ATX Metal Podcast

Welcome to the first episode on the year! We kick off this year with Arborenna. Founded 2017 in Austin, TX Arborenna is a metal trio based in Austin, TX. While delivering a "brick wall" of sound that's as powerful as it is groovy, Arborenna aims to bridge the gap of accessibility and to make progressive metal more digestible for a wider audience. Arborenna went from flying under the radar to your release radar.Ryan doesn't get BlockChain, Rick visits MySpace, Brien is a genius and Braedon has the hookup at Guitar Center. This episode is full of fun. Their latest release, "When the Panic Arrives", is actually music they had on the back burner since their formation and the guys go over how they got everything across the finish line. As far as #TeamBean is concerned, I'm still confused as to where they stand but they aren't opposed (I think).https://www.facebook.com/arborennahttps://www.atxmetalpodcast.com/band-of-the-month

Rounding out the year, Ryan has a chat with Jerecho Berrera, the vocalist of Mourning Sun to get a few more details on the band. After some technical difficulties with the internet, the guys were finally able to link up and knock out a sesh.Formed in 2017 hailing from San Antonio, TX, Mourning Sun has been slowly creeping into listeners ears and playlists. They have been dropping new music this year that is just getting better and better. They have multiple songs that they are working to prefect and have an EP/Album release prepped for 2022.This episode is full of a lot of love for local bands, how important bass is and what's upcoming for Mourning Sun in 2022. And for those wondering, Jerecho is #TeamBeanhttps://www.facebook.com/MourningSunTXhttps://www.atxmetalpodcast.com/

It's always a good time when there's a Craigslist story involved when it comes to forming a band. From meeting folks at a bar that no longer exists to random texts at 4am, Release The Captive have story that is similar to those we've heard before but it's always nice to learn a new origin story.Still a relatively young band, formed in 2018 in Austin TX, Release The Captive will be a band to watch. With their latest release "Spitting Image" and hitting the stage with Levels, Release The Captive still have a few more stories that have yet to be written.Oh, and they are all #TeamBean https://www.sonicbids.com/band/release-the-captive/https://www.facebook.com/releasethecaptivebandhttps://www.atxmetalpodcast.com/

Aduanten is a dark-textured death metal collaboration featuring contributions from members of VEX, OBSEQUIAE, and HORRENDOUS.For their debut EP “Sullen Cadence,” the band enlisted the talents of VEX bassist Joel Miller, with lead vocals provided by Eoghan’s collaborator and long-time friend of the band Tanner from OBSEQUIAE. Additional vocals were provided by Damian Herring of HORRENDOUS, who also mixed and mastered the EP at his Subterranean Watchtower studios. Additional sound design was provided frequent Vex collaborator Adrian Benavides, who also co-engineered the principle tracking with Michael Day at their own AMP studios.Dive in and get to know the bands history and where they are heading.https://aduanten.com/https://youtu.be/bodEaofvrt0https://www.atxmetalpodcast.com/

Josh and "The Young One" Jared have a chat with the guitarist Nick Lee and Drummer Ray Marte of Moon Tooth to see what's been going on with the band and to nerd out a little because, that's what they do. They talk about the best laid plans, playing and not playing shows, how their writing and recording process has differed across releases and while working with different producers such as Weird Al. Also there are a couple secrets mixed in so press play already and enjoy!Also, the verdict is out. Moon Tooth is Team Bean!!!

Welcome back to another episode of Kick It With Kittie! In this episode, Kittie has a chat with a close homie of the podcast, Mr. Jake Wayman. Last time Jake was on the podcast was when he was in a band named "Avarice" which there is news on the horizon with them as well. This go around he is now the front man of Nahaya. Kittie and Jake chat about his personal journey through the bands he has been in and says he has finally found his group of band mates that allow him to express himself more clearly. Also, Jake takes on the hard question of "does the peanut butter on a PB&J belong on the bottom or top of your sandwich?"......(choose wisely)Nahaya is a mixture of American thrash metal with Eastern melodies and influence from the famous Gothenburg sound. As every band has its own unique story, Nahaya has a very unusual story itself. Semir Ozerkan from Istanbul, Turkey moved the United States currently living in Texas to pursue his goal with music and started this band with his friend Ryan Peters in 2013.

Astrixion is an American heavy metal band out of Killeen, TX. Formed in 2011, our founder Ron Flores, Guitarist Lj Whaley, and Bassist Kurt Savage have crafted the Astrixion tone from various genre styles.The guys have been busy to say the least. Now working with members of Austin, TX hometown favorites Fire From The Gods, Astrixion have been in the studio with some amazing results and can't wait to share it with their fans. The guys take the deep dive on how the band originated and came to be the line up you see and hear today. During the chat, its discovered that there is a military connection between everyone in on the interview which ties into how the band was formed.From new music to new merch to a new website, the Astrixion guys are ready to get back out there and mix it up.Today's featured track is Astrixion's latest release "My Resolve"

Welcome to our newest series "Kick It With Kittie". We have brought on one of our local musicians to join the podcast team to get even more involved with our Texas metal bands. This is the pilot episode where she talks to Phil and James of Whore of Bethlehem straight out of Austin, Tx. Whore of Bethlehem is an extreme metal band that hails from Austin, TX. Originally formed in 2009 by Ryan Sylvie, TJ Rodriguez, and Rene Martinez the band was established to break away from the signature brutal death metal sound of Texas with a more blackened and sinister approach. Phil and James joined the band in 2014 and rounded out the lineup for the debut album "Upon Judas" Throne which was unleashed in the May of 2014 to high acclaim of metal fans all over the world. After the album's release the band added Alan Berryman on bass and Sam Axelrad on drums to the fold as the band continued to build a solid Texas fan base.The guys have a chat with Kittie about what they have been up to over the past few years, who their influences are, what's coming up as far as new music/shows and what shampoo they use as well as other little goodies. Good news is new music is just around the corner but they are taking their time to do it right the first time.The song featured in this episode is "Invocation" of their 2017 release "Extinguish the Light"

This episode features our very own Taylor Anderson and his band mate Andy McErlean of Pala (ATX). This one is close to the chest as Pala and the podcast have been close since they performed down in San Antonio for the podcasts first out of town showcase and the bands first time down there as well. Pala was founded in late 2016 by front man Andy McErlean (vocals/guitar). He recorded his initial demos with Chad Rockwell at Westfall recording Studio in Austin, Texas. For their debut EP, "The Seven Earths", McErlean and Taylor Anderson teamed up to hone in the sound of Pala. The EP was produced at Anderson's production studio, Titan Audio, located in Austin, Texas.Pala has been a steady presence in the local Austin scene and have continued to progress and grow as a band. With the news of them recently signing to Perennial Talent Agency to break into markets, the guys explain where they are taking the band and what's to come.

Death Of A Dream are one of those bands that can be considered the "glue" that helps hold this metal scene together here in Austin, Tx. The guys have been around the local metal scene for decades. As a band though, they have been jamming since 2015. If you have ever been to a metal show here, you have probably bumped into one or all of the members.With only one EP to their name, they took the time during COVID to really have a strong comeback. With the release of the second EP "SENTENCED TO SUFFERING" finally hitting the airwaves and earholes, their EP release during Dime Fest 2021 will be without a doubt, a banger. They also have a music video to go along with the release.This episode is full of good memoires. From the way back days of The Back Room, to the old stomping grounds at Dirty Dog Bar, these guys have been doing the damn thing for some time now. Shaun shares an epic line cut story, as does Ryan. They guys also share their experience from when they went to the Community First Village, a 51-acre master planned development that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.Todays featured track is "Moving Targets"

In this episode, Ryan has a chat with Jody Linnel (formerly of Smile Empty Soul / 12 Stones) to see what all the fuss is about with his newly formed band Transient that was formed in 2020.Jody says he is ready to take the band all over the map and ready to throw down with some heavier riffs. Linking up with Sam McIntosh of The Diamond Noise Agency, and with a recent tour under their belt with Pig Weed, Jodi shares a few snippets of that run and their relationship with Sam. While out on the road, he said that one of his favorite things to do is to take in the local food spots and see the town. Ryan and Jodi now have a dinner date at Taco More when Transient comes to Austin Texas.A fun fact that got exposed during the interview is that Jodi is a North Carolina boy, just like Ryan. Therefore, they must be distant cousins. Also, the guys talk about one of Transient's latest singles titled "Goodbye" and how it was crafted.Todays featured song is "Goodbye" by Transient

You may recognize some of the band members from Spineless as they have many projects they are a part of but this episode is all about Spineless. The roughly, newly-formed 4 piece from Dallas/Ft. Worth is making moves by jumping on plenty of shows this year and getting their name out there.The last show they threw down at was with Spite, Varials and Dealer (2019) and are hitting the stage again in Aug for the first time since that show. The guys talk about what they have been up to since the last show, what they are looking forward to and new music to come. And for some reason, Ryan really wanted to know their Taco Bell eating habits.Their latest release "Glassblower" is their first track with everyone in on the writing process. They breakdown how they came up with it, wrote it, tweaked it and the entire process from front to back. They also breakdown their understanding of the ever talked about algorithm and how important it is for bands like themselves to make it into playlists and shuffles. They close out the show with swapping mosh pit stories.Today's featured song is the bands latest track "Glassblower"

In this special episode, the podcast crew sits down with members of In The Trench, John and Steven, to discuss their newest single "The Cycle" and what the band has been up to since their hiatus years ago. On top of getting to know more about In The Trench, we had a special call in guest, Matt Noveskey (Blue October/Orb Studios), who helped produce the bands track. Listening to these guys just vibe and describe their relationship and work flow was a great time.And if that wasn't enough, also in on this interview were the guys behind the upcoming documentary "Bloody and Bruised: The Back Room Documentary", Budro Partida and John Robert Jew. The duo describe how they took advantage of the COIVD lockdowns to knock out 50+ interviews from all walks of life that have passed through or have an attachment to what used to be one of THE places to either perform or watch heavy metal/rock with in the Austin city limits. This is going to be one of the best documentaries explaining and reliving the memories of how the Austin music scene was shaped and still continues to this day.Today's featured song is "The Fall" by In The Trench

Formed in 2015 in Wichita, Kansas, Parallax are instantly identifiable as a breed apart. With a sound that hurls all manner of disparate elements into the sonic blender, and the intensity and conviction to make the resultant hybrid count, this shape-shifting quartet have steadily forged a reputation as modern metal mavericks, releasing a series of acclaimed EPs and playing countless shows with everyone from Whitechapel and Suicide Silence to Mushroomhead and Goatwhore. Their latest album, Awaken, is their most potent statement yet, and represents the culmination of five years of dogged determination and creative fearlessness.As they prepare to shake off the shackles of inactivity and erupt into violent life once more, Parallax are secure in the knowledge that Awaken is an exhilarating and eccentric one-off. The perfect, furious antidote to post-pandemic lethargy, songs like the cudgeling, doom-laden Descent and the mutant thrash assault of Blood Moon are custom designed to snap necks and blow minds. As Jason explains, the band’s next moveis to take this epoch-shattering storm of sound to the people. Awaken, or be crushed! - excerpts taken from write up by Dom LawsonTodays featured song is "Esoteric" off their latest album "Awaken"

