The Universal Hitchhiker

Say Hello to Dave! Say hello to Album #12 'Cruel Face of War'. Jungle Rot has been thrashing for 30+ years and doing it well. One would think that you would slow down a little at some point. Not Dave and the boys. This album is more aggressive than some of the previous. This milestone album is exactly what Dave said "It's full of crushing grooves and violent hooks that will surely...

Welcome back to ground zero of solid all American rock music. No real frills or over produced fillers and theatrics. Austen Starr's 'I am the Enemy' is a really good testament to her voice and lyric writing abilities. With a few songs and videos already out to tease the world she has already gained a solid fan base. With everyone ready to hear the rest of the album, February 13th can&#...

Bird is not what I expect most people would hear me talk to. But in reality, I am so engulfed into music that every genre has something that I enjoy. With Janie, AKA Bird, I get to explore so much more of the emotion and clarity of the music. Her uncanny talent to envelope herself in to so many different musicians artwork with the full talents of her own is unlike any artist that I have spoken to...

Pupil Slicer has released their 3rd album in the last four years. Each album from this band just gets better and better. 'Fleshwork' is an overall display of how talented this band is. The writing, arranging, and orchestration of this album is outstanding. The growth that this band shows in this is apparent. I had a great conversation with Kate amidst a long day of interviews. I hope she e...

Get ready mixed metal heads!! This genre jumping ensemble of songs is about to hit you with another installment of eclectic chaos. On October 10th Extortionist will release Stare Into the Seething Wounds. If you have listened to Extortionist before you will know that they hardly fit into one specific genre. With musical influences from grunge to thrash, they really can fit into a lot of molds. How...

Prong has been one of the building blocks for modern metal since the mid/ late 80's. Tommy has been the sole heartbeat of the band since it's inception. Now with his lucky number 13th album coming you can hear why Prong is at the tip of every metalhead's tongue when you ask them who their biggest influence would be. 'State of Emergency' has all of the pure aggressive impact tha...

After a long hiatus we are finally back! I was blessed to get the opportunity to talk to Aki of the screamo metal band Dreamwell. Earlier this year Dreamwell signed with Prosthetic Records. Their second album 'In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You' is nothing short of amazing. Each song has it's own identity yet they are all linked to one idea. This album is "dark yet smart poetry...

Welcome back Gurschach . At the end of 2020 they killed YouTube with their own version of Metallica's "St. Anger". I found it to be exceptional. But the sad reality is just how good this band is. Their songs are well thought out, smart, and each one has a lot of moving parts that fit so well together.  Early this year they released their latest EP ' Hypnotic Disasters '. This is a collection...

Lately it has been somewhat normal for a band to roll through a town more than once in a year. With so many bands playing catch-up from missing so many months of touring, you jump on to what you can to work on getting yourself back out there. Infected Rain was a part of the Butcher Babies tour at the end of last year. This brought them through my town once already. With the release of the ' Ecdysi...

There's something about this band. I don't know what it is that drives me to them. I have been a fan for a long time. They are just on the edge of the styles of music that I traditionally listen to. There is something about the drive that Mixi has, and her ability to bring back my love for good solid hard rock with a little edge.  This interview was a quick chat at the Rebel Lounge in Phoenix. I n...

Two great albums in just a few years is a great start for a newer band. Mass Worship has already come up with some heart wrenching heavy music for the soul. At this pace I am hopeful to see another album turn around in a short period of time. Mass Worship is already taking the dark metal world by storm. Their intense sounds and poetic lyrics are a fresh addition to their respected genres. The musi...

Sadly we aren't able to showcase the music. But, you know, with modern technology you should have no trouble finding some songs from this band.  What started out as side project quickly became a main objective after the band heard the voice of Rachel Aspe completely command the lyrics. This intense female fronted hardcore act has been blowing up on You Tube and other platforms where a band ca...

