Ed Kemper, Ed Gein, Andrei Chikatilo, Albert Fish, and on and on. The list of mass murdering psychopaths that have inspired heavy music is an extensive one to say the least. Their influence isn't genre specific either.  As you'll see tonight, death metal, sludge, grunge, thrash... bands of all styles have used these atrocities as inspiration for song. This is an eerie, and at times unsettling episode of The Distorted Emporium so turn out the lights and dive in.

As with previous episodes, I fully intended to say a few more words regarding the episode, however, 2 days ago word broke that The Black Dahlia Murder frontman Trevor Strnad had passed away.  I wanted to address that since TBDM is featured in this episode. I was lucky enough to see the band once many years ago here in Bakersfield, and while I never met Trevor, he was the embodiment of all of us in the metal scene. Smart, funny, and as passionate as can be about heavy music...  This is a huge loss to the metal community and my heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and bandmates.

Please, please, please guys... if you're in any way struggling with mental health I beg you to talk to someone. Anyone. That camaraderie we feel together at shows isn't a superficial, fake sense of belonging. We all have a shared passion for something that joins us together and no one should have to suffer alone. Please reach out. Whether on Instagram or through email. Whatever. If there is anything I can do, I will. 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-8255

email: [email protected]
IG: thedistortedemporium
Spotify Playlist: The Distorted Emporium Episode 16

Quite literally, Black Sabbath changed music, and heavy music in particular, forever upon the release their self titled debut in 1970. Debates have raged for decades as to who was the first "heavy metal" band, and while I am on team Sabbath in that argument, even those who oppose that sentiment have to agree that Sabbath is the most influential band in the history of heavy metal. Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and on and on... They all owe a debt of gratitude to the four-piece from Birmingham, England.

Now as cliched as it might sound, Sabbath is one of my all-time favorite bands. I learned how to play guitar to these songs and grew to appreciate the power of the almighty riff in the process. In tonight's show, we're going to hear just how influential the band was/is as heard through the filter of some absolutely killer bands. There are a few of the usual suspects here, but I think there are a few surprises, as well.  I wanted to feature some bands that fly under the radar a bit in addition to the bands and covers we've all heard and I found some gems!  As a result, I give you what I think is the best episode of The Distorted Emporium yet!

So have a drink, maybe a smoke, and kick back and appreciate the power of Iommi, Ward, Butler, and Osbourne, better known to us mere mortals as the mighty Black Sabbath!

As always, you can find me on Instagram @thedistortedemporium and you can always email me at [email protected]. You can also find the corresponding playlist for tonight's show on Spotify by searching The Distorted Emporium Episode 15. All other shows are there as well so if my voice annoys you, then there you go! 

Until next time, Cheers!

For better or worse, 1991 is the year heavy music changed forever. With the release of Metallica's Black Album and the grunge explosion coming out of Seattle, heavier sounds were hitting the airwaves all over the world. However, if you were to turn off the radio and dig into one of the many fanzines or metal magazines that were widely available, you'd find that 1991 was a high water mark in the world of extreme music.

 Death metal was king in most of Europe and in parts of the US, the second wave of black metal was beginning to rise out of Scandinavia, and the seeds of multiple other sub-genres were taking root including nu-metal, djent, and the NWOAHM. It was a very exciting and creative time in the world of heavy music and there truly was something for everyone.

This might very well be the heaviest episode I've curated yet. I'll primarily be focusing on the bands you weren't hearing on mainstream radio or, outside of the rare video on Headbanger's Ball, MTV. I do briefly touch on the grunge and American rock scene, but this episode is my attempt to show just how explosive, and downright heavy, things were in 1991.

I've had to space out the episodes a little due to the fact that I've gone back to school. Ultimately, these classes will make this show better and I'm excited about what's to come. We'll get back to twice a month this summer so just hang tight. As always, you can find me on Instagram @thedistortedemporium or you can email me at [email protected].  You can also find the corresponding playlist to tonight's show on Spotify. Just search The Distorted Emporium Episode 14. All the other shows are there as well.

Until next time! Cheers!

The New Wave of American Heavy Metal is a controversial term used to describe the explosion of bands that rose out of the United States in the late 90's and early 00's in the aftermath of nu-metal. The earliest known reference to the term is from Cleveland, Ohio's Chimaira, who put the phrase on a shirt, and later cds, around 2001. While the  NWOAHM is obviously biting off of the now famous New Wave of British Heavy Metal from the late 1970's/early 1980's, I think it is an appropriate moniker given the sheer number of bands that had a hand in keeping American metal alive and moving forward during that era. 

While many of the bands, much like the NWOAHM name, are often derided as being derivative, or unoriginal, the movement was really no different than any other major movement from history regarding music, particularly in the US. After the initial run of bands that were truly pushing the bounds of the scene, copycats and groups with no interest in innovation took over and watered down a once fertile movement. It happened with punk, thrash, grunge, etc. It's inevitable. However, to group all these bands together and say they were simply rehashing Swedish death metal riffs and mixing it with hardcore and groove metal is reductive and short sighted, to say the least. 

So, like I said earlier, there were so many bands that popped up during this era that making one show was impossible. There were just far too many to paint any kind of clear picture as to  how things were unfolding so I decided to concentrate on the east coast in this particular episode. There are a few of the usual suspects that come up when referencing this era, however, I've included a few bands that some would argue do not fit at all within the definition of "heavy metal." Honestly,  I don't care to have that conversation because that doesn't interest me in the least . I've already done an episode on what "heavy' means to me (Episode 9) and that's that. 

 Anyway, I think it's a slamming episode and I hope you guys dig it. If you want to argue or don't agree with something, hit me up on Instagram @thedistortedemporium or email me at [email protected]

As always, you can find the corresponding playlist on Spotify. Just search The Distorted Emporium Episode 13 . All previous playlists from past episodes are there as well.

Cheers!

-1990-

The year before all hell broke loose. Pre-Black Album, Pre-Grunge explosion, pre-nu/groove metal, pre-second wave of black metal... This was a very fertile, yet peculiar, year in the history of metal and rock. We had 3 of the Big 4 of American thrash all release classic albums, we had the first gold record in the grunge movement released, death metal was burgeoning and on the brink of exploding, and for better or worse, we had a band from Texas and a band from New York that were setting the stage for nu-metal to explode a few years down the road.

This is the first in a series I'm calling TDE's Rear View Mirror. With each episode in the RVM series, we'll explore a particular year and the releases that had an impact on me and the heavy music scene in general.

As always, you can find the corresponding playlist on Spotify. Just search The Distorted Emporium Episode 12. You'll find all previous playlists there as well.

Please follow me on Instagram @thedistortedemporium and you can always email me suggestions, recommendations, hate mail, etc at [email protected]

Cheers!

Fire up whatever it is you're smoking and dive into episode 11 of The Distorted Emporium! Tonight's show gets hazy, cloudy, and very intoxicating as we explore some of my favorite stoner and doom tracks from the 90's to the present day. The Sabbath-worship is strong in this one, as it should be, and the riffs are massive.  As I state in the show, I stayed exclusively in the 90's and 2000's by design. I plan on doing a show and paying respect to the forefathers of these particular genres in the near future, so they will get their due. Tonight, however, we're revisiting the blacklights and lava lamps of my youth. This just might be my favorite playlist yet here on TDE. Enjoy responsibly.

You can find the corresponding playlist to tonight's show on Spotify. Just search The Distorted Emporium Episode 11. You'll also find all previous playlists there as well.

Please follow me on Instagram @thedistortedemporium and you can alway email me suggestions, recommendations, hate mail, etc at [email protected]


Cheers!

In this episode of TDE, we wrap up our look back at 2021. As I've stated numerous times, 2021 gave us an abundance of killer releases and by the end of this show, we will have explored over 3 hours of new music for you guys to seek out.

