The Soundsphere Magazine Podcast

WWE’s Erick Rowan discusses his favourite metal bands from Amon Amarth to Isafjord

WWE and AEW star Joseph Rudd (Erick Rowan) goes deep on his favourite heavy bands (including the likes of Ghost, Paradise Lost and many more), and whether he believes in guilty pleasures when it comes to music. More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

Kamtin Mohager discusses the dynamic differences between Heavenward and The Chain Gang of 1974

 Kamtin Mohager has an open and honest discussion about Heavenward's significance when it comes to his extensive musical back-catalog with the likes of Teenage Wrist and The Chain Gang of 1974. 
Kam goes in-depth with Soundsphere's Dom Smith on new tracks from the album, including 'Be My Blues', alongside sharing his passion for bands including Placebo, and My Vitriol and Silverchair and how they influenced the record as a whole. 
For more information visit: 
https://www.instagram.com/heavenwardband
https://www.soundspheremag.com/

Richard Patrick talks the evolution of FILTER’s sound, his relationship with Trent Reznor in 2023

Richard Patrick of Filter goes in-depth about the band's new album, 'The Algorithm', and discusses his friendships with future tourmates Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie, alongside his former Nine Inch Nails partner, Trent Reznor. 
https://www.soundspheremag.com/
https://officialfilter.com/ 

WWE star Mustafa Ali talks about his love for J. Cole’s music

Ahead of WWE's Night of Champions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, WWE's Mustafa Ali opens up about his favourite artist J.Cole, and why the artist's music means so much to him.
WWE Night of Champions airs LIVE in the UK at 6pm BST on Saturday, May 27th on WWE Network

Nita Strauss talks her solo album ’The Call of the Void’, working in the studio with Alice Cooper

The words “Stay Humble Or Be Humbled” have regularly adorned the front of Nita Strauss’ t-shirt. It isn’t just a mantra but a mindset to keep yourself grounded even when things are going well. And things certainly are going well for the Los Angeles native rocker… “My boyfriend actually has a clothing brand called Beverly Kills and he’s the one that makes that shirt. I like that attitude, because I think if you’re not humble the world will find a way to make you humble,” said Strauss in an interview with Soundsphere’s Dom Smith.
It’s an impressive way of thinking for a 36-year-old that has not just rubbed shoulders with, but taken to the stage with some of the biggest names in rock and metal. Not content with a role as a touring guitarist, Strauss has struck out as a solo artist in her own right and we’re not just talking her stint in Iron Maiden all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens. In 2018, Strauss launched her debut solo album ‘Controlled Chaos’, a title that seems at least in retrospect, to explain the nature of its production. Five years later and not only has the world changed, but so too has the professional outlook of one of the busiest guitarists in the game ahead of her sophomore release. “If you listen to my first album which I self-produced, self-engineered, I recorded every instrument. My boyfriend played the drums and I even engineered the drums, which is terrible because I’m not an engineer and I don’t know how to engineer drums, I looked it up on YouTube and it shows!” “I’m proud of it, I’m proud of the stomping of feet and smashing your head into the wall of making ‘Controlled Chaos’, but I think this upcoming record really shows a lot of evolution as an artist. I was really able to take a step back, take a deep breath and allow the collaborative process to happen with different outside writers, collaborators, guest vocalists, a guest guitar player and embrace that collaborative spirit. Rather than just saying this is my thing and I don’t want anybody to tell me how to do it.” Arguably Strauss’ rise to the top came to pass when she became the legendary shock-rocker, Alice Cooper’s, touring guitarist....
https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/nita-strauss-talks-her-solo-album-working-in-the-studio-with-alice-cooper-and-more/

Amber Doig-Thorne talks Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, her future in film

Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey star Amber Doig-Thorne opens up about her role as Alice in the film, as well as her future in horror movies and beyond. 
https://www.instagram.com/amberdoigthorn

Heart Attack Man’s Eric Egan talks ’Freak Of Nature’ and personal growth

Heart Attack Man's Eric Egan takes time out from touring to chill with Dom Smith and talk about the "coming of age" record that is 'Freak of Nature'
 
