Hellbent on improvisation but never letting it take away from a tune, BRAND X issued only one concert document during their initial phase, “Livestock” from 1977, and fans who wanted to delve deeper into that period had deal with half-bootleg … Continue reading
The post BRAND X Unveil Archival Concert In All Its Glory appeared first on DMME.net.
Sydney punk rockers Dear Seattle are hitting the road this August, announcing an extensive regional Australian headline tour with special guests Seahaven (US). Tickets are on sale now via Destroy All Lines. Kicking off in Western Australia on Friday 28 August, the tour will visit venues across the country, making stops in Bunbury, Scarborough, Adelaide, […]
Founded by Chester Illed in 2022 in Normandy, France, The Sickness Stars is a project born during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its core mission is to explore the deepest vulnerabilities within any line of thought, whether individual, societal, or existential. Initially rooted in punk rock and experimental sounds, the band self-released their electro-acoustic debut album Into […]
Groove metal pioneer Dez Fafara has checked in with the Loaded Radio Podcast to break down DevilDriver’s highly anticipated new album, Strike and Kill. In an exclusive, wide-ranging discussion with host Scott Penfold, the iconic frontman sheds light on the deliberate creative decisions driving the new material, including a calculated sonic pivot back to the relentless DevilDriver early sound. As the California metal juggernaut prepares to launch their heaviest record cycle in over a decade, Fafara opens up about the dynamic shifts within the band’s camp, the structural realities that modern heavy music acts face on the global touring circuit, and some legendary personal encounters with late Type O Negative mastermind Peter Steele.
STREAM THE FULL WEEKLY INTERVIEW PODCAST NOW:On this week’s full broadcast episode of the Loaded Radio Podcast, host Scott Penfold sits down for an intimate, unscripted conversation with groove metal legend Dez Fafara. We are tearing into the industrial mechanics of their savage new record Strike and Kill, detailing the return of former classic era members, and revealing what it takes to physically survive as a touring band in 2026. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play right now to stream the uncut audio broadcast natively.
For the tracking sessions of Strike and Kill, Fafara and his crew did not want to mimic the current mainstream metal production trends. Instead, the focus turned completely backward toward the razor-sharp, double-bass-driven aggression that defined the band’s landmark mid-2000s catalog like The Fury of Our Maker’s Hand and The Last Kind Words.
During the podcast interview, Dez details how the songwriting process for Strike and Kill organically triggered that classic, punishing groove. Rather than over-polishing the tracks or leaning too heavily on digital studio trickery, the band tracked with raw, unfiltered hostility as the primary objective. This foundational return to their heavy roots acts as a definitive artistic statement for the band’s 2026 campaign, reminding the heavy music landscape exactly who pioneered this brand of modern American metal.
A significant portion of the internal spark behind the new record comes from structural changes within the band’s inner circle. Fafara discusses the logistical and creative realities behind DevilDriver original members return, explaining how welcoming seasoned legacy personnel back into the lineup completely revitalized the studio environment.
Having veteran players who intimately understand the DNA of the band’s rhythm section and riff structures drastically altered the tracking process at the rehearsal space. Instead of spending months coaching new players on the specific groove patterns that make a DevilDriver song click, the returning veterans instantly locked in, creating a natural bridge connecting their historic past to the modern technical assault found on Strike and Kill.
Beyond the immediate album details, the conversation takes a nostalgic, highly engaging turn as Dez digs into his personal vaults to share vintage Peter Steele Type O Negative stories. Fafara spends time recounting the incredible, larger-than-life character of the late gothic metal icon from their shared decades spent navigating the elite global festival rosters and backstage corridors.
The stories painted a human portrait of Steele—capturing the perfect intersection of his pitch-black, brilliant sense of humor, his imposing physical stature, and the surprisingly gentle, fiercely protective nature he extended toward his genuine peers in the touring community. For longtime fans of 1990s and 2000s road culture, these unfiltered accounts provide a rare, fly-on-the-wall perspective of metal’s golden era.
Fafara didn’t pull any punches when the topic shifted to the brutal economic architecture of the modern touring landscape. When pressed on how to make it in a music band today, the veteran vocalist laid out a strict, zero-nonsense blueprint for younger artists trying to break through the digital noise.
According to Dez, raw musical talent is no longer enough to keep the lights on. Today’s heavy bands require an airtight, disciplined mixture of unrelenting work ethic, fierce independence from predatory industry contracts, and a deep, authentic connection to their core fanbase. He emphasizes that navigating the skyrocketing costs of tour buses, crew wages, and venue merchandise cuts requires bands to operate like lean, highly organized corporations from day one if they expect to survive long enough to build a real legacy.
