Beyond Creation's First Song in 8 Years + 7 Underground Metal Bands You Need to Hear — reacting to new music from Barrage, Intent to Harm, Guhn Twei, and more. Full metal reaction breakdown inside. (199 characters)

In this episode of Metal Maniacs, we're reacting to 8 brand new tracks spanning the full spectrum of metal and hardcore — from Canadian Grammy-nominated tech-death veterans Beyond Creation dropping their first new single in eight years, to underground acts fighting for their first real shot.

We cover Beyond Creation's comeback single "Reverence," Kansas City heavy outfit Barrage's claustrophobic new single "Closing In," Australian death/hardcore project Intent to Harm and the incredible true story behind founder Matt Turkington — a musician who lost the ability to perform extreme vocals after multiple back surgeries and taught himself guitar while recovering, flat on his back. We also dig into politically-charged French-Canadian metal/punk band Guhn Twei (two-time GAMIQ Metal Album of the Year winner), Georgia rockers Perrish 9, hard rock band Whisper to Scream, tech-death act Omittance, and DIY teenage garage band Desolate.

This is what The Metal Maniacs is all about — giving underground bands a real platform alongside bigger names, breaking down the songwriting, production, and stories behind the music, and helping you find your next favorite band before everyone else does.

🎧 Chapters: 0:00 – Intro [Insert timestamp] –

Perrish 9 – "2AM" -[4:46 ]–

Barrage – "Closing In" [12:49] –

Beyond Creation – "Reverence" [21:45] –

Omittance – "Payable in Blood" [30:27] –

Guhn Twei – New Album Preview [37:46] –

Desolate – DIY Garage Track [45:08] –

Intent to Harm – "Drained of Life" [55:30] –

Whisper to Scream – "Alibi" / "Bondage"[1:02:47}

If you're a band or PR rep looking to submit music for a future reaction episode, check the submission info in our channel description or Patreon.

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Every Nothingface album, ranked worst to best — including the self-titled record that dropped right as their label collapsed and never got the shot it deserved.Nothingface built one of the most underrated discographies in early-2000s metal, and today we're ranking every one of their albums from worst to best. From their early underground releases to An Audio Guide to Everyday Atrocity to the self-titled 2003 record that came out just as Geffen was falling apart, we break down what worked, what didn't, and which album deserves way more respect than it gets.If you watched our Nothingface biography episode, this is the natural follow-up — now that you know the label drama and industry politics that derailed their momentum, it's time to judge the actual music on its own terms. And if you're new to the band, this ranking works as a starting point too: we'll tell you exactly which album to start with and which one to save for later.This is the same honest, no-hype approach we bring to every album ranking on this channel — no inflated scores, no nostalgia bias, just an honest breakdown of a metal discography that deserves a second look.If you're a Nothingface fan, someone discovering them for the first time through our biography episode, or you're just into honest album-ranked content in the underground/mainstream metal space, this one's for you. Let us know in the comments which album you'd rank #1 — we guarantee it won't match everyone's pick.This is The Metal Maniacs — band biographies, album rankings, interviews, and honest reaction content covering underground and mainstream metal alike. New episodes drop weekly.👕 SUPPORT THE SHOW / LINKS:https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheMetalManiacsPodcastFollow us here-https://tr.ee/YA-9eUZGnCSupport Our Sponsor- https://www.starkrealestatemi.com/#Nothingface #AlbumRanked #MetalAlbums #NuMetal #MetalReview #TheMetalManiacsGet episodes early-

Nothingface had a #1 rock video, a major label deal, and real mainstream momentum in 2003 — then Geffen Records collapsed overnight and took their shot at stardom with it. Full biography.

This is the story of Nothingface — the Virginia Beach metal band that clawed their way from the underground into major label rotation, landed "Ether" on MTV2 and Headbangers Ball, and looked like the next big crossover metal act of the early 2000s. Then Vivendi Universal's merger gutted Geffen's roster, the label support disappeared almost overnight, and one of the most promising bands of that era got buried by corporate collapse instead of a bad album.

We go deep on Nothingface's full history: their formation and underground grind, the albums that built their reputation (An Audio Guide to Everyday Atrocity, the self-titled Nothingface record), the industry politics that derailed their momentum right as it was building, and where the band stands today. If you're into metal band biographies, industry-history documentaries, or you just want to understand how a band this good almost got erased from the story of 2000s metal, this episode is for you.

