good (although DevilDriver’s "outlaw country" covers concept intrigues us), and the rumors of Ghost's frontman pulling an Axl Rose by firing all his bandmates and the possible effects it may have on the band's fans.

Songs:
Fit For An Autopsy - “Heads Will Hang”
Fit For An Autopsy - “Iron Moon”

This week we talk to Phil “Landphil” Hall from Iron Reagan. In addition to updates on all things Iron Reagen, Cannabis Corpse and Municipal Waste (including Iron Reagan's brand new album Crossover Ministry), he discusses what it’s like to see his likeness in a claymation video, his true “Fuck The Neighbor” tales, his favorite Troma movie and touring with Six Feet Under.

Meanwhile Brandon and Pete talk about James Hetfield's recent statement regarding the lack of bass on …And Justice For All, the beef between Of Mice and Men's Austin Carlisle and Trivium's Paolo Gregetto about vaccinations, Corey Taylor thinking he is qualified to write a book about politics, and the heinous black metal fan that upset Whitney Moore last week (with his version of the incident). 

Songs:

Iron Reagan - “Fuck The Neighbors
Cannabis Corpse - “Mummified in Bongwater”
Municipal Waste - “The Art of Partying”

This week we interview Mina Caputo from Life of Agony. She discusses the last 12 years of LOA, what it's like to be transgender in the hard rock/heavy metal scene and how she believes the band's upcoming release A Place Where There’s No More Pain is the most passionate and honest album she has ever made.

We also discuss the Tim Lambesis situation, introduce a new product he is selling and contemplate whether or not we would support an As I lay Dying reunion. We talk about Attila and the protection of their fans from security guards, the Nickelback vs. Arnold Twitter feud and the ultimate fear of giving your kid a great heavy metal name like Iron Maiden only to have him rebel against the scene.

Songs:
Life of Agony - “A Place Where’s There’s No More Pain”
Body Count - “No Lives Matter”

This week the boys discuss the need for a Heavy Metal President, and what choices we are stuck with on both sides. We play the mudslinging ads from both parties and we discuss the major platforms for each candidate, their surprise choices for running mates, and we ask fans to vote on who they would want to represent all the tough decisions to be made in metal in 2017.

We also chat with Pallbearer guitarist/vocalist Brett Campbell and bassist Joseph Rowland about the band's upcoming new record Heartless. We discuss how Brandon got us in trouble with our bosses via email, they tell us the downside of constantly receiving great reviews, they share a story about the time Phil Anselmo threatened to poke their eyes out, and they choose their picks for Heavy Metal President in 2017.

The MetalSucks Podcast returns after a two-month hiatus! 

Your new hosts Brandon Hahn and Petar Spajic speak with Suicide Silence vocalist Eddie Hermida, who has a lot to say about all the negative trolls their new material has brought out, working with Ross Robinson, the live headline tour they're about to embark upon and the record release parties each night after their headline set is complete. 

We also tackle the hardcore scene in light of the tragedy that occurred at a recent Code Orange show in Salt Lake City, when a young woman's jaw was broken in the mosh pit from a spin-kick to the face. We discuss our past hardcore show experiences, and how the scene has been an important gateway despite its constant negative press. We also offer some potential solutions, and new dance moves that may help the scene move in a more positive direction.

This week we jump on the bandwagon and present to you our picks for the top metal albums of 2016. Instead of trying to write witty asides for every album -- we’ll leave that to the experts -- we chose to give you an audio rundown of the list and share our thoughts on each one. Some of Chuck and Godless's picks match -- not many, but some -- and we cover a lot of ground between the two of us. We did agree on the number one album of the year, and we brought that artist on as a special guest to be presented with the MetalSucks Podcast Trophy (which may or may not exist [it doesn’t exist]) and talked about the release that stood head and shoulders above anything else that came out this year.

Also in this episode, a must listen segment: a big announcement about the podcast in 2017!

We play a few extra songs this week, and we even pulled out our favorite song from the year (which was not from our number one pick).

Dave Stephens, vocalist for We Came As Romans, guests this week on your favorite metal podcast with an interview outside of their album cycle. We catch Dave and the band right in the middle of working on the follow up to their eponymous latest album. Dave talks candidly with us about the recent departure of their drummer and longtime member Eric Choi, how aesthetic and the "look" of a new member will be important, their struggle with being an up and coming band and keeping their feet on the ground, and the idea that they might not be the best musicians but how their hard work and dedication have paid off.

