HEAVY Music Interviews

Interview by Kris PetersPhoenix Arizona legends BLESSTHEFALL are headed our way with Memphis May Fire later this month, for their first Australian shows in over a decade.Following a hiatus after their 2018 album Hard Feelings, BLESSTHEFALL returned, teasing new music in 2025 and embracing their "mallcore" roots. Formed in the early 2000s, they are considered veterans of the post-hardcore/metalcore scene, having gone through various lineup changes while keeping key members like vocalist Beau Bokan and bassist/vocalist Jared Warth and have hit the ground running since their return.The pairing of Memphis May Fire is a seismic team-up that promises to redefine metalcore, delivering unrelenting riffs, breakdowns, and anthemic screams to ravenous crowds. With over two decades of combined touring dominance, these two bands have shared stages worldwide, from Warped Tour to packed U.S. arenas, and now they're bringing their explosive synergy to Australia!HEAVY sat down for an entertaining chat with Bokan, starting by asking what has changed with Blessthefall since their last visit in 2014."We've gotten a little older," Bokan smiled. "We've gotten a little wiser - maybe not too much wiser (laughs). We took a hiatus for a little bit and came back in in 2023 and it's been so fun to be back and active and seeing metalcore thriving. So many people are rediscovering us or discovering us for the first time so it's really cool. We're just...  we do what we do. We like to have fun on stage, so we like to party. But I think a little bit of the stuff that's changed is trying to just sound better on stage, you know. Obviously, we like to jump and run around and be exciting, but at the same time we don't want to sacrifice our sound too much. I feel like now, more than ever... you play a show and it's on the internet in five minutes so the bar is set really high. So just focusing, and for me, personally, singing better and trying to make sure I'm hitting the notes but also putting on a show. We don't want to sacrifice too much of the excitement and the showmanship, stuff like that."In the full interview, Beau spoke more about the tour and what we can expect from Blessthefall. He told us why themselves and Memphis May Fire compliment each other beautifully in the live arena, highlighting past shows they have played together and their close friendship outside of touring.He spoke about their 'comeback album Gallows and how it was received, admitting there were a few nervous moments before it was released in relation to how much their time off would actually impact the band moving forward. We spoke about Blessthefall moving forward, including playing some of the worlds biggest festivals after they finish in Australia and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceReturning to Australia after a three-year absence, nothing, nowhere. is set to reconnect with a fanbase he clearly holds close. Speaking ahead of the tour, the man behind nothing, nowhere, Joe Mulherin reflects on the long gap between visits, admitting it feels like he “just” played here, only to realise how much time has passed. That distance has only heightened his anticipation, especially when it comes to Australian crowds, which he describes as among the most passionate in the world.There's a genuine affection in the way he talks about the country, not just the shows, but the experience itself. From ferry rides into Sydney to snorkelling and embracing the unfamiliar, his last trip left a lasting impression. With family ties now rooted here, Australia feels less like a stop on the map and more like a second home.This upcoming run isn't just another tour; it's a celebration. Marking a decade of nothing, nowhere.The Return of the Reaper tour will blend old favourites with newer material, offering fans a full-circle moment. Joe's excitement also extends to the lineup, bringing along close friends and collaborators, creating what he describes as a “summer camp” atmosphere on the road.After an intensely isolating period writing in Vermont, this tour arrives at the perfect time—both a creative release and a reminder of connection.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersAustralia, prepare to set your fazers to stun this September, with Welsh ragga metal legends SKINDRED primed to return to our shores for their biggest ever Australian headline tour! Opening proceedings on Tuesday 1 September in Perth, SKINDRED will head through Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, and close out on Sunday 6 September in Brisbane.Wielding a formidable (and deserved) reputation as one of the best live bands on the planet, SKINDRED have been stupefying audiences with their heart-thumping blend of reggae, punk, hip hop, nu metal, rock and electronica since forming in the late 90s. Hailing from Newport in Wales, SKINDRED's innovation and hybrid agility saw the group explode out of the underground and into enduring infamy, now with eight studio albums to date, multiple award wins, countless performances and millions of fans spanning the globe, all under the ardent gaze of frontman Benji Webbe.Releasing their debut album Babylon in 2002, SKINDRED have consistently unleashed new music throughout their career, and 2026 is no exception with the hotly-anticipated release of their ninth studio album You Got This due out on April 17. Featuring the newly slimmed-down trio of Webbe, Mikey Demus and Arya Goggin working alongside GRAMMY-winning producer Jay Ruston (Diana Ross, Meat Loaf, Mr Bungle), You Got This picks up where the band's acclaimed 2023 album Smile left off, with vibrant dancehall hues fused with hooks, earworms and hard-hitting slammers all lying in wait on album #9; and it's a collection of songs that are also set to inevitably stun in a live setting.On a live front, SKINDRED are certainly not your average band, with their exuberant brand of chaos never skimping on unity as well as pedal-to-the-metal technicality. Whether performing alongside the likes of KISS, Korn, Papa Roach and Rob Zombie, or leaving festival crowds in a sweaty euphoria on some of the biggest global stages, it's not hyperbole to declare that a SKINDRED live show is something you'll be talking about for years, if not decades, to come. Most recently delighting Aussie fans in 2024, performing as part of Knotfest Australia, SKINDRED's previous down under performances have been praised time and time again.HEAVY sat down with Webbe to talk about the album and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

