Look, the world doesn’t need another "corporate music review" site chasing clicks and begging for advertising dollars. That’s not us. We’ve both got real-world careers that pay the bills, so ShitTalkReviews exists for one reason and one reason only: we are obsessed with this beautifully crushing music.
It’s been that way since we were wee youths, first hearing the haunting, heavy riffs of Black Sabbath and realizing there was no turning back from the dark side. That spark never left, and we’ve spent our lives enamored with the genre.
It's me, Derek, and my co-host John, along with our resident mascot, Gain the Skeleton. We don’t just "review" albums; we get into the guts of them. We don't just interview bands, we include you in what to ask them. We get the heart of what make the killer art! Above all else, we are unapologetically pro-artist and pro-musicianship. We have a deep-seated respect for the craft—the hours in the practice space, the sacrifice of the road (and being away from family), and the technical mastery it takes to create something that stands the test of time.
We’re here to champion the entire spectrum of the global scene. We give the same level of respect and critical depth to the legendary metal bands (Metallica, Black Sabbath, Slayer) that built this foundation as we do to the small labels and independent acts putting out basement demos.
Whether it’s thrash, death metal, hardcore, doom, or prog, we bring the dual energy of die-hard fans and the critical eye of guys who have spent decades immersed in this noise. We aren't here for "the industry;" we’re here to talk about the music that shaped us and the artists who keep it alive. It’s as simple as that.
