Chris Mora is a producer, music engineer, composer, guitarist, and vocalist. Chris is currently the guitarist for American Christian metalcore band, Darkness Divided, and was formerly the vocalist for American alternative/nu-metal band, Charcoal Tongue. Chris’s involvement in music has resulted in hundreds of millions of streams across various platforms, demonstrating his wide-reaching influence.

Nick Tello sits down with Chris Mora. Chris shares his recent experience opening up for Playboi Carti when he played guitar for hip-hop duo, HXG at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. He spills the truth on how he contributed guitar tracks for 5 songs on 'Bohemio,' which is the latest album of Latin artist, Nicky Jam. One of those songs, 'Heikka' even earned Chris a Billboard award at the time of this episode. Chris describes the journey from being a fan of metal band, Upon A Burning Body, to eventually working directly with the band in the studio. He opens up about mental health and why you should think twice about taking mental health prescribed drugs. He shares his experience of co-writing songs for Australian singer, Kim Dracula, including the famous song: “Superhero.” Chris, a devoted fan of heavy metal band, Avenged Sevenfold, shares the excitement of meeting their guitarist, Synyster Gates, as a result of his work with Kim Dracula. Chris talks about the pros and cons of his preferred Digital Audio Workstation for his day to day studio work and even shares some plug-ins he uses. Chris offers advice for aspiring music producers/studio engineers, emphasizing the importance of professional guidance.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

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Jake is the frontman of metalcore band, ‘Broken Time,’ guitarist for metalcore band, ‘Inside The Hollow,’ and drummer for punk band ‘9 O’clock Shots.’ Jake was involved in Jazz Band during middle and high school, and attributes his musical discipline to that experience.

Nick Tello sits down with Jake Enriquez. In this episode, Jake shares his favorite motorcycles, and recounted the experience of recording guitar, bass, and vocals for Broken Time's song "Conscious" while wearing a cast due to a prior motorcycle accident. Jake leaks about the upcoming Broken Time album and what listeners can expect. We talk about how Broken Time won the Austin-based regional competition for the Wacken Metal Battle, advancing to the State Finals, then later to be the runner-up to play in New Jersey. Jake describes the feeling of New Jersey fans singing the lyrics to unreleased songs during that live show. Jake gave us a behind-the-scenes discussion about the making for the music videos of Broken Time's "Ignore" and "Conscious." Nick and Jake reflect on the healthiness of creating art for oneself, rather than for fame and wealth. Jake shares about his Christian faith and what it’s like being a Christian in the metal scene; working with and respecting musicians of diverse backgrounds.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

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You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Jared Robles is a videographer whose primary market includes the cities of San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. His regional focus has allowed him to develop a strong presence in the Texas creative community. Throughout his career, Jared has shot videos for a variety of artists and bands, including Mohegan, Suffering In Silence, Kill Lonely, CZYK, Oni (Jared Dines’ band), Taken By Tides, Slaughter To Prevail, Woe Is Me, Don Broco, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Waves In April, Left IV Dead, Voltreus, Eyes Like Fire, Sanity’s Last Breath, Kingdom Collapse, Goodbye Gloria, Victimblamed, and Pacific Skyline.

In this episode, Jared Robles discusses with Nick Tello about his transition into becoming a full-time videographer just recently. He played guitar in the band ‘Shatter The Sky’ and worked at a downtown San Antonio restaurant until his videography business began to flourish. He shares how his hilarious, yet relatable, Metalcore/Emo clips went viral on TikTok and Instagram. Jared guides us through his process for shooting and editing music videos. He also gave us insight into his professional hardware and software setup, sharing details about the tools he relies on to produce high-quality content. Jared provided a look into his weekly schedule, offering a glimpse into how he balances his work, creative projects, and personal interests. During this episode, his goal is to motivate others to pursue their passion in the field.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

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You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Matt Muehling is the guitarist for ‘Kill Tony’ in the ‘The Kill Tony Band.’ Kill Tony is the #1 live podcast in the world and the #2 podcast on YouTube, second only to the ‘The Joe Rogan Experience.’ He also performs live for Rob Schneider as a member of comedian’s live band. Matt is a founding member of both bands ‘Progger’ and ‘Open 2.o.’ He also plays for ‘Sir Woman,’ ‘WeDaHomies,’ ‘Grooveline Horns,’ Daniel Fears, and Grace Sorensen.

Nick Tello sat with Matt Muehling, where Matt shared insights on how he became prominent in this distinctive skill set, highlighting the dynamic of the Kill Tony band. Matt emphasized the importance of having Jon Deas as the music director, who "calls the chords" during the unpredictable nature of the live impromptu comedy podcast and Carlos Sosa as the horns leader. Matt offered a glimpse into what the band discusses amongst themselves inside their talkback mics during live shows. Matt provided an insider perspective, sharing raw details that typical audience members would not be aware of. We explored D-Madness' impressive live music performance skills, noting his remarkable abilities despite being blind. Matt shared his insider take on collaborating with Zac Brown during Episode #738 of 'Kill Tony.' Matt shares how he overcame the difficulties of studying Jazz Guitar Performance to graduate from University of North Texas, starting from remedial courses. Matt includes why he never attended a UNT football game. Nick and Matt share their favorite comedians and reflect on the challenges of writing and delivering a successful comedy joke. Matt reveals how he joined the Kill Tony band.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

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You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Raul Ayala is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His rock band, ‘ra!,’ was started around the time this episode was recorded.

Nick Tello recently had the opportunity to sit down with Raul Ayala, an artist whose random live performance on 6th Street in Austin, Texas left a crazy impression on him. Nick shares with Raul how Raul’s energy and creativity stand out, robbing the audience’s attention from start to finish; whether he plays guitar from an audience member’s shoulders or crowd surfing mid-performance. During the interview, Raul describes the unique atmosphere of playing first-floor apartment shows as well as his vision for hosting “no-phone” concerts. Raul explains how he learned to play guitar by connecting a real guitar to his XBOX. Raul’s new band, ‘ra!,’ may be new but it’s already making waves in the Austin music scene.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

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You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Thomas Alvarez is the bassist and clean vocalist for ‘Upon A Burning Body.’ Thomas is also the founder and vocalist of ‘Coldcasket,’ formerly called ‘Buried Under Texas.’

Nick Tello had the privilege of sharing this fun, yet serious episode with Thomas Alvarez. Thomas describes what it’s like to play in ‘Upon A Burning Body’ alongside his two brothers; vocalist Danny Leal and guitarist Ruben Alvarez. He offered personal insights into how their family bond influences their music and live performances. Thomas also shared his experience as a fill-in bassist for the band ‘In This Moment.’ The discussion ventured into his personal interests, including his white belt in Jiu Jitsu and some of his favorite UFC fighters. At the time of this episode, ‘Upon A Burning Body’ is set to release their seventh studio album, “Blood of The Bull,” on Friday, December 5th, 2025. This album will be released independently through the band’s own label. Thomas and his brothers are also anticipating a Texas tour shortly following the album drop.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

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You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Sab is the lead vocalist for ‘Kill Lonely,’ a heavy band signed with Ghost Killer Entertainment. He is also a proud father, family man, and incredible friend to many.

Nick Tello had the opportunity to sit down with Sab, who shares his experience with the band becoming signed to Ghost Killer Entertainment. Sab dives into his musical journey beginning at the age of 12, from playing drums to transitioning into the role of vocalist. Sab reveals where the band name "Kill Lonely" came from. He also shares the joys and endeavors of being a proud father, helping us see the bridge between his deep bond with his family and his creative work. Sab is gearing up for an exciting show on December 5th, where Kill Lonely will once again share the stage with Eyes Set to Kill at Vibes Event Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

Follow The Riff Lounge on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/riffloungepod

You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Luis Lopez is the vocalist for hardcore and thrash metal band, ‘Life Cycles.’ Luis is also recognized for his impressive skills on guitar, known for his work with the metalcore band ‘Coldcasket,’ which is former ‘Buried Under Texas.’ He also plays guitar with the precise System of a Down cover band, 'System of a Brown.’

Nick Tello had the opportunity to sit down for the first time with Luis Lopez, where Luis shares his experience on transitioning from guitarist to vocalist for ‘Life Cycles.’ During their conversation, Luis shared the story of how Matt Heafy of heavy metal band ‘Trivium’ became the band’s most prominent and vocal supporter. They also discussed the growing excitement surrounding ‘Life Cycles’’ upcoming UK tour with the British heavy metal band, Sylosis.

Video is available on https://www.youtube.com/@nicktelloguitar/videos

Follow The Riff Lounge on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/riffloungepod

You can listen to the audio version of this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & anywhere you listen to podcasts.