𝕷𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖆 𝕭𝖗𝖚𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖈𝖆

17/12/2023

For our 50th (!!!!!) episode, we interview vocalist Himari Tsukishiro and Ricky Wilson of Isiliel. Drawing on Ricky's translation skills, we explore how Himari's background as a Japanese idol has shaped her journey into the world of symphonic metal. A self-described "metal baby", Himari's relative inexperience in metal allows her to step outside of the subculture's many lyrical conventions. Breaking with the norms established inside and outside of her native Japan, Himari writes Japanese lyrics adopting themes of romantic love and perseverance seldom observed in the genre, using her lyrics and memories to connect with fans and better show who she really is.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MntVT8CiBiDwxzL2jVw20

Or Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-50-himari-tsukishiro-and-ricky-wilson-of-isiliel-tokyo-japan/

Check out Isiliel: https://www.isiliel.com/

Note that this is our final EP of the year, and we will be on break until late January of next year! Thanks for hanging out with us throughout 2023!

03/09/2023

For our 45th EP, we're doing something new... or should we say Nü! We interview Garry Brents about his solo nu-metal project, Memorrhage. Listen as Garry guides us on our journey through 90s/00s nostalgia, combining lyrics about mechs and video games with a distinctly nu-metal sound. Garry explains how his revival and reimagining of nu-metal finds him stepping away from the genre's stalwart themes of violence and interpersonal conflict, but reproducing its archetypal angst. To do so, Garry composes lyrics describing dystopian worlds of cybernetics and time travel, while preserving tropic elements of classic nu-metal lyricism, including present tense first-person narrative as well as a raw and direct language style.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Qp2NL6GVWpSLDYsGXsVSr

Or Podbean:
https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-45-garry-brents-of-memorrhage-dallas-usa/

Check out Memorrhage!: https://memorrhage.bandcamp.com/

In this episode, we interview Garry Brents about his solo nu-metal project, Memorrhage. Listen as Garry guides us on our journey through 90s/00s nostalgia, combining lyrics about mechs and video games with a distinctly nu-metal sound. Garry explains how his revival and reimagining of nu-metal finds....

13/08/2023

For EP 44, we speak with Jason Peppiatt of Australian thrash/tech metal band, Psycroptic. Looking back over the lyrics he has composed for the band since 2012, Jason discusses how he departed from the prosaic narrative-driven sci-fi fantasy lyrics written by drummer Dave Haley and former vocalist Chalky, instead developing a lyrical style that more directly comments on the current state of our world. Jason’s lyrics have a strongly environmentalist bent, reflective of his reverence for the natural beauty of rural Tasmania. Contrary to suggestions posited in research on Australian extreme metal that environmentalism in metal lyricism encourages further neglect of the natural world, Jason’s lyrics strive to draw attention to the dire consequences of humans shirking our responsibilities as stewards of the land.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1LauY8o7KLRQJlSQMJHYWU

Or Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-44-jason-peppiatt-of-psycroptic-hobart-australia/

To explore Jason's work with Psycroptic go to https://www.psycroptic.com/

In this episode, we speak with Jason Peppiatt of Australian technical death metal band, Psycroptic. Looking back over the lyrics he has composed for the band since 2012, Jason discusses how he departed from the prosaic narrative-driven sci-fi fantasy lyrics written by drummer Dave Haley and former v...

02/07/2023

Continuing a run of chats with artists down here in Australia, for EP42 we talk to Terry Vainoras – the multitalented guitarist, vocalist, lyricist, and saxophonist of doom/death metal outfit, Subterranean Disposition (Subterranean Disposition). Terry guides us through the process or writing music that is decidedly experimental, featuring unexpected combinations of recognizably 'metal' lyrical themes, including death and rebirth, with non-traditional musical instrumentation involving saxophone melodies and jazz beats, which challenge metal’s archetypal genre boundaries. While Terry's lyrical composition engages with some of metal's canonical themes, he abstains from engaging with vulgarity, violence, and gore, choosing instead to blend rhyme, alliteration, and literary references to craft lyrics that are more romantic and poetic - capturing a distinctly old-world feel.

