Distorted Entertainment

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

Originally Recorded: January 24th 2026

Grab your headphones—Ethan and Mitchell are back for a jam-packed bi-weekly check-in on the world of heavy music, underground updates, and video game chaos.

We kick things off with some personal updates, including Mitch's grueling 4.5-hour session for a killer new skull tattoo and Ethan's pacing through God of War. In the news layout, we unpack Dave Mustaine's sudden desire to hit the road with Metallica, massive upcoming tours from The Black Dahlia Murder and Fleshgod Apocalypse, the legal conclusion of the Batushka name dispute, and Slipknot's legendary unreleased album Look Outside Your Window.

In our gaming quadrant, we talk about the imminent collapse of Ubisoft's stocks, the cancelation of the Prince of Persia remake, and why the internet needs to finally let go of Bloodborne Remastered rumors.

Finally, we hit the Meat & Potatoes to swap album reviews. Mitch tackles the complex mathcore structures of The Dillinger Escape Plan’s One of Us Is the Killer, while Ethan strips down the robotic, synthesizer-driven space themes of Cynic’s 2008 masterpiece Traced in Air. We wrap up the show by scrolling through half a century of music history via Loudwire’s "Best Metal Songs of Each Year Since 1970" list.

Inside This Episode:

• 00:00 — Markiplier hiatuses & Iron Lung movie hype
• 03:20 — Studio ink check: Fresh tattoos and cat scratches
• 07:20 — Gaming corner: Optional God of War bosses & mid-life career transitions
• 13:40 — Megadeth's Dave Mustaine wants to mend fences with Metallica
• 17:55 — Tour Announcements: Black Dahlia Murder, Fleshgod Apocalypse, & Patriarch (Batushka)
• 22:40 — Weather alerts cancel Ghost shows & Slipknot's hidden melodic rock project
• 32:15 — The Office in Fortnite & the tragic downfall of Ubisoft
• 43:00 — Album Review 1: The Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us Is the Killer
• 55:00 — Album Review 2: Cynic – Traced in Air
• 58:55 — Production breakdowns: Explaining Vocoders vs. Auto-Tune
• 1:04:00 — Reviewing Loudwire's Best Metal Track of Every Year (1970–2025)
• 1:21:00 — Next week's heavy choices: Cognitive & Tesseract

Album Homework for Episode 38:

• Cognitive — Abhorrence (Technical Death Metal)
• Tesseract — Altered State (Progressive Metal/Djent)

Get Featured on the Show:

If you're an independent or underground artist who wants your music spun at the end of our show, get in touch with us on our official Facebook page or drop an inquiry to our podcast inbox! Links are located right in your app directory.

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Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

Ethan and Mitch are back for the 36th installment of the Distorted Entertainment podcast! This week, we tackle the "Sleep Token isn't metal" discourse and Ethan shares a cautionary tale about a Facebook Marketplace Bitcoin scam that nearly drained his account.

We also discuss the latest in metal news, including members leaving Haken, Spotify's ad controversy, and the "dystopian" rise of AI in music and gaming. In the review section, Ethan gives his thoughts on the post-black metal sounds of Deafheaven’s Lonely People with Power, and Mitch finally dives into the legendary Symbolic by Death.

We wrap things up by looking at Loudwire’s "Best of 2025" list and setting the stage for a very "Proggy" next episode with picks from Cynic (Traced In Air) and The Dillinger Escape Plan (One Of Us Is The Killer).

Listen in for:

• Personal updates and the "therapy stand."
• The PC gaming "Dystopia" and surging hardware prices.
• A deep dive into Black Metal subgenres and production.
• Why Mitch thinks Sound of Perseverance still reigns supreme.

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

Ethan and Mitchell are back after a long hiatus to tackle a massive year in the world of metal and gaming. We mourn the loss of legends Ozzy Osbourne and Brent Hinds, debate Roger Waters' controversial comments, and deliver a brutal double feature review of Cattle Decapitation’s Monolith of Inhumanity and Myrkur’s M.

Beyond the records, we dive into the "Prime Hack" solution for replaying Metroid Prime, the state of the Battlefield 6 beta, and whether Nvidia’s 5090 is even worth the hype. Mitchell also gets personal about his recent health struggles, from lipoma surgery to the technical hurdles of re-learning the violin after years of muscle atrophy. Plus, we ask the ultimate question: is the saxophone officially the sexiest instrument in metal?.

