BRUTALITY PODCAST Explores the Rise, Evolution, and Legacy of BURNING THE MASSES with Vocalist Arde Ostowari on Episode 95

BRUTALITY PODCAST pulls back the curtain on one of tech-death and deathcore’s most unsung pioneers in Episode 95, featuring a deep and wide-ranging conversation with Arde Ostowari, vocalist of BURNING THE MASSES.

Formed in San Diego in the mid-2000s, BURNING THE MASSES quickly carved out a name with their jaw-dropping musicianship and genre-bending aggression. In this episode, Ostowari unpacks the band’s full journey—from humble beginnings and early member changes to the release of Mind Control and the acclaimed Offspring of Time, and beyond.

Listeners will hear firsthand stories about Arde’s early journey into music and obsession with shred guitar, the chaotic origin story of BURNING THE MASSES, and how frequent member changes shaped the band’s evolving style. The conversation dives into collaborations with future giants from The Faceless, Animals as Leaders, and Disfiguring the Goddess, along with Arde’s thoughts on how today’s metal guitarists compare to the shred pioneers of the past. He also shares reflections on the current state of metal music and production, the pivotal role of MySpace in the band’s rise, wild tour stories from the scene’s golden era, and much more.

“People forget how crucial MySpace was to a band like us,” says Ostowari in the episode. “That era gave rise to a wave of underground innovation—and a lot of chaos.”

With brutal honesty and sharp insight, Arde sheds light on a band whose impact far exceeded their time in the spotlight, offering fans a rare glimpse into the intensity, instability, and innovation that defined BURNING THE MASSES.