If you've never heard Nothingface before, this is exactly the kind of story we cover on this channel — bands that deserved more than they got, told with the full context most metal content skips. Drop a comment if you were around for "Ether" back in 2003, or if this is your first time hearing this story at all.

This is The Metal Maniacs — band biographies, album rankings, interviews, and honest reaction content covering underground and mainstream metal alike. New episodes drop weekly, from legacy band histories like this one to fresh interviews with today's underground acts.

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A new edition to the podcast for the local scene.

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8 Unsigned Metal Bands Ranked: Who Actually Slaps? we react to Poet the Band, Filth Spewer, Sharp Lives, Profane Elegy, Killed by Sorrow, influence, CHAINGÜN & Gun Metal Gray — ranking who deserves to blow up next.

The underground metal scene is packed with bands doing genuinely disturbing, technical, and downright unhinged things with zero label backing and even less attention — and today we're fixing that. This is a full reaction and breakdown episode covering eight bands spanning death metal, grind, sludge, and modern metalcore, judged purely on the music, no hype, no algorithm boost, just gut reactions.

We go track-by-track through each act, talk about what's working, what's not, and which of these bands sound like they're one great album away from a real breakout. If you're into band biography and album-ranked content, discovering new metal, or you just want to know which underground act is worth your next Spotify queue, this one's for you.

🎧 BANDS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

– Intro & how we picked these 8 bands

– Poet the Band

– Filth Spewer

– Sharp Lives

– Profane Elegy

– Killed by Sorrow

– influence

– CHAINGÜN

– Gun Metal Gray

– Final rankings: who deserves more attention?

Whether you're a die-hard death metal fan, into the grind/sludge underground, or just here for honest band reactions and rankings, drop a comment telling us which of these 8 you're checking out first — and who we should react to next. If you're a band or label reading this, hit us up, we're always looking for the next unsigned act worth covering.

This is The Metal Maniacs — interviews, band biographies, album rankings, and honest reaction content from a channel that actually gives a damn about the underground. New episodes drop weekly covering everything from legacy metal biographies (Morbid Angel, Death, Carcass, Sepultura) to the newest bands nobody's talking about yet.

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Welcome to Episode 150 of the Metal Maniacs Podcast with Jay Ingersoll and Modd. This week we’re talking Appalachian Metal—the heavy scenes and essential bands from North Carolina metal, Virginia metal, and West Virginia metal. From sludge metal and stoner doom to metalcore, thrash, prog metal, grindcore, and underground hardcore, we break down what makes these regions hit different, plus the gateway bands and the deep cuts you should be spinning right now.

We cover:

What “Appalachian Metal” means to us (and why the geography matters)

Classic pillars vs. modern breakout bands

Subgenre pockets: sludge/doom, prog, metalcore, grind, crossover thrash

Quick recommendations + where to start if you’re new to these scenes

Prominent North Carolina Metal Bands (NC)

Corrosion of Conformity (Raleigh) — classic sludge/heavy metal: https://www.google.com/search?q=Corrosion+of+Conformity

Between the Buried and Me (Raleigh) — prog metal/metalcore: https://www.google.com/search?q=Between+the+Buried+and+Me

Weedeater (Wilmington) — sludge:

Alesana (Raleigh) — post-hardcore/metalcore:

He Is Legend (Wilmington) — post-hardcore / melodic metalcore:

Æther Realm (Greenville) — melodic death metal: https://www.google.com/search?q=%C3%86ther+Realm

Glass Casket — tech death (BTBAM connections): https://www.google.com/search?q=Glass+Casket

Asheville scene starter (great read): https://www.invisibleoranges.com/17-bands-you-need-to-know-from-asheville-nc/

Virginia Highlights (VA)

Richmond “big three”:

Lamb of God: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamb_of_God_(band)

GWAR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwar

Municipal Waste: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_Waste_(band)

Standouts:

Pig Destroyer (grind): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_Destroyer

Inter Arma (genre-bending extreme): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_Arma

Cannabis Corpse (death metal): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_Corpse

Bad Omens (modern metal/alt metal): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Omens

Notable West Virginia Metal Bands (WV)

Horseburner (stoner/sludge): https://toiletovhell.com/the-best-band-in-west-virginia-is-horseburner/

fallfiftyfeet (mathy metalcore): https://idioteq.com/introducing-west-virginia-mathy-metalcore-band-fallfiftyfeet/

Killing Pace (VA/WV-region mention): https://killingpaceva.bandcamp.com/album/killing-pace

If you’ve got an Appalachian metal band we missed, drop it in the comments—we’re building a bigger list for a follow-up episode.

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Dallas Toler-Wade interview: the former Nile guitarist and death metal legend opens up about his 19-year run in Nile, his sudden exit, and life after Nile with Narcotic Wasteland.

For nearly two decades, Dallas Toler-Wade was one of the defining voices in technical death metal — co-writing and performing on some of Nile's most essential albums, from "Black Seeds of Vengeance" to "Annihilation of the Wicked." Then in 2016, he walked away. His departure was framed as amicable at the time, but Toler-Wade later admitted there was more to the story — reasons he said would "remain undisclosed."

...

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Every metal album I actually listened to this month, ranked and reviewed — no filler, no hype-chasing, just honest verdicts on what's worth your time and what isn't.This is the monthly album review rundown — every release that crossed my desk this month, ranked from worst to best, with honest thoughts on production, songwriting, and whether it's actually worth adding to your rotation. No press-release hype, no "everything is a 9/10" nonsense — just the same gut-reaction ranking approach we use for full band biographies, applied to whatever dropped this month across underground and mainstream metal.This monthly ranked format is a Patreon-exclusive series — full album-by-album breakdowns, complete rankings, and extended commentary are only available to supporters. This is your look at what the series covers and why it's worth checking out if you want a second opinion before you spend your listening time on a new release.Get episodes early-https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheMetalManiacsPodcastFollow us here-https://tr.ee/YA-9eUZGnCSupport Our Sponsor- https://www.starkrealestatemi.com/

Jay Ingersoll and co-host Jeff Wright put a fresh spin on the Metal Maniacs Reaction Series — and this time, nobody knew what was coming. They each hand-picked 3 bands, dropped them on the other person cold, and let the unfiltered opinions fly. Six bands. Zero preparation. Pure underground metal chaos.

Who brought the absolute heat? Who got unexpectedly destroyed by something they never saw coming? This one's a must-listen for any metalhead who loves discovering new music alongside people who actually give a damn about it.

🔥 BANDS COVERED THIS EPISODE

💥 "Pure Bliss" FFO: Acacia Strain | Beatdown Hardcore Beatdown hardcore delivered with zero mercy. Crushing Pantera-worship riffs, suffocating production, and a sonic weight that borders on physically threatening..

🎧

https://open.spotify.com/album/7em2Wea3qoLDLVgItVdgIK?si=4f9142045c254a66

⚡ AXTY – "Dismay" FFO: Spiritbox, Lorna Shore | Djentcore / Deathcore Completely out of nowhere and absolutely devastating. Unique djentcore with vocals that wreck, haunting clean choruses with an emo edge, strategically placed electronic elements, and deathcore breakdowns that cave your skull in. Blown away doesn't even cover it.

🎧

https://open.spotify.com/track/0TF2e9vABPwa45lzBxKhVe?si=9dbc0ad3e1534d31

💀 Beautiful Child of God – "Shiver in the Dark" FFO: Vomit Forth, 200 Stab Wounds | Death Metal / Grind Pure, punishing death metal. Incredible vocals, face-melting pig squeals, savage grinds, and a heaviness that puts it firmly in elite company. Think No Cure — but darker, dirtier, and even more death metal. Utterly devastating from start to finish.

🎧

https://open.spotify.com/track/0xTtNR8dxUDBeQPaFQ1etv?si=3f31524046c54ddb

🌌 INFECTED DEAD – "Organic Monolith" FFO: Defeated Sanity, Abysmal Torment | UK Tech Death Featuring ex-members of Pupil Slicer, Dawnwalker & Overthrow. Their new EP Invicta (May 2026) was produced by V. Santura (Triptykon, Dark Fortress, Obscura). Razor-sharp riffs, cosmic horror atmosphere, and deep underground credibility. This lineup means business.

