A new year always means more important anniversaries. We hate to remind our more veteran listeners that the year 1985 is 40 (!!) years old now! It was an important and pivotal year for Metaldom, to which the effects are still being felt today. So this time we're going deep into '85. We're going over some of the fantastic albums that hit the racks and some of the amazing bands that first hit the garage. Great times!   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we discuss the LA fires and the "Invoking Yell" black metal found footage film. Musically, we crank Grave Digger, Bloodfeast, Minor Threat, Savage Grace, Impaler, Extreme Noise Terror, Black Lace, Satanic Slaughter, Sadistik Executioner, Axetasy and we introduce ChiTown's Gloryhole Guillotine (!!) in our "Indie Spotlight".   Horns Up!

It's not over until...we've had our Rammy Awards.   Basically, the Rammies are our take on the Grammies. Meaning we make our picks for the "Best Of" for the year that was. In the categories that mean the most to Metalheads; Band, Album, Live, News Story a.o. As well, as is tradition, we give our inductions into the RAM Hall of Hall for Band, Album and what we call Myth and Legend. Play along with your picks too.   Musically, we crank Warlord, The Rods, Nails, Ghoul, Jaguar, Sentry, Fulci, and Blood Opera.   Horns Up and here's to an awesome 2025!

Aaron has become a proud papa again. First when his offspring came into the world. Second when his little girl asked for a skateboard.   Excited as we are to commemorate this event, we felt it was a good time to discuss all things skating. We discuss our first decks, "skate" music, Thrasher mag and the skateboards impact on pop culture. We even invited Snowy's board Betsy to sit in with us.   Musically, we crank some Septic Death, Beyond Possession, Impaled Nazarene, JFA, Hellripper, Bobbie Dazzle, Woslom, Cuntroaches and we introduce Cruel Force in our "Indie Spotlight".   Horns Up!!

Happy New Year!!   2024 is coming to an end, so consider this episode the Radioactive Metal New Year's Eve party. This time we pour some bevvies, crank some tunes and talk about...whatever.   You know, like a party. And what's a party without good friends? So we pour a Lemmy for our bud and sister podcast Wrestling Night in Canada co host Mr. Matt Copper. We yap about new movies, Godzilla comics, our fave Star Wars characters and cool shite' on Thunderflix.   Musically we crank some Manilla Road, Tankard, Wehrmacht, Nunslaughter, Rottrevore, Heavy Load, Withtrap, Starvation Army, Hogan's Heroes, Lurking Corpses, Torso, Owlbear, Taptore and introduce Philly's Breaker in our "Indie Spotlight".   Horns Up!!

The biggest news on the hearts and minds of Metalheads the world over is the retirement of long time Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain. Having been behind the kit since the classic '83 record "Piece Of Mind", Metaldom just won't be the same.   As is tradition, every significant retirement requires a proper send off. So we decided to have one for our listeners. We go over our fave Nicko skinbeating moments. We also share our choices of who we'd like to fill these big shoes. And finally, we go over Mr.McBrain's menu for his Rock N Roll Ribs restaurant.   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we have Xmas Hallmark (!!) movie recommends and some Roller Derby talk. Musically, we crank new Sacrifice, Thunderstick, Rock Goddess, Virtue, Ice War, Cardinal Noire, Raised By Owls and introduce TX tickets Mean Mistreater in our "Indie Spotlight".   Horns up!!!   Timestamps for Aaron's "nerd out":  

• Hallowed be thy name - Live After Death - happens at 5:36, start at 5:30

• Rime of the ancient mariner - Snare fill after the interlude - 8:50, last for about 10 seconds. It's a slow build like a an orchestra percussionist morphing into a rock drummer. Starts at 8:48 with a groove.

• Senjutsu - Listen to the taiko drums and then how he blends it in with the kit - first 30 seconds - listening again he sounds like a younger drummer that was influenced by him.
• Revelations - Accents the bass part when it comes in. Starts at 30 seconds as a band, then bass and drums lock in and change the groove at 43 seconds
• Aces High - 22 seconds the way the drums slow down, and then the crak to bring it all back to tempo at 24-25 seconds
• The Trooper - 9 seconds in the drums play in unison with the band, this is something I noticed happens a lot in maiden

   

The annual Montreal black metal festival Messe De Morte is in the books. We never made it out to La Belle Province ourselves, but it's a yearly trek for our good bud and sister show Wrestling Night in Canada co-host "Ducky" Dustin Maruca.   So this week we sat Mr. Maruca in the hotseat to the get the 411 on the fest. We go over the line up, the highs and lows and and the presence of Antifa (!). We're already eagerly awaiting next year.   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we get reintroduced to the Partridge Family (!!) and pay tribute to a Canadian Punk legend. Musically, we crank Messe headliners Marduk and Ancient. Plus some Personality Crisis, Faithful Breath, Demon Bitch, Void, The Headless Ghost and introduce Canuck bashers CHUZO in our "Indie Spotlight".   Horns Up! 

