As The Story Grows

Chapter 291 - "The Songs Still Hold Up" ...as read by Chris and Brian of Subsist This week I am stoked to finally share my conversation with Brian Geurin and Chris Bennet from Subsist! I chatted with these guys back in July of 2021. The band just announced that Steadfast Records in partner with Dropping Bombs will be reissuing The Rhythm Method on vinyl! Brian and Chris talk about their musical ba...

Chapter 290 - "Drawing Black Lines" ...as read by Steven Dail This week we welcome former Project 86 bassist Steven Dail to the podcast. Steven and I bookend this chat with the Drawing Black Lines vinyl release. Steven also gives us a deep dive into Project 86’s discography while he was in the band, working with Jason Martin and Starflyer 59, Crash Rickshaw, White Lighter, and more. This was a sup...

Chapter 289 - "We Should Just Do this Again" ...as read by Michael Barr of Volumes This week Volumes frontman Michael Barr joins the podcast. Michael and I chatted back in November right before the band released their latest album, Happier. Michael was also on the last day of isolation after having tested positive for Covid. So we begin our chat with life as a musician on tour getting Covid. Micha...

Chapter 288 - "Why Limit Yourself" ...as read by Brian Ishiba from Joy Weather This week we welcome Brian Ishiba from indie rock band Joy Weather to the show! Joy Weather will release their new single, A Little While, this Friday, February 4th. Brian talks about going to college in Japan and the impact that it had on his life, his preference for writing and recording over touring, and creativity w...

Chapter 287 - "Calling All Captains Sings In All Caps" ...as read by Luc Gauthier from Calling All Captains This week we welcome Calling All Captains frontman Luc Gauthier to the podcast. Calling All Captains released Slowly Getting Better late in 2021 on Equal Vision Records. Luc talks about the music scene in Canada, his life as a Metis dancer, connecting with Equal Vision, and Slowly Getting Be...

Chapter 286 - "Learn To Love Yourself" ...as read by Harald Barret from Imminence  This week we welcome Imminence guitarist and founding member Harald Barret to the podcast. Imminence released Heaven In Hiding, one of my favorite albums of 2021, back in November on Arising Empire Records. Harald talks about the absence of a supportive metal scene in Sweden, incorporating strings into Imminence’s s...

Chapter 285 - "I Got It Out Of My Brain" ...as read by Will Putney from Fit For An Autopsy  This week I’m stoked to welcome Will Putney from Fit For An Autopsy to the podcast! Fit will release Oh What The Future Holds, their sixth full-length lp, this Friday January 14th on Nuclear Blast Records. Will talks about the hardcore scene in New Jersey, Fit’s formation and transformation over the years,...

Chapter 284 - "Everyone Has There Own Demons To Fight" ...as read by Erik Engstrand of Eyes Wide Open Happy New Year! Kicking off 2022 we welcome Erik Engstrand from Eyes Wide Open to the podcast! Eyes Wide Open dropped their Arising Empire debut, Through Life and Death, back in November. Erik talks about how the Swedish government helps musicians, the metal scene in Sweden, Erik deciding to take...

Chapter 283 - "Navigating Life with Music" ...as read by Tim Miller of Speak, Memory To close out 2021, I’m so excited to finally share my interview with Tim Miller from post rock band Speak, Memory. Tim and I chatted back at the beginning on May before the band released their latest ep, Adirondack. Adirondack is an incredible ep and fans of Unwed Sailor, Saxon Shore, and American Football will wa...

Chapter 282 - "(Emo) Very Much Died" ...as read by Keith Latinen  This week Keith Latinen joins the podcast. Keith is the founder of Count Your Lucky Star Records, as well as bands like Anna Flyaway, Empire Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) and Parting. Most recently Keith released "This Is Not the Way I Wanted You to Find Out," under the moniker of Mt Oriander, his new solo project. Keith is an impo...

Chapter 281 - "The Pinnacle Of What We Wanted To Make" ...as read by Laundry   This week we welcome Eugene, Oregon indie rock band Laundry to the podcast! Laundry dropped their latest record, Movie Star, back in September. Laundry discusses their origins, their musical evolution and where they see the future of their sound headed, and the themes on Movie Star.  You can find Laundry's entire discog...

Chapter 280 - "If The Songs Not Ready, It's Not Ready" ...as read by Izzy the Gent This week we welcome DJ and musician Izzy the Gent, most recently from Everything But the Everything, to the podcast. Izzy chats about his musical background, band burnout that led to him getting into DJing, how house music influenced the way he releases music, and how being a promoter helped him establish musical r...

