Episode Details

Welcome to the rock history class you actually want to take!

In this electrifying 52nd installment, Mike and Michael tackle one of the most intense, rewarding, and structurally mind-bending musical contrasts they've ever attempted on the show.

We jumpstart the episode with The Art of Discovery, highlighting three groundbreaking independent acts carving out brilliant spaces in the underground scene:

- Nantes, France's emotional, cinematic post-rock outfit We Left In June

-The mythical, atmosphere-drenched melodic black metal force Eveale hailing from the depths of The Woodland Realm

- The crushing, introspective nu-gaze soundscapes of Kansas City, MO’s very own Endrid.

From there, we brace ourselves for our main feature: an extensive, track-by-track dissection of Protest The Hero’s 2008 progressive metal masterpiece, "Fortress.” Together, we analyze the absolute controlled chaos of this record, breaking down how the dizzying, high-speed mathematical precision of guitarists Luke Hoskin and Tim Millar is anchored flawlessly by the not so secret sauce rhythm section of drummer Moe Carlson and funk-influenced bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi.

Finally, we pivot to Michael’s Journey to explore the legendary grit of Pat Benatar's 1979 hard rock classic, "Heartbreaker." We dive into the song’s origins as the heavy, driving blueprint that defined Benatar's career and celebrate guitarist Neil Giraldo's fiery, career-launching solo.

(00:00:00) - Intro/What Have You Been Listening to this Week?

(00:15:02) - The Art of Discovery

(00:15:29) - We Left In June "Spirals"

(00:22:54) - Eveale "The Final Quest"

(00:28:28) - Endrid "Corruptor"

(00:34:41) - Main Topic: Breaking Down Protest The Hero's 2008 release, "Fortress"

(01:20:40) - Question for the Audience

(01:20:51) - Can't Wait

(01:22:16) - Michael's Journey: Discussing Pat Benatar's "Heartbreaker"

(01:28:24) - On the Next Episode

(01:28:35) - Contact Info/Outro THE ART OF DISCOVERY:

· We Left In June – “Spirals” (from the EP: “Hidden Place”)

· Eveale – “The Final Quest” (from the album: “Enter the Woodland Realm”)

· Endrid – “Corruptor” (from the EP: “Corruptor”)

OTHER BAND MENTIONS:

· DevilDriver, If These Trees Could Talk, Eva Under Fire, God Is An Astronaut, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Nova Twins, Spiritbox, Evanescence, Loathe, Haken, Nonpoint, Cartoon Theory

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Recorded on 07/12/2026