PODCAST · music
Sludge Underground Podcast
by Sludge Underground
Your number one portal to South Africa’s most must-see emerging bands & creatives. We host super chilled interviews with local musicians in a bid to help you discover the best of them before anyone else. We also occasionally chat to established musos for music industry insights. Join us on this riveting journey highlighting the gritty and alternative musical corners of South Africa
Episodes
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He Has Been Going To Metal Shows For 50 Years
In this episode of Sludge Underground, we sit down with Ernest (Ernie) Pretorius, a lifelong supporter of South African live music who attends shows across the country and isn't afraid to step into the mosh pit. We discuss how the South African music scene has changed over the decades, the...
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Has Sean Joined Too Many Bands?
On this episode we look back on State of the Nation, Hilliker's trip to Mozambique with Your Cynical Sanity, and Walk These Skies, the Marilyn Manson tribute controversy, and ATFN's tour. We also look at recent releases, with a special focus on Internet Girl, Ill System, Daisy Arson, and ATFN. We...
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What The Music Industry Doesn’t Want Bands To Know
We sit down with Christine & Paul of All This For Nothing, South Africa's longest-running progressive punk rock band. We hone in on vultures in the music industry, the band's upcoming album Nothing Is Punk Anymore, what it actually takes to build a "no-skip" record, how to pick the perfect lead...
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GroundUp: The New Generation Taking Over South African Alternative
Ground Up is back for August! Nas and Marcel catch you up on everything that happened in the month of August as well as a bit of July to make up for what we missed talking about. Marcel touches on his experience at that Winterfest and watching the skate community pull through to skate while bands...
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The Real Reason Shinesh Left Lefokolodi
On this episode we take a look at what Shinesh has been up to since his departure from Lefokolodi. He also breaks down the reason behind his departure from the band and how things stand between him and his former band mates. Shinesh gives his honest take on South African artists uploading music…
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What Does It Take To Tour Internationally?
They touch on their experiences with recent European tour as well as what they think it takes for a local South African band to make an international tour a reality. There's also new music in the works, as the boys have been hard at work in the studio working on their new album, touching on the...
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The South African Music Video Everyone Is Talking About
In this episode we sit down with Vince & Sean to unpack their latest single, The Omnificent. We look at the concept behind it, how it came together, and what the band was aiming for with the song. We also look at whether music videos still matter in 2026. The Omnificent:...
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The Misty Waters 2026 Experience
This week on Sludge Underground @Thorns_Of_Sludge shares his experience at Misty Waters Music Festival. This festival was nothing short of a love letter to artist, festival goers, anda most importantly music lovers. Hired along as a second shooter he was front and center for all 27 bands who…
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The Gen AI Divide In The Cape Town Alternative Scene
*Disclaimer: This episode is a little late and some of the events mentioned have already passed. This week on Sludge we Introduce our newest host Rowan, joining Marcel for the first time on the May episode of GroundUp. They dive into the wave of AI generated posters, music, and art that has the...
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South African Hip-Hop's Fastest Rising Artist
This is the story of one of South Africa's most promising hip-hop artists, filmed at the places that made him. We start at PEGG's high school, where he found hip-hop, fell in love with drama, and met the late Simon of PosterBoy. We end off at Dropkick Murphy's, the venue where he won an open mic...
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The Real Reason Metal Vocalists Cup The Mic + The Bands That Made These 3 South African Metal Vocalists
Reegan (Facing The Gallows), Myke (Your Cynical Sanity) and Dwayne (Sunken State) open with mic technique, then dive into bands and albums that inspired them to become metal vocalists. The boys cite bands like Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot, We Butter The Bread With Butter, Infant Annihilator…
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The Doors Pledge To Repay Artists
Your monthly GroundUp for April is here! The segment where Nasiphi and Marcel cover whats been happening within the local music scene. From events like the @GhastZA National Breakdown tour or the @WalkTheseSkiesOfficial Pray For Cyanide show at Railways to upcoming shows like Devilnest's Venom at...
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The Return Of Vulvodynia
This week Marcel sits down with Vulvodynia guitarist Luke Haarhoff to chat about the band and where it's at. Dropping into what's on everyones mind, the open auditons to be Vulvodynia's new vocalist. What are they looking for? Who will take the role and finally free Lwandile from his unending…
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South Africa's Most Underrated Metal Vocalist
From his involvement in the scene as far back as the early 2000s, his roots with prolific bands like The Overmind and Divine Affliction, and his present successes with Imperious Vision, Deven has solidified his place as a local scene legend, at a relatively young age. On this episode we discuss:...
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I Thought Afrikaans Alternative Music Was Dead, I Was Wrong
Have you ever wondered where all the alternative Afrikaans music is? This week Marcel does a deep dive into the new wave of Afrikaans alternative artists that have been popping up. Who are these artists, why Afrikaans, and what was the history leading up to this point? From the origins of…
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Three Dudes That Cup Pilot Episode
This week we're bringing you something new! Introducing a new segment hosted by three of South Africa's best metal vocalists. Join in as they talk about their favourite gateway bands, backstage stories, best shows, and more! Let us know what you think in the comments! Would you like to see more…
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March Recap: IGNITE In South Africa, Upcoming Events, And More
March saw a bunch of releases and events across the country within the alternative and metal scene! This month on Ground Up Marcel and Brynn touch on some of the interesting happenings within the scene: Orange County's IGNITE playing on South African shores for the first time, new releases from...
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The South African Band That Disappeared For 20 Years
After two decades of silence, Plum made their comeback in 2025, and they’re louder, wiser, and ready to reclaim their place in South Africa’s alternative scene. In this episode, Nasiphi sits down with Warren to unpack the band’s return, the underground legacy they left behind, and the fire that...
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Orange County's IGNITE Is Making Their Debut Appearance In South Africa
This week on Sludge Underground Marcel talks to Brett from @igniteband leading up to the bands debut appearance in South Africa. Join in as they chat about the band meeting Fuzigish's Malcom at Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia, the bands over 30 year run, and stories from a band that's played in...
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February Recap: Calabash Cancelled, Emalyth Fest Shines, and More
February was jam packed full of highs and lows across the South African alternative and metal scene, we're breaking it all down! On this episode, Marcel & Nasiphi recap the month's biggest stories: The cancellation of Calabash, the success of Emalyth Fest, and the latest releases from Sonder The...
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Inside The Mind Of One Of Africa's Best Metal Vocalists
Step into the mind of Sunken State frontman Dwayne Hees in this unfiltered episode of Sludge Underground. We look at his journey, having grown up in an Afrikaans household in Rustenburg, starting out as a vocalist before even touching vocals, and his pre-Sunken State days with links to MoshMallow...
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What Really Happens After Wacken?
What really happens after Wacken Open Air? In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges South African bands face after representing the country in Germany, and why breaking out internationally isn’t as straightforward as it seems. 🎤 We put YOUR questions directly to Sash, giving you the...
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P+A+G+E+S Brings A Message Of Hope And Resilience Through Doom
Marcel catches up with @PAGES_DOOM to chat about the recenet release of their album No More Can Be Done. Diving into themes of existential dread, geopolitical despair, environmental decay and raw emotion. Join in as we chat about the bands evolution, the importance of physical media, and how…
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Best South African Bands & Releases of 2025
Join the boys as they look back at the best South African band releases and events of 2025. From memorable gigs to standout music releases, they highlight their favourites and share a glimpse of what's coming in the remainder of 2026. #SouthAfrica #SouthAfricanPodcast #SouthAfricanBands...
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Skrikkeljaar Isn’t Here to Fit In And That’s the Point
Marcel sat down with Eli of Skrikkeljaar, an upcoming emo pop punk band with the added twist of being in afrikaans. Eli details his journey as a musician, the influences that shaped the bands sound, and the impact he hopes to have on those around him. Don't miss out on learning more about one of...
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Is This The Rise Of Afrikaans Alternative?
Marcel sits down with Dierbaar, an alternative Afrikaans band from Stellenbosch, to dig into what drives their unique sound and message. We talk about why they chose to make alternative music in Afrikaans, the themes most artists shy away from, and their experience working with @Afrikalt. If...
