The MetalSucks Podcast

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 10th 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? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices