From Corners Unknown (Est. 2016) is a podcast and webzine dedicated to the vast musical domains of metal, dark ambient, and noise—plus their tangentially related genres. Our podcasts, hosted primarily by Ryan and Connor, range from in-depth artist interviews to album reviews of newer records to live features of noise, ambient, and experimental artists from across the globe. All of our episodes are available on the site for free and you can also listen to them on major streaming platforms. There will never be enough time for us to tread across these gargantuan auditory terrains, but we aim to cast light on the darker, more mysterious corners of these musical realms. Thank you for the time you give us listening to our podcasts, reading our write-ups, and above all, giving these artists your time.
Connor Benson (Podcast Host)
Connor Benson rises from the shores of Santa Cruz, California. He discovered the immense power of heavy music in his early teens. Over a decade later he stills reaches to the far ends of Earth looking for the musical elixir of the heavy and the unusual. When not audibly devouring delicious riffs or groaning drones he spends his time conjuring light and shadows to various forms of film/media. On average you can also find him wandering around a forest of some kind. You can hear him on every album review podcast, which he co-hosts with Ryan.
Derek Paul (Podcast Host)
Made from the orange eye of a calamitous dragon. Receive double damage.
Derek has no useful powers, and is merely a symbol of dragon worship, a thing quietly passed down amongst its most fervent adherents, some of whom become convinced the task has been bestowed upon them as a sacred duty.
Duncan Park (Writer & Podcast Host)
Duncan is a boring office drone from Durban, South Africa. In moments of respite from the toils of office life, he dabbles in “making” and listening to music. He has a particular passion for all things acoustic, avant-garde, psychedelic and pastoral, but is also learning to love Death Metal. He has always enjoyed Sludge, but not as much as he enjoys potatoes. Importantly, he is a recent convert to the covenant of Dark Souls. If you wish to hear the noises he makes with musical instruments, check out the bands Return to Worm Mountain, Listeriosis, or even just the stuff that’s out there under the appropriately unimaginative name, Duncan Park. He forces Ryan to listen to terrible albums such as Philosophy of the World by the Shaggs. He is a connoisseur of music that no one wants to listen to.
Ryan Knapp (Owner/Operator & Podcast Host)
Ryan originates from California, though he has resided within the verdant palisades of Oregon for a little over a decade. He founded From Corners Unknown back in 2016 after trying his hand at several dark ambient and metal album reviews on Sputnikmusic. Since establishing the site, he transitioned from writing reviews toward interviewing artists and bands in long-form podcast formats. His unquenchable thirst for the zany and outlandish knows no bounds as he ceaselessly seeks sounds that fracture and upend his understanding of music. You can hear him on every artist interview podcast conducted on From Corners Unknown as well as on album review episodes, which he co-hosts with Connor.
Ryan "Woody" Borowy (Writer)
Ryan “Woody” Borowy gave himself that nickname in high school because he thought it was cool. He was wrong, but the name stuck. A longtime participant in the local CT music scene, Woody started writing music reviews in 2012 for his blog “Sock Full of Pennies,” named after the terrible ska-punk band he helped form in middle school. Since then, his music tastes and writing skills thankfully evolved enough to land him a writing position with From Corners Unknown in early 2019.
Woody currently resides in his home in Waterbury CT, which is very possibly haunted by duende. When he is not hunched over his laptop writing about music, he performs a strange bass-driven blend of emo-hardcore and folk-punk as TheJudasObscure.
Tim Harbour (Writer)
Tim is located in the distant south of the globe in Johannesburg, South Africa. He got into metal music in 2002 and hasn’t been able to get enough since. Tim studied music and is a teacher by profession. He lectures classes in music theory and composition and also plays in doom metal act Mad God. He is also a passionate (read addicted) gamer who has been known to compose music for local, indie video games under the alias Jump Ship. You can read his album reviews here on From Corners Unknown.