Adnan Mryhij (Unmuted)

Adnan Mryhij is one of the few people I have met who is equally passionate about the underground metal music scene.

Adnan has worn multiple hats over the past decade and in the past couple of years, he has built a Tribe across the world with this podcast, Unmuted. 

Earlier this year, Adnan also started releasing music under the banner of Unmuted. I spoke to him about the evolution of Unmuted, how 2022 has been for him, upcoming plans for his band Svengali and more. 

Tracks played on the episode

Nervecell – Vicious Circle

Unmuted – Creation

Svengali – Freight Train

Unmuted – Earth, Hell and Heaven

Adnan on Horns Up – https://www.hornsuppod.com/the-podcast/episode/2375e701/193-or-kill-marry-fuck-or-feat-adnan-from-unmuted

https://www.unmuted.show/

Exist Immortal

Djent Progressive metal is my guilty pleasure. A palate cleanser between grindcore and death metal. 

A band that I’ve been listening to lately combines metalcore and technical metal with pop influences and it actually works! Exist Immortal released their self-titled album last month. 

In a rare occasion, I got a chance to speak to 3/5th of the band, Meyrick de la Fuente, Mikey Gee, and Charlie Bines. We spoke about crafting this sound, self-titled album, touring, and much more.

Songs played on this episode 

Exist Immortal – Behind the Eyes

Exist Immortal – Emerge  

Exist Immortal – Trapped Inside 

Check out their self-titled album

Gabriel Dubko (Implore) interview

Church Road Records has become one of my go-to record labels in the past year. They have a great roster of bands across the spectrum of metal. 

In this episode, I spoke to Gabriel “Gabbo” Dubko of German/Austrian extreme metal act Implore ahead of the release of the band’s 4th album The Burden of Existence. They dive into the writing of the album, performing live, his interaction with Max Cavalera of Soulfly, and even Wormrot.

On Wormrot – Hiss and touring live with the band in Europe next year

Full interview on audio

Tracks played on this episode

Implore – The Burden of Existence
Implore – Machotistic Tendancies

https://www.facebook.com/imploreband/

https://www.instagram.com/imploreofficial/

Andrew Lee (Ripped to Shreds) interview

Last week, American death metal act Ripped to Shreds released their 3rd album Jubian (their debut on Relapse) to much acclaim. 

I caught up with band founder Andrew Lee on the release date and spoke about the album, shred guitar, and also Asian representation in metal/hardcore. 

Full interview on audio

Tracks played in this episode

Ripped to Shreds – Harmonious Impiety 

Ripped to Shreds – Race Traitor

https://www.facebook.com/rippedtoshredsband/

https://www.instagram.com/rippedtoshredsdeathmetal/

Shoi Sen (De Profundis) interview

I have been following UK death metal act De Profundis for the past decade and they have slowly evolved their sound. Their latest album, The Corruption of Virtue (out now via Transcending Obscurity) is their most potent one yet.

I spoke to De Profundis guitarist, Shoi Sen about The Corruption of Virtue, why it’s their angriest album yet, the changes in the music business, and also insights from being a guitar instructor.

Full interview on audio below

Tracks played on the episode

De Profundis – Weaponized Rape 

De Profundis – Sectarian Warfare 

https://www.facebook.com/deprofundistheband

Rorik Brooks (Cloud Rat) interview

Yup, I am a Grindcore freak. 

Cloud Rat is a band that I’ve been following for a few years now, they have been quite prolific with more than 20 releases since 2010. Their 4th full-length album, Threshold is out now via Artoffact Records 

In this episode, recorded a couple of weeks before the album release, guitarist Rorik Brooks shared with me why he describes Threshold as “our best work so far.”, writing the album remotely, how he balances making music with his day job and other responsibilities and more

Tune in on YouTube

Tracks played on the episode

Cloud Rat – Babahaz 

Cloud Rat – Perscome

Check out Threshold

https://www.facebook.com/cloudratgrind

https://www.instagram.com/cloudratgrind

Cloud Rat picture by Luke Mouradian

Tobias Gustavsson (Nestor) interview

Kids in a Ghost town, the debut album of Swedish rock act Nestor was one of my favourite releases of 2021. I discovered the band thanks to my friend friend Andy Dowling of the Australian metal act Lord and the host of the Andy Social podcast.

On this episode, I spoke to vocalist Tobias Gustavsson about the recent success of Nestor, re-release of Kids in a Ghost town by Napalm Records, and even his experience as a songwriter in Sweden.

Full audio episode

Tracks played on the episode

Nestor – It ain’t me

Nestor – Signed in Blood

Check out Kids in a Ghost Town – https://lnk.to/KidsInAGhostTown 

https://www.nestortheband.com

Spill Your Guts interview

This episode is long overdue. 

Blackened Hardcore act Spill Your Guts formed in Shanghai, China and comprised of expatriates. Earlier this year they released their 2nd album, The Wrath It Takes via PermCityPunk Records (Russia), Trepanation Recordings (UK), and Graboid Of The Ground Records (China).

I spoke to vocalist Dima and drummer Tyler before the album was released about The Wrath It Takes, recording with Scott Middleton (Cancer Bats), the music scene in China, and more. 

Tracks played on the episode

Spill Your Guts – Wrath it Take

Spill Your Guts – Prey on Death

Loudspeaker –  无脸人

Check out The Wrath It Takes

https://www.facebook.com/spillyourgutsband

https://www.instagram.com/spillyourgutsband/

Hassan Amin (Zanjeer) interview

In 2014, I had interviewed Pakistani grindcore act Multinational Corporations and has since been in touch with vocalist Hassan Amin.

Hassan’s latest band is based in Germany and a punk act composed of musicians from  Colombia, England and Germany. A couple weeks ago they released their debut release, ‘Parcham Buland Ast’.

I caught up with him to find out more about Zanjeer, the topics on ‘Parcham Buland Ast’, his hip hop projects and much more.

Full Audio interview

Songs played on this episode 

Zanjeer – Nakhair 

Daranti Group – Represent 

Zanjeer – Taliban Murdabad

Buy Parcham Buland Ast on Vinyl here – https://symphonyofdestruction.bandcamp.com/album/parcham-buland-ast-7

Multinational Corporations interview from 2014 – https://trendcrusher.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/multinational-corporations-interview/

Article on Karachi Biryani on Fifty Two – https://fiftytwo.in/story/rice-fat-meat-streets/

A good interview about Hassan’s background and more on Unite Asia – https://youtu.be/-Sd4OGtVBuw

Hassan photo courtesy – Ramis Abbas

Ivan Belcic (Kosmogyr) interview

Vocalist/drummer Ivan Belcic is a man of many talents. His most recent act is Kosmogyr with guitarist/bassist Xander Cheng. Their split with Putrescine titled On Desolate Tides releases on 23rd September via Tridroid Records.

I’ve interacted with Ivan on Twitter a lot in the past couple years. I thought it would be a great time to get him on the podcast when the split with Putrescine was announced. We spoke about it, the Shanghai music scene and also music that he has been listening to this year.

Tracks played on this episode

Kosmogyr – Rise towards God
Boys Climbing Ropes – The Knitting Song
Spill your Guts – Pain Echoes Back

Pre order On Desolate Tides

https://weareshanghai.bandcamp.com/music