Episode 134 – The Metal Maniacs Podcast w/ Jay Ingersoll & Modd This week, we sit down with one of the most unique, prolific, and genuinely unstoppable forces in underground metal: Justin Lawnchair, the mastermind behind The Biscuit Merchant — Ann Arbor’s proggy, death-tinged, genre-melting metal project. With 26 full albums (each 45–55 minutes) in the works, recorded entirely by Justin, and no generative AI used at any stage, this project is a testament to pure determination, creativity, and DIY musicianship. The Biscuit Merchant is all about “melting pot metal,” a blend of death metal, thrash, prog, folk, power metal, blues, groove, and whatever else Justin feels like throwing into the cauldron. Nothing is off the table. Nothing is predictable. And that’s what makes it magic. We deep dive into the vision, the process, and the absolute madness of building a 26-album alphabetical saga known as Alpha — a project planned since 2009 and still evolving with every riff, rhythm, and solo. 🔥 What We Dig Into This Episode 🌋 The Inception of The Biscuit Merchant How the idea started, Justin’s early influences (Maiden, BTBAM, Opeth, Devin Townsend), and how the “one-man band” concept turned into something massive. 🎸 The Live Lineup Justin’s studio prowess meets a killer live lineup: Justin Lawnchair – Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals Anton Filyayev – Drums Dan Hunter – Bass Dhruv Talekar – Guitar 📀 A Walk Through the Releases We talk about the evolution from Knucklewalker, Nature Rejoices, and Ongaku into the wildly creative arcs of: Journey to Arrhythmia When the Heart and Mind Collide Unexplained Wounds Momento Mori Phobia Visible Scars Tempora (June 13, 2025) We break down the tone changes, the leap in songwriting confidence, the wild genre swings, the heavier turns, and the massive solos that define each era. 🎼 Writing & Creative Process How Justin builds riffs, arranges patterns, adds solos, chooses styles, switches genres mid-song, and approaches production with collaborators Spencer Maxfield (mixing) and Nelson T. Gast (mastering). We dig into: How songs start How he decides when a part needs melody vs brutality How folk, blues, prog, and death metal all coexist Why every album has to stand on its own 🥁 Tone, Gear & Production We get into guitars, tunings, cabs, bass tone, drum approaches, and how he builds such massive arrangements as one person. Justin breaks down the evolution of his sound — raw, polished, experimental, heavy, and always pushing forward. 🔥 Favorite Songs, Solos & Albums We highlight some of the standout tracks across the discography — the folky moments, the techy riffs, the brutal sections, the solos that feel endless, and the songs that show the most growth. 🎤 Life in Metal & Justin’s Story What got him into metal, especially extreme metal? What keeps him going? What does music give him that nothing else does? 🎶 Shows, Touring & Live Experiences Recent shows, upcoming gigs, best experiences, worst disasters, and the wild moments that shaped the live version of The Biscuit Merchant. ➡️ What’s Next? We talk about the future of the Alpha project, upcoming releases, live plans, creative goals, and the continued evolution of a project unlike anything else in the Michigan metal scene. This episode is packed with riffs, stories, creativity, and pure independent metal energy from one of the most hardworking musicians we’ve ever had on the show. #MetalManiacsPodcast #TheBiscuitMerchant #MichiganMetal #ProgressiveMetal #DeathMetal #OneManBand #JayIngersoll #Modd #IndependentMetal #AlphaProject #Tempora Follow TBM-https://thebiscuitmerchant.bandcamp.com/ Follow Us-https://linktr.ee/metalmaniacsmi