Look, I’ve been sitting across from rock and metal musicians for 25 years on commercial radio, and you can tell instantly when an artist is just reading from a promotional script. Dez Fafara does not have a script. The guy is a walking masterclass in heavy music survival.
When you hear him talk about bringing classic era members back into the camp for Strike and Kill, you realize this isn’t a desperate grab for nostalgia—it’s a tactical veteran deployment. He knew that to capture that explosive, early 2000s groove metal fire, he needed the exact guys who helped mix the concrete in the first place. Hearing his insights on the modern industry should be required listening for any kid picking up a guitar right now. Dez has survived the Nu-Metal bubble, major label collapses, and massive lineup shifts, and he’s still standing at the top of the mountain because he treats this subculture with absolute respect.
The album is available now. The full details, tracklist, and tour dates are being rolled out alongside the band’s current 2026 promotional cycle via Napalm Records.
The entire unedited conversation with host Scott Penfold is embedded directly above via the native player, and is available for download on the free Loaded Radio App for iOS and Android.
LEAVE A SCAR: Are you ready for DevilDriver to bring back the raw, crushing groove of their early albums? Drop your thoughts on Dez Fafara’s industry advice in the comments section below. Follow Loaded Radio for continuing coverage and daily rock and metal news updates.
The post Dez Fafara Talks DevilDriver’s New Album ‘Strike And Kill’, Returning to their Early Sound and More on The Loaded Radio Podcast appeared first on Loaded Radio.
Maryland-based Death/Thrash crew, Ninth Realm, will release their sophomore album, Damnation’s Veil, on August 28th, via Transcending Obscurity Records.
Damnation’s Veil is a consistent blend of death-thrash, metallic hardcore, black metal and traditional heavy metal. The album will be available on CD, vinyl, and digital formats.
Ninth Realm has released three singles from the album. Those are:
“Cohorts of the Abyss” (Official Video) – youtu.be/eJBk9XkyIVA
“Damnation’s Veil” – youtu.be/-aXKRZdFlZk
“Rituals in Thar’amath” – youtu.be/-aXKRZdFlZk
Line-up:
(l-r in above photo)
Amelia Morris (Bass)
Charles House (Rhythm Guitar)
Ben Hageage (Vocals)
Joey Burke (Drums)
Liam McMahon (Lead Guitar)
Tracked between April and July 2025, the production process for Damnation’s Veil was split between recording drums, guitars and bass with Matthew Michel at Viva Studios (Goetia, Antichrist Siege Machine, Infant Island, Left Cross, Blood Monolith) in Fairfax, VA, while vocals were handled by Sebastian Philips (Exhumed, Mammoth Grinder) at his home studio in Dundalk, MD.
In other news, Ninth Realm has announced an album listening party and album release show, both of which will take place in Washington, D.C.. The Damnation’s Veil album listening party happens on August 29th at Lyman’s Tavern. The album release show will take place on on October 9th at Pie Shop.
Pre-order Damnation’s Veil:
ninthrealm-label.bandcamp.com/album/damnations-veil
linktr.ee/transcendingobscurity
Track Listing:
1. Valigeth
2. Damnation’s Veil
3. Cohorts of the Abyss
4. Imbued in Hellfire
5. Rituals in Thar’amath
6. Orphaned Throne
7. Wyrd of Strideborne
8. Beyond the Void
9. Vengeance Unto Rot
10. All Hail Treachery
11. Twilight’s Blade
Credits:
Cover art by Jerry “Wyrmwalk” Hionis (Frozen Soul, Morgul Blade, High Command, Inhuman Nature, Troncale, Wrecking Ball, Maul)
Influences on this record include: Iron Age, Bolt Thrower, Mercyful Fate, Power Trip, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Dissection, Autopsy and Candlemass.
BIO:
Ninth Realm is a death-thrash band founded in Maryland and the surrounding DMV area. Formed in 2019, the band has released six individual recordings, including a demo, two EPs, a promo tape, and a full-length album, as well as several splits and compilations with other bands. Drummer Joey Burke and lead guitarist Liam McMahon started the project while in college at the University of Maryland.
Conceptually, the band draws from Joey’s original dark fantasy world, Tythorin; a setting shaped by themes of vengeance, fate, grief, trauma, and the indomitable willpower of the human spirit.
Transcending Obscurity Records
Source: ClawHammer PR