We also unpack a recent interview with Kirk Hammett (did you know Metallica have a new album out?) where he talks about most of his creative ideas for the new record being shut out of the process and how <em>Hardwired</em> is a "Lars album." It's funny to think that even at the level Metallica are, that any members' ideas could be sidelined or not incorporated, although Kirk never appeared to be outspoken. Did he get steamrolled? Again? How is it that the seemingly most creative and sensitive member of the band isn't getting to contribute? After all... these... years? Metallica? Metallica? Did you see the videos from Metallica? Metallica… sorry, we think we glitched a bit there…

Songs:
Metallica
We Came As Romans – "Wasted Age"
Coliseum – "Am I Demon"

John LaMacchia, guitarist of the reactivated Candiria, guests this week on your favorite metal podcast and we dive deep into the band's new record While They Were Sleeping. In our interview we talk about the many projects he's spearheaded, how 9/11 took its toll on him and led to addiction, the dark nature of the music he creates, going back out on tour and what that means for his lifestyle, and what the future might bring.

We also talk about the disappointing sales figures for Avenged Sevenfold's new album, The Stage, which sold less than half the number of first week copies as their last record did. The stunt of announcing the record one day before its release may have backfired. Do stunts and tricks work in a band's favor? Or is it counterintuitive to fake out their hardcore audience by not telling them that you're working on new material? Will this benefit or hurt the band's upcoming lawsuit with their old label? Was the label change a good idea after all? Does anyone really care?

Songs: 
Candiria – "While They Were Sleeping"
Dark Tranquillity – "Encircled"

Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage guests this week on your favorite metal podcast. Of course you know him from KsE, but Adam's latest project takes his immense talents in a completely different direction. Serpentine Dominion is a death metal project also featuring Shannon Lucas (ex-The Black Dahlia Murder) and George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher of Cannibal Corpse, so it's a bit heavier than what you might expect from Adam. In our interview, on the eve of the U.S. Presidential election, we decided that Adam needed to be our man on the street and let us in on all his political views, his plans to solve the Middle East crisis and legalizing various consumables. Then we let him off the hook for a bit to talk about music, his career, how KsE keeps Jesse Leach under control, and of course his appearance on the Price is Right.

We delve into some politics, because... politics. But we can't resist talking about the latest Internet fued between two grown men: Dee Snider called Cannibal Corpse’s first album "terrible," Chris Barnes reacted on twitter, Dee apologized, then they complimented one another. That's how you do it nowadays, right? Or would it have been better for Dee to stick to his guns? Either way it’s entertaining to see a champion of free speech in music get called out for talking smack about someone else’s art.

Songs:
Serpentine Dominion – "On the Brink of Devastation"
Crowbar – "Plasmic and Pure"

Jon Mess and Will Swan of Dance Gavin Dance guest this week on your favorite metal podcast. We talk about how the band is shunned by metal fans and where they believe that comes from, how they have succeeded while so many others have failed, and their latest release, Mothership. We also talk about their perspective on the rotating door at their lead singer position, and how that changes the way they write music and what they are able to do as a band. 

We talk more about the lead singer problem in light of the big news this week that Asking Alexandria dumped their new singer to take back their old one. Who has that worked for in the past and how might it feel for the people involved? Is it a “grass is always greener” issue, or the thrill of the chase? It worked for Anthrax, TesseracT and several other bands; fans certainly seem to want the old guy back. Well, except in Iron Maiden…

Songs:
Dance Gaving Dance – "Chucky Vs. The Giant Tortoise"
Whores – "Participation Trophy"

This week our guest on your favorite metal podcast is Jessica Pimentel, both a metal musician and star of the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black. Her career has been taking off with the portrayal of Maria Ruiz on the jailhouse drama, but her ties to metal run deep, whether with her band Alekhine’s Gun, her main squeeze (Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haake), or just the circles she runs with in her native Brooklyn. In our interview we talk about her recent excursion to see Metallica at Webster Hall, her relationship with heavy music, her background in classical, the similarities and differences between being an actress and musician, how close she was to ending her career as an actor, and what "terrible" album she won’t admit to loving.

