Possessed emerged from the Bay Area metal underground in the early 1980s and quickly became one of the defining bands in the first wave of death metal. After early demos and a growing local reputation, the band released Seven Churches in 1985, a record widely recognized for helping shape the sound and language of the genre. They followed it with Beyond the Gates in 1986 and The Eyes of Horror in 1987 before the original run came to an end that same year.

Jeff Becerra’s story is inseparable from that legacy. After the band’s breakup and the shooting that left him paralyzed in 1989, Possessed remained an influential name in extreme metal, even during long periods of inactivity. When Becerra brought the band back in the 2000s, it marked the beginning of a new chapter that eventually led to Revelations of Oblivion in 2019, the first full-length Possessed album in more than three decades.

This interview picks up from there, looking both backward and forward. It focuses on Becerra’s friendship with Chuck Schuldiner, a relationship he has described in direct and personal terms, and on the current state of Possessed as he continues writing material for a new album. Together, those subjects frame a conversation about history, memory, and the next phase of one of death metal’s foundational bands.

Mortiis, the project of Norwegian musician Håvard Ellefsen, began in 1993 after his departure from Emperor, where he had been the band’s original bassist. From the start, Mortiis developed as a separate creative outlet, first centered on atmospheric, synth-based compositions that stood apart from the black metal scene he came out of. In the years that followed, the project expanded in both sound and form, moving through distinct phases that introduced darker electronic, industrial, and rock influences.

That progression has made Mortiis a career defined by change, with each period reflecting a different approach to mood, structure, and composition. Looking back across those shifts offers a way to talk not only about the development of the project, but also about the writing behind it: how ideas take shape, how methods evolve, and what connects the work across different eras. With that in mind, this interview turns to his career and songwriting process, and to the way his music has changed over time.

* **0:19** – Introduction of Paul Mazurkiewicz and his projects.

* **1:12** – Discussion on the origins of Paul's rock band, Umbilicus.

* **2:34** – Early projects: Path of Man and the search for a 70s-style rock singer.

* **6:15** – Reforming during the pandemic and starting fresh with new members.

* **10:30** – Details on the Umbilicus EP, *Ambiguous*.

* **12:11** – Paul's role as a drummer vs. his history with songwriting and guitar.

* **16:05** – Writing the Cannibal Corpse song "Destroyed Without a Trace" entirely on drums.

* **18:11** – Paul's first instrument: Learning guitar on an acoustic before switching to drums.

* **25:28** – The evolution of Paul's drumming style over 40 years.

* **31:30** – Why "Hammer Smashed Face" is the epitome of the Cannibal Corpse sound.

* **33:01** – The challenge of creating setlists with such a massive discography.

* **40:00** – Staying physically fit for extreme metal drumming as he gets older.

* **49:09** – Looking ahead to upcoming Slayer shows and the future of Cannibal Corpse.

Miljenko Matijevic joins the show for a one-on-one conversation about “Without You,” and his work with Niclas Engelin, the new collaborative album that’s on the way, his voice, and the realities of today’s music business. Best known as the founder and voice of Steelheart, Matijevic reflects on the songwriting, the performance side of singing, and how he approaches recording and longevity as a rock vocalist.

The interview also looks back at Steelheart’s history, from the band’s beginnings in Connecticut under the name Red Alert to their breakout with the 1990 debut Steelheart, followed by Tangled in Reins, the 1992 onstage accident that changed everything, and the later return of the band through new releases and touring. It’s a focused conversation with one of hard rock’s most distinctive singers about past chapters, current work, and the new album coming with Niclas Engelin.

Stephen Gibb, often known as Steve Gibb, is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter with a career rooted in hard rock and heavy metal. Born in London in 1973 and raised in Miami, he is the eldest son of Barry Gibb. Although he comes from a famous musical family, Stephen developed his own identity by pursuing a much heavier sound than the pop style long associated with the Bee Gees.

Throughout his career, Gibb has performed with several well-known rock and metal acts, including Black Label Society, Crowbar, Kingdom of Sorrow, and Saigon Kick. He has earned respect as a skilled and adaptable musician, contributing both onstage and in the studio. His work reflects a strong commitment to the rock and metal genres, where he has built a reputation based on musicianship rather than family connections.