🎧

https://open.spotify.com/album/16tDJSyLP5HcyxXRQH0Zmd

⚔️ VOLCANDRA – "Rune Sentinel" FFO: The Black Dahlia Murder, old In Flames, At The Gates | Melodic Blackened Death Metal Louisville, KY. Prosthetic Records. Sci-fi storytelling meets melodic blackened death metal at its most majestic and crushing. Their new album Beyond The Will Of Mortals (April 24, 2026) is bombastic, driving, and built for massive riff worship.

🎧

https://open.spotify.com/track/6SB3Ef7ozpuLHsDQ2Vx9DA?si=3fecee5211e249d0

🌑 IATT – "Drift Away" FFO: Abigail Williams, Opeth, Black Crown Initiate | Progressive Blackened Death Metal Philadelphia's IATT operate on a completely different level. Black Lion Records. Their cinematic album Etheric Realms of the Night drops May 8, 2026 — paired with a full surrealist film releasing July 24, 2026, exploring sleep paralysis and nightmare states. The following isn't massive yet. It will be.

🎧

https://open.spotify.com/track/25s25VhlI6dz6KzynYhc0n?si=573110ab60b540f4

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In the 28th installment of the Metal Maniacs Reaction Series, host Jay Ingersoll is joined by special guest Josh Hibbs as we dive into another stacked lineup of underground heavy music from across North America and beyond. From crushing deathcore and groove metal to immersive storytelling, progressive heaviness, and DIY metal passion projects, we're giving our honest reactions to some incredible artists that deserve your attention.

This episode features bands from Canada, Michigan, Chile, and beyond as we continue our mission of helping listeners discover the next wave of heavy music.

🔥 Featured Bands

🇨🇦 ERASE

Coming out of Windsor, Ontario, ERASE is a fully DIY modern metal band built from friendships, determination, and a shared love of heavy music. Writing, recording, engineering, mixing, merchandise, and content creation are all handled in-house. We react to their newest material and discuss their journey from pandemic songwriting sessions to becoming a full-fledged band.

🔗 Linktree:

https://linktr.ee/erase.on

📸 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/erase_on

🪱 SHOVEL MONSTER

Mick and the crew bring us "Worms," a track that immediately caught our attention with its raw energy and underground attitude.

🎥 Watch:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=qudccaTvGSY

⚒️ DUG IN

Known for bringing heavy riffs and relentless energy, DUG IN returns with another crushing track that we break down and discuss.

🎥 Watch:

https://youtu.be/jeW9gJfKHTo

⚡ OMEN MACHINE

We got early access to a private viewing link and reacted to the band's upcoming release before it officially dropped. Expect heavy grooves, atmosphere, and plenty to talk about.

🎥 Video:

https://youtu.be/nzldGF2NR-k

🏥 ABIGAIL'S ASYLUM

Imagine an interactive horror movie told through nu metal. Abigail's Asylum combines music, mystery, puzzles, hidden clues, and storytelling to create a unique experience unlike anything else we've covered.

👻 POLTERGEIST

Recommended by friends of the show, Poltergeist delivers an absolutely filthy track with massive Meshuggah and Car Bomb influences. This one gets heavy in a hurry.

🎥 Video:

https://youtu.be/JPQAacOekE0

🎧 Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/5knvvOaeHPWtQuRH9L1WuP

🌊 MAWIZA

One of the most exciting metal bands in the world today. The Chilean Grammy-winning groove metal outfit continues to blend Indigenous Mapuche culture with crushing modern metal. We react to "Ngulutu" and discuss why Mawiza has become such an important force in heavy music.

🎥 Video:

https://youtu.be/4YKRpCSpH5k

🎧 Stream:

https://orcd.co/mawizaul

📸 Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/mawizakvlt

🔥 VEILBORN

Veilborn closes out the episode with their powerful music video for "Burn The Witch." We discuss the band's sound, presentation, and what could be next as they continue working toward a full-length album.

🔗 EPK:

https://epkbuilder.com/site/veilborn

🎥 Burn The Witch:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/181kJqt4ve8qOD9WWWDRNVqOQtLmfsRd3/view

This episode is packed with heavy riffs, brutal breakdowns, underground discoveries, and plenty of laughs along the way. Whether you're searching for your next favorite band or just want to hear honest reactions from fellow metalheads, this one is for you.

💬 Which band was your favorite?

💬 Who should we react to next?

💬 Which artist deserves a full interview on Metal Maniacs?

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