It's #MusicMonday. Our last before Christmas and second-last of 2025. What a year it's been!

Much like the slew of international and local tours pouring out of every nook and cranny, latest interviewee Ben Green has shown no signs of slowing up just 'cause we're in December. Hot off a recent successful first-ever show with the newly formed and very blackened metalcore act Grimlock (on lead guitar duties), Ben's also been involved with a Melbourne emo/post-hardcore act known as Gypsy Road as a bassist. Topping that off, Ben also puts out some shredtastic riffery across Youtube and socials under the muso-moniker @iplayguitars0metimes.

We have a chat that's casual and friendly in nature but very broad in scope and content! Given Ben's position across two disparate styles, getting into more live musicianship and employing long-held songwriting, as well as finishing a Cert IV in Audio Production, these topics and much more are on the table.

We also discuss the respective state of the above genres in context of the local and broader scene, engaging in both production and songwriting and more.

Links to all of Ben's musical projects will be available on the accompanying show notes for Episode 63 over at www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog.

For the video version of this interview, head on over to our channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@innerstrengthcheck.

This may or may not be our last episode for 2025.

Irregardless, from myself and the ISC Team we wish all our listeners/readers a happy holidays.

And, as always:

Peace, Love and Grindcore - Brady.

Last Friday, whilst headed to a gig in Melbourne, I received word of a once-in-a-lifetime interview opportunity which required some last-minute intervention! In a first for the Inner-Strength Check Podcast, we used the power of the smartphone to have a roadside chat from somewhere in regional Victoria to converse with a living thrash-metal god: Miland 'Mille' Petrozza of German thrash titans Kreator. A man I have looked up to for decades.

We push through my starry-eyed fanboying to discuss upcoming album Krushers of The World (out Jan 16th via Nuclear Blast Records), the songwriting process and key elements of the upcoming album in that respect, Mille's upcoming film and biography work, and more.

The full video interview version will be available shortly on our Youtube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/@innerstrengthcheck.

Full show notes, including press release with artist statement, artist/album bio, link to latest single 'Satanic Anarchy' as well as album preorder, artist links and more. For these, head on over to:

https://innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog.

Peace, Love and World-Crushing Teutonic Thrash - Brady.

Deathcore pioneers Despised Icon occupy an interesting space. Equally as influential in pioneering the deathcore movement as they are distinctly their own sound, few bands just straight-up nail the melding of death-metal brutality with streetwise hardcore as these Canadian crushers.

Whilst the wheels of the touring machine warm up, the band are preparing to drop 7th full-length LP Shadow Work on us in a week's time. Here to talk about all of the above and more is guitarist Eric Jarrin, who had a hand in album production alongside vocalist Alex Erian. Eric has a lot of great thoughts to share about songwriting, production, touring and more!

Accompanying our chat today, you can also pre-order/pre-save the album (due for release October 31st, via Nuclear Blast Records), listen to latest singles and check out more relevant artist info via show notes at:

www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog

A big thank-you to Nuclear Blast, Despised Icon and of course my guest Eric.

Can confirm this album's a scorcher - bring your mosh shorts and sunscreen on the 31st!

Peace, Love and Deathcore - Brady.

Late last week, I was joined on the Inner-Strength Check Podcast by Noah See, drummer of progressive post-metal/doom heavyweights Conjurer (UK).

With the imminent release of third full-length Unself later this month, as well as an upcoming slew of UK/European tour dates, Noah and Co are understandably keen as hell.

Given the album remains true to the core musical dynamic yet also branches out from both Mire (2018) and Pathos (2022), I can personally confirm via advance listens that this is a superbly crafted LP!

We discuss the album, drumming, songwriting, entering the band as a recent addition, touring and much more.

Thanks once again to Noah for a thoughtful and candid chat!.

Show notes for Episode 60 available alongside recent singles/other artist media, additional bio/commentary on the album and more, at:

www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog.

Peace, Love and Post-Metal Riffage - Brady.

Bay Area metal-progenitors Possessed are nothing short of iconic, having been a primary influence in the formation of death and thrash metal.

On Friday, I caught up with vocalist Jeff Becerra to discuss the bands' first ever Australian tour, celebrating 40 years of their landmark album Seven Churches and much more!

For full details on the upcoming tour, ticket links, artist info and more, head on over to:

www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog for more.

Peace, Love and Death Metal Possession - Brady.

Yesterday I was joined by Chuck Billy, the powerful and talented vocalist/frontman for Bay Area thrash metal legends Testament. During our conversation we discussed the interesting dynamics involved in the bands' writing and recording for the hard-hitting 14th LP Para Bellum, which releases on October 10th via Nuclear Blast Records. Naturally there's a whole slew of other topics covered during our chat, so be sure to dive in!

If you'd like to view the video version of this interview, head on over to the InnerStrengthCheck Youtube Channel.

For more details on the album, additional artist statements/links/info, preorder links, clips for latest Para Bellum singles and more, check out the show notes for this episode at:

www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog

Peace, Love and Thrash Eternal,

Brady - ISC.

Far from the stereotypes you might associate with a nickname like, well, Old Nick, our latest vocalist-interviewee was candid, mirthful and excited in our midnight chat (very goth-coded, I know) ahead of Paradise Lost's 17th (!) studio opus Ascension.

Due for release on September 19th via Nuclear Blast Records, we caught up with Nick to discuss said album, but also branch out into directions ranging from the practical (touring, songwriting, etc) all the way through to the existential.

For the video version of this interview + more info on the fantastic upcoming LP, single/music videos, artist info/links and more, check out the show-notes over at:

www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog

Once again, massive thanks to Mr. Holmes for a wonderful chat, and to Nuclear Blast Australia for facilitating an opportunity to speak with a metal-groundbreaker!

Peace, Love and Happiness via Doom - Brady.

Heading towards burning the midnight oil alongside myself on Friday night, I was joined on the podcast by Paula Damzal (vocals/guitar) and Nik (aka Nikronomikon Satanik - lead guitar) of incessantly guttural, HM2-soaked purveyors KÜNTSQUAD.

With a renowned live show and the release of perennially family-friendly-titled LP Satan's Cock dropping on a scene increasingly interested in the old-school, we discussed both the above plus navigating challenging life circumstances to celebrate successes, reception to the latest LP (both live/on disc), the finer points of Melburnian/Aussie death metal and more.

Be sure to check out the blog link for Ep. 56 at the link below for additional show notes, including artist/album links, additional media and other 'Squad info:

www.innerstrengthcheckpodcast.com/blog

Big shoutout to Dan Catania of fast-rising heavy-music media entity Headbangers Australia (whom we've interviewed as well, on Episode 50 of ISC Podcast) for facilitating this laid-back, sincere and fun conversation!

Peace, Love and Occultic Appendages Wrapped In Distortion - Brady.

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