The Downbeat
Craig Reynolds
The Downbeat Podcast is an award-winning heavy music podcast featuring in-depth interviews with the biggest names in metal, hardcore, and alternative music.
Hosted by Craig Reynolds, The Downbeat explores metal, death metal, black metal, hardcore, and metalcore through long-form, unfiltered conversations with legendary musicians and rising artists. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, songwriting insights, touring life, and honest discussions from across the global heavy music scene.
New episodes feature iconic bands, underground favorites, and the voices shaping modern heavy music.
Hosted by Craig Reynolds, The Downbeat explores metal, death metal, black metal, hardcore, and metalcore through long-form, unfiltered conversations with legendary musicians and rising artists. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, songwriting insights, touring life, and honest discussions from across the global heavy music scene.
New episodes feature iconic bands, underground favorites, and the voices shaping modern heavy music.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 27, 2025 • 2h 2min
VINNIE MAURO: Motionless In White, Horror Movies, Ghost Stories & Wild Warped Tour Moments
My guest on the podcast this week is Vinny Mauro of Motionless In White. In this special Halloween SPOOK-TACULAR we talk about ALL the creepy stuff: ghosts, his investigations of the paranormal, and we also create his horror movie villain dream blunt rotation. Thanks to everyone on the patreon for providing the decorations and fog-machine for the most TERRIFYING episode of the podcast yet...
Oct 13, 2025 • 1h 49min
DEAFHEAVEN: George Clarke on Lyrics, Mental Health, Sobriety & Black Metal
My guest this week is George Lesage Clarke IV (seriously). George is the vocalist of the pioneering black metal/shoegaze band Deafheaven. A deeply poetic and well read man, we do a deep dive on their latest album Lonely People With Power (my AOTY) his lyrics, the nature of hereditary vices…and Cradle Of Filth.
Sep 29, 2025 • 1h 43min
DYING WISH: Flesh Stays Together, Songwriting, Weddings & Modern Metal Production
My guests this week are Emma, Pedro and Jeff of Dying Wish. We talk in depth about their new album Flesh Stays Together, Emma’s recent wedding, their hilarious band dynamic which dates back to meeting in high school… and we crack a lot of jokes. Madison is joined by guest producer (and Emma’s groom) Jeremy DePoyster of The Devil Wears Prada. It’s chaos and I’m visibly wet from the chaos of having 6 people in a small room.
5 snips
Sep 8, 2025 • 1h 41min
SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL: Alex Terrible + Jack on Bare-Knuckle Fighting, Life in USA & Metal Controversy
My guests on the podcast this week are Alex Terrible and Jack Simmons of Slaughter To Prevail. In this no-holds-barred episode I talk to the Russian deathcore band about their meteoric success and Alex’s recent bareknuckle boxing injuries - as well as settling into life in the USA, wrestling with bears... and the full story on everything controversial surrounding the band.
Aug 18, 2025 • 1h 48min
JONA WEINHOFEN: From IKTPQ to BMTH - Metalcore History & Touring
My guest on the podcast this week is Jona Weinhofen. Jona is an Australian metalcore guitarist known for his work with I Killed The Prom Queen, Bleeding Through and Bring Me The Horizon. We talk about his history with all of these bands as well as Lego, reading fairy smut… and playing the guitar whilst on the toilet.
Aug 5, 2025 • 2h 19min
AARON GILLESPIE: Paramore, Underoath & the Modern Music Industry
My guest on the podcast this week is Aaron Gillespie, a founding member of the band Underoath and a well established songwriter and producer. We talked the state of the music industry, work ethic, his 5 year stint in Paramore, drums, and much more. Aaron was originally on the audio podcast with an on-location episode that unfortunately had all sorts of technical issues so it was great to have him back.
Jul 21, 2025 • 1h 56min
ORTHODOX: A Door Left Open, Metalcore Tours & Collaborating with MASTODON
My guest on the podcast this week is Adam Easterling, vocalist of Orthodox. One of my absolute favourite new modern heavy bands. We talk about their UNREAL new album: A Door Left Open as well as his love of nu metal, extreme weather, dreams (and how they influenced the album) and I mention ONE movie too many times...
Jul 7, 2025 • 2h 12min
KUBLAI KHAN: Personal Loss, Tattoos, and Life on the Road
My guests on the podcast this week are Matt Honeycutt and Eric English of KUBLAI KHAN. We caught up to talk about their latest album Exhibition of Prowess, Matt’s short stint working at Hot-Topic, tattooing, ghosts, scary movies, fast food and much more...
Jun 16, 2025 • 1h 56min
DAVID GUNN: King 810, Lyrics, Ayahuasca & His Spiritual Journey
My guest on The Downbeat this week is David Gunn of KING810. An incredibly enigmatic and interesting man, we talk about magick (a lot), King's new album Rustbelt Nu Metal, his many brushes with the law and much much more.
Jun 2, 2025 • 2h 4min
ARIC IMPROTA: Tour Stories, Tool Collabs & Dream Gigs
My guest this week is Aric Improta, visionary drummer and artist. You might know Aric from his videos where he backflips on a drum kit, you might know him from his paintings and artwork released in many forms under the moniker Hexwave, you might know him from his drumming with bands like Fever 333, Night Verses, or might know him as 1/2 of his new blistering project HOUSE OF PROTECTION whose new record OUTRUN YOU ALL is out NOW...but if you dont't know Aric, you should.