CHAPTERS:

• 00:00 – Intro: Cattle Decapitation & The "Garbled Mush" Debate
• 01:10 – Meet the Hosts: Ethan Carpenter & Mitchell Gilbert Wade
• 02:40 – News: The Death of Charlie Kirk & Woke Cinema
• 04:15 – Mental Health Check: Bipolarism & Pulling All-Nighters
• 09:10 – Healthcare Horror Stories: Lipomas & Lost Records
• 12:20 – Re-learning Violin: Muscle Atrophy & Intermediate Techniques
• 17:20 – Vocal Stamina & System of a Down Karaoke Disasters
• 18:40 – Record Reviews: Cattle Decapitation vs. Myrkur
• 19:15 – Gaming News: Battlefield 6 Beta & Skate Playtest
• 22:15 – Arkham Knight 100% & The Dishonored Stealth Trap
• 28:10 – Replaying Metroid Prime: The Prime Hack Solution
• 34:30 – Concert Season: Deafheaven, Trivium & Surprising Mom
• 41:10 – Is the Saxophone the Sexiest Instrument?
• 44:00 – TikTok Rankings & The Boss of Posers
• 48:00 – Remembering Ozzy Osbourne & The Roger Waters Beef
• 53:00 – The Ultimate Summer Metal Fest Tour
• 55:00 – R.I.P. Brent Hinds: A Legend Lost
• 58:00 – Slipknot’s 25th Anniversary & Triple Platinum Work
• 01:03:00 – Cradle of Filth & Danny Filth’s Firing Spree
• 01:08:00 – Dave Mustaine’s Retirement & The Farewell Tour
• 01:12:00 – Baby Metal Collabs & Five Finger Death Punch
• 01:18:00 – Alien: Dark Descent & The Dead Space Creator
• 01:28:00 – The Nvidia 5090 vs. 4090 Price War
• 01:34:00 – Video Game Adaptations: The Last of Us & God of War
• 01:38:00 – Historically Accurate Samurai & Assassin's Creed
• 01:45:00 – Why Modern Gamers are the Worst
• 01:53:00 – Deep Dive: Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity
• 02:05:00 – Deep Dive: Myrkur - M Review & Black Metal Theory
• 02:28:00 – Closing: Next Week with Death’s Symbolic

#DistortedEntertainment #MetalPodcast #CattleDecapitation #Myrkur #OzzyOsbourne #BrentHinds #MetalNews #GamingNews #Battlefield6 #Violin #MentalHealth #Slipknot #MetroidPrime

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Socials/Contact:
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Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

Recorded On: April 4th, 2025

On this episode, we dive into the "woke" discourse surrounding Assassin's Creed Shadows. We argue that if Metroid came out today, the internet would melt down over Samus being a woman. We also discuss the Nintendo Switch 2 rumors (paying for a tech demo?!), Ubisoft rushing to patch nudity back into Far Cry 4, and John Schaffer (Iced Earth) becoming a born-again Christian. 

For the reviews, Mitchell struggles through the Christian Progressive Metal of Extol (Undeceived)—rating it "3 inverted crosses"—while Ethan finally tackles the prog-metal masterpiece, Mastodon's Crack the Skye. 

CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro: Markiplier Impressions & Bathtub Disasters 03:46 - Hobby Time: TTRPGs (Drakkenheim & Call of Cthulhu) 15:15 - Hobby Time: WWE 2K25 & The Plague of Microtransactions 20:17 - News: Assassin's Creed Shadows & The "Anti-Woke" Gamer Rant 36:48 - News: Ubisoft Panics and Patches Nudity Back Into Far Cry 4 39:08 - News: Nintendo Switch 2 Rumors & Paying for Tech Demos 01:01:10 - News: John Schaffer (Iced Earth) is Born Again 01:06:42 - Review: Extol - Undeceived (Christian Metal Cringe?) 01:22:51 - Review: Mastodon - Crack the Skye

#DistortedEntertainment #MetalPodcast #Mastodon #CrackTheSkye #Extol #ChristianMetal #AssassinsCreedShadows #Metroid #NintendoSwitch2 #GamingNews #Podcast #JohnSchaffer #IcedEarth

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

(Recorded on 3/10/25)
We are back! On this episode of Distorted Entertainment, we catch up on life (new jobs!) before diving into the wildest news in rock and metal. We discuss Tool getting booed for playing the same setlist twice, Ghost enforcing a strict "No Phone" policy, and Gene Simmons charging fans $12,000 to work for him as a roadie. 

Plus, we react to the rebranding of Mayhem Festival to "Miss Mayhem," discuss the rise of Sleep Token, and debate Primus getting a new drummer. 

For the reviews, Mitchell dives into the atmospheric deathcore of The Acacia Strain (It Comes in Waves), while Ethan takes a left turn into German hip hop with Peter Fox. 

CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro: We are back (and have new jobs!) 02:45 - Hobby Time: D&D, Vampire the Masquerade & Board Games 07:05 - The Great Energy Drink & Coffee Debate 14:55 - Working from Home & The "Rat Station" Horror Stories 19:40 - Social Media Rage & Mario Day 22:50 - News: Sleep Token Threats & The TikTok Explosion 29:40 - News: Mastodon Lineup Changes? (Brent Hinds out?) 31:35 - News: Mayhem Fest becomes "Miss Mayhem" 33:15 - News: Gene Simmons Charges You $12k to Work for Him 34:50 - News: Ghost's New Papa & The "No Phone" Policy 46:45 - News: Tool Gets Booed for Repeating Setlists 54:30 - News: Primus Gets a New Drummer (Danny Carey Guests) 59:00 - Review: Peter Fox (German Hip Hop/Reggae) 01:10:00 - Review: The Acacia Strain - It Comes in Waves 01:25:00 - Outro: What we're listening to next

#DistortedEntertainment #MetalPodcast #TheAcaciaStrain #PeterFox #ToolBand #GhostBand #SleepToken #GeneSimmons #MusicNews #Podcast

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Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

In this episode we talk about Garbology by Aesop Rock, and In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns by Abigail Williams!

We also go over Wacky Prog Albums, The best Albums of this year so far, the death of Shifty Shellshock, life updates, and much more!

Next Episodes Album Choices:
M to E: Stadtaffe  by Peter Fox

E to M: It Comes In Waves by The Acacia Strain

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
https://www.facebook.com/PerceivePersist/

Socials/Contact:
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoF9b1r3_eZT4rZyMRrCeYg
Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

A NEW CHALLENGER APPROACHES:
We have our first Guest episode! RacingWithMitchell (also known as Mitchell Meyer or Alphastep), a popular car TikToker, YouTube Shorts Youtuber, and former Ethan Carpenter Roommate, joins us for our brand of Music Discussion and humorous discourse (of course).

In this episode we talk about Council of the Dead by Ice Nine Kills, Nightbringers  by The Black Dahlia Murder, The Silver Scream by Ice Nine Kills, and The Way of All Flesh by Gojira!

We also go over Different types of metal subgenres, a murderous former WWE Superstar, Slipknot's Clown's take on Joey Jordison, and much more.

RacingWithMitchell's Socials:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvpg9hIfQBOokx2PCbL8MA
https://www.tiktok.com/@racing_with_mitchell
https://www.instagram.com/racing_with_mitchell/

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Socials/Contact:
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/DistEntPod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@distentpod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoF9b1r3_eZT4rZyMRrCeYg
Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

Ever wonder what happens when metalheads and gaming geeks collide? You get a laugh-filled, headbanging episode of Distortion Entertainment with me, Ethan Carpenter, and my ever-entertaining co-pilot, Mitchell Wade. We forgot the clap sync, but who needs perfect timing when you've got a show bursting with the controversial sampling antics of Kanye West, musings over my ever coming 'skullet', and an impassioned debate about the shifting soundscapes of Indiana's Carrion Vael and Canada's Anciients.

Strap in as we tear apart the industry's latest metal music news and take a trip down memory lane with the return of All Shall Perish. We're also stirring the pot with some frank talk about the unexpected departure of band members and the ripple effect on groups like Insomnium. And for the gamers out there, we're diving headfirst into the latest gaming sagas, from my WWE game anticipation to the satirical splendor of Helldivers 2. Plus, we're not shying away from the Marvel universe—chewing over Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine and the eyebrow-raising cast of the new Fantastic Four.

To cap off this auditory adventure, we're serving up a hefty dose of candor as we dissect a yet another questionable Loudwire Listicle. We're calling out the rankings and prepping our ears for the next episode: going over Aesop Rock's 'Garbology' and Abigail Williams' 'In The Shadow of A Thousand Suns', promising to deliver reviews you won't want to miss. It's a rollercoaster of discourse here, and you're invited to ride shotgun as we navigate the twists and turns of metal, gaming, and the ever-surprising world of podcasts.

We're trying out something different for Descriptions and Titles, so bear with us :)

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoF9b1r3_eZT4rZyMRrCeYg
Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

In this episode we talk about Night Is The New Day by Katatonia, and Monument of the End by Soreption!

We also go over Hologram Kiss, The Top Video Games of Certain Genres, Loudwire's Top 50 Metal Albums of All Time, and much more!

Next Episodes Album Choices:
M to E: Voice of the Void  by Anciients

E to M: Abhorrent Obsessions by Carrion Vael

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
https://www.facebook.com/PerceivePersist/

Socials/Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DistEntPod
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DistEntPod
[email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
https://www.facebook.com/PerceivePersist/

Socials/Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DistEntPod
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DistEntPod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@distentpod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoF9b1r3_eZT4rZyMRrCeYg
Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

What record did you prefer? Have something to tell Mitch and Ethan? Message here!

In this episode, we discuss Phanerozoic I: Paleozoic by The Ocean and Alliegence by As Blood Runs Black!

We also talk about the most controversial songs from the year we were born, Rolling Stones Top 250 Guitarists of All Time, and more!


Next Episodes Album Choices:
M to E: Night Is The New Day  by Katatonia

E to M: Monument of the End by Soreption

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
https://www.facebook.com/PerceivePersist/

Socials/Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DistEntPod
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/DistEntPod
[email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/

Support the show

Intro Song: "Center of Gravity" by Perceive//Persist (Ft. Bradley Ditton)
https://www.facebook.com/PerceivePersist/

Socials/Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DistEntPod
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DistEntPod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@distentpod
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoF9b1r3_eZT4rZyMRrCeYg
Email: [email protected]

Ethan:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfkrwill/?hl=en
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wasd_gamecom

Mitch:
https://www.instagram.com/metalviolinist_etherealsolace/