Sludge Underground Podcast

Marcel sits down with Dierbaar, an alternative Afrikaans band from Stellenbosch, to dig into what drives their unique sound and message. We talk about why they chose to make alternative music in Afrikaans, the themes most artists shy away from, and their experience working with ‪@Afrikalt‬ . If you’re interested in the new wave of Afrikaans alternative music, this is a conversation you don’t want...

Ramfest 2025 was everything we’ve been waiting for. From Bongloard’s wild energy and Sunken State’s chaos (gorilla suit included), to Jack Parow proving he absolutely belongs on a heavy lineup, this festival was a full-on celebration of South African alternative and heavy music. Not everything went smoothly, sound issues hit hard during Vulvodynia’s set, but The Narrow and Facing the Gallows broug...

From small dive bars and underground venues to the people keeping the alternative flame alive, this video dives into the heart of South Africa’s alternative and metal scene. We explore the venues, promoters, content creators, and bands that make this community what it is. Whether you’re a fan, a musician, or just curious about the scene, this is your crash course into finding your own way into Sou...

This week we're catching up with Savannah Vermaak, A live sound engineer based in Cape Town South Africa. She Goes over experiences working within the scene, the educational content she's creating on her platform, and a behind the scenes look at one of the most important factors in live music, the sound.  Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our...

This week we're chatting to Kavesh Vello, The organizer of Music For Palestine, Joined by Berty of the band Necklace. We dive into the motivations behind the event, the bands playing, and the organizations involved. #punkrock #punk #palestine #fundraising #livemusic #giftofthegivers Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shi...

n this episode of Sludge Underground Marcel has a chat with Ken of D oomTrigger, one of Cape Towns most promising Metalcore bands. They dive into the bands formation, the impressive ground they've covered over the bands short time since exploding onto the scene, and the themes and messages behind their music.  #doomtrigger #bandinterview #metalcore #capetown #capetownmusic #southafricanmusic...

We're having a chat with Devilnest's Myke Taylor & Brynn Huxtable about their upcoming Durban metal event, Recoil. The event sees Gauteng heavyweights Walk These Skies and Die Gemeente coming down to Durban for what promises to be South Africa's most explosive metal event! #southafricanmetalmusic #sametal #durbanmetal #devilnest #metalevents Explore our exclusive merch store for...

Cape Town thrashers Halvar recently returned from playing one of the biggest metal festivals in the world, Wacken Open Air. Dolf and Daniel share some of their experiences from Germany and the future plans for Halvar.  Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your s...

Devilnest is a Durban-based entity that runs metal events. It comprises of Myke Taylor & Brynn Huxtable of South African Deathcore giants Your Cynical Sanity. In this video, they talk all things Devilnest and how they aim to get Durban metal events on the map again. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanie...

On this episode we sit down with Sabretooth, South Africa's 80s-inspired band, to unpack their 12 year hiatus, and the moment that got them back together. We also touch on their first gig back in Cape Town, and whether or not they'll be releasing music on Spotify given the recent controversy surrounding the platform and other South African bands pulling their music off it.  #sabretoothba...

"Have you ever heard of Mind Assault?" Is one of the most common questions you get when diving into the Cape Town metal scene. We had a sit down with guitarist Patrick and unpack over two decades of the bands history leading up to Nostalgia Indulgia.  #mindassualt #bandinterview #metal #southafricanmusic  Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our...

Cantrel are a father/son duo making music together. On this episode we touch on their upcoming EP, ties to Prime Circle, their upcoming South African tour, their music video hitting over 1million views, and a whole lot more. #bandinterview #southafrica #cantrel #primecircle #southafricanband  Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish...

Johannesburg boys Sunken State have a chat with Marcel about their highly anticipated EP Hunting Ghosts, Finding Demons dropping on the 18th of July. Join in as they dive into their process, the story behind the Ep, and the direction the band's moving in. We also touch on their inclusion for the 2025 Ramfest lineup and their thoughts abut sharing the stage with The Devil Wears Prada. 💬 Drop...

In this explosive interview, we dive into how Alana Britz became the digital force behind Emalyth, Metal4Africa, and Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa, helping shape the online identity of Africa’s loudest metal festivals. Lana opens up about: - How she got into running social media for metal institutions   - Emalyth’s approach to booking bands and scouting talent   - Whether bands need a pol...

Pretoria boys No Closure recently made it onto the Ramfest lineup consisting of headlining act The Devil Wears Prada in South Africa. We chat about the metalcore/hardcore scene in Pretoria, the diversity in South African live shows, and get their response on what was said about the members during the Lower Hollow episode.  💬 Drop your thoughts on the band in the comments! 🔔 Remember to like, sub...

From a nearly disastrous trip to Germany for Wacken Open Air to sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in modern metal, Argentinian Deathcore band  @nvlometalofficial   are tearing up the scene. Now, this entity is on it's way to bring their absolutely infectious energy to South Africa for two shows in Cape Town and Johannesburg!  📢 How did nearly not being able to play in the Wack...

From a high school drama studio to the heart of Durban’s underground scene, The Non Fiction has been active since 2018. Starting as a two-piece punk band, they honed their sound at Reverberate events, carving out a space in the local music scene. Now, they're turning it up, taking that punk rock mentality and channeling it into bigger songs for bigger audiences. With raw energy and unstoppabl...

EP392: From the depths of Cape Town’s underground scene, Hi Anxious has emerged with a DIY ethos, a genre-blurring sound, and an uncompromising approach to music. In this episode, we dive into their creative process, the journey behind their debut EP, and what it means to curate every aspect of their art, from hand-crafted merch to carefully selected venues. Blending psychedelia, grunge, emo, hard...

Marcel has a chat with Seb and Dylan of  ⁨@indiedogband⁩ Join in as they chat about the bands love of touring, the stories behind their music videos and their dream to become the best rock band in the world Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and g...

EP392: We're chatting to Ashley of Lower Hollow on this episode. We're looking at where the band started, band member departures, the future of the band, and more.  #sludgeunderground #southafricanband #lowerhollow #southafricanmetalheads  Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something...

Next in line with catching up with each of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa Finalists Marcel has a chat with Die Gemeente's Francios Smith and Tyler Hattingh. Join in as they delve into the formation of the band, their respective histories as seasoned musicians, as well as their experiences working with Vulvodynia's Kris Xenopoulos. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique...

This weeks Wacken Metal Battle Finalist is Hiraeth. A modern melodic metal band from Johannesburg South Africa who are back from a hiatus and ready to take on the South African scene with a new lineup. Join in as we chat about their thoughts on the current skill level of new musicians, their plans moving forward, and delve into a bit of scene history. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique a...

This week Marcel has a chat with Lenny of Irony Destroyed. A metalcore band hailing from Nairobi Kenya. Join in as they chat about the kenyan scene, the challenges they face as an extremely niche genre, as well as being so geographically isolated from the rest of the African metal community.  Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish...

Next up in our line of interviewing each of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa finalist we have Raven In Flesh. A Tswanian black metal band hailing from Botswana's legendary metal scene. Join in as Marcel dives into the origins of the band, the challenges they face and the prospect of coming to South Africa to perform at the biggest Pan-African metal event in Africa.  Explore our excl...

Wacken Metal Battle Finalists Halvar share their thoughts on having the chance to represent South Africa at Wacken Open Air in Germany along with the bands origins to get a bar tab at the Aandklas battle of the bands. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your su...