This is a conversation recorded at the inaugural Fortress Forum, part of the 2024 installment of Fortress Festival held in Scarborough, UK on June 1st and 2nd. Der Weg Einer Freiheit is a German black metal band from Würzburg. They were formed in 2009 by Tobias Jaschinsky and Nikita Kamprad and have released five critically acclaimed records, inclu…

This is a conversation recorded at the inaugural Fortress Forum, part of the 2024 installment of Fortress Festival held in Scarborough, UK. Dayal Patterson is a British author, music journalist and founder of the excellent publishing house, Cult Never Dies. He has written several non-fiction books about metal, most notably the seminal “Black Metal:…

This week living legend and one of the nicest guys in metal, Sakis Tolis, returns to the show to discuss Rotting Christ’s new opus, “Pro Xristou”. We explore how his approach to writing music has evolved over the course of his career and we uncover some surprising admissions about his creative process. After that, I discuss why the latest records b…

This week’s episode takes me to the Munich High End Hifi Show, where I catch up with Rune Skov, Sales Director for Gryphon Audio. We dive into his inspiring journey from teacher to a leader in one of the most cutting-edge brands in high-end audio. We chat about the future of the industry, swap hifi stories, and much more. PLUS – I break down three …

The great and powerful Silenoz of Dimmu Borgir makes his first appearance on Into The Necrosphere to discuss the band’s triumphant performance at this year’s Inferno Festival. He also walks me through the complexity of recording with large orchestras, shares his reflections on a career spanning over three decades and much more. On my weekly news ra…

On this episode I visited with D.G., guitarist and vocalist for Icelandic black metal powerhouse, Misthyrming, shortly following their show-stealing performance at this year’s Inferno Festival in Olso, Norway. We discussed his influences, our shared love of Rammstein, his reflections on the band’s career to date, what motivates him today and much m…

This week I get to tick off a wishlist podcast guest as I welcome Matt Pike of High on Fire to the show for the first time. He is joined by his bandmate, Jeff Matz, to discuss their ferocious new album, “Cometh The Storm”. I also get Matt to share the stories behind some of my favourite High on Fire tracks over the course of their discography, disc…

My guest this week requires absolutely no introduction: the legendary David Vincent, currently spreading the devil’s message by way of Vltimas, Terrorizer and I Am Morbid. We had a lengthy conversation about a host of topics including his songwriting and performance philosophy, living life on your own terms and what continues to motivate him at thi…

For this very special episode of Into The Necrosphere, I caught up with Dayal Patterson, founder of Cult Never Dies, at the Inferno Festival in Norway. We discussed his journey from photographer to journalist and eventually writer of indisputably the greatest book to chronicles black metal’s history ever published, “Black Metal: The Evolution Of Th…

On this week’s episode, I connect with S.B., drummer and vocalist for Richmond, Virginia’s Antichrist Siege Machine, for his first ever long-form podcast interview. In a wide-ranging discussion, we cover several topics including how S.B. manages drumming and vocals on stage, the steps he took with regards to his own physical health to level up his …

In this episode, I’m on location at the historic Akershus fortress in Oslo, Norway, where I have the pleasure of a conversation with Archaon, the guitarist of 1349. We delve into his personal journey into black metal, the origins of the band, and get an exciting glimpse into their upcoming album. Later we’re also joined by my good friend Svartalv, …

This past weekend I had the privilege of ticking off an experience that's been very high on my bucket list by attending the 2024 edition of the legendary Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway. Joining me on this grand odyssey was my good friend and fellow Horseman of the Podcasting Apocalypse, Shayan of the band Trivax and the host of Iblis Manifestatio…

On this episode I’m joined by Andrew Craighan, founding member and guitarist for seminal UK doom mongers, My Dying Bride. We discuss their upcoming record, the masterful “A Mortal Binding”, and go in depth into the history of the band, including a frank assessment of arguably their most controversial album, “34.788%... Complete”. Then it’s on to a …