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ZlZGeszmhCk5phfUtm1qu

Or Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-42-terry-vainoras-of-subterranean-disposition-melbourne-australia/

Check out Subterranean Disposition: https://www.facebook.com/SubterraneanDisposition/

Doom/Death/Ambient Band from Australia. Third album "Individuation" out now!

17/06/2023

11/06/2023

For our 41st Episode, we interview Sam Dillon of Australian sludge-metal project Lo! Sam tells us how he concocts lyrics that pull from his obsession with natural history and animal folklore, weaving together the surrealism of organic evolution and the realism of myths and fables. Sam details how, by exploiting his advanced palate for word-eating, he layers visceral and tactile words with rhymes and alliteration, composing decadent lyrics that seduce and ensnare. When he takes to the stage, Sam is the preacher at the pulpit, delivering the soul of Lo!'s music, captured in its words.

Listen on Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-41-sam-dillon-of-lo-sydney-australia/

Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2welseYC8NQF0QywFs6MDI

To devour this lyrical banquet, go to https://lookandbehold.net/

In this episode, we interview Sam Dillon of Australian sludge-metal project Lo! Sam tells us how he concocts lyrics that pull from his obsession with natural history and animal folklore, weaving together the surrealism of organic evolution and the realism of myths and fables. Sam details how, by exp...

03/05/2023

30/04/2023

Our 39th episode is a chat with Simon Barr of Dawn Ray'd (Dawn Ray'd) - the anti-fascist black metal project looking to strike back against far right provocation in the scene. Though his lyrics engage with fantasy and escapism, Simon's work is also overtly anarchist in the way it explores common struggles of the current time. At the same time, Dawn Ray'd's lyrics remain a sincere representation of Simon's own thoughts and feelings. In this way, Simon aims to inject authenticity that has been lacking in black metal. Ultimately, throughout our talk we explore the central goal of Dawn Ray'd's music, and explore how a genre known for darkness and "trve kvlt" posturing can be used to remind listeners that the world is worth saving because it is so very beautiful.

Listen on Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-39-simon-barr-of-dawn-ray-d/

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3O6YzbBn8fBSntQXo7P4ii

Check out Dawn Ray'd and their new album: https://dawnrayd.bandcamp.com/album/to-know-the-light

This episode presents our interview with Simon Barr of Dawn Ray'd - the anti-fascist black metal project looking to strike back against far right provocation in the scene. Though his lyrics engage with fantasy and escapism, Simon's work is also overtly anarchist in the way it explores common struggl...

09/04/2023

For our first ever Easter(?) episode, we sit down with Louis Thierry, vocalist and lyricist of Parius, whose lyrics work to transport their listeners or readers to a place beyond the world they know - most recently, into outer space. Though Louis' lyrics have previously drawn inspiration from various media, including the Ender’s Game novels, Eldritch horror, and Greek mythology, his latest work traverses new ground as his lyrics disseminate a "signal heard throughout space" that is of his own making. Louis' lyrics tell captivating stories of adventure and (occasionally humour-laced) terror, yet he maintains that in his view that the needs of lyrics should always be subordinate to the needs of a song, and what's said is often less important than how it's said. After all, he says "sometimes it's not about what's said, it's how it makes you feel".

Check it out on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/pu/pbblog-8jjby-6e4387
Or Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2JKN86GYj0uizy9tliHwss

And take a look at Parius' lyrics and music here and let us know how it makes you feel : https://parius.bandcamp.com/album/the-signal-heard-throughout-space ; https://www.facebook.com/pariusofficial/

A thousand sub-genres, dozens of languages... two linguists take on the world of extreme metal

19/03/2023

Our third episode of 2023 features Dan Cooley – vocalist of folk-inspired extreme metal project, Foretoken (Foretoken). In this episode, Dan takes us through the myths and legends, drawn from diverse contexts including Russian, Chinese, Greek, Norse, Irish and Persian cultures, that inspired lyrics composed for Foretoken’s two complementary albums – Ruins and Triumphs. Dan explains that these albums mirror the teachings derived from these folk stories, highlighting humanity’s setbacks and failures in the first instance, and their victories and accomplishments in the second. As a lyricist, Dan represents the origins of diverse folktales through carefully crafted language style. Specifically, Dan’s English-medium lyrics are written in a distinctively old-world style that is reflective of the historical origins of the myths, legends, and folktales he writes about. However, his lyrics are not constrained to English, by contrast, he takes pains to integrate non-English features into his lyrics, referencing the names for mythical figures and supernatural entities to composing entire lines in Spanish and Swedish. Further, his considerations for the language of lyrics extend beyond their sonic quality, as Dan highlights the importance of how the lyrics are presented in their written form in Foretoken’s lyric book. Collectively, Dan views all aspects of his work, including the lyrics, their vocal production, their written form, and even the lyric book they’re printed in, as part of the artwork that is Foretoken’s music.

Listen on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-pga3j-13bde76

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ZbP0hdzqq98gbxHZ0ijc1

To check out all of Foretoken’s art, go to: https://lnk.to/Foretoken

26/02/2023

For our second episode of 2023, we speak to progressive death metal vocalist Chaney Crabb about her work with ENTHEOS. We begin by unpacking how Chaney's continual self-auditing has produced style shifts in her writing over time, starting with the staccato format of their first release (The Infinite Nothing) and moving to the more cohesive approach adopted for their latest release (Time will take us all). Chaney explains this transition to a more accessible lyrical style, combined with repetition of lines across songs and inclusion of clean vocals, are part of a coordinated effort to render her lyrics more coherent. The resulting enhanced visibility (and audibility) of Chaney's lyrics caused her to feel "more naked", with songs referencing her personal experiences and thoughts fully on display. And yet, Chaney does not feel a strong sense of ownership over her lyrics, elaborating that once the music is released, the interpretation and meaning derived from Entheos' work belongs to the listeners who create it.

Listen on Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-36-chaney-crabb-of-entheos-california-usa/

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7sJfqSXt5DFStZKie4So5T

To form your own interpretation of Entheos' forthcoming album, go to https://www.metalblade.com/entheos/ and follow them on https://www.facebook.com/entheosband/ and https://www.instagram.com/entheosofficial/?hl=en

In this episode, we speak to progressive death metal vocalist Chaney Crabb about her work with Entheos. We begin by unpacking how Chaney's continual self-auditing has produced style shifts in her writing over time, starting with the staccato format of their first release (The Infinite Nothing) and m...

29/12/2022

Thanks so much for listening to, or being part of, Lingua Brutallica in 2022! We are on holiday, but will be back in late January with our first interview of 2023. See you then!

What was your favorite episode this year? Who should we talk to next year? Let us know!

25/09/2022

Our interview in this episode focuses on the writing of drummer Jason Nitts and bassist Alex Damske - the dual lyricists of progressive death metal project Warforged. Focusing on the band's 2022 release The Grove: Sundial, Jason and Alex describe how, in taking over responsibility for Warforged's lyrics after the production of their first album, they were determined to challenge the established boundaries of their music, creating lyrics for their second album that are entirely distinct from those on their first. In contrast to the narrative-driven fantasy of their first album, the lyrics of The Grove: Sundial are firmly rooted in the real world, with repeated images of cars, houses, anger and self-contempt offering a sense of mundane brutality. The construction of this brutal domesticity realizes Jason and Alex's goal of avoiding metal language and typical metal themes, pushing the boundaries of what makes Warforged still a band and asking what can a metal band do? How far can you take that idea?

Listen on Podbean: https://linguabrutallica.podbean.com/e/lingua-brutallica-episode-30-jason-nitts-alex-damske-of-warforged-illinois-usa/

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0pjdTT1pMQG6XviERiL5DQ

To listen to more Warforged, check out: https://warforged.bandcamp.com and follow them on Twitter https://twitter.com/Warforgedband?s=20&t=LcImwAPlGtf85Ni_ISa8tw and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/warforgedband/

Our interview in this episode focuses on the writing of drummer Jason Nitts and bassist Alex Damske - the dual lyricists of progressive death metal project Warforged. Focusing on the band's 2022 release The Grove: Sundial, Jason and Alex describe how, in t...

03/04/2021

We've got a new home page (kinda!). Check out our full episode list here: https://wesleycrobertson.wordpress.com/lingua-brutallica/

Band Interviews Episode 1: Andrew HudsonHarlottListen here: out Harlott Episode 2: Jared HudsonEarth RotListen here: out Earth Rot Episode 3: Spyke JägerkriegScaphis and Squashed MothListen here: o…

16/03/2021

Rikke did an interview all about Konvent's lyrics with 𝕷𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖚𝖆 𝕭𝖗𝖚𝖙𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖈𝖆, an Australian podcast focusing on the linguistic aspect of extreme metal. The interview was conducted by Dr. Jess Birnie-Smith, Lecturer at La Trobe University and Dr. Wes Robertson, Lecturer at Macquarie University in Sydney.
Fun fact: Back in 2013, Rikke studied at Macquarie University for a semester

Hear it on Spotify here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ue6p82xIl8DXzxxJZ7Oq2?si=AgrlF4ByRQKcQDkBjUpPGw&nd=1

13/03/2021

In this episode, we chat with Rikke Emilie List, vocalist of death/doom band Konvent, based in Copenhagen, Denmark. We discuss how the relatable subject matter of Konvent's lyrics ask listeners to consider the brutality of everyday life. We also explore the broader role of metal in providing a space to examine difficult personal experiences and topics like depression and trauma.

Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ue6p82xIl8DXzxxJZ7Oq2?si=AgrlF4ByRQKcQDkBjUpPGw&nd=1

To see more from Konvent visit: https://www.facebook.com/konventband/, or https://label.napalmrecords.com/konvent

Konvent

12/02/2021

This episode we briefly return to Australian extreme metal by delivering a much overdue interview featuring vocalist Loki Robson from Melbourne's sci-fi/occult obsessed extreme metal band Hybrid Nightmares. We discuss how the diversity in metal music generates considerable difficulties in distinguishing metal lyrics from non-metal lyrics, and why he feels that rhyme is an integral part of the lyric process for himself.

Listen here: https://spoti.fi/3jKTXxF

For more info on Hybrid Nightmares' music, upcoming shows, merch and eventually tours, see https://hybridnightmares.com/

This episode we briefly return to Australian extreme metal by delivering a much overdue interview featuring vocalist Loki Robson from Melbourne's sci-fi/occult obsessed extreme metal band Hybrid Nightmares. We discuss how the diversity in metal music generates considerable difficulties in distinguis...

29/12/2020

Episode 4 is out! This is the first in a sub-series where we discuss metal research with other academics. For this episode, we talk to Dr. Rosemary Overell of the University of Otago about her work on Australian & Japanese grindcore scenes.

Listen here: https://spoti.fi/3psHiRK

18/12/2020

Two episodes recorded this week, and coming to you soon! Look forward to our interview with Cytotoxin, and a discussion of the Australian & Japanese grindcore scenes with Dr. Rosemary Overell of the University of Otago.

19/11/2020

Check out our latest episode here!

Our third episode features a first for this podcast by interviewing a vocalist from not one, but two extreme metal bands. Listen as vocalist Spyke Jägerkrieg of Melbourne death metal band Scaphis and doom metal band Squashed Moth, talks about using language to navigate between depictions of horror-...