The Metal Pilgrim has become fairly popular YouTube channel during the last few years. Led by a Ukrainian metalhead, this channel features thoughtful analyses, interviews and news related to the world of heavy music. In recent times, they have released some merch showing cool imagery. Their latest item is a t-shirt titled "No Fear Of The Dark" that includes the colors of the Ukrainian flag and a character that seems to be inspired on iconic Metal imagery. In the following interview, the Metal Pilgrim himself talks about the origins of this t-shirt and the channel's history and current trajectory.
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| The Metal Pilgrim with the "No Fear Of The Dark" t-shirt. |
The Metal Pilgrim YouTube channel has more than 75,000 subscribers. Your videos have reached thousands of people in recent years and have become a reliable source of information for many metalheads. How did you come up with the idea of creating this channel?
Metal Pilgrim: It started as a way to reconnect with my lifelong passion—Heavy Metal. A few years back, I was constantly working and traveling for my day job, and I missed that connection. So, I started small—posting short album reviews on Instagram. Then COVID hit, and with all that extra time, I thought, why not try YouTube? I randomly reached out to Jason Bittner (Overkill’s drummer at the time) and asked if he’d talk on camera, even though I didn’t even have a channel yet. And weirdly enough… he agreed, and it took off. Initially, it was just my way of unwinding. Now it’s grown into something bigger than I ever expected.
You're based in Ukraine. What are the main challenges of running a YouTube channel from a country immersed in war?
Metal Pilgrim: It’s tough, no sugarcoating that. In Ukraine, the war is always looming. Honestly, when missiles fly overhead, a YouTube schedule is the last thing on your mind, especially when you have a family. But weirdly enough, this channel has become my anchor. The amazing Metal community helps me get through some of the hardest days during the war. That said, it’s incredibly difficult to plan. We deal with blackouts, air raid sirens and attacks—so recording, editing, and releasing content often get thrown off track. You do what you can, when you can.
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| The "No Fear Of The Dark" t-shirt. Front and Back. |
Your latest t-shirt, titled “No Fear Of The Dark” features the colors of the Ukrainian shirt. However, given the title and the color palette, this could be a direct reference to a band you love—Iron Maiden. Plus, the main character has elements from iconic Metal imagery. Can you comment on the origins and inspiration for this t-shirt?
Metal Pilgrim: This design was born during the blackouts we faced here in Ukraine. It’s a play on Iron Maiden’s “Fear of the Dark,” but here we say, “No Fear Of The Dark.” The message is simple: we’re not afraid, no matter what. Even if we have no electricity due to bombings and we live in darkness. And visually, it’s a mashup of mascots and elements from my favorite bands—Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motörhead and Metallica, set against the skyline of my city Kyiv, with some of the most iconic landmarks seen there. It blends my love for Metal with my love for my city.
Who designed this illustration?
Metal Pilgrim: It was crafted by the amazing Ukrainian artist Ivan Parkhomenko. I worked with him on the Metal Grinch t-shirt design a couple years ago, and it was just natural to continue working with him on this one. Ivan does everything old-school—no AI, just sketches and drafts that we refine together. He has this magic touch, so I implore others to check out his work.
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| Other Metal Pilgrim t-shirts. |
You have released other merch items. Most of them feature eye-catching illustrations combined with the Metal Pilgrim logo. Who designed the logo?
Metal Pilgrim: I did. I found a font I liked, played around with it, and there was the logo. I actually had another logo professionally designed afterwards, but after I asked some of my
subscribers which they preferred, they stuck with my original, so that’s what we kept.
What's your opinion about the role of visual imagery (especially album covers) in the development of Heavy Metal aesthetics?
Metal Pilgrim: Visuals are massive! In the early days of Metal, people bought albums based on the cover alone. Even as a kid, I discovered so many bands that way. In my opinion, visual elements are at least 30% of an album’s impact. Look at Iron Maiden’s “Somewhere In
Time” or Judas Priest’s “Sad Wings Of Destiny.” You can lose yourself in those artworks,
and what is most important—they go extremely well with the music. So, I honestly do not
understand why some bands today in 2026 do not dedicate much attention to it. In my
opinion, it is the most important element of post-production, and I wish more bands would
understand that.
Visit the Metal Pilgrim at https://metalpilgrim.net
Join Metal Pilgrim's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@MetalPilgrim
Purchase the "No Fear Of The Dark" t-shirt and other Metal Pilgrim merch at https://metalpilgrim.net/collections/all
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