The Great Metal Debate Podcast

Batu Cetin, frontman for Turkish brutal death metal squad Molested Divinity, comes on the podcast for an interview recorded prior to the band's appearance at Chicago Domination Fest 2019! Credits: excerpts from the Molested Divinity track "Depths Of Chaotic Existence" from the album Desolated Realms Through Iniquity (New Standard Elite, 2019) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.ap...

Power metal evangelist Matt Smith from Theocracy joins the show in this interview recorded prior to the band’s performance at Mad With Power Fest 2019! Credits: excerpts from the Theocracy track “Ghost Ship” (Ghost Ship, 2019) used with permission from Ulterium Records. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:66...

The latest episode finds the guys quarreling over whether Blind Guardian is power metal, and then discussing if you can be a fan of a band if you don’t like their music. Later, the debate turns to the controversial topic of the use of the confederate flag in metal. Along the way they play amazing songs by Hollowstone, Eltharia, and Dreamborn! Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Ro...

Of Serpents frontman Travis Wood joins the podcast in this interview for an update on the band including work on their upcoming album, An Invitation To Ashes. Credits: excerpts from the Of Serpents track "Ether Clouds" (Mortuary Sessions, 2018) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcl...

The guys are back with a throwback to their earliest podcast episodes listening to and feuding over metal songs! Gomthog returns to his argument that black metal is the most innovative subgenre, while Brian makes the radical claim Blind Guardian is not power metal. Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodrigez. The tracks “The Deathbringer” by Iron Hunter (Mankind Resistance, 2018)...

Muppet and Raven from dark carnival metal troupe Raven Black join the show in this podcast recorded in Clarksville TN prior to the band's performance at The Warehouse. Excerpts from the track "Risen From The Ashes" (Raven Black, 2019) used with permission from WURMgroup record label. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/sound...

In this interview recorded June 1, 2019, at the Tiger Room in Louisville KY, Flotsam and Jetsam's Eric A.K. and Michael Gilbert join the show to talk about the band's history, current tour, as well as their latest album "The End Of Chaos". Excerpts from the track "Prisoner Of Time" (The End Of Chaos, 2019) used with permission from AFM Records. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debat...

Full disclosure up front: I fancy myself a fan mostly of European metal, or at least bands that SOUND like they are from Europe stylistically. So, when I review a modern metal band from the US, I do bring some biases to the table. With that admitted, where does New York’s Monochromatic Black and their debut album Pneuma fit into the metal landscape in 2019? Well – after over a dozen times listens...

A review of the Judas Priest / Uriah Heep concert segues in to a debate about concert venue size. Later, Gomthog and Brian have different takes on the Dio hologram tour. Throughout, the guys play tracks by metal bands Karkosa, Heavy Justice, and Wolftooth. The tracks “Demon Seed” by Heavy Justice (And So We Fall…, 2017), “Sword Of My Father” by Wolftooth (Wolftooth, 2018), and “Archfiend” by Karko...

The guys are together again to talk about The Three Tremors Show as well as what they think metal will sound like in 2030. Later, they address feedback from a listener who thinks Gomthog doesn’t give Slayer and Pantera their due. Throughout, the guys play tracks by Tigersclaw, Ohen, and Blood Wolf. Intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The tracks “1680” Blood Wolf (Blood...

The latest episode features two concert reviews. First, Metal Mark talks his experience seeing The Iron Maidens in Louisville KY; later, 80s nostalgia warrior Brian returns to the show, with Gomthog taking him to task over attending the Metallica show in Nashville TN. Along the way, the guys play metal tracks from Realm Of Glass, Altair, and Tomestone! Intro music by CONTRA. The tracks “A Lesson B...

Kataklysm frontman Maurizio Iacono is interviewed in this podcast recorded live at Manchester Music Hall in Lexington KY on February 17, 2019, as the band tours North America with Soulfly. Credits: excerpts from the Kataklysm track "Outsider" (Meditations, 2018) used with permission from Nuclear Blast Records. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds...

The nineties were often thought of as a decade when metal died and grunge took over. Well, someone forgot to tell Piet Sielck the famed guitarist and producer, because in 1996 he said “screw grunge” and founded one of the most enduring power mental band's ever in Iron Savior. With twelve albums currently under their belt, the tour du metal force will release it's their thirteenth album on March 8t...

Welcome to another Metal Debate album review. This time we take on Battle Beast’s new banger – No More Hollywood Endings. This is the band’s fifth full-length album, and their second release since the exodus of co-founder Anton Kabanen, Clocking in at over 53 minutes, the album gives thirteen tracks that largely keep it simple, solid and enjoyable. That’s not to label the newest album a regurgitat...

Let’s talk about Flotsam and Jetsam’s 13th full length studio album from AFM Records, The End of Chaos. This 12 track assault from the current metal quintet is comprised of: Eric “AK” Knutson – vocals; Michael Gilbert – guitars; Steve Conley- guitars; Michael Spencer – bass; Ken Mary – drums. I review with my feelings which I often get ridiculed for, but like I give a shit. I’ll feel what I want t...

The podcast’s year-end episode counting down the best metal albums of 2018! Credits: intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. Use of the Windfaerer track “Journey” (Alma, 2018) with permission from the artist; Grave shadow’s “Ambition’s Price” (Ambition’s Price, 2018) used with permission from M-Theory Audio. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1...

This episode features a pair of concert reviews. First, metal fan Xander tells his tale attending the Unleash The Archers / Striker / Helion Prime show in South Carolina. Later, Gomthog shares his experience from the 2018 ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta GA. Credits: intro music by CONTRA; intro voice by Veronica Ortiz Rodriguez. The songs “Perish The Elements” by Promethian Horde (Ashes Of The E...

Legendary metal singer Matt Barlow of Ashes Of Ares joins the podcast in this interview recorded November 12, 2018, to discuss the band's sophomore release, "Well Of Souls". Cover photo courtesy Heather Barlow; excerpts from the Ashes Of Ares track "Let All Despair" (Rock Of Angels Records, 2018) used with permission from Dustin Hardman Press Relations. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-me...

New Jersey blackened folk metal horde Windfaerer join the show in this podcast recorded at Mag Bar in Louisville KY during the band's Alma Northeast 2018 Tour with Ancalagon! Credits: excerpts from the Windfaerer track "Dawn Of Phantom Light" from the album Alma (Avantgarde, 2018) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http...

Arion’s newest album Life Is Not Beautiful which released on October 19, 2018 is for fans of Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius, Rhapsody of Fire, and even the early days of Kamelot - the Fourth Legacy, Karma, those albums. It’s an album I’ve been looking forward to since their last album, The Last Of Us, came out, as that album crushed. These guys are in their early twenties, doing it big - they starte...

Metal Debate podcast contributor Mark "the Fuzz Man" Doss talks with Jukka Koskinen and Asim Searah of Finnish metal warriors Wintersun in this interview recorded in Chicago IL during the band's North American Forest Tour 2018! Credits: excerpts from the Wintersun track "Awaken From The Dark Slumber" (The Forest Seasons, 2017) used with permission from Nuclear Blast records. https://itunes.apple.c...

MANIMAL frontman Samuel Nyman is on the podcast mic in this interview recorded in Atlanta GA following the band's US debut ProgPower USA, in support of their new album "Purgatorio". Excerpts from the MANIMAL track "Purgatorio" (Purgatorio, 2018) used with permission from AFM Records. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/sound...

There is nothing on Udo Dirkschneider’s 16th studio album Steelfactory, from his namesake band UDO that I can't get from the first 15 UDO albums . . . and I freaking love it! I have to appreciate a man who at the age of 66 can peel the skin off your scrotal sac with one of his patented screams, or is it a growl or a howl or a groan or just your everyday gargling of sand and glass. Whatever it is,...

US extreme melodic death metal warriors Obelisk are on the podcast mic in this interview recorded at the 2018 Shred Fest in Murfreesboro TN! Excerpts from the Obelisk track "Monster, Am I" (Omens, 2017) used with permission from the artist. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/great-metal-debate-podcast/id1037874814 http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:66031413/sounds.rss https://www....

Welcome back metal fans - this time we’re checking out US west coast power metal act Helion Prime, with their new release “Terror Of The Cybernetic Space Monster”, due out from AFM Records on August 31, 2018. I’d heard the 2016 self-titled debut from Helion Prime, and thought it was an impressive effort, albeit something of a diamond-in-the-rough. The concept of a “science metal” band was one I fo...