Interviews

The latest album from veteran Canadian metal act Annihilator is Metal II, a quasi-re-recording of the of the 2007 album Metal. Admittedly, it seems like a bit of a random release for the band coming out the pandemic, but in reality Metal II is the culmination of a series of events that had a huge impact on the legacy of the band and brought band leader Jeff Waters to the brink of death.

Stick To Your Guns is a band that has always been confident about the anthemic themes within their music to tell the stories of truths that exist in our lives. Those truths extend beyond the self and into the world around us. “We are the universe experiencing itself,” vocalist Jesse Barnett examines.

A lot rides on a band that wants to be more than a talented cover band on YouTube. “Going into the second release, Welcome to the Chaos, we belong to the rock community, are playing the festivals, going on the tours, and meeting all these bands. It all feels real now. I feel now like we have made it,” says vocalist Bryan Kuznitz

From the unique presence of three vocalists to their multigenre, aggressive yet honest approach to the band’s latest album, Otherness, their gold and platinum status has led to countless accolades. Vocalist Wade MacNeil reveals that while he appreciates everything they have attained throughout their career, growth is still the most important thing to the band. 

With The Pizza EP still cooling on the racks and Full HD recently released, we tracked down perma-grinning guitarist Marc “B.B. Plaza” Busqué to chat about how pizza and thrash metal rule and run his world.

Norway’s multi-instrumental, bandleader, and composer Sylvaine, born Kathrine Shepard, is releasing her fourth album, Nova, on Season of Mist and is preparing for extensive tours throughout the US and Europe. We spoke with her about the music and intensity of creating Nova, family, live performances, and what is next.

Timewave Zero pulls the emergency brake on the cosmic, psychedelic, oblong death metal they have come to prominence with their two full-lengths, Starspawn and Hidden History of the Human Race, and leaps head first into an experiment with progressive, avant-garde Krautrock that the quartet is referring to as “our ambient record.

For nearly 20 years, the sonic steamroller known as Author & Punisher has continued to release a mesmerizing body of music. Inspired not only by the chaos of the pandemic but by the incendiary political landscape and the eerily prescient sci-fi novels of Octavia Butler, his latest effort, Krüller, sees Tristan Shone notching new creative highs across the board.

SETYØURSAILS made not only blending genres look like a walk in the park, but their raw, kaleidoscopic delivery and unabashed subject matter showed they had a place within the genre among the best. Now, SETYØURSAILS has stepped up its game since being signed to Napalm Records by expanding its sound lyrically and instrumentally with their new release Nightfall.

Heavy metal duo, Ashes of Ares, consisting of ex-Iced Earth alumni—vocalist Matt Barlow and bassist/guitarist Freddie Vidales—has created a project that they can truly call their own. Formed in 2012 with the impetus of starting fresh after both musicians left Iced Earth, Ashes of Ares has carried on its brand of heavy power metal with honesty and passion for the genre.