Episodes

On this episode of The Greatest Thing You'd Never Heard, Ben and John return to Beastmilk's 2013 album, Climax, interviewing vocalist Mat McNerney (aka Kvohst) and bassist Valtteri Arino about the band's formation and their experience recording with Converge's Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studios. The pair recount the unorthodox recording techniques used to get create Climax's unique atmosphere and McNerney expounds on his lyrical philosophy and desire to create emotional resonance by not shying away ...

John and.Ben sit down with Grails guitarist Alex Hall to discuss the Portland band's 2003 album, The Burden of Hope. Hall divulges some of the band's unexpected influences such as Hungarian violinist Felix Lajko and explains Grails' experimental approach to songwriting on its early records. Though the band, and The Burden of Hope in particular, is often described as post rock, Hall explains that the group were more inspired by slowcore than by many of the acts to whom they were commonly compared...

Ben and John return to Serpent Thone's 2013 album, Brother Lucifer, to interview guitarist Don Argott about the album's themes, recording, and inspirations. Argott discusses the history of the band and the intersection of the band's music with his (and fellow guitarist Demian Fenton's) career as a documentary filmmaker as well as the importance of the album as a format and the joy of music discovery. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each...

Ben and John bring the instrumental summer to a close and return to lyrical records by covering Beastmilk's lone album, 2013's Climax. Steeped in the traditions of post punk with an edge of apocalyptic garage goth, the album proves to be perhaps the catchiest that the show has covered to date. Already sharing personnel with Hexvessel and Code, members of Beastmilk would continue the band's legacy with Grave Pleasures. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next fav...

Ben and John discuss the sixth and final album of the show's Instrumental Summer: Grails' 2003 debut, The Burden of Hope. Released on Neurot Records, The Burden of Hope showcases the Portland band's layered and experimental approach that would likely please fans of, but is significantly different from, post rock and post metal. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of gre...

Ben and John return from their bye week to continue the show's Instrumental Summer by discussing My Sleeping Karma's 2015 album, Moksha. Filled with Indian and eastern themes, the German group presents their best and most fully realized record to date with complex arrangements, varied instrumentation, and a meditative catchiness that belie's the album's compositional nature. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth ex...

Ben and John continue the show's instrumental summer by marveling at Serpent Throne's 2013 cinematic masterpiece, Brother Lucifer. Draped in guitar harmonies and loaded with an emotional poignency not often found in instrumental heavy rock, Brother Lucifer elevates the form and delivers the doom rush of happiness. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greater recogniti...

The show's Instrumental Summer continues as Ben and John return to Triptonus' 2015, self-titled album by interviewing four members of the Viennese collective: Fabian (guitar), Clemens (guitar), Max (djembe, didjeridoo), and Vanya (wave drum, samples). The quartet discuss their writing process and diverse influences as they detail the unconventional studio in which they recorded the album. In addition, the band's new album, Soundless Voice, is available Friday, 07/30 at the Bandcamp link below. H...

As the show's Instrumental Summer continues, Ben and John return to Monobrow's 2014 album, Big Sky, Black Horse, by interviewing guitarist Paul Slater (ex-Sir Hedgehog) and bassist Sam Beydoun. The pair discuss the evolution of the band's instrumental sound and layered song craft as they bridge old school stoner rock, doom, and classic heavy metal. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album...

The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard's Instrumental Summer continues as Ben and John delve into Monobrow's 2014 riffsterpiece, Big Sky, Black Horse. Chock full of stonerrock goodness and dexterous playing, the album displays impressive heft as is its expertly crafted songs continually surprise with musical twists and turns. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greate...

Ben and John continue their Instrumental Summer with the self-titled, 2015 sophomore effort from Viennese psychedelic metallers Triptonus. Reveling in diverse song structures and instrumentation, Triptonus defy classification while developing a style that is unique, engrossing, and thoroughly impressive. The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greater recognition. Our co...

The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greater recognition. Our co-hosts, Ben and John, spend a full episode discussing an album and then often use a follow-up episode to interview the band that recorded it. Ben and John kick off the show's Instrumental Summer by discussing the Karma to Burn's 2014 album, Arch Stanton. The band's 6th and ultimately final full-length alb...

The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greater recognition. Our co-hosts, Ben and John, spend a full episode discussing an album and then often use a follow-up episode to interview the band that recorded it. On this episode of The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard, John and Ben discuss Cop Shoot Cop's 4th and final album, 1994's Release. Coming out on a major label, Rel...

The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in-depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greater recognition. Our co-hosts, Ben and John, spend a full episode discussing an album and then often use a follow-up episode to interview the band that recorded it. On this episode of The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard, Ben and John return to the 36th album covered by the show (the lone, 1971 self-titled album by Britsh prog...