If there's one topic sure to divide opinion in the world of music it's tribute bands and the rapid growth of such bands around the globe. Those who support tribute bands argue points such as providing accessible, affordable entertainment, keeping classical music alive and preserving musical history while those opposed argue tribute bands impact artist authenticity by oversaturating venues and reducing opportunities for original bands who play their own music.That debate has recently spread to social media platforms like Facebook, whose new META algorythm has censored tribute bands and their videos, to the extent of closing down pages dedicated to tribute acts. With two successful international tribute bands in CHOP SUEY and SLIP NOT heading to Australia this May for a run of shows, HEAVY took the opportunity to sit down with the man behind these two bands and one of the world's leading experts on the tribute market, ANDRE JOYZI, to get his perspective on the global tribute band phenomina.  ANDRE JOYZI, to get his perspective on the global tribute band phenomina. "Basically, if you don't think with your ego there's nothing wrong with playing in a covers or tribute band," Joyzi began. "When I was 23 I decided I was going to be a professional metal drummer. There was nothing specific like it's going to have to be death metal or It's going to have to be this or that, because there's nothing I love more than playing metal live and the feeling you get from that. I made the early decision that I was going to do both (covers/tribute and originals), because nothing says that you can't".Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsHot Mulligan's latest chat with HEAVY finds the band exactly where good bands tend to be after years of grinding away: confident, funny, slightly unhinged in the best way, and still refreshingly free of self-important rubbish. Speaking with Ali Williams ahead of their April return to Australia, the group as a band, have earned its growing reputation. These guys roll on in with the kind of dry humour and sideways banter that suggests Hot Mulligan are far more interested in taking the piss out of themselves than posing like tortured visionaries. Just like their music, their attitudes have pulse, and more importantly, it makes them feel like actual people rather than another touring act reciting the usual promo script. The band are heading back to Australia after a warmly received first visit in 2024, this time with bigger rooms, stronger ticket sales, and enough demand to add a second Melbourne show after the first sold out. They speak about that first Australian run with genuine fondness, describing it as a leap into the unknown that paid off far better than expected. There is a clear affection for the smaller, more intimate venues too, with Hot Mulligan admitting they thrive in rooms where the barrier between band and audience is basically nonexistent. That detail says plenty. For all the upward momentum behind them, they still seem most at home when a show feels sweaty, immediate, and a little rough around the edges. Australia, clearly, gave them exactly that, and now they're coming back for six shows as part of a schedule that barely lets them breathe before moving on to Singapore and then their first-ever tour of Japan. They explain the the band's history without wasting time trying to inflate it into some grand rock fairytale. Their beginnings were deeply DIY, gloriously unflashy, and stitched together from local bands, trial and error, and the kind of long-term persistence that most “overnight success” stories quietly leave out. They talk openly about how the band's growth was gradual at first, before a pandemic-era release gave things a serious push and shifted them into a different gear. Even then, there's no victory lap in the way they tell it. Hot Mulligan sound more amused than amazed by their own rise, which somehow makes it more impressive. They have been at this for over a decade, building audience trust the slow way, and the result is a band with real international pull that still behaves like it can't quite believe people in London, Australia, and now Japan are yelling for them to show up. Between the deadpan cracks about their past, the tongue-in-cheek nonsense about genre labels, and the general feeling that any one of them would happily derail a serious moment for a laugh, there is still a strong sense of gratitude running underneath it all. Hot Mulligan sound like a band fully aware of how lucky they are to be hauling their songs across the world, but also one that has worked hard enough to deserve every sold-out room and every passport stamp. That is really the takeaway here: not some neat genre tag or tidy career narrative, but a portrait of a band whose personality has grown right alongside its audience. They are funny without being flippant, sincere without getting sappy, and busy carving out a global path that still feels grounded in the scrappy spirit that got them moving in the first place. Go check them out and show them some lovin. Tickets, tour dates and information are available at www.ticketek.com.au as well as the bands page https://hotmulligan.band/pages/tourBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsH.E.A.T are not exactly sitting around polishing old trophies and talking about the glory days. When HEAVY's Ali Williams caught up with Jimmy Jay, the Swedish melodic rock machine was holed up in rehearsal mode, fresh off the Spanish leg of their Welcome To The Future 2026 run and already gearing up for the next round of work. In classic H.E.A.T fashion, there is no neat little pause between touring and recording. The band is heading into Hamburg to start work on the next album, with more than twenty songs already written and waiting to be narrowed down to the strongest ten or so. Jimmy made it clear this one is being approached with a more live, in-the-room mindset too, leaning back toward the kind of energy that made earlier releases hit so hard. Less stitched together in separate corners, more five blokes in a room pushing air and rattling the walls. That alone should be enough to get fans interested before a single note has even escaped into the wild. There is also something deeply satisfying about hearing a band twenty years in still sound hungry rather than merely organised. H.E.A.T hit their 20-year anniversary next year, which is long enough for most bands to either implode, become a tribute act to themselves, or start releasing albums that sound like they were assembled by committee and a legal team. Jimmy, though, spoke with the kind of grounded pride that only comes from a band that has genuinely worked for its place. He describes H.E.A.T as classic Scandinavian melodic heavy metal and hard rock, and there is no need to dress that up in fancier language than it deserves. They know what they are, they know what they do well, and they have built a loyal following by sticking a boot through the door not by politely knocking. Coming out of the Stockholm suburbs, with the broader Scandinavian legacy of hard rock and metal humming in the background, has clearly helped shape that instinct. Not in a smug, self-congratulatory way, either. More in the sense that if you grow up in a place where this music is woven into the cultural fabric, it is easier to treat it as something lived rather than borrowed. That authenticity carries through to the band's line-up story, which Jimmy recounted without turning it into some dramatic soap opera. H.E.A.T began as a six-piece, later dropped to five, and have only really had one major shake-up at the microphone. After original vocalist Kenny Leckremo left, Erik Grönwall stepped in for a decade-long run before moving on, with Kenny eventually returning and bringing things full circle. The result now is a band that feels about as close to its original DNA as it possibly can. For longtime fans, that matters. For newer ones, it explains why H.E.A.T still feel connected to their roots instead of merely trading on them. Jimmy also touched on the audience the band attracts, and it was one of the more telling parts of the chat. He reckons the crowd seems to stay roughly the same age, which is a very funny way of saying younger fans keep finding them while the old guard refuses to bugger off. That is not a bad place to be. It means the band has managed the rare trick of staying relevant without trying to act twenty years younger than they are. No desperate trend-chasing, no identity crisis, just a solid crowd of people who actually give a damn about music. Of course, for Australian fans, the immediate excitement is the upcoming run of shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney this April. It will be the band's third trip Down Under, which means they are well past the polite “great to be here” stage and into the territory of knowing what they are in for. Jimmy spoke warmly about returning, even if the small matter of a 25-hour flight sits between Stockholm and Brisbane like a punishment designed by an especially vindictive travel agent. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceDr. Mike Trubetskov isn't just a metal producer—he's a guide into one of the genre's most misunderstood elements: synths. Based in Melbourne, he works with heavy bands to shape what he calls their “cinematic sound,” and a huge part of that comes from what sits beneath the obvious.For Mike, synths aren't always meant to be heard, they're meant to be felt. Whether it's a subtle, slow-moving pad or an industrial, distorted layer cutting through dense guitars, these sounds define the emotional weight of a track. Remove them, and something vital disappears.What stands out is his balance between creativity and restraint. He approaches each song like a puzzle, filling gaps instinctively while respecting the band's vision. Too much layering? It kills the song. The right touch? It elevates everything.He's also quick to point out that great synth work starts with songwriting, not sound design. A strong melody that fits naturally within the track will always win over something overly complex. From following vocal lines to adding hidden counter-melodies deep in the mix, these small, often unnoticed details are what transform a good track into something immersive and alive.There's also a technical intensity behind it all. In a genre built on distortion, synths need to fight for space—often pushed through layers of saturation to cut through, or buried with reverb to create an eerie, almost subconscious presence. It's this constant push and pull between clarity and atmosphere that defines modern metal production.For anyone looking to learn, Mike's approach is both reassuring and challenging: trust your instincts, focus on the music first, and don't rely on trends to carry your sound. He shares more of this insight on his YouTube channel, Doctor Mike Metal, where he breaks down techniques and encourages artists to experiment, refine, and ultimately find their own voice.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceLos Angeles duo sace6 are carving out a striking space in modern heavy music, blending R&B melodies with emotionally charged metal textures. In conversation with HEAVY, Sace and Noah reveal the deeply personal roots behind their name, with 6 honouring Sace's father as a baseball player and serving as a symbol of inspiration.Their latest project, Brutalist, reflects both sonic intensity and immersive world-building, pairing pop-forward vocals with what the band describes as “brutal” emotional weight. The duo emphasised a unique creative process built on trust, often working separately to fully realise ideas before combining them into something cohesive. That authenticity has helped shape a sound that feels both unpredictable and intentional, with tracks like Ego marking defining moments in their evolution.Celebrating a decade of darkness, nothing, nowhere. returns to Australia this month, bringing The Return Of The Reaper tour with special guests sace6 and Closure. The run begins April 16 in Brisbane before hitting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and concluding in Perth on April 23.For sace6, the tour marks a major milestone and their first chance to connect with Australian audiences face-to-face for the first time ever. Check out the full interview above.