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6 years in between album releases can be a lifetime for any band, but for frontman Ian Forsythe of Bay-area-based progressive metal outfit Cyborg Octopus, there is a momentum swing that carries over. From lineup changes to life changes - the newest and 2nd album from Cyborg Octopus, titled “Between The Light And Air” is the perfect embodiment of everything Ian and his bandmates have been through in these last few years, while adding on a worldwide pandemic into the recipe. It could've been an easy choice to call it quits after their debut, but Ian and company stayed the course, and this refreshing new chapter entails the energies between people while affecting yourself and others. Talking about the subject matter is one thing, but translating it into the music is a completely different and unique realm that the band achieves on this exciting record. A hero's journey is the bulk of what this album is telling, and the creativity has definitely shown its true form from Ian and his bandmates. In one aspect, this album can be seen as the 2nd debut from Cyborg Octopus, in another, it's the perfect follow-up to the first record. Giving the heavy metal genre something new and creative to take on, and boy, have they ever mastered that art. Tune in now to our conversation with Ian, and be sure to buy and stream “Between The Light And Air.” due out August 26 via Silent Pendulum Records.

Stay connected with Cyborg Octopus, visit: https://cyborgoctopusband.com/, https://www.facebook.com/CyborgOctopus/ and https://www.instagram.com/CyborgOctopusBand/

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Crank it up. Way up. The hardcore times of Stick To Your Guns lives on with their highly-anticipated 7th studio album “Spectre.” Frontman Jesse Barnett is our humble guest as he dives into the influences and songwriting that have shaped this monster of a record into arguably the band's best work to date. It's also been the longest time frame in between album releases (2017), and Jesse and his crew are more than ready to unleash this newest chapter of STYG. He has come a long way since 2003, and now looking back on the band's 20 years of existence, it's hard to believe that much time has passed by – at the same time Jesse has learned much about himself and the growth he has taken in over the years. We also ask him about the work and dedication he put into his community with All Power Books, which is an independent bookstore Jesse opened, including his record label titled Other People Records. It's been a busy life, but a thankful one, and it's all translated into “Spectre,” which is full of all the signatures that make Stick To Your Guns stand out in not just the hardcore realm, but heavy metal in general. There are challenges in keeping things going after 2 decades, and that serves as an example to that drive which Jesse has put into this fan favorite quintet hailing from the OC. Did we mention to crank it up? Because Jesse also gets on the Hot Seat in this episode, putting his knowledge to the test in recalling his own lyrics. Tune in now and be sure to buy and stream Stick To Your Guns' “Spectre,” out now worldwide via Pure Noise Records. And last but not least, you can contribute towards Jesse's independent bookstore, All Power Books. Links are below for more info.

Stay connected with Stick To Your Guns, visit: https://www.sticktoyourguns.net/, https://www.facebook.com/STYGoc and https://www.instagram.com/stygoc/

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Brotherhood, but make it death metal. We welcome drummer Max Kolesne of the mighty Brazil-based death trio, Krisiun, onto IUF. As a kid, Max and his brothers, Moyses and Alex, have had unmatched chemistry that has lasted over 3 decades. The three have formed one of heavy metal's most appreciated death metal outfits, dropping a dozen albums and playing some of the biggest music festivals in that timespan. The newest offering, and also being their 12th album, “Mortem Solis,” continue to show the metal realm how heavy their punch still feels after all these years. Maybe their best swing yet. Max talks about the production behind “Mortem Solis,” and how certain themes, collaborative songwriting, and life experiences in their home country shaped the message being conveyed into this headbanger of a record. Tune in now to our conversation with Max, and discover how Krisiun continue to build their legacy as brothers. Be sure to buy and stream “Mortem Solis,” out now worldwide via Century Media Records.