We also talk about Lords of Chaos being made into a Hollywood film. What does it mean for an underground genre of metal to get the dramatization treatment? We ponder what other stories in metal might be worth telling in the same format; there have been plenty of compelling narratives involving metal music and musicians over the years, but which one would you choose to put on the silver screen? What kind of disaster show will Hollywood make of the soundtrack for this movie? What SHOULD the soundtrack include?

Songs:
Alekhine’s Gun – "Atlas"
Opeth – "Chrysalis"

Jordan Mancino, drummer for Wovenwar (and ex-As I Lay Dying) guests this week on your favorite metal podcast to talk about the band's new record, Honor is Dead, which is out now. We talked with Jordan about the recent departure of bandmate Phil Sgrosso (he'd been a part of AILD and/or Wovenwar since he was a teenager), how they were able to reconstruct themselves after Tim Lambesis decided to "go rogue" and what that looked like from the inside, how that time in their history informs who they are today, and their experience as a Christian band evolving into a secular group in such a visible way.

We also talk about bands who come to represent entire genres of music. Some bands that barely have a connection to a type of music adopt a new aesthetic and sound, then rise to the top of a genre by writing middle of the road tunes that play on the popular pieces of the genre's past and capitalize on the lowest common denominator of fans. Are such bands legit? It's happened with many different genres over the years: Green Day with punk, Limp Bizkit with nu-metal, Avenged Sevenfold with metal and many more.

Vicky Psarakis, vocalist of The Agonist, guests on your favorite metal podcast this week, and in our interview we discover a genuine and enthusiastically nice person behind the voice of one of the most exciting bands in metal today. We talk about how she finds and fleshes out great hooks and writes songs, her rise from a YouTube singer to taking over for Alyssa White-Gluz as the frontwoman of an up-and-coming metal band, transitioning from never being in a band before to touring around the world, why being a singer shouldn’t affect your ego, and what it was like living in Greece during the financial crisis and how that spurred her to innovate with her music career.

We also talk about how bands need to be more proactive on all platforms and social media. We’ve all seen the tour updates, behind-the-scenes studio videos and the like, but there aren't many bands who can get past the clichés and turn their online presence into something more relatable for their audience. Some of the best are using different outlets to round out the ‘who’ more than the ‘what’ of their music careers. Should it even matter? No matter the answer, due to the ever-changing ways of consuming music and art bands need to be ready to open the doors and let the audience in.

Songs: 
The Agonist – "The Moment"
CarBomb – "From the Dust of This Planet"

This week on your favorite metal podcast we talk to virtuoso guitarist Monte Pittman, who has played with plenty of non-metal acts like Madonna and Adam Lambert, but also alongside Tommy Victor in Prong. He ha an extensive solo catalogue as well, including his latest metal installment Inverted Grasp of Balance. In our interview we talk about his whole career, from starting out in East Texas to becoming the King of LA (crowned by us), his ability to work with all walks of life, what it's like to play both stadiums and small clubs, teaching as an outlet for expression (as well as an income stream), and we try to find out more about his personal life.

We also talk to DX Ferris, author of the definitive biography on Slayer's Reign in Blood, to commemorate the 30th birthday of the album. On October 7th, 1986, metal changed forever, and DX enlightens us on some of the huge misconceptions about the record, what really spurred the change from longer songs to a shorter, more polished attack, how this album may not be their best-selling, and more (you’ll get the rest in a detailed post later this week on MS). DX dispels myths about producer Rick Rubin's influence on Reign in Blood's songs as well as late guitarist Jeff Hanneman's contributions. Mind = blown.

Songs:
Monte Pittman – "Arisen in Broad Daylight"
Slayer – "Necrophobic"

This week on your favorite metal podcast we talk to virtuoso guitarist Monte Pittman, who has played with plenty of non-metal acts like Madonna and Adam Lambert, but also alongside Tommy Victor in Prong. He ha an extensive solo catalogue as well, including his latest metal installment Inverted Grasp of Balance. In our interview we talk about his whole career, from starting out in East Texas to becoming the King of LA (crowned by us), his ability to work with all walks of life, what it's like to play both stadiums and small clubs, teaching as an outlet for expression (as well as an income stream), and we try to find out more about his personal life.

