Radical Research Podcast
Music
About
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.
Episodes
- Episode 145 – Pan-Thy-Monium First, Family Second
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…
- Episode 144 – King Crimson, Five Larks’ Tongues, Aspic, and a Thrush Deceived
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…
- Episode 143 – Comecon 1992-1995: Frogs, Worms, Anacondas
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…
- Episode 142 – US Prog Rock in the 1970s: Five of a Perfect Quartet
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 Sup…
- Episode 141 – Watchtower Discography in 10 Tasty Snips
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…
- Episode 140 – Wormholes! ARCTURUS 1991-2015
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…
- Episode 139 – Realm? The Milwaukee Realm? Yes, THAT Realm (1985-1992)
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…
- Episode 138.5 – Hunter Gets 12 Minutes to State His Case for Chum
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' b…
- Episode 138 – Monumentum’s ‘In Absentia Christi’: A Radical Research Christmas (Sworn Enemy of the Virgin)
“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…
- Episode 137 – Brand X, 1976-1980: Inhuman Fusion Conclusions
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 dexter…
- Episode 136 – Dark Millennium 1992/93: The Freaks Have Spoken, We Have Listened!
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 cras…
- Episode 135 – Course Corrections…
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…
- Episode 100 [RELAUNCH] – VOIVOD is the Engine That Powers Us
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 t…
- Episode 134 – We Stand With Ukraine: Drudkh’s Microcosmos & Handful of Stars
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 geogra…
- Episode 133.5 – Gorguts, “Nostalgia”…and Pearl Jam?
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 m…
- Episode 133 — Depth of Memories: The 3rd and the Mortal 1994-2002
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…
- Episode 132 — And Now, You Die! Type O Negative’s ‘Slow, Deep and Hard’
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 Repu…
- Episode 131 – A Eulogy for Tom Hailey
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 remembra…
- Episode 130 – Obscure Mindways: Obliveon 1989-1993
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…
- Episode 129.5 – Drilling Down on Gaahls Wyrd’s “Flowing Starlight”
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…
- Episode 129 – Mat Kvohst McNerney (Dodheimsgard, Hexvessel, Beastmilk, Grave Pleasures, Code)
Restless creative spirit Mat Kvohst McNerney has been roaming esoteric realms since the mid '90s, giving voice to a wide variety of bands, be it the international collective Code, Norweird supernovas Dodheimsgard, the Beastmilk/Grave Pleas…
- Episode 128 – What Doesn’t Kill GRINDCRUSHER Makes GRINDCRUSHER Stronger.
Inspired by Jeff's soot-damaged, waterlogged, promo-punched copy of his treasured US CD version of this 24-song behemoth, we take an hour and 40 minutes to revel in this intensely special 1990 compilation. The epitome of the Earache label…
- Episode 127 – Genesis ‘And Then There Were Three’ is Total Prog!!
We're incorrigible Genesis fans. We hail every bit of output from 1970 to 1978. We even go further than that. But here, for episode 127, we stop and lovingly gaze at the band's final album of the '70s, the first after the departure of guit…
- Episode 126 – None More North! Thule 1985-2005 (with Agalloch’s John Haughm)
For our 126th episode, Radical Research travels to the farthest reaches of our favorite country and we do so with a rare companion, Agalloch lynchpin, John Haughm. In this episode, we dive into the discography of Thule, a progressive rock…
- Episode 125 – Do You Think We’re Forever? Anathema’s ‘Eternity’
Radical Research has risen! For our first episode following the tragic event of Jeff's house fire and the loss of members of his beautiful feline family, we have chosen to return with an exploration of one of the most emotional and intense…
- Episode 124 – FLOPTAGON: Bathory’s ‘Octagon’
What started as a joke ("send us a $10,000 donation and we'll do an episode on Bathory's disasterpiece flop, 'Octagon'!") Well, we wondered what that kind of episode would be like, so we decided to just chat about it and see what happened.…
- Episode 123.5 – Autopsy’s ‘Fiend for Blood’: An EP in the Process of Dying
As Hunter so aptly calls it early in this short episode: “ Fiend for Blood is an EP that is in the process of dying.” After the classic Mental Funeral of 1991, Autopsy released the Fiend for Blood EP as its follow-up. Those who were there…
- Episode 123 – Vauxdvihl 1994-2001: Exhumation Party
Australia’s Vauxdvihl (or, for a short time, Vaudeville) came quickly, evolved swiftly, and left behind a beautiful corpus of 19 documented songs. We have stood in awe for three decades of this short but impressive discography, and episode…
- Episode 122.5 — A Challenge from S. Craig Zahler to Hunter Ginn, re: Sarcofago “Nightmare”
Jeff: “Was talking with my friend S. Craig Zahler a few days ago, and we were discussing Sarcofago’s 1987 debut, I.N.R.I. Zahler noted that there are some bewildering timing issues in 'Nightmare,' and how he’d like Hunter ('who is 20 times…
- Episode 122 — Intrigue CD 4: The Fourth Time We Opened the Capsule
This episode brings to a close our periodic investigations of the Steven Wilson-curated 'Intrigue' compilation. Covering progressive sounds in UK alternative/post-punk music from 1979-89, 'Intrigue' nails its intention, proving that, while…
- Episode 121.5 – Previous Episode Updates (Hail Spirit Noir, Hammers of Misfortune, Manes, Diskord, Xysma, Kayo Dot)
In this .5 episode (the longest point-5 we’ve done to date), we offer up 6 subjects of previous Radical Research episodes and take a look at their activities since we last put our spotlight on them. (As we explain at the beginning, the sou…
- Episode 121 – The CORONER Episode!!!
Switzerland’s deadliest export, Coroner, which sliced and sawed its way through the metal landscape of the ‘80s and early ‘90s, has finally found its way under the Radical Research microscope. From the savage thrashing mayhem of R.I.P. to…
- Episode 120.5 – Jeff Scott Soto and Queen’s “The Prophet’s Song”
A quick look at Queen’s “The Prophet’s Song,” its a cappella middle section, and the treatment it was given by one Jeff Scott Soto in various live performances. It’ll all make a little more sense when you listen… Note I: The Radical Resear…
- Episode 120 – DBC’s ‘Universe’: Black Hole Spelunking
Is there an album more representative of this podcast's main focus? Not outside of Norway, there isn’t. Montréal’s DBC (Dead Brain Cells) released ‘Universe’ in 1989, a tech-y cosmic opus of 37:26 that manages to cover the big bang, the ev…
- Episode 119.5 – Death, DiGiorgio, and the Bass on ‘Human’
This is a “careful for what you wish for” kind of thing. For years and years, we hoped that we could hear the mighty Steve DiGiorgio’s bass work with more clarity on Death’s 1991 masterpiece, Human . Once we could, thanks to the 2011 reiss…
- Episode 119 – The Fu*king Champs 1994-2007: Hot-Ass Majesty
Operating outside of the metal infrastructure, but heralding its glory and complexity more so than most “true” metal bands, The Fucking Champs, in their 1994-2007 rampage, cobbled together elements of Trouble, Confessor, Don Caballero, and…
- Episode 118.5 – Better Slit Than Never: Cryptopsy’s ‘None So Vile’ 28 Years Later
Sometimes it takes a while to come around to an album. In our case, it took 28 years with Cryptopsy’s second album, None So Vile . Better late than never. We repent!!! Note I: The Radical Research Patreon page is now set up and ready for y…
- Episode 118 – There’s Only One Good Song On These Albums! One-Song Metal Albums
The one-long-song album is a rare event in the metal genre, and a tough assignment to tackle and get right. We hold up these five albums as the finest examples of the approach. While it’s difficult to convey their scope in snippet form, we…
- Episode 117.5 – Ginn Loves Gadd
Our man Ginn loves him some Gadd! In this brief episode, we extract three of Hunter’s favorite moments by his favorite drummer on the planet, Steve Gadd. It results in something we thought we’d never do on this podcast: play a snippet of a…
- Episode 117 – Steven Wilson’s Intrigue Compilation, Dissection Part 3
Pull up a chair and get your ears out! We get giddy when we’re together in the same space, which we were for this episode. You’ll hopefully forgive our exuberance and all the talking over each other in excitement of brotherhood, music, piz…
- Episode 116.5 – King Crimson’s Schizoid Man and the Metal in the Hot Middle
In this brief episode, we spotlight the two metal bands brave enough to tackle the middle part of King Crimson's innovative and highly influential 1969 classic, "21st Century Schizoid Man." Note I: The Radical Research Patreon page is now…
- Episode 116 — What is Psychedelic Music? The Radical Research Answer to a Vexing Question
When it comes to a difficult-to-define concept like psychedelia in music, it's subjective. It’s not all hippies with sitars and lava lamps and bongs…but that’s not wrong either. With a little help from author Michael Hicks and his paramete…
- Episode 115.5 – Permeable Lines, Part 2
Our second in the Permeable Lines series, and our first point-5 episode since 83.5 nearly two years ago! That enough numbers for you? Join us for a brief dust-up between inspiration and rip-off. You decide. (More numbers: “18 is actually 9…
- Episode 115 – Hexx Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
We celebrate musicians and bands that rapidly evolve and challenge their audience with newness each endeavor. But the abrupt left-turn San Francisco metal band Hexx took between 1986 and 1987 is beyond fascinating, and beyond the norm. It…
- Episode 114 – Mourning Sign 1992-1996: Triangulation
Radical Research can’t stay away from Scandinavia for more than a brief spell. To that end, your hosts find themselves in Sweden, digging through the short but robust initial run by Mourning Sign. Over the course of a demo, an EP, and two…
- Episode 113 – Thief’s ‘Bleed, Memory’: What Was Your Original Face Before You Were Born?
For our 113th episode, we dispense with the usual exhalations of the past in favor of the thrills of the tense present-future. Thief, the Los Angeles-based brainchild of visionary producer, Dylan Neal, has released one of 2024’s most extra…
- Episode 112 – We Mean You Harm: Hail Spirit Noir 2012-2021
For its 112th episode, Radical Research travels to balmy Greece to investigate the cryptic evildoing of Hail Spirit Noir, whose hellbroth of black metal, prog, psychedelia, and witchery strikes a special chord with your hosts. We take a de…
- Episode 111 – Immortal’s Blizzard Beasts: Convoking Nebular Dimensions
For episode 111, Radical Research returns to its spiritual homeland of Norway. But on this trip, RR steers clear of the usual avant suspects and instead climbs the Mountains of Might to take a closer look at Immortal’s twisted and divisive…
- Episode 110 – Steven Wilson’s Intrigue Compilation, Dissection Part 2
We continue our wander through the 4CD Intrigue compilation. This installment features 15 UK bands, several which we’d never heard of before (Art Nouveau, New Musik, Section 25). We hope this episode helps prove curator Steven Wilson’s not…
- Episode 109 – Sigh’s Weirdest! Let the Strangeness Do the Talking
Sigh is unquestionably one of the weirdest bands in the metal realm. And since Radical Research skews weird, and since we are both fans of Sigh since the mid ‘90s, it seemed obvious that we would eventually do an episode featuring some of…