Like us, are you somewhat uncomfortable of about Pantera playing with Metallica? Why exactly might that be? We need to explore what it is about Phil Anselmo that gives people that icky feeling. This week we try to put some meat on the bones about the rumours that have dogged Anselmo for the last three decades of his career. White supremacist? Racist? Just a bit of a steamer? What is it about this guy that has gotten him this reputation? Is it merited? And if it is merited, do we have any sort of...
Jul 21, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 371
You may have seen the AI band The Velvet Sundown pop up in the news recently and thought "well, that's weird". Long-time fans of the pod probably also thought "when are they going to do an episode on that?" Well, here it is! The Velvet Sundown - What Actually Happened? If you've been following us for a while you'll know that every 18 months or so we seem to return to broader discussions about where music and technology intersect. It began with an episode on Threatin (if you remember who Threatin...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 370
This week we're talking about US Maple. Which is a bit like saying we're talking about having your teeth drilled without anaesthetic. The Chicago quartet spent twelve years making music that deliberately disappointed every expectation you might have about rock music. They took guitars, drums, and vocals and somehow made them sound like they were arguing with each other in a language nobody understood. It was brilliant. It was infuriating. It was absolutely necessary. This is the final part of ou...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 369
This week we're diving headfirst into the gloriously pretentious world of No Wave - the three-year New York art scene that somehow managed to influence everything that followed. Chris has somehow convinced Mark and our resident Italian punk professor Ferro to explore how a bunch of art school dropouts in a financially bankrupt New York accidentally created one of music's most important movements. We start with New York City in 1978: a proper shithole where you'd genuinely risk your life getting ...
Jun 30, 2025•57 min•Ep. 368
This week we're tackling the wonderfully niche concept of anti-rock. Or more specifically, we're trying to work out what the hell it actually is, why Google doesn't seem to know either, and how it connects to everything from Frank Zappa taking the piss out of The Beatles to bands who are so talented they deliberately make themselves sound rubbish. Chris has dragged poor Mark and our resident punk professor Ferro down a rabbit hole that starts with French composers banging bits of concrete in the...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 367
This week we're diving into the wonderfully gloomy world of Emma Ruth Rundle. Or more specifically, we're having a bit of a discussion whether she's actually goth or not, what goth even means, and how it may be broader than some think. Musically, Chris thinks most of her catalogue is a bit pants but she has artistic integreity. Mark reckons she's brilliant. Emma Ruth Rundle has spent her career shape-shifting between projects like some sort of musical chameleon with commitment issues. From her e...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 366
This week we're talking about the Leeds band Vessels. Or more specifically we're talking about their quite abrupt change from identikit post rock band to something a lot more electronic and a lot more enticing. By their own admission, Vessels had something of a problem: the band had to evolve or die. They were trapped making the same post rock songs as everyone else, using the same delay pedals, creating the same "emotional" buildups that made grown men in plaid shirts cry. So they did something...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 365
This week Dave returns as we dive into our bag of covermount CDs and unearth a real gem. If you were buying Kerrang! in August 2002, you might remember issue 918 with The Prodigy on the cover. What you definitely remember is the cover-mount CD that came with it - Hometaping Volume Two, curated by Amen's Casey Chaos. This wasn't your typical corporate compilation of radio-friendly metal and whatever major labels were pushing that month. This was a proper education in underground extremity, compil...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 346
Joe from Shit You May Not Have Seen Podcast/the bands Go Down Fighting and Man Must Die, jois us this week. And his pick is somewhat controversial: Immortal Technique's second album second album Revolutionary Vol. 2. In true unsung style, it ends up leading to a massive debate about separating art and artist, all whilst looking closely at his politics and dissemination of conspiracy theories. Felipe Coronel fled Peru's civil war as a child, became a battle rap champion, and built a career on pol...
May 26, 2025•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 363
On this episode we dive deep into the musical history of one of Italy's most fascinating and forward-thinking bands - Krisma (or Chrisma as they were originally known). This husband and wife duo from Milan created music that was light years ahead of its time, with their 1977 album "Chinese Restaurant" laying the groundwork for sounds that wouldn't become mainstream until decades later. We explore how this band went from Italian pop stardom to experimental post-punk pioneers, working with the lik...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 362
In part two of our interview Arno Michaelis, we navigate the bizarre intersection of music, ideology, and redemption. If you've ever wondered how extremist movements actually work, this offers some great insight. Arno gives us the inside scoop on how a skinhead band like Centurion shifted 20,000 records whilst still getting royally ripped off by their label boss. We also chat about right wing ideology and symbolism, as Arno discusses how antisemitism serves as what "the connective tissue" that b...
