We Were Loud Once

The definitive A–Z nu metal band list is here c/o Detox! In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff sit down with Jon Carr to break down his ultimate alphabetical guide to the genre. From the undisputed kings that defined an era to the deepest, most obscure underground gems you probably forgot existed (or never heard of), we’re digging through the crates to see if his list holds up. Trust...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff sit down with filmmaker and musician Matt Zane (Society 1) to discuss one of the most controversial and mysterious projects in industrial nu metal history: his unauthorized documentary on Wayne Static and Tera Wray Static. Matt opens up about his personal relationship with the late Static-X frontman and his late wife, the creative vision behind th...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff sit down with James Rietz, the visionary frontman of the industrial nu metal powerhouse, Crossbreed! From the glow-in-the-dark paint to the relentless touring cycles of the early 2000s, James breaks down the history and the future of one of the genre’s most visually and sonically distinct bands. We dive deep into the legendary (or infamous rather)...

This week on We Were Loud Once, Jeff and Dan are still deep into the murky, industrial-metal waters of Cleveland’s own MushroomHead! From their 1993 inception to the modern-day lineup shifts, they aren’t just looking at the music—they’re dissecting the decades of controversy that defined them. They’re breaking down the "mask wars," the revolving door of iconic vocalists, and the internal...

This week on We Were Loud Once, Jeff and Dan are diving deep into the murky, industrial-metal waters of Cleveland’s own MushroomHead! From their 1993 inception to the modern-day lineup shifts, they aren’t just looking at the music—they’re dissecting the decades of controversy that defined them. They’re breaking down the "mask wars," the revolving door of iconic vocalists, and the interna...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff dive deep into the vault of Roadrunner Records during its absolute prime: the Nu Metal era. Roadrunner wasn't just a label; it was the engine room for some of the heaviest and most influential sounds of the late '90s and early 2000s. The guys are breaking down how they transitioned from a death metal powerhouse into the home of the "Three Headed M...

Welcome back to another deep dive on We Were Loud Once! This week, Dan and Jeff are plugging into the neon-blue industrial wasteland of 2001 to revisit a certified cult classic: Crossbreed’s debut masterpiece, Synthetic Division. Crossbreed brought a unique, high-energy fusion of industrial synths straight out of the Florida rave scene and added crushing nu metal riffs that still sounds ahead of i...

This week on We Were Loud Once, Jeff and Dan are descending into the shadows, and exploring the "Goth Side" of the Nu-Metal era. While the internet loves to debate if Type O Negative belongs in the Nu-Metal pantheon (and trust us, they try really hard not to go down that rabbit hole), they’re looking at the bigger picture. How did a genre built on "The Jump" and "Caveman Riffs" suddenly get so moo...

In Episode 37, Dan and Jeff sit down to discuss the (at times) heartbreaking and complex most recent updates regarding American Head Charge frontman Cameron Heacock. From the viral Soft White Underbelly interview to the Holiday Kirk-led "Something Beautiful Project," we’re breaking down the current situation in Los Angeles and how the nu metal community is rallying to support one of its most uniqu...

In 1998, the kings of thrash did the unthinkable. Slayer dropped Diabolus in Musica, an album that seemed to swap breakneck speed for downtuned grooves, experimental textures, and a gritty atmosphere that many fans immediately labeled "Nu Metal." But is that a fair assessment, or was it simply Slayer evolving with the times? In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff dive deep into the cha...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Jeff and Dan get into one of the most persistent theories in the metal world: The Next Generation Takeover. With rumors swirling and the "end of an era" always looming, they explore the possibility of Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan eventually stepping into the masks of their fathers, Corey and Clown. Is this a logical passing of the torch, or a conspiracy the...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Jeff and Dan sit down with Dustin Travels, the voice and force behind Dirtfedd, and most recently Wayne Ryan & The Red Soles. From the cornfields of Nebraska to the national stage, Dirtfedd defined a gritty, unapologetic era of Midwest metal. Dustin pulls back the curtain on the band’s meteoric rise, the intensity of working with M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan, a...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff are putting their A&R hats on to assemble their ultimate all-female Nu Metal supergroups. From the vocal powerhouses of the early 2000s to the instrumentalists who defined a generation of heavy music, you'll never guess how different their picks are. Whether you’re here for the nostalgia of Ozzfest or you’re just discovering the depth of women...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff sit down to discuss the updates surrounding Cameron Heacock, the iconic frontman of American Head Charge. After his recent appearance on the Soft White Underbelly YouTube channel—which revealed he had been living unhoused and battling a fentanyl addiction for years—the nu-metal community has rallied together. We’re diving into the incredible work...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff are discussing the complicated relationship between the Recording Academy and the heavy music scene (or the lack of one altogether). They go deep into this year's Grammy nominees/winners, performances, and why Post Malone needs to do a rock record. Plus, the conversation everyone wants to have: Courtney LaPlante (Spiritbox) vs. Tatiana Shmayluk (J...