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Starting on May 25th, Heart Attack Man will be bringing their new music on the road for the Freak Of Na-Tour. The six week run features Arm’s Length, Super American, and Photocopy. It includes stops in Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nashville, LA, and more, before wrapping up with two sold out hometown shows in Cleveland. Tickets across the country are selling fast, with Chicago already upgrading to a bigger room due to demand. For a full list of upcoming dates, please see below or visit: www.heartattackman.com.
Heart Attack Man write the soundtrack to “figuring it out.” Rife with intricate riffs, gleefully catchy choruses, robust rhythms, and a whole lot of outcast charm, the Cleveland band—Eric Egan [vocals, guitar], Adam Paduch [drums], and Ty Sickels [guitar]—turn all the awkwardness of growing up into undeniable and unpredictable anthems, teetering on an axis of punk, rock, and pop. After racking up tens of millions of streams and earning acclaim from Brooklyn Vegan, FLOOD, UPROXX, Alternative Press, and more, the group tell a different kind of coming-of-age story on their 2023 third full-length, Freak Of Nature.
“The overarching theme is growing up,” says Eric. “I spent my entire twenties just feeling completely out of place. It was like I hadn’t found my people yet. In early adulthood, I went through a lot of shit mentally. With Freak Of Nature, I’m embracing the fact I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but it’s okay.”
The band initially buzzed out of the Midwest with 2014’s Acid Rain EP. Logging countless miles on the road, they consistently dropped fan favorite releases, including The Manson Family [2017], Fake Blood [2019], and the Thoughtz & Prayerz EP [2021]. Cleveland.com hailed the latter as “some of the band’s absolute heaviest tunes to date,” while Brooklyn Vegan summed it up best as “killer.” Along the way, “Pitch Black” piled up 1.7 million Spotify streams followed by “Leap Year” with 1.3 million Spotify streams and counting. Moreover, they canvased the country on tour with the likes of Neck Deep.
After bonding over a shared love of Motion City Soundtrack, Eric linked up with Lil Aaron [Lizzo, Blackbear, Kiiara] in Los Angeles. Who said nothing good goes down in the DM?
“Even though we come from different lanes, we both have the same sense of humor and a similar attitude,” he goes on. “I’d bring ideas, and he would help shape them. It was a true collaboration. I learned how Aaron channels his creative energy and how to maintain momentum. We clicked, and I was accepting all of this new energy and goodness into my life.”
Fittingly, they introduce this phase with the first single and title track “Freak Of Nature.” Co-written with Nick Wheeler of All-American Rejects, it hinges on an upbeat riff, giving way to a hypnotic bridge and infectiously irreverent refrain, “I’m a freak of nature.”
“The record started to become its own thing after we wrote this one,” he recalls. “There’s an overarching method to all of the madness. Musically, we’re levelling up. We allowed ourselves to grow.”
Whether or not you’ve figured your life out, Heart Attack Man will ultimately be with you, holding your hand every step of the way.
“I’ve grappled with complex feelings of isolation, loneliness, and freakiness, and it’s an up-and-down rollercoaster,” he leaves off. “In the end, you need to hold on and trust the process. If I was talking to myself ten years ago, I was in a completely different place. It’s better now. Things do work out. For us, this is a new start, and I’m happy about it.” 
Freak Of Nature Tracklisting:
1. Practiced In the Mirror2. Freak Of Nature3. Like A Kennedy4. Late To The Orgy5. Stick Up6. God Called Off Today7. C48. 9 On Your Bedside9. Clown School10. See You On The Other SidePre-order Freak Of Nature - HERE + Pre-save HERE
 
https://www.soundspheremag.com/

Andy Cairns talks Therapy?’s legacy and attitude to success, creating ’Hard Cold Fire’

#Therapy #HardColdFire #therapymusic
Andy Cairns of Therapy? discusses the band's enduring legacy, the success of early records like 'Troublegum', and the influences around new album, 'Hard Cold Fire' --- Northern Irish rock outfit, THERAPY? announce their colossal new studio album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, a spiralling, hypnotic melange of grunge-rock and towering melody that sees the trio steadfast and reinvigorated. ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is set for release 5th May 2023 via Marshall Records. Resilience and survival have become vital watchwords for Therapy?.
Enduring over three decades as the musical, cultural and social landscapes have shifted around them, the trio have forged and retained a powerful and lasting connection with a dedicated fan base around the world, doing so by putting their emphasis on the music, solidifying a hard-won reputation as forward-thinking writers and a fierce live proposition in the process. As Therapy?’s fourth decade finally gets underway in earnest, sixteenth album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, is hefty, compact, and accessible, a distillation of everything that has made them what they are - hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing. “One thing we did decide when we were eventually able to rehearse, was that we didn't want to make a lockdown record,” says vocalist and guitarist Andy Cairns, “because people have been through enough. “When we began to rehearse the songs, we realised there was an empathetic quality to them. We wanted to make something that was a bit more relatable, and less standoffish and claustrophobic - which we have a history of, and it stands in places - but we wanted to make something more approachable and open.” “We wanted this album to be one that felt good to play live, almost a release after this period of stasis, but then also not dwelling on the whole situation - we’re moving forward, and we wanted that energy to be there,” adds bassist Michael McKeegan.
The serrated, chugging riffage, churning low-end and propulsive rhythms that are hallmarks of the band’s sound are all present and correct, but met with a new-found sense of resolution and release, as most readily displayed on the one-two punch of their first single, ‘Joy’. “Well, 'Joy' started with a term from 'Waiting for Godot', by Samuel Beckett,” confesses Cairns “this wonderful line: 'habit is a great deadener'. I just love that word, 'dead-en-er'. It's an amazing word. People get themselves into these habits, and the next thing you know, their life is over and they've only lived in a very small circle of experience, often through choice, which is scary.” Working once more with renowned producer Chris Sheldon (Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters), a consistent good-luck charm for Therapy? dating back to 1994’s breakout album Troublegum, the band decamped to the newly opened Marshall Studios in Milton Keynes toward the end of 2021, working furiously to put the album down in its final form. “We know Chris. We've got a similar mindset, a similar outlook in life, a similar sense of humour,” McKeegan says.
“It works well, and it's a very easy, collaborative environment. There's no agenda to making the album, apart from 'let's make this absolutely brilliant'. “He's excellent at getting the performance out of you, knowing when to push a bit harder, knowing when something doesn't need to be over-complicated. There's an enthusiasm and a connection with him that really does bring something to the band, and to the vibe we have together.” While ‘Hard Cold Fire’ represents the next milestone in the band’s ongoing journey, it sits at the front of a long body of work, veering between noise-rock, discord and sparse, groovy experimentation, and million-selling, mainstream-friendly pop and noirish, cinematic vistas. For long-time fans, this new offering will reward an attentive ear in terms of musical flourishes and Cairns’ trademark lyrical substance, but as a finished product, the band has set out to create something that stands alone, and ‘Hard Cold Fire’ achieves just that. “There's a reinvigorated feel to the band, as though things are moving forward,” adds drummer Neil Cooper. “I'm very excited about people hearing this. It's not just about turning up and performing. Everyone's so invested... we're unbelievably lucky, some bands don't get that privilege, and I appreciate that. We're in a fantastic place.”

Mark Threlfall talks performing around the globe with Milestones and tour managing for Crawlers

#crawlers Mark Threlfall opens up about his time tour managing for Crawlers, some career highlights with his former band Milestones, and more!
https://www.soundspheremag.com/
https://theblackcase.com/ 

Dani Filth discusses Cradle of Filth’s influence on the Heavy Metal Community in 2023, working with Ed Sheeran

#CradleOfFilth #DaniFilth #EdSheeran
Dom Smith sits down with UK heavy metal icon Dani Filth to talk through Cradle of Filth's impact on heavy metal culture over the last two decades, what he thinks of the band's connection to the pop world, and collaborations with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Bring Me The Horizon. 
https://www.soundspheremag.com/
https://www.cradleoffilth.com/