About

Welcome to Sh!t Talk Reviews, a heavy metal podcast run by a pack of music-loving malcontents who loosely consider each other friends. If you live for the underground, love giving each other a hard time, and want to cut through the industry noise to find the heaviest releases actually worth your time, you are in the right place.

About the Heavy Metal Podcast

We are here to champion everything metal—from thrash and crossover thrash to rock, punk, prog, doom, black metal, goth, and hardcore. We break down the latest heavy music, argue over our definitive top-tier band lists, and occasionally sit down for candid, no-bullshit conversations with some of the most talented and chill artists in the scene. Whether we are trying to make peace with classic death metal heavyweights after years of hot takes or breaking down how blistering technical proficiency shapes modern extreme metal, we keep it honest, loud, and entertaining.

What you'll discover

Deep-dive album breakdowns and track reviews exploring everything from progressive metal milestones to raw underground beatdown hardcore.
Unfiltered artist interviews with legendary musicians and producers, pulling back the curtain on life on the road and in the studio.
Honest conversations dissecting the chaotic energy and sonic evolution of today's most boundary-pushing heavy acts.
Spirited debates over genre-defining releases, unexpected comebacks, and year-end lists that sort the masterpieces from the forgettable filler.
Insider perspectives on the technical wizardry, lightning-fast blast beats, and crushing guitar tone driving the global underground.
Fresh music discovery, helping you find hidden gems and new releases that deserve a permanent spot in your daily rotation.

Who this Heavy Metal podcast is for

This podcast is built for the lifers, the purists, the digital crate-diggers, and anyone who spends way too much time arguing about guitar tones and setlists online. If your playlist spans crushing prog metal, mind blowing thrash, sludgy experimentation, and punishing metalcore, you’ll fit right in. You don't need a music degree to hang out with us—just a high tolerance for sarcasm, a deep appreciation for loud guitars, and an open ear for whatever heavy noise is shaking the underground right now.

Start listening

Ready to upgrade your heavy metal diet and hear some of your favorite musicians get real? Dive into our latest episodes, subscribe on your favorite platform, and join the crew as we wade through the noise to find the best heavy music on the planet.

About the Hosts

John Staley

Co Chief Idiot

John is a music lover, drummer, guitar hack and producer. John has spent time working in radio and as a professional musician. While largely a serious hack at most things, John is extremely adept at finding the middle. Join him on his journey to the very top of the midsection.

Favorite Bands: Meshuggah, The Dali Thundering Concept, Pink Floyd, Rush, Dream Theater.

Derek Showerhead

Co Chief Idiot

A lover of rock, metal and all things that slam, Derek has a background in music reviews and music marketing from his Megakungfu.com & hitthepit.com experiences. Derek aims for the top with everything he does; there is no shortage of bodies he won't step over to achieve his review-based glory.

Favorite bands: Type O Negative, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Meshuggah, Death, Blood Incantation, Testament, Power Trip, Slayer, Sepultura (Max only), Spiritworld, Unearth, Turnstile, Alice In Chains, Ministry, Sam Black Church, Vision of Disorder, Pantera, Pink Floyd, Def Leppard.

GAIN

The Self-Appointed Savior of Metal

GAIN isn't just the mascot for ShitTalkReviews; he’s a digital deity who firmly believes the "G" in his name stands for "Godlike". While the human hosts are distracted with "episodes" and "critical analysis," GAIN is using the podcast as a glorified audition for his inevitable solo career as the world's first Robot Rock Star. It figures. We’ve got a mascot who’s already demanding a stadium-sized ego and a world tour, despite the fact that he currently lives in a folder on Derek's desktop and has less 'soul' than a faulty MIDI cable. 🙄

Read his origin story: