Influencers of Metal Podcast

Power metal fans, rejoice — Collin and Tom finally tackle the best of Power Metal, a genre so epic it requires dragons, dwarves, and at least three guitar solos per song. From European legends like Blind Guardian, Freedom Call, and Stratovarius, to Canadian heroes Unleash The Archers, Japanese masters Galneryus, and Brazilian brilliance from Angra, this episode celebrates power metal’s global reac...

Are Nekrogoblikon brilliant satirical masterminds… or just really committed goblin cosplayers? Collin and Tom dive headfirst into goblin lore, porn-star music videos, stolen songs, Wikipedia lies, and the undeniable power of John Goblikon to answer one vital metal question: can the music survive without the gimmick?  Spoiler: toilets are lost, pirates are blamed, and goblins absolutely matter...

The Influencers of Metal Podcast kicks off 2026 the only way it knows how: dad jokes, metal hype, and one absolutely devastating concert regret. Collin & Tom dive into the most anticipated metal releases of early 2026, including Megadeth’s self-titled swan song, Kreator’s “Krushers of the World”, Poppy’s continued metal evolution with “Empty Hands”, Nanowar of Steel’s unhinged new EP, Gaerea’s...

The Influencers of Metal Podcast closes out 2025 with the final WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO? episode of the year, counting down our Top 5 BEST metal picks—and yes, chaos starts before the intro even finishes. This marks our first full calendar year as a podcast, and we listened to an absurd amount of metal to celebrate properly. As expected, Collin and Tom immediately complicate things by usin...

As 2025 starts packing its bags, Collin & Tom take a look back at the bands and artists that hijacked their playlists this year. From savage Swiss hardcore and old-school thrash to progressive doom, symphonic prog, and folk metal chaos, this episode is all about discovery, obsession, and falling way too hard for new music. No rankings, no gatekeeping—just two metalheads sharing what made their...

This Christmas Special, Collin and Tom ditch the genre debates and crank the nostalgia dial straight to eleven. From childhood traditions and chaotic family gatherings to legendary gifts, awkward present-buying stress, and the simple adult realization that socks absolutely rule — this episode is all about reliving the best (and weirdest) holiday memories. They also dive into split-family Christmas...

On this episode, Collin and Tom tackle one of the most unexpectedly controversial questions in metal-adjacent history: Is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra a rock band… or a metal band? From the band’s surprising extreme metal origins to modern arena-sized holiday spectacles, the guys break down TSO’s sound, songwriting, and seasonal dominance. Along the way, expect praise for Christmas Canon, skeptici...

Metal goes global once again as the Influencers of Metal Podcast randomly lands in Bangladesh—our first Asian stop in the Metal Around the World series. With zero prior knowledge, questionable geography skills, and the almighty Metal Archives, Collin and Tom dive headfirst into Bangladesh’s underground metal scene. The result? Six bands spanning classic heavy metal, prog, melodic death metal, and...

Collin and Tom descend into the beautifully unhinged world of metal’s longest songs. From X Japan’s 29-minute opus “Art of Life” to Dream Theater’s multi-movement epics, Rhapsody’s power-metal storybooks, and a few doom metal behemoths they intentionally left off the list, the duo explore what makes long-form metal so immersive. Check out more from Collin! https://indi1015.ca/shows/thrashers-parad...

Okay, let’s get this over with...  Collin and Tom return to the Heaviest Guitar Hero series… and realize they skipped one. Oops. Completionists that they are, the duo takes a reluctant detour to Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, the most “rock-adjacent” game in a franchise that literally has Guitar in the title. This might be the easiest episode of the series yet… Check out more from Collin! https://in...

The last WHYBLT of 2025! In this episode of the Influencers of Metal Podcast, Collin and Tom are joined by the “Vigorously with Val Khleinhans” Podcast for a roundup of the months best listens, bangers, and biggest surprises. From the big surprise of ex-Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gluz dropping her debut solo single, to the Hamilton thrash up-and-comers of Zero Tolerance, and to a nostalgic November...

Collin and Tom fulfill their sacred oath—bestowed upon them by Justin, Keeper of the List—to finally tackle the big Aussie question: Is AC/DC rock or metal? The duo dives into the band’s massive catalog of stadium-shaking anthems, from “Thunderstruck” to “Hell’s Bells,” stopping mid-stride to appreciate the absolute chaos that is “Big Balls.” They explore AC/DC’s impact on pop culture, hockey aren...

Influencers of Metal hits triple digits AND its 1-year anniversary in this chaotic, heartfelt, gloriously unhinged milestone episode. Collin, Tom, and special guest Will (the voice of the podcast stingers) finally commit to ranking their Top 10 Favourite Albums of All Time! And then—naturally—they immediately derail into entrepreneurial brilliance such as “Strip D&D on OnlyFans.” Truly, wholes...

Tom drags Collin kicking and screaming back into a makeshift time machine so the boys can travel back to 1997 — the year Tom was born and the year metal got extremely weird, extremely good, and extremely… 90s. They dig through the absolute chaos of ’97’s metal releases: everything from Strapping Young Lad’s City, Rammstein dropping Du Hast on the world, Devin Townsend going full biomech with Ocean...

Oh boy, it’s time we finally bite the bullet. In this special episode of the Influencers of Metal Podcast, Collin and Tom share their final thoughts after listening to the entirety of Sleep Token’s “Take Me Back To Eden”, their most recent album at the time. With twists and turns unexpected, some surprising intrigue and an inability to finish a thought, did they enjoy Sleep Token’s most popular al...

It’s time to travel back to the dawn of the new millennium — the year 2000 — when frosted tips were cool, nu-metal ruled the airwaves, and Collin was born into chaos. In this first half of a two-part series, the duo look at the best metal albums from the years they were born, starting with Collin’s birth year. From debut masterpieces like Disturbed’s “The Sickness” and Killswitch Engage’s self-tit...

On this special Remembrance Day edition of the Influencers of Metal Podcast, Collin and Tom pay their respects to those who served — and what better way to do it than by diving headfirst into the battle anthems of history’s most war-obsessed metal band: Sabaton. The duo are ranking the top 10 heaviest songs in the Swedish band’s catalog — from “Ghost Division” to “Bismarck” to “Reign of Terror.” A...

Collin and Tom crank up the nostalgia and take a detour down memory lane, revisiting the songs that defined their childhood — long before blast beats and breakdowns took over their playlists. From “Bodies” to “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, they unpack the early tracks that planted the seeds of their metal obsession. It’s equal parts heartfelt, ridiculous, and heavy — basically, the perfect Influencers...

Collin and Tom find themselves stranded on a desert island after their ill-fated “Titanic Reenactment Cruise” goes down in flames… or, well, waves. With no supplies but two metal albums, the guys show off their ultimate “Desert Island Metal” picks: Devin Townsend’s The Retinal Circus and Demons & Wizards’ self-titled debut. The conversation dives deep into why these albums are timeless, dynami...

As spooky season fades into the grave, Collin and Tom rise from the crypt one last time to talk about what’s been haunting their playlists this October. In this edition of “What Have You Been Listening To?”, the guys recap their favorite spins of the month—from Collin’s doom-soaked return to Pallbearer and the battle hymns of Sabaton, to Tom’s rediscovery of Canadian death metal/core act Sleepwrai...

Horror and metal: two genres forged in darkness, blood, and power chords. In this Halloween special, Collin and Tom are joined by YouTuber Blackmetal Werewolf to talk about six bands that capture the spirit of Halloween. From Rob Zombie’s iconic mix of music and movies, to Trick or Treat’s lighthearted power metal charm, the trio covers it all. They dive into Ice Nine Kills’ cinematic metalcore lo...

In this episode of the Influencers of Metal Podcast, Collin and Tom take their passports and dive into the metal scene of Slovakia, thanks to Collin’s dad accidentally picking the right country. What starts as a geography lesson on the Velvet Divorce turns into a full-on exploration of Slovak death, doom, and pagan black metal — featuring bands like Doomas, Signum Regis, Lunatic Gods, Vortex Unit,...

Gimmick? Or Genius? That’s the question for this new series on the Influencers of Metal Podcast! Collin and Tom dive headfirst into the chaotic, blood-soaked world of GWAR — the alien overlords of shock metal, fake blood, and theatrical carnage. From their over-the-top costumes to their four-cocked frontman, the duo debate whether GWAR’s outrageousness is just a gimmick… or straight-up genius. Alo...

It’s the dawn of a new era — Guitar Hero: World Tour, the game that expanded the franchise beyond the plastic axe and into full-band territory. But with bigger ambition came one big problem: a metal shortage. Out of 240 playable songs, only 35 were metal. Collin and Tom dive into what should’ve been a shred-fest, but instead gave us a mixed bag of Tool, Korn, and a sprinkle of Ozzy. Was it a bold...

From blood-infused vinyl to full-on dildo sets, metal bands have never been afraid to get… creative with their merch. This week, Collin and Tom dive deep into the strangest, wildest, and most questionable items ever sold in the name of heavy music. From Ghost’s holy butt plugs and Rammstein’s anatomically accurate dildo collection (yes, it’s real) to Devin Townsend’s sloth plushie and Profanatica’...