Fates Warning frontman Ray Alder is our guest for this week's edition of The MetalSucks Podcast! He's here to discuss his latest solo album II, coming out June 9. As such, we discussed when he had time to focus on following up What The Water Wants, why it’s more difficult for him to write music for his solo project as opposed to Fates Warning, and why he decided on calling the record II. We also get to chatting about the long break from touring he's currently experiencing, how he adapts to change in modern times compared to his youth, if there are any plans for Fates Warning’s 40th anniversary next year, and an update on all his other current projects including Fates Warning and A-Z.



This week is a music episode and we present our mid-year best of list, and play a track off of every album we feel you need to listen to before moving into the summer!



Song: Insomnium “White Christ” Featuring Sakis Tolis

Song: Enslaved “Congelia”

Song: Venemous Concept “Fractured”

Song: Sermon “Golden”

Song: Ray Alder “This Hollow Shell”

Song: Ray Alder “My Oblivion”

Song: Hellripper “I, The Deceiver”

Song: Entheos “I Am The Void”
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#491 - Ray Alder (Fates Warning)

The official podcast of MetalSucks, featuring Petar Spajic, Brandon Hahn and Jozalyn Sharp. One featured interview each week with a prominent metal musician, and discussion of the latest headlines in metal news. New episodes every Monday morning.

Music

Music Interviews

Music Commentary

This week on The MetalSucks Podcast, we welcome Brittney Slayes, vocalist of the mighty Unleash The Archers! During our chat, we discuss the band's forthcoming album Phantoma due this Friday, May 10. Some of the topics covered during our conversation includes what went into the creation of the album's concept and overarching storyline, how the protagonist in the story is thrust into horrible situations but that hope is always right around the corner, and how this relates to us having to slow life down in modern times to truly be appreciative. On a more philosophical level, we also tackle how new challenges in life can be scary but necessary, why being happy is a conscious choice that isn’t always easy, the negativity that we have to take daily in so many avenues on the internet, the positive messaging Brittney's tried, and how the positive interactions the band has with fans are a blessing for them.



Petar and Brandon discuss the rapper OsamaSon completely ripping off Iron Maiden’s artwork, Deicide’s Glen Benton statement on the modern look of metalhead, and the disturbing allegations made against Knocked Loose’s drummer Kevin Kaine (and his response to those accusations).



Song: Unleash The Archers “Green & Glass”

Song: Unleash The Archers “Ghost In The Mist”

Song: Teramaze “Standing Ovation”
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#537 - Brittney Slayes (Unleash The Archers)

Iconic guitarist Marty Friedman is back on The MetalSucks Podcast! We're celebrating his new solo album Drama, which is coming out on May 17. In our chat, we discuss his return to touring North America after the pandemic, look back on the visually arresting livestream he participated in during the Tokyo Jukebox album cycle, and a breakdown on the song structure of the centerpiece track “Mirage." We also discuss how having access to a collection of vintage and rare guitars is beneficial to recording the album, writing his autobiography with the intent of sharing things nobody knows about him, and a ballpark release date for when his autobiography will be available to the world.



Before that though, Petar and Sylvia discuss the announcement of the bands on this years Summer Slaughter tour, our thoughts on the reactions that spread all over the metal media, Slipknot’s new look leaning towards the iconic first album, and Motley Crue’s releases a brand new song.



Song: Marty Friedman  “Illumination”
Song: Marty Friedman “Dead of Winter (English Version) Featuring Chris Brooks of Like A Storm
Song: Inter Arma “Desolation’s Harp”
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#536 - Marty Friedman

Eyal Levi of Dååth is our guest on The MetalSucks Podcast this week! He's here to chat about the band's first album in over a decade, The Deceivers, out May 3. In our chat, Eyal describes how his exercise regimen during the pandemic was a direct impact on returning to playing guitar and how he felt about his guitar playing after not playing for eight years. He also reflected on making the decision to create new music and revive the dormant Dååth, the team that was assembled around the project, what it's like having band members spread out across the world, and the production team that was involved in the creation of the record. There's a whole lot more in the conversation as well that you have to hear for yourself!



Sylvia and Petar tackle James Hetfield’s new tattoo with Lemmy’s ashes, Kirk Windstein’s comments about new Down music, Maynard James Keenan’s new music commitments with all his bands, and what order we feel we will see new music from each project.



Song: Leeway “The Simple Life?”

Song: Dååth “Hex Unending”

Song: Dååth “No Rest No End”

Song: Dvne “Abode of the Perfect”
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#535 - Eyal Levi (Dååth)

This week, we've got Wolf Hoffman of Accept back on The MetalSucks Podcast! During our discussion, we take a walk down memory lane to learn how he initially felt about the band's name, the trend of modern bands having hard to pronounce names, if he feels every new record is a discovery record for new fans or if adding to the legacy of Accept is the focus, and why releasing singles has very little merit in our genre. We also talk about Andy Sneap’s opinion and important direction on modern Accept music, the necessary human contact when creating music for him, and why doing written interviews don’t feel like much of a connection for artists.



Brandon and Petar discuss how much we would consider a fair price for Chuck Schuldiner’s Green B.C. Rich guitar, a ticket stub for arguably one of the worst days in heavy metal history, Jerry Cantrell’s guitar going missing and then found, and our thoughts on if Marilyn Manson being sober makes a difference to fans at this point.



Song: Accept “The Reckoning”

Song: Accept “Humanoid”

Song: My Dying Bride “The 2nd Of Three Bells”
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#534 - Wolf Hoffman (Accept)

J.T. Cavey of ERRA is joining us this week to celebrate the new album Cure and the headlining North American tour the band's going to embark on starting April 23. We also discuss our current daily caffeine intake, why mixing it with water is a must, and what he feels is the energy drink of choice for metalcore bands these days. We also chat about the positive vibe he's noticed from making the bed everyday, releasing songs in a calculated way in modern times, the addition of guitarist Clint Tustin, and the band art that he gets most excited to see completed.



Petar and Brandon discuss the 30 year anniversary of Kurt Cobain passing, how we remember the tragic event unfolded, how it changed mainstream music and popular culture, and the ripple effects it had in music and society.



Song: ERRA “ Cure”

Song: ERRA “Blue Reverie”

Song: Alpha Wolf “Haunter”
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#491 - Ray Alder (Fates Warning)

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