My friend Jason Peppiatt makes his long overdue return to Into The Necrosphere this week. I get the latest on all of his musical endeavours, including Psycroptic, Domination Campaign and Permafog. We also discuss his approach to writing lyrics, his thoughts on AI in the metal scene, dealing with growing older and much more in an epic 2-hour long co…

Joakim Sterner of Swedish blackened death metal legends, Necrophobic, joins me this week to discuss their tenth album, “In The Twilight Grey”. We also reminisce over the halcyon days of the Swedish death and black metal scene, Joakim reveals how and why he became a drummer and much more. PLUS - I wax lyrical about some of my favourite new releases,…

Katy Irizarry makes her fourth appearance on Into The Necrosphere, and true to our tradition, we hold nothing back as we set the world to rights. We delve into the influence of AI in music, the chaotic state of today's politics, and much more. Katy also provides an exciting update on the rapid expansion of Suspiria PR, and we offer a sneak peek int…

This week Mateo Von Bewitcher joins me to reflect on Bewitcher’s first decade of existence by taking me on a curated tour of their new retrospective compilation, “Deep Cuts & Shallow Graves”. We also discuss the controversy surrounding Vince McMahon (formerly) of the WWE, share our opinions on the most evil sounding albums ever recorded and much mo…

Kyle Rasmussen joins me this week for a conversation about the making of “Suffer & Become”, masculinity, authentic creative expression, cancel culture and much more. It's a chat for the ages and definitely NOT for sensitive souls. PLUS on this week’s news rant: - Deicide commit the ultimate blasphemy by commissioning AI album artwork - High on Fire…

Chis Monroy and Mike De La O of brutal death metal upstarts, Skeletal Remains, join the podcast this week to discuss “Fragments of the Ageless”, why Chris doesn't enjoy being a frontman, winning over tough crowds and a whole lot more. PLUS - on this week’s news rant: - My Dying Bride return to form and instantly rocket to the top of the list of my …

On this episode I chat to Suffocation bassist, Derek Boyer, about the making of the band’s new album, “Hymns From The Apocrypha,” replacing Frank Mullen, and life on the road. We also discuss Derek’s own triumphs in the face of adversity on the road to realizing his dream of playing in one of death metal’s most iconic bands. Also on this installmen…

This week I conclude my epic countdown of the best albums released in 2023. I’m joined by my fellow Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse and frontman for Tombs, Scorpion Throne and Begotten Suns - Mike Hill - to run through our respective Top 10 lists and crown the winner of the year’s greatest record. PLUS - The world premier of the new single by…

This week I am continuing my celebration of the very best albums of 2023. My fellow Horseman of the Podcasting Apocalypse - the Sinister Minister himself - Karl Hikara (Sol Nox) and the Duke of Metal, Dave Berrardi, joins me to share their Top 10s, while I count down my numbers 20 through 11. We also reminisce over some of my favourite (and not-so-…

Into The Necrosphere is back and I’m kicking off this year’s campaign with a celebration of the very best albums released over the past twelve months. Joining me for the first installment of a three part series, my friend Nathan Glover of Graveir shares his personal top ten records of 2023 and then we chop it up over numbers 30 through 21 on my lis…

There’s no better way to end a year than by catching up with my friend Sam Loynes. Sam is a member of Akercocke, The Antichrist Imperium, Voices, Anaal Nathrakh and he’s recently launched a new project called Samuel Joseph & The Guiding Hand. On this episode, he updates us on all of those projects, we discuss his personal evolution as a musician an…

On this installment of Into The Necrosphere, I’m visiting with Dave Powell and John Wilcox of UK black metallers, Master’s Call. They take me through a track-by-track breakdown of their excellent debut album, “A Journey For The Damned”, we discuss the road to getting it released and much more. On my weekly news rant, I give you my first impressions…