In addition to his metal career, Gibb has also collaborated extensively with his father in The Barry Gibb Band, adding guitar, vocals, and songwriting support. This side of his career highlights his versatility and ability to move between very different musical styles. Stephen Gibb’s path is notable because he has managed to honor his family’s musical legacy while establishing himself as a credible artist in his own right.

alor Kand is a musician known for his work with Christian Death, where he became a central creative figure as a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. His presence helped define the band’s identity for decades, and he became closely associated with its intense sound, theatrical style, and confrontational themes. In addition to performing, he played a major role in shaping the group’s direction and keeping it active across multiple eras.

As an artist, Kand brought a forceful and dramatic approach to Christian Death’s music. His work often emphasized heavy guitars, dark atmosphere, and lyrics that drew on religion, power, violence, and social tension. The result was a sound that felt severe and deliberate, combining gothic imagery with a harder musical edge. His style gave the band a sense of scale and intensity that remained a consistent part of its character.

Beyond individual albums or performances, Valor Kand’s significance lies in the way he sustained Christian Death as an ongoing artistic project. He was not simply a performer within the group but one of its main drivers, responsible for much of its continuity, image, and output over time. His name remains tied to the band because of that long-term creative leadership and the strong imprint he left on its music.

* **00:00** - Intro and Welcome

* **00:35** - Meet Hardip (Lead Guitar) and Ben (Vocals)

* **00:57** - Band History and First Releases

* **02:22** - The Bond Between Band Members

* **04:13** - Influences and Finding Their Sound

* **06:58** - Playing Alongside Different Genres

* **10:37** - Working with Tony (VENOM INC ) on the New Album

* **15:15** - Album Release Details

* **17:42** - Upcoming Shows and Bloodstock Festival

* **21:28** - Advice for Young Bands and the Reality of Touring

* **23:39** - The Importance of Playing Live

* **28:44** - Outro and Farewell

!Jesse Hughes has described Eagles of Death Metal as a creative partnership built with Josh Homme from the start, and in interviews he has spoken openly about how closely they write together. Hughes said he and Homme write the songs together, while also calling Homme his best friend and praising the chance to work in a Joshua Homme production session.

On the gear side, Hughes’ documented live setup is very specific: he has used custom Maton guitars, including an MS500 with lightning-bolt styling and hotter-wound humbuckers, and paired them with Orange amps onstage. A recorded rig rundown says he used both an Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII and an Orange Dual Dark 50, with Hughes explaining that placing amps on both sides of the drummer helped create a stereo sound live; the same feature also noted that he recorded direct with a vintage Mosrite Fuzzrite and an original Orange Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz.

* **00:00** – Introduction and welcome to Dave Rude from Tesla

* **00:22** – Discussing the new album and the "economy of albums" in rock today

* **01:28** – Why Tesla chooses to release singles versus full albums

* **02:17** – How the new covers record came together "by accident"

* **03:03** – Exploring the vocal-focused direction of the new album

* **04:48** – Balancing original sound with the essence of cover songs

* **06:03** – Upcoming tour details with Mötley Crüe and Extreme

* **07:44** – The experience of headlining versus playing larger package tours

* **11:13** – Rehearsing for the tour and updating the stage production

* **13:16** – Why classic bands feel the need to play the "hits"

* **15:56** – The challenge of making new music feel "classic" in the streaming era

* **19:09** – Dave Rude’s solo projects and performing on the Monsters of Rock Cruise

* **23:32** – Recording guitar parts in hotel rooms and dressing rooms on the road

* **28:24** – Closing remarks and tour dates summary

Paul Booth is an American tattoo artist and multidisciplinary dark surrealist from Boonton, New Jersey, whose career has spanned nearly four decades. After beginning his tattoo journey in the late 1980s through an apprenticeship in New Jersey, he developed a signature black-and-gray style centered on macabre, psychological, and surreal imagery. Rather than follow standard flash trends, Booth built his name through large custom pieces that explored horror, religion, trauma, and the darker side of human nature.

By the 1990s and 2000s, Booth had become one of the most influential names in tattooing, especially within metal and alternative culture. His work attracted high-profile musicians and performers, while his broader practice expanded into painting, sculpture, film, and music. He also earned recognition beyond tattoo culture, helping push tattooing toward wider acceptance as a serious art form.

A major part of Booth’s legacy is the world he built around Last Rites in New York, an immersive tattoo and gallery space that became iconic in dark art culture. In 2000 he co-founded the Art Fusion Experiment, bringing tattooers and fine artists together in collaborative work. His fine art later reached international exhibitions, including a solo show at the H.R. Giger Museum in 2011 and a major museum exhibition in Paris in 2014–2015. Although Last Rites closed in 2020 during the pandemic, Booth remains a defining figure in the crossover between tattooing, outsider art, and dark contemporary art