We also talk to DX Ferris, author of the definitive biography on Slayer's Reign in Blood, to commemorate the 30th birthday of the album. On October 7th, 1986, metal changed forever, and DX enlightens us on some of the huge misconceptions about the record, what really spurred the change from longer songs to a shorter, more polished attack, how this album may not be their best-selling, and more (you’ll get the rest in a detailed post later this week on MS). DX dispels myths about producer Rick Rubin's influence on Reign in Blood's songs as well as late guitarist Jeff Hanneman's contributions. Mind = blown.

Songs:
Monte Pittman – "Arisen in Broad Daylight"
Slayer – "Necrophobic"

The latest episode of your favorite metal podcast is absolutely crucial for every Metallica fan. This week marks the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest losses in metal history, the untimely death of Cliff Burton. We wouldn’t normally commemorate an artist on their death date, but it really is stunning that three decades after the tragic bus accident on September 27, 1986, we still compare metal bass players to Cliff. We took the opportunity to talk to Joel McIver, author and biographer, who has released several books on Metallica including To Live Is To Die: The Life And Death Of Metallica's Cliff Burton, which has been recently updated. We talk about Cliff’s influence on metal, we discuss how fans to this day are affected by his influence even without knowing it, and Joel gives us more details about the events surrounding the fatal bus crash in Sweden.

We also are very honored to interview Cliff’s father Ray Burton. We talk about who Cliff was as a child, how he saw himself in the world of metal, the loss of his brother at the age of 13, the decision to start playing bass, his experience with Metallica and how his loss affected the family.

Take the opportunity to listen to Cliff's music and realize how advanced his songwriting and playing really was.

Songs
Metallica – "Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)" / "Whiplash"

Our guest this week on your favorite metal podcast was suggested to us by none other than Chris Adler of Lamb of God back when he was on the podcast last year, although we have been fans of Allegaeon for quite a while outside of that endorsement. In our interview with guitarist Greg Burgess we talk about trying to top what you think is your best work, the shuffling of the staff around the band, manager and booking agent and why they needed to make a change, what surrounded the shift in singers for their new record Proponent for Sentience, and we find out how much it costs to get Bill Nye in your music video.

We also discuss the non-beef beef that came up this week between Born of Osiris guitarist Born of Osiris and The Acacia Strain's Vincent Bennett. What appeared to be drunk Tweets got serious when the metal media paid it some attention. Are we taking ourselves too seriously? Drunk Tweets are just drunk Tweets, right? Even if you are picking a fight with someone who doesn’t even know why you are fighting with them in the first place. When a band feels they have to diffuse a situation as the first reaction to something that can be attributed to an over-the-limit BAC level, maybe we need to adopt a sense of humor. Let’s just apologize now for our discussion too while we’re at it.

Songs:
Allegaeon – "All Hail Science"
Steve N Seagulls – "Symphony of Destruction"

You might know Richard Christy as a cast member of The Howard Stern show, but metalheads know him as being a badass drummer with Death, Control Denied, Iced Earth, and now Charred Walls of the Damned. In our in-depth interview we spend a lot of time talking about that history, his relationship with Chuck Schuldiner, the story of Death and the end of the band, how he approaches the drums, and what Charred Walls of the Damned means to him in his very busy schedule. Christy has been a vital part of not one but two crucially important and disparate cultural icons, Death and The Howard Stern Show; how did he do it? We dig in.

Also this week we praise ICP followers for being the most dedicated fans of all time. Cutting one's finger off to pay tribute in a ritual salute to a fallen Juggalo is the most metal thing we have heard a fan of any genre of music doing in twenty years. Boredom and Faygo can be a dangerous mix.

Songs:
Charred Walls of the Damned – "The Soulless"
Alcest - "Oiseaux de proie"

The Dillinger Escape Plan guitarist Ben Weinman guests this week on your favorite metal podcast, and we decided to make this the definitive interview about the impending split of the band. He and drummer Billy Rymer were willing to discuss the decision in depth with us, what it means to them to make a choice to quit at the top of their game, who ultimately raised the idea of breaking up, whether there's a chance it might be a fluke or snap decision, where they plan to go from here, ... we asked every question about the breakup of the band from every angle we could think of. We also dive a little deeper into Ben’s personal life, and ruin him for any other podcasters out there. Sorry, guys.

We also play the new song from In Flames figure out where we've heard the chorus before (hint: it was a big hit in 2001). Once you hear it, you won't be able to un-hear it! The "original" is not just an obscure track, it comes from an album that is listed as one of the top Nu-Metal albums you must own. Coincidence? Are In Flames surrounded by sycophants? Or has the overprotection of new material by an artist fearing the leaking of a new track... backfired?