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The Ramfest 2025 Experience
Ramfest 2025 was everything we’ve been waiting for. From Bongloard’s wild energy and Sunken State’s chaos (gorilla suit included), to Jack Parow proving he absolutely belongs on a heavy lineup, this festival was a full-on celebration of South African alternative and heavy music. Not everything…
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A Crash Course In Joining The South African Alt/Metal Scene
From small dive bars and underground venues to the people keeping the alternative flame alive, this video dives into the heart of South Africa’s alternative and metal scene. We explore the venues, promoters, content creators, and bands that make this community what it is. Whether you’re a fan, a...
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What No One Tells You About Running Live Sound in South Africa
This week we're catching up with Savannah Vermaak, A live sound engineer based in Cape Town South Africa. She Goes over experiences working within the scene, the educational content she's creating on her platform, and a behind the scenes look at one of the most important factors in live music…
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Punks Put On Music For Palestine
This week we're chatting to Kavesh Vello, The organizer of Music For Palestine, Joined by Berty of the band Necklace. We dive into the motivations behind the event, the bands playing, and the organizations involved. #punkrock #punk #palestine #fundraising #livemusic #giftofthegivers Support the...
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The Capetonian Metalcore Band Taking ZA By Storm
n this episode of Sludge Underground Marcel has a chat with Ken of DoomTrigger, one of Cape Towns most promising Metalcore bands. They dive into the bands formation, the impressive ground they've covered over the bands short time since exploding onto the scene, and the themes and messages behind...
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South Africa's Most Explosive Metal Event
We're having a chat with Devilnest's Myke Taylor & Brynn Huxtable about their upcoming Durban metal event, Recoil. The event sees Gauteng heavyweights Walk These Skies and Die Gemeente coming down to Durban for what promises to be South Africa's most explosive metal event! #southafricanmetalmusic...
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The Band That Carried The Flag To Germany
Cape Town thrashers Halvar recently returned from playing one of the biggest metal festivals in the world, Wacken Open Air. Dolf and Daniel share some of their experiences from Germany and the future plans for Halvar. Support the show Join our Discord https://discord.com/invite/z8fcsPNv Website...
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Why Durban Is Always Excluded From South Africa's Biggest Metal Events
Devilnest is a Durban-based entity that runs metal events. It comprises of Myke Taylor & Brynn Huxtable of South African Deathcore giants Your Cynical Sanity. In this video, they talk all things Devilnest and how they aim to get Durban metal events on the map again. Support the show Join our...
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Why This South African Band Vanished For 12 Years
On this episode we sit down with Sabretooth, South Africa's 80s-inspired band, to unpack their 12 year hiatus, and the moment that got them back together. We also touch on their first gig back in Cape Town, and whether or not they'll be releasing music on Spotify given the recent controversy...
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Is this South Africa's Longest Standing Metal Band?
"Have you ever heard of Mind Assault?" Is one of the most common questions you get when diving into the Cape Town metal scene. We had a sit down with guitarist Patrick and unpack over two decades of the bands history leading up to Nostalgia Indulgia. #mindassualt #bandinterview #metal...
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This South African Band Just Went Viral
Cantrel are a father/son duo making music together. On this episode we touch on their upcoming EP, ties to Prime Circle, their upcoming South African tour, their music video hitting over 1million views, and a whole lot more. #bandinterview #southafrica #cantrel #primecircle #southafricanband...
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The Most Anticipated Metal Release In South African Metal?
Johannesburg boys Sunken State have a chat with Marcel about their highly anticipated EP Hunting Ghosts, Finding Demons dropping on the 18th of July. Join in as they dive into their process, the story behind the Ep, and the direction the band's moving in. We also touch on their inclusion for the...
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The Woman Running African Metal From Behind A Screen
In this explosive interview, we dive into how Alana Britz became the digital force behind Emalyth, Metal4Africa, and Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa, helping shape the online identity of Africa’s loudest metal festivals. Lana opens up about: - How she got into running social media for…
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South Africa's Most Insane Metalcore Band
Pretoria boys No Closure recently made it onto the Ramfest lineup consisting of headlining act The Devil Wears Prada in South Africa. We chat about the metalcore/hardcore scene in Pretoria, the diversity in South African live shows, and get their response on what was said about the members during...