Decayer is a 5-piece deathcore outfit from Tucson, Arizona that brings the heavy. After gathering their members in 2016, they got right to work. Their first Ep dropped in 2017 and shortly after signed We Are Triumphant (now with Seek & Strike). Just before the process of getting on the label, Sean departed the band due to a change of pace but has since returned to his place as vocalist. Since 2017, Decayer have been doing their thing with release after release gaining traction along the way. With the exit of Harrison who replaced Sean, they talked it over and Sean rejoined the band and started getting to work on new music. Sean explains how he came to rekindle those spirits partly due to the formation of his Instagram page “Filthy Breakdowns”. The guys talk about streaming platforms, MySpace (yeah we went there), work life, the real estate market and how hot it is in Arizona. Also, the band recently just joined The Dreamer Agency to support their passion. Their latest release “Pestilence” is no slouch. If you are fans of Fit For an Autopsy, The Acacia Strain, Bodysnatcher, Whitechapel, you will have no issue banging your head to these tracks. Today’s featured song is “Dead Soul”

If you are not familiar with Otis Archer, fear not, this episode is for you. In this episode, Ryan sits down with Otis and Jordan to get the details on the project and what is to come soon.The episode started off with the guys just shooting the shit and talking about past and present vacations, along with Otis’s announcement that he is newly engaged! Once the guys get all caught up, Otis explains how he got a really good deal at the Verizon store when he got an email and had to head in. Little did he know he would find Jordan Jensen (formerly of Dark Sermon) dressed to the 9’s and the bond over metal band shirts began their journey. With two Ep’s out, alive and breathing, the guys are prepping the next iteration of the project with a third ep. With a bass player on board, they are looking to hit the stage this fall.Today’s featured song is “The Old Ways” by Otis Archer

Previously recorded in April 2021, Marked;Life is a 5 piece Progressive Nu-Metal band from Phoenix, AZ that pushes the limits of normal song structure and music with weird time signature and tempo changes. From musicians hair care to Taco Bell "feed the beat", this episode was fun.Marked;Life has been around in concept for a long time. Thanks to an Architect's show where Sam (vocals) and Caleb (guitar) linked up at, the band began to take form. After getting some friends in other projects to help them on their first music video, they moved on to song 2 and rounded out the band line up with Reid (drums) and James (bass). Within 5 months of being a full time band Marked;Life received a few record label contracts and decided to sign with ‘We Are Triumphant Records' where they remain at the time. This episode is all over the place. We talked about wallpaper (trust me, its worth it), to Taco Bell's "Feed the Beat" to creating our very own signature men's 4-in-1 body wash/hair care product line for touring musicians. Huge shout out to Cameron of The Dreamer Agency for hooking the podcast up with the band. Todays featured song is "Lose Someone"

From SoundCloud rapper to tasty metal tracks, Notions front man Kalan Beal has plotted his path and is staking his claim on what he considers a new way forward with his band mates and also his solo performances.Notions has been around for a few years now, grinding it out here in central Texas. The guys talk about how Notions came to be and how they are continuing to push their music to the next level. Kalan brakes down what the future holds for the band by working with Third String Productions to work themselves into a rap shows to include continuing with booking metal shows.Notions was signed to Stay Sick records late 2019, early 2020 and only stayed with them for 1 year. The plan was to tour heavy on their album but COIVD hit and stopped it dead in their tracks. Now on their own, they have a little more creative freedom to try this and that and it shows in their latest release "TxxthTxker" with help from members of UnityTX and Backwordz.On a personal note, the guys swap stories about being honest and not lying, requesting your song to the local radio station and trying to record it on cassette, as well as recoding DragonBallZ on VHS.

The Worst Case Scenario is a 5-piece death-metal/deathcore band from Lubbock, Texas. They released their last album fall of 2020 and are venturing out on their first tour in summer 2021. Ryan had a chance to catch them before they hit the road. TWCS is a new find for the podcast but may not be to you. If you’re into blast beats, then you have found the right band. Formed in 2016, they went through a couple ups and downs and almost hung it up. But 2018, they added some new members and got back on the grind. COIVD has impacted everyone differently. For TWCS, they had their latest album written in late 2019/early 2020 and had to hit the brakes on shows and spreading the word about their band. Now that shows have returned to a venue near you, they are hitting the road to show you what they have been cooking up.TWCS is touring on their latest album “Drowning in Insanity”. Todays featured song is "Throne of Decay"

This episode features the Tale of Two Jared's. The young one, our Jared, talks to the one-man band Jared Smith that is, Heliocentric. The young one discusses Jared’s sophomore album “Ishmael,” which provides a look into the sometimes-tumultuous relationship between the three Abrahamic religions. The episode opens with Jared (not ours) on how he submitted his proposal to a bunch of old, Christian professors for his application to be approved for his undergraduate in Interdisciplinary Studies at Wheaton in Chicago. He summed it up as “turning in a metal album to get his degree.” Jared went to Wheaton to study ancient languages even though he claims to have the intelligence of an under-baked potato. A few years in, he felt a little pigeonholed himself and decided to switch gears and go for interdisciplinary studies which. Jared spent time overseas in a study abroad program with about 20 people based out of Jordan and traveled to various locations. This episode takes a deep look into Jared's experience into the teachings of religion and what he took away from his time there. Heliocentric’s second full-length album, “Ishmael,” presents the band’s most intense soundscape yet. Tackling issues regarding the religious conflicts in the Middle East, the psychology of religion, and the three Abrahamic faiths, the intensity of the album mirrors the gravity of its subject matter, delivering many of the band’s heaviest riffs to date.

