#320: Midnight Mastermind Athenar

Midnight mastermind Athenar is our guest this week. We discuss the band's new album, Rebirth by Blasphemy, and how it fits into Midnight's history starting with the band's early seven-inches, as well as the difficulty of writing lyrics in the bizarre realm of metal, if he would ever create a record with other musicians or if he always plans to maintain full creative control, and the importance of the visual aspect behind Midnight. Athenar also tells us a bit about his personal life, explaining how a Cleveland native became a fan of his hometowns rival Pittsburgh Steelers, the charm of Cleveland's negative attitude, his lifelong passion for record collecting, the possibility of a four-year-old being a tour manager for Midnight, what instruments he learned to play as a child himself, and the joy that comes with temporarily losing his cell phone. Petar, Brandon and Jozalyn discuss the passing of legendary Rush drummer Neil Peart, the legacy of what he did for drummers everywhere, and the art that Rush left behind for the world. We also mourn the passing of Black Breath’s Elijah Nelson, and we talk about Lorna Shore's decision to release their album with the vocals of fired and disgraced frontman CJ McCreery. Songs: Rush - “Ceiling Unlimited," Midnight - “Fucking Speed and Darkness” and “Rising Scum” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices