Metal Matters

Our guest is a fixture of heavy music, the one and only AaronTurner. Since the late 1990s, Aaron has been an integral mainstay of the extreme music underground; with a resume that boasts such notable and influential acts as Sumac, Old Man Gloom, Isis, and Mammifer. Through his musical endeavors and artistic endeavors, as well as his curatorial activities in Hydra Head and SIGE records, he has been instrumental in shaping the cultural landscape of metal and beyond. We got into a long conversation thattouches on the transcendental qualities of pure volume, artistic intention and responsibility, and embracing influences from outside of your immediate sphere without falling into cultural appropriation. Aaron brings a kindness and thoughtful introspection to these subjects that is as refreshing as it is necessary. =

For more than three decades, Jacob Bannon has served as the the frontman of Boston's Converge, one of the most influential bands in hardcore and heavy music. In addition to causing major ripples in the water with classics like Jane Doe, You Fail Me, Axe to Fall and more, Bannon has helped shape the hardcore landscape with his mega influential Deathwish Inc label. We spoke to Bannon about the pandemic, being an artist and got super philosophical along the way.

We recently had the opportunity to hang out with the incomparableGregAnderson. In the world of heavy music,Gregis an individual who requires little introduction. He's the man behind the legendary Southern Lord Records as well as a key player in bands that have become nothing short of institutions such as Sunn O))), Burning Witch, Goatsnake, Thorr's Hammer, and countless other projects. As a curatorial and sonic force,GregAndersonstands among the most important of our time. We talked with him about the joys of discovering new music and unearthing forgotten classics, the bridge between hardcore, jazz, and metal, and what it means to be a lifer.