Interview with Andrew Lee of Ripped To Shreds

I recently interviewed Andrew Lee, the mastermind behind the death metal band Ripped to Shreds, which aired on the Metal Embassy Radio Show. I also posted the interview portion of the radio show as a podcast so if you missed it you can listen to the interview that way. We talked about the new Ripped to Shreds album 劇變 (Jubian), working with the Japanese band Pharmacist, his solo project Heavy Metal Shrapnel, plus other subjects like what it’s like being an Asian American involved the heavy metal world of the West.

Metal Embassy Podcast episode 14: Andrew Lee of Ripped To Shreds


You can also listen to the Metal Embassy Podcast by searching for Metal Embassy in most podcast apps (such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio and more).

You can listen to all previous episodes of the Metal Embassy Radio Show here after they air.

You can buy or stream the new album 劇變 (Jubian) by Ripped to Shreds on Bandcamp below.

Ripped to Shreds music video for the song “Reek of Burning Freedom”

Interview with Sgah’gahsowáh of Blackbraid

I interviewed Sgah’gahsowáh, the main man behind the indigenous black metal band Blackbraid, and it just aired on the Metal Embassy Radio Show on Saturday. If you missed it don’t worry, you can still check it out in podcast form below. We talk about his debut album, Blackbraid I, which just dropped on Friday, the meaning behind several songs, his inspirations as a musician and more!

Metal Embassy Podcast episode 13: Blackbraid


You can also listen to the Metal Embassy Podcast by searching for Metal Embassy in most podcast apps (such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio and more).

You can listen to all previous episodes of the Metal Embassy Radio Show here after they air.

You can buy or stream Blackbraid’s debut album on Bandcamp below.

Blackbraid music video for the song “Sacandaga”

Metal Chris guests on the DC Beer Podcast

I was a guest on the latest episode of DCBeer.com‘s podcast, The DC Beer Show. I talk about the fallout from the sudden shut down (to the public) of Atlas brewery’s Ivy City location, how the local metal scene got involved with the local beer scene to begin with, and how we’re starting to get metal shows going at the DC Brau brewery! Click the play button below to listen or see the post on DC Beer here.

Headbanger’s Hangover Radio Show Now Airs Saturdays at 6pm

The Headbanger’s Hangover radio show that I host every weekend has moved from Sunday mornings to Saturday evenings at 6pm! Since the show isn’t in the morning any more I have changed the name to the Metal Embassy, yes, the same name of my short lived podcast. You can listen to the Metal Embassy radio show live in the DMV area on 1190 AM every Saturday from 6pm to 7pm or livestream it here OR if you are busy at that time you can listen to the latest episode any time during the week by going here and clicking “download latest episode” to either stream it (left click) or download it as an mp3 (right click).

I’ve been trying to do something different on Metal Embassy than what I’ve heard out there in other places. I’ve found that Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music are all suggesting new music to people based on similar algorithms that are designed to steer people to larger and more established bands. I’m not saying larger bands shouldn’t get promotion, hell I’ll even play some on the show when they release something interesting, but maybe they shouldn’t be the only bands getting promotion, ya know? So with that in mind each week I’m scouring local releases, national bands and bands from all over the world (yes the entire world, not just the Western world) for new hard rock and heavy metal music. If you’re looking for a metal show to play a bunch of classic Slayer and Metallica songs this is not it. If you’re frustrated trying to find new music beyond the same old algorithm suggestions, well give my show a listen and maybe you’ll discover some new bands at least. Additionally, near the end of each episode I talk about the upcoming week’s metal shows in the DMV area and I’ll usually play a track or two by some of those bands to help you discover some new live music as well. You’re not going to find a show that does that anywhere else!

To give you an idea of what the show is about, check out this past week’s track list (4/9/2022), and give it a listen here.

Pink Floyd – “Hey Hey Rise Up (featuring Andriy Khlyvnyuk of BoomBox)”
From England/Ukraine – Release Date: 4/7/22

The Zeta – “La flor de la palabra”
From Venezuela/Florida – Release Date: 4/22/22

Clutch – “Red Alert (Boss Metal Zone)”
From Maryland – Release Date: 4/5/22

Cave In – “Blinded By a Blaze”
From Boston – Release Date: 5/20/22

Kontinuum – “Hafið Logar”
From Iceland – Release Date: 4/5/22

End Boss – “Nail and Tooth”
From New Zealand – Release Date: 4/8/22

Steak – “Papa’s Special Custard”
From England – Release Date: 4/1/22

Sakis Tolis – “Nocturnal Hecate”
From Greece – Release Date: 3/22/22

Eric Wagner – “Maybe Tomorrow”
From Chicago – Release Date: 3/4/22

Animals As Leaders – “Monomyth”
From Los Angeles (Maryland originally) – Release Date: 3/25/22

Heavy Temple – “A Desert Through the Trees”
From Philadelphia – Release Date: 6/18/21

First Nations and heavy metal on the new episode of Metal Embassy

On the new episode of the Metal Embassy podcast Metal Chris interviews Josh Cayer, a First Nations Algonquin in Ottawa, Canada, that performs bass and vocals for the bands Longhouse and Dismal Aura. Josh goes in depth about the recent discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves of indigenous children at schools across Canada and the impact this has had on the country’s indigenous population.

You can listen to this episode on the player below or by searching for Metal Embassy in most podcast apps (such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio and more). We’re on Bandcamp now too!

Metal Embassy – 011 – Longhouse (Canada)

I have also released a longer version of the podcast as a Bandcamp exclusive. It features an extra 20 minutes of the interview with Josh and includes several questions and answers not found in the shorter version that went out everywhere else. You can stream it below if you’d like or stick with the tighter, shorter version above.

Heavy metal from Kenya on the new Metal Embassy podcast episode

Metal Chris speaks with Preston and Barbara, the vocalist and drummer, respectively, of the Nairobi, Kenya, based metal band Chovu on this episode. They cover a wide range of topics from African mysticism and mythology to what it is like to be a woman in a heavy metal band in Kenya.

You can listen to this episode on the player below or by searching for Metal Embassy in most podcast apps (such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio and more). We’re on Bandcamp now too!

Metal Embassy – 010 – Chovu (Kenya)