As you know we have a small but passionate team of writers and without them we would not be who we are! So I thought it would be great to get the team to answer some questions so you can get to know them better!

Where are you from, and what do you do for the site?
I’m 26 and from southwest Ohio in the United States, and I contribute reviews and occasional special features to the site.

How did you get into heavy metal?
Both parents were into it, so I’ve always been entrenched into the music and culture. I started out with stuff like Slipknot and Mudvayne, and expanded my tastes from there. I never got super into the deathcore and metalcore stuff that was huge when I was in high school, and stayed pretty close to older stuff like Maiden and Crue.

Who was your idol/idols growing up?
Definitely my dad. He raised me on his own as a disabled parent, pretty cool guy. Then the musicians that I looked up to for various reasons like Ozzy, Lemmy, Halford, and Dickinson. After that, it’s a lot of fictional characters like Optimus Prime, Captain America, Superman, and so on.

What is your favorite traditional metal band of all time?
If we’re talking modern trad metal, it’s probably Haunt or Antioch. If we’re talking just trad metal in general, probably Manilla Road or Cirith Ungol.

What heavy metal bands are on your playlist right now?
My playlist is massive, but as I write this, I’m listening to Running Wild’s 1987 record “Under Jolly Roger”.

What music do you listen to when you’re not blasting metal?
I’m pretty much into most varieties of rock music, with a few dips into classical, old-school rap/hip-hop, and outlaw country, but not enough to say I’m a fan of those genres. Also a pretty big fan of film scores like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. My music can go from Bal-Sagoth to Bob Seger, to the Robocop soundtrack, and then to 45 Grave and finally Iron Maiden. Basically, if it rocks, then I’m probably into it (hate any music described as ‘brutal’ though, just don’t get it).

What are the bands to watch out for in 2025/2026?
I think Antagonizör is going to get huge in coming years. In fact, I think that style of politically motivated metal/punk could blow up soon. Punk has needed to go back to its roots for about twenty years now anyways.

What is the best festival or gig you have been to?
I don’t get out much, so I’ve only been to less than 10 concerts in my entire life. Last years King Diamond, with Overkill and Night Demon, was a good one for sure. It’s hard to choose against my first concert of Arch Enemy and Kreator, with Huntress and Starkill.

Fun fact about yourself?
I was the first kid in my class to wear a band tee to school, and I got in trouble for it.

Favourite movie and why?
One of my fondest memories is staying up all night and watching the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS with my dad. Lord of the Rings also holds a special place in my heart, as does the 2005 King Kong film. I’m very into horror, and old-school sci-fi/fantasy. Let me rattle a few off: Sunshine (2007), Event Horizon, 28 Days Later, The Descent, Krull, Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Never-Ending Story, and The Last Starfighter.

Digital, CD, cassette, or vinyl?
CD for me. Though I profess that vinyl has superior sound quality, CD gets the edge for me based on portability and affordability. I’m a huge proponent of physical media preservation, and I have a bit of a library in my possession. Something around 250 video games, 800 DVDs, and over 2100 CDs. I don’t wanna be bored after the world ends, you know?

Do you have an experience you can share of meeting a band?
No, I am far too nervous and anxious to meet a band. I’d feel like I was bothering them for sure. There was a local band in my scene about a decade ago called Avanti. My brother and I attended their first show, and headbanged to their stuff the whole set. We were just having fun, but it affected the band greatly. To this day, they still remember us by name. Always check out your local shows, folks! Horns up!

Gages’s bio page: https://thenwothm.com/gage-t-writer-contributor/

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