This week on Into The Necrosphere, I'm joined by Adam Gregory, Festival Director of Bloodstock Open Air, for an in-depth conversation about the past, present and future of the UK's biggest independent metal festival.

We discuss the challenge of finding the next generation of festival headliners, Bloodstock's remarkable growth, booking philosophy, the changing landscape of heavy music, and why Adam believes AI-generated bands have no place in metal. We also dive into fan expectations, social media criticism, the realities of running a major festival, and what it takes to keep Bloodstock thriving in an increasingly competitive market.

Then it's time for another edition of The Weekly News Rant, with the Reverend Karl Hikara returning to the co-host's chair. This week we round up the latest singles from Psycroptic, Fuming Mouth, Green Carnation, Abyssal Rift, Heretic Cult Redeemer and more for judgement, get our first horrifying taste of rent-a-slattern metallers Dogma, put simp culture in heavy metal firmly on blast, and reward made-up complaints about the YouTube algorithm with the Swirly of the Week. 

PLUS: Northumberland black metallers Unto Thee joins the pantheon of legends featured on the Unsanctioned Filth segment of the podcast, with their latest track, “We Were Fire.”

Featured Bands

Trivax: https://trivax.bandcamp.com/  

Unto Thee: https://untothee.bandcamp.com/  

W.A.S.P.:  https://www.waspnation.com/  

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week I’m joined by former Marduk bassist and legendary producer Magnus “Devo” Andersson for an in-depth conversation about his journey into recording and sound engineering, his years in Marduk, and life beyond one of black metal’s most greatest bands.

Then, Drugoth returns for the Weekly News Rant as we break down the latest singles from Samael, Behemoth, Cvinger and Hexbane. We also debate the merits of gatekeeping, count down our all-time favourite beatdowns, and, on this week’s Swirly of the Week, hand out multiple dunks down the Porcelain Bowl of Reckoning for black metal T-shirt bootleggers and anyone suffering conniptions over a romantic interest’s record collection.

PLUS: Lake Cheko, the new project from my guest, joins the ranks of the Unsanctioned Filth alumni with their crushing new single, “The Antikogol Trust Initiative.”

Featured Bands

Marduk: https://www.facebook.com/Mardukofficial 

Lake Cheko: https://www.youtube.com/@LakeCheko 

Ritual Death:  https://ritualdeath.bandcamp.com/ 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

If you'd like to catch the full episode, including my interview with Dødheimsgard mastermind Vicotnik, check out Episode 320.

On this edition of the Weekly News Rant, Sheriff Mike Scondotto returns to help me pass judgement on the latest singles from Archgoat, Hulder, Devourment, Faustian and Speedslut. Beyond the music, we discuss the state of modern metal crowds, "Banana-gate", and the hardcore bands that helped shape Mike's musical outlook.

Meanwhile, on my Swirly of the Week, I examine why publicly melting down over T-shirts worn by bands you don't like is a fast track to a date with the Porcelain Bowl of Reckoning.

Bands discussed:

Mortem

Archgoat

Hulder

Devourment

Faustian

Speedslut

Originally featured on Into The Necrosphere Episode 320.

This week I'm continuing my coverage from this year's Fortress Festival as I'm joined by the legendary Yusaf 'Vicotnik' Parvez of Dødheimsgard for a wide-ranging discussion.

We cover everything from the evolution of his creative process and the making of his recent masterpiece, Black Medium Current, to his reflections on growing older and whether there might be another Ved Buens Ende record somewhere down the road.

On the Weekly News Rant, Sheriff Mike Scondotto returns to help me pass judgement on the latest singles from Archgoat, Speedslut, Faustian, Hulder and Devourment. We also discuss his thoughts on modern crowds, "Banana-gate", the hardcore bands that inspired him and, on my Swirly of the Week, lengthy sobbing over T-shirts worn by bands you don't like merits a one-way ticket to the Porcelain Bowl of Reckoning.

PLUS: London's Vryxor basks in the glow of the Unsanctioned Filth spotlight with a sci-fi-inspired black metal odyssey in the form of their latest single, "Unsubmergeable".

Featured Bands

Dødheimsgard: https://www.facebook.com/DODHEIMSGARD  

Vryxor: https://vryxor.bandcamp.com/ 

Urgehal:  https://urgehal.bandcamp.com/ 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week I'm joined by Jason Mendonca, David Gray and Sam Loynes from Akercocke at the Fortress Forum, part of Fortress Festival 2026, to reflect on their seminal 2003 masterpiece, Choronzon. The band reveal lesser-known stories from the making of the album, discuss its enduring legacy, and share their thoughts on how both the metal scene and wider culture have changed since its release. I also ask about the possibility of new material, and the band takes questions from the audience.

On the Weekly News Rant, Dan Barkasi of No Clean Singing joins me to round up the latest singles from Psycroptic, Seven Chains, Flykt, Witches Hammer and more for judgment. Dan also shares his experience of Fortress Festival 2026 as we discuss our standout performances of the weekend and the bands we'd most like to see added to the line-up in 2027.

PLUS: Wyrdstaef unleash "Great Migrations", the first single from their forthcoming debut album, Primordial Bloodlines.