Stay connected with Krisiun, visit: http://www.krisiun.com.br/, https://www.facebook.com/krisiun.official and https://www.instagram.com/krisiun/

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Noya. Doicha. Harta. Roughly translated into “New German Hardness.” The perfect description for our current guest. When you combine elements of industrial metal with metallic post-hardcore and alternative – it can be quite the mix when executed to perfection. Enter Berlin-based metalcore outfit The Oklahoma Kid, now fresh off their vicious sophomore effort “Tangerine Tragic,” guitarist Andreas Reinhard joins Sonny on the IUF podcast to talk about the production processes behind one of metalcore's greatest kept secrets. The band may be 8 years into existence, and Andreas may also be the newest member to join in on the fun, but the maturity in the band's sound and chemistry with a growing fanbase serves as the perfect starting point for this talented quintet. Andreas could not have asked for a better situation to be in, and he's here to stay for it all as he has found his groove with TOK. They have toured with the likes of Stick To Your Guns, Carnifex, and Hatebreed – and as their resume grows, so do their humble attitudes. Andreas is ready to take the next step with The Oklahoma Kid, and it's an entrance into the metalcore scene that will have many heads turned in their direction. And lastly, it's not every day you get to interview The Oklahoma Kid while...IN OKLAHOMA. Listen in and you'll get the kick. “Tangerine Tragic” is full of all the heaviness and melody that promises to be a strong effort as one of the top records of the year. A fun conversation in store here, so be sure to buy and stream the new album “Tangerine Tragic,” out now worldwide via Arising Empire.

Stay connected with The Oklahoma Kid, visit: https://arising-empire.com/artists/the-oklahoma-kid, https://www.facebook.com/theoklahomakidofficial and https://www.instagram.com/theoklahomakidband/

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The WASTE is back – and better than ever. All the thrash any metal fan can ever ask for; the mighty Virginia-based band Municipal Waste have dropped their highly-anticipated album “Electrified Brain,”and the reception has been nothing short of, well, electrifying. We are joined by guitarist Ryan Waste as he takes us through not only the band's journey, but his own. Reflecting on over 2 decades of touring, thrash, and partying is something worth noting. Alongside 7 albums throughout their timespan, Municipal Waste have also developed a growing relationship with revered heavy metal label, Nuclear Blast Records, and the recent resigning serves as a great example of trust. “Electrified Brain” is worth the 5 year wait, and a good portion of it deals with Ryan's influences within the film industry. Having a passion for the horror genre has certainly made its mark in this record, most notably in the music videos – Ryan dives right into the production processes that took place for the title track on this record, including a few more tricks up his sleeve of talent within being a film director. Tune in now and be sure to buy and stream “Electrified Brain,” an album-of-the-year contender from Municipal Waste, out now worldwide via Nuclear Blast Records.

Stay connected with Municipal Waste, visit: https://www.municipalwaste.net/, https://www.facebook.com/Municipalwaste/ and https://www.instagram.com/municipalwaste/

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Be Dope. Be Ultra. We recently welcomed back frontman Mike Sugars from metallic hardcore band Vatican onto IUF – and the beat goes on for him. In this jam-packed episode, we talk about the excitement of having a new album drop in the middle of a touring cycle, his music journey before joining the band, and the support from his talented wife, who is also a music artist of her own, named Iris. Plenty of influences range throughout Mike's life, and he takes this moment to appreciate the important things along the way that landed him the most exciting gig so far. Vatican's new album, “Ultra” is a testament to all of the hard work that Mike and his bandmates have put in, and the result is one of the years more jawbreaking metallic hardcore albums of 2022. Mike also talks about the revival of hardcore music in contemporary times, and how the wave of the new and old school fans are coming together to push the scene forward and higher than ever before. Be Dope. Be Ultra. Vatican are here for all of it, tune in now to a dope interview with a dope artist in Mike Sugars – and be sure to buy and stream “Ultra,” out now worldwide via UNFD (also dope).

Stay connected with Vatican, visit: https://vaticanvr.com/, https://www.facebook.com/vaticanvr/ and https://www.instagram.com/vatican.vr/

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25 years into existence for the death metal band Origin, and they refuse to let up the brutality. In fact, here we have a band aging like fine wine. We are joined by guitarist Paul Ryan in this episode, and being from Kansas isn't something you hear every day on where this all started for a band like Origin, yet here they are. The 8th and newest album, “Chaosmos,” seems to culminate everything Origin has released from the previous 7 into one chaotic offering. The album title fits in this case, get it? Paul talks about the production processes that went behind one of the more “technically” death metal albums of 2022, including his love for the food in his home state of Kansas. Finally, touring and live music is a big part of Origin's arsenal, and Paul talks about his appreciation for getting back on the road again after so long. Plenty to unpack on this episode, tune in and be sure to buy and stream “Chaosmos,” out now worldwide via Nuclear Blast Records.

