Mangin hails from Arizona and studied pharmacy before leaving to follow his passion in music full-time. Now hosting Liquid Metal and Octane radio programs as well as co-hosting rock cruises, Mangin has found his calling.
Liquid Metal’s Heavy Hip-Hop Week allows listeners to enjoy songs by artists that fuse hip hop with metal. There will also be specials like Devil’s Dozen and Corridor of Covers this week.
Pantera
Pantera revolutionized metal music in the Nineties with their distinctive power-groove style. Formed in Arlington, Texas and initially led by frontman Terry Glaze before transitioning into their classic lineup comprising Phil Anselmo, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell – known for their five albums Cowboys From Hell, Vulgar Display of Power, Far Beyond Driven The Great Southern Trendkill and Reinventing The Steel respectively – Pantera have left an indelible mark across various genres within heavy metal music – particularly Abbott’s unique fretwork style which helped define groove metal as one such influence on numerous bands within heavy metal genre branches as well as groove metal as an altogether unique live show. Their innovations have had far reaching impacts throughout heavy metal’s myriad genre branches influencing many bands from heavy metal genre trees influencing many bands within heavy metal’s vast genre tree; even helping define what became known as groove metal later.
Cowboys From Hell has become one of Pantera’s signature songs and is revered by fans worldwide. Featuring a crushing Dimebag riff, hypnotically monolithic rhythm work from Paul and Brown, and Anselmo’s powerful anguished vocals; this epic track from their fifth and final album stands as proof that Pantera can transcend genre boundaries effortlessly.
Though the station features many new releases from current artists such as Machine Head, Cannibal Corpse, Fear Factory and Spiritbox – it would be good to see more emphasis on contemporary thrash and groove metal similar to SiriusXM’s Ozzy’s Boneyard which offers classic hard rock/metal music. A channel dedicated to contemporary thrash/groove would surely bring many listeners closer to this genre of metal music.
Slayer
Slayer are one of the longest-standing metal bands, best known for introducing thrash to mainstream audiences. Reign in Blood quickly climbed the Billboard charts to number 94 and created an army of hardcore fans; its title track featured Tom Araya’s bone-rattling scream as well as its relentless musical violence; its lyrics initially focused on Satan; however by 1990 they had expanded and included themes like war and serial killing; Hanneman had participated with his father’s service in World War II for the allied side; which greatly influenced his songwriting – such as with Holocaust reference such as “SS-3.”
Slayer was unique among bands of its time due to their uncompromising and audacious attitude. Ignoring parental advisory warnings, radio stations that wouldn’t play their songs and music nerds who hated their guitar playing was part of what drew fans both young and old alike to them – from those who grew up listening to them as kids themselves all the way down through generations! Their unapologetic behavior ensured their fan base spanned generations – including children born while Slayer were active!
Slayer was not known for being fashionable, but their music nonetheless resonated strongly with fans who felt part of a tribe; attending shows was cathartic and therapeutic for many people – especially 37 years later when listening to 2009’s World Painted Blood is still powerful and emotive.
Metallica
Metallica pioneered thrash metal during the ’80s through an amalgam of punk rock and raw heavy metal influences, but there’s more than meets the eye when listening to this station. You’ll hear all their influences as well as music by younger artists who continue their legacy today.
Liquid Metal’s most-played song is Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters,” but there are plenty of other great choices as well – “These Black Claws” by VOLA and Shamen for instance is an eclectic blend of prog rock with abstract hip-hop lyricism that makes for an excellent listen. Liquid Metal provides metal fans with an ideal platform to explore new artists and sounds while exploring familiar favorites as well.
Killswitch Engage, for example, enjoys airplay on both Octane and Liquid Metal stations; other bands however tend to fall between the cracks – too light for those interested in Cattle Decapitation or Cannibal Corpse but too heavy for those drawn towards Shinedown or Papa Roach. I would like to see this station place more focus on new releases from both veteran metal artists as well as up-and-coming young ones.
Lamb Of God
At the turn of the millennium, Richmond-based metal band Lamb of God immediately proved themselves an intimidating force. After several years of creating metallic hardcore chaos under their previous name – Burn the Priest (which led to misperceptions that they were part of a Satanic metal group), they dropped this part and adopted their current moniker of Lamb of God – an uncompromising and intense brand of heavy metal that makes no concessions to convention or compromise.
Randy Blythe’s unique vocal style distinguishes the band, effortlessly shifting between intense screams and melodic singing, creating an irreplaceable fanbase for them.
Blythe and co-guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler may differ on musical matters as well as personal beliefs; yet their shared devotion to songwriting unites them into creating Resolution, an album which honors past influences while forging ahead into an uncharted future.
Resolution features songs from their previous releases as well as covers. Many tracks were selected based on which artists or genres influenced each member of the band; Blythe cites Napalm Death guitarist Lee Dorian and bassist Kevin Sharp as being influential to him personally in terms of musical journey.
Gojira
Joe and Mario Duplantier of Gojira stand apart from other metal bands by weaving their personal interests into their music. Growing up on a serene commune near Paris called Ondres with sketch artist father and yoga teacher mother who were both sketch artists, the brothers enjoyed listening to world music, country songs and African percussion music but their home also housed an extensive collection of death metal records which would later influence them in later years.
Gojira’s seventh album, Fortitude, offers Gojira brothers’ urgent response to environmental crisis – particularly regarding Amazon fire which is burning acres and killing both wildlife and indigenous tribes in Latin America.
Joe Duplantier, known for his dexterous fingertip playing that allows him to subtly hide subtleties within the dense riffage, delivers powerful lyrics with urgent messages that resonate powerfully through each note of their thrash-metal soundscapes. Accompanied by bassist Christian Andreu and drummer Jean-Michel Labadie whose rhythmic prowess makes every bone-crushing note feel like direct hits; together they create an ensemble with effortless fluidity and mistake-free precision which distinguishes them from any other metal bands out there today.
Spiritbox
Spiritbox have seemingly appeared out of nowhere since 2017. The Canadian band found instant online popularity, revitalizing metal with two successful EPs and numerous singles released between 2017 and 2018. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, however, Spiritbox were forced to adjust their plans significantly and change course.
Spiritbox have accomplished more in their short career with Eternal Blue than most bands do in a lifetime. Their blend of progressive metal and metalcore has already proven groundbreaking; more graceful, aggressive, and vitality than most rivals in its genre.
Spiritbox are defined by Courtney LaPlante’s otherworldly vocals as one of their signature features. She effortlessly transitions between silky-lush to growling tones and her beautiful melodies have often been described as some of the most breathtaking in metal music. Their songs explore themes of love, self-discovery and overcoming hardship; including Christian themes due to the members’ religious upbringings – earning praise from prominent music outlets like Kerrang!. This unique sound has brought praise from some of the biggest names in music including Kerrang!.
Lorna Shore
Lorna Shore are an incredible force in extreme metal. Their bone-crushing riffage is unrivaled within their genre. Their latest record, Pain Remains, showcases all their potential as one of the most anticipated bands today.
The band’s fourth album stands as testament to their longevity and dedication as metal act, having survived multiple line-up changes over the years. Still, they remain committed to their music, showing steady progression since debuting their EP Triumph back in 2010.
Recent highlights for them have included playing at Lollapalooza this past summer and releasing critically-acclaimed albums, like their 2020 effort Immortal which debuted as number 6 album on Germany’s Liquid Metal charts and became their highest charting release to date – outpacing Megadeth and Lamb of God! Additionally, Immortal marks an exciting departure from their deathcore approach by including orchestral elements.