Feckin’ Metal Podcast

On the latest episode of Feckin' Metal, I speak to Nuno, bassist of Portuguese epic heavy metal band Dolmen Gate, to, uncovering his lifelong fascination with heavy metal  We discuss: - Discovering Iron Maiden on pirate TV at age 13 - Early live shows, including the Communist Party Festival in 1987 - Playing doom/death but longing for traditional heavy metal - Co-founding Ravensire in 2011 - The b...

In the grand finale of my three-part series with Connor (a.k.a. Riperoo6565), we examine recent releases from Seven Sisters, Angel Fury, and Tyrann. But, in this episode, the music sparks plenty of side-quests: like why nothing beats the energy of a metal gig in a tiny sweatbox venue, the idea that heavy metal “ended” in 1989 for some fans, and how our love for the genre can bend time itself. Conn...

In this episode, I continue my chat with Connor, a.k.a. Riperoo6565, where we discuss some of our favourite releases from the first half of 2025, including albums/EPs by Black Sword Thunder Attack, century, The Riven, and Palantyr. If you’re behind on your trad metal releases this year, catch up with some of our picks, in Part 2 of this three-episode series.    Clips featured in episode: 1. Black...

In this episode. I bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne, reflecting back on my own personal history with Black Sabbath and his solo work. However, the meat of this episode, is a chat I recently had with Connor, a.k.a. Riperoo6565, where we discussed standout releases from January to June 2025. Connor, who is older than his years, makes for an excellent guest, bringing knowledge and enthusiasm to his thou...

In this episode, Colin Hendra, singer, guitarist, and founding-member of Wytch Hazel, joins me for wide-ranging conversation on his journey from church halls to leading one of the most distinctive bands in heavy metal today. Colin discusses his early musical education in a free-form academic setting, how it shaped his songwriting, and the surprising ways vocal aerobics tapes helped (and hindered)...

In the concluding episode of our Angel Witch series, George and I take a deep dive into the band’s latest studio album, "Angel Of Light" (2019). As always, we break down clips from key tracks and explore how this release stacks up against the rest of the band's discography. It’s been a thoroughly enjoyable journey exploring Angel Witch with George - and this definitely won’t be the last band we an...

In the penultimate episode of our Angel Witch series, George and I discuss the band's meandering discography of the late 80s/early 90s which didn't produce too much of note, but the main event of this episode is our evaluation of 2012's "As Above, So Below". Touted by most as a return to form, will this album live up to the hype? With Dave Tattum out of the picture, can Kevin Heybourne and his lat...

In Part 4 of our Angel Witch series, join George and I as we tackle the second, and final album issued with Dave Tattum as lead singer, "Frontal Assault". Naturally, comparisons are made again between vocalists, but, equally, we try to assess this effort on its own merits. We also play clips from versions of songs on this album that were re-recorded for later releases. We hope you enjoy our invest...

Picking up exactly where we left off, George and I continue our Angel Witch retrospective, looking firstly at the "Loser" single, released in 1981, followed by some selections from "Give It Some Tickle", and "Demo #3". We also explore the musical background of new recruit Dave Tattum (vocals), selecting some tracks from his previous bands Bill The Murderer and Blaque Jaque Shallaque. This episode...

Picking up where the previous episode left off, George and I dive into Angel Witch’s debut single, “Sweet Danger,” before taking a comprehensive look their seminal, self-titled 1980 debut album. We examine the band’s place within the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, draw comparisons with their contemporaries, and explore the lasting impact Angel Witch had on future generations of metal ba...

In the first installment of a multi-part series, I chat to my good friend, and sometimes co-host, George Silano about the NWOBHM stalwarts, Angel Witch. Throughout this series of episodes, we'll be delving deep into the discography of this influential band, who are sometimes (perhaps unfairly) deemed a one-hit, or one-album wonder. We'll make our way through their releases chronologically, and as...

After a lengthy hiatus, Feckin' Metal returns to discuss some newsworthy topics, such as the final Black Sabbath show, the upcoming Seven Sisters album, and the return of Irish metallers, Stereo Nasty. I also give my terribly-late and frankly no longer relevant list of favourite releases from 2024. It's great to be back!   Clips featured in episode: 1. Seven Sisters - "Heart Of The Sun" - Heart Of...