It takes a lot of talent in my eyes to form a sound that contains so many elements. Paddy and the Rats have taken eclectic music to an entirely different level. This Hungarian band of jolly musicians has found a recipe that seems to be working.  Later this month they will release their 6th album. As the recipe keeps changing the taste seems to keep getting better. The band keeps adding and ta...

Wilderun has recently released 'Epigone'. This album follows suit along with the previous albums. The band is musically adventurous and most definitely eclectic. From thrash metal to folk music, they manage to fit every imaginable genre in between, into almost every song.  The adventurous part is that when you are navigating a Wilderun album you will not know what is at the next note or lyric...

Temperance is a power metal super group. They have 6 LPs and 2 EPs. They are one of the most creative and groundbreaking bands of their selected genres. They had just released 'Diamanti' when I got to hang out with Michele for a bit.  You can tell that music is every part of what he is. His resume spans through so many different projects and bands. He is widely known in his field and very muc...

Omnium Gatherum is a Finnish death metal band that has been pounding their way through the scene for almost twenty five years. Jukka has been the at the front of the stage for the band for more than half of their existence.  The band has never stopped refining and changing their sound. From the first album to this latest release, 'Origin' there is always something new to their sound. To me 'O...

Jeff Scott Soto is an icon to a lot of people in the rock and metal side of music. The first catapult was working with Yngwie Malmsteen . He has been a part of several projects such as working with Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein in Kryst the Conqueror . He had a big hand in Talisman , as well as being a part of supergroup Sons of Apollo . Along with his solo contributions, this man...

During his run with Unleash the Archers and Seven Kingdoms, I was able to catch up with Jake Jones. Jake is the front man for Aether Realm. Aether Realm is a full on heavy metal band from North Carolina. Although the genre claims are all over the board, metal is metal as is the band.  Straight in your face heavy riffs and chords that beat you in the ear drums. What more could you ask for.&nbs...

Ad Infinitum have just released 'Chapter II: Legacy'. This is the second installment to what looks to be a growing series of concept albums. The first album, 'Monarchy'  was an poetic take on life, love, and hardships during the time of King Louis XIV.  This latest release 'Chapter II: Legacy' surrounds the story of Vlad Dracula. Each song has it's own identity and grasp on certain aspec...

I caught up with these two metal heads in Phoenix towards the end of their tour with Infected Rain and Stitched Up Heart . This was another version of the 'metal tour of the year' in my opinion. The show itself was high energy and in your face metal. It was up close and personal like a true live show should be. Any Butcher Babies fan couldn't have asked for anything more.  The Butcher Babies...

What duo in their right mind would think of getting an album together with every song using a different vocalist? Not only separate vocalists, but from several different genres and stages in their careers. Who could think of such a crazy way to pull off an album?  If you haven't met them already, meet Fynn and Philipp. They go by The Picturebooks. They definitely have the talent and status to...

Edge of Paradise released their fourth full length album ' The Unknown', just this past month. Not to take anything away from the band's previous work, but this is definitely the best album yet. This album is definitely more powerful and aggressive.  Very well written and the production is well executed. The full contribution from the band shows through all of the work. Margarita talked to us...

Days before the release of 'Days Before the World Wept' Kalyn and I got to talk to Vicky. This amazing vocalist was a lot of fun to talk to.  This sequential concept EP is just another testament to the song writing power of the band. It also clearly shows the range of Vicky's vocals and lyrical ability. As polite as the piano intro for "Remnants in Time" is, the album is not. It is hard hitti...

Lorna Shore recently released their EP '...And I Return To Nothingness'. This band has pulled out all of the stops for this EP.  If you are able to dissect this type of more aggressive music you can find several layers of influences and styles that help make this album musically more deep than anyone would expect. This mixed with the lyrics and vocals of their latest addition, Will Ramos make...

Saydi and Jake, like a lot of artists were busy last year trying to make some sense from all of the uncertainties and confusion. They also made use of the free time to let their creative juices flow.  The result after the beginning of this year is the EP 'Run. It has a lot of different styles fused into the mix. The album runs it's own coarse in the sequence of the songs. But if you like to p...