DOMKcasts

A real life school of rock down in Dallas, Tx run by Norman Matthews of the band As Strange As Angels. Move over Jack Black, Norman is poised to turn The Sound Foundation into a thriving company with an incredible purpose. He is the special guest on episode 98 of the DOMKcast. Formerly of the band Murder FM, Norman left to focus his full attention on raising his son after a divorce rocked his personal life. He has emerged with his solo project called As Strange As Angels and released their debut EP "Mirror, Mirror". It includes the title trac which can be heard at the end of the episode. Norman reflects on the last couple of years and how his priorities have changed. Hear the full conversation with Norman Matthews of the band As Strange As Angels on episode 98 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

Mark Morton had the pleasure of working with Chester Bennington on the song "Cross Off". How did the collaboration with the late lead vocalist of Linkin Park come about? Mark says he came up with a wish list of vocalists that he would like to include on his solo album "Anesthetic" and Chester was at the top of the list. He was a little reluctant at first and thought he would be too busy. Turned out to be not the case-Chester heard the demo of "Cross Off" and wanted to be apart of it. Writing and recording a song is a personal, emotional experience-Mark connected with him on that level as they began to open up and find common ground.

Mark Morton's first solo album "Anesthetic" is complete and out now. It features a plethora of lead vocalists including Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, Jacoby Shaddix, Myles Kennedy and Mark Laneganof Screaming Trees. Was the album more work than he anticipated? Mark Morton discussed the expectation he had going into the process.

What's next for Mark Morton? Is there a new Lamb of God album in the works? He gives Lunchbox and Promo Brady the heads up that writing and recording is underway. They reminisce about the last Lamb of God show in Tulsa at the Brady Theater. Mark along with many is convinced that it's haunted. Here the full conversation with Mark Morton of Lamb of God on episode 97 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

How do you get Brent Smith of Shinedown to be taken a-back by anything? That moment happened in a new episode of the DOMKcast. Promo Brady sharing with Brent his daughters interpretation of the song "Get Up" was spot on and everything that is trying to be conveyed. The simple message of getting up after failures and trying again is a powerful one. The song was written about Shinedown bassist Eric Bass who has had his battles with clinical depression over the years. The subject of anxiety and depression has been brought up in a different light lately due to the chatter coming more from a place of understanding than judgement. This is a condition that many deal with in the U.S. One of the main messages in Shinedown's latest album "Attention, Attention" is a person's journey to conquering demons in their life. Brent Smith reflect's on the success of the album coming up on the year anniversary of the release.

Title track of the album showcases Brent's rapping abilities. We did a deep-dive into his hip-hop influences and what made him want to include some rap in his work. Perhaps a new fan favorite as he plans on including the song in the set at Rocklahoma this year Memorial Day Weekend in Pryor, USA.

The landscape of the music business has changed since Shinedown emerged in the early 2000's. Streaming services have put their footprint on today's culture making music more accessible than ever. How has Shinedown adapted over the years? Brent makes the point that the industry has shifted and you have to pivot with it. Focusing more on live shows these days can be beneficial and sound advice for any band. See Shinedown at Rocklahoma this year. Hear the full conversation with Brent Smith on episode 96 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRock

Excitement and anxiousness are two similar emotions. Imagine having both tied up something you love-your passion that you've spent years cultivating. Imagine having the courage to lean into your anxiety and conquer it. That's what Josh Katz, lead vocalist of the band Badflower has done over the past couple of years. The emergence of their song "Ghost" deals with the topic of suicide-a fictional tale of a guy coping with those thoughts. This is based on similar thoughts that Josh has had in his life. Expressing those feelings through his music has allowed him to be comfortable with who he is as a person. Dealing with anxiety is a constant battle-there are good days and bad days. Having the confidence to continue on is something that Josh has achieved. This raw and real story has magnetized people to Badflower, growing in popularity over the last few years with songs like "Ghost" and "Heroin".

New album out called "OK, I'm Sick". One of the more personal tracks is the song "Promise Me". It deals with the emotions of realizing you're loosing your childhood and those initial feelings of first experiences. Many firsts through love, heartbreak, excitement, and passion. It's tough to replicate the feeling that you get when you experience those things as a kid. It's new and exciting. You still might have the elation of experience in adulthood but it never compares to your first.

The band is on the road right now and will be apart of DOMK Jam 1 at the historical Cain's Ballroom April 24th. Ticket info is available at cainsballroom.com. Hear the full conversation that Lunchbox and Promo Brady had with Josh Katz on Badflower on episode 95 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRock

From Ashes To New planning on releasing new music by the end of the year? That's Lance Dowdle lead guitarist of the band says they're shooting for-working on a concept and new songs as we speak. Lance guarantees this next album will be the one that keeps them on the rock landscape permanently. Enjoying success off of their latest album "The Future", Lance says that it's been a wild ride so far. The band has undergone a few lineup changes over the past few years but has found the right combination of people joking around with each other and not getting offended. They've created a comfort level with each other that is crucial in any situation where you're going to be in a confined space for an insane amount of time while being on the road.

Lance touched on the success of their song "Crazy". He said that song wasn't originally on the record. It was a late addition after the album got handed back to the guys from the record label and told "You need more". They went back into the studio and recorded "Crazy" in 40 minutes. The rest is history. Such an ironic story in terms of the writing process. When it feels right, it can take you no time at all. Unfortunately, there are many times where it doesn't happen like that and you have to drudge through the drudgery.

Lance and From Ashes To New were at the Diamond Ballroom earlier this week. He talked about their last experience there with a scorpion onstage. A conversation about phobia's broke out. With the amount of critters hanging around the Diamond Ballroom, Lance suggested they should open a petting zoo.

New music is on the horizon and perhaps we'll get it by the end of the year. Hear the full conversation with Lance Dowdle of From Ashes To New on episode 94 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

How is life after exiting the band Sick Puppies? Former lead vocalist SHIM is doing his own thing now and has a solo album out. Hear about new music, touring plans and his podcast. SHIM is the special guest on episode 93 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

The most empowering thing you can do as a human being is "Let It Go"! That is the subject matter of the latest song “Victim” from the band Sunflower Dead. Lead vocalist Michael Del Pizzo is the special guest on episode 92 of the DOMKcast. Studies have shown that letting go of something emotionally actually shows up on a brain scan. It's the equivalent of doing bicep curl or a pushup. It conditions your brain; which leads to better decision making down the road. Holding onto negative things in your life often becomes a crutch or form of control. As ironic as it sounds, the best way to regain control of your life it in fact to let go of negativity. Michael wrote the song "Victim" to convey the message that it's okay to let go of negative energy in your life and replace it with something positive. Michael tells Lunchbox and Promo Brady “Sometimes as a song-writer, you get lucky and write something that effects people in different ways. There’s been many people reaching out and telling me their interpretation and how the song helped them. That’s the best feeling.” Many times the greatest weapon against negativity is a little positivity. This is a message that can resonate in today's society. As Michael explains "Sometimes I wake up and think, I've had it. But I have to stop myself and think; you know what, Things could be worse." Re-framing the negativity into something positive is a skill that will pay dividends down the road. New album from Sunflower Dead called “COMA” is out now. Also, Michael explains how the band got their name Sunflower Dead. Hearing touring plans and how the weather’s been in Southern California lately. Listen to the full conversation with Michael Del Pizzo of the band Sunflower Dead and hear their song "Victim" on episode 92 of the DOMKcast. New episodes available every Friday at 2pm on the iHeartRadio App. #DOMKRocks

Savage After Midnight has a story of overcoming bad luck and perserving to get to the release of their EP "11:59" which is due out March 8th. Lead vocalist, Shi is the special guest on the DOMKcast this week. Shi called us from Las Vegas so naturally stories of drunken debotury in Sin City ensued. Savage After Midnight is on the road with Pop Evil right now. He talked about his experience with those guys. The band has plenty of recorded material and plans on releasing another EP called "12:01" by the end of the year. They've overcome many obstacles along the way; a studio fire being the most notable situation. Hear about that and more on episode 91 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

