Exclusive Interview - Jamie Saint Merat (Ulcerate)

Crafting their unique, dissonant brand for nearly 20 years, Ulcerate should be considered a crucial member of extreme death metal's vanguard. Weaving melody throughout a chaotic blend of cavernous growls, spastic guitars, and dizzying drum-work is a monumental task, but one that the band's latest release, Stare Into Death and Be Still, accomplishes flawlessly. I was fortunate enough to be able to talk to drummer Jamie Saint Merat about the new album, his personal influences, and reflections on the band's history. I understand that this type of death metal doesn't resonate with everyone, but I cannot emphasize enough how, at the very least, this is a drummer who's among the best in his craft and one that you'll want to follow.

A Link to the Past : Nostalgia Turned Metal

 Video game music/audio is one of the biggest unsung heroes of game development. A good theme can be as iconic as the game itself. Among gamers and non-gamers alike, you would probably be hard pressed to find anyone who wouldn't immediately recognize the themes from Super Mario Bros and Tetris. Even a certain Street Fighter theme has found life as a running gag on YouTube. But whenever I reflect on themes that have stuck with me, I always go back to the heavier, more guitar-driven ones. Even further reflection made me realize the amount of times I've listened to the Mega Man X OST outside of actually playing the game is a tad embarrassing.



Years later, when I would go on to fall into the depravity that is heavy metal fandom, there was something in my brain that kept trying to make connections between the metal I was into and the video game themes I was into. It was a connection that was never cut and dry but at the same time I have never been able to completely disregard it. This abstract idea has bugged me for years and was the impetus for putting this article together. Thankfully, there were other like-minded individuals out there who were more than excited to dig deep into this. These interviews were approached as a free flowing discussion about connections between metal and video game music from the perspective of metal musicians, not necessarily to prove or disprove any theory of mine. But there certainly were some interesting revelations.

Read the interviews after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Horrendous

 We have always been big fans of Horrendous, dating back to the release of The Chills. The band is now on album #4 with the 2018 release of Idol. They have become increasingly well known for their appearance on the 2017 Decibel Magazine Tour as well as having been critical darlings for quite some time. After all of this I had yet to see them live so when they announced a string of east coast album release shows I had to make my way down to Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn to see what they had in store. We talked this short tour, Horrendous in general, Idol and what the future would bring.

Interview after the jump.

Exclusive Interview - Dreadnought

Denver's Dreadnought are no strangers to us here at Brutalitopia. Their previous effort, A Wake in Sacred Waves, was my top album of 2017. By harnessing a wide array of instruments, the band is able to capture the ambitiousness of the progressive rock legends of old along with the heaviness of modern day doom. Also throw in the dichotomy of black metal screams and clean vocals, and you have one, for lack of a better term, unique sounding band. I had been dying to catch the band live for quite some time; and especially after Durf's glowing review of their performance at this year's Fire in the Mountains festival. Fortunately, I was able to catch them this past week as they past through Chicago on their current tour. I initially thought I was only going to be talking to frontwoman Kelly Schilling, but the whole band ended up wanting to partake. What ensued was a fun conversation about everything from the band's beginnings to what lies ahead for them.

Read the interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Bell Witch

About two weeks ago, a can't-miss tour rolled through Boise in the form of Yob and Bell Witch.  Yob is one of the best bands of our generation, and Bell Witch is no slouch themselves, diving deep into doom metal that drips with atmosphere and substance over three full-length releases.  I had the opportunity to sit down with Dylan Desmond and Jesse Shreibman, who comprise all of Bell Witch, before they went onstage.  We discussed their latest album, last year's Mirror Reaper, what's next, and the intense critiquing of cover art.  Enjoy!

Exclusive Interview - Tommy Rogers (Between the Buried and Me)

Today marks the release of Between the Buried and Me's eighth studio album, Automata I. As is reflected in our review of it that was posted earlier this week, Automata is an exclamation point on an already decorated career. With this new release, the band remains steadfast in their pattern of never staying in one place stylistically. Amidst all of the new album buzz, I was lucky enough to catch a few words with lead vocalist/keyboardist Tommy Rogers.

