Metal Shop's Backstage Pass

DevilDriver released their new album “Dealing With Demons (1)” at the beginning of October, so I got on the phone with vocalist Dez Fafara to chat about the new album, life during the pandemic, featuring his son on the new album, sobriety, scars and much more.

Venom Prison is a hard working Welsh death metal/hardcore band that recently released “Primeval.” I interviewed Ash via Skype about everything from re-recording early demos to how the pandemic has affected the band. Enjoy!

Anaal Nathrakh is a gnarly, ear-crushing band from the UK that recently released their 11th album “Endarkenment” on Metal Blade Records. I skyped with vocalist Dave Hunt and we chatted about everything from his undying thirst for the most extreme music he could find while growing up to a very memorable scar on his body. Enjoy!

Thank you for sticking with the Metal Shop Backstage Pass for 200 episodes. Through format switch ups and strange times, the podcast remains a positive force for us.   This week we are featuring an interview with Iver Sandoy from ENSLAVED. Iver has been a longtime producer for ENSLAVED and recently joined the band full time. We chat about the new album "Utgard," concerts happening with limite...

WILDERUN is a Boston-based progressive folk metal band that released the epic album “Veil of Imagination” on Century Media last year. I spoke with Wayne Ingram about his unique role in the band, the many instruments he plays, life during a pandemic and much more. Enjoy! 

Southern California death metal band SKELETAL REMAINS is riding high off the release of their badass new album “The Entombment of Chaos” on Century Media. I chatted with vocalist/guitarist Chris Monroy about the reality of releasing an album mid-pandemic, his “real life” job, touring with legendary bands, his first band shirts and much more.

John Bush has quite the pedigree in the world of heavy metal. Not only has John been the longtime vocalist for influential metal band Armored Saint, he also sang in Anthrax from 1993-2004. I spoke with John about the new Armored Saint album “Punching the Sky,” life during the pandemic, staying fit and sane during this time and much more.

Tim Singer is a bit of an icon in the world of underground hardcore (my words, not his). Not only was he the vocalist for genre defining bands like Deadguy and Kiss It Goodbye, but he is back with a new project called Bitter Branches. We chatted about the new album, life during the pandemic, the 25th anniversary of the first Deadguy LP, growing up in the hardcore scene and much more. Press play an...

Unleash the Archers is a wickedly rad power metal band from Vancouver, BC. They just released a new album “Abyss” on Napalm Records a couple weeks back, so I hopped on the phone with vocalist Brittney Slayes to talk about Twitch streaming, growing up singing in choir, what inspired her to sing in a metal band and much more. Enjoy!

“We wanted to do our part in corrupting the world with our music.” – John McEntee Underground death metal legends INCANTATION recently released their new album “Sect Of Vile Divinities” so I hopped on the phone with John McEntee to chat. We discussed the A.C song “Kyle From Incantation Has a Mustache”, pandemic life, moving during quarantine, his favorite death metal bands of all time, the new alb...

Imperial Triumphant is a left brained avante garde black metal band from NYC. They recently released their Century Media debut “Alphaville” to massive critical acclaim. I spoke with Steve Blanco about growing up in the NYC music scene, life during the lockdown, jazz music and cutting his hand on bagels.

Bay Area death metal trio NECROT is gearing up to release their highly anticipated sophomore album “Mortal” (Tankcrime Records) on August 28th. I spoke with vocalist/bassist Luca Indrio about growing up in Italy and attending shows at punk rock squats, moving to the Bay Area, his favorite death metal bands and of course we chat all about the album.

Swedish melodic metal band Avatar just released their 8th studio album “Hunter Gatherer” (eOne) this past Friday, so I chatted with vocalist Johannes Eckerström about life in quarantine, some early inspirations, his favorite Swedish metal bands, being inspired by the theatrics of pro wrestling and of course the new album. “Hunter Gatherer” is available now! 

  Jordy Besse is a badass bassist who plays in the French progressive technical death metal band Exocrine. Their killer new album “Maelstrom” is available now via Unique Leader.

Robin Staps is the guitarist and lead songwriter for the German progressive metal band The Ocean. Over the last 20 years, The Ocean has released some incredible genre and mind bending heavy music, amassing a cult-like following in the underground. I spoke with Robin about The Ocean’s new upcoming album, growing up in the straight edge hardcore scene, the importance of the DIY ethics, playing squat...

Naglfar is a long running melodic black metal band from Umeå, Sweden. They released their first album in 8 years – “Cerecloth” – on May 8th through Century Media Records. I spoke with guitarist Andreas Nilsson about the new album, getting stabbed, his children’s taste in pop music, the pandemic, the “Big Four” of Swedish metal and much much more.

Will Putney is a hard working producer and metal musician from New Jersey. Most recently, Putney released an album with his band END called “Splinters from an Ever Changing Face.” He is also a member of the band Fit For An Autopsy and has produced hundreds of metal albums from bands such as Knocked Loose, Thy Art Is Murder, Body Count, Demon Hunter and more.

Ulthar is a raging blackened death metal from the Bay Area that recently released a killer album called “Providence” on 20 Buck Spin. I spoke with guitarist Shelby Lermo about the new abum, the importance or protests, death metal influences, bay area music and his other band VASTUM. Listen til the end to hear a brand new ULTHAR song from “Providence.” Turn it up!

Suicide Silence is gearing up to embark on a truly unique venture – an online virtual “world tour” where they are streaming live shows to specific individual cities via Geo targeting. I spoke with guitarist Mark Heylmun about what all goes into making something like this happen, their new album, the “Big 4” of deathcore and more.

Tacoma metal band Ancestors of God is gearing up to release their album “Emperor of the Sun,” so I hopped on a group zoom call to chat with them and debut 4 brand new songs. Turn it up!

Katalepsy is a badass Russian brutal death metal band that is gearing up to release their new album “Terra Mortuus Est” in July on Unique Leader Records. I chatted with guitarist Anton Garasiyev via skype about everything from nu-metal, the pandemic, growing up in Moscow, his favorite albums and much more. SLAM!

I spoke with Jon Dunn and Ryan Clark from Demon Hunter about their epic tour last year, how they've been staying busy during quarantine, some future plans, some advice to stay sane and much much more. 

This is a lost interview I have finally unearthed!!! I recorded this interview in person back when concerts were a thing. This interview happened right after Thanksgiving when Necrot played the Substation with Gatecreeper, Exhumed and Judiciary. It's short, but fun! 

Of Feather and Bone is a gnarly death metal band from Colorado. I spoke with OFAB bassist Alvino Salcedo about Pink Floyd, Neurosis, working at a record store, the death metal underground revolution, his band's always evolving sound and much more.   

Ensiferum is a folk-metal band from Helsinki, Finland that's gearing up to release their 8th album "Thalassic" in July. I spoke with Petri Lindroos from Ensiferum via skype about video games, releasing an album during a pandemic, some of his favorite Finnish metal bands, his early metal inspirations and much more.