Interviews

Hindsight can be a funny thing. I’ll admit that, at the time, I didn’t quite hip myself to what Satyricon was doing with their fourth full-length LP, Rebel Extravaganza [1999]. Gone were the medieval trappings of The Shadowthrone and Nemesis Divina, and in its place were songs that were cold and aggressive, with a very noticeable mean streak. Oh sure, I eventually grew to dig the album pretty hard, based largely on the presence of undeniable jams like “Havoc Vulture” and “Filthgrinder,” but the actual sound of the album always felt like it could’ve used improvement.

With a legacy spanning 30 years, Sinister has endured many changes in its career, such as different lineups, but the band has remained consistent by constantly releasing heavy and ravaging material. Deformation of the Holy Realm, the band’s 14th album, is no different. Sinister guitarist Michal Grall talks about Deformation of the Holy Realm, his contributions to the album, and the band’s plans during and after the quarantine.

To celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary of their 1999 seminal concept album, Metropolis Part 2 – Scenes from a Memory, the band has released Distant Memories – Live in London. Mr.Petrucci recently spoke with us about the band’s early days, the new live album, beard care, and more.

ManiaCult has all of the usual traits of an Aborted album—brutality, technicality, and absolute craziness. Even with some newfound diversity, Aborted is still a classic gore and guts band. We spoke with Sven de Caluwe about writing and recording the album during the pandemic, the sound behind ManiaCult, and his best music business advice.

Of Mice & Men, one of the most individual and prolific bands in metalcore, continues to expand artistically and stay honest in its songwriting. Although most bands would attribute this to the hard work over the years, Of Mice & Men claims it’s more about pursuing the excitement of the moment.

Everyone's favorite goblin-centric band has been busy with a new album, a cruise, a hit YouTube show, a sponsorship from Chili’s, and even a book deal for their hype man John Goblikon.

It’s been close to a decade since the world has received a new record from Florida based rockers Cold. Making their mark in the heyday of big nu metal such as Staind, Linkin Park, and Evanescence, Cold was always the dark horse, pumping out heavy anthems of tragedy and adversity, anchored by frontman Scooter Ward.

Grammy-nominated Swedish doom metal legends Candlemass have come full circle with the return of original vocalist Johan Längquist, whom recorded vocals on the band’s 1986 debut masterpiece Epicus Doomicus Metallicus. After 35-plus years, Candlemass remains firmly on top of the doom metal heap. Edling spoke with us about Candlemass’ Grammy nomination, their new EP, and the band’s long-lasting legacy.

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.

With the release of their latest EPs, Malfunction and Malfunction X Broken Down on Sumerian Records, and a new album on the horizon, Danyell and Tony discuss the band’s humble beginnings, hope for the year, and musical inspirations.