May 12, 2025•59 min•Ep. 361
This week and next we're joined by a very special guest - Arno Michaelis, author, anti-extremism activist, reformed white nationalist and former singer of the neo-Nazi metal band Centurion. You may have seen Arno recently on YouTube where he did a rather brilliant interview with Business Insider. As long time fans of the pod know, Chris' interest in the far-right is something we've touched upon a lot over the last 7 and a half years. So, when the opportunity presented itself to chat with Arno ab...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 360
We've been a bit of a post-hardcore kick this year, so we thought we'd swing to the commercial end of the spectrum and talk about Alexisonfire. Specifically, Mark has chosen their 2022 comeback album 'Otherness' and we have a bit of a barney about it, as Chris and Mark's opinions on the band couldn't be more different. We spend time exploring how this Canadian quintet revolutionised post-hardcore with their three-vocalist approach, and track their evolution from their raw 2002 debut to their thi...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 359
This week, we’re talking about Julie Christmas – a woman whose voice could peel paint off the walls one moment and tuck you into bed the next. Known for her work with Made Out of Babies, Battle of Mice, and her collaboration with Cult of Luna on Mariner, Julie’s debut solo album The Bad Wife is our focus here — an underrated little firebomb from 2010 that mixes noise, beauty, and some very sharp edges. We also trace her entire career: from the blood-curdling chaos of Made Out of Babies, to the t...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 358
This week, we’re going in the exact opposite direction as last week talking about one of the most quietly revolutionary figures in modern music: Arvo Pärt. That's right, we're pivoting HARD from death metal to neoclassical music. Strap in! We go deep on his early works, his religious conversion, and his shift into the sparse, meditative style known as tintinnabuli. Along the way we discuss how his music achieves emotional intensity through restraint, why he basically disappeared for several year...
Apr 07, 2025•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 357
Once upon a time Man Must Die released two albums on Relapse Records and toured an absolute shit load. I actually remember when they toured with Machine Head, which is a fairly impressive thing for any metal band to achieve. Man Must Die were a death metal band, and in some quarters they were even called a technical death metal band. A term that vocalist, and our good pal, Joe disputes. And with good reason - technical death metal isn't really his bag. However, he does love Cryptopsy, and he has...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 45 min•Ep. 356
We’re back with the final part of our exploration of The Wildhearts, one of rock’s most truly unpredictable and chaotic bands. If you thought last week’s episode covered all their madness, think again cause we've a TON more stories in this one. Including a pretty grizzly tattoo story, so consider this a trigger warning for self-harm content. This time, we’re focusing on the mid-to-late years of their career, a period filled with controversial albums, internal meltdowns, and some truly bizarre st...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 355
The Wildhearts could very well be one of the most chaotic, unpredictable, and underrated British rock bands ever. Ideal for unsung in a lot of ways, really. So this week and next, we'll we’re diving deep into their sound, history, and legacy. In this episode, we break down: Claims that they sound like The Beatles merged with Metallica The endless lineup changes, hiatuses and threats of legal action How Ginger Wildheart outsmarted the music industry before crowdfunding was even a thing Why tourin...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 354
We love it when we get a chance to talk about very influential bands who are extremely overlooked. It is, after all, the whole reason this podcast exists. And there are few as influential, and overlooked, as Ink & Dagger. Their albums aren't even on Bandcamp, let alone streaming sites. That probably tells you everything you need to know. Frankly, without Ink & Dagger, bands like Thursday, My Chemical Romance and a whole legion of post-hardcore/emo bands from the early 00s simply wouldn't...
