Laughing Monkey with Shawn Ratches

Cloven Hoof have spent decades building a legacy as one of the enduring names in British heavy metal, earning a reputation for power, character, and a sound that has remained unmistakably their own. Across changing eras, the band have continued to carry forward the spirit that first defined them, combining classic metal force with a strong sense of identity. That history gives every new release added weight, and it is exactly that sense of legacy that makes this next chapter stand out.
The new album, Never a Prophet in Your Own Land, arrives as a statement of purpose — one that reflects both experience and ambition. The title alone suggests conflict, perseverance, and the challenge of standing firm in the face of doubt, all themes that fit naturally within the world Cloven Hoof have built over the years. It feels like an album shaped by conviction, carrying the strength of the band’s past while pushing forward with renewed intent.
For longtime listeners, this release represents more than just another record in the catalogue. It is a continuation of the band’s story, rooted in the traditions that helped establish their name while still finding room to expand and evolve. There is a sense of momentum around Never a Prophet in Your Own Land — the sound of a band drawing on its foundations without simply looking backwards.
In this episode, we look at the history behind Cloven Hoof, the road that led to Never a Prophet in Your Own Land, and what this album means within the broader arc of the band’s career. We also explore how this release connects past and present, and why it stands as an important moment for a band that continues to hold its place in heavy metal with authority and purpose.

In this episode, we talk about Forbidden, the new album that marks an important turning point for the band. Built on the history, sound, and identity that have defined the group over the years, Forbidden reflects both where the band has been and where it is headed next. It is a record shaped by growth, change, and a clear sense of purpose.
We also discuss the arrival of the band’s new singer and what that means for this next chapter. Their voice brings a new energy and dimension to the music while staying true to the foundation that longtime listeners will recognize. Forbidden represents that balance between legacy and evolution, holding on to the core of the band while opening the door to something new.
The episode also looks ahead to the new tour and what fans can expect from this era live. More than just a new release, Forbidden signals the beginning of a new phase for the band — one that connects its history to its future in a way that feels natural, ambitious, and ready for the stage.

Dan Lilker is a highly respected figure in heavy music whose career has stretched across thrash metal, hardcore, crossover, and grindcore. He first came to wider attention as a founding member of Anthrax and performed on the band’s 1984 debut album, Fistful of Metal. Although his time in Anthrax was brief, it placed him at the beginning of a major moment in American thrash and helped establish his place in metal history.
He went on to build an even deeper legacy through Nuclear Assault, the band most closely linked to his name, and through Stormtroopers of Death, whose aggressive and sarcastic style became hugely influential in crossover metal. Lilker later expanded into grindcore with Brutal Truth, showing how easily he could move between different extremes of heavy music. Across the years, he has also been involved with many other bands and side projects, which has made him one of the most recognizable and versatile musicians in the underground scene.
What makes Dan Lilker stand out is not just the number of bands he has played in, but how often he has been part of important chapters in metal’s evolution. From early thrash to crossover and grindcore, his bass playing, songwriting, and personality have left a real mark on the genre. Even after stepping back from regular road touring, he remains an important and respected presence whose influence continues to be felt across the metal world.

Max Cavalera is one of metal’s most influential figures, first rising to prominence as the co-founder, vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of Sepultura. Emerging from Brazil in the 1980s, Sepultura helped reshape extreme metal with landmark albums like Beneath the Remains, Arise, Chaos A.D., and Roots, blending thrash, groove, punk, and tribal influences into a sound that reached far beyond the underground. Cavalera’s fierce delivery, percussive guitar style, and instinct for reinvention made him a defining voice in heavy music.
After leaving Sepultura in the mid-1990s, Cavalera launched Soulfly, a band that gave him room to push even further into groove, nu metal, hardcore, and world-music textures. Over the years, Soulfly has become a long-running creative outlet and touring force, with Max continuously evolving the lineup and sound while staying rooted in aggression, rhythm, and identity. His career has also included projects like Nailbomb, Cavalera Conspiracy, Killer Be Killed, and Go Ahead and Die, reinforcing his reputation as an artist who never stops moving.
In this interview, Cavalera reflects on life on the road, the enduring mission of Soulfly, and the gear and tuning choices that helped shape his signature heaviness — from Drop D riffing to the raw power of 4-string guitars. He also opens up about the idea of revisiting older material, including the growing conversation around re-recording classic Sepultura-era albums. The result is a wide-ranging discussion with one of metal’s true lifers: honest, loud, and deeply connected to the music that built his legacy.

https://www.soulfly.com
https://www.cavaleraconspiracy.net

Possessed emerged from the Bay Area metal underground in the early 1980s and quickly became one of the defining bands in the first wave of death metal. After early demos and a growing local reputation, the band released Seven Churches in 1985, a record widely recognized for helping shape the sound and language of the genre. They followed it with Beyond the Gates in 1986 and The Eyes of Horror in 1987 before the original run came to an end that same year.

Jeff Becerra’s story is inseparable from that legacy. After the band’s breakup and the shooting that left him paralyzed in 1989, Possessed remained an influential name in extreme metal, even during long periods of inactivity. When Becerra brought the band back in the 2000s, it marked the beginning of a new chapter that eventually led to Revelations of Oblivion in 2019, the first full-length Possessed album in more than three decades.

This interview picks up from there, looking both backward and forward. It focuses on Becerra’s friendship with Chuck Schuldiner, a relationship he has described in direct and personal terms, and on the current state of Possessed as he continues writing material for a new album. Together, those subjects frame a conversation about history, memory, and the next phase of one of death metal’s foundational bands.