In this powerful and heartfelt episode of the Metal Maniacs Podcast, we sit down with a truly special guest and longtime friend of the show—Chantal Roeske, returning for the 4th time to talk all things Heart on Your Sleeve Fest 3 (HOYSF 3) and the continued evolution of her impact on the heavy music community.

Chantal is the founder of Heart on Your Sleeve Fest, the vocalist and guitarist of Tonguecutter, a multi-instrumentalist, photographer, and one of the most passionate scene advocates out there. This conversation goes far beyond a standard fest recap—we dig deep into community, growth, passion, leadership, and legacy.

What We Cover in This Episode:🔥 The Evolution of Heart on Your Sleeve FestWe talk about how HOYSF has grown and matured over the years—emotionally and logistically. Chantal opens up about lessons learned, the behind-the-scenes realities of running a fest, and how her definition of “success” has shifted beyond numbers and attendance.🎤 Leadership, Vision & Scene-BuildingWhat does it really take to run a festival from inside the scene? Chantal breaks down the invisible work fans never see, the responsibility that comes with curating spaces for artists, and how supporting bands goes far beyond just putting them on a bill.🔮 Looking ForwardWe close by looking ahead: the long-term vision for Heart on Your Sleeve Fest, what Chantal hopes people feel when they attend, and her thoughts on the future of heavy music communities.

As always, this episode is packed with honesty, insight, and love for the scene. Huge thanks to Chantal, the volunteers, bands, and fans who continue to make HOYSF something truly special.

👉 Follow, support, and stay connected with Chantal Roeske, Tonguecutter, -https://tonguecutter.com/

and Get tickets now- https://heartonyoursleevefest.com/ to Heart on Your Sleeve Fest.

👉 Like, subscribe, and share to help support the Metal Maniacs Podcast and the heavy music community.Metal lives. Community matters. 🤘

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

On Episode 138 of The Metal Maniacs Podcast, hosts Jay Ingersoll and Modd welcome back returning guest Alex Eilers to talk about the upcoming Funeral Language record Thank You For The Dead Body, out January 20th, 2026.

This episode is a deep dive into a record that feels sharper, leaner, and more direct than anything Funeral Language has released before. Jay gives his honest first impressions of the album — a sound that’s fully honed in, familiar but unmistakably its own. More punk rock in spirit, zero fluff, and just 22 minutes of pure chaos, with nearly half the songs launching straight into vocals. We unpack how this approach is almost the opposite of what was discussed around the last record — and why that shift felt necessary.

Alex breaks down the songwriting mindset, the aggression, the grooves, and the intentional choices that shaped the album, plus the creation of the visual and content pieces surrounding the release.

Track-by-track discussion includes:

Imhumane (1:25)

Groove-heavy opener with added low vocals, a menacing feel, and the perfect ending touch with the Addison voicemail.

Deathwish Complex (2:45)

Catchy, chaotic energy with a Lowist feature, “come on come on” hooks, early punk-era Marilyn Manson vibes, and a killer sliding groove.

Bailey Ruban (3:03)

Layered vocals, call-out sections, discordant rhythms, Vision of Disorder–style singing, cymbal ring-outs, and ideas worth pushing even further.

A Rope 2 Ways (2:52)

Nonstop energy, extended screams, borderline Sam Kinison madness, vocal overload, and a hard-grooving warning section.

Dead Meat (3:10)

Immediate nonsense vocals, aggressive riffs, discordant slides, a nasty 2:08 groove, and perfectly timed vocal pullbacks.

Whiskey Foxtrot (3:06)

Descending hammer-on riffs, triplet grooves, Dillinger-style grindy chaos, cowbell and woodblock accents, and a bluesy punk rock ending.

Thank You For The Dead Body (2:44)

More cowbell, Every Time I Die energy, VOD-inspired vocals, and a crushing final riff with discordant guitar interplay.

Rain Check (3:13)

Grindy noise sections, descending melodies, ringing cymbals, and one of the most chaotic moments on the record.

We also talk about:

Why this record cuts straight to the point

Vocals-first songwriting and immediate impact

Punk influences vs metal roots

Creating visual and content pieces for the album

What’s next for Funeral Language

If you’re into hardcore, punk-infused metal, chaotic grooves, and honest creative evolution, this episode is a must-listen.