Is there anything more polarizing than a Disturbed cover? In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Dan and Jeff are diving deep into the world of musical reinterpretations—the good, the bad, and the downright over-produced. They tackle one of the most covered tracks in history: Phil Collins’ "In the Air Tonight." They debate which Nu Metal band (or Nu adjacent) actually captured that legendary drum f...

In this episode, Jeff and Dan dive deep into the strange case of Mudvayne’s comeback singles, "Hurt People Hurt People" and "Sticks and Stones." After 16 years of silence, the band finally dropped new music in late 2025—but the reception wasn't exactly what they expected. Between fans complaining the tracks sounded like "unpolished demos" and the band themselves being unhappy with the final produc...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, we sit down with Jesse Dean, the powerhouse behind the heavy metal band Narcotic Self, to unpack a journey defined by raw grit and zero shortcuts. From the high-stakes pressure of the Battle for Ozzfest auditions to the grueling reality of being a completely self-taught and self-made musician, Jesse opens up about what it actually takes to survive the industry...

The face paint, the theatricality, the "us against the world" mentality—Insane Clown Posse and Nu-Metal were born from the same chaotic energy of the late 90s. But what if the Wicked Clowns went full on nu metal? In this episode of We Were Loud Once, we’re getting into Dan falling for the Violent J pregnancy meme, the Gathering, poop dollars, nu culture crossovers, and the ULTIMATE nu metal super...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, we’re heading back to the year 2000 to dissect Taproot’s major-label debut, Gift. But you can’t talk about this album without talking about the drama that almost derailed it before it even hit shelves. After Taproot chose to sign with Atlantic Records instead of Durst's Interscope imprint (Flawless), the Limp Bizkit frontman left a legendary, heated message on...

In this episode of We Were Loud Once, Jeff and Dan sit down with Surreal the MC for a deep dive into the roots where hip hop and nu metal collide. We get into how hip hop culture and lyricism shaped the nu metal movement, the importance of groove and rhythm, and why the DJ became a core member of many nu metal bands, not just a background element. From turntables and sampling to live performance e...

In Episode 24 of WWLO, the guys are talking about one of their favorite nu metal bands of all time, Snot, and the infamous 'toilet incident' during Ozzfest '98. They go down all the rabbit holes and tangents per usual including Dee Snider's Strangeland movie, Rob Halford's solo band Fight, and Jeff sings country(?!).

In this episode, Jeff and Dan get to sit down with one of their old friends, and fellow musician turned podcaster, Michael Clark from the Caught on the Mike Podcast! Lots of talk about nu metal, combat sports, Dan's audition video for Steel Panther, and Michael's incredible podcast. It went long because we knew it was good!

In this episode, Dan and Jeff get into Full Devil Jacket's debut full length record, try and track down Josh Brown, and Jeff gets escorted out of work by the cops...  They also get into how you confuse the hell out of Facebook.  

In Episode 21, we find the guys doing a deep dive into Hed PE's debut and drawing so many parallels between it and Limp Bizkit's Three Dollar Bill Y'all that they get stuck in the rabbit hole with a potential conspiracy theory...and we finally get the story on why Jeff likes Ace of Base so much.