Zao guitarist Scott Mellinger is our guest this week! We discuss the band's the new album, The Crimson Corridor, the feeling of being a bit more introspective this time around, the importance of the physical product to the record's overall experience, and how the band collaborates with artists to interpret their visions. Scott also looks back at the band's 2006 classic, The Fear is What Keeps Us Here, what it was like working with legendary producer Steve Albini, the difficulty of getting the masters back from Ferret Records, and how they learned from past labels before launching their own. Petar, Brandon, and Sylvia hash out their fears of Metallica working with Elton John, the recent peak behind the scenes of Some Kind of Monster, and Corey Taylor's adventure into filmmaking with Ninjas vs. Zombies. Thank you to our sponsor, Metal Blade Records, for their continued support! Songs: Zao - "The Final Ghost" and "Ship of Theseus" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices