Metal Shop's Backstage Pass

Miss May I is playing El Corazon this upcoming Thursday (April 14th) alongside Varials and All That Remains, so I chatted with vocalist Levi Benton about being back on the road and bringing his family with him, formative bands he grew up with back in Ohio, new music and much more. 

Texas metal / hardcore band Kublai Khan just released a killer new EP called "Lowest Form of Animal" and are currently touring with Knocked Loose. After that, they're hopping back on the road with Terror. Talk about a couple of heavy hitter tours. I chatted with drummer Isaac Lamb about the constant grind of being a blue collar metal band, the insanity of the 2018 Warped Tour, Texas food and much...

Wharflurch is a killer death metal band from Florida who put out an incredible album called “Psychedelic Realms Ov Hell.” I spoke with guitarist Myk Colby about a variety of things including – death metal fests in Mexico, musical inspiration, his favorite death metal bands, new music and much more. Get FLURCHY!

Napalm Death recently released a new album called "Resentment is Always Seismic - a final throw of Throes", so I chatted with vocalist Barney Greenway about everything that went into it, his favorite hardcore bands, staying sane during the pandemic, touring with GWAR, scars and much more.

Northwest-based melodic death metal band The Devils Of Loudun recently released their new album "Escaping Eternity" via The Artisan Era, so I had the guys on to chat about what went into the making of the album, the evolution of the band, the deep concepts of their albums, music they love and much more. This interview features two songs from their new album "Escaping Eternity" available now!

Away aka Michel Langevin is the drummer for the legendary Montreal-based metal band Voivod. They released their 15th studio album "Syncho Anarchy" in February...and it's great! I spoke with Away about his musical influences and favorite punk bands, growing up in the Montreal music scene, working on music during the pandemic and much more.

Athenar is the man behind the mystery of Midnight - a Cleveland based heavy metal machine that is releasing their album "Let there be Witchery" March 4th on Metal Blade Records. I spoke with Athenar about rejecting smart phones and social media, Cleveland heavy metal history, the roots of Midnight, writing four albums during the pandemic and much more. This was a really fun one. Check out the new...

This is a really fun conversation with an absolute legend in heavy music! Corpsegrinder is releasing his first ever solo album on February 25th, so I got on the line to chat with him about working with Jamey Jasta on the record, his tactics for winning in claw machine games, his love for the band Off with their Heads and other hardcore and punk bands, working with Erik Rutan as an official member...

Dave Bland is a beast of a drummer for the band Full of Hell and vocalist for the band Jarhead Fertilizer. I chatted with Dave about the newest Full of Hell album, beginning to tour as a literal child, playing the keyboard, scars, working at a sunglasses store to fund his musical obsession and much more.

Ghost Bath is a unique sounding melodic black metal band that released their album "Self Loather" via Nuclear Blast in late 2021. I spoke with frontman and founder Dennis Mikula about a variety of subjects including growing up in a small town music scene, post hardcore music, his love of Agalloch, scars and much more.

Portland metalcore band Dying Wish has had a crazy past 12 months. I caught up with vocalist Emma Boster to chat about some crazy tours in 2021, their debut full length "Fragments of a Bitter Memory," growing up singing, her love of basketball, upcoming tours and much more. 

I spoke with Leah and Joseph from Northwest Terror Fest about the return of NWTF in 2022, what it takes to run a fest, learning experiences, how to curate a good lineup and much more. Northwest Terror Fest 2022 is going down June 30th – July 2nd at Neumo’s in Seattle.

Lord Ahriman is the founding guitarist and current bassist of the groundbreaking Swedish black metal band Dark Funeral. I chatted with him about their upcoming album “We are the Apocalypse”, his musical inspirations, early influences and favorite artists, being stuck in Cancun at the beginning of the pandemic and much more.

Tacoma technical death metal band Aethereus is back with a badass new album called “Leiden.” The album is out today (January 14th), so we dissect the making of the album and the evolution of the band. Stay tuned until the end to hear an epic song from “Leiden.”

Aeon is a death metal band from Sweden that returned from a nine year hiatus in 2021 to release “God Ends Here” on Metal Blade Records. I spoke with guitarist Zeb Nilsson about discovering metal at just 5 years old, his love of the band WASP, his views on religion, scars on his body and more. “God Ends Here” is available now!

I spoke with John Olgeirsson,  the vocalist of Icelandic tech death band Ophidian I about their new album “Desolate”, living in San Diego while his band is in Iceland, working with both Season of Mist and Unique Leader, nerdy stuff, metal t shirts, staying sane during the pandemic, growing up in San Diego, vocal influences and much more.

Happy Holidays! I caught up with a good friend Brian Ortiz from Xibalba. We chatted about their most recent album, the return to shows, his side projects Tzompantli and Mortuary Punishment, the Sopranos and more.

Brann Dailor is an incredibly talented drummer who just happens to draw clowns. I spoke with Brann about the new Mastodon album “Hushed and Grim,” drawing a clown a day during lockdown, 70’s prog, Alice in Chains and much more.

After Eyehategod was forced to cancel their Seattle show on November 30th due to Covid, I decided to check in with vocalist Mike IX about how they’re all doing. We also discussed their new album, some of his favorite New Orleans based punk bands, being the last metal band to play Bumbershoot, his medical issues and transplant, Dimebag stories and much more.

Dead Heat is a southern California based crossover hardcore/thrash band who released a KILLER album “World at War” this year. I spoke with the band prior to their record release shows and we touched on a variety of subjects including the definition of “Nardcore,” being a band during the pandemic, early musical influences and much more.

Seven Spires is a Boston-based symphonic metal band that recently released their 3rd album “Gods of Debauchery” back in September. I spoke with vocalist/keyboardist Adrienne Cowan about her love for Children of Bodom, musical theater, embracing nerdiness, recording during the pandemic and more.

Converge is releasing a brand new collaborative album with Stephen Brodsky from Cave In and Chelsea Wolfe today called “Bloodmoon 1.” I spoke with vocalist Jacob Bannon about this highly anticipated album, staying sane during the pandemic, the return to live shows, being a small business owner during the pandemic and much more.

SANGUISUGABOGG is a brutal death metal band from Ohio that released a killer album “Tortured Whole” on Century Media. They will be playing El Corazon here in Seattle on November 20th with Frozen Soul. I chatted with vocalist Devin Swank about his roots in death metal, having a metalhead for a dad, how he stayed sane during the pandemic and much more,

Doc Coyle is the guitarist for the heavy rock band Bad Wolves. Doc has also done time in the gritty metal underground as guitarist for God Forbid + he hosts a popular podcast called “The Ex Man.” I spoke with Doc about a variety of topics including his foray into music growing up, finding a new vocalist for Bad Wolves and everything that went with that, his podcast and more.

Bay Area thrashers Exodus are back with a new album "Persona Non Grata" (Nuclear Blast) next month, so I spoke with vocalist Steve Souza. We chatted about everything from his early days and inspirations to gardening and getting in shape during the pandemic + the new album and much more.