Metal Brainiac

Karl Sanders, founding guitarist/songwriter/vocal growl of Nile, talks about his continued lyrical explorations of Ancient Egypt, his draw to violence and why he spends so much time crafting complex stories when most of the lyrics are impossible to understand beneath the churn of death metal.

West German thrash mirrored what came out of America in the 1980s. The band Exumer was at the forefront, mimicking Slayer, Metallica and others. In this interview, vocalist Mem V. Stein talks about exhuming Exumer after its supposed death 25 years earlier and the worldview that colors the band's new slab of classic thrash, “The Raging Tides.”

Warbringer vocalist John Kevill expounds on the economic challenges in keeping his band together, makes a case for global awareness, gets critical of Axl Rose, Lars Ulrich and metalcore and calls out promoters and headlining bands who fleece newer bands and their fans.

At one time a progressive metal band, Intervals is now the solo operation of Toronto musician Aaron Marshall. In this exclusive conversation with Metal Brainiac host Matt Peiken, Marshall details why Intervals canned its vocalist and evolved into a solo identity during the creation of Intervals' new album, "The Shape of Colour."

We rewind cuts from our best interviews of 2015, including conversations with Marty Friedman, Alex Skolnick, Buzz Osborne of the Melvins and members of Queensryche, Armored Saint, Between the Buried and Me, Veil of Maya, The Agonist, Act of Defiance and Rivers of Nihil.

In our first shared episode, Bo Louther of Canadian metallers Odium talks about the impact of moving guitarist Andrew Fullerton behind the microphone. Myles Yang and Robert Edens of Native Construct talk about their path from small-town North Carolina to an opening slot on tour with Between the Buried and Me.

“Every Trick in the Book” is a concept album unlike anything else in metal—every song was inspired by a classic piece of literature. Ice Nine Kills vocalist Spencer Charnas dissects the album song by song.

Relatively unknown in the U.S., Fuck the Facts rank among Canada's most enduring and intriguing extreme metal artists. After many producing music through Relapse Records, Fuck the Facts were recently dropped by the label. Undaunted, the band from Ottawa, Ontario, has turned out its 10th studio album on its own, the brutal "Desire Will Rot."

Melanie Mongeon and Marc Bourgon, the vocalists of Fuck the Facts, talk with Metal Brainiac about the band's do-it-yourself path since their exit from Relapse and the lyrical dance of French and English within their music.

Fuck the Facts are beginning a 25-date U.S. tour on Nov. 19.

Hiran Deraniyagala, guitarist for the suburban Detroit thrash metallers Battlecross, talks about his band’s beginnings and brutal new album, "Rise to Power," and the cultural disconnects between metal and people of color.

First impressions don’t tell the whole story behind Chicago metalcore band Born of Osiris. In this interview, Ronnie Canizaro and Joe Buras reveal the varied influences and personal struggles feeding “Soul Sphere,” the band’s fourth, and navigating pressures from the band’s record label, Sumerian Records, to maintain their artistic vision.