Every band has a story to tell. Join decorated music journalist Matt Mills as he interviews the biggest, best and most interesting artists in rock and metal. New episodes every Thursday morning.
HOW TO REBUILD YOUR BAND WITH ROBIN STAPS: The Ocean guitarist on new lineup, running a record label and new concept album Solaris
Robin Staps is the guitarist, founder, manager, lead songwriter and main lyricist of German progressive/post-metal unit The Ocean. On episode 18 of HEAVY STORIES, he talks about rebuilding his band's lineup almost from scratch between previous album Holocene (2023) and the brand-new Solaris. We also discuss burnout, how he runs his record label Pelagic and much more. This conversation is the finale for HEAVY STORIES season 1: a huge thanks to all who listened in and supported us during our first run of episodes. We will return later in the year, refreshed.
(Image: Jovi Zhang)
2 Jul 2026
GETTING TO KNOW DEVIN TOWNSEND: Prog metal polymath on The Moth, authenticity, mental health, toxic productivity, Strapping Young Lad and more
Devin Townsend is a maverick prog metal solo artist and the former leader of Strapping Young Lad, the Devin Townsend Project and more. On episode 17 of HEAVY STORIES, he opens up about what makes him tick, including trauma, his contrarian streak, a desire to belong and being a former people-pleaser. We also talk about his mammoth new album The Moth, why Strapping and DTP broke up, his days singing for Steve Vai and more!
Image: Tom Hawkins
25 Jun 2026
THE LIFE AND GRINDS OF SHANE EMBURY: Napalm Death bassist on new solo album, Jim Carrey, future music, quitting drink and more
Shane Embury is the bassist for grindcore legends Napalm Death and a singer/multi-instrumentalist in myriad other projects. On episode 16 of HEAVY STORIES, he talks about kicking alcohol and discovering Jungian therapy, and how these things coloured his new solo album, Bridge to Resolution. He also looks back on 40-plus years of Napalm Death, from their anarchic early days to being embraced by the British mainstream and becoming Jim Carrey's favourite band.
18 Jun 2026
UNDERSTANDING GRIEF WITH AS EVERYTHING UNFOLDS: Charlie Rolfe on overcoming loss, maladaptive daydreaming, new album Did You Ask to Be Set Free?
Charlie Rolfe is the lead singer of High Wycombe metalcore band As Everything Unfolds. On episode 15 of HEAVY STORIES, she opens up about the loss of her band's drummer Jamie Gowers in August 2024 and how she navigated the grief that followed. She also discusses how the band regrouped, her experiences with maladaptive dreaming and the story and themes of new album Did You Ask to Be Set Free?.
11 Jun 2026
WHY KARNIVOOL TOOK 13 YEARS TO MAKE AN ALBUM: Ian Kenny reveals the story behind In Verses
Ian Kenny is the lead singer of Australian progressive metal icons Karnivool. On episode 14 of Heavy Stories, he explains why the band took 13 years to make their new album, In Verses. From mental health issues to practical struggles and balancing life as a family man, he goes deep into the reasons for the decade-plus dry spell, and teases that it won’t take another 13 years for their next project to come out!
4 Jun 2026
THE BEST METAL ALBUMS OF 2026 SO FAR!
It’s June, which means we’re already (nearly) halfway through 2026! The passage of time is as relentless as it is terrifying, but at least we can distract ourselves with all the top-notch metal we’ve been handed since the New Year. Join Matt and fellow music journo Pavel Kondov as they details the albums which have rattled their ears the best this year!
28 May 2026
HELLRIPPER TALKS SCORCHING RIFFS AND SCOTTISH FOLKLORE: James McBain on new album Coronach, Metallica vs Megadeth, Anthony Fantano, myth and more
The last few episodes have been heavy even by our standards, with discussions of war, anxiety, suicide, being attacked in the street, ADHD and attempted murder. So, for episode 12, we got Hellripper leader James McBain to talk about fast riffs and Scottish myth, and how both shaped his new album Coronach. We also chatted about the review he got from Anthony Fantano, Metallica vs Megadeth and his isolated life in the Highlands.
21 May 2026
DAN TOMPKINS’ JOURNEY WITH ADHD: Tesseract singer on neurodivergence, police past, new project Prince of Failure and more
Dan Tompkins is the singer of British progressive metal luminaries Tesseract and rock two-piece Prince of Failure. On episode 11 of Heavy Stories, he talks about his recent diagnosis with ADHD and life as a neurodivergent person. We also discuss the new Prince of Failure album, his early days in Tesseract, his nine years as a policeman and plenty more.
14 May 2026
HOW EINAR SOLBERG CONTROLS HIS ANXIETY: Leprous frontman opens up on mental health, confronting worrying thoughts, family, meeting Ihsahn and more
Einar Solberg is the singer/guitarist in Norwegian progressive metal band Leprous and a solo artist. On episode 10 of Heavy Stories, he discusses his history with anxiety, including how it was exacerbated by being attacked on the street aged 16 and the death of his father when he was 19. He also reveals some of his coping mechanisms and how he was able to stop his mental health from dominating his life. Image: Leo Liberti.
27 Apr 2026
IRAN, RACISM, FAMILY AND MUSIC WITH NINA SAEIDI: Lowen singer on Middle Eastern heritage, bringing weapons onstage, US–Iran War, the time someone died on her
Nina Saeidi is the singer and co-founder of British progressive metal band Lowen. On episode nine of Heavy Stories, she talks about her ancestral roots in Iran and how her Middle Eastern heritage has inspired the music she makes. We discuss the country’s ongoing war with the US and Israel, which has deeply impacted many of her relatives who still live there, as well as her parents seeking asylum in the UK in 1979, how her aunt fled the country after being a political prisoner for nine years, her experiences with racism, falling in love with metal, the time someone actually died on her on the London Underground, and much more. (Image: Katja Ogrin)
20 Apr 2026
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO PROPAGANDHI: singer/guitarist Chris Hannah on American politics, annoying the KKK, going vegan, growing up on airbases, new album At Peace, aggravating punks, musical evolution
Chris Hannah is the singer, guitarist, lyricist and co-founder of Canadian hardcore veterans Propagandhi. On episode eight of Heavy Stories, he sits down to talk about the impact of his childhood on airbases, including how it shaped his political beliefs and veganism. We discuss how Propagandhi was formed as a “progressive thrash” band and the distaste they quickly developed for the punk scene around them, especially the jocks and skateboarders they encountered in California after signing to Fat Mike’s Fat Wreck Chords. This hatred led to them becoming proud bear-pokers, antagonising crowds at gigs and even the KKK. Other topics covered include new album At Peace, the four-piece’s musical evolution over four decades and Chris’ thoughts on American politics under Donald Trump’s second administration. (Image: Dwayne Larson)
13 Apr 2026
LZZY HALE TACKLES THE BIG TOPICS: Halestorm singer/guitarist on songs about sex, coming out, being a woman in metal, turning away from the church, wildest fan encounters, firing her own dad and more
Lzzy Hale is the singer, co-guitarist and co-founder of Grammy-winning and Platinum-selling US rock four-piece Halestorm. On episode seven of Heavy Stories, she talks about the band’s formation and journey up the rock’n’roll ranks, starting with their early days as a family affair featuring her brother Arejay and dad Roger. She discusses playing her first gigs in churches, why organised Christianity wasn’t right for her in the end, the tumultuous making Halestorm’s of 2009 debut album and winning a Grammy with the single Love Bites (So Do I) in 2013. She also goes deep on writing songs about sex, coming out as bi via social media, her wildest fan interactions, meeting the legendary Ronnie James Dio and her experiences as a woman in the massively male-dominated 2000s and 2010s metal scene. (Image: Jimmy Fontaine)
6 Apr 2026
HOW KIM SONG STERNKOPF ESCAPED FROM CULTS: Møl singer talks childhood under narcissistic preachers, oppressive communities, moving 50 times, discovering music, breaking from organised religion
Kim Song Sternkopf is the lead singer of Danish genre-testing black metal band Møl. On episode six of Heavy Stories, he talks about his childhood growing up in oppressive cults, where what he read and listened to was heavily monitored and he was prophesied as a “chosen one”. His family moved house more than 50 times as they transitioned from community to community, sometimes giving up everything they had to worship under new, narcissistic preachers. He remembers the psychological effect that this all had on him and his four siblings, how his parents’ search for “meaning” was manipulated by leaders, and how he finally broke the cycle in his mid-to-late 20s. He also discusses the impact of his recent diagnosis with ADHD as well as his band’s brand new album, Dreamcrush. (Image: Rolf Meldgaard)
