#162 - Trap Them - Seizures In Barren Praise w/ Clint Gee (Smearing)

#162 - Trap Them - Seizures In Barren Praise w/ Clint Gee (Smearing)

From Riff Worship by Austin Paulson, Dylan Adams, and Justin Swindle

July 16, 2026 · 1h 39m · Episode 162

About this episode

The episode features a deep dive into Trap Them's album 'Seizures in Barren Praise' with guest Clint Gee discussing its impact and production.

This week on Riff Worship, we dive headfirst into one of the 21st century's most visceral extreme music masterpieces: Trap Them’s 2008 sophomore album, Seizures in Barren Praise. Joining us to dissect the record's enduring legacy is Clint Gee, vocalist of Seattle grindcore outfit Smearing! We’ll take a look into the blueprint of the record, exploring how the band seamlessly fused hardcore punk velocity with the legendary Swedish Boss HM-2 buzzsaw guitar tone. From its non-linear track listing to the cryptic lore of the fictional town of Barren Praise, we establish exactly why this album remains a high-water mark in aggressive music. In this episode, we’ll discuss: An in-depth look at the album's creation at GodCity Studios with producer Kurt Ballou, highlighting the evolution from their debut full-length Sleepwell Deconstructor. Unpacking vocalist Ryan McKenney’s unique, paragraph-style lyrical concept—treating the written word as a separate art medium from the music—and how the stark cinematic style of director Dario Argento influenced his approach. Analyzing the specific gear behind the record's devastating riffs, including the Ampeg V4 amp head and the finely tuned HM-2 pedal…

People in this episode

Hosts: Austin Paulson, Dylan Adams, Justin Swindle

Guest: Clint Gee

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Trap Them, GodCity Studios, Deathwish Inc., Converge, Smearing

Books & works: Seizures in Barren Praise, Sleepwell Deconstructor

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