Chord Progression Podcast: The Gateway to New Rock and Metal Music

Are younger artists, smaller artists, and emerging artists outgrowing smaller venues from a production perspective? Think about it. As technology progresses and artists are finding it more viable to have their own in-ear monitors, own lighting and rigs, in order to sound the best and put on the best show, are smaller venues going to be able to keep up with it? For artists that are in that spot rig...

When a band replaces a longtime vocalist, fans usually have a tough time accepting the change and giving the new vocalist a chance. This is because music is a personal thing for many of us, and a deeply connective thing on an emotional level for many of us. Some go into the new experience with an open mind, and others never give it a chance. But this one, we implore you to give it a chance. Becaus...

Coming out of the gate as a new band at the beginning of the decade with everything heavy, aggressive, and raw would make any artist stand out in the early 2020's. Especailly with a focus taking on the concept of organized religion, that artist is going to stand out amongst the crowd. So after the first album released and the band is known, what is next? With album #2 to start out 2026 for this de...

Being a symphonic metal band for almost 30 years commands respect to the craft and an intrigue to music has a whole. How have things changed since the 90's for artists? How do artists continue to evolve their sound that late into their career? Can we learn anything from them? Of course, we can learn everything from them. Artists can learn the important concepts and themes that will allow their mus...

Welcome to the Chord Progression Podcast in 2026 with our first episode of the year. So what should we do for our first episode of the year? Sure we will have a discussion with an artist to highlight their music and show you who they are. But we wanna start it off with a bang. So how about an interview full of music industry insights that can help young bands and artists avoid bad business practic...

For the first time in almost 3 years, Kevin does not have a guest on the Chord Progression Podcast. It is the end of the year, and this is the music industry. For the next 3 weeks, it is like time stops so everyone can spend some well earned time with their families. So what are we to do? Kevin does is first solo episode in 3 years and levels with you all. On this episode, Kevin talks about - The...

Bringing little known artists to our audience has been our specialty over the years. It has always been a mission of ours because we know how hard it is for artists with big dreams and goals to break through the noise and through all the competition. A little help can go a long way. But, those artists need to be willing to help themselves too. So how can artists help themselves? Well in this world...

In the middle of 2024, we introduced you to a young band that was taking their gruge inspiration with a much more evolved sound, and starting to make waves in the rock and metal world. Have you been keeping up with them? Have you been watching their growth as artists? If you haven't let us detail what happened in 2025. The band played theater shows, opened for Billy Corgan, opened in arenas for Br...

For artists that started during the age of streaming, where singles dominate music release, consumption, and pleasing streaming algorithms, how is a band supposed to show growth and expansion of sound over time? The single shows a track, but an album or an EP can show focus, growth, and give room for an artist to experiment. So how do they walk the fine line of how music is consumed today, and sho...

Artists that have been making music for the majority of their lives notice the same things as they get older. Moving on stage is harder, responsibility in life continues to grow, and mental blocks in the writing process cause new music to take longer to release. It happens to everyone, even though we dont want that to happen. But what happens when an artists embraces these changes, takes their tim...

Musicians and artists are at war with AI. People are using AI to rip off real musicians for financial gain, and hard working artists are suffering in the massively competitve music space. Remember the saga of the AI band Bleeding Verse ripping of Holding Absence? Yea, this is only going to continue to happen. So in this war, who is going to win? Is it going to be those using AI to create music bec...

Music has an incredible ability to create an enhanced way to express complex issues, problems, and ideas. Those problems could be as small as having a bad day, or as big as being in a toxic relationship and struggling to get out. Those ideas could be as small as what should I do today, or as big as learning to handle your emotions properly. With their first song out in 5 years, this punk rock band...

There are always bands out there that are making music so closely intertiwned with the sounds that made them want to become musicians in the first place. Whether it be Led Zeppelin, or the Painkiller album by Judas Priest (like this band), those sounds stay consistent and strong. But how can that sound evolve, and become something more individualistic for an artist? Well, 8 years after their debut...

Musicians face an uphill battle in life when it comes to trying to make it a career, and achieve their dreams. From a need to write great songs, stand out from the crowd, and continue working towards those dreams when everything in life is trying to stop you, musicians dont have it easy. But if you work hard enough, you may get something. You may figure out your styel of writing and creating. You...

4 years to create an album is a long time, especially in the age of streaming and digital music. So why not release the album in 3 batches? 2 EPs and then as a full album with more songs thrown in there? Would that even work? Well it does satisfy the hunger and the want for consistent music in the world today. But it poses some problems of the thought of releasing something as repackaged, releasin...

Manga and anime have become a massive force in pop culture around the world, being something that is celebrated and enjoyed by many. 20 years ago in the United States and most of Europe, that wasn't the case. Of course it was popular in Japan, but also in France? So what happens when French musicians grow up on manga & anime, create heavy music heavily inspired and driven by that love for mang...

Heavy music today is more unique than ever compared to any point in history. It is more diverse in sound compared to the beginnings in the late 60s, than the boom of the 80's, than the nu metal wave of the 90's, than any other era that came before it. But something still is consistent with it, the heaviness is at the core of every artist's sound. So how do you build off of that to keep this divers...

Heavy music has always gone through points of evolution throughout the course of time. From the evolution of thrash metal in the 80s, nu metal in the 90s, and what is happening right now with bands like Bad Omens and Sleep Token. But is that because of artists rehashing and remixing old ideas, or creating something that is uniquely them in this time period? Well today, we found a band that is one...

At the beginning of 2021, we brought on a band to the podcast due to a copyright snafu forcing their name to change, because we were interested. That has led us to absolutely fall in love with their sound, their fantastic debut album, and a sophmore album that amplified everything about their sound. But with their third album coming up, you know we have to catch up with the band and answer a few q...

Some artists in the music industry never realize their full potential. We have heard of so many artists that never made it and we thought they would, or the ones that called it quits before making it big. It is not an easy thing to do, to realize what your potential is. Back in 2023, we had a stoner metal band on the podcast releasing their second album, and it showed us what untapped potential th...

The internet is a tough place for any metalcore band to break through the noise and succeed. Not only are you competing with other artists to get in front of fans, but you are also competing against other corporations pumping in millions for social media ads and marketing. Adding on the algorithms that add a paywall to get your music out to people consistently, it is a massive uphill battle. But h...

Writing heavy and aggressive music over the course of a long career is not an easy thing. Yes it can be done, but to have a long and successful career, it requires a few things. It requires an ability to adapt writing style as time goes on, not restricing themselves based on past success and fan expectations, and not staying focused on the viral moment that hooks a fan. Heavy bands that are able t...

When it comes to a heavy band gaining traction and popularity in 2025, we on the Chord Progression Podcast have discovered 2 commonalities. First, the music has to hit hard but somehow still connect with people on a more profound level than just the surface. Second, there has to be something else that brings people into the band and connect with them. Well, we found those 2 commonalities in this b...

Time and time again since the 2020, the heavy music scene has been growing because artists have been sticking to their guns with their songwriting, their influences, and not bowing down to what is popular or what every other band that is showing success is doing. This band is one of those bands in the heavy music space doing just that. From an opening song on the album that throws you off balance...

Diversity in metal music has been growing and become on of the most accepted things in music in the 2020's. But that diversity not only comes in the form of the music, but in the presentation of that music as well. It is the artists that are standing out as unique in all levels that are hitting major strides in achieving their dreams. Think Ice Nine Kills, Sleep Token, & Bring Me The Horizon....