Author Dayal Patterson guests this week on your favorite metal podcast to give us a lesson in underground black metal; his book Black Metal: The Cult Never Dies Vol I will come out via Decibel press this month (order here). We wanted to find out more about the significant evolutions in black metal that came from its controversial origins. We all know black metal can be a very secretive genre of music, sometimes by design, other times by accident, and what Dayal has done to get artists to expose themselves to the world is unrivaled in this underground scene. Beyond the mythos and the big stories of burning churches and murders, who are the people involved and what is the story of the music they made that created a movement that's lasted over 30 years?

We also explore Havok's woes on getting booted from their tour with Megadeth, either by Dave Mustaine or his son Justis Mustaine -- the story isn’t crystal clear -- after they refused to sign a management contract with Mustaine Management. We try to make sense of the controversy for you, or at least tell you what the right opinion should be. (Hint: Ours.) Of course, we disagree about how it was handled and who was at fault. And someone gets a round of applause that you would never expect.

Songs:
Solefald – "Jernlov"
Metallica – "Hardwired"

We have wanted to talk to Devin Townsend for quite some time now, and we finally got our chance! He has been a guest on your favorite metal podcast before, but Axl and Vince had the opportunity to do the interview and now we run him through our own ringer. You gotta love this guy! To call him a singer or a guitarist would be selling his talents short, and although he hates to be complimented, Devin is one of the most prolific and inspiring musician of the last two decades. Whether you loved Strapping Young Lad, Ziltoid, the Devin Townsend Project or any of his guest appearances or records he produced, his talent is undeniable. We consider ourselves lucky to have such a candid chat about psychosis, the different ways he sees music as opposed to just hearing it, the progression from one style or influence to the next, how his wife deals with his eccentric nature and the debut of Fun Sponge (you’ll get it when you listen).

We also discuss the Dio hologram that took Wacken 2016 by storm. You thought Dio had died, but his visage has been resurrected via technology to adore and shock fans at this year’s festival. Hell, he even took the time to wave a Wacken banner on stage before leading a chant of "We Rock." But is it the right thing to do? Obviously those in control of his estate, and the Dio Disciples, think a hologram does justice to the metal legend. But, more importantly, do we? His music should always live on, but are we setting ourselves up for something more perverted and disappointing by not letting our passed heroes lie? Or are we introducing a new generation to the greatness of the legends that only old metal dudes and dudettes got the chance to experience?

Songs:
Devin Townsend Project – "Failure"
Dio – "Evil Eyes"

Karl Sanders of the mighty Nile is our guest on your favorite metal podcast this week. We caught up with him midway through the Summer Slaughter Tour for our interview and he had quite a bit to say about the tour package, playing with old friends Cannibal Corpse and Krisiun and the young bands on the bill like Carnifex and After the Burial. We also chat about the transition from touring to home life, his experience and what kind of person he becomes while at home, his routines and training in martial arts, and his favorite video game. Karl shares some insight into why the relationship with the band's former record label ended so badly and his reactions to expectations from fans, and we also get a few details about the recent flap they encountered in Russia with the singer of Belphegor. 

We also talk about getting left behind in a band. Angus Young may be the last man standing in AC/DC and now it appears that Kerry King may be left on his own at some point in Slayer. When a band member does decide to hang it up, what happens to those who still have the strength to carry on? Should a band continue without certain members? If the band is all you have done for decades, what other choices does one have if not carrying on with the band name?

Songs:
Nile - "Evil To Cast Out Evil"
Urobilinemia - "完全感覚おち○ぽこ"

Neil Fallon of the mighty Clutch guests this week on your favorite metal podcast! In our interview with the singer, we talk in-depth about the 25 years of the band's history, how it might have just been a nice accident that they have lasted this long, the progression of their music through their career, his side projects Dunsmuir, The Bakerton Group, and The Company Band, dealing with the ever changing landscape of the music business as a band and, more recently, as the owner of the label Weathermaker Music, what the plan looks like for the next 25 years, and what you do when Lemmy gives you advice. Neil also tells us about the Clutch song they played every night for several years but now don't... and gives us details about his house!

