In this episode, the trio is joined by special guest Riley Hambrick to discuss the birth of metal music.  Trent says, "Metal, from the beginning, is concerned with matters of the soul. There's substance to it that's just not present in rock music."  The group discusses where rock and metal diverge, metal's classical influence, and the defining attributes of metal across its many subgenres. "Heaviness is the aggregate of all of those characteristics," according to Scott.  It's not an easy sound to produce. If you admire heavy metal, you know the level of musicianship is really high.  But what about it has attracted such a tribal group of metalheads? Trent says, “It’s exploring the ugly which is a part of the human experience. Because of that, it’s able to bring that catharsis because we’re going dark, deep, and ugly so that when we do resolve and get beautiful with the music, it’s much more powerful." Karl later adds, “If you only cultivate one side of your personality, you’re leaving a lot of your soul untouched.” Tune in for more music and ideas, brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.