The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard is a like a book club for your next favorite record. Each episode is an in depth examination of a single album that's worthy of greater recognition. Our co-hosts, Ben and John, spend a full episode discussing an album and then often use a follow-up episode to interview the band that recorded it. On this episode, Ben and John return to Sacri Monti's 2015 self-titled debut album to talk with guitarist/vocalist Brenden Dellar and drummer Thomas DiBenedetto. Th...

Ben and John take their first dip into the warm, placid waters of the San Diego psych scene with the 2015 self-titled debut album from Sacri Monti. Featuring members of Radio Moscow, Joy, Monarch, and countless others from southern California's incestuous hotbed of sunbaked sounds, Sacri Monti bring jam and subtle southern rock elements to their take on post-stoner psychedelia. The result is a landmark album for both the genre and the scene. Season 2, Episode 22, Album 40 Listen to Sacri Monti...

On this episode of The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard, John and Ben discuss Cigale's 2015 self-titled debut album. Standing at the intersection of post-stoner psychedelia, shoegaze, and indie rock, the female-fronted Cigale blends emotionally resonant vocals with arpeggiated guitar and placidly-paced songwriting. With the tragic death of guitarist Rutger Smeets only months after the album's release, Cigale's sole album stands alone as a testament to the band's substantial potential and prowes...

John and Ben continue their dive into Wolf's self-titled debut album by interviewing guitarist/vocalist Nik Stalvind. In a wide-ranging discussion, Stalvind discusses the band's early days, the decision to play a style of metal that was considered extremely uncool in the mid-nineties, and their place in traditional metal's resurgence. Stalvind also reveals the story behind the album's iconic and divisive Hans Arnold cover art. Season 2, Episode 20, Album 38 We proudly endorse Revo Guitar Strap...

John and Ben discuss the self-titled debut album by Swedish trad-metal stalwarts, Wolf. Released in 1999 when real metal was at its nadir, the album is a landmark in the return to the genre's glory days and the eventual rise of the NWOTHM scene. Boasting classic (if divisive) artwork, the album showcased the attention to songwriting and detail that would become hallmarks of the band's work throughout its 20+ year career. Season 2, Episode 19, Album 38 We proudly endorse Revo Guitar Straps! Go ...

Ben and John return to Vore's 2011 album, Gravehammer, by interviewing guitarist/vocalist Page Townsley. Townsley talks about his musical and lyrical influences and secret to building the band's massive guitar tones. Season 2, Episode 18, Album 37 Listen to Gravehammer on YouTube We proudly endorse Revo Guitar Straps! Go to https://revoguitarstraps.com and enter code POD20 for 20% off. Find Vore on Facebook Listen to The Greatest Thing You'd Never Heard and find us on social media via https:/...

On this episode of The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard, Ben and John dive into death metal, discussing Vore's 2011 album, Gravehammer. Eschewing trends and adulteration, Gravehammer delivers the goods with more depth and dynamic than one might traditionally associate with the genre. Season 2, Episode 17, Album 37 Listen to Gravehammer on Youtube We proudly endorse Revo Guitar Straps! Go to https://revoguitarstraps.com and enter code POD20 for 20% off. Find Vore on Facebook Listen to The Gre...

Ben and John go all the way back to 1971 to discuss the lone album from British prog rock band Fuzzy Duck. Comprised of members of Andromeda, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, and the Bill Wyman endorsed Tucky Buzzard, Fuzzy Duck blended inventive musicianship, a powerhouse rhythm section, and an irreverent sense of humor to create one of the more memorable records of rock's most fertile era. Season 2, Episode 16, Album 36 Listen to Fuzzy Duck on Youtube We proudly endorse Revo Guitar Straps! G...

John and Ben return to Bitch Magnet's influential 1990 album, Ben Hur, by interviewing guitarist Jon Fine and drummer Orestes Morfin. Fine and Morfin recount the band's early years at Oberlin, the Ben Hur recording sessions, and the band's lasting impact. Season 2, Episode 15, Album 35 Listen to Ben Hur on Bandcamp Purchase Jon Fine's book, Your Band Sucks, on Amazon Watch for the debut album from John Fine and Orestes Morfin's new band, We Contain Multitudes, coming later this year! We proud...

John and Ben discuss Bitch Magnet's influential second (and final) full length album, Ben Hur. Originally released in 1990, the album foreshadows much of the sonic ground that independent rock would cover over the ensuing decade as the roots of math rock, shoegaze, post-punk and more are all present in Ben Hur's sonic tapestry. Season 2, Episode 14, Album 35 Listen to Ben Hur on Bandcamp Purchase Jon Fine's book, Your Band Sucks, on Amazon Listen to The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard and fi...