The MetalSucks Podcast

The Ocean mastermind Robin Staps is back on the show to discuss the band's new album, Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic|Cenozoic. Robin discusses how the two Phanerozoic albums sound completely different despite being recorded at the same time, Jonas from Katatonia's guest appearance, the difficultly in finding fossils for the box set version of the album, and how he predicted the future with regards to Covid-19 in The Ocean's Collective Oblivion DVD, released in 2013. Robin also shares his thoughts on Pelagial making some best-of-decade lists, the delayed recognition that record got from his fanbase, and the importance of his father being a jazz musician in his musical path. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss recording the podcast on Petar’s 40th birthday, and the untimely death of Power Trip's Riley Gale. Songs: The Ocean - “Jurassic/Cretaceous" (featuring. Jonas Renske of Katatonia), Varg - “Zeichen” and Power Trip - “Executioner’s Tax (Swing of The Axe)” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kataklysm frontman Maurizio Iacono is our guest this week. We discuss the band's latest album, Unconquered, how anxiety has driven his career and having to readjust during this time, how delaying releasing a record right now is not “metal," and whether he plans to start writing a new album right away because the band can't tour. Iacono also discusses how his job as a booking agent has been reinvented because of Covid-19, living in the middle of the road politically and the backlash that occurs because of it, why cancel culture might be necessary for us to understand each other, and how we can’t educate each other anymore because of misinformation from the media. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia break down how the Chris Cornell statue and the entire year of 2020 are like oil and water in light of the recent vandalization, Fred Durst stating that he and the boys of Limp Bizkit were never friends, and Corey Taylor almost joining Anthrax. Songs: Kataklysm - “The Killshot," Hinayana - “Cold Conception" (Featuring the late Nature Ganganbaigal of Tengger Cavalry) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Barney Greenway of Napalm Death is our guest this week. We discuss the band's first new album in five years, Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism, how he and bassist Shane Embury always argue about the sequence of songs on their records, and the non-metal bands that heavily influence Napalm Death. Barney also talks about how the world has changed since the last time the band released new music, his views on the dehumanization of people across the world, and the insanity of countries having gay-free zones and the ideology of scapegoating people due to their sexual preference. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss Jozalyn doing stand up comedy with the audience wearing noise-cancelling headphones, Corey Taylor putting his minor league band Stone Sour on indefinite hiatus, and Five Finger Death Punch making a film. Songs: Napalm Death - “Backlash Just Because," Unleash The Archers - “Abyss” and Be Well - “Morning Light” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our guest this week is Kamelot and Seventh Wonder vocalist Tommy Karevik. We discuss all the preparation that went into creating the new Kamelot live album/DVD, I Am The Empire - Live From The 013, getting every special guest that they went after, his childhood love of Michael Jackson, transitioning from being a fan of pop to heavy metal, how the touring cycle for Kamelot was affected by COVID-19, how having a second career is necessary for every metal musician, on his recent marriage to Kobra Paige, the concept behind Seventh Wonder’s latest album Tiara, if there will be another Seventh Wonder record in the future, and an update on the next Kamelot album. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss Scott Ian’s comments about backing tracks being used at concerts, Mike Portnoy yelling about the evil empire of Spotify, and why complaining about streaming is utterly useless because there is no going back. Songs: Kamelot - “Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)" (Live, Featuring Lauren Hart of Once Human), and Seventh Wonder - “The Everones" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black Crown Initiate guitarist Andy Thomas is our guest this week! We discuss the recording the band's new album during modern times, the return of guitarist Ethan McKenna, finding motivation, channeling the lowest points in his life into the record, avoiding the hatred of daily contemporary culture, trends in social media, the hard compromise of the upcoming election, and more. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia also tackle the new Corey Taylor rap-rock tune "CMFT," conservative fans getting into online feuds with Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, and System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan's opinions about the BLM movement. Songs: Black Crown Initiate - “Death Comes In Reverse” and “Holy Silence,” Orbit Culture - “Open Eye” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Avatar vocalist Johannes Eckerström is our guest this week. We discuss how being controversial in metal is extremely hard work because of how far the genre has already pushed the edge, his band’s relationship with one visual director for over a decade, the realization that we have arrived in the dystopian world art has envisioned for ages, his journey to becoming vegan, being a huge fan of the writing of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, having to think outside the box to create music videos during quarantine, and how the book Sapiens influenced the band's new album, Hunter Gatherer. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia tackle the feud between Sebastian Bach and Chris Jericho -- how unhinged it makes Sebastian Bach look, our thoughts on how Jericho should play this going forward -- and we theorize on why In Flames would decide to re-record songs on Clayman for a reissue. Songs: Avatar - “Silence In The Age of Apes" and "Colossus," Onslaught - “Religiousuicide” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dee Snider is back on the show! This time we discuss his new live Blu Ray/DVD, For The Love of Metal Live, how the album's sole new track, "Prove me Wrong," is a statement to his fans, why a live DVD is what every music fan should embrace these days, and the immediate connection the songs from his latest solo album had with fans. We also tackle plenty of pandemic-related issues: if Twisted Sister would have been able to make it through what we are currently dealing with, how a lot of us have gained perspective during this time to focus on real problems, and whose job is truly important and how artists have to realize their roles in society have changed. Finally, we talk about the next film project that he is currently set to direct. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss Trapt’s first week album sales, Insane Clown Posse trying to catch a predator with Chris Hansen, Tripp Eisen's feud with Static-X and Edsel Dope, and Static-X making the poor decision to play a show during COVID while thinking asking fans to wear masks is the answer. Songs: Dee Snider - “Prove Me Wrong” and “I Am The Hurricane" (Live) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Acacia Strain guitarist Devin Shidaker is our guest this week. We discuss releasing two albums in one year and the choice to surprise-release It Comes In Waves, why they need to take chances to keep their sound fresh instead of repeating past formats that worked, how streams are more important to the band than actual album sales, and the honor system with fans who buy physical copies. We also talk about current events exhaustion, the backlash against peers in hardcore and metal when they say something ignorant on social media, the current unfriend me atmosphere of people with different opinions, how his girlfriend testing positive for Covid-19 changed his view of current news programming, all the recent headlines involving System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan, and how difficult it will be to change the culture of police in America. Petar, Brandon, and Jozalyn discuss the recent episode of The MetalSucks Quarantinecast with Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer, the need for people to be "right" without facts, how speculation can become facts to people these days, and why everyone needs to see White Men Can’t Jump. Songs: The Acacia Strain - "Solace and Serenity," "Seeing God (Featuring Aaron Heard from Jesus Piece)," Imperial Triumphant - “Rotted Futures” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Witch Taint's Lance the King of Black Metal and Matthias Backwards, aka Dave Hill and Phil Costello, join the show this week. We discuss the origin of the band’s name, how they constantly have to prove how metal they are, how the slang words for "taint" differ by region, their ongoing beef with death metal, why worshipping Satan in your sleep is vital for being a true black metal artist, why you can’t do pilates on camera and be in an extreme metal band, why they play first instead of last when they headline shows, and why they aren’t concerned with promoting anything despite being on social media and YouTube. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss the new venue that is being built with social distancing guidelines in mind, Corey Taylor's choice for his favorite Slipknot song, and Tommy Lee's new face tattoos. Songs: Witch Taint - "Sons of Satan" and "Death to Death Metal" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Voivod guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain is our guest this week. We discuss the Canadian perspective on the recent protests inspired by the murder of George Floyd and his country's response to the pandemic, he looks back on Voivod's most recent studio album, The Wake, tells us about how Voivod got invited to play the Montreal International Jazz Festival, why spontaneous composition is difficult for a metal band, Voivod’s experience doing the live-streamed Isolation Festival, and an update on the band's next album. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia discuss the guy that got Pete into heavy metal at the age of nine years old, how he knocked out a guy by sucker punching him, and the antics of Pete as a high school basketball player who would pull pranks on his coach. Songs: Voivod - “The End of Dormancy (Metal Section)," Valkyrie - “Feeling So Low” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices