HERETIC'S SEAN SCOTT MCCORMICK TALKS ZAKK WYLDE, AC/DC STORIES, METAL HISTORY AND NEW ALBUM SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

The veteran drummer joins The Zach Moonshine Show for a conversation covering four decades of heavy metal, touring with Zakk Wylde, Bonfire's unforgettable AC/DC connection, and the making of HERETIC's latest album.

Heavy metal has a way of connecting generations, and few conversations capture that spirit quite like a meeting between musicians who grew up discovering records in dusty record shops, following underground metal through magazines and late-night radio, and eventually becoming part of the history they once admired.

That was exactly the kind of conversation that unfolded when Sean Scott McCormick, drummer for legendary Los Angeles heavy metal outfit HERETIC, joined Zach Moonshine on The Zach Moonshine Show.

With more than four decades of history behind the band and a brand-new album, Shape Of Things To Come, now available through Candlepower Records, there was plenty to discuss. From HERETIC's connections to the Metal Church family tree to McCormick's experiences touring with Zakk Wylde in the AC/DC tribute band Bonfire, the interview covered a lot of ground.

And naturally, there were a few stories along the way that you couldn't make up.

NINE YEARS BEHIND THE KIT WITH HERETIC

McCormick has been part of HERETIC for approximately nine years, making him the longest-running drummer in the band's history.

"It's been real cool, man," McCormick told Zach. "This new album coming out, we're just excited about it. It's turned out really well."

The band's history stretches back to the classic Southern California metal movement of the 1980s. HERETIC first made their mark with an appearance on Metal Blade Records' legendary Metal Massacre VII compilation before releasing Torture Knows No Boundary and the 1988 album Breaking Point.

Over the years, the band's history has crossed paths with several important names in American heavy metal, including Metal Church and Reverend.

McCormick discussed the connections between the groups, including the involvement of the late David Wayne, original Metal Church vocalist, who fronted Reverend alongside members of HERETIC.

"Reverend was HERETIC with David Wayne singing," McCormick explained.

He also discussed Mike Howe's connection to the band, including his appearance on HERETIC's Breaking Point before moving on to join Metal Church. Kurt Vanderhoof also produced that record.

As McCormick pointed out, there is a tremendous amount of history connecting these musicians and bands. It is a reminder of just how intertwined the American metal scene became during those years.

BONFIRE, ZAKK WYLDE AND SEVEN WEEKS ON THE ROAD

Outside of HERETIC, McCormick has kept busy with several musical projects, including Bonfire, an AC/DC tribute band dedicated to the early Bon Scott era.

Bonfire has been around for approximately 25 years, and McCormick has spent several years playing with the group. What began as a fun opportunity to perform some classic AC/DC songs turned into something much bigger when the band received an invitation to tour with Zakk Wylde.

"We just got done touring with Zakk Wylde. We went out for seven weeks with him," McCormick said. "He's been a big fan of the band for a long time, and he took us out. He was so good to us."

Zach Moonshine had a little firsthand experience with Bonfire, having caught the band performing in Memphis during the tour. He made sure to let McCormick know just how impressed he was with the performance and the band's ability to capture the energy of classic AC/DC.

McCormick revealed that Bonfire initially wasn't sure whether taking on a lengthy tour was the right move. The members had families, jobs, other musical commitments, and responsibilities that make hitting the road a little more complicated than it was when they were younger.

But McCormick encouraged the band to take the opportunity.

"You don't get asked to do that shit all the time," he recalled telling his bandmates. "Let's do this. We're going to expose ourselves to a whole other market of people we've never played in front of."

Zakk Wylde also went out of his way to make the tour happen, working with the band to find an arrangement that made sense.

The result was a successful run of packed venues, enthusiastic crowds, and plenty of new fans discovering Bonfire.

"We played for a huge crowd every night," McCormick said. "By the end of the show, we had people lined up at our merch booth."

Bonfire also appeared at Wylde's Berzerkus festival, further strengthening the relationship between the band and the Black Label Society guitarist.

McCormick had nothing but good things to say about the experience.

"Zakk's a solid fucking guy, man."

THE AC/DC STORY YOU DON'T HEAR EVERY DAY

One of the most surprising moments of the interview came when McCormick shared a story about Bonfire's vocalist, who is also named Sean.

According to McCormick, during the period when Brian Johnson was experiencing vocal problems and AC/DC was considering its options, the band brought together several tribute vocalists who could perform both the Bon Scott and Brian Johnson eras.

Bonfire's vocalist was invited to an undisclosed location, where he had the opportunity to jam with AC/DC for a couple of days.

Yes, actually playing with AC/DC.

McCormick said the experience was incredible for his bandmate, who was stunned that the opportunity had even come his way.

He recalled Angus Young telling the vocalist that they had heard about a guy who could really nail the Bon Scott material, and that they had been right.

It was an experience that clearly left an impression.

For Bonfire, honoring the original AC/DC sound is about more than simply playing the songs. The band focuses on the raw attitude and feel of the early material, with its set generally stopping at Back In Black.

McCormick summed up the philosophy perfectly when discussing what AC/DC means to him.

"It's raw, blue-collar rock from the street, man. There's no candy-coating on that. It's just plug in, Marshall, run it."

That pretty much says it all.

BACK TO THE RECORD STORE DAYS

The conversation also took a trip back to McCormick's childhood in Indianapolis, where he and his friends spent their lunch money buying records at Karma Records.

Before streaming services, social media, and instant access to just about every band on the planet, discovering new music required a little more digging.

Sometimes you bought a record because a friend recommended it. Sometimes you caught something on a late-night radio show or Headbangers Ball. And sometimes, you took a chance because the album cover looked killer.

McCormick remembers those days well.

"You'd buy bands that you'd never heard of just based on their album cover," he said. "If it looked cool, just got to be good, man. I'm going to check this out."

He described how his musical tastes expanded after discovering heavier bands like Venom, Metallica, Celtic Frost, Mercyful Fate, Kreator, Slayer, and Anthrax.

Those discoveries opened the door to a much heavier world of music.

Zach Moonshine also mentioned that labels like Metal Blade, Combat, and Roadrunner also became trusted places to find new music. If something came out on one of those labels, it was usually worth checking out.

The discussion brought back memories of a time when metal fans had to work a little harder to find the next great band, but the excitement of discovering something new made the experience all the more rewarding.

McCormick also talked about seeing legendary bands during the 1980s, including Nasty Savage, and remembered catching Slayer on tour alongside Motörhead and Overkill.

That's one hell of a concert memory.

SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: A RECORD MADE ON THEIR OWN TERMS

The main focus of the conversation was HERETIC's latest album, Shape Of Things To Come.

The 12-track release was a project that developed gradually, with the band getting together approximately once a week to work on songs and shape the material.

There was no rush to force the record into existence. The musicians took their time, worked through arrangements, changed things when necessary, and waited until everyone was satisfied with the results.

"We didn't have a label at the time to kind of help with that, so we did it on our own," McCormick explained.

He appreciated being able to approach the album without the pressure of trying to make something happen overnight.

"We did it on our own terms. It came out whenever it was done, and we were comfortable with how it turned out."

As the newest member of HERETIC, McCormick also approached the songwriting and arrangements with an appreciation for the band's history and sound.

He wanted to respect the traditional heavy metal and power metal foundation while allowing the music to have some updated elements.

The result includes faster material, slower and heavier songs, and different approaches that give the album plenty of variety.

Guitarist Brian Korban remains the central creative force in HERETIC, bringing ideas to the table and helping guide the band's musical direction.

McCormick also praised producer Steve Watson for helping capture the sound they wanted.

The goal wasn't to make the record overly polished or strip away its edge.

"We didn't want to keep it too squeaky clean," McCormick said. "He did a fantastic job on it."

For McCormick, the finished album represents an important milestone. After years of playing music and performing with different projects, he was especially proud to finally have a HERETIC record under his belt.

WHY ALBUM ARTWORK STILL MATTERS

Another highlight of the discussion was the album's artwork, created by artist and tattoo artist Tom Berg.

Berg previously worked with HERETIC on the cover for Atonement Crisis, and McCormick said the band was thrilled with the results this time around.

The group provided Berg with the album title and a few general ideas, then gave him room to develop the concept.

When he returned with the finished artwork, the reaction was immediate.

"We were like, 'Holy shit, man,'" McCormick recalled. "It blew us away."

The conversation turned into a discussion about the importance of artwork in heavy metal, especially during the days when fans discovered bands by browsing record-store shelves.

For McCormick, a great album cover could be the difference between a record getting picked up or being passed over.

"If you have a stupid-looking cover, nobody's going to be interested and they're going to walk right past it," he said.

It's an old-school philosophy that still holds up. Even in an age where music is often discovered through a tiny image on a phone screen, artwork remains part of the identity and presentation of a record.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR HERETIC?

With Shape Of Things To Come finally out in the world, HERETIC was already preparing to take the next steps.

During the interview, McCormick revealed plans to shoot videos for two songs from the album, including the title track. Producer Steve Watson was expected to handle the video production, bringing his television production experience into the project.

As for live shows and festival appearances, discussions were underway, although McCormick made it clear that nothing was confirmed at the time of the interview.

The band was still enjoying the response to the new record, and the early feedback had been encouraging.

McCormick mentioned seeing reviews awarding the album scores around 8.5 out of 10, along with reactions from listeners who were surprised to discover HERETIC was still active and releasing new music.

"We don't think we failed in any way as far as what turned out on the album," he said. "Everyone's just really proud of it."

That pride came through throughout the conversation.

FOUR DECADES OF METAL, AND THE FIRE IS STILL BURNING

What made this conversation especially enjoyable was the way it moved between different chapters of heavy metal history without ever losing its natural feel.

From the early days of HERETIC and the connections to Metal Church and Reverend, to record-store discoveries, legendary tours, Bonfire's AC/DC stories, and the making of Shape Of Things To Come, McCormick brought plenty of insight and personality to the discussion.

The interview also offered a reminder that heavy metal isn't just about the records. It's about the people, the friendships, the experiences, the shows, and the stories that stay with you long after the amps are switched off.

Before wrapping up, McCormick recorded a special station ID for Metal Devastation Radio:

"This is Sean from HERETIC, and you're listening to Metal Devastation Radio."

We appreciate Sean taking the time to join us, and we're looking forward to seeing what comes next for HERETIC.

Shape Of Things To Come is out now through Candlepower Records.

Check out HERETIC, support the new album, and keep the heavy metal alive!

The Zach Moonshine Show airs on Metal Devastation Radio every Friday night, bringing you interviews, new music, underground discoveries, and conversations with the people keeping heavy metal alive.

As always, crank it loud!

Full Track List: 

Battle Of The Bands Top Six Winners:

1 - Mistress - Terrified eyes - (7,556,036 votes)
2 - Voidmaker - Of Digital Creation - (722,946 votes)
3 - Soul Of Sheol - Paradise Is Not For Us - (55,910 votes)
4 - LICUATION - Wall of sins - (28,393 votes)
5 - Rhino Rawkstar - Warning Labels - (24,359 votes)
6 - Kingdom In Thorns - Back To You - (2,081 votes)

The Zach Moonshine Intro

7 - AC/DC - Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be
8 - Wasted Theory - Get Loud or Get Fucked
9 - Cobra Whip - Pleasin' of The Witch
10 - DEATH ANGEL - The Never Was

Heretic - Interview featuring Divided We Fail/Shape of Things to Come

11 - Motherslug - Rollin'/The Ballad of Jock Brown
12 - Cÿanide - Back the Fuck Off (Feat. John Zito)
13 - Metal Mustang - Bulletproof
14 - Patriarchs In Black - Spoiler Alert
15 - Baby on a Rampage - Failure of One's Name
16 - Sinistrum - Empire of Gnawed Bone
17 - Lizzord - Bring-Out-The-Dead
18 - THRONEHAMMER - Thrown Into The Abyss
19 - Smoulder - Their Name Lives On/Warrior Witch Of Hell
20 - Vipërwitch - Lightning Strikes Twice/I Rule The Ruins
21 - Catharia - Desolations Harvest
22 - Pathos & Logos - Crown of Glass
23 - Civilis - Stand In Hell
24 - B.A.I.B. - Proverbial Sun
25 - GHOST PIPE - Spirit Speaks
26 - Post Death Soundtrack - Hunting Baby Sow

Full show streaming now on Mixcloud:

Check out the interview on YouTube, Spotify, Apple etc:

Super massive shout out to the 183,694 metal maniacs from around the planet that tuned into the devastation!