Join hosts Jeff Wagner and Hunter Ginn in a bi-weekly conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of left-field rock and metal music.
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Liverpool, England’s Anathema are one of the bedrocks of the Radical Research musical adventure. It’s why we’ve chosen to commemorate our 150th episode with a two-part dive into their entire catalog, from the harrowing wretchedness of their early demo work to the graceful final statement of 2017’s The Optimist. We rejoice and weep, praise and cry, as we explore all of their 1990s output in episode 1 of this 2-part indulgence. Note I: As explained in this episode, we aren’t giving short shrift (whatever shrift is!) to the Eternity album. It’s just that we covered it in great detail on episode 1
It's back to Norway for Radical Research, although this time, it's not about weirdness, unless you consider us covering an album like this a little weird. But we adore this band, especially this 30-minute masterpiece. And for years, we’d talked of spotlighting Tell No Tales with none other than Bryon Dudley and Aaron Alcott of the excellent Hair Metal Memories podcast. We finally got down to business and in this episode, we dissect all the beauty, joy, audacity and high, higher, highest of this great band’s greatest album. This collaboration felt really natural, and we might do another one wit
What exactly constitutes "Radical Research material?" We're gonna test that question with this and the next episode. With episode 148, we answer with more questions: "Is it weird?" "Is it heavy?" "Is it something we enjoy?" "Would most of the music-listening world hate it?" Yes, yes, yes and yes! And lord, do we love us some Cathedral. Especially the early era, which is the 5-year chunk of time investigated here. Herein, we hail Dorrian, Gaz, Griffiths, Lehan and the three drummers that comprise this most potent, powerful era of the UK's legendary lords of doom. Note I: Something we knew about
The scope of Kevin Moore’s genius begins with Dream Theater’s “Space-Dye Vest” and concludes with OSI’s Fire Make Thunder. We try to use the g-word sparingly around here, but truly, Moore’s singular artistic vision is something we attempt to hail and dissect here, for our 147th episode. Join us in celebrating this specific, singular talent. Note I: Hunter mentions “library music” in response to Chroma Key’s music on the Graveyard Mountain Home album. You can learn more about library music here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Production_music Note II: The story we relate from Chris Warunki, at t
Our friends Marty and Alan at the Heavy Metallurgy podcast challenged us to a duel, and we fire back. The idea was simple: Offer five different albums, any genre, to cover on an episode. Of their five, we chose the only non-metal album, the stunning, beloved 1983 debut Script of the Bridge by English band, The Chameleons. How did Heavy Metallurgy handle our challenge? Find out here: https://www.youtube.com/live/BnrwkIqJ7OU?si=GHex4X8mqILUSQXn Note I: Jeff’s Voivod book, ‘Always Moving: The Strange Multiverse of Voivod,’ is now available. You can purchase a copy of the 540-page, 3-pound behemot
Herein, you will find our tribute to Pan-Thy-Monium. Briefly covered in episode 2, we finally give this very special entity its due. We dive deep into the deeps of Raagoonshinnaah’s dwelling and emerge as awed and dumbfounded as ever. Note I: At the 28:55 mark, Jeff forgets to name the band who released the Death Has Made Its Call album in 1998. The band was called Ashes, which featured PTM guitarist Mourning aka Robert Ivarsson. Note II: Jeff’s Voivod book, ‘Always Moving: The Strange Multiverse of Voivod,’ is now available. You can purchase a copy of the 540-page, 3-pound behemoth HERE: radi
As noted early in this episode: we’ve always wanted to do an episode focusing on King Crimson, but couldn’t figure out the right approach. Until this idea, where we dissect and decipher all five parts of the band’s “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic” song cycle, spanning several decades and three different lineups. Join us as we delve into a musical delicacy better listened to than tasted… Note I: Jeff’s Voivod book, ‘Always Moving: The Strange Multiverse of Voivod,’ is now available. You can purchase a copy of the 540-page, 3-pound behemoth HERE: radicalresearch.org/voivod Note II: The Radical Research
No other band with roots in Swedish death metal did it like Comecon. Not even close. We find a few similarities to Carbonized, but generally, this band is unique, special, and underappreciated enough that we had to come to their rescue for a little over an hour. Headed by brainiacs Pelle Strom and Rasmus Ekman, Comecon cycled through three different vocalists over three different albums (L.G. Petrov, Martin van Drunen, Marc Grewe), and if you have any interest in death metal with a distinct difference, please give this episode a listen… Note I: Listener challenge!! As mentioned in this episode
We all know the big names of prog rock -- they're mentioned numerous time in this episode -- and we all know the music of many other names from all over the world, especially the Italian and Scandinavian progressive gods. And Holland's Supersister! But do you know Babylon, Yezda Urfa or Ethos? Perhaps not. The US prog movement of the '70s happened mid-/late decade, well past the prime/peak of 1972 (ish)...but we haven't forgotten these excellent American contributors to our favorite subset of rock music. Dive in with us as we unearth five of our US prog favorites from that glorious decade... N
This band is a major cog in the engine that powers us. We’ve said that about Voivod, King Crimson, and Arcturus, and will add Watchtower as a major ingredient of what compels Radical Research. Formed in 1982 by four maniacs whose handle on their instruments was far beyond their years, and with record collections spanning speedy heavy metal as well as wild prog rock and jazz fusion, Watchtower made perhaps the largest impact of any metal band with a mere two full-length albums to their credit. Listen in wonder right along with us, because we’re still trying to figure it all out! Note I: Jeff’s
It has taken light years of travel, but we’ve finally reached Arcturus. For our 140th episode, Radical Research dives into the catalog of one of Norway’s longest-running institutions. Over the course of five full-length albums and a clutch of odds and sods, Arcturus has defined and redefined the possibilities of experimental heavy metal. This episode goes all-in, exploring the entire body of work of this beacon of Norweird. Note I: We wondered who released the second Arcturus album, La Masquerade Infernale, in the US, and it turns out, no one did until 5 years after its initial release (Candle
When we first announced this episode several weeks back, we received several queries from listeners all around the globe who phrased their questions similarly: "Realm? The Milwaukee Realm?": Oh yeah, freaks, the one and only. Near and dear to our hearts, as with other Wisconsin RR favorites Die Kreuzen and Last Crack, this one-hour and 14-minute episode explores, expounds and exhorts the mighty Realm…the Milwaukee one! Note I: NO JOKE: if you can identify another Wisconsin band referenced in the description above, and explain the reference, RR will send you a Norweird prize package of CDs by A
This short episode is one that Jeff has been promising Hunter we’d get to eventually…and we finally did. Herein, Hunter is granted 12 minutes to make a case for this lost and mostly-forgotten ‘90s alterna-metal album, 'Dead to the World' by West Virginia's Chum. Music cited in order of appearance: “Stepping on Cracks” (Dead to the World, 1996) “Greetings (From the Inner Self)” (Dead to the World, 1996) “Angels in the Snow” (Dead to the World, 1996) Radical Research is a conversation about the inner- and outer-reaches of rock and metal music. This podcast is conceived and conducted by Jeff Wagn
“And she became a completely different woman…” With that line, Italy’s Monumentum sums up the Radical Research Christmas spirit circa 2025. Supernatural hokum or divine prophecy told by madmen? Either way, screw all this shopping nonsense and screw your reason for the season: this 1995 album by one of the most enigmatic of all Italian enigmas blasts a blasphemous light on everything sacred. And we, here, right now, at the end of a year that began in torture, shine a light. We don’t celebrate anniversaries -- not of the musings of Mammarella & company nor of the birth of the bastard child. Stil
Led by the estimable Percy Jones on bass and supported by a cast of elite co-conspirators, England's Brand X released a covey of essential fusion albums in the '70s and early '80s. Blending rock and jazz with uncommon aggression and dexterity, Brand X cuts across genres and decapitates rivals. Join us on this deep dive into one of fusion's oft-overlooked champions. Note I: Jeff’s Voivod book, Always Moving: The Strange Multiverse of Voivod, is finally available. Taking orders now for this 540-page, 3-pound behemoth…ONLY available HERE: radicalresearch.org/voivod Note II: The Radical Research P
For years (yes, we've been doing this a while now), various Radical Research listeners around the globe have asked us, "When is the Dark Millennium episode coming?" For Hunter, this would have been an easy answer: Anytime! For Jeff, a crash course in this interesting, challenging, wholly unique band was in order. Having boned up on the details, Jeff joins Hunter and those RR freakazoid listeners in hailing this band's first two albums, which we dissect readily in this episode. Tangents on Therion and graphite included... Note I: Finally, after years of toil, Jeff’s Voivod book is finally avail
Listener and friend Paul Stolp prompted this conversation/episode, mentioning how he thought a “course correction” episode would be fun. What is a course correction? Paul offered the example of Judas Priest’s Ram it Down being the wipeout and Painkiller being the glorious correction. Naturally, this got our gears turning, and this is the conversation that resulted. As Hunter notes in this episode, “a course correction is not necessarily an achievement, but more that you got back on your path.” (Driving mishap analogies abound in this episode.) And we want to hear from you: what are YOUR favori
2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Voivod, a band that are at the very heart of everything we do at Radical Research and everything we listen to as incorrigible music obsessives. In celebration, Voivod released Morgoth Tales, which finds the Mark V lineup (Snake, Away, Chewy, Rocky) covering songs from various past eras. For ourselves, we pay tribute by offering our longest and most in-depth episode yet, while also celebrating a landmark of our own. We invite all chaosmongers, nothingfaces, cockroaches and diehards across the schizophere to join us in celebration of the one, the only, the eter
Although Ukraine’s Drudkh may be best known for its trance-inducing, minimalist black metal, Radical Research makes a case for the band’s divisive 2009 and 2010 recordings, Microcosmos and A Handful of Stars, which explore new sonic geographies. We believe these oft-maligned records are worth your attention and hope that our discussion will convince you so. Note I: The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We are offering tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled
Jeff got this text from Hunter a couple months ago: "Gorguts 'Nostalgia' is a fascinating piece of music. A slice of late '90s avant-death that refers to Pearl Jam, nu metal, noise rock and Indian raga. I mean, Damn!" And I responded, "I mean, damn, that's a great idea for a Point 5 episode." We finally tackle this most important of observations... Note I: The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for your patronage. We offer tiered subscription levels for those who want a set-it-and-forget-it donation option. As ever, if you choose to support us, we are humbled and grateful! p
If this conversation seems easy, it's because we are back in the cold waters of our favorite nation. Herein, we dig into the good deeds of Norway's often vexing but always pleasing The 3rd and the Mortal. We attempt to peel away the band's many layers and untangle its knotty evolution. Should you care about cutting-edge Norweird - and if you have stuck with us for all this time, surely you do - please join us on this most titillating conversation. Note I: After all that flugelhorn talk, turns out Jeff mis-horned. It’s actually a crumhorn on Gryphon’s Red Queen to Gryphon Three album. A crumhor
If Radical Research exists to dissect the most esoteric and weird and unique recordings in the spheres of rock and metal, then we are sorely overdue to feature the singular debut by Type O Negative. 'Slow, Deep and Hard' began life as Repulsion's one and only demo, 'None More Negative,' recorded in late 1989 and early 1990. After a name change and a contract with Roadrunner Records, the album was re-mastered, the song order re-configured, and the 7-minute "Glass Walls of Limbo (Dance Mix)" added, 'Slow, Deep and Hard' was born. Join us as we plunge into all the blood, fire and death of this co
This was an unplanned conversation about an unplanned, unexpected, shocking event in our lives. It’s just Hunter and I talking about a dear friend that recently passed, one of our own leaving earthly bonds. And in our reveries and remembrances we left out so much: Tom Hailey was the beer/wine buyer at the Raleigh Whole Foods and held that position for many years there, beloved by the entire staff. He had a college radio metal show where he adopted the persona of The Unholy One and spoke to (no, COMMANDED!) his audience in a John Tardy-like roar. We also failed to mention the time Hunter and I,
When God decides to record his first metal album, he will be disappointed to remember that Obliveon already recorded its masterpiece, Nemesis, in the Year of Our Lord, 1993. On its latest episode, Radical Research conducts a much-belated investigation of the first two albums by Montreal's most underrated sons, Obliveon. In the early '90s, the band treated a small-but-fanatical audience to highly-advanced, cutting edge, cosmic death thrash in the forms of 1990's From This Day Forward and the aforementioned Nemesis. Still unsung after all these years, Radical Research is here to set the record s
Norwegian vocalist Gaahl is a man who we deeply admire...his work with Gorgoroth and Trelldom, in particular, has a special place in the blackest ventricles of our hearts. Same, too, for his band Gaahls Wyrd, In our initial listens to the band's freshly-released (as of this writing and recording) Braiding the Stories album, we find ourselves facing one of the greatest post=black metal Norweird offerings in a decade. We are particularly excited by final song "Flowing Starlight," which we dissect here for your enlightenment and/or amusement. Note I: The Radical Research Patreon page is ready for
