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
Mar 16, 2023 • 1h 53min
Shadow Of Intent (Bryce Butler + Chris Wiseman)
My guests this week are Bryce Butler and Chris Wiseman of Shadow of Intent. I caught up with them on their mostly sold out FIRST time in Europe to find out why they're so bleeding good. Enjoy.
Mar 3, 2023 • 1h 8min
MARIO DUPLANTIER: Gojira , Drumming, Practice and Inspiration
My guest this week is none other than Mario Duplantier of French metal titans GOJIRA. One of my favourite bands and drummers of all time, he spilled insane and humble knowledge about everything it takes to get to his level as a musician. We caught up before their INSANE show in support of their latest album Fortitude to talk about everything from drums and practicing to jamming with James Hetfield and stage fright. It was an inspirational chat and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Feb 16, 2023 • 1h 18min
Jack Bergin (Void Of Vision)
My guest this week is Jack Bergin, singer of Australian metalcore band Void of Vision. We talk about their series of EPs 'Chronicles' as well as the RIDICULOUS Downbeat variant of the vinyl, Jack's alopecia, the struggles of getting a US visa, as well as much much more. Pick up the RIDICULOUS DB variant of Chronicles at unfdstore.com/voidofvision
Feb 1, 2023 • 1h 39min
Jon Deiley + Josh Smith (Northlane)
I catch up with Josh Smith and Jon Deiley of Australian prog-meets-industrial metal(core?) band Northlane. We talked about their latest album Obsidian and its writing process - as well as synthesizers, cats and of course their dream festival which takes place in an imagined post-war Neo-Bergen. Thumbnail photos by Kim Quint (he also loaned me the glorious camera lens as I broke one the day before. Lifesaver, thanks Kim!)
Jan 19, 2023 • 1h 38min
Alex Taylor + Charlie Thorpe (Malevolence)
I catch up with Alex and Charlie of Malevolence to talk about their new album Malicious Intent, nicknames, being a diva and transgressing from their roots in the DIY hardcore scene to world metal domination.
Dec 31, 2022 • 1h 19min
Deaf Havana
I catch up with Matty and James Veck-Gilodi aka Deaf Havana to discuss where they've been and their new album 'The Present Is A Foreign Land', as well as the time I filled in for them with 48 hours notice and it ended up being like a scene from Scarface.
Dec 6, 2022 • 1h 22min
Manuel Gagneux - Zeal + Ardor
My guest on the podcast this week is Manuel Gagneux, mastermind behind Swiss avant-garde black metal band Zeal & Ardor. Z+A mix the style of European Black Metal (a genre notorious for it's link with racism) and elements of African-American Spirituals and Gospel and lyrically poses the question: What if the freed slaves had embraced Satan?
We talked about the band's unlikely beginnings on the darkest parts of the internet, black magick, reappropriating Richard Wagner and as ever: Manuel's dream festival.
Nov 7, 2022 • 1h 42min
Sam Carter + Dan Searle (Architects)
I sat down with Dan and Sam from Architects to talk about their new album The Classic Symptoms Of A Broken Spirit...and much more.
Oct 4, 2022 • 1h 27min
Isaac Hale - Knocked Loose
I caught up with Isaac from Knocked Loose after their US arena tour with $UICIDEBOY$ and ahead of their huge tour with Bring Me The Horizon to talk TikTok, hardcore, laptops in music, ramen - and everything in between.
Aug 10, 2022 • 2h 1min
Matt Garstka - Animals As Leaders
I caught up with Matt Garstka at his home in Nashville to talk everything from fake drummers and lifting to the correlations between the intricacies of specialty coffee and progressive music.
