Rollin' on in 2024, I bring you the second installment of my chat with George Silano from earlier this month. Here, we cover some of our favourite releases from 2023, featuring EPs and albums released last year that we haven't discussed in our previous chats, and things take a rather sinister turn... I also include some audio left off from Episode 88 where I interviewed Damian Kolodiy about his documentary: Immortal Soul - A Riot Tribute And Concert Film.

Clips featured in episode:

1. Primordial - "How It Ends" - How It Ends (2023)

2. Primordial - "Pilgrimage To The World's End" - How It Ends (2023)

3. Primordial - "Victory Has 1,000 Fathers, Defeat Is An Orphan" - How It Ends (2023)

4. Bergfried - "May The Devil Pull Me Under" - Romantik II (2023)

5. By Fire & Sword - "Leave A Little Room" - Glory (2023)

6. "Kenneth Copeland Blasts The Poor & Tells Them to Tithe" - (Posted to YouTube by iThinkBiblically)

7. By Fire & Sword - "Tithe (The Money Song)" - Glory (2023)

8. Weald & Woe - "My Heart To Fear" - For The Good Of The Realm (2023)

9. Riot V - "High Noon" - High Noon [Digital Single] (2023)

On this episode, I chat to Yves Bradler, guitarist from up-and-coming traditional heavy metal band Amethyst. Amethyst made waves in 2023 with their excellent debut EP "Rock Knights". I chat to Yves about his early exposure to rock music from listening to his parents' record collections, starting to play guitar in his teens, feeling isolated at this time due to lack of likeminded friends, then meeting a new group of people in his 20s when he started attending metal festivals. We also discuss the upcoming Amethyst album, and upcoming festival appearances and gigs for this year. Amethyst are definitely one to watch.

On this episode, I join forces with my friend Melissa from the Metal Chat Podcast to delve into the discography of the original incarnation of Sortilège. We discuss how we discovered the band, rate them against their contemporaries, and examine each of the first three releases: Sortilège, Métamorphose, and Larmes de Héros, playing clips from some of our favourite songs along the way. An ideal introduction for the uninitiated.

This is the third and final part of my interview with DJ Neal Kay. Here, like in previous installments, we discuss many topics, including:

-Getting white labels from record companies (demos) -Suggestion about putting together a compilation of unsigned bands, which would become Metal For Muthas -His original vision for the album vs what was eventually released -His role/job in this -Which roles paid and which didn't -Being an on tour DJ with Iron Maiden -Star Trek convention -The Vietnam War -The Kennedy Assassination -Supporting Rush -Were Motörhead punk? -Do you believe in ghosts?

Buy Neal's book!

Contact Stjepan Juras at fanclub@maidencroatia.com

Clips featured in episode:

1. Iron Maiden - "Iron Maiden" - The Soundhouse Tapes (1979)

Continuing on from last week, here Neal covers his first interactions with Iron Maiden, and what set them apart from the rest of the NWOBHM pack. He also talks about his various dealings with record labels and A&R folk (that's artist and repertoire, you know), how Glenn Miller's Orchestra and Buddy Holly influenced heavy metal, Def Leppard's place in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and a lot more.

Buy Neal's book!

Contact Stjepan Juras at fanclub@maidencroatia.com

Clips featured in episode:

1. The Damned - "Love Song" - Machine Gun Etiquette (1979)

This episode features the first part of a lengthy interview I conducted with DJ Neal Kay back in December of last year. Famous for his involvement in Iron Maiden's early success, Neal's name will be familiar to many. Here, Neal discusses the early start of his DJing career, and brings us right up to the point where he got a five days per week residency in The Bandwagon, home of the Heavy Metal Soundhouse, in Kingsbury, London. Along the way he tells numerous stories of his early DJing career, mentioning how he felt Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band changed the face of popular music, the influence of Leo Fender and Les Paul, working the Berlin club scene in 1969, music changing again with the evolution of disco and punk, and a serendipitous event which resulted in his five nights per week slot in the Bandwagon. Enjoy!

Buy Neal's book!

Contact Stjepan Juras at fanclub@maidencroatia.com

Clips featured in episode:

1. Iron Maiden - "Prowler" - The Soundhouse Tapes (1979)

This episode brings to a close my 2023 wrap-up with George Silano. Here we discuss more releases from 2023, including Tomb Mold, Green Lung, Amethyst (I know it was 2022, before you write in), King Gizzard And The Wizzard Lizard, and more.

Also featuring: Death metal chat, ennui in Swedish metal, Jim Ross references, more learning for me, ridiculous album names, and enormous discographies. Enjoy!

Clips featured in episode:

1. Tomb Mold - "Will Of Whispers" - The Enduring Spirit (2023)

2. Heavy Load - "Ride The Night" - Riders Of The Ancient Storm (2023)

3. Green Lung - "Maxine (Witch Queen)" - This Heathen Land (2023)

4. Green Lung - "One For Sorrow" - This Heathen Land (2023)

5. Amethyst - "Chasing Shadows" - Rock Knights (2022)

6. King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizard - "Witchcraft" - PetroDragonic Apocalypse; Or, Dawn Of Eternal Night: An Annihilation Of Planet Earth And The Beginning Of Merciless Damnation (2023)

7. High Spirits - "Til The End Of Time" - Safe On The Other Side (2023)

8. High Spirits - "Now I Know" - Hard To Stop (2020)

9. Night Demon - "Obsidian" - Outsider (2023)

10. Black Sabbath - "Cross Of Thorns" - Cross Purposes (1994)

On the first episode of 2024, I catch up with my good friend George Silano on the year in metal: 2023. The first of multiple parts, on this installment we focus on festivals and gigs that stood out last year (and look towards some from next year), covering Hell's Heroes, Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest, Keep it True, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Saxon, W.A.S.P., and more! I also mention the passing of Tony Clarkin from Magnum and include some clips and personal history with the band. Enjoy!

Clips used in episode:

1. Magnum - "Brand New Morning" - Brand New Morning (2004)

2. Girlschool - "Race With The Devil" - Demolition (1980)

3. The Black Dahlia Murder - "What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse" - Nocturnal (2007)

4. Iron Maiden - "Death Of The Celts - Live At 3 Arena, Dublin Ireland, 24 June 2023" - (Posted to YouTube by Chromeboy2003)

5. Magnum - "Just Like An Arrow" - On A Storyteller's Night (1985)