On this episode of Matt Talks Media, we’re cracking open a three-part deep dive into the weird corners of media history, design culture, and underground music.

First, Steven Doughty takes us back to the legendary format war that divided living rooms everywhere: JVC’s V/H/S vs. Sony’s Betamax. We dig into what the fight was really about (tech, timing, marketing, and consumer habits), and how this battle shaped the way people interacted with media at home for decades.

Next, Dr. Nolan Meditz steps up to the bar and delivers a surprisingly fascinating history of the beer can, then dives headfirst into the world of craft beer can design. From branding aesthetics to visual storytelling, we explore how cans became tiny metal billboards, and why craft breweries treat packaging like art.

Finally, Dr. Matt Dorr closes things out with a spotlight on The Unblack Archive: a fascinating database dedicated to Christian extreme metal artists. We talk about what “unblack metal” is, why it matters, and how scenes like this complicate the easy assumptions people tend to make about genre, ideology, and community.

🎧 Music featured in this episode:

• Oak of Weeping – “Job 3: Job Curses the Day He Was Born” ⁠https://oakofweeping.bandcamp.com/track/job-3-job-curses-the-day-he-was-born⁠
• Alaretin – “Psalm 66: How Awesome Is He” ⁠https://alaretin.bandcamp.com/track/psalm-66-how-awesome-is-he-alaretin⁠
• Majesty – Exaltation I-IV ⁠https://majestyofficial.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-i-iv⁠

If you like media archaeology, design nerdery, and extreme music rabbit-holes, this one’s for you.