Interview Under Fire Podcast

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Resiliency. It's in his DNA. The talented and humble frontman Blake Bedsaul from Iowa-based heavy metal band Saul joins the IUF roster in this episode. Before unleashing their debut record titled “Rise As Equals” on October 23rd – Blake talks about the struggles and growth for him and his bandmates , including his brother Zach who plays guitar. The bond that he, Zach, and the rest of the band have developed is an inspiration that can be chained into the band's core forever. Blake talks about the collaborations with David Draiman (Disturbed), Morgan Rose (Sevendust), and acclaimed songwriter Erik Ron (Godsmack, Like Moths To Flames) that helped pave the way to create such an incredible and powerful album. Blake has lost plenty in his life, but as he continues to climb to the mountaintop despite all of lifes trials and tribulations – It's the feeling of being grateful for this opportunity to present to his fans and the world of heavy metal the sound of Saul. They are coming into the music scene having taken every punch, and are here to stay with a counter-swing of their own. Listen in now and make sure to buy/stream Saul's debut studio album “Rise As Equals” set to release October 23rd on Spinefarm Records.

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We welcome singer/frontman Joe Cotela from Arizona heavy metal band, DED. After dropping their first studio album called “Mis-An-Thrope” and few heavy hitting standalone singles like “Parasite” that gained them well deserved global recognition, it was fuel to their fire as they finished up the process on their new sophomore effort getting ready to release in the near future. Joe has fronted other bands like The Cover Up and Man Made Machine – but with DED, it's as if he has found his groove making his mark in metal music. Joe talks about the recent writing and recording processes which allowed him to grow even more as an individual and as a musician, as well as his many storied collaborations with other artists in the industry, including Maria Brink from In This Moment. He's made his impact early, and he will continue to do so tenfold as DED moves forward to making new music and bigger goals. Listen in now and make sure to pick up DED's latest EP “Mannequin Eyes” and their first studio album “Mis-An-Thrope” out now on Suretone Records. And be on the lookout for more new material DED has in store down the line in 2020 and beyond.

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From performing solo tours on VH1, Sonisphere, and Bloodstock – to collaborating with the likes of Gary Numan, Steve Strange, and David Prowse, diverse music artist Jayce Lewis has been the jack of all trades throughout his highlighted career. And now, all of his experience brings him into the centerfold of the dark and ambient, industrial rock band Ascension Of The Watchers. Joining forces with Burton Bell and John Bechdel has them primed for a decade in the making of their 3rd studio album “Apocrypha”. Jayce talks about his relationships with the two bandmates and the recording producing process which he took over on the helm. Everything lined up perfectly to engineer their most unique and innovative release to date. Listen in now as Jayce illustrates his journey from where he started to where he is now which pushed him to the limit that elevated him into a better person, friend, and musician. Ascension Of The Watchers long awaited 3rd studio album “Apocrypha” drops October 9th on Dissonance Records.

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Determination. Hard work. Fate. Sometimes you gotta hit all three to get to your goals. This is where the mental hurdle of being grateful for having the position you are in means a big deal. Guitarist Marc Motley from California's mathcore outfit The Arson Choir is no stranger to that. Having been in the industry for over a decade, it feels as if he has finally got the right people around him to make the next step. The Arson Choir's 2nd EP titled “Invisible Monsters”, didn't come easy. It took a chance at life by meeting the label that signed them and having a new frontman to make the bigger positive impact on the band – sonically and artistically. Marc dives into all of his upbringings, connections, and aspirations that helped him continue on the path he is on now. As he plans to keep writing new music, he speaks about those said individuals that helped in the making of the new EP. It's by no accident that respected outlets like Revolver and Metal Injection have covered them, listen in now as Marc tells it all and then some. The Arson Choir's brand new EP “Invisible Monsters” drops October 2nd on War Against Records.

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Horror. Hauntings. The Supernatural. Oh my. IUF podcast welcomes the talented Dutch musician Ardek from symphonic black metal band Carach Angren. Considering the fact that he and his bandmate Seregor wear makeup and have the horror and thematic elements on stage – Ardek goes into the presentations of how it feels as if they are taking on a different role when playing live, and why that is an important part of who Carach Angren is. Before their release of their newest album from this past summer, Ardek talks about where his own influences came from and at the same time he describes this vivid dream he had one night which ended up being a catalyst on the new record. This is just tapping the surface, listen in now to the many other experiences Ardek dives into as he shares countless aspirations in his music. Buy/stream Carach Angren's newest record, “ Franckensteina Strataemontanus” out now on Season Of Mist Records.

