Kim Song Sternkopf is the lead singer of Danish genre-testing black metal band Møl. On episode six of Heavy Stories, he talks about his childhood growing up in oppressive cults, where what he read and listened to was heavily monitored and he was prophesied as a “chosen one”. His family moved house more than 50 times as they transitioned from community to community, sometimes giving up everything they had to worship under new, narcissistic preachers. He remembers the psychological effect that this all had on him and his four siblings, how his parents’ search for “meaning” was manipulated by leaders, and how he finally broke the cycle in his mid-to-late 20s. He also discusses the impact of his recent diagnosis with ADHD as well as his band’s brand new album, Dreamcrush. (Image: Rolf Meldegaard)

Zakk Wylde is the leader of biker metal rifflords Black Label Society and the longtime right-hand man of the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. On episode five of Heavy Stories, he sits down for a quick conversation midway through a Black Label US tour, where his own Black Sabbath tribute act Zakk Sabbath are serving as support. He looks back on how he got his gig in Ozzy’s band, playing a show in an infamous prison, starting Black Label, that time he and his fans drank all the alcohol in a venue, his unlikely friendship with Star Trek actor William Shatner, and lots more. (Image: Justin Reich)

Serena Cherry is a co-founder and one of the singer/guitarists in UK post-hardcore four-piece Svalbard. On episode four of Heavy Stories, she talks about why her band are breaking up after 16 years, including creative differences and the increasing number of challenges that touring musicians face. She sounds off on the hidden costs of life on the road, the pressure of putting on a good show, balancing touring with a full-time job, how the rising price of stadium shows affect underground artists, and much more. We also discuss the band’s history, her plans for her black metal solo project Noctule, why it’s so important to tackle things head-on in lyrics, and her love for the WWE and video-games.