As promised, this episode features a new Jesus Christ Muscle Car song. Nothin' for Nada is the  song title and I think you guys will love it! This song and Blackbird (featured in the last episode) will be available  to stream in January so hang tight.

Tonight's show will also feature local Bakersfield band Gravevoid and their track Morbid Fascinations Of a Distant Past Come To Be from their recently released EP, Fetid Corpse. Gravevoid just might be the heaviest band to ever rise out of Bakersfield and I'm stoked to feature them on TDE. Fetid Corpse is available for streaming on all the usual platforms and they have cd's and some sick merch available as well. Hit them up on Instagram or Facebook and help support one of the hardest working death metal bands in central California.

As always, tonight's playlist is available on Spotify. You can find it by searching The Distorted Emporium Best of 2021 Part 2. You'll also find the playlists to all previous shows as well so check 'em out!

You can follow the show on Instagram @thedistortedemporium and you can reach me with suggestions, criticism, hate mail, etc at [email protected]

Thank you guys for making this year pretty unbelievable! It's remarkable how much the show has grown in less than 6 months and I can't wait to see what 2022 brings! I wish you guys a safe and happy New Year and I'll see you in 2022! Cheers!

 2021 has proven to be an absolutely remarkable year in regards to heavy and extreme music. From old school death metal bands with 30 plus years under their belts to newer bands that are pushing the bounds of what extreme music can be, 2021 has given us an abundance of great releases. In fact, once I started compiling tracks for the show, I quickly realized this will have to be a 2 part series so buckle up! I guarantee you'll find something new and exciting in here. 

In addition to highlighting my favorite songs of the year, each episode will feature a new track by my band Jesus Christ Muscle Car and a track by a local Bakersfield band that I feel should get some attention. This is JCMC's first new music since 2017 and I think you guys will love it! 

Tonight's show will also feature Bakersfield's own For the Dead and their track Bloodied. Please give them a follow on Instagram and Facebook and check out their previous stuff that is available on all your favorite streaming platforms. They are killing it here in Central California and will be playing with TDE faves Exhorder and Extinction AD here in Bakersfield next week. Check em out! 

As always, tonight's playlist is available on Spotify. You can find it by searching The Distorted Emporium Best of 2021 Pt 1. You can always find the playlists to previous episodes there as well.

You guys can follow the show on Instagram @thedistortedemporium and you can reach me with suggestions, criticism, hate mail , etc at [email protected] 

See you in 2 weeks for Part 2!

Welp... it didn't happen. Psycho Las Vegas 2021 was set to be my return to the world of live music following all the covid madness. All access pass, spare room at my buddy's house, vacation from work all lined up, everything. Life had different plans, however. A few weeks prior to the festival, my wife had a horrible accident in our driveway which resulted in her leg being broken in multiple places and, ultimately, surgery. There was no way I could bail out of state and leave her alone with the kids. 

No worries, though. It just wasn't meant to be. As it turned out, quite a few of the bands we were looking forward to seeing dropped of the bill anyway so it is what it is. I'll be there next year and I got a rad episode out of it so I'm not the least bit bummed. Ok, maybe a little...

You can find the corresponding playlist to tonight's show on Spotify. Just search The Distorted Emporium Episode 10. You can also find the playlists to the previous 9 episodes so check em out!

You can follow me on Instagram @thedistortedemporium and you can always email me suggestions, criticism, hate mail, etc at [email protected]

Cheers!

To the untrained ear, everything with distorted guitars and harsh or aggressive vocals tends to fall under the moniker of "metal" or "heavy metal." While these terms are certainly subjective, in this episode I showcase numerous bands that are as heavy as any metal band but sit comfortably outside the confines of what, in mainstream circles, is usually defined as metal. Join me as we get pummeled by 11 non-metal bands that destroy the ways in which we define and categorize heavy music.

You can find the corresponding playlist on Spotify at " The Distorted Emporium Episode 9 "

Follow me on Instagram @thedistortedemporium

Email feedback, comments, band/show recommendations to [email protected]