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Argentina's NVLO Prepares For Their First TIme In South Africa
From a nearly disastrous trip to Germany for Wacken Open Air to sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in modern metal, Argentinian Deathcore band @nvlometalofficial are tearing up the scene. Now, this entity is on it's way to bring their absolutely infectious energy to South Africa for...
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Is This Durban Band South Africa's Next Big Thing?
From a high school drama studio to the heart of Durban’s underground scene, The Non Fiction has been active since 2018. Starting as a two-piece punk band, they honed their sound at Reverberate events, carving out a space in the local music scene. Now, they're turning it up, taking that punk rock...
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Hi Anxious: South Africa's Genre-Bending Rebels
EP392: From the depths of Cape Town’s underground scene, Hi Anxious has emerged with a DIY ethos, a genre-blurring sound, and an uncompromising approach to music. In this episode, we dive into their creative process, the journey behind their debut EP, and what it means to curate every aspect of...
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Indie Dog's Dream To Become The Best Rock Band In The World
Marcel has a chat with Seb and Dylan of @indiedogband Join in as they chat about the bands love of touring, the stories behind their music videos and their dream to become the best rock band in the world Support the show Join our Discord https://discord.com/invite/z8fcsPNv Website...
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Why Lower Hollow Members Walked Away: Ash Tells All
EP392: We're chatting to Ashley of Lower Hollow on this episode. We're looking at where the band started, band member departures, the future of the band, and more. #sludgeunderground #southafricanband #lowerhollow #southafricanmetalheads Support the show Join our Discord...
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Die Gemeente: Pretoria's Newest Powerhouse
Next in line with catching up with each of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa Finalists Marcel has a chat with Die Gemeente's Francios Smith and Tyler Hattingh. Join in as they delve into the formation of the band, their respective histories as seasoned musicians, as well as their...
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Has The South African Artist Skill Floor Gotten Higher?
This weeks Wacken Metal Battle Finalist is Hiraeth. A modern melodic metal band from Johannesburg South Africa who are back from a hiatus and ready to take on the South African scene with a new lineup. Join in as we chat about their thoughts on the current skill level of new musicians, their…
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Kenya's Irony Destroyed Take On The Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa Finals
This week Marcel has a chat with Lenny of Irony Destroyed. A metalcore band hailing from Nairobi Kenya. Join in as they chat about the kenyan scene, the challenges they face as an extremely niche genre, as well as being so geographically isolated from the rest of the African metal community....
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Botswana Brings Tswanian Black Metal To South Africa
Next up in our line of interviewing each of the Wacken Metal Battle Sub-Saharan Africa finalist we have Raven In Flesh. A Tswanian black metal band hailing from Botswana's legendary metal scene. Join in as Marcel dives into the origins of the band, the challenges they face and the prospect of...
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Can One Cape Town Band Take A Hilux To Germany?
Wacken Metal Battle Finalists Halvar share their thoughts on having the chance to represent South Africa at Wacken Open Air in Germany along with the bands origins to get a bar tab at the Aandklas battle of the bands. Support the show Join our Discord https://discord.com/invite/z8fcsPNv Website...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Your number one portal to South Africa’s most must-see emerging bands & creatives. We host super chilled interviews with local musicians in a bid to help you discover the best of them before anyone else. We also occasionally chat to established musos for music industry insights. Join us on this riveting journey highlighting the gritty and alternative musical corners of South Africa
HOSTED BY
Sludge Underground
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Sludge Underground Podcast have?
Sludge Underground Podcast currently has 439 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Sludge Underground Podcast about?
Your number one portal to South Africa’s most must-see emerging bands & creatives. We host super chilled interviews with local musicians in a bid to help you discover the best of them before anyone else. We also occasionally chat to established musos for music industry insights. Join us on this...
How often does Sludge Underground Podcast release new episodes?
Sludge Underground Podcast publishes regularly with 439 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Sludge Underground Podcast?
You can listen to Sludge Underground Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Sludge Underground Podcast?
Sludge Underground Podcast is created and hosted by Sludge Underground.
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