Today's episode is a narrated audio-drama version of the Xenomorph examination written piece, available at the link below:

https://innerstrengthcheck.com/2024/09/15/ep-27-dissecting-the-perfect-organism-an-examination-of-xenomorph-xx-121-part-1/

-

Prior to the narrated segment, we also have a Content Roadmap and Blog Update, detailing some of the many upcoming pieces and features ahead for the InnerStrengthCheck.com podcast/blog.

-

If you'd prefer to skip all that, refer to the timestamps below:

-

[0:00] Intro/Artist Spotlight

-

[2:48] Bog Monster - 'Succession'

-

[8:28] Acknowledgement/Welcome to Country

-

[9:42] InnerStrengthCheck - Blog Update + Content Roadmap

-

DISSECTING THE PERFECT ORGANISM:

[19:05] Series Introduction, Background, Lore/Fandom Discussion

-

[26:35] Disclaimers For Nerds: A Preamble On Lore + Caveats

-

[32:50] Intro

-

[35:12] Xenomorph XX-121 - Taxonomy and Classification

-

[38:48] Nomenclature - Unofficial/Origins

-

[41:30] Nomenclature - Scientific

-

PART 2: ORIGINS:

-

[43:58] Origins of The Species.

-

[46:15] Chemical Agent AO-3959X.91-15, AKA 'The Black Goo'

-

[49:15] Origin/Purpose of Agent AO

-

[51:02] Course of Infection with Chemical Agent and Medical Prognosis in Humans

-

[53:25] Dr. Sean Fifield of USCSS Prometheus - Case Study Zero

-

[1:00:07] Dr Rafe Milburn of USCSS Prometheus

-

[1:01:48] Infection Stage I: 'Vitiate'

-

[1:02:43] Infection Stage II: 'Ague/Febrile'

-

[1:03:49] Infection Stage III: 'Lusus/Freak'

-

[1:05:47] Final Infectious Stage - IV: 'Terminal'

-

[1:08:22] Outro/Conclusion

You’ll note a bit of a gap in the episode numbers, with most previous being #26 from July. We have multiple interim episodes currently being edited and rendered, however we here at InnerStrengthCheck.com just couldn’t wait for the opportunity to provide you with the narrated audio version of the MASSIVE two-part review of all-day heavy/alternative music festival Froth and Fury 2024!Check the website via the above link for the written version. Here, I expand on the blog articles with some additional context and commentary from what was an incredible marathon of a day. TIME-STAMPS:[0:00] Intro [2:44] Acknowledgements, Thanks and Background (Festival History, Info on Setup/Venue/Amenities/Merch etc)REVIEW - PART 1: [18:35] Part 1 Intro[19:12] Impetus[20:45] LOLA[21:10] Bifurcation[21:55] Ironclad Combat[22:05] Sundowner/Festival Intro (Mal)[22:31] Sundowner/Festival Intro (Brady)[27:48] Signals[29:21] Lumen Ad Mortem[31:41] FANGZ[32:42] Future Static[33:27] Pizza Death + Vendors/Beer Hall [37:33] Great American Ghost + Tattoos[39:35] Hands Like Houses[40:35] Wrestle Rampage/Ironclad[42:11] DharmaREVIEW - Part 2:[45:19] Intro [46:26] Thornhill [48:05] Day of Contempt[50:36] These New South Whales[52:10] Brand of Sacrifice[54:10] Psycroptic [58:16] Testeagles[59:53] Organectomy + General Thoughts on Crowd/Audience Today[1:03:54] Fear Factory[1:08:24] Thy Art Is Murder[1:09:35] Bodyjar[1:10:41] Northlane[1:11:48] Pestilence[1:13:48] Concluding Remarks + OutroPeace, Love, and Grindcore. xoLINKS:Froth and Fury Website: www.frothandfury.comISC Official Website: www.innerstrengthcheck.comCREDITS: HUGE thank-you once again to Jason, Cassi and Anita (aka Team Froth) as well as all respective staff, crew members and of course artists involved with Froth and Fury 2024. Intro Theme - Minus Life, ‘Distorted Reality’Used with permission, all rights reserved by the artist. www.minuslife.bandcamp.comEpisode Tracks/FX: Incompetech: www.incompetech.comPhat Phrog Studios:www.phatphrogstudios.comAnd some tracks/FX by myself.

(See below for tour dates, artist links and more for Diploid, as well as relevant information regarding today's featured artist Mortuary Sickness from Geelong, Victoria (AU)).

-

Known for their uncompromising blend of hardcore punk, noise, industrial, grindcore and post-metal, Diploid have carved out a niche in the underground scene with their cathartic soundscapes and thought-provoking lyrics which often have a personal yet universally relatable bent.

Recently returning from a triumphant European tour, Diploid have been their usual thang. That 'thang' being, of course, setting stages ablaze with their electrifying performances, captivating audiences with their dynamic stage presence and ferocious musical prowess!

Garnering critical acclaim for their latest studio efforts, the band is gearing up to unleash new EP 'Mantra' not too soon after the debut of the caustic single ' offering a tantalizing glimpse into their evolving sonic landscape.

Not content to rest on their laurels, Diploid is also preparing to drop a highly anticipated EP later this year, promising a visceral sonic journey that pushes the boundaries of heavy music. Fans can expect a bold exploration of themes ranging from personal introspection to societal commentary, all delivered with the band's trademark intensity.

Embarking on a blistering East Coast tour across Australia, they're set to ignite stages from Melbourne to Brisbane and everywhere in between.

This tour promises to be a must-see event for fans of experimental and cathartic music, showcasing Diploid's unwavering commitment to pushing the envelope and leaving audiences breathless.

-

Peace, Love, and Grindcore. xo

-

Artist Links:

Linktree (Bandcamp, Socials, Upcoming Tours Etc)

Facebook

Instagram

Bandcamp

(note - check out the Innerstrengthcheck.com website for full details of the upcoming Australian East Coast tour in support of Mantra, as well as multiple other fantastic bills. Congrats on the support slot with Full of Hell/Thou BTW guys!)

-

Mantra EP:

- Cassette (courtesy of Life.Lair.Regret Records)

- 'Denial Defensive' Interview/Track Premiere + Link To Vinyl Preorder (courtesy of DIY Conspiracy, and Dutch Label Rope or Guillotine respectively)

-

Credits - Featured Artist: Mortuary Sickness (Geelong, AU)

- Bandcamp + Album Link for Latest LP What Lies Beyond.

- Facebook

- Instagram

Want to feature a new single or upcoming release on the show? Be sure to let us know at innerstrengthcheckmedia@gmail.com.

We're always happy to provide promotional material, album/EP reviews and interviews. Don't be shy, we support the scene!

Link to Written Blog Post:

https://innerstrengthcheck.com/2024/03/29/episode-21-from-2023-to-2024-a-review-of-just-about-everything-pt-i/

Content Warning - This article contains discussions about sensitive topics including mental health/mental illness, disability and discourse around socioeconomic disadvantage.

Please be mindful in engaging with this as you read this article.

-

8 months in the making, and overcoming numerous personal and other barriers, I'm finally ready to release what is my most comprehensive podcast episode yet.

When I mention it as a review of 'everything', it can sound hyperbolic. And to an extent, it is.

This is a VERY important episode for me, as it's one where I firmly believe it is applicable and relatable to all of you. Every single one.

I get pretty animated during this episode, but it's only because I feel deeply compelled to speak truth to power, to vocalise things I feel we're all struggling with from our homes, to our online lives, and to the workplace and in the community, as humans trying to just. get. by.

In this episode, I discuss:

- Some candid and personal observations about what I feel is a massive elephant in the room only really being skirted around and avoided in social discourse, news media and everyday life re: the global readjustment from the shock of post-pandemic 'normality',

- Many of the large-scale and systemic barriers and challenges we collectively face, particularly with respect to Big Tech/social media, late-stage capitalism and the pandemic of burnout, the languishing and widespread strain on service delivery in almost every sector, etc.

- Definitions of burnout as an occupational and more generalised psychological phenomenon, widespread data from the WHO globally and multiple Australia-specific policy/research findings about how seriously impacted our workforce, labour pool, emerging students and workers is/are. As well, how these are more specifically affected by certain sectors, as well as the influence of age demographic, gender, etc.