Basilica is a 4 piece “hair-slam” band out of Boone, North Carolina. The term “hair-slam” hails from the draw of the earlier days of hair metal but with an updated twist. They like to blend multiple flavors of metal to help create their sound.The band had their self-titled album “Basilica” ready to go in the early days of 2020 but had to press pause on the release due to COVID. They all took the time during COVID to keep their chops up and were able to work on their reach outside of the mountain range of the Appalachia Mountains. The podcast featured “Grinding Teeth” on the “Does It Stank” segment and after hearing the track, decided to set up a chat to learn more.Being a North Carolina boy himself, Ryan wanted to know how the music scene is fairing in the Carolinas. The guys go in detail about how they go about spreading their sound throughout the surrounding areas. They also discuss their signing to Innerstrength Records. With everyone being in school for music related studies, the guys go around the room and talk about their side projects. Everything from country to R&B to Emo to math rock. They all studied at the Hays School of Music at Appalachia State and essentially have all the bases covered with it comes to DIY. Todays featured track is “Grinding Teeth” of the self-titled album.

BYSTANDER is an up and coming American heavy metal outfit based out of Portland, Oregon. Blending more technical styles of death metal riffs with groove inspired deathcore breakdowns, BYSTANDER brings forth a crushing sound reminiscent of the golden era of heavy metalcore & “djent,” appealing to fans of Whitechapel, Meshuggah, Thy Art Is Murder, Volumes, Born Of Osiris, After the Burial & more.Bystander came out to Texas in mid March to get a feel for the Texas music scene to see if this was the place to be when they got back to playing gigs. Taylor gives his run down of their time here. They visited Rainy St, checked out some comedy clubs and of course, had to get some Texas BBQ. The guys take a dive into the lyrics from the latest Ep "Product of Misinformation" that dropped earlier this year and touched a little on how the band faired during their COIVD lockdown. Now that shows are returning to a stage near you, they are excited to get back out and mix it up with what is hopefully a new fan base here in Austin, Texas.Todays featured song is "Isolation Campaign" of their latest album "Product of Misinformation" Link below to their Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/4uYbgRkkg520ViIcz0KXdK

As stated on the bands website, “Hailing from Fremont, OH, the four piece Christian metalcore act known as Convictions is starting to make an impact on the world. Dubbing themselves “Aggressive Worship,” the band is not your everyday Christian band. Setting out to write lyrical content based on their own “convictions,” the band covers topics that push the boundaries.Michael explains that navigating the waters of being a Christian metal band isn’t the same as it used to be in the heyday of the 2000’s with bands such as Underoath and the likes thereof. One of their newest singles, “The Price of Grace”, revolves around the passing of a close friend of theirs due to suicide. As Ryan stated, its heavy music with a back story you normally would not call a “banger” but yet it is in a way.The guys finish out the episode talking about how the band operates with everyone so spread out and how they are going to approach touring given the COIVD restrictions are different in every state for the most part.Todays featured song is “The Price of Grace”, one of Convictions latest releases.Photo Credit: @johnfmedia

If you are into gaming, Spotify algorithms, Spiritbox and "progressive gerrymandering" then you are going to enjoy this episode. As they put it "A Dark Halo is wallet friendly, middle entry-tier, slightly prog cyber-metal (Assembled in Austin, TX, USA using Global Materials)."The band has been around for a while but has taken many forms over the years like most bands. They way it all came back to life was when Dave took a gig out here in Austin, Texas to work for a game developer and started to get the itch again to get ADH back up and running. Not only do they enjoy programming for the gaming community they also make music for the game industry.One of the interesting things that Dave mentioned was a comparison to the animation industry. in each of the say Pixar movies', they are trying out different animations to see what works. He said he wanted to mimic that per say and try and push each song with "something different" so the music is a new experience for the listener. The guys also chat about who they are listening to today and how the band is attacking getting more ears on their music by understanding and working the algorithm. Todays featured song is ADH latest release "Flame Betide" and can be found wherever you get your music.

In this episode, we travel virtually to the UK to have a chat with Josuha Rocchi of Defamed. Josh breaks down how he came to be in the band, how COIVD has impacted his personal and band life, along with his weekend getaway to shoot music videos and their upcoming shows. This will be the first time Joshua will perform with the band. Josh admits to his love for Asking Alexandria (so does Ryan) and also talks about how Defamed's remix to "Gasolina" came to be and fan reactions to it.From the bands Spotify Page "Savagely rising from the ashes of previous band "Drown in Sulphur", after they'd been betrayed by one of theirs, new Deathcore act Defamed is fueled with the rage that defines the genre. Introducing themselves with their intense and relentless debut single "Circles" and a parody cover of Daddy Yankee's reggaetón hit song "Gasolina" early 2020, Defamed deliver impressive tracks again and again, compiled in their debut EP Aeon released on December 4th 2020". Head over to Defamed's socials and give them a like/follow/share, check out their Patreon and stay tuned for more to come. The song featured is "Wounds" of their debut EP "Aeon". Photo credit: Nadia Camilleri (Instagram @youreinruins )

In this episode, Ryan and Jared sit down with 4 of the 6 members that make up TWMF. They take a stroll down fantasycore lane and learn how the band was formed and their concepts, how they are holding up during COIVD and future plans.The Wise Man's Fear is a 6-piece American Fantasycore band from Central Indiana. The group debuted its first full-length record, Castle in the Clouds, in the summer of 2015. The album chronicles the adventures of a young knight (representative of mankind) on his quest to find a legendary Castle and allegorically, the meaning of life.Their 2017 release, The Lost City, serves as a prequel to the events of Castle in the Clouds and tells the story behind the rise of Chaotica, the villain from the previous record while commenting on the dangers of generational warfare.In 2020, the band announced their signing to Sharptone Records and released the first single, "The Relics of Nihlux" from their forthcoming album and label debut, "Valley of Kings.

Matt has been around the Austin music scene for quite some time. The podcast has been familiar with Matt since his days in Taking on Poseidon, a now dormant/disbanded group that was a local favorite circa 2015/2016. From there, Matt has floated between projects such as Morningside and now has landed on Deadmouth.Deadmouth is a blend of tones but draws from NuMetal mostly. Here is a excerpt quote from the band "This is heavy, this is fast, this is hard, this is loud. We are, your anger and sadness inside of a song. We are the new heavy. We. Are. Deadmouth. Prepare and witness."Ryan caught up with Matt in a creative space where Matt lives. They chatted about past music, live streams, COVID, influences and the future music to come from the band. Todays featured track is on of Deadmouth's newest releases "The Middle" and can be found on Spotify/iTunes and elsewhere.Photo: @theuncannydom

This band is the culmination of 2 side projects with a splash of Nashville. AAerial is a 4 piece metal band from Austin, TX. As they put it "Their music fuses a style of aggressive metal and ambient electronics. An auditory hallucination weaving together hopeful melodies and dark lyrics that surround the core of one's will to survive".Originally from Istanbul, Turkey and coming here when he was 8 years old, his mother came to America to setup a home for him when she deemed ready and he stayed behind with his father . After some time in Florida as a young child, he moved out to Nashville and shortly after that, he ventured to Austin to chase his music career. He goes over his time in Nashville and a little background info on his music related happenings while there.Roman came to Austin after his band in Nashville had to go on hiatus. He tells a story about seeing Power Trip, one of Texas's top bands that hail from Dallas, TX and actually meeting and talking to Riley which helped push him to follow his dream.Once he arrived in Austin, he did the normal "get a job and do adult things" prior to searching for a new band to join. He found a vocalist opening for AAerial in late 2017 on BandMix, which is as he puts it "Tinder for musicians". As a part of most band try outs, they gotta see the goods. So what better way that the "in car sound test" except in this scenario, Roman was basically screaming the track in the car with the guys in the car with him. Talk about a job interview. Ryan and Roman go on about current events such as new music, up coming releases and The Noize Faktory Live Sessions.

Godendshere was founded in 2018 and are on the heavier side of the metal world. With the new line up, the music going forward will have the new members sound in mind. Trying to move on from more of a beatdown sound to deathcore, the guys are excited for what's in store. Due to the COIVD threat, Owen (founding member) and Carl team up when they can due to the fact they live close by. The band tries to get together about once a month to keep the music moving forward but are mindful of their safety precautions. So, like most bands this year, the sharing of thoughts and riffs are sent back and forth via the cloud. As far as next year is concerned, Hex is stoked to play his first show as the vocalist and Carl is looking forward to playing his very first show period. So this young band is ready to hit the stage and show you what they can do. From gaming to city jobs and pets, this episode has a little bit of everything.

In this bonus episode, Taylor calls up Josh (guitar) and Josh (drummer) via zoom to see how they have handled their COVID-19 timeline. Like everyone else in the music world, they had some hopeful things on the horizon like, recording with Ken Riley of Rio Grande Studios with Aaron Gillespie producing their album.It was tough for the band to try and get in the studio. With COVID restrictions and delays with Underoath pre-production, Aaron wasn't readily available. But good news, it all worked out and the story has a nice twist. They explain their timeline of dealing with this and how they made it through.While waiting and reworking some of their music, they talk about their writing process of quick phone calls and chats with riffs but also keeping in mind the challenge of going into the studio and not being fully attached to the music as well. They also talk about the overall vibe and well being of their area dealing with venues. if everything goes well, they will be on the stage Jan 2 at Come and Take It Live in Austin, TX. The guys wrap with how they shot their last music video. All the DIY!!!

From their website "As connoisseurs of everything groove and metal, Frostbitt have tasked themselves with challenging the status quo of modern metal music since 2012. The four-piece band from Norway explore rhythmic territories that border on the insane while maintaining an intriguing set of musical hooks. Three years past the self-titled debut album, Frostbitt unleashed a dark mirror image of their first record in 2018 with Solbrent, telegraphing to the world of heavy music that they can master dynamical themes on top of their diverse compositions. Their compass is pointed towards starving live audiences. On shows, Frostbitt audaciously emphasize the aggressive rhythms and portray the insanity in their lyrics. No one leaves stage with a comfortable pulse."

Endwelt is no stranger to the podcast. They were featured on the segment "Does It Stank" where the guys at the podcast do live reactions and reviews. Upon first listen, there seemed to be something there but it wasn't hitting on all cylinders. So after some time, Endwelt came back with the track "Already Dead" and it was a definite improvement. Ryan sits down and gives Lucky a call to learn more about the band and all that is Endwelt. "Already Dead" is featured on this episode and if you like what you hear you can go check out more releases from them on all streaming platforms.

As COIVD continues to be a part of our daily lives, we learn how to adapt to the new normal. So, we here at the podcast thought it was interesting that HopeFool was formed during COVID. The podcast found them via submission and played a track of theirs on the "Does It Stank" session. Liking the music and the story, they reached out to see how life was for them and to get to know them a little better.The band was born out of emails, texts and zoom conferences. They haven't even played a show. Michael tells the story about renting an Air BnB to jam in person, since the guys live all over the place. Dylan (guitarist) actually moved from Colorado during the pandemic to pursue music. Also, all members are bartenders so, they got hit twice as hard. Michael actually tested positive for COVID and explains how he reacted to it. Thankfully he is doing ok.The guys are planning on releasing some new music. Due to their situation, they have a trove of music they have written in the short amount of time. They plan on dropping singles here and there in the run up to the album release. Fun Facts: The drummer used to be in Casket of Cassandra, formerly a ATX local fan favorite. Also, Michael has never been in a band nor has he performed live. Today's track featured in the episode is by HopeFool titled "The New Age"

