We’ve got a high-powered episode this week that kicks off with a spotlight on Morningstar, a band that fuses rock, melody, grit, and intention in a way that defies genre boxes. Their brand-new track “Free” leads us off, and if that wasn’t enough—we follow it with their entire album Between Your World and Mine. The blend of spiritual fire, anthemic choruses, and cinematic moments makes this one of those rare albums that earns a full spin.

I recently sat down with Amber Swenor, Morningstar’s magnetic frontwoman, for a raw, unedited conversation about the band’s evolution, their upcoming performance at Rock Fest in Wisconsin, and Amber’s new book Unleashed, which explores radical authenticity in both business and life. It was one of those talks that wandered through music, personal transformation, and what it means to really show up in this world. I was originally going to edit it down and include it in this episode, but honestly? It deserves your full attention. So I kept it whole, and you can stream the entire interview right here:

We also linked up the Rock Fest 2025 lineup so you can see exactly where Morningstar fits into the sonic chaos:

After Morningstar, we lean hard into The Way of the Fist by Five Finger Death Punch—a furious, no-holds-barred debut that cemented them as one of the loudest voices in American metal. From there, we get gritty with the self-titled debut from Sevendust, which still hits like a hammer 25+ years later. We close the night with Phobia by Breaking Benjamin, because let’s be honest—after a set like this, you need to decompress with something dark and melodic.

So buckle in. This one’s heavy, heartfelt, and honest.

our 1

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

Morningstar – Free – 04:25 – single – Not on label. –

Morningstar – The Calling – 04:12 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Calalini – 04:44 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Stranded in Cyber City – 03:30 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – The Circus – 04:09 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Bittersweet Lullaby – 04:52 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Decisions – 03:36 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Silence – 03:44 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Two Brothers – 03:52 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Eternal – 03:59 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Calalini (Instrumental) – 04:37 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Morningstar – Eternal (Instrumental) – 03:56 – Between Your World and Mine – Not on label. – 2022

Five Finger Death Punch – Ashes – 03:44 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – The Way Of The Fist – 03:58 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Hour 2

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

Five Finger Death Punch – Salvation – 03:20 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – The Bleeding – 04:28 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – A Place To Die – 03:40 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – The Devil’s Own – 04:12 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – White Knuckles – 04:10 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – Can’t Heal You – 03:03 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – Death Before Dishonor – 03:54 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Five Finger Death Punch – Meet The Monster – 04:23 – The Way Of The Fist – Firm Music – 2007

Sevendust – Black – 04:08 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Bitch – 03:41 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Terminator – 04:54 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Too Close to Hate – 04:48 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Wired – 03:55 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Prayer – 04:18 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Face – 04:47 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Speak – 03:29 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Will It Bleed – 04:51 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – My Ruin – 05:37 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Sevendust – Born to Die – 03:59 – Sevendust – TVT – 1997

Hour 3

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

Breaking Benjamin – Intro – 01:13 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – The Diary Of Jane – 03:20 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Breath – 03:38 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – You – 03:22 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Evil Angel – 03:41 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Until The End – 04:12 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Dance With The Devil – 03:47 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Topless – 03:03 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Here We Are – 04:18 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Unknown Soldier – 03:46 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Had Enough – 03:50 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – You Fight Me – 03:12 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – Outro – 02:09 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006

Breaking Benjamin – The Diary Of Jane (Acoustic Version) – 03:06 – Phobia – Hollywood Records – 2006 [fade out]

Rolling with Scissors airs live every Tuesday from 2–5 AM on 89.9 FM in Madison and streams at wortfm.org. Missed it? You can catch the episode for two weeks after broadcast at archive.wortfm.org or at rwsradio.com.

While the audio disappears after two weeks, the episode notes and playlists don’t. Every deep dive, rant, and full album breakdown stays right here — so you can revisit the details any time.

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