What are your triggers that provoke anxious feelings? Are you doing what you can bipass those things? These are just a few questions that Howard Jones asked himself. This prompted him to leave Killswitch Engage and unplug from the world for awhile. He went on a search to find the root of his anxiety. Getting rid of his cell phone and doing a healthy amount of hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities that required isolation. Soul searching was priority #1 and he went off the grid for almost 3 years before re-emerging with the band Devil You Know now known as Light The Torch. You can see them at Rocklahoma this year. Howard is an intriguing story of emotional triumph. Determined to stay at a good place in his life, he opts not to engage in any form of social media. He just doesn't find a need for it in his life and would rather focus on other things. Hear about the new album "Revival", and touring with Sevendust and In This Moment. Howard is an avid fisherman. Would he try noodling when he makes his way down to Oklahoma in May? He answers that question among others on episode 90 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

Do you think society is descencitized by imagery of violence around us? That is the subject matter of the song from Royal Tusk called "Aftermath". Lead singer, Daniel Carriere is the special guest this week on the DOMKcast. In this day and age our choices for entertainment are vast. Anything from tablets, to smartphones, social media, and TV. We're consuming massive amounts of imagery on a daily basis. The message that Daniel is trying to convey in the song "Aftermath" basically challenges you to do an inventory of the things you watch. How much of it is violent subject matter? New album out now called "Tusk II". Daniel also touched on the differences between touring in the states and his home country of Canada. Hear the full conversation with Daniel Carriere of the band Royal Tusk on episode 89 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

How did the band Beasto Blanco come up with their name? Chuck Garric claims the name came to him during a meditation session in the woods. He views the name as his alter-ego. Chuck Garric and Calico Cooper joined the show this week. Calico Cooper is the daughter of rock legend Alice Cooper. Got her start as the sadistic nurse for her dad's stage show. She's also delved into acting as well. What part of the entertainment business does she like better? Dancing, being apart of a band, or acting? Chuck has played with Billy Bob Thornton, Ted Nugent, and Journey in the past. He talked about his experiences with them what he learned. They will be playing Rocklahoma this year and have plans to release a new album. Hear the full conversation with Chuck Garric and Calico Cooper on episode 88 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

From New Orleans, the band Cane Hill is currently on tour with some of the nicest dudes in rock. Sevendust, Mark Tremonti and Cane Hill make a stop in OKC at the Diamond Ballroom in March and would be worth the drive. Devin Clark joins the DOMKcast for the first time this week. The band got their name from a psychiatric hospital in the UK and has a Alice In Chains feel to their sound. Devin said "Jar Of Flies" influenced their band heavily.

Cane Hill will be performing at DreamHack gaming festival this year with Trivium and Hyro The Hero. Are the guys gamers? We asked Devin to give his Mt. Rushmore of Video Games. No old school Nintendo games made it on the list much to the chagrin of Lunchbox.

Kill The Sun is the name of their new album. Devin went more in depth about the recording process and response from his fans. See Cane Hill this year while they are on the road with Sevendust and Mark Tremonti. Full conversation with Devin Clark of Cane Hill can be found on episode 87 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks New episodes available every Friday at 2pm on the iHeartRadio app. Just type in DOMKcast.

Lead vocalist Brenton Dean of the band Holy White Hounds doing everyday activities while talking to Lunchbox and Promo Brady on the DOMKcast. We caught him while he was shopping at Target recently and chatted about where the band is at in terms of touring and balancing family life. A paradox that many bands are faced with. The older you get, the more anchored you become. Brenton admits it's hard leaving his son to go out on the road and missing pivitol moments in his life. New album was released late last year called "Say It With Your Mouth". We've played their new song "Perpetrator" over the last few months on DOMK. The new album was recorded in the same studio in Minnesota where Nirvana's final album "In Utero" was recorded. The genesis of the band was began in 2013 but these guys have known each other since their high school years. The comfortability of each other shine through in their music. Perhaps a little "Beck" can be detected in their sound. Hear Brenton's opinion who their major influences are. Holy White Hounds are a big fan of Tulsa and we got into an in-depth discussion about what the city has to offer these days. Everything from The Gathering Place, our booming downtown district, and of course The Hanson brothers. We hope to see this talented band hitting the road soon. Hear the full conversation with Brenton Dean of the band Holy White Hounds on episode 86 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks New episodes available every Friday at 2pm on the iHeartRadio App.

