EP 231 Gus Rios of Cold Slither From Cobra to Comic Con: The Metal Resurrection of Cold Slither

In this epic crossover of metal and childhood fandom, Tom sits down with Gus Rios, drummer for Gruesome and mastermind behind the new band Cold Slither — a Hasbro and Reigning Phoenix Music collaboration inspired by the iconic G.I. Joe episode that aired 40 years ago.

Gus shares how a lifelong obsession with G.I. Joe led to voicing Zartan, writing an entire metal album for Hasbro, and preparing to perform live at San Diego Comic Con 2025 — all while blending 80s metal energy with cartoon lore and personal nostalgia.

• 🧠 The birth of Cold Slither: From G.I. Joe cartoon to real-world band

• 🎙️ Gus cast as Zartan in an official G.I. Joe project

• 🎸 Creating an 80s-style metal album with cartoon samples

• 🧬 Writing within Hasbro guidelines while making it heavy

• 🕹️ Nostalgia: toys, cartoons, and moral lessons from G.I. Joe

• 🎭 Comic Con performance: dressing up and going live in July

• 💬 Listener feedback, online reaction, and what’s next

• ⏳ Reflections on aging, legacy, and creating meaningful music

🗓 Releases July 25, 2025 — Timed for San Diego Comic Con
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👕 Merch & more: coldslitherofficial.com

📺 YouTube: @AndNowTheBand
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