[Podcast] Ep. 61: [Interview] with ERIC JARRIN of DESPISED ICON (CAN).
[Podcast]: Canada’s premiere melding of death metal and hardcore made manifest, Despised Icon are both influential spearheads and distinctly their own act. Here to chat with me on the podcast is guitarist Eric Jarrin. Tune in via the link for both video and audio-only/podcast versions plus Shadow Work (out Oct 31st via Nuclear Blast) pre-order links, latest single ‘The Apparition’ and more! Get your slam on.
[Podcast] Ep. 60: [Interview] with NOAH SEE of CONJURER (UK).
British progressive post-metal/doom heavyweights Conjurer are a few days from releasing third full-length LP Unself on Oct 24th, via Nuclear Blast Records. It’s an incredible record and one drummer Noah See and I discuss together alongside drumming, touring, collaboration and more. See within for video/audio podcast links, artist/album bio, preorder links and more. Get sludged!
[Podcast] Ep. 59: Interview with JEFF BECERRA of POSSESSED (US).
[Podcast, Ep. 59]: Bay Area metal-progenitors Possessed are nothing short of iconic, having been a primary influence in the formation of death and thrash metal. On Friday, I caught up with vocalist Jeff Becerra to discuss the bands' first ever Australian tour, celebrating 40 years of their landmark album Seven Churches and much more!
[Podcast] Ep. 58: [Interview] with CHUCK BILLY of TESTAMENT (US).
Check out our interview from yesterday on Music Monday with Chuck Billy, the powerful veteran frontman/vocalist of iconic Bay Area thrash metal heroes Testament. With Para Bellum due for release on Oct 10th via Nuclear Blast Records, we discussed the upcoming LP, touring, musicianship and much more. Also included are recent singles, album preorder details, artist statement/links and more!
[Podcast] Ep. 57: [Interview] with NICK HOLMES of PARADISE LOST (UK).
[ISC Podcast] Far from the stereotypes you might associate with a nickname like, well, Old Nick, our latest vocalist-interviewee Nick Holmes was candid, mirthful and excited in our midnight chat (very goth-coded, I know) ahead of Paradise Lost's 17th (!) studio opus Ascension. Due for release on September 19th via Nuclear Blast Records, we caught up with Nick to discuss said album, but also branch out into directions ranging from the practical (touring, songwriting, etc) all the way through to the existential.
[Podcast] Ep. 56: [Interview] with PAULA & NIK of Melbourne's KÜNTSQUAD.
Last Friday, Paula Damzal and Nik ‘Nikronomikon’ Satanik of famed Melburnian crust/death metal brutalisers KÜNTSQUAD caught up for a fantastic late-night podcast chat. We discuss everything from perennially family-friendly-titled June LP release Satan’s Cock, navigating challenging circumstances to celebrate success, the local/Australian death metal scene and more! Check the link for video/audio-only versions, artist/album links and more. Get crusted!
[Podcast] Ep. 55: [Interview] w/ SIMON CALABRESE of DAYSEND, Ahead of The ‘Revisiting Severance’ Tour.
A massive privilege and honour to have frontman Simon Calabrese of influential Australian melodic death metal legends Daysend, ahead of their upcoming national tour revisiting the massively-acclaimed album Severance. We discuss Simon's thoughts on said tour, stepping back into the band for the first time in 19 years and more! Video/podcast interview link, tour info and ticket/RSVP links contained within - get on it!
[Podcast] Ep. 54: [Interview] w/ IAN AHLES & WILL TOWNE of AHLES (AU).
For Music Mondays at ISC, yesterday evening I caught up with the talented and humble duo in Ian Ahles (Vocals/Guitar/Lute) & Will Towne (Guitars) of up-and-coming Brisbane-based progressive metal unit Ahles (AU)! Check out the link for video and audio-only versions, links to latest artist media/socials links, further album/artist details and more. Raise an Ahle in celebration!
[Podcast] Ep. 53: [Interview] with TOMI KOUVISAARI & JAN RECHBERGER of AMORPHIS (FIN).
In our third podcast interview for this week, your host Brady was recently joined by two great dudes in Tomi Kouvisaari (Guitars) & Jan Rechberger of influential metallers Amorphis! We discuss latest album Borderland, touring and much more. See link for video/audio-only versions plus album preorder/info, artist bio/links, latest music videos ‘Bones’/’Light & Shadow’ and more!
[Podcast] Ep. 52: [Interview] with ISAIAH MITCHELL of EARTHLESS (USA).