Rising out of the ashes of Austin legends Dead Earth Politics and joining forces with regional heroes Southern Front, Runescarred are hurtling towards success. Veterans of a thousand nights on the road and countless packed clubs, they have worked hard to polish their distinct prog metal assault and confidently stand beside some of the biggest names in the genre as talented musicians and songwriters.Ven and Ryan go down the road of where the band came from, COIVD-19 and its impact on the band. They also take a dabble into some politics in which they go off on for some time. We all know politics is one of those subjects that is not for everyone but they express thier views and how its affecting current times. Ven is Founder/Producer/Director at Indignant Dog Films. This episode is full of fun and little nuggets of his journey over the last year.Fun fact - he likes PoppyToday's song featured in the episode is "Swallow Your Tail" off their latest album "The Distant Infinite" and can be found wherever you get your music from

As COIVD-19 is still in full effect, the states that got hit the hardest are doing better than most right now. Ryan found the band Resistor simply just scrolling through Instagram because what else can you do locked in a closet right? Since NY got hit bad, Anthony gives a break down of what happened to him and his friends/family. Anthony provides a very interesting look on what the spread of the virus looked like in NY during the peak.The guys talk about what the shutdown looked like on each others ends. They chat about SXSW and other big events that started cancelling and the venues that might not open back up due to shut down. Anthony is a huge hockey fan. Ryan, not so much, but they have agreed to meet up in the future and go to a Islanders game and try to catch a show as well.The song featured in today's show is "Dead Air" by Resistor

In this episode, Ryan travels virtually to Toronto, Canada to have a talk with Telomēre. To see how things are going outside of the US, the guy chat about how their government and officials are handling the outbreak. In Canada, the government is supplementing peoples income with a $2k a month stipend to get them through this trying time (this blows Ryan's mind). It is a stark contrast to how its going down in the US (one-time check of $1200). Canada closely watches the US very closely because what happens down here has a round about effect on them.The Podcast found Telomēre via private submission and was played during their "Does it Stank" segment where they find new music and give an honest review. The band is comprised of members as they said "out of the ashes" from other bands. Their latest track "Kindred Will" is the compilation of everyone's input from the band. It a melting pot of ideas. They were on the grind and prepping to venture out to share their music but it all came to a halt, with everything else, in March. Like Austin (and most other cities), the music scene has taken a hit in Toronto as well. The guys will be releasing an EP sometime in the fall so stay tuned. Side note, they have tabs available if you'd like some.The song featured in today's episode is "Kindred Will" by Telomēre

Dave hasn’t gotten out much since COIVD-19 set in. From the first of March to the End of May, he left his house only twice to avoid the virus as best as possible. He’s doing fine and in good spirits. The guys gloss over how we got here and talk about Dave’s new music. Dave can do it all when it comes to music. Well almost anything. Since the shutdown here in Austin, TX he took the time to revisit his upcoming music release. So, he's including an instrumental version of all 10 songs. He goes into detail about “how the sausage is made”. The guys talk about music production, new music standards and as they coined it “ugly baby music”. No one wants to make ugly baby music. Also, don’t let your Uber Driver poison you. The song featured on today’s show is “Power is Power” by Fear of Water

From the time this was recorded to air date (2 weeks), COIVD-19 is on the rise again in southern states. Texas is nearing the top of that list. With these episodes, we want to make sure our musicians are doing ok. Jake has seen a reduction in hours in his small town. A lot of his companies work comes from the oil field and with the slowdown of people traveling, his company hit a slowdown period but since has picked back up a little. The last show that Scrap Pile played was the locals only showcase back in March at Come and Take It Live (also last show Ryan went to). So, in the down time, they have added a new member and are working on new music. Jake talks about the process learning curve because they have never done an album and during these times, they are making due with what they have to push forward. Jake and the gang also run their own podcast tilted “The ScrapCast”. They go off on tangents for hours and talk about whatever they want. Check out their YouTube Channel. The featured song on today's show is “Gura Gura” from Scrap Pile

The Burger Patrol is a hard rock, groove driven trio that brings you, as they say, “fuzzed out tones” on their 8 string guitars that is largely untapped in their landscape of music. You can definitely hear what they are talking about when you browse their discography. The guys were supposed to be heading to the west coast for the first time but that got shut down quick as the dates were scheduled for April. Then their dates for the east coast were halted along with the third tour, also west coast, that was planned. Since they couldn’t go out on the road, they have decided to track and release an 8-song album with some new stuff that no one has heard before or seen live. They have some outside shows lined up for July and August and are ready to get back on stage. Today's featured track is the bands newest single “Burger Babes from Outer Space”

Another week has past here in America and things are not what they used to be. Protests over the death of George Floyd have sent Americans into the streets. All the meanwhile, COVID-19 cases are back on the rise since a number of states are in Phase Two of re-opening their economies. In some parts of the nation, life is relatively normal looking and if it was't for the mask's, you wouldn't know there was any real threat of a virus.Ryan calls up Adam, one of the guitarist of the 4 piece Instrumental post-rock band (unsure if that's a thing but we went with it). He goes into detail about how COVID really put a halt for what they had planned during SXSW, to include a show that they were personally were trying to setup. So, to counter that, they slowly released single after single to keep their fans in the loop and to ensure they stayed connected through these tough times. Ryan pretends to know what hes talking about on climate change.The band has an interesting twist on how they came to be. Adam was from Dallas and the other three were from El Paso. Through the power of social media (not craigslist this time), they linked up via Instagram and slowly winded up in Austin. They really feel like now that they are together that they can really show there fans 110%.With the release of their up coming album "Brightness of an Endless Light" June 19th, the guys are pumped to be able to release their latest work during this turbulent time. Adam talks about what the album is all about, who they worked with and how it all came together. Adam throws in his personal rig run down and how it flows for him and why. He also talks about who they went with for producing/mix/mastering and the recording process.Ryan claims you can buy tin foil hats and drugs on the internet (but also this podcast. Disclaimer, Ryan has never bought tin foil hats)The music featured in this episode in a single from Zealand The North titled "Never Perfect"