Mar 10, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 353
Well, here we are again, back in the trenches of musical altruism, digging through the chaos and cocaine fumes of We Are the World . In our final part of this double header, we examine the actual recording process—a night filled with megastars, massive egos, and the creeping existential dread of Bob Dylan. We cover: Lionel Richie’s unexpected side hustle as a musical firefighter, putting out diva-induced blazes. Quincy Jones' increasing exasperation as some of the greatest voices in music fail t...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 352
It’s 2025, and somehow, We Are The World is about to turn 40 years old . Time is a cruel joke. This week and next we'll be taking a deep dive into one of the biggest charity singles ever recorded. You know the one—Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan looking completely lost, and a very questionable Cyndi Lauper fashion choice. We cover: How this song was written in 10 days and recorded in one night (because the American Music Awards made it convenient). The absolute chaos...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 351
In this episode we are joined by special guest Grant Donaldson from Moni Jitchell and Civil Eleigies, as he dives into some of his early musical influences. From Meatloaf's 'Bat Out of Hell 2' to ACDC's 'Back in Black' and Refused's 'The Shape of Punk to Come,' he discusses the impact these albums had on his life and musical development. Along the way, anecdotes, gig memories, and the pitfalls of mixing punk ideology with mainstream success provide some entertaining listening. 00:00 Introduction...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 350
Welcome to the third and final part of our Black Sabbath expedition with Rick Bruce from Moonshine Docks and formerly of Coffin Mulch! We dive deep into the tumultuous yet fascinating journey of Sabbath's later years and the cap it off by discussing the often-maligned 'Never Say Die' album. From Ozzy Osbourne's erratic behaviour and his temporary exit, to Sabbath's experimentation with new soundscapes and their revolving door of members throughout the 80s and 90, nothing is off limits. We've got...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 349
Well now. It turns out that 19 albums (technically 20 if you include Heaven & Hell's only album, The Devil You Know) is rather a lot. So our two parter has become a three parter. Whoops. But we tackle their discography with someone who knows the band inside out - Richard Bruce, from the band Moonshine Docks and formerly of Coffin Mulch. His encyclopedic knowledge of the band stands us in very good stead as we go about the business of talking about the band and their albums in detail. In this...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 348
It's 2025 and we're starting the year off with a bang. Regular fans will know that we always start the year off with a big artist, and there's very few metal bands bigger than Black Sabbath. This week and next we'll be chatting all about them. Episode one is an in-depth interview with Aron Ward, son of Black Sabbath's original drummer, Bill Ward. Aron discusses his eclectic musical journey, influenced heavily by his father but also carved by his own diverse tastes. He talks about his own project...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 347
After touching briefly on it in our Finland episode last week, this week we dive headlong into the discography of disorienting and electrifying world of the Finnish band, Oranssi Pazuzu. Known for their unique blend of black metal, psychedelia, krautrock, and electronica, Oranssi Pazuzu have pushed musical boundaries with their immersive and genre-defying style. We break down their discography, contemplate the terrifying beauty of their sound, and revel in the menacing brilliance of their 2020 a...
Dec 16, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 346
This week we dive headfirst into the land of heavy metal, Finland. In what originally started off as an episode on the Oranssi Pazuzu album Mestearin Kynsi, we quickly realised that we had a two parter on our hands. So this week, we're using Oranssi Pazuzu as a lens through which to view the Finnish music scene. In the episode, we take a detour through the history and culture of Finland, exploring why this country has the highest ratio of metal bands per capita. We also touch on notable Finnish ...
Dec 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 345
In this episode we explore the eclectic stylings of the band Karate. We break down their shift from post-hardcore roots to embracing jazz influences, focusing on the standout album 'In Place of Real Insight.' And we get there, in the usual fashion, by chatting extensively about their back catalogue. We also theorise that perhaps Karate fans may have split into two camps when they moved the focus almost exclusively to jazz. Our weekly Nexus challenge takes us from Karate to the late John Prescott...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 344
This week our pal Jan Alkema, drummer of the bands The Drum/China Drum and Compulsion returns. This time here's here to discuss the story of Compulsion. We cover the band's history, its ups and downs, and some behind-the-scenes stories. We hear about Jan's journey from joining The Amazing Colossal Men to Compulsion's battle with record labels, relentless touring, and eventual disbandment. Along the way, Jan drops some memorable anecdotes, including a run-in with Dave Grohl, a misadventure with C...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 343
In this episode, we take a journey back to the 80s to explore Device's only album, '22B3', the choice of this week's guest co-host, our antipodean based pal, Crag! We delve into the album's rich synth-pop-rock sound and discuss why it remains an underrated gem. The key member of this act is the overlooked, yet all time great pop rock songwriter Holly Knight. She was the mastermind behind many iconic hits from the likes of Tina Turner, Bonnie Tyler, Heart and penned songs for Kiss, Bon Jovi, Chea...
Nov 18, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 342