🔥 Funeral Language – Thank You For The Dead Body

📅 Out January 20th, 2026

Subscribe, rate, and share — and as always, support heavy music that takes risks. 🤘

Follow Funeral Language-https://funerallanguage.bandcamp.com/album/cirque

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

Episode 134 – The Metal Maniacs Podcast w/ Jay Ingersoll & Modd

This week, we sit down with one of the most unique, prolific, and genuinely unstoppable forces in underground metal: Justin Lawnchair, the mastermind behind The Biscuit Merchant — Ann Arbor’s proggy, death-tinged, genre-melting metal project. With 26 full albums (each 45–55 minutes) in the works, recorded entirely by Justin, and no generative AI used at any stage, this project is a testament to pure determination, creativity, and DIY musicianship.

The Biscuit Merchant is all about “melting pot metal,” a blend of death metal, thrash, prog, folk, power metal, blues, groove, and whatever else Justin feels like throwing into the cauldron. Nothing is off the table. Nothing is predictable. And that’s what makes it magic.

We deep dive into the vision, the process, and the absolute madness of building a 26-album alphabetical saga known as Alpha — a project planned since 2009 and still evolving with every riff, rhythm, and solo.

🔥 What We Dig Into This Episode

🌋 The Inception of The Biscuit Merchant

How the idea started, Justin’s early influences (Maiden, BTBAM, Opeth, Devin Townsend), and how the “one-man band” concept turned into something massive.

🎸 The Live Lineup

Justin’s studio prowess meets a killer live lineup:

Justin Lawnchair – Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals

Anton Filyayev – Drums

Dan Hunter – Bass

Dhruv Talekar – Guitar

📀 A Walk Through the Releases

We talk about the evolution from Knucklewalker, Nature Rejoices, and Ongaku into the wildly creative arcs of:

Journey to Arrhythmia

When the Heart and Mind Collide

Unexplained Wounds

Momento Mori

Phobia

Visible Scars

Tempora (June 13, 2025)

We break down the tone changes, the leap in songwriting confidence, the wild genre swings, the heavier turns, and the massive solos that define each era.

🎼 Writing & Creative Process

How Justin builds riffs, arranges patterns, adds solos, chooses styles, switches genres mid-song, and approaches production with collaborators Spencer Maxfield (mixing) and Nelson T. Gast (mastering).

We dig into:

How songs start

How he decides when a part needs melody vs brutality

How folk, blues, prog, and death metal all coexist

Why every album has to stand on its own

🥁 Tone, Gear & Production

We get into guitars, tunings, cabs, bass tone, drum approaches, and how he builds such massive arrangements as one person. Justin breaks down the evolution of his sound — raw, polished, experimental, heavy, and always pushing forward.

🔥 Favorite Songs, Solos & Albums

We highlight some of the standout tracks across the discography — the folky moments, the techy riffs, the brutal sections, the solos that feel endless, and the songs that show the most growth.

🎤 Life in Metal & Justin’s Story

What got him into metal, especially extreme metal?

What keeps him going?

What does music give him that nothing else does?

🎶 Shows, Touring & Live Experiences

Recent shows, upcoming gigs, best experiences, worst disasters, and the wild moments that shaped the live version of The Biscuit Merchant.

➡️ What’s Next?

We talk about the future of the Alpha project, upcoming releases, live plans, creative goals, and the continued evolution of a project unlike anything else in the Michigan metal scene.

This episode is packed with riffs, stories, creativity, and pure independent metal energy from one of the most hardworking musicians we’ve ever had on the show.

#MetalManiacsPodcast #TheBiscuitMerchant #MichiganMetal #ProgressiveMetal #DeathMetal #OneManBand #JayIngersoll #Modd #IndependentMetal #AlphaProject #Tempora

Follow TBM-https://thebiscuitmerchant.bandcamp.com/

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

Best METAL Albums of the Year ft. Recorruptor’s Clint Franklin! | Death Metal, Avant-Garde & Underground Picks

Welcome back to Episode 133 of The Metal Maniacs Podcast with your hosts Jay Ingersoll and Modd, and today we’re closing out the year with a massive guest appearance from one of Michigan’s deadliest voices in death metal. We’re joined once again by Clint Franklin, vocalist of the brutal mid-Michigan beast Recorruptor, for a full breakdown of **his Top Metal Albums of the Year! 🤘💀🔥

Clint brings a vocalist’s perspective, a die-hard fan’s ear, and a metalhead’s honesty as we jump onto a Zoom call and tear apart the year’s releases. From underground filth to experimental insanity, he breaks down the records that stood above the rest, hit the hardest, and ripped his speakers to shreds.

