Into The Necrosphere

This week on Into The Necrosphere, I'm joined by Psycroptic frontman Jason Peppiatt to discuss the band's crushing new album, The Pulse of Annihilation, and the remarkable journey that brought him to one of extreme metal's most respected acts. Jason reflects on his early days as a fan of the band, how the opportunity to join Psycroptic came about, and what it was like stepping into the shoes of a long-established vocalist before helping ushering in the band's next chapter. From there, we dive into why so much modern metal has lost its humanity, the unintended consequences of click tracks and digital recording, and why the best extreme metal still needs a little danger and imperfection.
We also reminisce about discovering death metal through the legendary Nuclear Blast 'Death Is Just The Beginning' series, the surreal experience of eventually sharing stages - and beers - with heroes like Cannibal Corpse, memorable touring stories, and what it takes for a band to remain relevant more than two decades into their career.
Then, Nathan Glover of Graveir joins me for another instalment of the Weekly News Rant as we round up the latest singles from Veilburner, Firtan, Februus, Hesperia, End of Green and more for judgment. A demented campaign against a local metal institution earns the Swirly of the Week, while Ohio blackened death industrialists Preliminus bask in the glory of the Unsanctioned Filth spotlight. 
 
Featured Bands
Psycroptic: https://psycroptic.bandcamp.com/Preliminus: https://preliminus.bandcamp.com/musicMetallica: https://www.metallica.com/
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week on Into The Necrosphere, Alan Averill of Primordial returns to the podcast for one of our most thought-provoking conversations to date. We discuss what it means to become a legacy band, why Primordial's lyrics seem more relevant today than they did thirty years ago, the rise of AI and its impact on creativity, and whether heavy metal is still capable of producing artists with genuine authenticity and staying power.
We also explore the changing nature of the music industry, the pressures of growing older in extreme metal, why so much modern art feels increasingly disposable, and Alan shares his thoughts on the state of the scene as only he can.
On the Weekly News Rant, I check out the latest singles by Hulder, From The Vastland, Terrestrial Hospice, Mordant Rhed, Left To Die and others, debate which modern black metal bands have what it takes to replace the likes of Mayhem, Emperor and Satyricon as genuine festival headliners, countdown my favourite Motörhead songs and, of course, dunk another deserving recipient on my Swirly of the Week. 
Plus: Epikoros deliver a fire-and-brimstone debut with “Black Sun Eclipse” and take a thoroughly deserved bow in the Unsanctioned Filth spotlight.
 
Featured Bands
Primordial: https://primordialofficial.bandcamp.com/ 
Dread Sovereign: https://dreadsovereign.bandcamp.com/ 
Epikoros: https://epikoros.bandcamp.com/  
Razor: https://razorband.bandcamp.com/ 
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week on Into The Necrosphere, Alex "Impaler" Friberg joins me for a wide-ranging conversation covering his journey from discovering extreme metal to founding Firespawn and, ultimately, sharing the stage with one of death metal's most iconic frontmen, the late, great LG Petrov.
We also dive into Alex's life beyond music, including his transition into professional tattooing, the story of inking the woman who would later become his wife, the enduring legacy of the Stockholm death metal scene, and why so many modern bands are still chasing the classic Sunlight Studio sound.
On the Weekly News Rant, I round up the latest singles from Fimbul Winter, Runemagick, Moonspell, Dysgnostic, Avulsed, Rapid, Viande and more. I also answer more of your questions, including my favourite doom metal releases of the 21st century, my thoughts on the recently announced Fortress Festival and Maryland Deathfest line-ups, and I reflect on last week's tragic news surrounding Shaun Glass and B. War. PLUS: Australia's best-kept black metal secret, Permafog, return with what may well be the EP of the year in Kings of Men.
 
Featured BandsFirespawn: https://www.facebook.com/firespawnofficial   Permafog: https://permafog.bandcamp.com/   Broken Hope: https://www.facebook.com/brokenhopeofficial   Marduk: https://marduk.nu/ 
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

On this week’s news rant, The Reverend Karl Hikara joins me to round up new singles by Castle, Psycroptic, Abyssal Rift, Fuming Mouth, Green Carnation, Abyssal Rift, Heretic Cult Redeemer and more for judgement. We also get our first horrifying taste of rent-a-slattern metallers Dogma, put simp culture in heavy metal on blast, and reward made-up complaints about the YouTube algorithm with the Swirly of the Week.
If you'd like to catch the full episode, including my interview with Adam Gregory, director of Bloodstock, check out Episode 322 on your favourite streaming platform.

This week on Into The Necrosphere, I'm joined by Adam Gregory, Festival Director of Bloodstock Open Air, for an in-depth conversation about the past, present and future of the UK's biggest independent metal festival.
We discuss the challenge of finding the next generation of festival headliners, Bloodstock's remarkable growth, booking philosophy, the changing landscape of heavy music, and why Adam believes AI-generated bands have no place in metal. We also dive into fan expectations, social media criticism, the realities of running a major festival, and what it takes to keep Bloodstock thriving in an increasingly competitive market.
Then it's time for another edition of The Weekly News Rant, with the Reverend Karl Hikara returning to the co-host's chair. This week we round up the latest singles from Psycroptic, Fuming Mouth, Green Carnation, Abyssal Rift, Heretic Cult Redeemer and more for judgement, get our first horrifying taste of rent-a-slattern metallers Dogma, put simp culture in heavy metal firmly on blast, and reward made-up complaints about the YouTube algorithm with the Swirly of the Week. 
PLUS: Northumberland black metallers Unto Thee joins the pantheon of legends featured on the Unsanctioned Filth segment of the podcast, with their latest track, “We Were Fire.”
 
Featured Bands
Trivax: https://trivax.bandcamp.com/  
Unto Thee: https://untothee.bandcamp.com/  
W.A.S.P.:  https://www.waspnation.com/  
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week I’m joined by former Marduk bassist and legendary producer Magnus “Devo” Andersson for an in-depth conversation about his journey into recording and sound engineering, his years in Marduk, and life beyond one of black metal’s most greatest bands.
Then, Drugoth returns for the Weekly News Rant as we break down the latest singles from Samael, Behemoth, Cvinger and Hexbane. We also debate the merits of gatekeeping, count down our all-time favourite beatdowns, and, on this week’s Swirly of the Week, hand out multiple dunks down the Porcelain Bowl of Reckoning for black metal T-shirt bootleggers and anyone suffering conniptions over a romantic interest’s record collection.
PLUS: Lake Cheko, the new project from my guest, joins the ranks of the Unsanctioned Filth alumni with their crushing new single, “The Antikogol Trust Initiative.”
 
Featured Bands
Marduk: https://www.facebook.com/Mardukofficial 
Lake Cheko: https://www.youtube.com/@LakeCheko 
Ritual Death:  https://ritualdeath.bandcamp.com/ 
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

If you'd like to catch the full episode, including my interview with Dødheimsgard mastermind Vicotnik, check out Episode 320.
On this edition of the Weekly News Rant, Sheriff Mike Scondotto returns to help me pass judgement on the latest singles from Archgoat, Hulder, Devourment, Faustian and Speedslut. Beyond the music, we discuss the state of modern metal crowds, "Banana-gate", and the hardcore bands that helped shape Mike's musical outlook.
Meanwhile, on my Swirly of the Week, I examine why publicly melting down over T-shirts worn by bands you don't like is a fast track to a date with the Porcelain Bowl of Reckoning.
 
Bands discussed:
Mortem
Archgoat
Hulder
Devourment
Faustian
Speedslut
 
Originally featured on Into The Necrosphere Episode 320.

This week I'm continuing my coverage from this year's Fortress Festival as I'm joined by the legendary Yusaf 'Vicotnik' Parvez of Dødheimsgard for a wide-ranging discussion.
We cover everything from the evolution of his creative process and the making of his recent masterpiece, Black Medium Current, to his reflections on growing older and whether there might be another Ved Buens Ende record somewhere down the road.
On the Weekly News Rant, Sheriff Mike Scondotto returns to help me pass judgement on the latest singles from Archgoat, Speedslut, Faustian, Hulder and Devourment. We also discuss his thoughts on modern crowds, "Banana-gate", the hardcore bands that inspired him and, on my Swirly of the Week, lengthy sobbing over T-shirts worn by bands you don't like merits a one-way ticket to the Porcelain Bowl of Reckoning.
PLUS: London's Vryxor basks in the glow of the Unsanctioned Filth spotlight with a sci-fi-inspired black metal odyssey in the form of their latest single, "Unsubmergeable".
 
Featured Bands
Dødheimsgard: https://www.facebook.com/DODHEIMSGARD  
Vryxor: https://vryxor.bandcamp.com/ 
Urgehal:  https://urgehal.bandcamp.com/ 
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week I'm joined by Jason Mendonca, David Gray and Sam Loynes from Akercocke at the Fortress Forum, part of Fortress Festival 2026, to reflect on their seminal 2003 masterpiece, Choronzon. The band reveal lesser-known stories from the making of the album, discuss its enduring legacy, and share their thoughts on how both the metal scene and wider culture have changed since its release. I also ask about the possibility of new material, and the band takes questions from the audience.
On the Weekly News Rant, Dan Barkasi of No Clean Singing joins me to round up the latest singles from Psycroptic, Seven Chains, Flykt, Witches Hammer and more for judgment. Dan also shares his experience of Fortress Festival 2026 as we discuss our standout performances of the weekend and the bands we'd most like to see added to the line-up in 2027.
PLUS: Wyrdstaef unleash "Great Migrations", the first single from their forthcoming debut album, Primordial Bloodlines.
 
Featured Bands
Akercocke: https://akercocke.bandcamp.com/ 
Wyrdstaef: https://wyrdstaef.bandcamp.com/ 
Graveir:  https://graveircult.bandcamp.com/ 
 
Follow Dan Barkasi’s work at https://www.nocleansinging.com/ 
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

This week Catherine and Hamish Glencross join me for a raucous, wide-ranging discussion featuring a deep dive into the making of the new Projections record by Godthrymm. We explore the evolution of the band’s sound across their three-album discography, Catherine’s increasingly prominent role on newer material, and the perks and pitfalls of balancing marriage, family and careers with life in a band. Along the way, Hamish also shares insights from his time with Vallenfyre and My Dying Bride — and I drop a huge announcement of my own.
Then it’s on to the Weekly News Rant, where I round up the latest singles from Verzauber, Chamber of Unlight, Left to Die, Witch Club Satan and more for judgment. I also share my list of must-see bands at this weekend’s Fortress Festival, talk about my favourite film scores, and plenty more besides.
PLUS: UK blackened death metal upstarts Leadbelcher deliver a “Premiere On The Sphere” with their latest single — while reanimating a fallen icon because you’re starved for attention and money earns a one-way trip to the porcelain bowl of reckoning for this week’s Swirly of the Week.
 
Featured Bands
Godthrymm: https://godthrymmdoom.bandcamp.com/ 
Leadbelcher: https://apocalypticwitchcraft.bandcamp.com/ 
Vallenfyre:  https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/a-fragile-king 
 
Visit intothenecrosphere.com for playlists and more. Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and reviews. Follow on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse: Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.