Rob Traynor of BLACK WATER RISING joins Matt & John on The Heavy Galaxy Show for a deep dive into his journey through the world of heavy rock. From growing up in Brooklyn and frequenting the legendary L'Amour club, to crossing paths and befriending members of bands like Type O Negative, Rob shares the roots that shaped his gritty, riff-heavy sound. He opens up about his early 2000's band Dust To Dust, the influence of Peter Steele, and how that relationship helped guide his career.Rob gives us the inside story on Dust To Dust’s rise and fall—highlighting what it's like to be signed to a major label and the business clashes that followed. He explains how those experiences led to the formation of BLACK WATER RISING and how the band carved out its space in the heavy rock scene. With support from Sirius XM Octane’s Jose Mangin, the band gained momentum fast, being offered and landing deals and pushing forward with a powerful debut.We dig into BLACK WATER RISING's songwriting process, including Rob’s lyrical themes and inspirations behind tracks off their latest album 'The Edge'. Rob also talks about how the band navigates the modern music industry, where rock and metal are often sidelined by younger audiences. He breaks down what it takes to stay relevant and independent in today’s fast-changing music landscape.Rob shares details on his collaborations with Brooklyn metal legend Johnny Kelly and longtime New Jersey riff-maestro Dan Lorenzo and their band PATRIARCHS IN BLACK. We talk about upcoming possible physical releases for 'The Edge', the band's plans for future live performances, and whats in store for BLACK WATER RISING for 2025' and beyond. If you’re into hard rock history, raw stories from the scene, and honest insight into today’s music world, don’t miss this one.