Read the interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Ethan Lee McCarthy (Primitive Man)

This past Friday, Mick and I ventured forth to Chicago's Cobra Lounge, one of the city's truly great, unheralded venues, for one of the most extreme shows we've ever seen.  After a couple stellar craft beers from All-Rise Brewing, we were fortunate enough to bear witness to the heavy ugliness of Denver's Primitive Man and the glacial doom of Seattle's Bell Witch.  I had been set to see both bands before, before being stuck at work and then stuck on my honeymoon, so the show was a culmination of years of waiting.  And I gotta say, it did not disappoint.  Bell Witch was profound, playing the first half of their monstrous track/album Mirror Reaper.  There is a lot of quiet in the album, and it would be easy to lose the audience, but (short of one or two drunkards) Bell Witch held the audience in the palm of their hand, everyone swaying with rapt attention.  As great as Bell Witch was, Primitive Man was the highlight for me.  One of the heaviest, nastiest sets I've ever borne witness to, the trio was louder than they had any right to be, absolutely pummeling their instruments and the audience.  I've seen a fair share of heavy bands at Cobra Lounge, but it wasn't until Friday that I actually worried about the structural integrity of the place.

After the show, though, is when things got real good, as Mick and I had the absolutely delightful opportunity to speak with Ethan Lee McCarthy, the guitarist, lyricist, and vocalist from Primitive Man.  In our chat, we covered the Denver music scene, the best Chicago pizza, and why Kansas City is just fronting about how cool it is.  It was a blast to chat with Ethan, and I hope you enjoy it.  Primitive Man and Bell Witch are on tour now; you really owe it to yourself to see them.

Exclusive Interview - Rebecca Vernon (SubRosa)

This past weekend, comrade Durf and I were lucky enough to catch Salt Lake City's own SubRosa as they were playing the very last show of their tour opening for Wovenhand. The band has garnered plenty of notoriety over the past few years. 2013's More Constant Than the Gods and last year's For This We Fought the Battle of Ages have paved new paths for creating a different kind of heaviness within the doom metal genre; giving their compositions more emotional weight than just audible weight. We sat down with guitarist/singer Rebecca Vernon and just by chance drummer Andy Patterson to talk shop about the band's beginnings, their development over the years, and the tight-knit Salt Lake City music community.

Read the full interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna)

Cult of Luna has been one of those bands I've loved but never gotten to see; the last time they were in Chicago, I was on a family trip (live alone and have no friends kids; it's the only way).  I suppose I should say had been; a few weeks ago, CoL came through Reggie's to play their staggering Mariner album with Julie Christmas.  The band was sensational live, everything I'd hoped for, but Christmas was an absolute revelation, a Puciato-level force of nature that elevated the performance far above my wildest expectations.  I couldn't have asked for anything more (ok... maybe a "Mute Departure" encore) from the set.

Before the show even started though, I was living the high life, as I got to sit down with CoL's lead singer/guitarist Johannes Persson to talk about the band, Mariner, touring, collaborating, and a slew of other topics!  This was one of the coolest interviews I've had, so check it out after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Jun-His & Ontto (Oranssi Pazuzu)

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jun-His and Ontto of Oranssi Pazuzu at their very first US show at St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, NY 2 days before they hit Maryland Deathfest. We talked about expectations for a US show, making a name for themselves in Finland, Roadburn, and overall fan reception to their style of play. Also joining in on the interview is Nine Circles contributor and fellow Finn, Zyklonius.

Exclusive Interview - David Rodgers (Godhunter)

banner image courtesy of CvltNation

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down via Skype with David Rodgers of Godhunter and Battleground Records to chat about the band's upcoming Codex Narco, out this Friday.  Our conversation touched on the band's different process in writing and recording this album, cover songs, and the merits of releasing music online.  It's one of my all-time favorite interviews that I've done, and I really hope you enjoy it!  And don't forget to check out Codex Narco, which is a pretty fantastic album!

Exclusive Interview - Will Smith (Artificial Brain)

photo credit : Invisible Oranges

 Arriving in Philadelphia for the Decibel Metal and Beer Fest on Saturday afternoon, I sought out Artificial Brain vocalist and all around great guy Will Smith to talk about the band's brand new album, Infrared Horizon, the untimely passing of FDNY firefighter and drummer of Internal Bleeding; Bill Tolley, and the death metal scene as a whole.

Exclusive Interview: Zhrine

This past Sunday, Durf and I moseyed on down to Reggie's in Chicago's South Loop to check out a concert of the heaviest order. Boasting Ulcerate as the headliner, the show also featured Iceland's Zhrine. Being pretty big fans of the band's debut full length, Unortheta, we were determined to sit down with them for a chat about their very first tour ever.

