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Classic Metal Show

Since 1996, THE CLASSIC METAL SHOW has been the ultimate destination for honest, no-holds-barred talk about hard rock, heavy metal, and everything in between.

This isn’t just another channel. It’s an uncensored community.

On our paid tier, you get commercial-free access to all of our daily episodes, plus bonus content, behind-the-scenes insights, and the opportunity to interact with us directly.

If you’re tired of corporate music media and you want the truth from two guys who have been doing this for over two decades, this is your new home.

Disclaimer: If you can’t handle opinions that aren’t your own, you’re in the wrong place. We’re not here to make friends. We’re here to talk metal. Deal with it, crybabies!

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Latest Episodes:

Something About This "Whitesnake" Tour Feels Off... Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

Adrian Vandenberg just announced a massive new tour, but something about the branding has a lot of rock fans feeling incredibly conflicted. Are we witnessing the final evolution of legacy rock bands, or is this just a blatant cash grab masking itself as a tribute? Meanwhile, a new Bon Jovi project is raising serious questions about the future of stadium rock hits.

If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Torn Open: The Underground Finally Got Dangerous Again Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

Everybody says they want REAL heavy music back…

Until a band actually brings danger, confrontation, politics, chaos, and zero filter back into the scene.

GREAT PRICE ON TORN OPEN’S TORN THE FUCK OPEN, VOLUME 2: https://amzn.to/4wpj8uP

Torn Open isn’t trying to be safe. That’s exactly why people are paying attention.

And once Sophia DeMasi started talking about politics in metal, misogyny in the scene, underground culture, social media manipulation, and refusing to “fail” in the music business…

This stopped being just another deathcore interview.

ON THIS EPISODE:- Torn Open positioning themselves AGAINST sanitized modern metal- Why “deathcore revival” bands are mostly clones- Sophia refusing to play the “female vocalist gimmick”- The underground metal scene becoming image-driven instead of dangerous- Why politics absolutely belong in heavy music- The industry rewarding safe controversy instead of real risk- Touring chaos, marijuana stories, underground grind- Social media becoming more important than radio- The tension between authenticity and “sellout” culture

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Fans Really Aren’t Agreeing On This AI Ozzy Situation Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Osbourne just revealed plans for a permanent AI Ozzy avatar experience, and the rock world is completely divided. Is this preserving a legacy, or are we officially witnessing the death of human rock history for a perpetual corporate paycheck?

If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

Neeley and Chris break down why this digital ghost trend might completely backfire on legacy bands, how easily these high-tech avatars are actually made behind the scenes, and whether rock and roll can even survive when the legends aren't allowed to naturally end.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Crown Lands Just Changed Modern Prog Rock? Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Most bands are chasing shorter songs. Crown Lands went the opposite direction. And somehow it works.

If you’re watching this here, you’re already behind. The full episode, exclusive 3rd segment, and early interviews are on Locals:

https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

WATCH CROWN LANDS “BLACKSTAR” HERE:

Cody Bowles breaks down why Crown Lands refuses to write for short attention spans, how Apocalypse was built, and why progressive rock still matters in 2026.

GREAT PRICE HERE ON CROWN LANDS’ APOCALYPSE ON VINYL: https://amzn.to/3R9xCP7

This conversation digs deep into songwriting, long-form music, touring realities, vocal evolution, and the challenge of building something ambitious in today’s music industry.

The deeper you go into this album, the more you realize Crown Lands isn’t trying to fit into trends — they’re building worlds.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Realizing Your Childhood Music is Ancient Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Chris Akin is completely amped up, angry, and ready to pull a pillow over his head after a brutal Saturday shift. But instead of a standard corporate rant, this episode takes a wild turn into bizarre family restaurant horror stories, Members Only jackets, and the hidden meaning behind 70s radio hits. Why do we look back at the music of our youth as ancient history when it’s actually half a century old?

If you’re watching this here, you’re already late.

The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

CMS LIVE 5/23/26 (FULL SHOW): Something About This Feels Off Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Sharon Osbourne’s new AI Ozzy project has fans completely split, while new tour announcements from legacy rock artists are raising serious questions about cash grabs. Plus, we look at a career-destroying school board scandal and a viral restaurant brawl that shows public decorum might be completely dead. Something about this entire situation feels off.

If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

INSIDE Devin Townsend’s Creative Evolution May 31, 2026

Show notes

One of the most creative minds in music is back—and somehow still evolving. This isn’t a repeat. This is growth in real time. And most people won’t fully catch it on the first listen.

If you’re watching this here, you’re already behind. The full episode, exclusive 3rd segment, and early interviews are on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

GET DEVIN TOWNSEND’S THE MOTH ON VINYL HERE: https://amzn.to/4w1iF1C

In this conversation, Chris Akin sits down with Devin Townsend to dive deep into The Moth—a project built on creativity, reflection, and personal growth.

Townsend explains how his creative process hasn’t changed—only the depth behind it has.

“I find something that is compelling… and that’s the only impetus to write.”

From exploring emotion to embracing new ideas, this is an artist still fully engaged with the craft after decades.

But here’s what most viewers won’t realize…

This is only part of the conversation.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Something About This New Dokken Spin-Off Feels Incredibly Off! 2012 May 30, 2026

Show notes

The classic era of 80s rock is fading, but what happens when the musicians themselves start tearing down their own legacy? We stumbled onto an unannounced, under-the-radar Dokken spin-off project featuring George Lynch, Jeff Pilson, and Mick Brown, and the results are... well, you just have to hear it to believe it. From helium vocals to sloppy guitar work, this might be the strangest rock release of the year.

If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

Is this a cool tribute to a classic catalog, or is it a cheap, unproduced cash-in that should have stayed in the vault? We break down the tracks featuring Sebastian Bach, Tim “The Ripper” Owens, and Robert Mason, and point out exactly where things went completely off the rails. Let us know in the comments if you think this damages the band’s history.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Fans Really Aren’t Agreeing On This 2012! May 30, 2026

Show notes

Something about the way rock media used to operate just hits differently, but not everybody agrees on what that actually means for the scene today. A look back at how “metal experts” used to handle regional festivals has left a lot of fans completely split.

Some people are calling it the funniest, most authentic representation of raw rock radio culture out there, while others are wondering how this even made it to air.

Let’s not pretend the industry is the same as it used to be. Today, everything is sanitized, corporate-approved, and deeply self-serious. But when you look back at how things used to be handled behind the mic, it raises a lot of questions about where the dangerous edge of rock media actually went—or if it was just a chaotic mess all along.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

Jon Levin Just Dropped A Dokken Bombshell 2012! May 30, 2026

Show notes

Is the end of Dokken actually here, or is something else going on behind the scenes? Dokken guitarist Jon Levin joins the show to break down the creation of ‘Broken Bones’, his evolving relationship with Don Dokken, and a shocking legal letter from Michael Schenker’s team that changes everything. Fans are already arguing over whether this is the band’s finest hour or a signs of a permanent shutdown.

If you’re watching this here, you’re already late. The full episode, exclusive third segment, and early interviews are already on Locals: https://classicmetalshow.locals.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cmspn.substack.com/subscribe

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