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…
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…
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…
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…
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:…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