So, it has been a minute since the last L.I.C. episode. Partly because Ryan has gone back to work full time as Texas has moved into another phase of reopening their economies. During the down time, the guys at the podcast kept the ball rolling with reviewing new music via their “Google Drive” and “Does It Stank” segments. Fortunately, they found Levels buried deep in the mix. Jacob handles the heavy stings (bass) for Levels by night and is a software engineer by day. So as Jacob said, he wasn’t as affected work-wise, like others were. But the band stuff did take a hard pause like most as well. The band had a rather nice tour setup for the spring that was going to venture into Canada and link up with a band that Dalton (drummer) had set up but due to COVID-19, they had to put that to the side. The guys talk about how the band is trying to stay busy and connect to their fans. The latest single “Encapsulate” really gets you out of your seat and moving and they have also been writing more new music so that when things are ready to return to normal, they want to return with an even bigger and better show for their fans. With the circumstances and the rules changing almost weekly, the guys talk about how local support is going to be vital to the reopening success for local venues and local bands. Buy a shirt, a cd, a hat is you can because that goes right back into the bands pocket. The music featured in today’s episode is Levels latest single “Encapsulate”. Head over to their social media accounts and show them some love.

HateWaker is new to the podcast, and that's OK. Ryan was on the hunt for new music to fill out a show before the COVID-19 lock-down wasn't even talked about at the time. He stumbled across HateWaker by asking around to the other locals. They have only been together for a couple years but have put out some really good tracks. They have found that during the shit down that they are improving on their brand and music as a whole.DOC was written in a night due to Black Craft Cult Wrestling. Ricky gives us the run down. He also goes into detail about his zip code and vision for the metal scene in San Marcos due to its location and off the beaten path vibe. Ricky talks about his time in college and how he saw an opportunity for metal to thrive in San Marcos. The band has had to go out and purchase some gear to keep creating better material during the pandemic. Their communication has improved as well between the band. The guys also toss around the idea of "Can Texas Shred" and Duncan, the string section, signs on to lay it down. If you can shred, shoot your video over to [email protected] The song featured on this episode is "Atmosphere" of their album Blasphemy

As with all things COIVD-19, things are becoming more and more hectic. There was some technical difficulties getting this one going but, they made it. Practicing for the band is tough as Cameron (guitarist) lives just north of Austin while the rest of the band lives in Houston. Cameron works in landscaping and for him, things haven't changed too much but he can tell that things are different.Like with most people, Adrian (vocals) has seen a drop in hours where he works as a line cook. Hes down to 25 hours a week but he is still happy that he has work. He talks about how where he lives, things are still pretty active as far as people going out into public and taking the advice from local officials in regards to stay at home orders.The Monster Inside had plans on going back to their producer in Louisiana but plans have changed. They just released the song "My Mark", which is the featured song in today's episode and its good. They go over how they made the song and whats to come for the band in the future. Adrian also talked about how hard it was to bring this thing home to completion.

Seth joined the band Oh, Sleeper late 2018 and made it official early 2019. If you are not familiar with Oh, Sleeper then you should hit pause and go check out their discography. Its solid (and a personal fav). Seth went on about the beginning of the tour and how everyone got along really well. The line up was stacked with Thousand Below and Bloodline (up and coming band form Dallas, TX). But sadly, the tour had to come to a close with the spreading pandemic and shut downs. Seth explained that he was more at risk to catch/spread the virus because he was behind the merch table, high-fiving and shaking hands with fans. This is just a part of the job but at the same time, he was taking this into account as he has members in his family that may be a little more vulnerable to the virus. The last thing any of us want to do it be the cause of someones sickness, regardless of the circumstances. Seth said something that stood out. He said that Seth said that he found himself in a round about state of grief and that that was ok. In today's environment of mental health being on the fore-front of a lot of conversations, doing what you love (like being a touring musician) and having that taken from you can take a toll on a a persons mental state. Seth also lets us take a peek into his home life and the struggles of actually being home.He also lets Ryan know that there maybe be something cool coming from Oh, Sleeper on Twitch so stay tuned. Words of wisdom from Seth to follow: "Your band is your ice cream shop. No one gives a f**k that you make ice cream. A lot of people make ice cream. Its what you do to get people to come back for your ice cream." ~ S.W. 2020The song featured in today's episode is "The Island" off Oh, Sleepers latest album "Bloodied / Unbowed"Photo credit : @aadamstokes

John is a busy man. From being an EMS tech on an ambulance as a day job, John also is the vocalist for his band Snake Father. As with everything COVID-19, John has to step up his precautions while on the job. He explains that they are treating everyone as though "they are hot, until they are not". Playing it safe on a daily basis is an understatement for his line of work. John goes into some details about what he is seeing and hearing about the virus as it continues to plague us as a whole.John took Snake Father from Corpus Christi to Austin in 2018 and hasn't hit the brakes yet. When he got here, he didn't know anyone and had to try and see where he and his brand fit in. From its creation, it started out as a solo project where John wrote it all from his apartment. SF has gone through a couple line up changes but that hasn't stopped the passion and the drive. Now John finds himself yet again in his apartment with time on his hands. During the down time, SF went to The Noiz Faktory Recording Studios in Georgetown, TX to take advantage of the mandatory down time. Eric Meyer is the owner and operator of The Noiz Faktory and he opened his doors to multiple bands during the quarantine so that they could get some solid content to share with their fans while they are stuck at home. John takes us back to his time there and how happy he was with the result. *** And if you think you have the chops as a guitarist and would be a good fit, SF is currently on the hunt for one.The song featured in today's episode is Snake Fathers single " Davidian" and can be found on all major platforms

As Ryan has been making the rounds on people to call, he saw it fitting to contact a local doctor to get the words from those on the front lines. Christine has been practicing medicine for a long time and is now faced with something that no one has seen. COVID-19 is a new strain of virus that has spread causing a global pandemic. Cedar Park isn't a large metro area but yet is a fairly large suburb of Austin and so far Texas hasn't seen an extreme number of cases. We haven't seen any major upticks in our area but that doesn't mean that it can't happen so she has to be ready for what is to come.Dr. Mann has a direct impact on her community and has decided to run for Congress to represent District TX-31. She has to win the run off coming up soon so make sure you get out there and vote. She is trying to unseat John Carter. She talks about her campaign and also her amazing staff. Dr. Mann was recently featured on a NOW THIS Politics ad recently published on Facebook. She also talks about her loss two years ago but how that hasn't deterred her or her passion.The audio heard at the beginning of the episode was from "Coronavirus (COVID-19) PSA - Pop Culture MashUp" and I highly recommend you heard over to the the Freeman Show YT channel to watch the entire thing. Its amazing!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEgQ8AAlG8A

In today's episode, Ryan talks with one of his best friends, Shane Miller. Shane and Ryan have been friends around a decade. Shane and Ryan formed a bond over performance cars which then lead to metal. Shane recently moved back to the Round Rock/Austin area and is glad that he did, partly because now he can attend local shows again.As with most things these days, you need a good source of news. The guys really show their love for NPR and good, fact-based reporting so that they can get accurate information brought to them. It is really important to make sure the news you are consuming is valid.Shane has been turning wrenches for a long, long time. He is currently working at a body shop as a mechanical technician. Like he said, "I don't make it look good but I can get it from A to B". Ryan also is a wrench turner and this is one of the areas where they can relate to each other. Shane explains what his company is doing to help their employees even though they had to lay some people off. Ryan and Shane go on at length about the automotive field and discuss creating a podcast about do's and dont's for up and coming technicians.The song featured in today's episode is "Swaggart" by Bury The Rod #supportlocal

Anthony has been running CATIP (Come and Take It Productions) for over a decade. Chris and Ryan met Anthony at Dirty Dog Bar here in Austin TX when they began the Podcast in Nov 2014. CAITP has been supporting the Podcast since 2015 to present. Anthony has grown his business over the years but has also helped grow the local metal/rock scene as well.Since Anthony is one of the bigger players in our community, he has been affected in major way. From booking, promoting and hosting live shows at his venue and at other locations, he has had to make a lot of adjustments. For example, some shows are booking out as far as Summer 2021. Needless to say, scheduling is a nightmare. His band, Critical Assembly, recently released a new EP in March, 2020. They also went down to Mexico for Heaven and Hell Fest with 40k+ people there. This was when things were beginning to really ramp up in the US but, down in Mexico, things were a little more laid back. He recounts his time there."Nothing good came come from some room temp gin that has been stuffed in a fanny pack on a grown ass man" ~ Anthony StevensonThe song heard in today's episode is "Moonwalk Backflip" by Critical Assembly

Well, nothing new to report from here except that Ryan is still in his closet calling people.In this episode, Andy Flores from Xposed Underground was kind enough to take the call.Andy is making due during the COVID-19 pandemic. He owns and operates his own mobile mechanic service. His wok has slowed but he still has customers, mainly consisting of military servicemembers. Ryan can empathize as he is also a mechanic by day. He describes how he goes aboutbeing safe when it comes to interacting with his customers.Andy is also well known down in San Antonio when it comes to the metal/live music scene. He runs Xposed Underground which came from two ideas: An old show on MTV called "Reverb" and being involved in the local music scene. He books/promotes shows at this really cool locationin SA called Vibes Event Center which contains The Rockbox and Vibes Underground. He also has done work at Fitzgerald's and a couple other spots around that neck of the woods. There's also some big news inside. The ATX Metal Podcast and Xposed Underground are teaming up to bring even more of a spotlight to local metal/rock in the San Antonio and Austin area. Andy goes into his first show for Xposed and how it has grown. Andy has been involved in metal since he was in high school since 2001. They talk aboutdays of The White Rabbit and how he came up in the scene. His band, Evol Assassins, play around Texas and he chats about how his band does what they do. He tells us about one ofhis last shows that they opened up for the headliner, Cold. He thought they sucked. The fanstold him otherwise.Ryan has found a new source of metal on his local radio. 93.3 HD3 for No Control Radiothe song featured in today's episode is "Memory" by Evol Assassins

Like most people today, Drake is just like the rest dealing with all that is COVID-19. With the majority of the country practicing social distancing, work and band life have taken some turns. Drake, working in construction, has seen a dip but is hopeful that things will pick back up. One of the things he is noticing is that he is seeing families spending more time together outside. Taking walks, playing, kids riding their bikes. Even during tough times, somehow people are still enjoying themselves the best they know how.Oddfellas is relatively new to the podcast as far as their music and performances. About two years ago, Ryan happened to be a judge for the Heaven and Hell Fest Battle that took place at Come and Take It Live in Austin, Tx. Drake goes into how he didn't think they had a shot but his drummer talked him into it. With an 8+ hour drive (one way), little money to spare and big dreams in their back pockets, they made the trip to the battle. Drake explains how he listened to the other bands at the battle and felt they didn't have a good shot at winning.Rounding out the episode, Drake lets us know that Oddfellas is coming out with something fresh, different in the coming months. They will be releasing the single "Cold" which has a new feel to it vs their older catalog. He also informs us that they have recorded some "live" sessions but made some adjustments for the best quality. If you want to reach Oddfellas, hit them up on Twitter where they are pretty active. The song heard in today's episode is "Dead" of their self-titled album "Oddfellas".