I was joined this morning by Isaiah Mitchell, chill dude & guitarist of influential US heavy-psych unit Earthless whilst he was on a summer's eve walk. We discuss touring, improvisation, our First Nations cultures and much more. Check out the link for video and podcast versions of the interview, as well as the official press release for the upcoming September Australian tour!
[Podcast] ATTN Bands/ISC Community: A Notice Regarding Interviews; + Featured Tracks.
Just a brief-ish announcement regarding our process with prioritising interviews, a discussion about our podcasting platforms in general, a bit of a fun idea I have for featuring artists on our podcast episodes, as well as some extra bits and bobs.
[PODCAST] Ep. 51: [Interview] w/ ANDI DERIS, Vocalist of HELLOWEEN.
One of three (yes, three!) powerful vocalists for the enigmatic, long-enduring and influential power/speed metal band Helloween, Andi Deris was kind enough to join us on the podcast to discuss upcoming album Giants & Monsters, discuss his experiences with the band and music industry at large, and more! Link also contains album preorder link, music video links, artist links and more. Get your pumpkin on!
[PODCAST] 50th Episode Special: [Interview] w/ DAN CATANIA of HEADBANGERS AUSTRALIA.
A massive milestone for Inner-Strength Check Podcast! After nearly five years of operating, we’ve reached our 50th-episode milestone. See link for a very relevant conversation for the occasion, with Dan Catania, metalhead, entrepeneur, musician and head of rising Australian music-industry force Headbangers Australia. Thank you, everyone, for supporting us to the big 5-0!
WELCOME TO COUNTRY From The Inner-Strength Check Team.
Formal Welcome To Country, from the Inner-Strength Check Team.
Featured Image: via the Watharoung Aboriginal Co-Operative.
Truth to Power. Pay The Rent, Close The Gap.
[Podcast] Ep. 49: [Interview] w/ JOEY SCOTT & JAMES TAYLOR of Sydney Death-Metal Crew ANOXIA.
Accelerating through the tiers of the Australian/Sydney extreme metal scene faster than a cheetah with a chili pepper wedged up its’ backside, are old-school/technical death metallers Anoxia. I caught Joey Scott (Vocals) and James Taylor (Bass) for a comprehensive chat around their recent tour with Atheist, thoughts on making it in the current music-industry climate, songwriting, future plans and more - including an upcoming tour with Krisiun! Do we have the links and info for that too?! Yeah, baby!
[Podcast] Ep. 48: Interview With ERIC PETERSON, Guitarist of US OG Thrashers TESTAMENT.
Kicking off Music Mondays in style, we were joined this morning by none other than Eric Peterson, longstanding member and guitarist of thrash-metal titans Testament! With the Australian tour kicking off in just a couple of weeks, we discussed Eric’s thoughts on heading to our sunburnt land again, plus a whole lot more. Ticket links and other tour info also contained within. Thrash on!
[Podcast] Inner-Strength Check Content Update, May 2025.
It’s been an absolutely bonkers month here at Inner-Strength Check - lots and lots of content! I’ve herded all said content-cats together in one handy compendium-post: gig reviews, album reviews, interviews, podcast episodes, news, covers, music/gaming/tabletop-related content, photo galleries and more!
[Podcast] Ep. 47: Interview with BRANDON SALLER, Vocalist of US Metalcore Titans ATREYU.
Break out the eyeliner, ill-fitting jeans and stretch up for the mosh - Atreyu are headed back to Australia in July for a jam-packed tour alongside fellow metalcore giants Memphis May Fire! I spoke with Brandon Saller around all things Atreyu this morning - the upcoming tour/recent shows, thoughts and reflections on both band and The Curse around the 20th-anniversary LP tour, and much more! Peep the link for podcast interview plus all the tour info you’ll need. Best get in quick, though!
[Podcast] [Interview] with CHRIS & DAIF of STALKER (NZ) + Brutefest 2025 Photo Gallery!
DUDE. This post right here is absolutely STACKED! I was fortunate enough to finally wrangle an interview with legends Daif and Chris from New Zealand legendary speed-metal maniacs, Stalker! Check the link not only for the full video/audio-only interview (a very, very fun and heartfelt chat from these Kiwi legends) but also a whole bunch of additional Brutefest 2025 photo/footage alongside those posted for our recent review of said gig.
[PODCAST] Ep: 45: Interview with DAVE CHAVARRI, Drummer of US Nu-Metal Legends ILL NIÑO.
With an Australian tour creeping up quicker than you'd think, alongside first-time Australia-enjoyers ADEMA, we caught up with drummer and longest-serving member of Latin-influenced nu-meta legends Ill Nino, Dave Chavarri! Check the link for video/audio-only interview links, tour dates, ticket links and more! Get your bounce on, this one’s finna groove hard.