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In this edition of Deep Cuts, we welcome in one of the more experienced tour managers and merch staff from the world of live music – Chad Topor. Growing up in the city of Worcester, MA – Chad played in bands and attended his local live shows before joining in on the work behind the scenes himself. From spending time at small production companies and running small to mid sized events that involved campaigns like Miss America Pageants and 5Ks – to building road cases and working in music venues, Chad has applied all of these learning skills for the road now and ahead. Tour managing is never easy, but there is a rewarding part of this job that keeps Chad going while building his reputation in the music industry. With the pandemic happening and live music temporarily on hold, Chad talks about what he has been doing to keep busy until things open back up again. He has toured with many bands that have made a staple name throughout the world, and it is by no accident that Chad is the one who managed them. Listen in now as he talks about his experiences with those bands and what his thoughts are going forward as the world of live music paves its way out of the pandemic hole.

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4 decades of making music and touring with multiple bands is easier said than done. John Bush has done that, and is still doing that. The frontman of Los Angeles' heavy metal quintet Armored Saint is getting ready to release their 8th studio album, “Punching The Sky”. John talks about the writing and production processes of working with familiar faces that help with getting the job done. Being away from the stage has become the norm as of late for many artists like him – and with performing in front of the fans coming to a temporary halt, John talks about the importance of staying proactive during challenging times and how giving the music to the fans is more important than ever. Armored Saint has been in the game for a long time, and being seasoned musicians as they have been, they will never stop creating what they love doing the most. Listen in to this episode now and make sure to buy/stream Armored Saint's newest album, “Punching The Sky”, releasing October 23rd on Metal Blade Records.

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Four albums in and it feels as if Chris Monroy is finally finding the stamp on the authentic sound of Skeletal Remains. The frontman of California's death metal quartet makes an appearance on IUF talking about all the hurdles and challenges they went through with their newest album, “The Entombment Of Chaos”. This is an album that was embedded in Chris's mind years ago, and over time it fleshed out into the final product of cutting edge, raw sounding, pure death metal you will hear today. We all know of the Metallicas and Slayers of the world coming from Cali, but the death metal sounds came much later and Skeletal Remains is dedicated to making their imprint on the underground out west and the rest of the world. Originally a side project, Chris found his passion on the sounds that gave him the edge he needed to bring his version of death metal to life, holding nothing back. From the classic ember-blazed death metal riffs, pummeling bass drives, and technical drum patterns sure to awaken the beast from within the darkest depths – Skeletal Remains showcases everything from the roots to modern sounds that are here to stay. Listen in to Chris Monroy's inspiration for this album and make sure to buy/stream “The Entombment Of Chaos” set to unleash September 11th on Century Media Records.

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We welcome Marc Lopes, frontman/vocalist of heavy metal band Let Us Prey from Boston, MA. Their debut album “Virtues Of The Vicious” went through many different obstacles before it got the chance to see the light of day. Before forming the band, Marc's relationships throughout the metal community have grown and being involved with many other different acts such as Ross The Boss, Meliah Rage, Hellspeak and more have contributed to the musical growth he experienced. Collaborating with other staple musicians such as Jonathan Donais, Jimi Bell, “Metal” Mike Chlasciak, and the late Oli Herbert was a big part to the overall sound of this album – and Marc goes into his own influences that helped Let Us Prey achieve the tone they wanted. It was a long first chapter for Marc and his new crew, but it's the first of many to come in this hard working career he has unleashed. Listen in now as Marc goes into everything that accumulated into where he and the band is today and make sure to buy/stream Let Us Prey's debut album “Virtues Of The Vicious” out now on M-Theory Audio.

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Changing things up after 20 years is easier said than done. Brazilian artist Cristian Machado has done just that. We got the opportunity to talk with the former Ill Nino frontman about the reformation in the sound of his musicianship. He is releasing his first debut solo album titled “Hollywood y Sycamore” due out September 25th on Coconut Bay/Chesky Records – but not without life's hardest struggles to strengthen him along the way. For the longtime fan, we are used to the guttural screams and screeching guitars that defined Cristian's work with the nu-metal outfit Ill Nino. But now, it is almost as if the final wall he never knew was there in the first place has finally come down, which allowed Cristian to tap into a whole new dimension of who he is as an artist and a human being. Cristian describes his hard yet rewarding journey that gave him the tools he needed to produce such a personal and powerful record, and one that he is very proud and humble for. Listen into this episode now and make sure to buy/stream “Hollywood y Sycamore” out September 25th on Coconut Bay/Chesky Records.