Interviews

California groove metal merchants DevilDriver have delivered a solid effort with its first part of a double album called Dealing with Demons I on Napalm Records. Guitarist Mike Spreitzer recently spoke with us about the new records, the response they’ve been getting so far from fans, the band camaraderie, and what DevilDriver plans to do next.

Coming straight outta Reykjavik, Iceland and gripping on to the silver-plated reins of a bronco bucking to the sounds of wiry, technica, and melodic death metal comes Cult of Lilith. The sounds of the band’s debut full-length, Mara, marries influences from 18th Century classical music, 20th Century Gothenburg scene, and 21st Century tech-death, essentially keeping one foot in the past as they stretch the commonly accepted boundaries…

We sat down with Jeremy Bolm of post-hardcore heavyweights Touché Amoré to talk about how he’s been keeping sane during the pandemic, the band’s upcoming full-length Lament, working with famed producer Ross Robinson, his new podcast, the future of live music, and more.

Throes of Joy in the Jaws of Defeatism is another crowning achievement from the one band that continues to defy the notion that with age inevitably comes mellowing and that the best stuff is the early stuff. We caught up with vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway after his morning bike ride along the seaside to discuss relentless un-relentlessness, treating fellow human beings as human beings, and “doing the Swans.”

Closing out the summer, Austin, Texas based Hinayana drops their Napalm Records debut and hotly anticipated EP, Death of the Cosmic—four driving, blood pumping tracks that squarely establish that the Nordic countries no longer claim an icy monopoly over authentic melodic death metal.

Curse Mackey is a familiar name in the industrial music world, being a figure in bands such as Pigface and My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. 2019 saw the album debut, Instant Exorcism, of the musician’s self-named personal project, which led to accruing quite a fan base following his every endeavor. We had the opportunity to pick Curse’s mind, discuss all of the recent happenings in his world, the unique artwork that continued forth, and what’s coming next.

Fist-pumping, sing-along choruses, tantalizing harmonized guitar leads, driving double bass patterns, and a singer who possesses a four octave mezzo-soprano range are all part of Unleash the Archers’ melodic power metal. On the Canadian band’s fifth full-length album, Abyss, released through Napalm Records, Unleash the Archers tackles its first full-on sci-fi/fantasy laced concept album.

Vancouver Island based progressive metallers Spiritbox have catapulted themselves to the forefront of the genre, despite playing only a few shows in their home country of Canada and a slew in Europe supporting After the Burial before the tour was cut short due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The band, comprised of metal power couple Courtney Laplante and Mike Stringer (both formerly of avant-garde metalcore act Iwrestledabearonce) and Bill Crook has been making waves since their self-titled debut in 2017.

Imperial Triumphant is one of the most unique forces in metal today. The band captures the bleak and chaotic nature of New York in their unique avant-garde meets black metal style. Wearing full masks with imagery of the Statue of Liberty and the Wall Street Bull, they symbolize the myriad of faceless individuals who hustle on the busy streets day and night.

Thalassic, being the band’s most diverse offering yet, is bound to keep fans engaged and occupied during this period of indeterminate downtime. We caught up with guitarist/vocalist Petri Lindroos as he sweated through one of the hottest Finnish summers on record to discuss why live show cancellations are especially painful, water’s elusive power, and the reason he’ll never stop smiling through even the worst flight conditions.