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersIn any serious conversation about death metal, Vomitory's name is a must-mention. Formed in 1989, the Swedish band unleashed eight blistering albums between 1996 and 2011, cementing their status as genre titans before parting ways in 2013. However, their retirement was short-lived, as they returned to the stage in 2019 to mark their 30th anniversary. Now, three years after the release of their critically acclaimed comeback album All Heads Are Gonna Roll in 2023, Vomitory are back with their latest beast, In Death Throes, due out on April 10.According to drummer Tobias Gustafsson, while the unmistakable Vomitory sound remains, the new album cranks up the intensity. “In Death Throes picks up where All Heads Are Gonna Roll left off, but we've turned the intensity up a notch. Christian (Fredriksson, new guitarist) quickly found his place and even contributed music to four killer tracks. These additions bring a bit of diversity to our sound without straying too far from the formula.”HEAVY sat down with drummer Gustafsson to get the full rundown, asking him to dive deeper into the musical side of the album and what Vomitory were going for this time around."We continued on the same path as we did on our comeback album All Heads Are Going to Roll," he offered. "So we continued writing in the in the same way. But in hindsight, this new album turned out a bit more intense than the previous one, which is not a bad thing for a death metal band (laughs)."In the full interview, Tobias goes into more detail about how In Death Throes picks up where All Heads Are Gonna Roll left off, the added intensity in the music, and how new guitarist Christian Fredriksson contributed to the overall product.We spoke about the early days of the band and where they fit in, the parting of ways in 2013 and his feelings at the time, the circumstances that brought them back together and how much planning was behind that decision, the importance of their comeback album All Heads Are Going to Roll and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersPatient Sixty-Seven have become one of the most compelling and community‑driven voices in modern metalcore - a band built not on hype or industry shortcuts, but on heart, resilience, and the belief that heavy music can be a lifeline. Emerging from the isolated but fiercely creative city of Perth, Australia, P67 have spent the past decade turning personal struggle into connection, and connection into a movement that now has reached metalcore fans across the globe.From their earliest releases, Patient Sixty-Seven stood out for their emotional honesty - songs that didn't shy away from fear, grief, or self‑doubt, but instead embraced them as part of the human experience. That vulnerability resonated deeply, helping the band build a loyal, engaged, and heartfelt community long before the industry took notice. Fans didn't just listen; they shared stories, found comfort in the lyrics, and formed bonds with each other that extended far beyond the music.Now, Patient Sixty-Seven are stepping into their most significant chapter yet. In May this year, the band will join Of Mice & Men and Crystal Lake on a major Australian tour - a career‑defining moment that places them alongside some of the most influential names in modern heavy music. It's a testament to how far they've come, and a signal of where they're headed next.HEAVY caught up with vocalist Tom Kiely to find out more. One of the topics of discussion is how the band approaches major International supports. Do they go out there to warm the crowd up and play a role, or do they attack it with more vigour and go out there with a view to blowing everyone else off stage?"I think for us, we just want to be ourselves," Tom measured. "I think obviously we want to make sure that we bring a high level of energy and intensity, because we know that ultimately our role on the tour is to get the crowd warmed up; to get the crowd moving; to get the crowd excited for the bands that are coming after us. By doing that it leans nicely into what we like to do anyway, which is play with a lot of energy and get the crowd involved. We try to be interactive and try and bring that spark to the stage and after our set's finished, hopefully people are even more excited for the next few bands.Opening is always tricky because you know the crowd's definitely still getting warmed up and maybe not moving as much, so it's our job to shake off any cobwebs people have if they haven't been to a show in a while. We do what we can to get people banging their heads and maybe getting a mosh pit going. We find that a lot of the times once you start talking to the crowd and interacting with them there's a lot of people who are ready to get moving. If we can get a few mosh pits going, that'll be a highlight for sure (laughs)."In the full interview, Tom talked more about the run of shows with Of Mice & Men and Crystal Lake, where they fit in with the line-up, what to expect from their live show and what three songs concert goers can listen to in order to get to know the band before the shows.He also spoke about curating a set list to appeal to fans of the headliners while also playing their strongest material, how far advanced work is on their new album, what direction it is going to take musically and more.Of Mice & Men 2026 Australian Tour Dates With Crystal LakeTuesday 5th May – PERTH, Magnet HouseThursday 7th May – ADELAIDE, Lion Arts FactoryFriday 