Chapter 279 - "I'm Happier Now In My Music Relationships" ...as read by John Rejba from Wet Tropics   This week Wet Tropics frontman John Rejba joins the podcast. You might also know John from a little band called Boys Life, as well as The Farewell Bend. John talks about witnessing the effects of Covid in his neighborhood, having to reconstruct artwork for reissues, Boys Life’s dialer, and all thi...

Chapter 278 - "There's Always A Message of Hope" ...as read by Resolve This week we welcome Anthony, Robin, and Nathan from Resolve to the podcast. Resolve will release their new record, Between Me and the Machine, this Friday, November 26th, on Arising Empire Records. The guys talk about how the French metal scene has changed, Resolve’s formation and trajectory, some of the lyrical themes on Betw...

Chapter 277 - "What If There Was A Scene Version of DJ Khaled" ...as read by Doug Heiser of Coe Hill This week Doug Heiser, the musical brains behind Coe Hill joins the podcast. Coe Hill released Volume 1: Maybe Next Year back in September. Doug gives us a deep dive on the conversations and process that led to Coe Hill and the collaborative nature of the project, as well as working with the Hidden...

Chapter 276 - "I'm Very Blunt About My Opinions" ...as read by Gary Spears of Empty This week we welcome Gary Spears, frontman for Solid State Records band Empty to the podcast. Empty dropped their sophomore full-length, Made of Fire, back in October. Gary talks about the band’s aspirations that led them to Solid State Records, the frustrations that come with being a non-Christian band on Solid St...

Chapter 275 - "I'll Never Be Done With Music" ...as read by Landon Tewers from The Plot In You This week The Plot In You frontman Landon Tewers joins the podcast. Plot’s latest record, Swan Song, dropped back in September on Fearless Records. Landon and I chat about the weird rise of christian metalcore, record label drama, and how Covid gave him the time to be happy with his creative output on Sw...

Chapter 274 - "I Went Through A Lot of Changes" ...as read by Chris LoPorto from Can't Swim This week we welcome Can’t Swim frontman Chris LoPorto to the show! Can’t Swim just dropped their third full-length record, Change of Plans, this past Friday on Pure Noise Records. Chris talks about how Pure Noise was the catalyst for the band’s career, releasing music and being creative during Covid lockdo...

Chapter 273 - "We Now Have This Whole Other Layer To Explore" ...as read by Oli Duncanson and Mikey Page from TheCityIsOurs  This week we welcome Oli Duncanson and Mikey Page from TheCityIsOurs to the podcast! City’s new record, Coma, comes out this Friday, October 22nd, on Arising Empire Records. The guys chat about the music scene in the UK, Oli’s transition from band photographer to frontman, a...

Chapter 272 - "I Was Sick of the Music Industry" ...as read by Joe Cotela of Ded This week we welcome Ded frontman Joe Cotela to the podcast. Ded will release their sophomore full-length School of Thought this Friday, October 15th, via Suretone Records. Joe talks about transitioning from athletics to music, letting the rockstar dream go that led to Ded, working with the Madden brothers and Fred Du...

Chapter 271 - "A Lot Of Weird Things Happened Last Year" ...as read by Cody Quistad of Wage War This week Wage War guitarist and clean vocalist Cody Quistad joins the podcast. Wage War just released Manic on Fearless Records. Cody talks about the evolution and origin of the band’s name, wanting to write about the last year and a half without writing a Covid record, and pushing the band’s sound mus...

Chapter 270 - "All My Best Ideas I Can't Use" ...as read by Tyler Small from Saving Vice This week Tyler Small, vocalist for Saving Vice joins the podcast. Saving Vice’s latest single, Phantom Pain, was released back in July. Tyler talks about using television and movies as lyrical inspiration, the struggle to be ahead of the curve creatively, and the ups and downs of trying new ideas musically. S...

Chapter 269 - "What Felt Like A Bad Situation Was A Blessing" ...as read by Justine Jones from Employed to Serve This week we welcome Employed to Serve frontwoman Justine Jones to the podcast. Employed to Serve just released their phenomenal new record, Conquering, on Spinefarm Records. Justine chats about learning to scream specifically for Employed to Serve, the expanding community of female voc...

Chapter 268 - "Pure Fury and Wonder" ...as read by Tre and Johnny of Spirit Breaker This week we welcome Tre Turner and Johnny Allor from Solid State Records newest signing, Spirit Breaker. The band released their Solid State debut, Cura Nata back in August. We chatted just before the record dropped. The guys talk about their musical background, the influence of August Burns Red, the long delay in...

Chapter 267 - "If You Don't Like One Song, I Guarantee You'll Find That's Good" ...as read by Charlie Mahoney of Flight Club This week Charlie Mahoney from Richmond Virginia’s Flight Club joins the podcast. Flight Club released their new album, Until the Sun Drowns, back in July on Open Your Ears Records. Charlie talks about his traveling childhood, the musical background of his family, and wantin...