-Impacts of the cost of living crisis,

- Recommendations given by specific governing and independent bodies about the state of mental health and social services in Australia as of 2023/2024 (and asking how/why these have gone largely unaddressed), etc.

There's a lot to unpack in this episode. A lot of sources, a lot of articles, a lot of statistics.

I've included visual depictions and infographics over at the written post if that helps your frame some of these numbers.

Overall, I believe my message is clear.

Let's stop putting our heads in the sand and playing happy families, now. Let's address core issues in our culture, our nation, global society, and let's do it soon.

Thankfully, the next long-form episode will be targeting specific ways we can and have done just that.

It's tough out there this year, I know. Take care of you, your loved ones and your community.

Peace, love and grindcore. xo

Another incredibly humbling opportunity to chat with a down-to-earth, passionate scene veteran! This time, I'm graced by the presence of Tony Foresta, vocalist for S-Tier modern crossover thrashers Municipal Waste, as well as many other projects. Together, we discuss said side projects and how he's settled back into MW as a primary vocal muse. We also cover moving and rehearsing interstate, thoughts on touring Down Under, and much much more! Link to Youtube (Video Version):

https://youtu.be/hAKxa0EORD0 Link to Innerstrengthcheck Blog Post - containing tour dates, support slot announcements for each run of the Aussie tour, links to tickets/singles and much more:

https://innerstrengthcheck.com/2024/05/30/ep-25-interview-with-tony-foresta-vocalist-of-municipal-waste/

CREDITS:

- Big thanks to John Howarth (a.k.a. The One-Man Army - Nuclear Blast AU/NZ and Sharptone Records) for providing the opportunity for this interview to occur. You're a legend, dude!

- Massive ups to Troubadour Presents for facilitating the upcoming Australian thrash devastation!

- Opening Theme: Courtesy of Minus Life (AUS). Check them out at minuslife.bandcamp.com.

It's my privilege to introduce the effervescent vocalist/guitarist Serena Cherry of burgeoning UK heavy heroes SVALBARD, ahead of their upcoming tours in Japan, Australia and beyond.

Serena and I talk all things related to the upcoming tour, the bands' recent successes on the international scene, lyrical influences, mental health and what she can expect from a super-eager Australian crowd! Destroy All Lines Presents: SVALBARD (UK) w/ special guests RUN Thursday 23.05 - Lynotts Lounge, PERTH Friday 24.05 - Crowbar, SYDNEY Saturday 25.05 - Soapbox, BRISBANE Sunday 26.05 - Howler, MELBOURNE FROM: https://daltours.cc/svalbard

A first-time for me for sure... not one, but two incredible musicians from a much-beloved band of mine in the same interview - stoner metal legends High On Fire!

Matt Pike (Vocals/Guitars) Coady Willis (Drums) and I discuss their recently-released 13th studio LP 'Cometh The Storm', out now via MNRK Records.

-

In the chat, we discuss Coady's arrival into the band, the songwriting and inter-band dynamics as a power-trio and of course both international touring (hint) and the process of recording their latest smasher of an LP. -

Iconic U.S. rock band, High on Fire, released its' new LP, Cometh the Storm, on April 19 via MNRK Heavy. The GRAMMY Award-winning group, celebrating its 25th anniversary, recorded 'Cometh the Storm' at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou.

The 11-song effort -- the band's ninth studio album -- marks the release of the first new High on Fire music since 2018's Electric Messiah.

Doom/death metal legends My Dying Bride are primed to unfurl their 15th album, 'A Mortal Binding' via Nuclear Blast on April 19th.

A very honourable privilege indeed!

Veteran guitarist and riff-writing factory Andrew Craighan and myself caught up over quite different timezones in order to discuss the songwriting process, influences, rehearsal and production process behind the bands' 15th LP.

In addition, our conversation also explores finding ongoing motivation and work/life balance, longevity, touring prospects and more.

LINKS:

Youtube Video Interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MQR-vku21g&t=268s

• Stay tuned for the full post at innerstrengthcheck.com, featuring the official promotional material, new singles, both audio and video versions of this interview in one handy location!

• You can find my podcast on all major streaming platforms.

• For social media links, simply search @innerstrengthcheck on - Facebook, Twitch, Instagram and Youtube.