Signals From Mars Podcast

In episode 450 of Signals From Mars, Victor sits down with John Corabi for a conversation that covers far more than just the usual career retrospective. This is a thoughtful, honest, and wide-ranging discussion with one of hard rock’s most distinctive voices.

John opens up about work ethic, longevity, writing music on his own terms, and the mindset that has kept him moving through every phase of his career. The discussion also touch...

Victor is joined by Jeremy Weltman and Ed Ferguson to break down a wide range of hard rock and heavy metal releases from February 2026, with the goal of keeping new music in the conversation and helping listeners discover albums that deserve more attention. This episode mixes monthly album-review staples with broader discussion about style, songwriting, production, and why supporting new rock and metal still matters.

Among the recor...

In Episode 448 of Signals From Mars, Victor M. Ruiz sits down with Mark Strigl for a conversation centered on some of the biggest talking points in hard rock and metal right now.

Without giving the interview away, this episode digs into the kind of topics that always spark strong opinions among fans: the idea of Metallica playing the Sphere, Iron Maiden’s 50th anniversary and Eddfest, what it means if rock is once again gaining mome...

Guitarist Philip Shouse joins Signals From Mars to discuss his first solo EP, Side 1 and the journey that led him to finally release music under his own name.

Known for performing alongside artists such as Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, John Corabi, Accept, and the Rock N Roll Residency, Philip has spent years on stages around the world. With Side 1, he steps into the spotlight as a solo artist and shares the songs that represent his pe...

This episode is a fan-voted countdown of hard rock and heavy metal albums released in 1980.

All rankings are based on listener submissions and calculated using the same points system used in previous Signals From Mars countdown episodes.

This episode focuses purely on how the audience voted, highlighting consensus picks, surprise placements, and albums that narrowly missed the cut.

What We’re Covering

Listener-submitted Top 10 albums f...

In Episode 445, Victor sits down with Alex Skolnick for a wide-ranging conversation that digs into creativity, collaboration, and the mindset of a player who never stops evolving. From the unique chemistry behind Metal Allegiance to reflections on live performance, artistic curiosity beyond metal, and moments that defined a legendary career, this episode balances deep guitar talk with thoughtful storytelling. We talk Metal Allegian...

In Episode 444 of Signals From Mars, I’m joined by Ben and Nuno from A Wilhelm Scream for a wide-ranging conversation that dives into the mindset behind their latest album Cheap Heat, the band’s creative process, and the many layers that make up their sound and identity.

Rather than sticking to surface-level promo talk, this interview explores how the band thinks about album construction, influence, environment, collaboration, and l...

In Signals From Mars – Episode 443, I’m joined by Kat Keo of Hoaxed to talk about the band’s latest album, Death Knocks, and the evolution of their sound and lineup.

We get into the sonic jump you’ll hear on this record, the creative process behind bringing April Dimmick into the fold, how that changed what the band can do musically, and how Death Knocks came together after Two Shadows. We also dig into genre labels (hard rock / hea...

Signals From Mars – Episode 442

January 2026 Albums Review

Episode 442 kicks off the 2026 album review season.

Victor is joined by Jeremy (UK) and Ed (Kentucky) to discuss selected hard rock and heavy metal releases from January 2026. The month starts slow following the holidays, but quickly builds momentum with several notable releases across thrash, sludge, symphonic metal, traditional heavy metal, and underground death metal.

Rather...

In Episode 441 of Signals From Mars, we’re joined by Seattle heavy metal band Greyhawk to discuss their third full-length album, Warriors Of Greyhawk. Since emerging in 2018, Greyhawk has established themselves as one of the most consistently productive and road-tested bands in modern traditional heavy metal, releasing multiple EPs and full-length albums while refining their sound with each release.

This conversation focuses on proc...

Signals From Mars – Episode 440

On Episode 440 of Signals From Mars, Victor is joined by Bones and Rhea of UK heavy metal band Tailgunner to talk about their new album Midnight Blitz and the road that led them there.

The conversation explores the band’s collaboration with legendary guitarist KK Downing, how that relationship came together naturally, and what it was like having such a hands-on presence involved in shaping the album. B...

Signals From Mars – Episode 439 Fan-Voted 2025 Albums Countdown (Livestream)

In Episode 439 of Signals From Mars, Victor is joined by members of the Signals From Mars community to recap the results of the fan-voted 2025 albums countdown.

Listeners submitted their Top 10 albums of the year, the votes were tallied, and the final rankings were revealed live on air. This episode is driven entirely by the audience — no critics, no editori...

🎸 Signals From Mars – Episode 438 (Livestream Recording) 🎸

Join me tonight with Jeremy and Ed as we dive into the hard rock and metal albums released in December 2025. 🤘 We’ll be breaking down the latest releases, sharing standout tracks, unexpected favorites, and a few strong opinions along the way — from established heavyweights to releases that may have flown under the radar.

Expect debate, surprises, and plenty of passionate m...

🎸 Signals From Mars – Episode 437

Guest: Nathan Sadd (Struck A Nerve / Shrapnel)

In Episode 437 of Signals From Mars, host Victor welcomes guitarist Nathan Sadd, a key force behind the UK thrash band Struck A Nerve, as well as longtime member of Shrapnel.

The conversation centers on the explosive debut self-titled album from Struck A Nerve, released in late November, and how the band evolved from a casual side project into a full-thr...

🎸 Signals From Mars – Episode 436: Vinyl Haul (October–Christmas Edition) 🎸

In this episode of Signals From Mars, I dig into my latest vinyl haul, covering records added to my collection from October through Christmas. This is a pure vinyl-focused episode, spotlighting albums picked up over the past few months and the stories, memories, and motivations behind each addition.

As always, this isn’t just a list of records — it’s a conv...

🎙️ Signals From Mars – Episode 435

Hour One: 2025 Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Recap

In Episode 435 of Signals From Mars, Victor is joined by longtime patrons Brad Dahl, Jeremy Weltman, and Ed Ferguson for a spoiler-free recap of hard rock and heavy metal in 2025.

This episode continues the revived Hour One format, focusing on conversation, reflection, and community rather than rankings, placements, or click-driven takes.

🔥 Episode To...

🎸 Signals From Mars – Episode 434

October & November 2025 Hard Rock & Metal Albums Review (Livestream)

Episode 434 of Signals From Mars is a livestream-recorded episode featuring Victor M. Ruiz, joined by Jeremy and Ed, as they catch up on hard rock and heavy metal releases from October and November 2025.

Recorded on December 12, this episode continues the show’s long-standing mission: supporting new music and keeping the har...

In Episode 432 of Signals From Mars, Victor welcomes Ulf “Uffe” Pettersson, vocalist of Swedish thrashers Mezzrow, to discuss the band’s powerful new album Embrace The Awakening. Uffe reflects on Sweden’s enduring metal culture, the impact of recent losses in the community—especially Thomas Lindberg of At The Gates—and how Mezzrow rediscovered their spark decades after disbanding.

Uffe explains how the band reunited in 2021 after fi...