Bringing the "fun" back to rock. Luke, Ross, and Kyle make-up the Canadian rock band "The Dirty Nil". New song out called "That's What Heaven Feels Like". New album out called "Master Volume". Hear the bands touring plans and if they're going to make an appearance at Rocklahoma this year?

The Dirty Nil have had memorable experiences over the years. Staying in incredibly disgusting hotel rooms. Back in 2015, they stayed at a hotel in East Dallas. Smoking rooms were the only ones available. To set the scene properly, there were plastic covers on the furniture and a room with the stench of old casino's reeking of cigarettes and disappointment. They woke up the next morning to a trail of ants down the hall. The band decided to snap a picture of it post on Reddit. The photo topped their WTF page. Disgusting hotels is a subject matter that has inspired music from the band in their song "Super 8".

When asked to describe their sound and what genre they should be classified as, Luke responded with "We're the best band." These guys are poised to bring the "fun" back into the rock music scene. Hear the full conversation with Luke, Ross, and Kyle of The Dirty Nil on episode 85 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

An inspiring story of overcoming anxiety and depression. Matt Mullins, lead vocalist of the band Memphis May Fire is the special guest on episode 84 of the DOMKcast. Pinpointing the basis of his depression was key. Taking on a radical new treatment called EMD therapy, he was able to uncover the basis of his issues which turned out to be a traumatic experience on a plane. This had caused him to carry the weight of anxious thoughts for years. Matt can comfortably say today that he is free of depression and anxiety. This is the subject matter that he tackles in the new song from Memphis May Fire "The Old Me". An important subject given some 40 million people deal with some form of anxiety and depression on a daily basis which accounts for 18 percent of the population. Matt talks about their new album "Broken" which is out now.

Memphis May Fire has been aggressively touring the last few years and are currently on the road with Atreyu. They've been on the road with Sevendust recently as well. Matt talked about the spiritual lyrics behind their album "Unconditional". Do they consider themselves a Christian Rock Band? Hear his views on that. He touched on his religious upbringing and how it shaped his life.

Matt has an entrepreneurial mindset and decided to concoct his own beard oil. Yes, if you're in need of some new manscaping tools, Matt Mullins of Memphis May Fire has some beard oil to offer you. Hear about that, Matt's Mt. Rushmore of Christian Rock Bands, and more on episode 84 of the DOMKcast. New episodes available every Friday at 2pm on the iHeartRadio App. #DOMKRocks

New album out "Anon" and new song out "Monster". The Australian band Hands Like Houses have a unique sound and perspective poised to share it with their fans. Hands Like Houses have been together since 2008. Their latest album was a bit of a grueling process. Working on the project for 52 weeks straight, lead singer Trenton Woodley admitted that the band was at each others throats at times. Only natural when you spend that much time with anybody. "Anon" was released back in October. The band has enjoyed success off of their single "Monster" after the song got picked up by WWE for an event. Hands Like Houses also recorded an outside the box cover doing their rendition of Natalie Imbruglia's song "Torn". How has the band grown over the years with their sound? Trenton talks about that in depth. Their vision is a bit more polished since beginnings back in 2008. How does he feel they've grown as artists? Hear about their touring plans for the future and what the goals are of the band on episode 83 of the DOMKcast. New episodes available every Friday afternoon at 2pm on the iHeartRadio app, Spreaker, Stitcher, or iTunes. #DOMKRocks

A more polished Rage Against The Machine is how I would describe the sound of our latest guest on the DOMKcast. His stage name is Hyro The Hero. Originally from Houston. Migrated to LA to pursue his music career and released his debut album back in 2011. His second album "Flagged Channel" was released earlier this year. Why the huge gap in between releases? Hyro explains and talks about the message that he is trying to convey. His stage persona is a complete 180 compared to how he is in real life. This seemingly jovial guy turns into an enraged character with a purpose in concert. Hyro explains the switch that it takes to get into that persona. He offers his thoughts on the rap scene today. Tupac being the biggest influence musically on his career.