Check out the interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview: If These Trees Could Talk

 Last Thursday, I had the incredible opportunity to see Akron, OH's instrumental post-metal masters If These Trees Could Talk live at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago.  Before the show, I was fortunate enough to take a stroll around the Roscoe Village neighborhood with guitarists Mike Socrates and Cody Kelly and drummer Zack Kelly; during the stroll we chatted about their incredible new album The Bones of a Dying World, Maynard James Keenan, the hotbed of musical talent from northern Ohio, Maynard James Keenan, their upcoming tour, and Maynard James Keenan.  It's a pretty great conversation, so you should listen to it all,  as well as check out my sub-amateur photography skills below!  Most importantly, do not miss out on ITTCT when they come through your city over the next three weeks!

Exclusive Interview - Katherine Shepard (Sylvaine)

 If you've been looking for an alternative to Alcest on your shoe-gazey/dream-poppy/black-gazey/what-ever-the-hell-the-hip-term-is-now-ey black metal playlist, Sylvaine is the perfect cure for that itch. Masterminded by Katherine Shepard, the solo project boasts opulent soundscapes that are just as beautiful and endearing as they are introspectively morose. Through the modern marvel of our time that is "The Internet", I was able to have a chat with Katherine about everything related to the project's beginnings through her latest album, Wistful. It was a fun conversation that brings to light her musical upbringing and the evolution of her tastes.

Along with a track from her new album, listen in on the conversation we had after the break!

Exclusive Interview - J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer)

My my, it's great to be back.  After a winter of isolation due to a multitude of mitigating factors, this past Friday I found myself returning to the world of the concerts, by way of legendary, seminal (but not legacy act!) grindcore masters Pig Destroyer.  While our Brutalitopia cohort Jack ventured toward the Decibel Music Tour that was sadly the same day, my erstwhile colleague Mick and I headed to Reggie's Rock Club for an evening of musical cocaine that was a bit outside our comfort zone; longtime readers and casual viewers alike can attest that grind is not really a Brutalitopian forte.  But sometimes a concert catches your eye and piques your interest and won't let go, and so you take that musical road less traveled.  And how lucky for Mick and I that we did, because in addition to having our neck muscles sorely tested from headbanging, we were lucky enough to snag an exclusive two on one conversation with Pig Destroyer's immensely talented lyricist and vocalist J.R. Hayes.  Check it out below to hear our conversation, during which we talk about Pig Destroyer's continuing evolution, touring and recording as a part time band, and the joys and wonders of conducting interviews under train tracks.

Exclusive Interview - Kevin Starrs (Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats)

This past Saturday, I made my way down to Wrigleyville in Chicago to catch up with Kevin Starrs, frontman of the UK's Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. I was lucky enough to see them live at their very first U.S. performance at Marlyand Deathfest XII two years ago. But considering that they are still relatively new to touring the states and their new album "The Night Creeper" is fantastic, all signs pointed to seeing them play live again as being a good move. In the short but sweet interview I had with Kevin, we chatted about the band's current tour, Uncle Acid's sound and imagery, and the band's anonymity.

Check out the interview after the break!

Exclusive Interview - Eric Schnee (Organ Dealer)

Heavy metal is alive and well in the state of New Jersey; take for example Northern New Jersey's Organ Dealer. Their vicious deathgrind takes the listener and slams their face into the pavement. Luckily their drummer Eric Schnee did no such thing to me on the pavement across the street from their recent show at The Clash Bar in Clifton, NJ. Being the nice dude that he is we talked about the influence of Jon Chang on his style and subsequent band they played in, the New Jersey scene and just metal in general. Have a listen to the calm before the storm.

Exclusive Interview - Steve Von Till (Neurosis)

The other night, Mick and I were able to sit down with Steve Von Till, singer and guitarist for music legends Neurosis.  It's been a few days, but I still can't fully comprehend that this interview actually happened; Neurosis needs no introduction around these parts, and for my money they are the most influential band in heavy music over the past 30 years they've been a band.  We spoke with Steve about the band's longevity, how they manage to continually produce consistently excellent material, and some changes he would make to elementary curriculum if given the chance.  Check it out below, and be sure to catch Neurosis on their current US Tour, their first major tour in the country since the turn of the century.

Exclusive Interview - Josh Weaver (Royal Thunder)

Monday night saw the official start of summer, and for my money, that means two things: softball, and bar patios.  While we didn't get any swings in, this Monday did see Mick and I venture out to the patio of Chicago's Beat Kitchen, where we spent some patio time with Josh Weaver, guitarist for the white-hot band Royal Thunder.  The band's sophomore LP Crooked Doors came out earlier this year, and is a genre-defying medley of damn near all the tropes that make metal and rock great.  We talked to Josh about Royal Thunder's sound, his writing process, and an indie band called Nirvana he listened to in his youth.