Remember when you were a kid and you hated brussel sprouts? As you got older, your palette may change and evolve to where those evil little veggies may not taste so bad. The same can be said for musical tastes. Particularly towards specific artists or even entire subgenres.   We all have those specific bands that really didn't turn our crank at the time. But now you find yourself front row centre. What are some of those artists for you?   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we celebrate music pioneer Wendy Carlos, discuss Knocked Loose on Jimmy Kimmel and call out a domestic abuser! Musically, we crank some Massacre, D.R.I., Sarcofago, Havok, Mutank, Underdog (Ger.), Crossfire, Sidewalk and introduce Gravemass in our "Indie Spotlight".   Horns Up!!

Dec. 6th is the last Bandcamp Friday of the year.   One Friday a month, Bandcamp relinquishes their cut of all the sales on the site. Effectively giving the artists 100% of the profits. We've been big supporters of BCF for years now. So this week we figured we'd throw out some of our recommends to add to your collection. But don't just take our suggestions. Run, don't walk, to Bandcamp right now.   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we remember the Cabbage Patch Kid riots. Musically, we crank new Anialator (TX), Sign Of The Jackal, Evil Survives, Against Empire, The Pist, Hellfire Club '76, Leatherhead, Hippie Death Cult and we introduce folk metallers Mythbegotten in our "Indie Spotlight".   Snowy's Picks:

• Hippiedeathcult.bandcamp.com
• Witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com (Spitfire)
• Middleearthrockss.bandcamp.com
• Hellfire76.bandcamp.com
• Thepist.bandcamp.com

  Aaron's Picks:

• Messer Chups - Don't Worry Be Creepy
• Rodrigo Y Gabriella
• Estaurio - Puerta al Sol
• Mythic - Anthology
• Echoes of Death  - In The Cemetery
• Shameless Plug - DiGregorio

      Horns Up!

It's no exaggeration when we state that we grew up in record stores. From our early teens right up to this writing, we had a variety of shops that were/are our homes away from home.

 

These hallowed halls come with a variety of memories you just don't get with streaming. So this week we figured we'd give these cherished shops a "Horns Up" and share some memories. For instance, some of the cool albums we found, autograph signings and the awesome interactions we had some of the awesome people behind the counters. What are some of your cool record store memories?

 

In our "News, Views and Tunes", we go off on the cancelled Canadian King Diamond dates and our friends appear in the new Toxic Avenger comics. Musically, we crank some new + used from Verbal Abuse, Living Death, Warcollapse, Sabire, Bitch School, Satan's Fall and introduce trad metallers Bronze in our "Indie Spotlight".

 

Horns Up!

We admit it. We're old.   Actually, we prefer "music veterans". We're veteran enough to have consumed out music on all three physical media formats - vinyl, cassette and CD (and even a few 8 tracks lol). So with these formats we have a number of special albums that we shelled out for all three. Generally the lineage would be from vinyl to cass. to CD. But of course there's no tried and true formula. So this week we'd figured we'd share a list of these special albums. How many albums made your special list?   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we discuss the aftermath of the election and hit up a new record shop. Musically, we crank some Slaughter (Can), Pounder, Hatchet, Asomvel, Poltergeist (Can) and Dissection (Can).   Horns Up!!

We here at RAM have always been vinyl conisseurs. But more and more people are discovering the joys of vinyl. It's really heartwarming when we see the youth of today (that was totally intentional lol) digging thru the racks. That means there's a lot of fertile minds that we feel, as veterans, should be doing our part to enlighten. Vinyl records have basic terminologies every collector should know. For instance: "LP", "hype sticker" and "deadwax". So we gathered a laundry list of said terms. Educational for the young'uns. Entertaining for the vets.   In our "News, Views and Tunes", we share our Halloweens and discuss A.I. "music". Finally, we crank some cool tunes from Sacred Reich, Overdrive (Swe.), Witchkiller, Meanstreak, Haunt, Spitboy and Phaethon.   Horns up!!