Metalomics

Ep13: Crushed by Crude

Does your band have a van? A bus? An 84 Oldsmobile? Our guess is yes. In which case, you’re hurting right now. And we don’t mean from banging your head. We’re talking about the pain at the pump. You don’t need to imagine what it’s like, about to head to a show, looking at the numbers going up and up on unleaded gasoline and wondering to yourself, “Why the f@&$ is this so expensive?!” On this episode of METALOMICS, we try to answer that question. We’re digging deep on oil. What is it, why do we rely on foreign countries for it despite pumping plenty of it right here in the U.S., and why does literally everything else get more expensive when the price of oil goes up? If you think elasticity, supply and demand, and inflation are heavy concepts, then this is an episode you don’t wanna miss. Economics is Metal! Music: Eyesawgod [https://open.spotify.com/artist/3EON09HWo5VbmyRZBh39q7?si=50sonmQFQRiayC0HfzFASQ] - 2:42 [https://open.spotify.com/track/04a5WkRHuhBaJGpdJgOeCS?si=7655bc060b764b6b] Follow the Band: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Eyesawgod [https://www.instagram.com/eyesawgod/] Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram Producer: David Ingram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://metalomicspodcast.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/]

Ep12: The Fury and the Formula

What is a market? How does it function? Can we forge a new understanding of market forces by exploring the ways human instinct and emotion influence the ways we create heavy music? Is it all merely the product of predictable, derivative, and formulaic mechanisms, or can the manners in which we conjure dark and dismal sounds also inform how markets react? On this episode of METALOMICS, we ask if Adam Smith’s invisible hand wields a guitar pick when not stirring the gravity of the world’s markets. Join us as we merge the animal with the analytical, and invoke the untamed spirits frothing at the sight of knowledge to be devoured. Economics is Metal! Music: ⁠⁠⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4OAUKZAiwMLDirBvbqQ3FM?si=JzEbAmMGTvaehL2-98wUQQ]⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EgK1XZ868fHJGdW5FVg5D?si=7Eq9i7s2SzSDHYelsftniA]Irah Nox [https://open.spotify.com/artist/7lrK77tf9c8bcansc7taFY?si=UDmh0y6jR_-j_1YtX4_IDg] - Posted [https://irahnox.bandcamp.com/track/posted] Follow the Band: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Irah Nox [https://www.instagram.com/irah.nox/] Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram Producer: David Ingram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://metalomicspodcast.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/]

Ep11: Slop and Sludge: The AI Problem

Artificial Intelligence: The ultimate "cheat code" or the death knell of human creativity? Welcome back to METALOMICS, the podcast where we prove that metal is more than a bunch of metalheads head banging to heavy music. Today, we unpack AI by exploring how it transcends heavy music and economics. We attempt to break down the realities of this widespread, misunderstood, global phenomena, by deconstructing the digital ghost in the machine. From the "deskilling" of the working class to the high-voltage hunger of global data centers, we’re looking at how Artificial Intelligence is challenging the way we create and experience music, exacting a heavy toll on the environment, and threatening the very few things that make us human. Economics is Metal! Music: ⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4OAUKZAiwMLDirBvbqQ3FM?si=JzEbAmMGTvaehL2-98wUQQ]Forsaken Rituals [https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EgK1XZ868fHJGdW5FVg5D?si=7Eq9i7s2SzSDHYelsftniA] - Skinwalker [https://open.spotify.com/track/5DP6pnZxnN6XtnOSevd3oG?si=087110b591954031] Follow the Band: ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/oblige_is_heavy/]Forsaken Rituals [https://www.instagram.com/forsakenritualsband/] Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram Producer: David Ingram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://metalomicspodcast.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/]

Ep10: Micro is Metal Part 3: Produce, Distribute, Destroy.

Have you ever pressed "play" on a new album and wondered about the massive financial machinery required to get those sounds into your ears? It isn’t just a "creative spark," it’s a high-stakes lesson in capital investment and information asymmetry. In Part 3 of our series, we look at the Economics of Production to trace the journey of an album from a silent studio to a global marketplace. We break down the high fixed costs of "renting capital"—from studio consoles to the specialized expertise of a producer—and explain how marketing functions as the essential tool for bridging the information gap between an unknown product and a potential fan. Whether you’re an artist calculating your ROI or a listener curious about the true cost of a "digital" download, this episode unpacks the hidden forces behind the music you love. We dive deep into the logistical divide between physical and digital distribution, comparing the inventory risks and high marginal costs of vinyl against the zero-marginal-cost reality of streaming platforms. By examining how aggregators charge for marketplace access and how producers ensure quality control, we reveal why the "price" of music is dictated by far more than just the talent of the musician. Economics is Metal! Music: The Devastated/Oblige [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4OAUKZAiwMLDirBvbqQ3FM?si=JzEbAmMGTvaehL2-98wUQQ] - Zombies [https://open.spotify.com/track/1tEOmTok1Mum9xyrXY9MKm?si=046455ef53ea4a44] Follow the Band: Oblige [https://www.instagram.com/oblige_is_heavy/] Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram Producer: David Ingram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://metalomicspodcast.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/]

Ep9: Micro is Metal Part 2: Why is a T-shirt $30?

Have you ever stood at a merch booth, stared at a $30 price tag for a band's t-shirt, and wondered where all that money actually goes? It isn’t just a "metal tax," it’s a complex lesson in global economics. In Part 2 of our series, we pull back the curtain on the Global Supply Chain to trace the journey of a band shirt from a cotton field to your closet. We break down the invisible forces that dictate the price of your favorite tour souvenir, including: designer's fee, manufacturer and comparative advantage, the logistics of "blanks," and venue tax. Whether you’re a touring musician balancing the books or a fan curious about the true cost of "supporting the band," this episode unpacks the hidden forces behind that $30 price tag. Economics is Metal! Music: Gutsaw [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5sxZlKm1YvJwqFlMzkqoyq?si=oWVj7UGLTYy74mSdAxlWmg] - Graveyard Grind Wars [https://open.spotify.com/track/1Ige7DWFGBaa9LPPhmOWUz?si=4f37bbe6f9c24a61] Follow the Band: Gutsaw [https://www.instagram.com/gutsaw/] Hosts: Josh Goddard & David Ingram Producer: David Ingram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metalomicspodcast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://metalomicspodcast.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/metalomics/]