Cantrel are a father/son duo making music together. On this episode we touch on their upcoming EP, ties to Prime Circle, their upcoming South African tour, their music video hitting over 1million views, and a whole lot more. #bandinterview #southafrica #cantrel #primecircle #southafricanband Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favou...
Jul 23, 2025•30 min•Ep. 398
Johannesburg boys Sunken State have a chat with Marcel about their highly anticipated EP Hunting Ghosts, Finding Demons dropping on the 18th of July. Join in as they dive into their process, the story behind the Ep, and the direction the band's moving in. We also touch on their inclusion for the 2025 Ramfest lineup and their thoughts abut sharing the stage with The Devil Wears Prada. 💬 Drop your thoughts on the band in the comments! 🔔 Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more chat...
Jul 17, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 397
In this explosive interview, we dive into how Alana Britz became the digital force behind Emalyth, Metal4Africa, and Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa, helping shape the online identity of Africa’s loudest metal festivals. Lana opens up about: - How she got into running social media for metal institutions - Emalyth’s approach to booking bands and scouting talent - Whether bands need a polished EPK to get booked - Her thoughts on allegations that Wacken Metal Battle favours South African act...
Jul 16, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 396
Pretoria boys No Closure recently made it onto the Ramfest lineup consisting of headlining act The Devil Wears Prada in South Africa. We chat about the metalcore/hardcore scene in Pretoria, the diversity in South African live shows, and get their response on what was said about the members during the Lower Hollow episode. 💬 Drop your thoughts on the band in the comments! 🔔 Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more chats with South Africa’s finest bands! #bandinterview #noclosure #...
Jun 24, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 395
From a nearly disastrous trip to Germany for Wacken Open Air to sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in modern metal, Argentinian Deathcore band @nvlometalofficial are tearing up the scene. Now, this entity is on it's way to bring their absolutely infectious energy to South Africa for two shows in Cape Town and Johannesburg! 📢 How did nearly not being able to play in the Wacken Metal battle potentially serve as the launch point for this bands career? How will they be recieved by Sou...
Jun 18, 2025•31 min•Season 1Ep. 394
From a high school drama studio to the heart of Durban’s underground scene, The Non Fiction has been active since 2018. Starting as a two-piece punk band, they honed their sound at Reverberate events, carving out a space in the local music scene. Now, they're turning it up, taking that punk rock mentality and channeling it into bigger songs for bigger audiences. With raw energy and unstoppable drive, The Non Fiction say they're on the brink of something great, and they’re here to talk about it. ...
Jun 14, 2025•16 min•Season 1Ep. 393
EP392: From the depths of Cape Town’s underground scene, Hi Anxious has emerged with a DIY ethos, a genre-blurring sound, and an uncompromising approach to music. In this episode, we dive into their creative process, the journey behind their debut EP, and what it means to curate every aspect of their art, from hand-crafted merch to carefully selected venues. Blending psychedelia, grunge, emo, hardcore, metal, and prog, Hi Anxious refuses to be boxed in. Their music is raw, energetic, and emotive...
May 27, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 392
Marcel has a chat with Seb and Dylan of @indiedogband Join in as they chat about the bands love of touring, the stories behind their music videos and their dream to become the best rock band in the world Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the show Help us continue making great content for listeners ...
May 20, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 391
EP392: We're chatting to Ashley of Lower Hollow on this episode. We're looking at where the band started, band member departures, the future of the band, and more. #sludgeunderground #southafricanband #lowerhollow #southafricanmetalheads Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the show Help us continue mak...
May 15, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 390
Next in line with catching up with each of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa Finalists Marcel has a chat with Die Gemeente's Francios Smith and Tyler Hattingh. Join in as they delve into the formation of the band, their respective histories as seasoned musicians, as well as their experiences working with Vulvodynia's Kris Xenopoulos. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for e...
Apr 30, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 389
This weeks Wacken Metal Battle Finalist is Hiraeth. A modern melodic metal band from Johannesburg South Africa who are back from a hiatus and ready to take on the South African scene with a new lineup. Join in as we chat about their thoughts on the current skill level of new musicians, their plans moving forward, and delve into a bit of scene history. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s someth...
Apr 23, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 388
This week Marcel has a chat with Lenny of Irony Destroyed. A metalcore band hailing from Nairobi Kenya. Join in as they chat about the kenyan scene, the challenges they face as an extremely niche genre, as well as being so geographically isolated from the rest of the African metal community. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favou...
Apr 22, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 387
Next up in our line of interviewing each of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa finalist we have Raven In Flesh. A Tswanian black metal band hailing from Botswana's legendary metal scene. Join in as Marcel dives into the origins of the band, the challenges they face and the prospect of coming to South Africa to perform at the biggest Pan-African metal event in Africa. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug...
Apr 15, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 386
Wacken Metal Battle Finalists Halvar share their thoughts on having the chance to represent South Africa at Wacken Open Air in Germany along with the bands origins to get a bar tab at the Aandklas battle of the bands. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the show Help us continue making great content fo...
Apr 06, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 385
Ep384: Dive into a chat with the winners of the Room 2 heat of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharren Africa. Find out how one conceptulizes a hillbilly slam band, How one makes a banjo guitar, and what their experiences have been within the scene. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the show Help us con...
Mar 19, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 384
EP383: Cape Towns Ill System is often described as Linkin Park with bongo's. Join in as they dive into their Origins, style of music, and the manyu injuries their vocalist hass sustained over the course of the bands career. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the show Help us continue making great cont...
Mar 10, 2025•23 min•Season 1Ep. 383
EP382: It's not often that we as South Africans get insight into our neighbours scenes. Join in as we chat with Namibia's longest standing metal band about their journey leading up to the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa finals, their thoughts on the competion bands so far, and their view on the state of African metal Overall. #Asnightfades #wackenmetalbattle #NamibianHeat #JohannesburgFinals #SouthAfricanMetal #MetalMusic #bandinterview #musicjourney #wackenopenair Edited by Marcel Smuts ...
Mar 04, 2025•16 min•Season 1Ep. 382
EP381: Join us as we dive into the world of Nine Refrain, the Durban-based band that just won their Durban Heat and is headed to the Wacken Metal Battle finals in Johannesburg! ️ In this exclusive interview, we explore what sets Nine Refrain apart as a unique Durban band, their thoughts on the dominance of Johannesburg's previous winners and how they see their provincial difference as an edge. We also get their views on tough competitors, Walk These Skies, the first thing they plan to do if they...
Feb 25, 2025•12 min
The 2025 Wacken Metal Battle South Africa is underway. Here Marcel catches up with the winners of the second heat Walk These Skies. They share their thoughts on their win, the show, and the prospects of potentially representing South African metal in Germany. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the sho...
Feb 23, 2025•19 min•Season 1Ep. 380
EP379: In this engaging interview, Qü shares his thoughts on whether Johannesburg remains the entertainment capital of South Africa and discusses the impact of social media on emerging artists. We look at the challenges faced by event promoters in supporting South African musicians and the decline of live shows. Qü also reflects on the albums having a long life span and considers this a dying art. We end off with Qü's plans for the rest of 2025. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and h...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 379
Marcel had a chat with two members of one of South Africa's newest up and coming bands. Sam and Matt detail the origin of the band as well as their extensive history within the scene. From the days of Tempo's, Thornsfest, and woodstock to present day Emaylth fest Sam and Matt reminisce on days past but also share hope in the direction the scene is moving and growing. Share some of your thoughts about venues and fests you miss and new things you're excited about. Find Fading Grey here: https://ww...
Feb 12, 2025•28 min•Season 1Ep. 378
EP377: In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Cassandra, the founder of Emo Night South Africa, to look into the secrets behind the success of this thriving event. Find out how Emo Night has transformed into one of South Africa's safest and most anticipated gatherings. Held at the iconic Evol in Cape Town, Emo Night is not just a celebration of music but a vibrant community. Join us to learn more about the evolution of Emo Night over the past 9 years. With 11 massive events planned for 20...
Feb 04, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 377
What happens when a talented singer-songwriter decides to take the reins of their musical journey? Join us as we welcome Dawn Melanie, a gifted artist from KZN, who reveals her transformation from a hopeful musician to an empowered independent artist. Dawn's journey involves the release of two albums, an EP, and multiple singles, highlighting the trials and triumphs of marketing music independently. Her candid experiences shed light on the complex dance between creativity and the demands of soci...
Jan 29, 2025•24 min•Season 1Ep. 376
EP375: Hop in as we take a look at Jay Reid's journey as a Techno/Minimal DJ, and thriving events organiser. In this episode, we examine Jay's remarkable transition from hosting house parties to becoming a professional DJ, alongside the critical role of selecting the right artists to create unforgettable events. We chat about the unique challenges of running music events in Durban versus Cape Town, and the power of collaborative efforts in strengthening the local music community. The importance ...
Jan 21, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 375
EP374: Ever wondered how a Hip-Hop artist transitions into the vibrant world of Hyperpop? Swoger from Durban shares his remarkable journey with us, revealing how his early experiments with FL Studio and a love for audio engineering led him to embrace the pioneering sounds of Hyperpop. Discover how Swoger crafts music that speaks to those who feel different, using auto-tuned and distorted vocals to create a unique resonance. He talks about convincing even his Hip-Hop friends to appreciate Hyperpo...
Jan 14, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 374
EP373: Starting off 2025 with a bang Marcel dives into the age old question of is heavy music dying out in South Africa. Listen in as he shares his thoughts from being a part of the scene as well as interviewing dozens of local metal bands. Check out our merch here: https://sludgeunderground.store/ Intro track: @facingthegallows Intro Footage: @notrussellcrow Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, th...
Jan 07, 2025•13 min•Season 1Ep. 373
EP372: We caught up with Cape Town band Lost//Youth on the Durban leg of their tour around South Africa. They give us the lowdown on how to prepare for a nationwide tour, their favourite shows in Durban, the bands they're looking forward to playing with, and more. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support th...
Nov 19, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 372
EP371: Meagan chats to Gabbi and Ethan from Art Punk trio - Cistamatic . We talk about shifting gears after ‘Soft Side’, writing Punk with a Pop sensibility and sowing seeds in the scene. They take us through their magical beginnings, keeping the klap factor and spreading the sharing spirit. Gabbi and Ethan wax about getting present at the party, normalising deposits and collaboration in Cape Town. Take note; if it doesn’t klap, it’s not klapstamatic. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 371
In today's episode Marcel has a chat with arguably one of the most influential people behind the South African music scene. From post-show videos to music videos NotRussellCrow has helped capture an era of the South African music scene. NotRussellCrow: YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@notrussellcrow Insta: https://www.instagram.com/not_russell_crow/ Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s somethin...
Nov 07, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 370
EP369: South African singer-songwriter Gia Mckay reflects on her time signed under a label, why she guards her heart, what the best social media platform for South African artists is, and more. Explore our exclusive merch store for unique and high-quality items inspired by our podcast! From stylish t-shirts to snug beanies, there’s something for every listener. Show your support and grab your favourite merch today! Support the show Help us continue making great content for listeners everywhere b...
Oct 29, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 369
