Delve into my New Noise conversation with polymath Whitney Mower, who fronts Born Losers Records band They/Live and survived the disastrous fires that recently ravaged Los Angeles.
Archive for the Interviews Category
They/Live Leader on Growing Up Mormon, Teaming With Drab Majesty
Posted in Favorite Films, Features, Interviews with tags Drab Majesty, They/Live on 03/25/2025 by Kurt OrzeckPyramid Mass Reveal Influences Behind Their Sick New EP
Posted in Interviews, Lists with tags Colin Marston, Gravesend, Hella, Isis, Mastodon, Mortiferum, Plebeian Grandstand, Pyramid Mass, Robert Fripp, The Police on 03/25/2025 by Kurt Orzeck
Earlier this month, Richmond, Virginia’s Pyramid Mass dipped a ladle into their cauldron of blackened sludge, progressive metal, thrash, black metal, hardcore, avant-garde—Jesus, need we go on?—and poured a heaping helping of their lethal stew into a bowl beautifully named Gargling Rot. The wretched EP, issued by Ossien Records, contains five songs that would make for great house music in Guantánamo Bay. In other words, it’s killer.
Mastered by the legendary James Plotkin of Khanate, Gargling Rot is the chaser to 2023’s Monolith, the debut by the band consisting of Matt Wild (drums/vocals), Nick Crider (guitar/vocals) and Joey Anderson (bass/vocals/synth). The EP commands strict attention from start to finish, even though no matter how hard you concentrate on what Pyramid Mass are doing, you won’t be able to make sense of it. What better way to guarantee repeat spins of a record.
Continue readingBask Reflect on Hurricane Helene: ‘We Were in Survival Mode’
Posted in Interviews with tags Bask on 03/24/2025 by Kurt Orzeck“The silver lining (with) Helene (was) that people—regardless of race, creed, gender, whatever—came together and helped each other out,” the North Carolina band tells New Noise.
Extreme Metal Label Staging Brutal Wrestling Event With Metal Band Mudshow
Posted in Interviews with tags Horror Pain Gore Death Productions, Mudshow, SPV on 03/21/2025 by Kurt OrzeckMudshow vocalist/bassist Mike Roach—who has his own wrestling promotion, Memphis Street Fight—checked in with New Noise to break the news to us about Sunday’s events. To say he sounded like a kid on Christmas Eve would be an understatement.
Taxpayers Collected a Priceless Pooch Amid Tragic Circumstances
Posted in Interviews with tags Taxpayers on 03/20/2025 by Kurt OrzeckRead the latest installment in my long-running Pet Sounds series for New Noise, in which the Taxpayers–whose new record drops tomorrow–recounts the sad story (and happy ending) of how they acquired their dog Tuesday and cat Dandelion.
On Tyranny: Kuwaiti Metal Artist Abzy Calls Hate ‘A Black Hole’
Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny with tags Abzy, Dusk, Meshari Sangora, On Tyranny on 03/20/2025 by Kurt OrzeckIn the latest installment of my new On Tyranny series for New Noise, I caught up with Abzy, a metal and rock musician from Kuwait, and chatted with him about what life was like for artists when Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq.
On Tyranny: Hungarian Black-Metallers Sear Bliss Lost ‘Freedom’ In Orbán’s Autocracy
Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny with tags Donald Trump, On Tyranny, Sear Bliss, Viktor Orban on 03/19/2025 by Kurt OrzeckHungary’s longest-running band, Sear Bliss, recently spoke with me about what it’s like living in a country ruled by a despot who happens to be good friends with Donald Trump. Get a glimpse of the serious threats American artists are now facing at home, where the Trump regime is now disappearing dissenters, in the latest edition of New Noise‘s new series, “On Tyranny.”
Kevin Rumantis: ‘Sometimes Something That You Love Making Isn’t Going to Be That Fun to Listen To’
Posted in Interviews with tags Cows, Gina Skwoz, Kevin Rumantis, Melvins, Tomahawk, Trevor Dunn on 03/18/2025 by Kurt OrzeckRead a rare interview with Kevin Rumantis of Melvins and Cows lore in which he and partner Gina Skwoz discuss their Lords and Lady Kevin project with Trevor Dunn of Tomahawk (and Melvins too!). New Noise has the piece.
On Tyranny: Necrofier Frontman Wonders ‘Is It Going to Be Like ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’?’
Posted in Features, Interviews, On Tyranny with tags Christian Larson, Hell's Heroes, Necrofier on 03/17/2025 by Kurt OrzeckWhen we recently chatted with Christian Larson about his upcoming Hell’s Heroes festival and what his band Necrofier is up to, we also had to pick his brain about what the hell is going on in the United States of America.
Julia, Julia Has Cats, Cats, Cats
Posted in Interviews with tags Coathangers, Julia Julia, Julia Kugel on 03/17/2025 by Kurt OrzeckCheck out the latest installment in my ongoing series on musicians talking about their pets on New Noise, this time focusing on Coathangers leader Julia Kugel’s other project.
The Bad Penny (beta) 