With the release of her debut EP Shattered, Taryn Haze isn’t just introducing herself as an artist, she’s opening a deeply personal chapter.

Walk into any guitar shop, grab a guitar off the wall, plug into an amp… and there it is. That feeling. The uncontrollable urge to play those first few notes. Before you even finish the phrase, you sense it, someone behind the counter looks up. A staff member appears. The air shifts. You stop playing. Congratulations. You’ve just encountered the legend of the Forbidden Riff.

On January 7th 1971, Black Sabbath released Paranoid in the United States, an album that didn’t just follow their debut, but set the blueprint for heavy metal. Originally released in the UK in 1970, Paranoid crossed the Atlantic and quickly established Sabbath as one of the heaviest, most uncompromising bands in rock history.

Justus Hajas found his escape through guitar at a young age, turning chaos into creativity. Blending metal, experimental tones, and unexpected influences like hyperpop, his sound is constantly evolving. From shaping his tone with Soldano amp sims to pushing boundaries with synth pedals, Justus is always chasing the next idea. This artist spotlight dives into his journey, mindset, and what’s fueling his music today.