We also discuss when musicians need to stop. Is there an age limit to the metal? Should bands who cannot do it anymore just finally give up and go home, or is there still a place in metal for the old guard? Vince’s editorial about Jason Newstead sparked the discussion about a musician's ability to make good music, be it with a distortion pedal or an acoustic guitar, after his or her prime. Once you are on the treadmill of the industry, do you have to keep running? Can you get off gracefully? How should a musician gauge when their time has passed? And who are we to judge???

Sumerian Records proprietor Ash Avildsen is our guest this week. You might know him from an array of different projects, whether you are a fan of his music, the bands on his label, his pioneering touring packages like Summer Slaughter or the recent movie What Now and soon-to-come American Satan. We started our chat by celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the Summer Slaughter Tour with Cannibal Corpse, Nile, Suffocation, After the Burial and plenty more, but as is our tendency, we stray from the path into his interesting history with women, his family and the dynamics it take to be successful in today’s business.

We also attempt to unpack the unprecedented divisiveness we are seeing in the metal community. It’s not just cvlt vs. posers -- or any of those age-old separations that seem to be creeping into the world of metal the past couple years -- but a much more scary form of racism and misogyny that's fighting back in a way we haven't seen before. Is this indicative of the anti-PC movement we are seeing play out on the political stage? Or is it simply the playing field of today’s industry which we need to accept and move on?

This week on your favorite metal podcast we feature our first interview with a member of the Mt. Rushmore of the metal industry, Brian Slagel, founder and owner of Metal Blade Records.

Brian and Metal Blade have been in the metal business for nearly 35 years, developing some of the biggest acts in the history of metal such as Slayer, Gwar, Amon Amarth, Behemoth, Between the Buried and Me, and so many more. Brian's early career found him side by side with some of the most well-known musicians in the genre; his first release included a track from a little-known band called Metallica. We're a bit star struck, as his ability to choose acts and stand tall with and against trends over the years is the stuff of legend, but Slagel is still one of the most down to Earth people in the industry and maintains day to day operation of his label. We talk about the past and future of Metal Blade and the industry as a whole, his finest achievements and biggest mistakes, how streaming is effecting the current revenue models in the metal world and whether or not he is still speaking with one of his most controversial artists.

Songs:
Abnormality – "Synthetic Pathogenesis"
Norma Jean – "1,000,000 Watts"

Scott Ian Lewis, lead singer for deathcore mainstays Carnifex, guests this week. In our in-depth exclusive interview we talk about their new record, Slow Death (out next month on Nuclear Blast), what it takes to make it in the music business, leaving a label that wasn’t a good fit for the band, taking a hiatus to try and regroup, and being able to survive the pitfalls of constant touring. Plus, Lewis talks about his songwriting strategies, the financial burden of touring musicians, and much more.

We talk about the new Thy Art Is Murder EP and we try and make sense of why a band would continue with a singer or a member who already left the band. When a member decides that it's time to move on to different things, why would a band even bother to put out music featuring that member? It’s one thing if a member dies, but if they just want to do something else does it make sense to release new material with them on it? Or is that just longing for times that have already passed and teasing fans about something they can never have?

We also talk about the tragedies last week related to cops killing black civilians and the deaths of five police officers in Dallas. Perhaps this wasn't the most appropriate time for Godless to introduce his son to Body Count.

Songs:
Carnifex – "Six Feet Closer to Hell"
Thy Art Is Murder – "They Will Know Another"

Dave Davidson, acclaimed guitarist and vocalist of Revocation, makes his return to the podcast this week, and we debut "Profanum Vulgus" from their upcoming album Great Is Our Sin. We talk about the new album and we talk Dave's views on politics and religion and how that all influences his songwriting and perspective on making music. Revocation enjoy nearly universal acclaim for their genre-clashing songs and Davidson's virtuosic guitar playing, so hear from the brains and fingers behind the music and listen to a brand new song for the first time anywhere!

We also talk about waiting for new albums form your favorite bands. So many people are obsessed with when the new Tool album will drop, or when Metallica are going into the studio, or if *insert band name here* is working on something that might be cool sometime in the future. Why are fans so focused on what is coming from their ancient favorites and not paying more attention to the great new music coming out now? 

Songs:
Revocation - "Profanum Vulgus"
D.R.I. - "Anonymity"

Alex Erian, vocalist for recently reactivated deathcore pioneers Despised Icon, guests on the podcast this week. In our exclusive interview we delve into the reasoning behind the band breaking up and moving on and then, after a short time, making the decision to come back together. We talk about their new record Beast and how recording with two bands at one time creates headaches for him. We find out there might actually be a hip hop beat behind one of the songs on the new record and about how they've been able to retain their fanbase despite what looked like the end for the band. Maybe all bands -- and couples -- need to break up and get back together.

We also talk about the recent editorial on Decibel about "SJWs" in metal that turned the metal internets into a firestorm. With opinions ranging from "SJWs are tearing our scene apart" to "nazi metalheads must die," is there a real discussion going on right now, or are we all just picking sides while trying to reinforce whatever we believe already and refusing to hear anything that might challenge those opinions? Is there a real problem, a perceived problem, or are we missing the target altogether?

Songs:

Despised Icon – "The Aftermath"
Be’lakor – "Roots to Sever"

Aaron Turner of Sumac, ex-Isis, Mammifer, Old Man Gloom and Hydra Head Records is our guest this week. We discuss the new Sumac album What One Becomes, how he has changed emotionally since his early days with Isis, the role his wife played in turning him into a more well-adjusted person, his introverted nature, whether Isis will return someday, how a different view of his life shapes his reaction to his past art and what he is currently working to express with new musicians.

We also discuss Benji Webbe, frontman for Skindred, who mocked the young women of Babymetal at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards, It's pretty obvious that his attempt at humor fell flat and appeared racist, but did his "apology" via Twitter pacify Babymetal's fans? Or did he actually make it worse by giving a halfhearted statement? If you screw up what makes for a good apology, is it more important to be truthful? If not, it can really look worse than the faux pas you committed in the first place.

Songs:
Sumac – "Rigid Man" (Partial)
Make Them Suffer – "Ether"

Jamey Jasta, lead singer of Hatebreed, joins us this week. In our in-depth interview with the revered frontman, we talk how politics inform Hatebreed's new album, The Concrete Confessional, as well as his songwriting process, how small utterances on social media can provoke big reactions, his thoughts on the state of the music industry, why a separate metal streaming service would be a bad idea (at least for him), and how music is only one facet of his life alongside podcasting and branding. Plus: we offer you the worst segue in our podcast history. That’s right, if there were a podcast awards show, we'd have this category locked down!

We also speak to Noisey writer Cat Jones about her recent story she penned detailing the reasons Wax Idols and King Woman dropped off their tour with Pentagram. Cat discusses the importance of taking on a story like this, and how it matters to not just the women who were potentially wronged by Bobby Leibling and the Pentagram staff, but to the entire metal community.

This week we take a look at the best metal albums of 2016 so far. Of course we see it differently from one another but we lay out what this year has offered and what it really means in the scope of metal history and the rest of the year to come.

We also invite Rob Pasbani of Metal Injection and the Metal Injection Livecast to offer a different perspective on this year’s releases. He fills us in on his new-car jams and takes a look ahead at which albums might be on the slate for the top of the year overall. We talk about Gojira's new album Magma as well as other highly anticipated albums of 2016 and how they have measured up to expectations, as well as some albums that've surprised us.

Rob also tells us about the coolest listening party in history: a small gathering of journalists and friends at Gojira's new Silver Cord Studios to hear Magma in its entirety. What does he think of one of the most anticipated metal albums of 2016? We spin four of the year's best tracks on this episode instead of the normal two.

Songs:
Primitive Weapons - "Ashes or Paradise"
Zeal and Ardor - "Devil Is Fine"
Mantar – "Era Borealis"
Fallujah – "The Void Alone"

Cristina Scabbia, lead singer for Lacuna Coil, guests this week to talk about the band's new album Delirium, their eighth studio album over a 20-plus year career and the first to be totally self-produced. Cristina talks about relationships between band members, experiences with past producers and the pressures the band has been under leading up the album's release. She talks about where the lyrical themes on this album stem from, some metaphorical and others from her personal relationship with mental illness. 

Chuck and Godless discuss a very common word that we may or may not need to take out of our vocabulary (especially as Chuck is 'blank' for Nails). We examine how the botched launch of Prophets of Rage turned our internet feeds into a frenzy of activity, but for the wrong reasons. Did Rage Against the Machine control their message in the wrong way, or did they simply underestimate the appetite for a reunion? Zach de la Rocha may be having the last laugh, until he hears our idea for the one dude on earth who would be more interesting and would draw bigger crowds.

