Interviews

It’s a warm and breezy Friday morning. Jeph Howard, the bassist for The Used, is standing outdoors wearing black sunglasses during a tour stop, and he’s getting ready for a show. He’s smiling with youthful exuberance, radiating with over-caffeinated joy and excitement.

It’s remarkable to see how Evergrey’s 30 years of existence in the music industry has led to boundless creativity across 13 albums. Now, with the release of their 14th album, Theories of Emptiness, the band has delivered their most dynamic work yet.

Pain has unveiled the unquestionably brilliant I Am, the project’s follow-up to 2016’s Coming Home. Founded in 1996 by Sweden’s Peter Tägtgren, Pain has always defied genres, ingeniously mixing electronics, metal, and much more.

The Finnish folk metal band Korpiklaani has returned with the sensational new offering Rankarumpu. The beloved Jonne Järvelä, who handles vocals and acoustic guitar, states, “This album came together quite easily. “

Australian progressive metal act Ne Obliviscaris has unleashed their latest album Exul, which took years to make thanks to the pandemic and was a long process but worth the wait. “It was incredibly difficult (laughs), yet incredibly rewarding with how the final product turned out.”

Blending both Japanese and English lyricism and featuring production and several guest features by Matthew Kiichi Heafy (Trivium), RYUJIN’s high speed riffs and breakneck guitar descents pair with traditional Japanese elements on their self-titled album.

Baroness’ growth has been astounding. Latest album Stone is rife with typical Baroness intricacy, care, depth, and songs melding the past and present. We caught up with John Baizley for an extensive chat about intensive creative processes, significant changes, and skipping out on the color spectrum.

Since the band’s inception in 1999, Taking Back Sunday has been a historic benchmark within the pop punk scene. Their unique blend of emo, post-hardcore, and pop sensibilities has inspired many bands, opening the gate for the genre to expand and grow into what it is today. “Something that is not lost on us is that we are living the dream come true,” says bassist Shaun Cooper.”

With State of Emergency, Prong continues to solidify its status as one of the most innovative and exciting bands in the music industry. While Victor is a seasoned pro within the rock industry, he says it’s a “higher power” that keeps the band’s music interesting.

Metal maestro Josh Middleton is blazing back on the scene after leaving Architects, with his awe-inspiring band Sylosis and what many are calling the best metal album of 2023.