The Great Metal Debate Podcast

The podcast is joined by Belen and Mars of blackened thrash act Ritual Moon to talk about the band and their debut full-length release, Ritual Moon I. Credits: excerpts from the Ritual Moon track "Uncontrollable Death" (Ritual Moon I, 2021) used with permission from the artist. Pic of Belen and Mars by @jnmfotos. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://fe...

Psychosomatic is the impressive new full-length album from North American power metal act Immortal Guardian. Every song is listenable on its own, and over the course of the entire album there’s a good track-to-track ebb and flow. I strongly recommend ‘Psychosomatic’ and would like to rate it highly overall. However, I do have one caveat that makes the album somewhat difficult to evaluate. Musicall...

A review of the debut album from North American symphonic metal act Everdawn entitled ‘Cleopatra’. Everdawn isn’t an entirely new band, but a reconstituted version of a previous act Midnight Eternal. The musician you’re most likely to recognize from Everdawn – and a key additional in the changed lineup from Midnight Eternal – is bassist Mike LePond who many might know from Symphony X, also Ross Th...

In the final episode of the year, Gomthog counts down the top 20 metal albums of 2020. Credits: intro/outro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The tracks “Круговерть” by Woodscream (Варево, 2020) and “Into The Azure” by Volcandra (Into The Azure, 2020) each used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http:...

Vocalist Anna Holtz from Italian symphonic power metal act Desdaemona joins the show in this interview to discuss the band's history, their latest video for the track "Everdare", as well as what they have planned for the future! Excerpts from the track "Everdare (Memento Audere Semper)" (Desdaemona, 2019) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-...

Falconer is a Swedish folk/power metal band that I have always had mixed feelings about. Some of their albums seem very good to me while other albums have fell short of any expectations I may of had. In other words they are very hit or miss in my opinion. Before listening to this new album my favorite Falconer album was their 2008 CD titled Among Beggars and Thieves. Once I finished listening to t...

Hey everyone this is Red Iron here for The Great Metal Debate to share with you our review of We Are One - the new collaboration between U.D.O. and the Musikkorps der Bundeswehr, the official concert band of the German armed forces. The U.D.O. lineup is mostly intact since their most recent studio album, Steel Factory. 68 year old Udo Dirkschneider is on vocals bringing a refined touch and instinc...

Drummer Chris Dovas joins the show to talk his new death metal project Dovas as well as the debut album "Everlasting Lake of Fire"! Excerpts from the track "Satan's Command" (Everlasting Lake of Fire, 2020) used with permission from the artist.

With a few drinks (or more) under their belts, the guys count down their respective top 5 disbanded metal bands; things get heated as Brian leaves some obvious picks off his list followed by Gomthog making controversial claims about Dio! Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The tracks "Open Eyes" (Beyonduplication, 2015) and "Love Through A Mailbox" (Dirt Cheap, 1988) ea...

Naglfar fans would be more than pleased with this highly anticipated and very long awaited new album. This band hasn't put out a record since Téras back in 2012. Naglfar has been my all time favorite black metal band since the late 2000s when I first discovered them in high school. For those of you who don't know, Naglfar is a melodic black metal band hailing from Umeå, Sweden. Here is a fun and g...

Vincent “Jake” Jones of Aether Realm joins the show to talk about the band’s history, altered plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and new album “Redneck Vikings From Hell”. Credits: excerpts from the Aether Realm track “Goodbye” (Napalm Records, 2020) used with permission from Napalm Records. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/us...

Axuruk from Orc clan Blodiga Skald joins the show to discuss the new album "The Undrunken Curse". Credits; excerpts from the Blodiga Skald track "The Curse" (Soundage Productions, 2020) used with permission from the artist. Promo photo by Arianna Ceccarelli Photography. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:66...

Red Iron’s review of The Broad And Beaten Way by Sinisthra (Rockshots Records, 2020). Credits: intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Oritz Rodriguez; background track “Chasing Shadows” by Alex Lee. “Hey everyone - this is Red Iron for The Great Metal Debate, to give you a taste of the new Sinisthra album, titled The Broad And Beaten Way, that will be out on May 15th from Rockshots Records...

Zero Degree is one of my favorite melodic death metal bands coming out of Gerrmany. Last Friday, they released their sophomore album entitled Black Hole Illumination. I first discovered this band in early 2011 on YouTube after clicking down the rabbit-hole of sidelinks, Sometimes when you do that, you find some hidden gems! Their debut record, Surreal World, is nothing short of immaculate. Now tha...

In this episode Gomthog is joined by co-host Jared Compton to talk pagan/folk metal as well as the ongoing effect of the coronavirus pandemic on music and concerts. Amidst the discussion the guys play incredible tracks by Velesar, Winterhymn, and Adavant! Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The songs "Gallows Pass" by Adavant (The Unyielding, 2018), "Karczmiany troll" b...

Well shit! I missed it again. I’m starting to think my love of nostalgia and focus on only certain bands and songs is NOT a good thing. Why what do you mean Brian? I missed another great band that’s been out for years, that’s what I fu*kin mean! High Roller Record’s, Swedish Power Metal Band, Ambush has apparently been around since 2013 and I’m just now finding out about it. I blame my (slow)podca...

We have a beautiful melodic death metal band from Finland called Torchia. Now, I'm going to be completely honest. I never heard of this band until yesterday when this album came out, which means I am unfamiliar with their 2017 debut Of Curses and Greif. But ever since 24 hours ago I have had their new album titled The Coven on repeat! This record slaps! I absolutely love the pitch harmonic style g...

The Order Of Chaos founder John Simon Fallon joins the show in this interview recorded March 11, 2020, to discuss the band's history, his recent decision to step away from the group, and their new full-length album "Maniacal." Excerpts from the track "Believe In The Demon" (The Order Of Chaos, 2020) used with permission from Asher Media Relations. Photo of John Simon courtesy of Kevin Eisenlord Ph...

With concerts and tours being cancelled, the guys come together to vent about the situation. Later, they debate the whether 80s metal is still relevant in the year 2020. Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The tracks “Hellbiter” by Ambush (Infidel, 2020), “Wings Of Agony” by Lutharo (Wings Of Agony, 2020), and “Corrupted Flesh” by Hemotoxin (Restructure The Molded Mind,...

Vocalist Ylva Basak from Turkish/German symphonic metal act Dream Ocean joins the show in this interview to discuss the band, her personal music journey, as well as their latest album “Lost Love Symphony”. Photo by Anil Demir. Excerpts from the Dream Ocean track “Everstorm” (Lost Love Symphony, 2018) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podca...

The podcast closes out 2019 with our annual countdown of the top 20 heavy metal albums of the year! Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The Dialith track “The Sound Of Your Voice” (Extinction Six, 2019) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:6603...

Dave Palenske and River Jordan from black metal upstarts Volcandra are on the show to talk about the origin of their project prior to a show at Mag Bar in Louisville! Excerpts from the track "Plains of Despair" (Volcandra, 2019) used with permission from the artist.

“Shame on you, you big sinner.” That’s what I was saying to myself after my introduction to the band Sinner. I can’t believe I haven’t heard about Mat Sinner’s original band Sinner before now. With their 12 track, 18th studio album “Santa Muerte” on AFM Records being released Friday, September 13th, you’d think I’d have listened to them at least once. Hell, Sinner already had 8 amazing studio albu...

In this interview guitarist Alasdair Wallace Mackie and vocalist Krista Sion from US symphonic power metal upstarts Dialith discuss the band, their musical backgrounds, as well as the new album "Extinction Six". Excerpts from the Dialith track "The Sound of Your Voice" (Extinction Six, 2019) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037...

I have the pleasure of doing the review for Exmortus’ new EP, “Legions of the Undead,” and this is pretty exciting. I am so happy that I got to listen to this before anybody else! I think this EP is pretty sick. I really liked the theme that they're going with this time, just because I am a horror fan and I enjoy all things spooky and dark and undead. I listened to this EP about six times, and I h...