The MetalSucks Podcast

Jami Morgan from Code Orange is back on the show! We discuss the recent standalone single "Out For Blood," his perspective on the growing importance of singles in rock and metal, the reality of having to create new music faster in the current landscape, how being a frontman is more exhausting than being a drummer, Max Portnoy becoming a full time member of the band, why he feels Code Orange are in it for the long game and how they are intentionally polarizing. Petar and Brandon tackle the police raid of Marilyn Manson’s home and seizure of his hard drives, The Word Alive befriending the thieves who stole their gear, and John Cooper of Skillet calling Rage Against The Machine “government rock.” Songs: Code Orange - “Out For Blood," Daxma - “The Clouds Parted” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imperial Triumphant guitarist Zachary Ilya Ezrin is our guest this week. We discuss the band's latest album, Alphaville, his thoughts on NFTs in music, embracing all the changes that come into the industry, making the band's new live album available only on vinyl, the band's relationship with New York City, and completing their first headlining tour since the pandemic began. Petar and Brandon tackle the jaw-dropping Lars Ulrich toilet, Kid Rock’s latest misfire, and Danko Jones calling out fellow Canadian artists Monster Truck. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Imperial Triumphant - "Transmission to Mercury (Live at Slipper Room)," Darkwoods My Betrothed - “In Evil, Sickness, and in Grief” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Death Angel riff master Rob Cavestany is our guest this week! We discuss the Grammy nomination of their last record, Humanicide, performing acoustic songs on the band's latest live album, The Bastard Tracks, and what it was like revisiting deep cuts for it, fan backlash for having to reschedule the Bay Strike Backs tour with Testament and Exodus again, the precautions he and Death Angel will take once they're back on the road, and how he wants to get out there just as badly as the fans want him to. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn tackle Rammstein guitarist Richard Kruspe's comments about Ghost not being a stadium band, why today's artists can’t make the same impact as previous generations, and Marilyn Manson’s lawyer's recent comments that he's open to a "global" settlement with the shock rocker's alleged victims. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Death Angel - ”Where They Lay," Exodus - “The Years of Death and Dying” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Converge frontman Jacob Bannon is our guest this week! We discussed the band's forthcoming 10th studio album, Bloodmoon: I, and the story of how he finally got to collaborate on it with Chelsea Wolfe, Cave In's Stephen Brodsky and multi-instrumentalist Ben Chisholm, how the songs evolved with everyone’s contributions throughout the process, how each participant pushed one another's creative boundaries for the better, the music he's been listening to lately, the negativity of making music a competition within scenes, and reaching your goals in life with a positive path. Petar and Brandon discuss Trivium frontman Matt Heafy’s comment that Metallica are the greatest band on Earth, Avenged Sevenfold waiting to release their next album, Limp Bizkit’s new record, and the Foo Fighters upcoming horror-comedy film. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Converge and Chelsea Wolfe - “Blood Moon” and “Coil," Thulcandra - “Funeral Pyre” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Khemmis co-guitarist and co-vocalist Phil Pendergast is our guest this week! We discuss the band's new album, Deceiver, the long and difficult process of writing lyrics for it, fighting through a lack of motivation and depression during the pandemic, how Deceiver connects to the band's breakthrough album, Hunted, the exit of bassist Dan Beiers during the record's creation, and why they are planning their touring schedule for the next year especially carefully. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss Marilyn Manson joining a prayer circle with Kanye West and Justin Bieber, the possibility of Manson turning to Christianity, Mastodon's Brent Hinds use of a homophobic slur and the band's subsequent apology, and Slipknot fans starting a fire in the pit at a show in Arizona. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Khemmis - “Living Pyre” and “House of Cadmus," Dream Unending - “In Cipher I Weep” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whitechapel vocalist Phil Bozeman is our guest this week! We discuss the band's new record, Kin, the challenge of revisiting his childhood for its lyrical themes, the necessity of tackling your past and forcing yourself to face it regardless, the music videos that accompany the storytelling on the album, and how his perception of reality has changed dramatically as he grows into his 30s. We also talk about how he doesn’t get TikTok, how social media has become our main news source and how that affects us culturally, adapting to the generational gap and how quickly it changes, and his thoughts on touring after the pandemic. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss Nikki Sixx's comment about performing “tired and with a beer belly," Ivan Moody choosing a side in the Bad Wolves / Tommy Vext beef, and Gene Simmons selling his Las Vegas mansion for a very large profit after less than a year. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Whitechapel - “A Bloodsoaked Symphony" and “Orphan," Be’lakor - “Hidden Window” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve "Stevic" MacKay of Twelve Foot Ninja is our guest this week to discuss the band's new album, Vengeance, sitting on it for over a year while the pandemic raged on, the new novel and graphic novel connected to the album, teaching himself how to code to build a Twelve Foot Ninja video game, working with Huey Lewis and Jinjer's Tatiana Shmayluk on music videos, and a session gig he took working on a season of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, among other topics. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss Dani Filth blowing off Faust’s murder confession in 1993, and Chino Moreno blaming weed for Stephen Carpenter’s flat-earth and anti-vaccine viewpoints. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Twelve Foot Ninja - “Start the Fire" and “Over and Out" (Featuring Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer), Wolftooth - “The Voyage” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Melvins drummer Dale Crover is our guest this week! We discuss the band's new album of acoustic re-imaginings, Five Legged Dog, how the band narrowed down the song list for it, which songs the band attempted to rework but failed, and his thoughts on doing an acoustic tour. We also talk about the recent passing of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, how he found out fellow Melvins drummer Coady Willis got the job with High On Fire, his new pandemic hobby of golfing, and an update on his solo material. Petar and Brandon discuss two members of Mötley Crüe making the news for falling and hurting themselves this week -- Tommy Lee’s pool slip and Vince Neil’s stage fall -- which legendary artist gets the funnier news treatment, Danzig or Vince Neil, and Kerry King’s statement that Slayer called it quits too early. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Melvins - “Night Goat” (Acoustic) and “Sway” (The Rolling Stones Cover), Monolord - “I’ll Be Damned” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lewis and Henry de Jong, the brothers behind Alien Weaponry, join us this week! We discuss the the band's new album, Tangaroa, the record's themes of environmental awareness and how everyone needs to do more, why they felt writing about their Maori heritage was extremely important, how touring has changed their perspective on major issues affecting the world, how to fix mistakes made by previous generation by being vocal, and their recent performance with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Petar, Brandon and Jozalyn turn in another music episode inspired by a listener email asking about the best nu metal bands people may not have heard of, and we discuss how the movement holds up 20 years later. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Alien Weaponry - “Buried Underground” and “Tangaroa” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeremy Spencer, aka Grim Synner from Psycho Synner (the band formerly known as Psychosexual) -- and former drummer for Five Finger Death Punch -- is our guest on this special half-episode of the podcast! We discuss why the band rebranded from Psychosexual to Psycho Sinner, his plan to release nine albums on the same day (and when that will happen) and the visual aesthetic of the band changing along with its name. We also talk about the horror film script he is currently working on, creating three feature-length films he wrote and directed with adult stars, how he believes people are extremely sensitive these days, how he hopes to push the envelope of the current culture with the band, and the massive influence of Gwar on the project. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss Jozalyn going on tour during the pandemic, the audiences she has been encountering, accidentally bullying people in attendance and much more. Songs: Psycho Synner - “On Your Grave” and "Devil From Hell” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices