(We present another monthly collection of reviews by Daniel Barkasi, who focuses his attention this time on albums released during April 2026.) Spring – that lovely time when the cold goes away and I don’t need thermal undergarments to go outside. Alas, Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind – freezing one day, […]
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The Haunted North Go Deep On Tone, Riffs, and Real Heavy Music On The Zach Moonshine Show
The Haunted North returned to The Zach Moonshine Show for Part II this week on Metal Devastation Radio , and this round went straight down the gearhead rabbit hole.
Guitarist Sean Francis joined the show for a laid back but seriously deep conversation covering everything from the making of the crushing new single “Savage Ghost” to vintage gear, gain stacking, classic metal influences, Black Label Society connections, and the spirit of authentic heavy music.
Right out of the gate, Sean revealed that the main riff behind “Savage Ghost” had actually been sitting around unfinished for nearly five or six years before finally clicking into place.
“We didn’t know what in the hell to do with it. Then me and Randy got together last summer and the whole song was done in about ten minutes.”
The discussion quickly shifted into guitar tone territory, where Sean proudly embraced his reputation as a full blown tone nerd.
For recording, Sean relies heavily on his prized 2001 Gibson Zakk Wylde Bullseye Les Paul loaded with older EMG pickups , paired with a Friedman BE100 amp and a J Rockett Archer IKON overdrive pedal.
Instead of maxing out amp distortion, Sean explained that his signature sound comes from carefully stacking overdrive tones together.
“I’ve never wanted to go full distortion from the amp because it gets too fizzy. I’m always about stacking overdrive and keeping both under half gain. The sustain and warmth you get out of it is just slamming.”
The conversation naturally turned toward gear collecting and Sean dropped another bombshell by revealing he owns one of the ultra rare limited edition Randy Rhoads Les Paul relic guitars .
Meanwhile, Zach shared his own excitement over recently getting his hands on one of Zakk Wylde’s Wylde Audio guitars , leading into a larger conversation about modern guitar manufacturing, setup quality, and why Wylde Audio instruments have become some of the best bang-for-the-buck guitars on the market.
Beyond the gear talk, the interview dug deep into Sean’s longtime friendship with legendary guitarist Zakk Wylde .
What started as a chance meeting during an Ozzy Osbourne tour stop in Canada back in 2007 eventually grew into a real friendship that opened doors to collaborations with members of Black Label Society including John “JD” DeServio and Jeff Fabb .
Sean explained how those relationships eventually helped shape The Haunted North’s recordings.
“Sometimes you just throw it out there and see what happens.”
That simple mindset eventually led to JD and Jeff becoming heavily involved in the project after hearing early material.
The interview also explored classic metal memories, with Sean and Zach bonding over discovering bands like Metallica , Pantera , Kiss , Alice In Chains , Cinderella , and Ozzy Osbourne during their younger years.
Sean even credited Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” as one of the first riffs that truly hooked him into guitar music as a kid.
“Nobody talks about Prince as a guitar player enough. That guy could absolutely play.”
The conversation stayed rooted in a shared appreciation for all forms of authentic music, whether it was metal, country, glam, grunge, or classic rock.
As Sean put it:
“If it’s good music, you dig it. Who gives a crap what kind of music it is?”
Toward the end of the interview, Sean hinted that The Haunted North already has six or seven new songs completed along with major announcements potentially arriving in the near future.
The band is currently focusing heavily on preparing live performances while continuing work on future material.
“It’s going to be never ending. More new music for the next forever.”
The episode wrapped with Sean encouraging fans to follow The Haunted North online, support underground music, and continue backing independent outlets like Metal Devastation Radio that keep heavy music alive outside the mainstream machine.
For fans of real amps, real riffs, and real heavy music, this interview hit exactly where it needed to.