🎙️ FEATURING PICKS FROM CLINT FRANKLIN (Recorruptor)

Here’s just a sample of the chaos he brought to the list:

Sanguisugabogg – Hideous Aftermath

Filthy, swamp-soaked death metal that drags you face-first through the sewer.

Igorrr – (Latest Release)

A bizarre, genre-mutating circus of opera, breakcore, baroque insanity, and metal carnage.

Dormant Ordeal – (Latest Release)

Crushing, technical, atmospheric death metal drenched in dark emotion and cold precision.

And that’s just the beginning… Clint’s list dives into the weird, the crushing, the groovy, the ugly, the brain-melting, and the truly genius.**

🧠 WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:

✔ Clint Franklin’s Album of the Year rankings

✔ Hidden gems from the underground and international scene

✔ Albums that pushed death metal into terrifying new places

✔ How experimental music like Igorrr fits beside brutal death metal

✔ Bands dominating 2025 + those we NEED more from

This isn’t just a list — it’s a discussion about what makes a record stick with metalheads, long after the breakdown fades.

💬 FROM THE STUDIO TO THE ONLINE ABYSS

Even through Zoom, the energy was rowdy, the takes were honest, and the laughs were nonstop. Clint brought knowledge, passion, opinions, and chaos — in other words, exactly what makes heavy music fun to talk about.

🤘 JOIN THE CONVERSATION

We want YOUR list. Drop it in the comments:

🔥 What’s your Metal Album of the Year?

🔪 Who got snubbed?

🎤 Which extreme vocalist destroyed the scene this year?

Let’s argue like family. Let’s praise the underrated. Let’s drag the disappointing.

That’s metal

🥀 SPECIAL GUEST: CLINT FRANKLIN

🎤 Vocalist of **Recorruptor**

💀 Michigan Brutal Death Metal

👊 Support them, stream them, and catch them live — they’re one of the Midwest’s heaviest forces.

📍 FOLLOW & SUPPORT THE SHOW

Hit Subscribe, Like, and Notification Bell* for more interviews, album breakdowns, reactions, Michigan scene coverage, and metal madness every week.

Metal Maniacs is built for the heavy community — mainstream giants, underground savages, and everything in between.

Whether you’re into slam, symphonic deathcore, avant-garde insanity, tech wizardry, or pure riff-driven brutality… this episode is for you.

Stay brutal. Stay opinionated. Stay metal. 🤘🔥🎧

Follow Recorruptor-https://recorruptor.bandcamp.com/Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

Episode 132 – The Metal Maniacs Podcast w/ Jay Ingersoll & Modd

This week marks a massive milestone for the Metal Maniacs Podcast — TWO YEARS of metal news, scene coverage, interviews, chaos, and nonstop riff worship. In this special anniversary episode, Jay and Modd sit down to reflect on everything that’s happened since August 29, 2023, the day Episode 1 launched and the Maniacs journey officially began.

What started as a passion project has grown into a platform that highlights bands, supports the Michigan metal scene, and documents some of the heaviest conversations in underground music. Today, we look back on the road that got us here — the highs, the lows, the progress, and the unbelievable amount of growth.

🎙️ What We Cover in This Episode

🔥 The Beginning – August 29, 2023

We revisit where the idea came from, the nerves of recording the first episode, and how far our style, flow, and confidence have come since hitting “record” for the first time.

💥 The Feedback – Good, Bad, and Brutal

We talk about the comments, critiques, encouragement, and constructive shots we’ve taken along the way. Every piece of feedback helped shape what the show is today.

📈 Growth Over 132 Episodes

From small early experiments to full band interviews, scene coverage, festival recaps, ranking episodes, reaction content, and deep-dive discussions — we trace how the show has evolved both on the mic and behind the scenes.

🤘 Bands That Have Been on the Show

We highlight the incredible roster of artists who trusted us with their stories — from local legends and rising acts to returning guests and bands who have become part of the Metal Maniacs family. Each conversation shaped the identity of the show and expanded our connection to the scene.

🧠 What We’ve Learned

Podcasting doesn’t come with a manual. We look at the biggest lessons from the past two years:

The importance of preparation AND improv

How chemistry and honesty make episodes hit

The work behind consistent content

Navigating burnout and maintaining excitement

Building a relationship with the Michigan metal community

🎧 Favorite Moments

We revisit the funniest, wildest, most memorable, and most meaningful moments across 130 episodes — the conversations that surprised us, the topics that got heated, the bits that became inside jokes, and the episodes that changed the direction of the show.

➡️ What’s Next for Metal Maniacs?

We look forward to new ideas, future goals, potential expansions of the format, dream guests, scene-building projects, reaction content, and the next phase of growth as we head into year three.

This episode is a thank-you letter to every listener, every band who’s joined us, and every supporter who believes in what we’re building. Whether you’ve been here since episode one or just jumped in, the Metal Maniacs Podcast exists because of you.

Here’s to 132 episodes — and many more to come.

#MetalManiacsPodcast #PodcastAnniversary #MetalPodcast #MichiganMetal #HeavyMusic #JayIngersoll #Modd #PodcastMilestone

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

Michigan Metal Dominates 2025 | Best Albums Breakdown (Metal Maniacs Podcast Ep. 131)

Episode 131 – The Metal Maniacs Podcast

Hosted by Jay Ingersoll & Modd

Michigan showed up in a massive way in 2025 — and this episode is all about giving the Great Lakes metal scene the spotlight it deserves.

In this third extra episode of the week, Jay and Modd break down every Michigan-based band and album that landed on our Best of 2025 list. From extreme metal and hardcore to experimental heaviness and underground noise, this is a full celebration of the artists holding it down for the Mitten State.

We dig into why these records stood out, how they represent the strength and diversity of Michigan heavy music, and why this scene continues to punch well above its weight on a national level. If you’re looking to support local bands, discover new favorites, or understand just how deep Michigan metal runs — this episode is required listening.

Albums & Bands Discussed (Support These Artists 👇)

Throne

https://thronemetal.bandcamp.com/album/that-who-sat-upon-him-was-death

Recorruptor

https://recorruptor.bandcamp.com/album/sorrow-will-drown-us-all

Wounded Touch

https://woundedtouch.bandcamp.com/album/a-vivid-depiction-of-collapse

Neverender

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DWV1WN44

At Water

https://atwatermi.bandcamp.com/album/the-sum-of-all-parts

Krocophile

https://krocophile.bandcamp.com/album/sewer-king-king-of-the-sewer

Blood Druid

https://blood-druid.bandcamp.com/album/demise

Set Fire To This

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT1JP545

Bronson Arm

https://bronsonarm.bandcamp.com/album/casket-schwagg

Lucius Fox

https://luciusfox.bandcamp.com/album/the-death-and-life-of-the-great-lakes

No Sympatico

https://nosympatico.bandcamp.com/album/vandalize-your-mind

Tonguecutter

https://tonguecutter.bandcamp.com/album/minnow

The Sissy Boys

https://open.spotify.com/album/3XNz1m3pOZLPU1FgYo3C5P

Shadow of the Talisman

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DMPM33YH

Accuser Of The Brethren

https://accuserofthebrethrenmi.bandcamp.com/album/justice-through-violence

Fedaykin

https://fedaykinband.bandcamp.com/album/wetwork

Voluntary Mortification

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0FNVBN8LH

Gokseong 곡성

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DTBXY29F

Implicator

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0FCD26L8T

Long After Midnight

https://longaftermidnight.bandcamp.com/album/rage-toward-the-light

Tunnel of Love

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DYF7TTWD

Decedent

https://ironfortressrecords.bandcamp.com/album/for-those-in-shallow-graves

Heartsick – Break The Curse

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0FRRSZWPX

TBM – Tempora

(Links TBD)

Flood The Desset

(TBM)

Dead Hour Noise

(TBM)

Michigan didn’t just participate in 2025 — it defined it. Tap in, support these bands, and keep the scene alive.

🎧 Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms

🤘 Metal lives here.

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

Top Metal Albums of 2025 | Honorable Mentions | Albums not to missed (Metal Maniacs Podcast Ep 130)

Sometimes the hardest part of doing a “Best of the Year” list… is everything that gets left off.

In this extra Thursday episode of The Metal Maniacs Podcast, Jay and Modd sit back down to give proper shine to the albums we didn’t get to mention in our Best Metal Albums of 2025 episode. Consider this the official Honorable Mentions edition — the records that narrowly missed the cut, sparked heated debate, or deserved way more attention than time allowed.

From underground heavy hitters to surprise releases, overlooked gems, and records that grew on us after repeat listens, this episode is all about rounding out the conversation and making sure no killer album gets forgotten. If you’re still building your 2025 metal listening list, this one is packed with recommendations across multiple corners of heavy music.

We break down:

Albums that almost made our Top picks

Releases that gained momentum late in the year

Records we couldn’t stop spinning, even if they didn’t land in the final rankings

Why honorable mentions matter just as much as the top spots

If you thought our 2025 list was finished… think again. This episode proves just how stacked the year really was for metal.

🔥 Whether you’re into extreme metal, metalcore, hardcore, or something in between, this is an essential follow-up for any Metal Maniacs listener.

🎧 Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

Subscribe, rate, and review to support the show

📲 Follow The Metal Maniacs Podcast for more metal news, album discussions, and year-end breakdowns

🤘 Long live heavy music.

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi

Top METAL Albums of the Year 2025! | Best Deathcore, Black Metal, Metalcore & Underground Picks

Welcome back to **Episode 129 of The Metal Maniacs Podcast with your hosts Jay Ingersoll and Modd**, bringing you the **heaviest breakdown of the year – our *official Albums of the Year List! 🤘🔥

This episode is the culmination of a full year of listening, reactions, interviews, new band discoveries, and scene coverage. Between us, we dove deep into hundreds of releases, but one of us personally hammered through over 75 full albums in 2025 alone, all in search of the records that pushed boundaries, leveled expectations, and kicked in teeth.

On this episode, we count down the top records across the worlds of death metal, deathcore, metalcore, black metal, progressive metal, experimental heavy music, and underground chaos**. Expect surprises, disagreements, genre wars, and passionate ranting as always. 🖤💀

🎧 Featuring albums from:

The Callous Daoboys – *I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven***

Mathcore chaos, brass-driven breakdowns, and one of the most creative heavy albums of the decade.

Blackbraid – *III***

A monumental, cinematic black metal experience redefining Native-led extreme music.

Spite – *New World Killer***

A merciless, groove-drenched, throat-ripping deathcore assault.

Shadow of Intent – *Imperium Delirium***

Symphony meets brutality with earth-shaking orchestration and monstrous vocals.

Fallujah – *Xenotaph***

Atmospheric death metal mastery—technical, immersive, and emotionally crushing.

…and dozens more from across the global metal underground.**

🏆 WHAT TO EXPECT:

✔ Our personal **Top Albums of the Year**

✔ Most surprising releases and unexpected favorites

✔ Underground picks every metalhead should know

✔ The bands who elevated the genre** in 2025

✔ The artists pushing metal into the future

✔ Full scene breakdowns: Deathcore, Black Metal, Metalcore, Prog, Hardcore + more

🎶 WHY THIS LIST MATTERS:

In a year dominated by experimental risks, raw emotion, and heavier-than-ever production, these albums aren’t just good releases — they’re landmarks in modern heavy music. Whether it’s black metal that feels like mythic folklore, tech death that hits like a cinematic tragedy, or deathcore that rips open the void… these records define where heavy music is headed next.

🤘 JOIN THE MANIAC COMMUNITY

We want YOUR top records too. Drop your list in the comments and let’s argue, agree, cheer, and violently disagree like true metalheads. 🔥

Tell us: **What album ruled this year? Who got robbed? Who dropped the heaviest track of 2025?

📍 FOLLOW, SUPPORT, & STAY METAL

Hit Subscribe, Like, and smash the Bell so you don’t miss interviews, breakdowns, reactions, and Michigan scene spotlights.

Metal Maniacs is dedicated to shining light on both the biggest names and the underground crushers who deserve the attention.

🎤 Hosted by:

💥 Jay Ingersoll & Modd

🖤 The Metal Maniacs Podcast — Heavy Music, Without Apology.

Let’s wrap up the year the only way that makes sense: with riffs, chaos, and absolute sonic destruction.** 🤘🔥

Stay loud. Stay angry. Stay metal. 🎧💀

Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi