The MetalSucks Podcast

Our guest this week is Local H mastermind Scott Lucas! We discuss the band's latest album, Lifers, and his activity on social media to promote it during the pandemic, working on the record with legendary producer Steve Albini, his tribute song to George Floyd, and how artists are often unaware of how many people their music reaches. We also talk about performing all of his albums in full throughout the years, allowing the audience to pick what tracks the band performs, how he has been in his own head during recent performances because of the extended time away from touring, and his passion for film scores. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss David Lee Roth announcing his retirement from music, and whether Ozzy Osbourne will ever tour again in light of the slew of legendary guests on his next album. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Local H - “Hold That Thought," “(We Are) The Road Crew" (Motörhead cover) and “Hackensack" (Fountains of Wayne cover) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guitarist Jani Liimatainen of Insomnium (ex-Sonata Arctica) is our guest on this special half-episode of the podcast! We discuss the band's new EP, Argent Moon, releasing the songs as singles throughout the pandemic, how the tour for their last album, Heart Like A Grave, was completely cut short but they decided to forge ahead with new music anyway, the upcoming 25th anniversary of the band, the emotions of seeing his first live concert (as a fan) in a year and a half, why he likes to play obscure tracks live for fans, and the timeframe for a new full-length Insomnium record. Songs: Insomnium “The Conjurer” and “The Antagonist," 1914 - “…And A Cross Now Marks His Place” (Featuring Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rivers of Nihil vocalist Jake Dieffenbach is our guest this week to discuss the band's new album, The Work! We talk about how the band fearlessly continues to pursue their own musical direction with no boundaries, the meaning of and story behind the Dan Seagrave cover artwork, the pressure of following up their critically acclaimed 2018 album Where Owls Know My Name, why he felt he needed 18 months off after touring non-stop in support of that record, feeling a little rusty after entering the new normal of pandemic road life, the challenge of being hard of hearing and pursuing a career as a musician, the reality that his hearing could continue to degrade as a result of performing, and how Rivers are Nihil are going to convert podcast host Petar's stepson into a metal lifer. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss the disgruntled fan who drove his car into the front of the venue at a P.O.D. show, Petar talking his stepson to his very first heavy metal concert, and Metallica’s Black Album returning to the top ten on the Billboard charts. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Rivers of Nihil - “Clean” and "Focus," Livløs - “And Then There Were None” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sven de Caluwé of Aborted is back for a special half-episode of the podcast! We discuss how he needed the band's new album Maniacult to keep him connected to music, how the horror movies he binge-watched during the pandemic inspired the album, why he feels the first two Friday the 13th films didn’t age well, how the 25th anniversary of the band passed by during Covid, creating an action figure to sell to fans for the new album, and his favorite action figure toys from his youth. Petar and Brandon get ready for October by celebrating the horror films that made them fall in love with the genre, the series they need to revisit, and the first film that scared them into loving the feeling of fear from cinema. Songs: Aborted - “Dementophobia” and “Drag Me To Hell” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Stringer of Spiritbox is our guest this week! We discuss their new album, Eternal Blue, the strategy of releasing standalone singles to introduce the project to fans, spending three years promoting music while unable to tour, the cancelation of their recent run with Limp Bizkit, how the FACTOR program from the Canadian government helped them start Spiritbox, and his hopes to tour nonstop in 2022. Petar and Brandon dissect the onstage meltdown of Ronnie Radke, Tommy Lee being “stoked” that a film about his leaked sex tape is being made, and Dave Mustaine's recent "medical tyranny" comments. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Spiritbox - “Circle With Me” and “Hurt You," Wage War - "High Horse" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Björn “Speed” Strid of The Night Flight Orchestra and Soilwork is back on the show! We start out by discussing the brand new album from The Night Flight Orchestra, Aeromantic II; why they released standalone singles that are not on the record, the entire band catching Covid-19 after their last tour in March of 2020, why there would not have been a new album if not for Covid-19, the band's plans on investing in a tour at this stage of the pandemic, his view on how Sweden handled the pandemic with only restrictions and no lockdowns, why he feels sometimes Sweden is a very spoiled country, and how The Night Flight Orchestra started as a side project but has since become so much more. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss Corey Taylor’s son's thoughts on Joey Jordison’s passing, the rumor of John Corabi replacing Vince Neil on the Motley Crüe stadium tour, and the drama between Bad Wolves and former lead singer Tommy Vext. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: The Night Flight Orchestra - “Burn For Me” and “Chardonnay Nights” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk is back on the show! We discuss the band's new album, Wallflowers, the preparations the band is currently undergoing to get ready for a heavy touring schedule, what last year's socially distanced shows were like as performers, filming music videos and putting out a live album during the pandemic to stay engaged with their fans, and her desire to tour as much as possible despite the current climate. Tati also updates us on her family, who are currently living in a war zone. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss someone pooping in the pit at a Turnstile show, the Dio hologram turning into a screen, and David Lee Roth’s refusal to open for Motley Crüe. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Jinjer - “Mediator” and “Wallflowers” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Derrick Green of Sepultura is back on the show! We discuss the band's upcoming touring schedule, his thoughts on fans having to show vaccination cards to attend shows, how Sepultura decided to stay connected with each other through Zoom during the pandemic, why he feels the conflict currently happening in the Amazon needs more media attention, and which Sepultura deep cut was most interesting to revisit on the band's new live album, SepulQuarta. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss the passing of The Skull / ex-Trouble vocalist Eric Wagner and his refusal to get the Covid-19 vaccine, the Nirvana Nevermind baby suing the band, Insane Clown Posse retiring from touring, and the passing of The Rolling Stones' drummer Charlie Watts. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Trouble - “Pray For The Dead," Sepultura - “Mask (Featuring Devin Townsend)” and “Slave New World (Featuring Matt Heafy), White Stones - “New Age of Dark," The Rolling Stones - “Street Fighting Man” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Between the Buried and Me guitarist Paul Waggoner is our guest this week! We discuss why he feels the time was right to make a sequel to their classic album, Colors, the difficulty of being in the right mental state to write music during the pandemic, all the work that went into the animated video for “Fix The Error," the emotional experience of returning to live music, his thoughts on the experiment of releasing the Automata album series in two parts, how he feels about performing The Great Misdirect in its entirety on tour right now, and his thoughts on the role of livestreams in the future of heavy music. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss Randy Blythe's Covid-19-related plea to fans, and our own return to live music at the Psycho Las Vegas festival, the good, the bad, and all the other feelings that have come with it. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Between the Buried and Me - “Revolution In Limbo” and “Fix The Error” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spirit Adrift mastermind Nate Garrett guests this week! We discuss the band's new EP, Forge Your Future, how his move to a new environment impacted the music, on being open to his influences when writing songs, the compliment that he got from Fenriz of Darkthrone, and the timeframe on a new Spirit Adrift full length. Nate also tells us how he's become an MMA fan while leaving boxing behind, his go-to music during his own fitness routine, and how he turned a Donald Trump phrase into a line on the track “Invisible Enemy." Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss the podcast's 400th episode milestone, Til Lindemann's $117,000 price tag for a meal out with the Rammstein frontman, who we would pay to have dinner with, and the split between Max Cavalera and Marc Rizzo. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Spirit Adrift - “Forge Your Future" and “Wake Up," The Ugly Kings - “Technodrone” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices