Tales From the Riff Podcast

In this episode of TFTR, I’m joined by Nick Adams — my brother in extreme metal guitars and Chesty (IYKYK). He is the founder, owner, and luthier extraordinaire of Uncle Death Guitars, based near Salt Lake City, Utah. Nick is also a graduate of the esteemed Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, Arizona (kid has big-brain energy!).

Nick and I began our journey in the latter half of 2024, when I firs...

Matt Harvey, the man, the myth, the absolute legend joins the podcast. Fresh off the release of Gruesome's latest release "Silent Echoes", Matt gives one hell of conversation that is nonstop informative and equally funny as all shit. We talk his early days living in California, experiencing his first Death concert and what it means to keep death metal thriving by staying relentlessly busy with Exhumed and Gruesome.

https://exhumed....

In this episode of Tales From the Riff, I’m joined by world-renowned and award-winning tattoo artist Jannicke Wiese-Hansen. Over the past three years and some change, I’ve had the privilege of being one of Jannicke’s clients—and during that time, we’ve also become great friends.

Jannicke has long been a staple and pioneering figure in the Norwegian black metal scene. Based in Bergen, Norway, she works ou...

In this episode of TFTR, I accompanied the young metal lifers Herakleion to a show in sunny Tallahassee, Florida. The roadtrip allowed us to get all caught up and record another episode. This was long overdue. Since our first episode, a lot has changed for these young stewards of riffs. They have released two albums, they also opened for metal titans on tours, and have traveled the country while delivering pummeling face-melting tu...

In this week’s episode of Tales From the Riff, I am joined by Simon Smith of Winters Mourning. For those of you who aspire to be a better guitarist like myself, you may have watched several (if not all) of Simon’s lessons on Youtube. For several years, Simon has dedicated his Youtube channel to anyone and everyone who wants to level up their playing. In addition to all of his music lessons, and tutorials; Simon spends...

In this family sized episode of TFTR, I am joined by Nils Hillestad. Nils is a highly skilled and talented guitarist for the Norwegian Black Metal bands Endezzma and UDAD. I had recently met Nils while attending this year's Inferno Metal Festival. It was at the Rockerfeller where he took the stage at the John Dee venue while playing UDAD's first ever live performance. Nils's is quite the complementary guitarist in bot...

Bathory. Not just a band, but an institution. If you are aware of this channel and its host, then you will know just how important Bathory is to this podcast. In this episode, I get to speak to none other than Sir Frederick Melander. Frederick is the founding bassist of the legendary Bathory. Frederick has recorded the early demos and albums that laid the foundation of black metal was built. Over the years, Frederick has gone compl...

In this episode of TFTR, I am joined by none other than Mr. Dev Gohil of Youtube fame. If you are not aware of Dev Gohil and his channel on Youtube, Dev is a black metal musician, podcaster, content creator who has made some of the highest caliber educational videos with a focus on black metal guitar. I was able to meet my guy Dev at this year's Inferno Festival and it was absolute treat to have him appear on the podcast. Check out...

In this episode, I am in Oslo with world renowned tattoo artist Trine Josefine Grimm. Trine was so gracious to open up her shop and have a chat with me. "Trine Grimm is an artist from Haugesund, Norway. Having refined her technique for over 20 years working as an artist, her style could be described as a mixture of geometrical patterns and a dotwork technique most would envy. Grimm has worked with both bands and festivals as an ill...

In this episode of TFTR, I am joined by Billy Bayou of Paris, France’s Glorior Belli. Glorior Belli is the brainchild of Billy Bayou. The project is a an intensive study in black metal rebellion. The music is as poetic as it is extreme. Billy goes on to say just how much he prefers to go against the grain of his black metal predecessors’ ideologies but staying true to extreme riffs. The themes are different than most of what you ma...

In this episode, I welcome Mr. Jarrett Pritchard. Mr. Pritchard wears many hats. He is a tour manager, front of house and in-studio sound engineer, producer, drummer, and guitarist with over 30 years of experience. Most notably, he is the recording engineer for extreme metal bands such as 1349, Goatwhore, and Pulchra Morte. Coming up in Florida by way of Virginia, this man has been through it all. Jarrett has a wealth of history, k...

Got another legend in the building and on the podcast. Mr. Vinnie LaBella of New Orleans' Exhorder joins me to talk all about his tory and actual history of Exhorder and the New Orleans metal sound. This episode was almost two years in the making. Vinnie is one of the coolest cats that I have ever met. So down to earth and humble. This was conversation was a damn treat ya heard?!  

Special thanks to Jonny and Duane at OCD Studios f...

Writhings. Lafayette, Louisiana's very own makes their triumphant return to the podcast. I caught up with Sean, Luke, and newly added drummer Eddie. Writhings makes their return to the stage this weekend, they are headlining the inaugural Tales From the Riff Festival in Scott, Louisiana on Saturday, March 15th. For fans of Poison Idea, His Hero is Gone, Tragedy, and Nightfell; you do not sleep on Writhings. Ever.

https://writhings....

This man needs no introduction. Its fvckin Nocturno Culto. The riff man supreme of Darkthrone. If you don't know who Darkthrone is...then you're probably in the wrong place. No seriously, I had the biggest honor to chat with Mr. Ted Skjellum of Darkthrone. It is only fitting that his episode is numbered 94, because that is the year I first discovered Darkthrone (the same year they released Transylvanian Hunger.) His music is 100% w...

Joining me all the way from Serbia, my brother in arms Vladimir Cokorilo. Vladimir is the current bassist of Pannox. However, the man is also responsible for some of the sickest interviews that I have ever read during his time at Metalbite.com. The man contributed to over 80 interviews in a 2 year time span that features Trym Torson of Emperor, Zyklon, Nasty Savage and many more. I consider Vlad a very dear friend, and someone who ...

Earlier this year, I had the extreme pleasure of visiting Mr. Tommy Buckley at his home. Ever the generous host, he invited me in and we had such a lovely chat about everything that is the New Orleans sludge metal sound. Mr. Buckley was there at ground zero when it all came to be. This was a conversation I have been wanting to have. Someone who had lived through the beginnings of a radical sonic movement that is often...

n this very special episode of TFTR, I am joined by none other than Brice Leclercq, formerly of Dissection and Satyricon. Brice was gracious with his time to provide a brilliant conversation detailing his musical journey through the years. He highlights the period when he auditioned for the role of bass player in Dissection and he was able to secure his dream job alongside the likes of Jon Nodveidt. Dig into this chat as we discuss...

Happy 2025 everyone. We start the new year with Circle of Nerves. Based out of Stockholm, Sweden the band Circle of Nerves are paying homage to their North American counterparts of the sludge metal variety. Their name is taken from Louisiana's own EYEHATEGOD's releases, so you know they are students of the game. Their sound is aggressive as fvck and just as groovy. I am joined by their drummer, Anton who was gracious with his time ...