Track List from the show:
Battle Of The Bands Top Six Winners:
1 – Trivan – Abyss Of Crawling Shadows – (269,086 votes) 2 – NIKOLA’S CAGE – RASCAL – (39,787 votes) 3 – Severed Sun – Complex – (39,787 votes) 4 – Heidbekka – Völva – (39,787 votes) 5 – Another Demon – Drawn and Quartered feat. James Murphy (Testament, Death, Obituary) – (6,002 votes) 6 – Mistress – Terrified eyes – (4,070 votes)
The Zach Moonshine Intro
7 – Ozzy Osbourne – Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel 8 – Black Label Society – Lord Humungus/Suffering Overdue
The Haunted North – Interview featuring The Beast/Savage Ghost/BLEED
9 – The Red Mountain – Cosmic Guns 10 – The Prodigal Son – Silence Of Kaos 11 – Archfiend – Life Of Decay 12 – Tito Thomvs – spiraling 13 – Violence System – Endmother 14 – Enigmatical – Alien Abduction (Re-Abducted Version) 15 – PROCESS OF SUFFOCATION – Mephisthopheles 16 – Burnt Witch – Bastard 17 – THE RED MOUNTAIN – Babble On 18 – Triptykon – Abyss Within My Soul/Circle Of the Tyrants/Dethroned Emperor [Live] 19 – Metallica – So What/Am I Evil- (Live at Tushino Airfield, Moscow, Russia – September 28th, 1991) 20 – NetherDred – Spellbound 21 – Pentagram – petrified/Forever My Queen/Be Forewarned 22 – Disassemble – The Abyss 23 – Lecherous Nocturne – Fission 24 – Royal Hunt – Last Goodbye (Posada Rock Festival, 2023) 25 – Indominus – Black Lake 26 – MATANZICK – The End Is Just the Beginning 27 – The Proxima Design – Tongues Carved From Glass 28 – IATT – Walk Amongst
Streaming now on Mixcloud:
The interview segment is also available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple etc
Super massive shout out to the 303,372 metal maniacs from around the world that tuned in to the live devastation Friday!
British blues-rock artist Joanne Shaw Taylor has announced her new studio album ‘The Trouble With Love‘, produced by Kevin Shirley, set for release October 23rd via Journeyman Records. On ‘The Trouble With Love‘, Joanne dives headfirst into the beautiful chaos of the human heart. Blending blues, rock, and soul-soaked pop, the album explores the many […]
Lightning Threads tonight premiere their new single and video Wild One at MetalTalk. The track is the fifth single from the new album Trinkets. “Wild One is about that moment when you are drawn to someone because they feel exciting and chaotic,” the band said, “and then you realise you’re seeing parts of yourself in them. It’s attraction, but it’s also confrontation.”
Lightning Threads are a power trio blending classic blues-rock DNA, from Hendrix and Cream to B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf, with the energy of modern acts like Gary Clark Jr. and Marcus King, playing raw, valve-driven live music that honours the tradition while pushing it forward.
Their new single Wild One is a fiery blues rocker with a simple melodic guitar solo to die for. “We shot the video for Wild One at The Warehouse in our hometown of Sheffield,” the band said. “Full of trinkets, this also served as the artwork for our album cover, which looks stunning across a gatefold.”
Their new album, Trinkets, was released at the beginning of the month, and the momentum has definitely been building for Lightning Threads on the first part of their tour.
“The first half of the album tour has kicked off in epic style,” the band told us, “with sold-out shows in Sheffield and Leeds, as well as our first-ever headlines in Manchester, Nottingham, and London. We’re really looking forward to playing some of the cities down South in the next half.”
Lightning Threads – Trinkets – Out Now
The tour resumes on 15 May at The Ship Inn in Gillingham and runs until the end of the month. “We’re really looking forward to playing some of the cities down South in the next half,” the bands said. For tickets and a full list of dates, including festivals, visit lightningthreads.com.
Powerful live, Trinkets captures the spirit of the Lightning Threads shows. “It’s about everything you carry with you,” the band said. “The good, the bad, and the stuff you don’t really want to reckon with. We wanted it to feel like a collection of moments.
“Life isn’t tidy, it’s bits and pieces, and the question running through the whole record is, what do you hold onto, what do you let go, and are you satisfied?”
Atmopsheric doomers TodoMal have premiered a music video for “Humanised Gods”, the second single off their next full-length instalment Graveyards Of Joy. The clip was directed by Christopher B. Wildman and Ignacio Malagón. Read more…
This list of the top 10 songs about the power of women offers an alternative argument, or maybe better said, an additional perspective on what truly defines the idea of women’s empowerment. When most people hear the words “woman power” or “women’s empowerment,” they might think of politics, rebellion, or even something like Norma Rae, if you know what I mean. But what women’s empowerment can really mean is the power to survive. And no, we are not putting Gloria Gaynor’s song on this list; that would be too obvious. Real empowerment is about standing tall for yourself. Of course,
Multi-platinum rock band Barenaked Ladies have announced their first UK tour in three years, bringing their festive “Yuletide Ride” to eight cities across the country in December 2026. This marks the band’s long-awaited return to British shores following their massive “25 Years In The Atmosphere” North American run. The tour will follow the successful format … Continue reading Barenaked Ladies announce 2026 “Yuletide Ride” UK tour
