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Queens of the Stone Age’s new album Perfecth gets the Mandatory Music treatment. Mike, a lifelong fan, gives it 4.5/5. Seb, a casual listener, gives it 3/5. We cover the kintsugi theme, Josh Homme’s “peace and acceptance” phase, his open tunings, and standout tracks like “Mono”, “Sunday” and “Phantom Limb”. Our combined score is 3.7/5.

Mandatory Music is proudly hosted and produced by Michael Heide and Sebastian Kwapich

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Tony Iommi’s new solo album From the Dark on The Black Sabbath guitarist is 78 and still writing riffs that sound like they came from someone half his age. They talk about how singer Jørn Lande got the gig and why his voice has that Dio feel, whether this is “grandpa metal,” and why the album fits better alongside Heaven and Hell than the Ozzy era. They also cover Brian May’s guest solo, the tight eight-track format, standout songs (Return of the Arbalest, Over the Violent Sun, Stormwatcher and the seven-minute closer Legacy), and why a producer getting writing credits across the album strikes them as odd. Then they rate it out of 5.

Also in this episode: Floor Jansen’s departure from Nightwish, Iron Maiden’s tour stops next year, and a surprisingly spirited defence of Blaze Bayley-era Maiden.

Next week: our Queens of the Stone Age review.

Contact us: mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com

Mandatory Music is proudly hosted and produced by Michael Heide and Sebastian Kwapich

Contact Mandatory Music:
email us at mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com
find us on Facebook search mandatory music
Instagram: mandatory_music1
Twitter(X) @mandatory_music

Thanks for listening and keep on rocking

We would love to hear from you!! Send us a text

Mike and Sebastian finally dig into Greta Van Fleet on Mandatory Music, Episode 102, with a deep dive into “Saw You Stand” from the new album Palace for the People (out October 9).

Sebastian argues it’s the best Greta Van Fleet song to date, and Mike, who’s never been a big fan, admits he’s coming around. They talk about why the singer’s usual “look at me, I can sing” performance gives way here to a vocal that feels lived in, how the melody and piano keep the song from ever feeling flashy, and the reverb-soaked guitar solo with its deliberate string-rake imperfections that recall Jimmy Page. They also cover the opening line borrowed from a Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic (with proper credit), what the lyrics might really be about, and what separates a band doing a ballad from a ballad singer, with Nothing Else Matters as the example.

Plus: Led Zeppelin comparisons, upcoming releases (Queens of the Stone Age, Nickelback, and Down’s new song “The Myth”), and the great floss-versus-dab debate.

Tell us what you think of the song: mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com

Next episode: October 28.

Mandatory Music is proudly hosted and produced by Michael Heide and Sebastian Kwapich

Contact Mandatory Music:
email us at mandatorymusicshow@gmail.com
find us on Facebook search mandatory music
Instagram: mandatory_music1
Twitter(X) @mandatory_music

Thanks for listening and keep on rocking