/ 16.9.2025 Dennis from Schwermetallisch TV (Germany)
Dennis is doing a great job in the Metal Scene, check out more details.
Interview with Imperative Music
Imperative Music: Hi Dennis, are you visiting Festivals/Gigs in Germany?
Schwermetallisch TV: Yes, I visit gigs and festivals on the regular. Normally I try to catch a few shows a month to have my finger on the pulse of the time. I always try to get to Rock Hard Festival in Gelsenkirchen, it is relatively nearby, and it's always a lot of fun, as I know many people around there.
Imperative Music: How many years have you been listening to Metal bands?
Schwermetallisch TV: I was between five and seven years old when i first listened to Metallica's „Ride The Lightning“, my brother did get a mixtape at school and that was pretty much the start of it all. I also have to mention the Soundtrack to the movie Iron Eagle which featured King Kobra, Queen, Dio and a Song from The Jon Butcher Axis that i loved.
Imperative Music: What are your favorite bands?
Schwermetallisch TV: This one is tough, as it varies. When I was younger my favorite band was Queen. Later on, I was a big fan of Iced Earth and as I got older and maybe wiser, I listened to Judas Priest and Dio a lot. At the moment there's a band from Canada i really love; the name is Riot City.
Imperative Music: In your opinion, what is missing in the Metal Scene nowadays?
More Labels, more metal fans to buy Cds/merchandise?
Schwermetallisch TV: Oh i think we got plenty of labels and merchandise (not enough hats to be honest). At the moment there are two things that stand out: the metal scene is very divided in many things. There are fans that are willing to pay a 1000€ for a band like Metallica but pretend that small underground gigs with seven bands aren`t worth 15,00€. The Wacken crowd, for example consists, in my opinion, of maybe 50% real scene people and the rest is just tourists. Stuff like this only lines the pockets of the promoters and is not helping the scene. Second thing is the mentality. People nowadays try to fit Heavy Metal inside a lot of boxes but if Metal is and always was a tool to give people a voice to express their beliefs, their anger and their stance. It doesn't have to be political but right-wing beliefs don`t have a place in the heavy metal community.
Imperative Music: As you know, there are always newcomer bands, what is your advice to a new band to get attention and record deal? I mean, beyond of music/songs itself, what is necessary to do or not?
Schwermetallisch TV: first thing is that it isn`t necessary anymore to actually use a lebel or be signed to a label. Labels can help a lot with distribution and sometimes Promotion but there`s a lot of labels that don`t do so much. If you want attention nowadays, music is maybe 60% of your job. You have to advertise your band, release singles and Eps and be willing to put in a lot of time and work. Best thing is you get some superfans who already are dedicated to your band and pay them with merch and guestlist spots to do promo and or film you in the rehearsal room. You need someone who does a lot of content without actually burning out and most of the time the fans would love to help. What is essential is that bands use the tools at hand, be on bandcamp, use Instagram, get a linktree and advertise your merchandise.
Imperative Music: Please, tell me more a bit about your projects/channel?
Schwermetallisch TV: in 2019 i realized that my main hobbies were beer, TV and listening to Heavy Metal. Due to meeting my now wife i tried to get my shit together and develop healthier ways to waste my time. I started to write again after a hiatus of a few years and thus Schwermetallisch Reviews was born. Later on as my stuff gained traction i started a Youtube Channel and made loads of Interviews and other Video Content. The name Schwermetallisch TV was born out of that.
Imperative Music: Is Metal popular in Germany? In movies like Der Greif, Dark (where I heard Kreator, wow) we can hear metal and rock bands. Do you believe this help to get new people to the metal? The most important record labels are in Germany, i mean, Nuclear Blast, Century Media, and many other small labels releasing Underground bands
Schwermetallisch TV: Heavy Metal is it`s own beast, it will never be popular like Coca Cola, Taylor Swift or Bubblegum but it has it`s place in Society. It is kinda strange though because it is used in TV Shows and Movies but almost always to shoiw that someone is dangerous or edgy. It does help to get people to listen to bands but i don`t know if those new fans are the real deal or just occasional listeners. The thing is that, just to name this particular area, in the German Ruhr Area we have a lot of venues for Metal music and if i wanted and had the time and money i could go to maybe four shows a week, every week of the year.
Imperative Music: In your opinion, what are 10 the best albums of 2025?
Schwermetallisch TV: Oooohhh let`s see, the list is incomplet because the year is not done yet but here you go:
Hydra Vein – Perpetual Violence Machine
Sodom – The Arsonist
Phantom Spell – Heather& Hearth
Seven Sisters – Shadow Of A Fallen Star PT.2
Gruesome – Silent Echoes
LIK - Necro
Sarcator – Swarming Angels & Flies
New World Depression – Abysmal Void
Baest – Colossal
Rotting Demise – The Unholy Veil Of Silence
Imperative Music: I see you comment on movies and TV Shows - For movie and Show maniacs, please name ten movies and ten series that are a must-watch? I'm always looking for them myself...
Schwermetallisch TV: Ok but there will be stuff on those lists that are obvious...
TV Shows: Supernatural, From, Evil, Jack Reacher, Alien: Earth, WandaVision, Ted Lasso, Scrubs, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sandman
Movies: When Evil Lurks, Final Destination: Bloodlines,Oddity, The Dirt, Metal Lords, Until Dawn, Love and Monsters, Sting, Hush, The Whale
Imperative Music: Just like there was a Black Sabbath reunion, do you believe we'll have Sepultura with Max/Igor and Slayer??? Say yes
Schwermetallisch TV: Yes!
Imperative Music: Last question, do you have anything important to say to the bands/metal fans?
Schwermetallisch TV: We all know that Heavy Metal is not just music, it is a lifestyle, an outlet, it is katharsis. Heavy Metal is a place where we can unapologetically be our true selves, wear what we want, shout, dance and drink. I know some old-school people think this ma be weak but: The Metal Scene is also a safespace for the outsiders of our society, the victims, the loud ones, the opressed, the neurodivergent and every part of the LGBTQ community. Heavy Metal should never care about religion or color and in most parts it follows this important rule. Heavy Metal is the glue that holds us together even if things happen that would normally shatter us into pieces.
Never change, never give up...