Stay connected with Origin, visit: https://www.originofficial.com/, https://www.instagram.com/originband/ and https://www.facebook.com/Origin

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Frontwoman Maria Lessing from Berlin-based post-hardcore outfit Future Palace joins IUF for one of the more entertaining episodes you will ever hear. She's an artist full of vision, themes, and musicianship which all have pushed the band forward to where they are today. Combining her talents with bandmates Manuel and Johannes, the trio has created something enthralling within the metal community. Enter “Run,” their highly-anticipated 2nd studio album that's full of the horror themes and atmospheric elements that give this record a massive boost – Both in sound and lyricism. Maria also dives right into the sketches that she's created when it comes to the music videos leading up to the release of the new album, and it's an exciting topic you will not want to miss. One neat part about Maria's songwriting within her albums is that she pulls it from real-life experiences. Future Palace's debut record, “Escape,” dealt with her relationships on escaping that predicament; On “Run,” it speaks about the aftermath after escaping those said relationships. Telling a story is one thing, but evolving the storyline with a character that she's created from her experiences is another form of art. “Run” is melodic as it is heavy, and the balance could not be more of a perfect combination. An album-of-the-year contender is in store here for this rising German-based band, tune in now to our conversation with Maria, and be sure to buy and stream Future Palace's new album, “Run,” out now worldwide via Arising Empire.

Stay connected with Future Palace, visit: https://future-palace.com/, https://www.facebook.com/futurepalace/ and https://www.instagram.com/futurepalaceofficial/

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We welcome a prolific artist from behind the drum kit who's been at this for over 20 years, artist Ali Richardson from Scotland-based heavy metal band Bleed From Within. Being the drummer and the band manager can be a tough gig, but Ali has remained headstrong throughout his career and it has paid dividends for himself and his bandmates. Whether it's with BFW or Sylosis, Ali has quickly cemented himself as one of the more diverse drummers in the genre. We also speak with him about the new album “Shrine,” and how this 6th album from these melodic death metallers serves as a representation of everything they've been through to stand where they are today. Staying true to their genre can be a tricky thing, but Bleed From Within have not only done that, but have also evolved sonically as they continue to build their fanbase. Their last album, “Fracture,” was released during the pandemic year of 2020, and was a huge success; Now with a new album in their hands, getting the opportunity to present this two-headed monster in the live setting is something that Ali is thankful for. Turn up the volume, because there's plenty of headbanging to around as Bleed From Within are set to take on the world by storm with mosh pits and cheers – and tune in to our interview with Ali Richardson and be sure to buy and stream the new album “Shrine,” out now worldwide via Nuclear Blast Records.

Stay connected with Bleed From Within, visit: https://www.bleedfromwithin.com/, https://www.facebook.com/bleedfromwithinband and https://www.instagram.com/bleedfromwithin/

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When it comes to themes, messages, songwriting, and cinema-inspired music videos – Jacob Charlton is your guy. The frontman of Australia-based band Thornhill is all-in as he talks to IUF about the millions of ideas manifesting in his head that have been translated into the music. Deriving influences from other notable worldwide front leads such as Elvis, Justin Timberlake, and Gwen Stefani – Jacob has all the tools of the trade from a wide range of genres. Now combining it with the sound of metalcore, it goes to show that no one is doing it the way Thornhill is doing it. Jacob talks about the production processes that went behind the newest album “Heroine.” Within the band's sound, Thornhill will remind fans of Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, and Red Hot Chili Peppers – only to show there is no limit to their reach of genre bending. It's one thing to sing a song, it's another to perform alongside the singing, and Jacob is dedicated to this art form. Many Australian acts have made names for themselves within the heavy metal realm such as Northlane, Thy Art Is Murder, and Make Them Suffer, now it's time to open the gates for Thornhill, so be sure to catch them in a live setting coming soon to a stage near you. And lastly, tune in to our conversation with Jacob now and be sure to buy and stream the new album from Thornhill, titled “Heroine,” out now worldwide via UNFD.

Stay connected with Thornhill, visit: https://www.instagram.com/thornhillmelb/, https://www.facebook.com/thornhillmelb and https://unfdcentral.com/artists/thornhill/

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