Scars and Guitars

Matt Wong is the host of Discernable, Australia's leading social and political media outlet, without comparison. It's an absolute privilege to have Matt join the show for a discussion exploring topics such as authoritarianism, cultural narratives, and the role of artists in dissent. We also discuss the state of the church and the future of Western systems, asking whether capitalism, democracy, and liberty can endure in an era of division and control. Matt is one of the most insightful and articulate social and political commentators online, so be prepared for a far-reaching and thought-provoking discussion. 

Check out Matt's show: https://discernable.io/ 

Throughout this episode, Eric discusses the band's Australian tour, whether he plans to write an autobiography, his thoughts on the band's foundational 1980s albums, and the group's 1990s albums that helped reinvigorate the band. He shares his thoughts on Dave Loamabardo and Steve DiGiorgio, the time he and Chuck did quit the band, and much more. Special mention for listeners who are invested in the show's Chronicles of Filth, as Eric talks about working with John (Gian) Pyras in DragonLord. 

Testament's June 2025 Australian tour dates:

Tickets: https://metropolistouring.com/testament-2025/ 

Sam from Fallujah joins the show ahead of the new album from Fallujah, Xenotaph, out June 13, 2025. In this far-reaching conversation, he discusses AI, heavy metal fandom, the band's move to Nashville and much more. 

More about Xentaoph: https://www.nuclearblast.com/pages/fallujah 

The opportunity to chat with Jeff from Onslaught is twofold. The group have a new album in market from may 25, 2025, titled Origins Of Aggression, which is steeped in tradition as it is full of rerecordings of the band's seminal material from 1985 to 1989 and also covers songs of legendary tracks from Dead Kennedys, Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Judas Priest, Discharge and many more. Throughout the conversation, Jeff discusses adventures aboard the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise, the bizarre tour featuring former Anthrax vocalist Neil Turbin, the impact of the band's legacy and much more.

ONSLAUGHT Australian Tour:

14.11.2025 AU Perth - Rosemount Hotel

15.11.2025 AU Adelaide - Lion Arts Factory

19.11.2025 AU Canberra - The Baso

20.11.2025 AU Sydney - The Underground

21.11.2025 AU Brisbane - Soapbox Brewery

22.11.2025 AU Melbourne - Corner Hotel

Info & Tickets: https://www.powerfromhell.com/site/live 

Order the album ORIGINS OF AGGRESSION: https://onslaught.rpm.link/originsPR 

In this episode, Jeff Wagner, Metal Maniacs editor from 1997–2001, explores shaping the magazine’s identity during metal’s subgenre diversification, maintaining underground authenticity, and tackling editorial hurdles like band selection and industry dynamics. He reflects on stories told, collaborating with writers like S. Craig Zahler, and notable moments, including studio sessions with Cradle of Filth, touring with Bruce Dickinson, and working with Mike Greenblatt and Blabbermouth’s Borivoj Krgin. Jeff also shares the most surprising and disappointing figures he met, discusses the impact of a recent tragedy, his books, and more.

Check out Jeff's podcast: https://radicalresearch.org/author/admin_jeff/

Check out the feature with Metal maniacs editor-in-chief Mike Greenblatt: https://scarsandguitars.podbean.com/e/mike-greenblatt-metal-maniacs-magazine/ 

Ahead of the group’s Australian shows, Jacob Binzer of D.A.D. discusses the band’s iconic Spaghetti Western sound and blending punk and rock roots for a potential film score. He explores the possibility of inventing a new genre for D.A.D., reflects on a hypothetical jam with icons Django Reinhardt and Jimi Hendrix, balancing humour and sincerity in songwriting.