I catch up with Rob, Tim, and Jarvis from Cirith Ungol/Night Demon regarding recent happenings with both bands, and look towards next week's Frost & Fireland Festival in Limerick, Ireland. Learn how the fellas nearly caught Venereal Disease in Australia, made women cry in China, and what James Bond has in common with Cirith Ungol. We also discuss Night Demon's recent touring activity and suppo...

On this episode, I chat to Dave Morrissey: guitarist, and founding-member of Irish trad-metallers Celtic Legacy. This band have been around the block more than a few times and have suffered numerous setbacks, but they're still standing. Dave and his counterpart, Dave "Slim" Boylan have kept the ship afloat during many trials and tribulations, also known as the "Celtic Legacy Curse". Throughout all...

On the latest episode of Feckin' Metal, I chat to Graham Killin, one of the two guitarists of NWOBHM band, Bleak House. If you're not familiar with the band, this is the perfect place to start. Formed in the early 1970s, in Hertfordshire, England, they survived many name changes, and the emergence of punk, to release two critically-acclaimed, but relatively-obscure EPs in the 1980s, then disappear...

On the latest episode of Feckin' Metal, I catch up with Steven Waddell from Oath Sc, and we discuss recent activity from his band, then delve into recent releases by Blaze Bayley and Bruce Dickinson, with a brief chat about the latest Judas Priest album/tour as well. I also give a detailed rundown of my recent trip to Germany to attend Keep It True XXIV, and a swift rundown of Bruce Dickinson in G...

On this episode, I chat to Yves Bradler, guitarist from up-and-coming traditional heavy metal band Amethyst. Amethyst made waves in 2023 with their excellent debut EP "Rock Knights". I chat to Yves about his early exposure to rock music from listening to his parents' record collections, starting to play guitar in his teens, feeling isolated at this time due to lack of likeminded friends, then meet...

On this episode, I join forces with my friend Melissa from the Metal Chat Podcast to delve into the discography of the original incarnation of Sortilège. We discuss how we discovered the band, rate them against their contemporaries, and examine each of the first three releases: Sortilège, Métamorphose, and Larmes de Héros, playing clips from some of our favourite songs along the way. An ideal intr...

This is the third and final part of my interview with DJ Neal Kay. Here, like in previous installments, we discuss many topics, including: -Getting white labels from record companies  (demos) -Suggestion about putting together a compilation  of unsigned bands, which would become  Metal For Muthas -His original vision for the album vs what  was eventually released -His role/job in this -Which roles...

Continuing on from last week, here Neal covers his first interactions with Iron Maiden, and what set them apart from the rest of the NWOBHM pack. He also talks about his various dealings with record labels and A&R folk (that's artist and repertoire, you know), how Glenn Miller's Orchestra and Buddy Holly influenced heavy metal, Def Leppard's place in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and a...

This episode features the first part of a lengthy interview I conducted with DJ Neal Kay back in December of last year. Famous for his involvement in Iron Maiden's early success, Neal's name will be familiar to many. Here, Neal discusses the early start of his DJing career, and brings us right up to the point where he got a five days per week residency in The Bandwagon, home of the Heavy Metal Sou...

This episode brings to a close my 2023 wrap-up with George Silano. Here we discuss more releases from 2023, including Tomb Mold, Green Lung, Amethyst (I know it was 2022, before you write in), King Gizzard And The Wizzard Lizard, and more.   Also featuring: Death metal chat, ennui in Swedish metal, Jim Ross references, more learning for me, ridiculous album names, and enormous discographies. Enjoy...

Rollin' on in 2024, I bring you the second installment of my chat with George Silano from earlier this month. Here, we cover some of our favourite releases from 2023, featuring EPs and albums released last year that we haven't discussed in our previous chats, and things take a rather sinister turn... I also include some audio left off from Episode 88 where I interviewed Damian Kolodiy about his do...

On the first episode of 2024, I catch up with my good friend George Silano on the year in metal: 2023. The first of multiple parts, on this installment we focus on festivals and gigs that stood out last year (and look towards some from next year), covering Hell's Heroes, Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest, Keep it True, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Saxon, W.A.S.P., and more! I also mention the pass...

On the latest episode of Feckin' Metal, I catch up with Rob Garven for the first time in three years, and speak to Tim Baker for the first time ever, about all of the happenings in Cirith Ungol since late 2020. It's been an extremely busy period for the band, and next year promises to be even busier. We touch on their recently-announced retirement, the departure of guitarist Jim Barazza and who wi...