And Now The Band

On EP391 of And Now The Band, Tom sits down with members of Masters Ashes to dig deep into the band's album Masters Ashes—a record conceived not simply as a collection of songs, but as a literary work meant to be experienced from beginning to end.
The band explains how the album was structured almost like a book, complete with a beginning, continuous narrative flow, and an ending that functions like an epilogue. Written as a trilogy of songs, Masters Ashes was created from a conceptual standpoint and, according to the band, without expectations about where it might lead. The goal was simply to create music for the love of creating music.
The conversation explores the band's blend of doom metal, death metal and black metal, while maintaining a traditional rock-oriented setup without relying on electronics. Special attention is given to Katie's keyboards, which add another atmospheric dimension to the album without overpowering the core band sound.
A major part of the discussion focuses on the album's recording and production. Six basic tracks were recorded in Afzaals home theater loft, with additional recording taking place at Ryan's studio. The band talks about Ryan's ability to create a massive, epic sound while still maintaining warmth and character through digital recording.
Tom and the band also discuss the changing relationship between analog recording and digital Pro Tools, and how modern digital techniques can still capture the qualities musicians traditionally associate with analog equipment.
The band had particularly positive things to say about working with Ryan, praising his versatility, collaborative approach and ability to bring a different perspective to a recording. Tom compares Ryan's work with other respected producers including Steve McAllister and Billy Anderson, while also discussing Ryan's work with Bad Wires.
The conversation eventually turns to one of the most important questions for any heavy band: How do you capture the feeling of a live performance on an album?
Tom and the band talk about why imperfections, unexpected moments and even mistakes can sometimes make a recording better. They share stories about recordings where something unplanned ultimately became part of the magic, and discuss the importance of stepping away from a song when something isn't working and returning with a fresh perspective.
“Conflict 3” becomes a particular point of discussion, with Jeff identifying it as one of his favorites because of its connection to the band's live performances at Born Free. Tom and Afzaal agree that the song has a particularly strong groove and live energy.
The conversation also gets into the band's approach to playing Masters Ashes live. The album isn't designed around constant touring, and logistics make live performances more complicated. The band has already been offered a festival opportunity for 2028 while exploring possibilities for 2027, but any performances will need to be carefully planned to preserve the quality and character of the music.
There is plenty of gear talk as well, including bass cabinets, 8x10s, 4x10s, 1x15s, potential 2x15 setups, traditional cabinets versus in-ear monitors, and why some musicians still prefer the physical impact and organic stage presence of a real cabinet setup.
Tom and the band also discuss the importance of having an open-minded studio environment, allowing musicians to experiment rather than having someone dictate every detail. That freedom, they explain, helped make the Masters Ashes recording experience particularly rewarding.

🎙️ And Now The Band — EP391
🎵 Masters Ashes — Masters Ashes
⚰️ Doom Metal • Death Metal • Black Metal • Atmospheric Metal
🎚️ Production & Recording • Ryan • Analog vs. Digital • Live Sound
#MastersAshes #AndNowTheBand #DoomMetal #DeathMetal #BlackMetal #DoomDeath #ExtremeMetal #HeavyMusic #UndergroundMetal #ConceptAlbum #AlbumInterview #MetalPodcast #MusicPodcast #Ryan #LouisvilleMusic #HeavyMetal #IndependentMusic #Metal

EP390 of And Now The Band features Matt McGuyer discussing his upcoming album Silver Linings, arriving October 30th on streaming platforms.

Tom and Matt dive into the writing, recording, and production behind the new album, including Matt's collaboration with mixing and Mastering by Mario Quintero of Spotlights. Matt explains how Mario understood the sound he was trying to create and helped turn his musical ideas into mixes that captured the album exactly the way he envisioned it.

At the heart of Silver Linings are deeply personal songs shaped by Matt's experiences as a husband, father, musician, and working professional. With three children and a full-time job with a local street department, Matt talks about finding time to create music while balancing family and everyday responsibilities. He describes many of the songs as essentially "songs to myself"—personal reminders about lessons learned, staying positive, and continuing forward when life getsdifficult.

Matt and Tom also discuss the organic way songs develop, recording music independently, and the differences between creating music alone and working within a band. Matt breaks down his guitar-first songwriting process, recording multiple takes, and the challenges of capturing vocals, drums, andother instrumentation when you're handling much of the recording yourself.

The conversation expands into their shared love of heavy and alternative music, including Hum, Failure, Molly McGuire, Spotlights, Shiner, Electric Hawk, Sweet Cobra, Deftones, Mr. Bungle, and the Melvins. They talk about the importance ofbands connecting with an audience and how a great live performance can turn someone into a lifelong fan. Matt also discusses the possibility of bringing Silver Linings to the stage. He's interested in playing shows in Louisville,Indianapolis, St. Louis, Nashville, and on the East Coast, but finding the right musicians—particularly players who can sing and perform the material live—remains a challenge. Matt explains why he would rather perform with a realband than rely heavily on tracks.

The discussion also touches on the tight-knit regional music community, including Blessed Black, Veilcaste, Crop, Moon Temple, and other local acts, as well as the challenges of balancing music, work, touring, and family life. A new single is planned for early October, followed by the full album on October 30th.

🎙️ And Now The Band EP390 — Matt McGuyer
🎵 Album: Silver Linings
📅Release Date: October 30, 2026
📀 Streaming Release
#MattMcGuyer #SilverLinings #AndNowTheBand #HeavyMusic #AlternativeMusic #Doom#Metal #UndergroundMusic #LouisvilleMusic #LouisvilleKY #MarioQuintero #Spotlights #Hum #Failure #Shiner #MollyMcGuire #Deftones #IndependentMusic#NewMusic #MusicPodcast #HeavyMusicPodcast

On EP389 of And Now The Band, Tom catches up with Arj of The Still Out to discuss the band's relaunch, new music, the challenges of moving forward without co-founder Josh Stoddard, and the next chapter for the band.
Arj talks openly about taking on many of the responsibilities Josh previously handled, including management, promotion and social media, while trying to rebuild The Still Out and continue making music.
The conversation also explores the deeply personal connection between music, grief and memory. Arj discusses how working on the new record has actually helped him feel closer to Josh, often imagining what Josh would think about decisions involving the band. He also talks about Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, another musician he considers a mentor whose influence continues even after his passing.
Arj explains why revisiting The Still Out's previous album ‘Crystallized’ can be difficult, particularly songs such as “Last Chapter,” which Josh sang on.
The conversation then moves toward the band's future, including upcoming live performances and the new album. The Still Out will play St. Vitus on September 25th, opening for Drag Talk, followed by a headlining show at Sleepwalk in Brooklyn on November 20th, which will also serve as the band's vinyl release party.
The upcoming record features several notable guests, including Adam Franklin of Swervedriver, Mikey Jones of The Lemonheads, and Jody from Fountains of Wayne.
Arj also discusses the song “Let the Listeners Hurt” and the band's plans for a music video, while explaining their efforts to book more shows and find opening slots on upcoming tours.
Tom and Arj talk about how younger listeners are discovering music differently, with today's audiences often moving freely between genres. They discuss everything from post-rock and alternative music to older underground bands being rediscovered through platforms such as TikTok.
The conversation also looks at the evolution of music distribution—from tape trading and physical media to streaming and social media—and how modern technology has changed the way listeners discover music.
From The Still Out's new chapter and the emotional process of continuing without Josh to new music, vinyl, touring and the changing way people discover bands, EP389 is an honest conversation about music, memory, loss and moving forward.
EP389 Topics: The Still Out • Arj • Josh Stoddard • Crystallized • Let the Listeners Hurt • Adam Franklin • Swervedriver • Mikey Jones • The Lemonheads • Fountains of Wayne • Adam Schlesinger • Alternative Rock • Post-Rock • Underground Music • Vinyl • Music Discovery • TikTok • Streaming • St. Vitus • Sleepwalk Brooklyn • New Music
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#TheStillOut #Arj #JoshStoddard #Uncrystallized #Swervedriver #FountainsOfWayne #AdamSchlesinger #TheLemonheads #AlternativeRock #PostRock #IndependentMusic #Vinyl #NewMusic #UndergroundMusic #AndNowTheBand #MusicInterview

On EP388 of And Now The Band, Tom catches up with Chris of Mother of Graves to discuss the band's upcoming album ‘The Light That Keeps Us,’ releasing October 16th on Profound Lore Records.
Chris talks about the band's songwriting philosophy, their evolution as a band, and the process of building an album that keeps listeners engaged from beginning to end. Rather than relying on overly long songs, Mother of Graves focuses on creating music with peaks, valleys, atmosphere and momentum, with tracks generally ranging from 4½ to 8 minutes.
The band spent roughly two years refining around a dozen songs before deciding on the final tracklist. Chris explains how some riffs had been sitting around for years before finally finding their place on the new record.
One of the standout examples is “Eventide Angel,” which developed when Chris took a riff from an earlier song and transformed it into a recurring guitar theme. The result added a distinct gothic quality to the track.
Chris and Tom also discuss the increased use of piano on The Light That Keeps Us. While piano had appeared in Mother of Graves' music previously, this album features it much more intentionally. Brandon contributed ideas that were brought to life by Ben, helping reinforce the album's darker and more somber atmosphere.
Tom particularly highlights the opening track “Somber” and the way its piano bookends help establish the album's mood.
The conversation also explores whether Mother of Graves could eventually perform the entire album live. Chris explains the technical challenges involved, particularly with the band's complex guitar arrangements, and why they want to test songs in a live environment before committing to a full-album performance.
Chris also reveals the band's album release show on November 21st at Black Circle in Indianapolis, featuring The Secrecy, Veilcast and Avernus.
The discussion touches on the current underground metal scene, including seeing Carrion perform and the band's technical musicianship, as well as the excitement of seeing heavy music receive attention from publications such as New Noise and Decibel.
Chris also names “Wingless Soul” as one of his favorite tracks on the album, explaining how a guitar riff he'd been developing for years finally found its perfect home.
The band worked carefully on the album's sequencing and kept the overall runtime around 45 minutes, helping preserve the sound quality of the vinyl release. Physical editions include black, green marble, white and gold-speckled vinyl.
From songwriting and riffs to piano, gothic atmosphere, live performance and vinyl, EP388 takes a deep look at the making of Mother of Graves' ‘The Light That Keeps Us.’
‘The Light That Keeps Us’ — October 16th, 2026 — Profound Lore Records
EP388 Topics: Mother of Graves • The Light That Keeps Us • Profound Lore Records • Chris • Somber • Eventide Angel • Wingless Soul • Dark Metal • Gothic Metal • Doom Metal • Death Metal • Songwriting • Metal Recording • Piano in Metal • Vinyl • Black Circle Indianapolis • Carrion • Veilcast • Vernis • New Noise • Decibel
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#MotherOfGraves #TheLightThatKeepsUs #ProfoundLoreRecords #DarkMetal #GothicMetal #DoomMetal #DeathMetal #HeavyMetal #Metal #UndergroundMetal #Songwriting #Vinyl #IndianapolisMetal #Carrion #Veilcast #AndNowTheBand #MetalInterview

After 20 years, Shabti is still evolving.
On EP387 of And Now The Band, Tom sits down with Rob of Shabti for a wide-ranging conversation about the band's two-decade musical journey, black metal influences, songwriting, recording, independent releases, physical media and the realities of being an underground metal band.
Rob explains how Shabti began with his vision influenced by atmospheric black metal, eventually evolving from earlier thrash influences into a more complex and aggressive sound. The conversation explores the importance of musical evolution and how a band can develop naturally without losing its identity.
Rob also discusses Shabti's latest album, which was written over several years, with some material dating back to before the COVID hiatus. He talks about the recording process, guitar re-amping, vocals and working with different studios and engineers.
One of the most interesting topics is Shabti's DIY recording philosophy. Instead of relying on one producer or studio for everything, Rob takes an a la carte approach, working with different people for tracking, mixing and mastering based on their expertise and compatibility with the band's music.
The conversation also covers working with Colin Marston on mastering, recording at Acadia Recording, mixing in North Carolina and the challenge of becoming “nose blind” to your own music. Rob explains why stepping away from a recording can be essential before making final decisions.
Tom and Rob also discuss how the music industry has changed. Modern technology and online distribution have made it easier for underground bands to release music independently without relying as heavily on traditional record labels. They also talk about the renewed popularity of cassettes and physical media, including Shabti's limited cassette release through Contem Light.
Rob shares some of the albums that shaped his musical journey, including Neurosis – Times of Grace, Emperor – Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk, Emperor – In the Nightside Eclipse, and The Cure – Pornography.
The conversation eventually moves into the modern metal live experience, including Cannibal Corpse, Mayhem, Gorguts and Blood Incantation, and the importance of learning from experienced musicians.
With Shabti's drummer leaving the band, Rob discusses the band's next steps, including finding a new drummer, potentially touring to support the current album, or beginning work on the next release.
From atmospheric black metal and Emperor to DIY recording, independent releases, cassettes and the future of Shabti, EP387 is a deep dive into the evolution of an underground metal band.
EP387 Topics: Shabti • Rob of Shabti • Black Metal • Atmospheric Black Metal • Underground Metal • DIY Music • Independent Releases • Metal Recording • Colin Marston • Emperor • Neurosis • The Cure • Cannibal Corpse • Mayhem • Gorguts • Blood Incantation • Cassettes • Physical Media • Metal Production
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#Shabti #BlackMetal #AtmosphericBlackMetal #ExtremeMetal #UndergroundMetal #Metal #Emperor #Neurosis #Gorguts #BloodIncantation #CannibalCorpse #DIYMetal #IndependentMusic #MetalInterview #AndNowTheBand