D-A-D Greatest Hits Tour May 2025 Australian Dates

Tuesday 20th May - Perth, Rosemount Hotel

Thursday 22nd May - Brisbane, The Triffid

Friday 23rd May - Sydney, Manning Bar

Saturday 24th May - Melbourne, Northcote Theatre

Tickets

From: https://metropolistouring.com/d-a-d-2025/

Sean discusses vocalist Jay Evans's recent departure from the band, his on-stage monitoring setup for the Australian shows, how Ingested’s music confronts or reflects digital distraction and transient trends, political and social themes, and more.

INGESTED with ALGOR MORTIS performing at:

July 24th - Melbourne, Max Watts w/ Algor Mortis, Gutless, Growth

July 25th – Sydney, Crowbar, w/ Algor Mortis, Slaughtercult, Gosika

July 26th - Brisbane, Cold Day Festival, The Triffid

TICKETS ON SALE NOW:

MELBOURNE, SYDNEY – www.oztix.com.au

BRISBANE - www.moshtix.com.au

www.facebook.com/ingesteduk

www.facebook.com/algormortisau

www.swdpresents.com

This conversation with Helena Kotina takes place during Nervosa's Australian tour. They are playing in Sydney on April 18 (tonight!), so head over if you are in town. Other dates are below. 

Consider this chat a 'coffee table' introduction to Helena, one of the most exciting emerging guitarists in metal today. Topics covered include Helena's experience joining Nervosa and navigating cultural and musical differences to shape the band’s sound on the new album, Jailbreak. We also cover the influence of classic rock and heavy metal on crafting thrash metal riffs, and the impact of transitioning to a quintet on songwriting and live performances. We discuss the collaborative songwriting process for Jailbreak, lessons from performing with metal icons, and much more. 

Nervosa Australian tour dates left in the schedule: 

MELBOURNE - NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB - SAT 19 APRIL

The internet’s only no-bullshit metal music show covers tunes under the banners of black metal, death metal, grind, grinding punk, grinding sludge metal, hardcore/sludge, industrial punk, instrumental, melodic death metal, melodic metal, metalcore, modern metal, nu metal, post blackened metal, power metal, punk, rock, stoner doom, symphonic doom, symphonic metal, tech death, and thrash.

On the label and PR side, the tracks are bought for you by Black Lion Records, Earsplit PR, Nuclear Blast, ROAR - RPM, Brilliant Emperor Records/Gutter Prince Cabal Records, Caverna Abismal Records, Inverse Records, Raging Planet Records, Sentient Ruin, Kostas Salomidis, Wise Blood Records and Pout Records, Agonia Records, CSquaredMusic, 604 Records, Sharptone, RCA Records/Sony Music Australia, RFL Music Entertainment, BMG, Frontiers Music S.r.l., Michael Brandvold Marketing, Black Throne Productions, Frontiers, High Roller Records, Witches Brew Records, and Listenable Records

The feature album is Ravage Of Empires from Benediction, and founding members and guitarists Darren Brookes and Peter Rew, longtime vocalist Dave Ingram, drummer Giovanni Durst, and Nik Sampson (bass) will travel far and wide once more. Already confirmed are the Tales of the Triple Death Tour with Jungle Rot and Master kicking off on album release date as well as confirmed appearances at Wacken Open Air and Maryland Deathfest. 

Show tracklist: 

The track list includes: 1. Benediction - "Engines of War" - *Ravage of Empires*, 2. Behemoth - "Lvciferaeon" - *The Shit Ov God*, 3. Battle Beast - "Eden" - *Circus of Doom: Live in Helsinki 2023*, 4. Cadaver - "From The Past" - *Hymns of Misanthropy*, 5. Crematory - "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend" feat. Michelle Darkness - *Destination*, 6. Grave Digger - "Hellfire Crusade", 7. Smith/Kotzen - "Darkside" - *Black Light / White Noise*, 8. Mystic Circle - "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" feat. Sarah Jezebel Deva - *Kriegsgötter MMXXV*, 9. Machine Head - "Bønescraper" - *Unatøned*, 10. Ghost Bath - "Well, I Tried Drowning" - *Rose Thorn Necklace*, 11. Exorcism - "Strike of The Match" - *Spectral Aggression*, 12. Phantom - "The Tower of Seth" - *Tyrants of Wrath*, 13. Exterminatus - "Cosmic Disturbance" - *Echoes From A Distant Star Part 1*, 14. Benediction - "Genesis Chamber" - *Ravage of Empires*, 15. Epica - "Fight To Survive" - *The Overview Effect*, 16. Laurenne/Louhimo - "Falling Through Stars" - *Falling Through Stars*, 17. Unén - "Forever Winter", 18. Aawks - "Cursed Soul" - *On Through the Sky Maze*, 19. Don Felder - "Hollywood Victim" - *The Vault - Fifty Years of Music*, 20. Smith/Kotzen - "05-Life Unchained" - *Black Light / White Noise*, 21. Pásmo - "Noc Rozhodnutí" - *Pásmo*, 22. Thomas Carlsen's Transmission - "Thunderbird" - *Clockwork Sky*, 23. Trick or Treat - "Dance With The Dancing Clown" - *Ghosted*, 24. A Flock Named Murder - "Pierced Flesh Catharsis" - *Incendiary Sanctum*, 25. Sleep Token - "Caramel" - *Even In Arcadia*, 26. Benediction - "Deviant Spine" - *Ravage of Empires*, 27. Ghostseeker - "Wake Up (Imposter)" - *Divergence*, 28. Luna Kills - "love u" - *Deathmatch*, 29. Freeze the Fall - "Hypothermia" - *The Red Garden*, 30. Northvoid - "Wilderness" - *Ember Remains*, 31. Buried Realm - "Ophidian Dreams" - *The Dormant Darkness*, 32. Quadvium - "Náströnd" - Single, 33. Yass - "In The Basement", 34. Meatwound - "Mount Vermin" - *Macho*, 35. Kiritsis - "Pissant" - *Kiritsis*, 36. Cannibal Accident - "Kärpästen juhlat", 37. King Parrot - "Look Away I'm Hideous" - *A Young Person's Guide To*, 38. Benediction - "Ravage of Empires" - *Ravage of Empires*, 39. Impaled - "Dead Inside" - *Demo Medicale*, 40. Ztate of Mind - "Tower of Skulls" - *Tower of Skulls*, 41. Ancient Death - "Breaking the Barriers of Hope" - *Ego Dissolution*, 42. Anoxia - "Rule By Cold Steel" - *Revel In Sin*, 43. Frantic Amber - "Black Widow" - *Death Becomes Her*, 44. Inborn Tendency - "Fist Evangelist", 45. My Dementia - "Premonição: Só Me Arrependo Do Que Não Vivi" - *Gloom's Light*, 46. Prophetic Suffering - "Gift of Decay" - *Rivalry of Thyself*, 47. Visceral - "Loathe" - *Eyes, Teeth and Bones*, 48. Benediction - "Psychosister" - *Ravage of Empires*, 49. Euphrosyne - "Funeral Rites" - *Morus*, 50. Namebearer - "Jäätyneen Järven Uumenissa" - *Industries Of The Fading Sun*, 51. Bleed From Within - "Violent Nature" - *Zenith*, and 52. Wasp - "Paint It Black" - *7 Savage Boxset*.

This discussion with Kelly offers a unique chance to explore lesser-known or under-researched facets of Randy Rhoads, including Kelly's insights on the relationship between the Osbournes and Randy, and much more.

A TRIBUTE TO RANDY RHOADS - in Australia 

Kelly is joined by musicians from Van Hagar, and Snake Bite Whisky, this event brings Randy Rhoads’ iconic classics from his Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne eras to life. Alongside performances, intimate Q&A sessions will explore his remarkable life and artistry.

Event Dates & Locations:

Featuring Special Guest:

Tickets Available at www.XMusic.au  or click here: Brisbane | Sydney | Melbourne