Hyro The Hero is a big cereal fan so it's only appropriate that we get his Mt. Rushmore of cereals. Find out what made his top 4. New song out called "Bullet" which you'll hear at the end of the episode. Hyro sounds off on the subject in his song "Live Your F######G Life". We're walking around like zombies being enslaved to the smartphone these days according to him. Hear the full conversation with Hyro The Hero on the episode 82 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks New episodes available Fridays at 2pm on iHeartRadio. Listen to DOMK Friday nights at 11pm on 97.5 KMOD.

Playing the drums since Jason Bonham was 4 years old, was there anything else that captured his attention for a bit in terms of interests? The answer is yes. Jason Bonham is heavily into motorcross and talked his love for it on episode 81 of the DOMKcast. Son of the late, great John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. Jason has talent in his genes. A working relationship with the greatest hard rock band of all time throughout his childhood. He used to call Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Uncle Jimmy and Uncle Robert.

The majority of his time is soaked up by his project with Sammy Hagar called The Circle. He gave us an update on new music from those guys. Who would you put on your Mt Rushmore of Hard Rock bands? This spawned an intriguing conversation with Jason. He gave me his picks with a contingency that Led Zeppelin is already up there being the major influence for so many bands. Jason is a record guy. We dove into the experience of albums and it's different now-a-days. He gave us the rundown of his sterio system at his house which includes a Macintosh record player. You just can't replace the experience of vinyl.

When Jason plays Led Zeppelin songs, does he try to give it his own flare or does he does try to emmulate his father? Hear his answer to that question and many others on episode 81 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks New episodes available every Friday at 2pm on the iHeartRadio app. Listen to DOMK Friday nights at 11pm on 97.5 KMOD.

How do you balance fatherly responsibilities while being on the road with a band? That's what Jayden Panesso of the band Sylar is faced with these days with a 3-month old daughter at home. Technology advances have helped imensely with Facetime and Skype. But how much does he miss his daughter while on the road? Jayden, Lunchbox and Promo Brady have a great talk about being a dad on episode 80 of the DOMKcast.

Sylar is originally from Queens, New York. How did their surroundings influence their sound? The band champions the classic sound of Nu-Metal. Jayden cites many of the Nu-Metal bands as his major influences. New album out called "Seasons". Just like the seasons over the years, Jayden talks about the changes the band has undergone. New song "All Or Nothing" that you'll hear at the end of the episode.

The guys from Sylar tour relentlessly throughout the year. Jayden called us from the side of the road in New Mexico. Naturally, jokes about Breaking Bad ensued which spawned a rehashing of one of the greatest shows of all-time. How close are they to Beartooth? Sylar has hit the road with those guys a few times over the years and Caleb Shomo has produced their first two albums. What's next for Sylar? Jayden answers that question and gives us an update on touring plans for 2019. Hear the complete conversation with Jayden Panesso of the band Sylar on episode 80 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks

What is the "American Dream" these days? The band Hatebreed tackled that subject in their song "A.D." off of their latest album "Concrete Confessional". A univocal message that raises the anxiety of now-a-days. There's a certain aspect that has you even scared to go out of the house at times. Drummer Matt Byrne joins the DOMKcast on episode 79. In town not too long ago with GWAR at the Cain's Ballroom. Matt has enjoyed his time with them on the road.

Matt was the fill-in drummer for Late Night with Seth Myers. What was it like being apart of a structured talkshow and how does it differ from performing onstage with Hatebreed? Matt admitted it was an adjustment watching for his cues.

What are some Do's and Don'ts to follow if you want to be a successful band? Matt highlighted some of things that he tries to abide by. One for anybody to follow would be to keep your partying in check. Obviously that's something that can not only destroy your career but your life as well.

What does Matt do in his downtime? He enjoys time at his house in upstate New York. Hiking and seclusion are on the list of musts during this time. The exact opposite of life on the road. The band has a reputation for touring relentlessly over the years. It's great to get a break but nothing replaces the feeling of performing live in-front of a crowd.

The latest album from Hatebreed is "Concrete Confessional" released back in 2016. Worth the listen. Hear the full conversation with Matt Byrne of Hatebreed on episode 79 of the DOMKcast. #DOMKRocks