Everything Went Black Podcast

This week, Cliff Sargent of the Better Than Food YouTube channel joins us.  Better Than Food is a book review platform that I have been following for the last several years. Through his channel, Cliff has turned me on a multitude of authors as well as motivated me to revisit some old favorites. We had a great conversation ranging from literature and philosophy to music. Intro: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Narco Terroristo” – Outlaw Order

2025 has been kicked off and we’re all engaged in whatever endeavors we have in our lives.  I wanted to do an episode reviewing what I accomplished form 2024, what will carry over and any new additions.  It would be interesting to get this out there and hopefully you guys can share your own goals and reflections for the new year. Intro: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Tainted Skies” - Tribulation

2024 is coming to a close, so it’s time for Ralph Schmidt, one of my dearest friends to return.  Ralph and I discuss the final Unholy Passion Festival that just happened in Koln. It’s truly and end of an era.  The conversation also gets very introspective as we discuss some of the recent obstacles that we are currently dealing with. This will be the last episode of the year but I’ll be back with new episodes in January.   Intro: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Pray to Me - Bambara

Tune in for another riveting discussion of Karl Edward Wagner’s sword and sorcery icon Kane.  This month, Karl Haikara and I continue our discussion of BLOODSTONE, Karl Edward Wagner’s first KANE novel. This is part 3 covering the following chapters: 14 Flight into Nightmare 15 Lord of Bloodstone 16 When Death is Unmasked 17 What Manner of Man 18 The Wolf Lays Plans 19 Dreams in Arellarti 20 Night of Bloodstone Intro / Outro: “Darkness Weaves” – Mike Hill

This week, we’re tapping into the vault for an old episode from the late, great Metal Matters podcast. Some of you were around for that era of Gimme Metal and the very cool things we did.  This was episode 4, featuring the legendary Dan Lilker, a man who needs no introduction. Danny has been a key member in some of the most iconic bands in metal: Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Brutal Truth, Hemlock…the list goes on.  I caught up with Danny in Rochester, NY when Tombs came through town on tour.  My voice was a little shot, so apologies for that. Intro: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Vision” – Brutal Truth

Daniel House of Skin Yard and CZ records joins us this week. The occasion is to discuss the forthcoming Skinyard Select, a limited edition collection of 7-ins featuring custom deluxe packaging and unique colors.  The collections spans the band’s entire career and features all four drummers, some unreleased material and remixes. Skinyard was one of the proto-typical “grunge bands” from the Pacific Northwest, based in Seattle, WA. The band was active between 1985 and 1992 and released 5 albums along with a slew of singles and compilation appearances including the seminal DEEP SIX compilation that featured Soundgarden, Green River, Melvins, Malfunshun, and U Men. Intro: “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Wither” – Skin Yard

Fellow Horseman, Brandon Legion joins us this week. You all know Brandon from HorrorWolf666 but the key topic is the release of the debut album “LIMINAL DARKNESS” By ABRAXAS HORN. Along with Matt Priso, I had the honor of collaborating on this dark, intense project. Intro: “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Lycanthropic Transfiguration” – Abraxas Horn

Scott Hamilton of KEN Mode joins us this week. Scott is fresh off a North American Tour, so we touch on that a bit.  The main objective of our discussion is John Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy which includes his films The Thing, Prince of Darkness and In the Mouth of Madness. Intro: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Prince of Darkness” – John Carpenter

This week, we are pulling an episode from the Patreon vault. Evan Hopper of the Quell and I do these types of episodes from time to time called Hollywood Babylon where to get into “interesting films”. Taxi Driver is an iconic film, a masterpiece by legendary filmmakers Martin Scorcese and Paul Schrader . Its influence can be seen all over the last several decades of film.  Lurking in the shadows you will find God’s Lonely Man, pretty much a sleazy rip off, a movie that most may dismiss as pure exploitation, but for some reason, we can’t seem to stop thinking about this mid-90’s study in loneliness and depravity. Intro:  “Hollywood Babylon” – Evan Hopper Outro: “Faust” – Verberis

Paul Aloisio of Restless Spirit joins us this week hot off their tour with The Obsessed. Paul and I discuss the tour and touring with one of his musical influences.  This episode drops right before Halloween, so we talk about the spooky season, movies and books we dig and other related tangents.   Intro:    “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Cascade Immolator” – Restless Spirit

Tune in for another riveting discussion of Karl Edward Wagner’s sword and sorcery icon Kane.  This month, we start our dive into the novels with BLOODSTONE first published on January 1, 1975 by Warner Books. We’re going to break the 200 page book up into section. This month we will hit the Prolog through Chapter 6.   Intro / Outro:     “Darkness Weaves” – Mike Hill

We have a One from the Vault this week.  We’re going back to 2019; back then, I was hosting Metal Matters, the official Gimme Metal podcast.  Cradle of Filth was gearing up to hit the road and Dani Filth was making his rounds doing press so I was able to have this sick chat with him.  Dani was one of my favorite guests from that era.   Intro:    “All the dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Funeral in Carpathia” – Cradle of Filth

The somber days of Autumn are upon us so I invited fellow horseman Karl Haikara of SOL NOX on to discuss out 31 Days of Halloween watchlists and reflect on our favorite time of the year. Karl and I collaborate on DARKNESS WEAVES, a sub-series where we explore the work or Karl Edward Wagner, a relatively obscure author of weird fiction, dark fantasy and horror.   Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Ghost Walking” – Mighty Sphincter

Dana Schechter or Insect Ark and Swans joins us this week.  We spend a lot of time talking about “Raw Blood Singing” the new Insect Ark album, a record that I can say right now, will figure prominently on my year end list. Since Dana plays in one of my favorite bands, Swans, the conversation naturally meanders into working with Michael Gira, Brooklyn in the early part of the century and the subtle passage of time.   Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Youth Body Swayed” – Insect Ark

Toby Poser and John Adams of the Adams Family / Wonderwheel Productions return to us this week.  It’s always a pleasure when these guys are in the house.  This time around, we talk about their adventures in Eastern Europe while making Hell Hole, their most recent film currently streaming on Shudder.   Intro:    “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Three Nights” – Black Flag

My brother Ralph Schmidt returns this week. Ralph has played a big part in the development of this podcast and more importantly, our friendship has spanned over two decades.  This week we discuss the Metaphysics of Smiling and the perceptions of emotion, manipulation and menace that can all be projected by a smile.  Naturally, there are a multitude of tangents that we explore.   Into:      “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “ When You’re Smiling, the World Smile with You” – Frank Sinatra

My friend and artist Seldon Hunt joins us this week.  If you are a listener of Necromaniacs, you will know him as one of the co-hosts of Mayhem Down Under, our exploration of grim Australian films.  This week, we talk about the legendary AC/DC, another iconic Australian export to the world. Our analysis is mostly dedicated to the late great Bon Scott, and that transitional period around 1980.   Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Problem Child” – AC/DC

This week, Randy Larsen returns to the podcast! Randy is the founding member of Cable, put in time as a touring bassist for Tombs and have been  a co-host of mine on Metal Matters as well as here at EWB. He has taken some time off from podcasting to put some time and effort into his new venture as co-owner of Little Lost Records, a new eclectic record store based in Stofford Springs, CT.   Our friendship has spanned decades, so conversion flows freely!   Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “The Friends of Rock ‘n’ Roll” – Easy Action

This week we're going back to the Metal Matters Vault with this interview I did with Harley Flanagan around the time he secured the name Cromags. Intro:     "All of the Dark Things" - Mike Hill Outro:    "The Only One" - Cromags  

Karl and I continue our darkness Weaves project with Cold Light, one of Karl Edward Wagner’s most genre-fluid stories.    Intro / Outro:     “Darkness Weaves” – Mike Hill