This week the legendary Chris Pervelis of Internal Bleeding lights a cigar and shares some great stories about the early days of the band. We also chat about what the future holds for Internal Bleeding, discuss how growing older has changed both of our respective attitudes to life and talk about Chris’ recently launched website, https://themetalgen…

This week the members of Boston’s own Fuming Mouth join me to discuss their new album, “Last Day Of Sun”, as well as vocalist Mark Whelan’s battle with and triumph over leukemia. Then on my weekly news rant, I round up the latest singles by Revulsed, Dimmu Borgir, Domination Campaign and others for judgment. PLUS, I share the new single by Australi…

Aaron Aedy, guitarist for the legendary Paradise Lost, returns to the podcast this week to discuss the re-recording of their seminal effort, “Icon”, indulge my boundless curiosity about “Shades of God”, reminisce about the glory days of the London live music scene and much more. I also review new releases by Strigoi, Gravesend, Suffocation and Fumi…

It's a full-throttle Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse extravaganza on Into The Necrosphere this week as I welcome no less than three of my brothers to the show. First up, Ralph Schmidt (Ultha, Ropes of Night) and Mike Hill (Tombs, Scorpion Throne) join me to discuss their latest collaboration, Danzig, what the future holds for their respective…

Chris Grigg of Woe joins me this week to talk about “Legacies Of Frailty”, how he discovered heavy metal and Ampwall - his soon-to-be launched Bandcamp alternative focused on independent artists. Then it’s on to a round-up of some of my favourite releases of the past couple of weeks, including albums by The Amenta, Cult Burial, Sulphur Aeon and Sli…

This week I’m celebrating a milestone by talking to a legend. The great and powerful Attila Csihar makes his Into The Necrosphere debut for a candid discussion about our mutual love of high end audio, his return to Mayhem in 2004, the recording of “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas”, his evolving vocal style and much more. Then it’s on to a review of “Lega…

On this episode of Into The Necrosphere, Matt Priso of SIK, Spells Ov Torment and Conspiracy X joins me for wide-ranging discussion about black metal, bodybuilding, growing older, and our mutual love of Nevermore. He also shares some insight into the recording of “Cast Below To Rise Above”, the incredible debut record by SIK and gets me to admit to…

Kelly Shaefer returns to Into The Necrosphere to discuss “Outside The Spiral”, the blistering debut by his new band, Till The Dirt. I also get the lowdown on what the future holds for Atheist, we talk about the state of the music industry in 2023 and much more. Then it’s on to reviews of “How It Ends” by Primordial and “Eloah Burns Out” by Trivax. …

In this episode, I’m rejoined by my friend Naas Alcameth of the formidable Akhlys for a deep-dive into his writing process. We discuss the creation of Akhlys's critically hailed album, "Melinoe". We also delve into a preview of their much-awaited upcoming record, Naas gives me a sneak peak of the other projects he has in the pipeline, and we discus…

Evan Hopper of Quell returns to the podcast this week to talk about his new album, “All That Was And Will Never Be”. As is the standard for any of Evan’s visits to the show, the conversation soon spins out into a myriad of other tangents, including our shared love of Danzig, death metal, his forays into the world of dating apps and much more. Then,…

This week the host of the Agitators Anonymous podcast and legendary frontman for Primordial and Dread Sovereign makes his triumphant return to Into The Necrosphere. We discuss “How It Ends”, the blistering new album by Primordial, and we set the world to rights across a gamut of social and cultural topics. I also review “As Gomorrah Burns” by Crypt…

Bonus episode this week - the last installment of my in-person series of podcasts recorded at ReaperFest on July 28th-29th. My guest for this one was Dagon of Heathen Deity. We discussed the reception to their debut full-length “True English Black Metal”, Dagon’s side projects, his approach to playing live and more. ▶️SUPPORT THE BANDS FEATURED ON …

John McEntee and Chuck Sherwood of legendary death metallers, Incantation, are on the podcast this week to discuss the making of their savage new record, “Unholy Deification”. We also discuss how the business and fans’ listening habits have changed over the course of Incantation’s three decade plus career, what an infusion of youthful talent into t…

This week is a special one. Not only am I inviting my friend and brother, Shayan of Trivax, back to the podcast for an unprecedented sixth time, but this episode also marks our first ever face-to-face conversation. We run a spicy gauntlet of topics including fitness, mental health, the state of the society and of course Trivax’s excellent upcoming …

This week I’m joined by Cryptopsy frontman and the host of the Vox & Hops Podcast, Matt McGachy. We discuss Cryptopsy’s upcoming album, “As Gomorrah Burns”, how Matt dealt with the criticism that met his first release with the band, his approach to performance, podcasting and much more. PLUS - I discuss the controversy surrounding Blackbraid and th…

This week sees the continuation of my in-person series of podcasts recorded at Reaper Fest on July 28th/29th. My good friend A|V of black metal outfit, Abduction, returns to the podcast to discuss the band’s most recent record, last year’s critically acclaimed “Black Blood”. We also talk about his philosophy toward performing live, future plans for…

This week I’m kicking off a series of podcasts recorded in person at Reaper Fest on July 28th/29th. My first guest is none other than my good friend, Ultha mastermind and fellow Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse, Ralph Schmidt. We discuss the reaction to “All That Has Never Been True” one year after its release, the impact that cancel culture h…

This week Jon Krieger of Blackbraid sits down with me for an in-depth discussion about every track on his blistering new album, “Blackbraid II”. We also address some of the ridiculous rumors that have dogged the project for the past couple of months, why he chooses to remain an independent artist and much more. PLUS - a world-exclusive premiere of …

This week my good friend Christian Larson of Texan black metal terrors, Necrofier, returns to the podcast to discuss the band’s critically acclaimed sophomore album, “Burning Shadows In The Southern Night”. We also get an update on Christian’s own “Hell’s Heroes” festival, which is set to stage a momentous 2024 iteration, and we talk about a number…

This week I’m joined by the hosts of Necromaniacs - two of my fellow horsemen of the podcasting apocalypse - Sensei Mike Hill (Tombs, Scorpion Throne) and Sheriff Mike Scondotto (Inhuman, Confusion, Last Stand), as we count down our favourite death metal albums of the ‘90s. I also review the “Bestial Devastation” and “Morbid Visions” re-recordings …

This week my good friend Katy Irizarry returns to the podcast to discuss her new venture, Suspiria PR, as well as some of the exciting bands and projects she’s been working on. We also discuss the accusations against Till Lindemann of Rammstein, backstage culture, the sorry state of global politics, the recent Peter Hotez / Joe Rogan debacle and mu…

This week I’m sitting down with black metal royalty as the legendary Rune Eriksen (Blasphemer) joins me to discuss the sensational debut by his new project, RUIM. We also talk at length about his time with Mayhem, his approach to writing new music, what keeps him motivated and much more. PLUS - the world premiere of the new single by Quell, a revie…

Justin Grieves and Belinda Kordic of Johnny The Boy and Crippled Black Phoenix joins the podcast this week to discuss the making of “You”. We also discuss Justin’s love of gravity biking, animal rights activism, we find some common ground on social issues and much more. PLUS: a new round-up of some of my favourite releases of the week including Con…

On this week’s episode Simon Hawemann, owner of Total Dissonance Worship and guitarist for NIGHTMARER joins me for a track-by-track analysis of their incredible new album, “Deformity Adrift”. We also discuss his journey from musician to running his own label, his thoughts on the state of the music industry and much more. Then it’s on to my weekly n…

This week I’m drinking a beer with Kride Lathti and Antti Poutanen of CHURCH OF THE DEAD. We discuss their incendiary new record, “Beyond Death”, the groundswell of fresh talent coming out of the Finnish metal scene and much more. PLUS: a review of “You” by JOHNNY THE BOY and a packed news rant where I give you my first reactions to songs by SHININ…