Interviews

Q&A: Michael Freiburger (Satanik Royalty Records) on Tribe and Transformation

September 13, 2023

Michael Freiburger, pillar of the Seattle metal community and leader of Satanik Royalty Records, talks to Decibel about his story and what’s next for the family business.

Q&A: Director Penelope Spheeris On Her Unreleased Ozzfest Documentary

August 18, 2023

On the eve of its L.A. screening, legendary music documentarian Penelope Spheeris discusses her “lost” Ozzfest ’99 documentary, We Sold Our Souls for Rock ‘n Roll.

Pg.99’s Mike Taylor Talks Reunion, Album Reissues & The Possibility of New Music: “New Material is Not out of the Question”

August 4, 2023

Legendary Virginia hardcore punk outfit Pg. 99 (or Pageninetynine) return with a pair of reissues and their first post-pandemic live appearances.

Q&A: Matt Eiseman on Tithe’s Grief-Informed Black Metal

April 5, 2023

Tithe guitarist/vocalist Matt Eiseman on how working through grief led to his best hour as a musician.

OFF! On Their Career Best Album (and First Film) ‘Free LSD’

February 8, 2023

OFF!‘s Keith Morris and Dimitri Coats talk to Decibel from the Slamdance Film Festival in Utah about Free LSD, their world-shifting new rhythm section and more.

Q&A: King Diamond On the Return Of MERCYFUL FATE

October 18, 2022

We speak with King Diamond about how Mercyful Fate reunited, his two bouts with COVID, tour bassist Becky Baldwin and more. The tour begins next week and tickets are still available although dwindling.

Q&A: Ashmedi (Melechesh) Reveals Secrets To The Epigenesis Instrumental Edition

October 10, 2022

Middle Eastern black metallers Melechesh release instrumental edition of The Epigenesis. Mainman Ashmedi lets Decibel into the magic circle.

Q&A: Adrenalin OD’s Dave Scott Schwartzman On His New Book and Becoming The World’s Fastest Punk Band

September 21, 2022

Adrenalin O.D. drummer Dave Scott Schwartzman discusses his upcoming book If It’s Tuesday This Must Be Walla Walla: The Wacky History of Adrenalin O.D., which tells the story of AOD and hardcore’s formative years.

Q&A: Håvard Jørgensen (Haavard) Photographs A New Acoustic Journey

September 12, 2022

Decibel talks to ex-Ulver/current Dold Vorde Ens Navn songmaster Håvard Jørgensen on his new journey as a solo artist with Haavard.

Q&A: Wolf Hoffmann On Accept As a Six-Piece Band and Returning To America

September 7, 2022

The Accept legend talks to Decibel about returning to the United States this month with three guitarists, what he learned when he traded a guitar for a camera, and more.

Q&A: City Of Caterpillar’s Ryan Parrish On Genre Tags and Underground Ethics

September 6, 2022

Richmond noise rock heroes City Of Caterpillar discuss their 20-year “hiatus” and the unlikely-awesome new LP, Mystic Sisters.

Sharp Tongues Of Hungry Animals: An Oral History of Christian Death’s ‘Only Theatre Of Pain’ On Its 40th Anniversary

March 24, 2022

On the 40th anniversary of Christian Death‘s Only Theatre Of Pain, Decibel talked to all the living members of the album lineup about the making of this deathrock classic and its legacy.

“We Were The Spark:” Venom Celebrates 40th Anniversary of ‘Welcome To Hell’

December 6, 2021

Decibel celebrates the 40th anniversary of Venom‘s extreme metal ground zero, Welcome To Hell, with former guitarist/songwriter Jeff “Mantas” Dunn.

Khemmis: 5 Albums From Each Member That Inspired “Deceiver”

November 17, 2021

Each Khemmis member shares five albums that personally influenced them while writing and producing their upcoming LP, Deceiver.

Q&A: Anton Reisenegger (Criminal) Refuses/Resists On New Album ‘Sacrificio’

November 1, 2021

Criminal mastermind Anton Reisenegger recounts the making of new album Sacrificio and the forces — resistance, repression, revolt — behind the album’s lyrics.

Interview: ‘Blood Of Gods’ Publisher Stacy Buchanan

October 27, 2021

Blood Of Gods pairs heavy metal and wine in the pages of a brilliantly illustrated zine. Pour a glass and learn more from publisher Stacy Buchanan.

Suffocation Celebrate 30th Anniversary of ‘Effigy of the Forgotten’

October 8, 2021

Suffocation guitarist and founding member Terrance Hobbs reminisces about the pivotal Effigy of the Forgotten album as it turns 30.

Track by Track: Maimed – “Torrential Gore”

October 6, 2021

Brutal death metal project Maimed share insight into each track on their skull-crushing bloodbath of an EP, Torrential Gore.

The Artists Behind ‘Black Metal Rainbows’ Book on Their “Love Letter to Black Metal”

July 26, 2021

Decibel speaks with editors Daniel Lukes and Stanimir Panayotov, and designer Jaci Raia, the three people responsible for the new book, Black Metal Rainbows.

Q&A: Immolation Celebrate 30th Anniversary of ‘Dawn of Possession’

July 16, 2021

Immolation masterminds Ross Dolan and Bob Vigna reminisce on 30 years of Dawn of Possession. Into everlasting fire… only at Decibel!

Q&A: Catching Up With Death Angel’s Will Carroll A Year After His COVID Battle

May 18, 2021

Death Angel drummer Will Carroll speaks with us about his journey and what he’s learned during the pandemic. Death Angel will stream a concert on May 29 focusing on rarities from their catalog.

Interview: James Rauh of Transylvanian Recordings

May 5, 2021

Transylvanian Recordings founder James Rauh shares his thoughts on running a booming, ethical DIY label in this exclusive interview.