Songs:
Lacuna Coil – "The House of Shame"
Nails – "Savage Intolerance"

The legendary black metal drummer Frost of Satyricon is our guest this week. In our interview we talk about the re-release of their classic album Nemesis Divina on its 20^th anniversary, what that means for the band, if the classic albums he grew up with would be different if they were remastered, and whether or not there is space in black metal for change and openness in songwriting. Forgive us for the poor quality of the recording, but in trve black metal style we chose to distress the audibility of his phone connection for full effect.

We also discuss the announcement of Ozzfest Meets Knotfest. We try to figure out if it actually means anything for the genre, or if it's just another cash grab for the Osbourne family. Why would Slipknot give up half of their successful (or seemingly successful) festival? To get hold of the brand? To extend their legacy? Or is this just an example of the lovely spirit of cooperation in the metal community?

Songs:
Satyricon – "Forhekset"
Black Crown Initiate – "For Red Cloud"

This week Joe Duplantier of the mighty Gojira returns to the podcast for another interview ahead of the release of their new album Magma. We find out how the emotional impact on the Duplantier brothers of losing their mother effected the production of this album, whether having kids makes Joe think about the business differently, what the changing direction of their music means for the future of the band, how they feel about peoples' responses to the new record, and how building a studio in New York City changes the way he looks at making music.

We also talk about "fake" bands, whether it's a band that has a front, as in Dethklok or new Season of Mist signees Sons of Balaur, or as in the case of Ghost Bath, where a band propagates misinformation to make themselves seem more interesting. Is it right to try and fool people into thinking you are something you are not? Is having a "story" worth the effort it takes to create something larger than your original band, like Gwar?

We also give you a first hand account of the David Vincent country show last weekend in Austin.

Songs:
Gojira – "Stranded"
Beartooth – "Aggressive"

Luc Lemay, legendary guitarist and vocalist for Gorguts, guests this week, and in our revealing interview we discover how he became and maintains the status of being the nicest guy in death metal. We even try to get him to hate on people but he holds his ground, refusing to say one bad word about anyone we mentioned. We also talk about his return to composing after such a long hiatus, how he was sure to be very careful around all the sharp objects in his woodshop, and the process of writing a single 33-minute song that turned into the band's new EP Pleiades' Dust.

We discuss our disappointment in Iron Maiden's decision to bow to the Chinese government by changing the way they perform their set. Should a band stick to their principles and not censor lyrics, or is it OK to cater to a government so the fans of the band actually get a chance to see them play? We know where Maiden came down on the subject, but were they right in doing so?

Songs:
Gorguts – "Wandering Times" (Exerpt from Pleiadies Dust)
Polar – "Blood for Blood"

Evan Brewer guests this week on the podcast, fresh on the heels of releasing the debut full length album with his new band Entheos. In our interview we spend more time talking about bass than ever before, but we also learn about his decision to leave The Faceless, what that meant for his career, why going solo for a few albums was a good idea and whether or not he likes watching movies with all the other nerdy prog metal guys that are getting popular these days.

Later in the episode we talk about Monuments' financial woes, which led them to drop off a tour, and how dumb mistakes can ruin your band's future, or at least create hurdles that may or may not be overcome. We examine the dynamics of finances and planning on a band's well-being and what should be expected at certain levels of the game... and let’s just say Monuments should be way ahead of where they are now.

Songs:

Entheos – "Terminal Stages of Nostalgia"
ETHS - "Nihil Sine Causa"

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This week the always intense and enigmatic Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen guests on the podcast. His new project, Surgical Meth Machine, just released their debut self-titled album, and we find out where this next level of music came from and how it turned into something bigger than expected, how the grind of the industry drives him crazy and how he inadvertently became what he most despised by creating his own label to combat the things he hated.

We also discuss the boundaries an audience needs to obey when going to shows. A young woman gets literally kicked off the stage at a pop-punk show; is that reaction justified? Does this coincide with the David Draiman discussion from last week? Where should we draw the line between audience and performer? The rules of the game are changing every day, but no one seems to know what best practices are for audience behavior... except us... we obviously know the right answer.

Songs:
Surgical Meth Machine - "I Want More"
Death Angel - "Cause For Alarm"