Metal Brainiac

Five years ago, this podcast premiered with an interview featuring Danny Marino of The Agonist. Today, Vicky Psarakis of The Agonist is on board, talking about her evolution as a vocalist and songwriter, her creative process within the band and branching out to a second band called Sicksense.

Vicky Psarakis of The Agonist - Metal Brainiac Vicky Psarakis said she had prepared her whole life for what proved a career opportunity. Vicky has made three albums with The Agonist and a new EP, titled "Days Before the World Wept," since replacing original vocalist Alissa White-Gluz. She has ...

Fantastic, revealing conversation today with Vicky Psarakis of The Agonist. Episode coming to you early next week!

"Of course I question faith. I wouldn't be human if I didn't. Especially with how I see some Christians treat other people. Like, that person really believes what I believe? I don't believe that's actually true. I definitely don't believe what they believe."—Sean McCulloch of the Christian metalcore band Phinehas.

Sean McCulloch of Phinehas | Reaching Beyond Christianity To Explore Within - Metal Brainiac There’s a deep history of Christian metal, and one of the leading torchbearers over the past 15 years is the metalcore band Phinehas. While the band’s early lyrics were loaded with clear Christian themes, vocalist Sean McCulloch has evolved into a...

Wasted Land is from the coastal city of Jeddah and it’s one of the few metal bands from Saudi Arabia that have managed to record and distribute music and attract fans and supporters outside its country. In this conversation guitarist Ayman Al Ghamdi and vocalist Emad Mujallid speak about finding their way to metal, building a band against the governmental pressure against expression and keeping their metallic dreams alive after more than 15 years of promise and struggle.

Wasted Land of Saudi Arabia: Exporting Metal Beyond its Borders - Metal Brainiac Saudi Arabia is on the other side of the world from the United States, but even a repressive monarchy hasn’t kept heavy metal out of its borders. Wasted Land is from the coastal city of Jeddah and it’s one of the few metal bands that have managed ...

Zosia West's lyrics come straight from personal experience—often of trauma and also of resilience. In advance of Reign of Z's upcoming tour opening for Combichrist and KING 810, Zosia talks about migrating from musical theater to metal and the catharsis of her lyrics, along with some candid, behind-the-industry financial realities for any emerging band striving for bigger things.

Zosia West | Reign of Z: Turning Raw Trauma to Revealing Metal - Metal Brainiac Zosia West grew up in Pittsburgh’s musical theater community, and you can hear that foundation in the power she brings to her metal band, Reign of Z. Her lyrics come straight from personal experience—often of trauma and also of resilience.In advan...

Our spotlight this episode is on Adam DiMicco, founding guitarist of technical death outfit Lorna Shore. He talks of fighting off depression and a short sabbatical away from music to embrace a new vocalist, write music and find renewed purpose in his career.

Adam DiMicco of Lorna Shore: 'Return to Nothingness' also Return of Hope - Metal Brainiac At the beginning of 2020, technical death veterans Lorna Shore had a new vocalist, a new album and a new outlook. But beyond the damage brought by the pandemic, Lorna Shore parted with the replacement vocalist amid sexual abuse allegations against...

As promised, we're back, headbangers! Check out our conversation with drummer-songwriter Frankie Mish of the up-and-coming Michigan band Sleep Waker!

Frankie Mish of Sleep Waker: Living the Dream - Metal Brainiac Concept albums are commonplace in metal, but what about concept bands? Drummer and songwriter Frankie Mish of the up-and-coming Michigan band Sleep Waker is today’s guest on the rebirth of Metal Brainiac.Frankie was just 16 when he co-founded Slee...

It was only a five-year hiatus. Metal Brainiac is back with new episodes in July!