Bearing Light from Coast to Coast: An Interview with Kyle Stratton of Atala

Atala performing at Maryland Doomfest 2019. Photo by Julya Brown.

Thanks to an introduction from my photographer bud Julya, I did an off the cuff interview with Kyle Stratton from Atala after their performance at 2019’s Maryland Doomfest.  This was the eighth day of the band’s 16-day, 16-show tour; beginning in northern California (nine hours away from their hometown on the California/Arizona border), their journey… Continue reading Bearing Light from Coast to Coast: An Interview with Kyle Stratton of Atala

A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole with Dee and Willy of Spiral Grave

Spiral Grave

Photographs by Julya Brown. My trip to Maryland Doom Fest in June 2019 was a journalistic adventure as well as a musical one.  A highlight was talking with members of new Maryland band Spiral Grave, who played at Guido’s Speakeasy on Friday, June 21st.  Introduced to the band by photographer Julya Brown, I talked separately… Continue reading A Trip Down the Rabbit Hole with Dee and Willy of Spiral Grave

Speaking Easy with Wolf Blood at Maryland Doomfest

  It was a stormy, stormy night….  Originally conceived to be a thrash band, that idea for Wolf Blood was short lived.  It’s hard to pin a genre on this heavy quartet out of Minneapolis, but thrash is not one that comes to mind.  I was thinking more sludge/psych/doom…   But anyhow, the band just put… Continue reading Speaking Easy with Wolf Blood at Maryland Doomfest

The Necrosexual Interviews Captain Graves of Advent Varic

By The Necrosexual “Blackened.” It’s a funny word. Great Metallica song, but so many black metal bands these days fall under the moniker. Does “blackened” denote an extra dark, crispy exterior, like a perfectly seared cut of tuna? Reminds me of my days a teenage kitchen slut, sizzling Ahi tuna in the Grim Poconos Mountains.… Continue reading The Necrosexual Interviews Captain Graves of Advent Varic

The Busiest Guy in Indianapolis: An Interview with Steve Janiak

Sitting at Olde Mother Brewing in Frederick, Maryland with Steve Janiak, I couldn’t help but be impressed with his heavy metal resume: as far as I knew at that moment, Steve was the frontman and guitarist of Devil to Pay (Ripple Music) as well as playing guitar and singing backup in Apostle of Solitude (Cruz Del… Continue reading The Busiest Guy in Indianapolis: An Interview with Steve Janiak

Philly vs. Everybody: An Interview with Miller and Mike D. from The Age of Truth

Philadelphia rockers The Age of Truth crashed onto the scene with their 2017 debut album Threshold.  Since that release, the band has been building a following everywhere from the stages of Jewett City, Connecticut to the Spotify playlists of Mexico City. The Age of Truth performed to an eager crowd at Maryland Doom Fest 2019… Continue reading Philly vs. Everybody: An Interview with Miller and Mike D. from The Age of Truth

Black Doomba and Nude Kangaroos: An Interview with Tommy Stewart

I first became familiar with the work of bassist, vocalist, and audio engineer Tommy Stewart while editing a press release for one of his bands, Negative Wall.  Their intriguing debut album Gammagelu was doomy prog journey through outer space, with three tracks about evil aliens and one Electric Wizard cover.  This Georgia musician resurfaced in… Continue reading Black Doomba and Nude Kangaroos: An Interview with Tommy Stewart