30 Mar 2026
25 MINUTES ALONE WITH ZAKK WYLDE: guitarist talks Ozzy Osbourne relationship, new Black Label Society album, playing in prison, Yungblud, Robbie Williams, recording with William Shatner
Zakk Wylde is the leader of biker metal rifflords Black Label Society and the longtime right-hand man of the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. On episode five of Heavy Stories, he sits down for a quick conversation midway through a Black Label US tour, where his own Black Sabbath tribute act Zakk Sabbath are serving as support. He looks back on how he got his gig in Ozzy’s band, playing a show in an infamous prison, starting Black Label, that time he and his fans drank all the alcohol in a venue, his unlikely friendship with Star Trek actor William Shatner, and lots more. (Image: Justin Reich)
23 Mar 2026
WHY SVALBARD ARE SPLITTING UP (AND WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT A BROKEN TOURING INDUSTRY): Serena Cherry on her band’s break-up, unseen difficulties of touring, work life vs music life, future plans
Serena Cherry is a co-founder and one of the singer/guitarists in UK post-hardcore four-piece Svalbard. On episode four of Heavy Stories, she talks about why her band are breaking up after 16 years, including creative differences and the increasing number of challenges that touring musicians face. She sounds off on the hidden costs of life on the road, the pressure of putting on a good show, balancing touring with a full-time job, how the rising price of stadium shows affect underground artists, and much more. We also discuss the band’s history, her plans for her black metal solo project Noctule, why it’s so important to tackle things head-on in lyrics, and her love for the WWE and video-games.
16 Mar 2026
GARY HOLT’S LIFETIME IN THRASH: Exodus/Slayer guitarist tells Metallica, Megadeth, Paul Baloff, Bay Area, glam metal rivalry stories
Gary Holt is the guitarist of veteran California thrash metal bands Exodus and Slayer. On episode three of Heavy Stories, he talks about how his upbringing as the youngest of six children influenced him to make loud music, and looks back on learning his first guitar chords from his high school best friend and Exodus’ founder, future Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. He reflects on the backyard party scene that made Exodus (in)famous, the night he spent in jail aged 17, meeting late frontman Paul Baloff, becoming blood brothers with his bandmates, bootlegging his own t-shirts, kicking his meth use and much, much more. We also talk about how he joined Slayer in 2011 and what keeps him going while contemporaries such as Megadeth call it quits. (Image: Jim Louvau)
9 Mar 2026
THE DECONSTRUCTION OF DUSTIN KENSRUE: Thrice singer/guitarist on losing faith, abuse in the church, authoritarianism, death, old lyrics
Dustin Kensrue is the singer/guitarist of Orange County post-hardcore-turned-experimental-rock band Thrice and a solo singer/songwriter. On episode two of Heavy Stories, he talks about his spiritual deconstruction, starting with his childhood in the Christian church. We go on to discuss how discovering punk rock challenged what he thought he knew about Jesus, his time as a pastor at the controversial Mars Hill Church, and how he moved away from reformed theology and Calvinism (which teaches that it’s predetermined as to whether someone goes to Heaven or Hell) to embrace uncertainty. We also unpick some of Thrice’s most interesting lyrics, look back on their “frenetic” early releases, examine the anti-authoritarian messaging of new album Horizons/West, and talk about their ongoing European tour.
1 Mar 2026
THE CHAOTIC TIMES OF MILLE PETROZZA: Kreator frontman remembers Cold War Germany, early Metallica shows, self-tattooing, Celtic Frost audition, rejecting drugs, thrash metal’s decline and return
Mille Petrozza is the singer/guitarist of German thrash metal royalty Kreator. In the first episode of Heavy Stories, he talks about his youth in Cold War-era Germany, where violent gangs roamed the streets, he heard horror stories about the Berlin Wall and he tattooed himself in the back of class. He also discusses seeing Metallica on their first-ever European tour, almost joining extreme metal innovators Celtic Frost aged 18, being pen pals with Sepultura, the state of thrash during the turbulent 90s, having his music featured in hit Netflix series Dark, and much, much more. (Photo credit: Robert Eikelpoth)
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