“The show was originally started to bring some attention to the Alberta metal scene. I was going to see a lot of local shows and really enjoying the music so I wanted to find a way to be involved and help out,” says Mark Dillon, founder of Vinland Radio, a weekly podcast featuring heavy metal music and news.

“I had been working in radio both as a amateur and a professional since 1995, so some sort of radio program seem like the obvious choice. I just want to some of this great music heard by as many people as possible,” Dillon continues.

Officially launched in August 2007, the Internet just seemed the best way to spread the tunes.

“I knew that a show like this would not work on commercial radio. I’ve dealt with enough program directors over the years that there was no way in hell to sell an hour long metal show,” Dillon explains. “Metal seemed to be well-represented on university radio, so the podcast format seemed the best way to reach the most amount of people.”

Each episode of Vinland Radio focuses on new releases, but there are also weekly segments where anything might be discusses and played.

“We take an in-depth look at an unsigned band in the Underground Spotlight. James, aka Dr. Gore, also has two weekly segments: Under the Blade, where he reviews a death metal album, and Black Metal Boot Camp, where he takes a look at some classic and not so classic black metal.”

Which leads us to their host names. As previously mentioned, Dillon’s co-host, James Neill, is best known to listeners as Dr. Gore. Dillon is known as King.

“The host names were started as sort of a joke. We figured if this show tanks, then at least no one will know who we are,” Dillon laughs. “James started calling me King after one night of recording some poorly executed King Diamond-esque vocals, and after 120 plus episodes, the name just seems to have stuck.”

So far, it’s just the two of them involved in the show, and has been since Neill made his first appearance on episode three, although there are guests periodically.

When Vinland Radio first started, Dillon had no idea who their audience actually was going to be.

“In 2007, podcasts where just starting to come into there own, there were a lot of people listening, but they were mostly young, tech savvy people. Fast forward two years, and it seems like everyone you meet has a list of podcasts they listen to on a weekly basis.”

More than 2,000 listeners tune into Vinland every week now and, much to Dillon’s surprise, the show is extremely popular outside Canada.

“In the past year, especially, we really seem to be doing well in the UK,” Dillon says, but notes it doesn’t matter where listeners are, “I just hope they get exposed to some good music that they maybe haven’t heard before.

“The thing that keeps me motivated is that every once in a while I will receive an email from a listener saying how much they enjoy the show and how much they appreciate the fact that it shows up in their iTunes every week. It’s a lot of work every week but it’s a lot more fun.”

Overall, the show hasn’t changed a lot since its launch. “The format we use seems to work well for multiple audiences. We have made a change in the news we cover to represent our European audience a little more, but not exclusively,” Dillon says. “We have also changed some segments and some people have come and gone, but I think the show sounds a lot more polished and professional than it did in the beginning.”

Still, change is inevitable, and the desire for Vinland to grow is a reality.

“As well as our regular once a week episode, we are going to have special themed episodes once a month where we will take in-depth looks at certain sub genres. We are also working on a video component that will be a companion piece to Vinland Radio,” Dillon reveals. “I can’t talk about that too much right now, but it should be launching some time in the first quarter.”

What’s even more exciting is that Vinland Radio is always accepting submissions for their Underground Spotlight segment.

“The best way for bands to get in touch with us is to email us at vinlandradio@yahoo.ca or through our MySpace page.”

Who said Mondays have to suck? Lift your spirits by checking out the latest episode of Vinland Radio every Monday. Visit their official home on the web to tune in.