Featured Bands

Akercocke: https://akercocke.bandcamp.com/ 

Wyrdstaef: https://wyrdstaef.bandcamp.com/ 

Graveir:  https://graveircult.bandcamp.com/ 

Follow Dan Barkasi’s work at https://www.nocleansinging.com/ 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week Catherine and Hamish Glencross join me for a raucous, wide-ranging discussion featuring a deep dive into the making of the new Projections record by Godthrymm. We explore the evolution of the band’s sound across their three-album discography, Catherine’s increasingly prominent role on newer material, and the perks and pitfalls of balancing marriage, family and careers with life in a band. Along the way, Hamish also shares insights from his time with Vallenfyre and My Dying Bride — and I drop a huge announcement of my own.

Then it’s on to the Weekly News Rant, where I round up the latest singles from Verzauber, Chamber of Unlight, Left to Die, Witch Club Satan and more for judgment. I also share my list of must-see bands at this weekend’s Fortress Festival, talk about my favourite film scores, and plenty more besides.

PLUS: UK blackened death metal upstarts Leadbelcher deliver a “Premiere On The Sphere” with their latest single — while reanimating a fallen icon because you’re starved for attention and money earns a one-way trip to the porcelain bowl of reckoning for this week’s Swirly of the Week.

Featured Bands

Godthrymm: https://godthrymmdoom.bandcamp.com/ 

Leadbelcher: https://apocalypticwitchcraft.bandcamp.com/ 

Vallenfyre:  https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/a-fragile-king 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week I’m joined by Justin Greaves and Belinda Kordic to discuss the making of the latest Crippled Black Phoenix offering, Sceaduhelm. We dive deep into the album’s influences and the inspiration behind many of its tracks. Along the way, we also explore Justin and Belinda’s individual musical journeys — from Justin growing up around his father’s record store, which helped shape his remarkably broad musical palette, to Belinda’s evolution from extreme metal screamer into one of the most stirring and distinctive vocalists in heavy music today.

On the Weekly News Rant, Sheriff Mike Scondotto returns by popular demand to help round up the latest singles for judgment and mull over the metal issues of the day. We give our first impressions of new tracks by Anthrax, Madball, Forsmán and others, while also answering some of your questions.

PLUS: two servings of Unsanctioned Filth courtesy of Christbane with a track from their upcoming record, Antichrist, alongside the bleak death metal stylings of UK extremists Aeffect.

Featured Bands

Crippled Black Phoenix: https://crippledblackphoenixsom.bandcamp.com/  

Christbane: https://christbane.bandcamp.com/ 

Aeffect:  https://aeffect.bandcamp.com/ 

Danzig: https://danzigsingselvis.bandcamp.com/ 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

On this week’s episode of Into The Necrosphere, I welcome Gildas Le Pape of Via Doloris to the podcast for the first time to discuss the band’s blistering debut album, Guerre Et Paix.

We dive deep into the writing and creation of the record, including how Gildas linked up with the legendary Frost to perform drums on the album. We also discuss Gildas’ stint as guitarist for Satyricon, what he learned from the experience, and his musical pursuits outside of black metal.

Then, on the Weekly News Rant, the sinister minister himself, Karl Hikara, returns to help me round up the latest singles from Haemoth, Darkthrone, Frozen Soul, Enevelde and more for judgment. We also rank our favourite Satyricon albums, Karl delivers his own “bad metal take,” and we administer a well-earned tag-team swirly to a thoroughly deserving gaggle of online nitwits.

PLUS: another Premiere on the Sphere, courtesy of our friends at Apocalyptic Witchcraft, as Flowers Of Rust debut the first single from their upcoming release, Crude Exhibitions of the Soul.

Featured Bands

Via Doloris: https://viadoloris.bandcamp.com/ 

Flowers Of Rust: https://orcd.co/apw063 

Ars Goatia:  https://arsgoatia.bandcamp.com/ 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

Roman V — founder and creative force behind black metal outfit Bizarrekult — returns to Into The Necrosphere this week. We go deep on the creation and themes of the band’s new album, Alt Som Finnes, with Roman opening up about the personal struggles that shaped it, and how unexpected support from a scene legend helped bring it across the finish line. We also cover his experience performing at this year’s Inferno Festival in Oslo, and plenty more.

On the Weekly News Rant, fellow Horseman of the Podcasting Apocalypse Mike Scondotto joins me for an epic breakdown of the latest singles from Ride For Revenge, Lorn, Inferno, Arroganz and more. We also get into the recent layoffs at MetalSucks and Metal Injection — and what they signal about the state of metal media — before Mike drops a “bad metal take” that needs to be heard to be believed.

PLUS: Soothsayer premiere their latest single on the Sphere, Werewolves throw down the black metal gauntlet with Faustian, and a delusional rockstar wannabe earns a watery reckoning in my Swirly of the Week.

Featured Bands

Bizarrekult: https://bizarrekult.bandcamp.com/

Soothsayer: https://soothsayer.bandcamp.com/ 

Faustian:  https://apocalypticwitchcraft.bandcamp.com/ 

Morbid Angel:  https://morbid-angel.bandcamp.com/   

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

Steve Brogden of California thrash upstarts Nukem joins the podcast this week to dive into the band’s ferocious new record, The Grave Remains.

Beyond the music, Steve breaks down how he landed a dream job as a guitar tech for the legendary Gary Holt, and offers a candid, behind-the-curtain look at life on tour with high-profile bands.  We also talk about the lessons that the new generation can take from the old guard and talk about some of Steve’s favourite thrash albums and influences.

Featured Band:

Nukem - https://nukemthrash.bandcamp.com/ 

Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.