Metal Empire Interviews

By RJ Bayley

Some of the most fun, interesting and in-depth interviews from the world of heavy metal.

Presented by RJ Bayley and featured on his Metal Nation Radio show Metal Empire, these aren't your usual dry, ... more

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FAQs about Metal Empire Interviews:

How many episodes does Metal Empire Interviews have?

The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.

Metal Empire Interviews episodes:

July 19, 2021 Simone Sim(m)ons from Epica: Indiana Jones & the Emerald Tablets
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.
No 30 week wait betwixt episodes this time. In this installment I'm in conversation with actual Simone Simons from actual Epica. Or is that Simmons?
Of course we chat about the latest album Omega, as well as her evolution as a singer, what makes her cringe to listen back to and her desires to make a movie soundtrack.
Thank you to Simone for being such a warm, fun and personable interviewee.
All material apart from music & station ident copyright RJ Bayley 2021.
Music used with kind permission with thanks & also under fair use policy for documentary/illustrative purposes.

Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley, Instagram robertjbayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Please leave a review on iTunes or where you found this.
Find my other podcast: Bayley's Bookshelf season 1: The War of the Worlds through my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/rjbayley
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/metalempire

Simone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimoneSimons

Simone on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonesimons/

Simone's blog: http://www.smoonstyle.com/

Epica website: https://www.epica.nl/

Epica on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5HA5aLY3jJV7eimXWkRBBp?si=s9iIU-GZRnukoYEdXznvIg&dl_branch=1

Epica on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epica

Epica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicaofficial/

Epica on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/epica
...more
1h 13min
June 25, 2021 Andi Deris from Helloween: This Shit Is On Fire
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.
Metal Empire Interviews is back, and what an absolute barn-stormer of an interview to resurrect it. A near hour of Helloween chat with the Andi Deris, lead singer of the iconic band since 1994's Master of the Rings.
Skip to 19:27 if you want to bypass all my waffling.
Thank you to Andi for being such a funny, warm, friendly, candid and talkative guest. I felt like I was Skyping an old friend.
All material apart from music & station ident copyright RJ Bayley 2021.
Music used with kind permission with thanks & also under fair use policy for documentary/illustrative purposes.

Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley, Instagram robertjbayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Please leave a review on iTunes or where you found this.
Find my other podcast: Bayley's Bookshelf season 1: The War of the Worlds through my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/rjbayley
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/metalempire

Helloween website: https://www.helloween.org/

Helloween on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4pQN0GB0fNEEOfQCaWotsY?si=7KfyjWWuRoi_dJmjxymxdg&dl_branch=1

Helloween on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helloweenofficial

Helloween on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helloweenofficial/

Helloween on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/helloweenorg
...more
1h 47min
November 25, 2020 Fabienne Erni from Illumishade: The More Cheesy the Better
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.
On this episode we're dipping back into the...pond... of time(?) to an interview that seems a lifetime ago, thanks to the intervening plague, but was in fast just earlier this year.
This is a conversation with Fabienne Erni of Illumishade and it's one I did before the Fatrick Bumbatrick style really solidified, so you might notice my staying slightly more on topic than these days. To be honest I cringed a bit listening back to it, but Fabienne was such a relentlessly happy and enthusiastic guest she carries the whole thing and you probably wouldn't notice if I hadn't told you, but I have now, and I haven't written all those words just to delete them. Stream of consciousness intros, stream of consciousness outros and now stream of consciousness show notes too, apparently.

All material apart from music & station ident copyright RJ Bayley 2020.
Music used with kind permission, thank you.

Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley, Instagram robertjbayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Please leave a review on iTunes or where you found this.
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/metalempire

Illumishade website: www.illumishade.ch

Illumisade merch: www.illumishade.ch/store

The Tribe Quiz: www.illumishade.ch/tribe-quiz

Illumishade on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Jjf1JZMQZeXyrZAfKEMcg?si=NWZ6tRR0Q1O_ylTH9OKlcg

Fabienne on Facebook: facebook.com/fabienneerniofficial

Illumishade on Facebook: facebook.com/illumishade

Fabienne on Instagram: instagram.com/fabienneerni/

Illumishade on Instagram: instagram.com/illumishade_official/
...more
58min
November 13, 2020 Wolf Hoffmann from Accept: Mum's Biscuits
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.

In an effort to mollify the furious public, here's the second Metal Empire Interviews podcast in as many days. See? Still knocking them out, those real life events were really real.

Here I had the pleasure of chatting with the founder & guitarist of metal titans Accept.

Among the topics we touch on are the meaning(less) of the band name, the additional unofficial member for the past decade, going meat free, getting their career backwards and biscuits.
Wolf is the kind of guy I'd love to hang out in the back garden with on a hot, starry Nashville night, chowing down on vegan BBQ and slurping alcohol free beer. Just really relaxed, warm, friendly and very easy to talk to. It's a great way to spend some time if you're looking to de-stress.

All material apart from music & station ident copyright RJ Bayley 2020.
Music used with kind permission, thank you.

Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley, Instagram robertjbayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Please leave a review on iTunes or where you found this.
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/metalempire

Accept website & merch: acceptworldwide.com

Accept on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3JDIAtVrJdQ7GFOX26LYpv?si=ZVipqIooQ7qfcFCjhdaNDQ

Wolf on Facebook: facebook.com/wolfhoffmannofficial

Accept Facebook: facebook.com/accepttheband

Accept's Twitter: @accepttheband

Wolf on Instagram: instagram.com/wolfhoffmann/

Accept on Instagram: instagram.com/acceptworldwide/
...more
1h 7min
November 12, 2020 Phil Pendergast from Khemmis: Pee Poo Pee Poo
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.

This is where it all started. This is where the fatrick bum batrick interview style commenced, quite unexpectedly. Phil Pendergast, singer and guitarist of Khemmis, was such an absolute joy to talk to, that I just let the 15 minute interview, turn into 20 minutes, then into 30 and then sod it, a full three quarters of an hour 45 minute monstrosity.

It was all so good I couldn't bear to cut any down, so the citizens of the Metal Empire had the full thing thrust upon them, and they loved it.

So, join Phil and I for a very delightful conversation about facial hair, developing a story with album art, the interplay between visuals and the genre, coffee table book goals, David Bowie and more.

All material apart from music & station ident copyright RJ Bayley 2020.
Music used with kind permission, thank you.

Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley, Instagram robertjbayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Please leave a review on iTunes or where you found this.
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/metalempire

Khemmis website & merch: khemmisdoom.com

Khemmis on Bandcamp: khemmis.bandcamp.com

Khemmis on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Dejhd4zYKEUm6q1FLr1ik?si=_FgiznNMTLWkjzkp_zQP8Q
Khemmis Facebook: www.facebook.com/khemmisdoom/

Khemmis' Twitter: @khemmisdoom

Khemmis on Instagram: www.instagram.com/khemmisdoom/
...more
1h 25min
October 15, 2020 Monique Pym from Reliqa: The Name of Your Destiny
Frontwoman of progressive metal explorers Reliqa, Monique Pym, joins RJ for a chat about mispelled metal names, the definition of 'progressive' and the meaning of Mr. Magic.
...more
1h 15min
October 02, 2020 Elize & Olof from Amaranthe: DEATH WOOF
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.
Prepare for one of my favourite interviews ever, a satisfying 30 conversation with Elize Ryd (singer, songwriter) & Olof Mörck (guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter) of the genre breaking power-death-dance-electro-pop-metal pioneers
Amaranthe.

While discussing the concepts behind their new album Manifest, we also confidently and intransigently barrel off topic.

MARVEL as Olof and I discuss our mutual history of adopting of Romanian street dogs!

THRILL as we extoll the virtues of audiobooks in an age of busy lifestyles!

CRINGE at my paltry attempts at death growl vocals despite excellent, canine-based tuition from Elize!
Metal Empire is broadcast live on MetalNation.com/Radio, Wednesdays at 1300 GMT/0800 ET/1400 CET and repeated on Saturdays at 2300 GMT/1800PM ET and Midnight CET.

All material apart from music copyright RJ Bayley 2020.
Music used with kind permission, thank you.

Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/metalempire

Amaranthe website & merch: https://amaranthe.se/

The new album Manifest: https://open.spotify.com/album/0i8Xkm6i0Ej627KFK7GqJa?si=AeZHhW-yQ9uQR6IA_yjAfQ

Amaranthe Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmarantheBand

Elize Ryd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizerydofficial
(Olof doesn't have a public Facebook page, I'm not playing favourites here)

Amaranthe's Twitter: @AmarantheMetal

Olof's Twitter: @MorckOlof
(Elize doesn't etc, etc.)

Amaranthe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amarantheofficial/

Elize's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizeryd/

Olof's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olofmorck/
...more
47min
September 16, 2020 Brittney Slayes from Unleash the Archers: Batman, Prometheus and Murdered Bandmates.
RJ is joined by Brittney Slayes from Unleash the Archers for a truly off-piste conversation about The Batman, Prometheus, murdering bandmates and their new album Abyss.
...more
1h 19min
September 08, 2020 Helle & Evgeny of Ignea.
Friends, Romans, Metalheads, lend me your ears.
It just felt right to kick off the Metal Empire Interviews podcast with my first conversation with my friends Evgeny & Helle of IGNEA.
Usually record labels and promoters Reach Out to Touch Base™ with me and ask which of their artists I'd like interview. In this case though, I fell so in love with Ignea's first album, The Sign of Faith, that I sought them out myself for a recorded chinwag.
Listening back, the pair come across so well and it's a wide ranging chat about not only their music but further metal-relevant topics.
Is there anyone you'd like me to interview for Metal Empire Interviews?
Contact me on Twitter @RJBayley or on the Metal Empire Facebook page.
Support Metal Empire on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/metalempire
Ignea's website: ignea.band
Buy Ignea merch (I have. It's great. I love my t-shirt and especially my hoodie): ignea.band/collections/all
Ignea on Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/7E7V95LId9MPJ6anIK1qrM?si=Zurm1IvQS76i-Pl0CtbxLQ
Ignea's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCIVzbVm64h2LrkHpwq4nSOg
Helle's YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC4hLdcViQ6yu6UBZlcYkYEA
Evgeny's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCFHt-yLSNwwFFi6y9oUvc7Q
All material apart from music copyright RJ Bayley 2020.
Music used with kind permission, thank you.
...more
54min

FAQs about Metal Empire Interviews:

How many episodes does Metal Empire Interviews have?

The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.