Welcome back maniacs! In the 124th episode of The Metal Maniacs Podcast, hosts Jay Ingersoll and Modd dive headfirst into the 22nd installment of our fan-favorite Reaction Series! You already know what time it is — we’re scouring the underground to find the heaviest, most creative, and most unhinged sounds the metal world has to offer.

💀 Bands Featured in this Episode:

⚙️ Gear Affliction

Kicking off the carnage, we check out Gear Affliction, the solo project of Jon from Slugchild. Raw, riff-heavy, and experimental, this debut EP showcases a range of short bursts and longer cuts of dark, textured metal that hit hard. Jon’s sound brings a mix of industrial grime, progressive grit, and good old-fashioned headbang fuel — perfect for fans of boundary-pushing heavy music.

🎧 Listen: Gear Affliction YouTube Playlist

💀 Soul Syphon

From Lewistown, Pennsylvania, this solo heavy hardcore project is the definition of underground energy. Soul Syphon’s debut EP “Reality is Bleak” (released Feb 21, 2025) blends metallic hardcore aggression with bleak atmosphere. Brutal breakdowns meet emotional catharsis in this self-produced release that feels both personal and punishing.

🔗 Instagram @soulsyphonmusic

🎥 Visualizer

⚔️ Fedaykin

Representing Grand Rapids, MI — Fedaykin are here to conquer. Their album “Keter” brings technical riffs, progressive structure, and an undeniable live energy. The band’s mix of modern death metal and melodic flourishes hits like a storm.

🎧 Listen on Spotify

⚡ Ettrich

Straight out of Halle, Germany, Ettrich channels the spirit of the NWOBHM era — think Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden infused with fresh energy. Their debut live track “Dream Maker” proves old-school heavy metal still has fire in its veins. Traditional riffs, melodic hooks, and classic vibes — this one’s for the purists.

🎥 Watch “Dream Maker” (Live)

🕯️ Humanity Zero

From the crypts of Greece comes Humanity Zero, the funeral doom/death metal duo unleashing their new album “Cursed Be The Gift of Life” on October 15th, 2025 via Satanath Records and Rude Awakening Records. Formed in 2003, the band has evolved from primitive brutality into a nightmarish, slow-burning descent into despair. Expect cavernous riffs, guttural vocals, and atmosphere so thick it’s suffocating.

💿 Five psalms of doom that drag your soul to Hades — this is music from the abyss.

🔥 Set Fire To This

Born from struggle and survival, Set Fire To This was founded by Jason after a long hospitalization with COVID-19. Joined by Kenneth Jones, Mark Hoag, and Rick Ysasi, the band channels pain into passion. Their modern rock/metal fusion is loaded with heartfelt lyrics, dynamic structures, and a melodic punch that bridges emotion and heaviness.

🎧 Spotify

🎥 Watch on YouTube

🧠 StillbornSweatShop

Experimental, gritty, and full of attitude, StillbornSweatShop (by Ewan) delivers a raw, industrial-tinged heavy sound that leaves a mark. We dig into his track, offering thoughts on production, songwriting, and the creative vision behind his twisted sonic aesthetic — and what we’d love to hear from him next.

🎥 Listen on YouTube

⚰️ Rancor

Closing the episode, we hit the pit with Rancor — a hardcore/deathcore hybrid from Beckley, West Virginia. Their new track “Struggler” draws inspiration from Berserk, blending anime-fueled storytelling with bone-breaking heaviness. DIY produced and mixed in-house, this track proves these guys are hungry and determined to carve their spot in the scene.

🎧 Spotify

Whether it’s doom from Greece, hardcore from PA, or underground madness from West Virginia — this episode celebrates the global reach of metal and the passion that fuels every riff.

🎧 Tune in and bang your head with us as we react, laugh, and celebrate the heavy underground — one submission at a time.

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