Justin Norton

We talked to David Nuss and Jamie Myers about Sabbath Assembly’s reinvention and the importance of tribe and tradition. We’re also giving away a set of tickets and shirt to their upcoming tour.

Welcome to the first installment of an occasional Decibel blog feature called How We Roll. In this series, we’ll look behind the scenes to see what bands bring on the road to make extensive touring more comfortable (or more forgettable). Our first guests: Venom Inc.

Promoter M A Spiro is looking to offer a better festival experience for the discerning fan metal with the curated Shadow Woods Metal Fest. She talked to us about what campers can expect. 

In honor of Black Sabbath‘s final trek around the globe, we are running our 2014 print feature on the story behind the cover art of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, which was illustrated four decades ago by a rising Los Angeles artist named Drew Struzan. 

Every so often, we take a little time on Mondays to pay tribute to the Muthas! That is, reprinting the adorable metal/maternal Q&As that run in the magazine. Today, enjoy Justin Norton’s chat with Becky Myers, mutha of Sabbath Assembly vocalist Jamie Myers.

Five ideas to make a metal Dad happy this Father’s Day directly from Decibel‘s online store. 

Alaric vocalist and lyricist Shane Baker talked to Decibel about death rock, learning to sing and End of Mirrors. 

We’re streaming the first video from Alaric‘s new album End of Mirrors. 

Nick Menza — best remembered for his time in Megadeth — was one of the drummers that earned fierce love and respect. Menza died after collapsing on stage on Saturday, apparently from heart failure. Menza’s style, approach, and effortless invention were as essential to Megadeth as Bill Ward’s quirks and fills were to Black Sabbath or Dave Lombardo’s ferocity was to Slayer. 

Lariyah Hayes of Khaotika talked to Decibel about what’s planned for her series of Darkadya books and how she was motivated by her brush with death. 

We continue our periodic look at the East Bay metal scene with Tristin Campbell of Control. Campbell is a needed throwback to the do-it-yourself ethos that made Northern California so rich musically.

Ivar Bjørnson talked to Decibel about his love of electronic music and what metal fans can expect when they hear his other work in Bardspec. 

One of the highlights of the upcoming Choosing Death Fest in Philadelphia this April will be the first public screening of Death By Metal, the definitive documentary on Death frontman Chuck Schuldiner. We talked to director Felipe Belalcazar.

Distance | Collapsed
Out of the shadows
dB Rating: 9/10

You will be able to read our inside take on how Venom Inc. came together in the forthcoming May issue. In the meantime, we thought it was a perfect occasion to rank the songs on one of the most revered metal albums ever: Black Metal. 

Stream a new EP from the Canadian duo Unbowed.

II
Still a bad machine
dB Rating: 8/10

Stream the title track from the upcoming doom opus from Japan’s Funeral Moth. 

Stream a killer split from two Oakland bands and get a detailed report of what’s going on with metal on their side of the Bay. 

We’ve pulled excerpts from some of our favorite interview subjects from the past calendar year, from old-school hardcore vets to legendary professional wrestlers. 

Sera Timms of Ides Of Gemini talked to us about her path in an ancient art often derided as fortune telling and why there’s more to it than many expect.

Three of the band’s best-loved albums (Pope On A Rope, Toilet Slave and War Of The Superbikes II) will be released in limited run vinyl pressings from three separate labels.  Come learn how to win copies. 

The Decibel Hall Of Fame inductee (along with the rest of Agnostic Front for Cause For Alarm) talked to us earlier this year about the old New York and his new life thousands of miles away in Arizona.

To commemorate five years of Decibel Flexis, we’ve asked Decibel writers to write a review-length tribute to their favorite disc. First up is the Gates of Slumber’s entry, a remake of their early track “The Jury.” 

Pylon
Watch the world burn
dB Rating: 9/10

Tell us what hardcore album should be inducted into the HOF next, win an album. Good deal!

Stream Cryptopsy’s new song and read a Q&A with the band. 

Considering that almost every story on the Pope’s visit was a fluffy feel good feature (with the exception of his visit with gay-hating Kentucky court clerk Kim Davis) we decided to go through extreme music’s vaults and find the most significant songs — or mentions — about the Pope. 

In order to get you ready for the Halloween season here’s some of the UK’s best haunted and supernatural spots, as picked by Dani Filth. 

Your friends at Decibel have long revered Nunslaughter, not just for their dedication to underground metal but for their sheer persistence.