8th May – MELBOURNE, 170 RussellSaturday 9th May – SYDNEY, Manning BarSunday 10th May – BRISBANE, The TriffidTickets https://thephoenix.au/of-mice-and-men/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersAustralia and New Zealand, big things are coming! In just a matter of days, two musical heavyweights will begin a colossal arena run, with Florida hybrid heavies A DAY TO REMEMBER and California mainstays PAPA ROACH joining forces for the BIG ROCK TOUR, joined by special guests LANDMVRKS.Set to commence on Saturday, April 4 in Perth, A DAY TO REMEMBER and PAPA ROACH will journey the BIG ROCK TOUR through Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane arenas, before closing out in Auckland on Wednesday 15 April.Two-time GRAMMY-nominated and Platinum-selling rockers PAPA ROACH have perfected evolution and raw power over the course of 30 years. Hailing from Vacaville, California and forming back in the early 90s, PAPA ROACH embody resilience in every sense of the word.Teaming up with The Used in 2023 for a double-header Australian run, PAPA ROACH balanced fan-favourites with plenty of surprises for their Aussie fans. And if the walls could talk at any of the countless venues PAPA ROACH have played throughout their careers across the globe, both as the main event and alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers, Limp Bizkit, Eminem and more, the resounding sentiment would be that PAPA ROACH aren't just revered for their longevity; this is a band who can adapt, survive and thrive, brandishing an underdog spirit with prime-time appeal. And they'll be bringing it with spades alongside A DAY TO REMEMBER.HEAVY sat down with frontman Jacoby Shaddix to chat more."It's gonna be a banger of a tour, man. We're super excited about it," he beamed. "I've been anticipating this one for a minute, so it's great to be here in Australia, and great to be on the Big Rock Tour - I love that name too (laughs)."We ask what has changed with Papa Roach since they were here last with The Used in 2023."Oh man…" he measured. "A bunch of new music. We've been writing new music and we've got something that we're really excited about. We've been releasing new music and we've had some great successes recently worldwide that are just blowing my mind. We've got this song right now, Wake Up Calling, that's in it's third week at number one in the rock charts in America which is awesome. To be stepping into 2026 and kicking it off here in Australia is going to be amazing. We've got a big year planned ahead of us so there's a lot of good things going on in the P Roach world."Down the track we dive deeper into the history of Papa Roach, touching on the success of their second album Infest and what his initial thoughts of the album were."It was special to us," he recalled, smiling "I really feel that we thought we had something special, we just didn't know the world was gonna connect with it in such a way that they did. We thought we were gonna put out an album, tour in a van and maybe sell 150, 200 000 records, and that's not what happened (smiles). We put out an album and it was like a rocket ship ride to the top. I didn't know how to handle fame. I didn't know how to handle success, and it was just a very wild time for us. I'll tell you this, we had a lot of great times in that era and a lot of big wins and a lot of big moments. I look back upon that time of my life with a lot of… there were great moments that I was proud of, and then there were moments that I was like 'man, I regret that'. There's no handbook to becoming famous. There were moments that I handled it gracefully, and moments that I just went at it like an idiot."In the full interview, Jacoby talks more about the tour and what to expect, the three bands on the Big Rock Tour and how they compliment each other, the early days of Papa Roach, the success of Infest, sticking to their own path musically, mental health and more.Tickets from www.destroyalllines.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersPerth based melodic death metal outfit VANTA returned with their debut full length album Perpetual Selection on March 13, a cinematic andconcept driven record that explores humanity's darker instincts through the lens of cosmic horror, mythology and dystopian sci-fi.Perpetual Selection is a sonic and visual journey inspired by Indonesian dark folklore and survival horror games to the brutal sci-fi landscapes of Dune and Warhammer 40K, transforming real world anxieties into symbolic narratives of monsters, collapse and rebirth. At its core, the album honours melodeath roots by fusing the aggression and heaviness of modern american death metal with the folkiness and melodic sway of early euro death metal.The band literally ‘breaks down' trauma, inner collapse and humanity's obsession with forces it barely understands in songs like Stillwater and Sacred Light. VANTA's creativity and experimentation in different extreme sub-genres can be heard throughout this album and is a bold statement that the pack are not afraid to push the boundaries and even make some of you...uncomfortable. As well as their sound, their art, lyrics and their symbolic music videos such as Kuyang, Empty Shells and Alchemy mirror the reality that is currently unfolding before us.HEAVY spoke with drummer Ferdi to find out more, asking him to dive deeper into the musical side of the album."We want to explore the darker side of humanity and just where we're heading in general," he began. "Like you see all the things unfolding before our eyes and just around us. Compared to our Gravemind era, we sort of like touched on that more traditional Euro mellodeath sound. Like the Gothenburg riffs, the kind of early Children Of Bodum sound, and a mix with Dahlia nuance.But with this album - because we wanted to explore more into the whole narrative about collapse and rebirth and just where the society is heading in general, we wanted something more extreme, more aggressive. And the three of us all love black metal very much. We love the early Dimmu Borgir gear, the Belphegor sort of sound, and the early Behemoth riffs. But all in all, the core sound is still MelloDeath and just blending it in more with modern influences, I would say."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersGothenburg's finest musical expert Evergrey are returning with their fifteenth studio album Architects Of A New Weave, set for release on June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records. Whether it launches EVERGREY's boldest era yet, stands as a fierce standalone declaration, or serves as the pivotal bridge chapter that redefines their path, Architects Of A New Weave is pure cinematic motivation—ready to charge your playlist and propel your momentum forward. It's as though EVERGREY don't merely survive adversity—they rise and expand because of it. Every challenge, every setback, every wound seems to become the very oxygen that fuels their music. The darker the storm that once threatened to break them, the more powerfully each note draws breath from that same pain, transforming what hurt them yesterday into the soaring, living heart of their songs today. Architects Of A New Weave seals it: we are no longer victims of the night, but creators of new skies, new beliefs, and entirely new heavens. Grab it now. Let it arm you. This isn't just an album – it's the sound of you seizing control and building what's next. HEAVY sat down with vocalist Tom Englund to find out more, starting by asking how he feels about the album's impending release."Great. Honestly, really, really good," he smiled. "The first reactions are coming in with a few albums of the month and a bunch of great reviews. The reception from from the fans have been stellar. So far, we have released two different kinds of songs from this album; one we released prior to the album announcement called Oxygen which is an obnoxious, dark, brooding, complex song at six minutes and 20 seconds. And then we released the song called Architects of The New Weave, which is four minutes, straight to the point, sing along heavy metal.So in between those two worlds is where this album lives, which I love. That's the cool thing about being in Evergrey. We we can do pretty much whatever we want and fit everything into the Evergrey package."In the full interview, Tom framed the material as a response to current global events and a perceived loss of compassion, citing the single The World is on Fire as especially timely. He explained production goals: deliver immediate songs that reveal layered, cinematic production over repeated listens, and keep the album concise to avoid the expense of a double-vinyl package. Tom also discussed guest vocalist Michael Stanne, chosen because the melody suited his voice, and acknowledged influence from Gothenburg peers including the late Tomas Lindberg. Tour logistics for late April–early May in Australia were confirmed, with Tom admitting the difficulty of constructing setlists from a 15-album catalogue while balancing fan favourites and new material, what to expect from the shows and more.Pre-Order Architects Of A New Weave: http://lnk.to/Evergrey-ArchitectsOfANewWeaveAustralian Tour April28.04 - The Rosemount, Perth30.04 - The Baso, Canberra01.05 - Crowbar, Sydney02.05 - The Corner, Melbourne03.05 - Crowbar, Brisbanehttps://yourmatebookings.com/tours/evergrey-australia-2026/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersKnown for their fiery fusion of anthemic modern metal and powerful melodic rock, Sweden's SELF DECEPTION have shared stages with the likes of Electric Callboy, Danko Jones, and Adept since their 2009 debut, while racking up millions of streams and video views – including their viral 2022 hit, Fight Fire With Gasoline, with tens of millions of streams. Written on the road during the heaviest touring of SELF DECEPTION's career so far, their upcoming album One Of Us is a cohesive record full of character, made for the stage – and the pit!From massive pit churners to creative storylines and choruses full of hit potential, the energy on One Of Us is unmatched. The band has a busy festival summer following the album's release, so fans will get the first chance to experience these new tracks live at several major European rock and metal festivals. With One Of Us, SELF DECEPTION is ready to push contemporary rock to the next level, but to find out more HEAVY sat down with vocalist Andreas Clark, asking him to describe One Of Us musically."We never have a plan beforehand," he began. "It kind of becomes what it is. When we started on our own feet, we just decided one day that we wanted to try some new stuff. And every new idea that we can throw into the songs, however crazy it sounds, we've got to try it first. Ever since then, it's been a motto for us to do that. And so this album is written a lot on tour.We've been touring extensively and we've realized during touring and during writing this album that's what we wanted to capture. We wanted to capture so it feels like it's live and has actual musicians behind it. We used to think that perfecting everything was the way to go, but now every imperfection can add quality to it so it's a more organic album than we've ever done."In the full interview, Andreas explained that signing with Napalm Records eased the burden the band had carried while crowdfunding and self-managing, providing reduced pressure and additional collaborative support. He described the album as largely written on the road with the aim of capturing a live, organic feel, deliberately accepting imperfections rather than chasing studio polish.He said the band avoided strict pre-planning, experimenting with many ideas during songwriting and that despite that variety and diversity within their music, the record remains cohesive through consistent vocals and signature drum fills. Specific elements discussed included the song title Ketamine Cowboy, which grew from tour conversations, and the monkey-mask album artwork, chosen to symbolize the mosh-pit persona and the communal energy of live metal shows. We spoke about the recently postponed Australian tour and when they might be rescheduled, the genesis of the band name and more.Get your copy of One Of Us: lnk.to/SelfDeception-ONEOFUS/napalmrecordsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Kris PetersLast month, Melbourne's elite vintage rock act, Devil Electric came roaring back with Tahlia, the first single from their upcoming third studio album of the same name. It was their first music in half a decade and what a triumphant return it was.The song was taken from Devil Electric's new album of the same name, which is out now.At its core, Tahlia is an album about fracture and survival, pain, frustration, and relationships breaking under pressure. Uncannily, its themes mirror the years that followed its recording, which only strengthen the emotive undertones of Tahlia. Delivered through soaring vocals, unforgettable hooks, and searing riffs.Balancing heavy rock and doom with a contemporary edge, Tahlia is an album that demands to be felt start to finish. Soaring, immersive, and deeply personal, it marks a powerful chapter for Devil Electric and one well worth the wait. HEAVY sat down with Pierina O'Brien (vocals) on the eve of the albums release to find out more, starting by asking how the general feel is in the Devil Electric camp to finally get it out there."Yeah, amazing," she enthused. "It's been too long coming, I'd say. We've had this album for a while and COVID really impacted our ability to release it, essentially. We wanted to release it much earlier, but here we are. We're finally in the day. I'm so excited. I love this album. I love the songs on it. I hope everyone else loves this album too (laughs)."We ask Pierina to dive deeper into the musical side of the album."It's an interesting question," she measured. "I've had to reflect back on this because... there was sort of this tumultuous period of my life in which I was writing both of these albums - Godless and Talia -, and little did I know it was going to get profoundly worse before it got better (laughs). But yeah, but there was this bookcase in my lounge room and I used to sit in the every night and sort of, you know, tinkering around."I was going through this time sitting in my lounge room and looking at this bookcase, so I wrote a lot of the music around the themes of these different books on the shelf. It sounds so cliche, but it actually was kind of a nice stimulant for me to look at when I'm trying to write lyrics. And so thematically they're quite similar, but I'd say all of the most probably painful songs ended up on Talia."In the full interview, Pierina described Tahlia as a six-song, lyrically dark and personal record; she emphasized her strong attachment to the material and relief at finally releasing it. She noted some songs were written alongside the previous album Godless and highlighted the closing track "Hereafter" as a nine-minute, emotionally difficult piece that ultimately ends on a hopeful note.The discussion moved into track-by-track commentary, with Pip summarizing the tone and themes of "Talia," "Jill and Jack Shit," "Weirdos," "When We Talk About Nothing," and the instrumental "Acid Bath," and naming collaborators involved. They covered the music-video creative process, getting the musical balance correct in the writing process and more.Get your copy of Tahlia: devilelectric.bandcamp.com/album/tahliaBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Formed in Sydney by Jon Stevens (formerly of Noiseworks, INXS) and David Lowy (formerly from Mink) in 2012, The Dead Daisies started life with a view to being a platform for musicians to traverse at will. While always intended to be a permanent, fully functioning band, it was also set in motion with a firm desire to bring back the fun with playing music. No ties. No restrictions. No expectations.After releasing their self titled debut album the following year and hitting the road with the first official line-up of The Dead Daisies - Lowy (guitar), Stevens (vocals), drummer Frank Ferrer (Guns N' Roses), guitarist Richard Fortus (Guns N' Roses, Thin Lizzy, Psychedelic Furs), bassist Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake/Thin Lizzy), and pianist Dizzy Reed (Guns N' Roses) - the first major change came when John Corabi (Motley Crue) replaced Stevens in April 2015 and ever since the open door policy of The Dead Daisies has seen a plethora of established musicians pass through the group, each adding their own unique stamp of authority on the music.After passing the batton to Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) in 2019 Corabi returned to the family in 2023, with the band releasing Light Em Up in 2024 and Lookin' For Trouble - a collection of covers originally performed by blues legends such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and BB King - the following year. These albums saw The Dead Daisies once more return to the stage, with their 2025 performance as part of Stonedead Festival being recorded and released later that year on digital and streaming platforms only.The album resonated so well that the decision to release physical copies was made, with the performance repackaged and beefed up with five live cuts from selected other shows to become Live Plus Five, arriving on CD and Vinyl Friday May 1 and May 15 in the USA and Canada. HEAVY sat down with guitarist Doug Aldrich to find out more."It's different. It's a totally different thing," he replied when we ask if he gets the same feelings of anticipation before the release of a live album as he does original albums, "because, obviously, you create new music. It is very exciting because you've got something that no one's ever heard and you're going to present it to your fans and to the community. And in this situation, we just had a bunch of... we had new material from two albums - Light Em Up and Lookin for Trouble and so we were performing those songs live last year and the last show of the tour, we just happened to record it and it turned out great. It's just very raw and very real. It's honest. No fixes, no A.I., no nothing. It's just how it was on stage. And I got to say, the audience was incredible. So that was great."In the full interview, Doug articulated the band's philosophy of preserving raw live energy rather than over‑polishing recordings, while acknowledging occasional selective fixes when necessary and citing past projects to illustrate that approach.Aldrich described how the five bonus tracks were chosen based on available recording quality and input from the front-of-house engineer and management to ensure cohesion with the main show. The conversation reviewed several cover selections on the release such as The Angels' Take a Long Line, the Beatles' Helter Skelter, and George Thorogood's Get a Haircut and covered how the band arranges covers to fit their sound and set dynamics, plus more.Pre-Order link for all configurations: thedeaddaisies.lnk.to/LivePlusFiveBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceFor more than 25 years, The Used have built their legacy on chaos, catharsis and connection, but in 2026, they're stepping into entirely new territory with a landmark performance at the Sydney Opera House.Taking place on March 29, the one-night-only event, titled A Mid Summer Night's Symphony, will see the band joined by a full orchestra and choir for the first time in their career. The black-tie performance promises to reimagine beloved tracks with sweeping arrangements, elevating their signature intensity into something grander and more cinematic.Frontman Bert McCracken described the opportunity as “otherworldly,” revealing it's been a dream since first seeing the venue in 2005. He also noted the iconic setting has reshaped their approach, leaning into a more “beautiful, romantic” atmosphere to match the space.Songs like The Bird and the Worm have already been reworked to suit the scale of a full orchestral production, with McCracken promising the night will feel “magic” for both the band and fans alike.Following their recent 25th anniversary Australian tour, this ambitious performance marks a bold new chapter—one that proves The Used are still evolving, even after decades at the forefront of alternative music.Tickets from sydneyoperahouse.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsTrying to kick off an interview while your tech does that fun little “betrayal at the worst possible moment” routine is a very modern way to start talking to the frontman of Obscura. Thankfully, Steffen Kummerer was unbothered, cheerful, and immediately in touring mode, calling in from Munich while the band's next moves were already stacked: flying to the US on Sunday, detouring through France for rehearsals and pre-production, then rolling straight into a year that's shaping up to be a monster. He casually drops that Obscura are playing 80 to 100 shows this year, then lists off a “long Asian run” that includes China, India, Japan, Mongolia, Armenia and Georgia. Most people need a nap after saying those words out loud. Steffen sounds excited. The real reason for the chat, though, is Shredfest. Obscura have been here twice already: 2019 (a handful of shows with Alarum) and 2023 (a festival plus one sideshow), with that last visit being so tight they were in the country for less than 48 hours. Steffen calls it “brutal” in that very touring-band way: great show, great people, no time to actually be here. This time is the opposite. Shredfest brings Obscura back for 11 shows across Australia and New Zealand, including stops in Darwin and Hobart which even Steffen has been told are “absolutely not common” for international tours. He genuinely doesn't know what to expect, which is half the fun. He also explains why this run is set up the way it is. Shredfest is a travelling festival with five bands each night: two international acts (Obscura and Fallujah) plus two Australian bands (Ashen and Anoxia), then special guests added per show. The point is not to drag everyone through a “support acts are background noise” evening. The goal is a full day that rewards people who show up early, with proper production and a line-up designed to cover different corners of extreme metal. Ashen bring the more “orthodox” death metal end, Fallujah sit in the progressive lane, and Obscura… well, Steffen gives the diplomatic version: “techy or melodic, whatever you call it.” That little shrug of a line tells you a lot about the man. There's also a tasty detail for the collectors and the “I was there” crowd: Obscura are recording every show on this cycle, including audience mics, with the idea that one of these performances might become a future live release. Steffen is honest about the variables: the band has to play well (because, yes, not every day is perfect), and the crowd has to bring the noise. Then he throws the challenge back to fans: come through, have a good time, and you might end up on the next live album. No pressure, Australia.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsSome interviews kick off with grand statements about art and purpose. This one started with me trying to bully the internet into a split-screen format while Matt from Grim Rhythm sat there, politely hungover and fully accepting his fate. The reason for the state of him? The band's second album had dropped the day before, which apparently required a studio party that ran all the way to 2am Aerosmith karaoke. Classy behaviour. Very rock'n'roll. That album title, Forever Eating Shit, is exactly what it sounds like and also not what it sounds like. Matt explains it as the unglamorous reality of being a working band: six-hour drives to play to five people, swallowing the grind for the chance that one out of twenty shows is the one where everything clicks, sells out, and reminds you why you bothered in the first place. It's crude, it's honest, and it's weirdly uplifting in the way only musicians can manage, turning misery into momentum and calling it “the pursuit.” We also got into the slow, messy death of the big Australian festival era. Matt's not mourning the corporate bloat of it all, and he reckons the decline has pushed people back into “real venues and real gigs” for the right reasons, not just a weekend bender with a wristband. The upside is a return to sweaty rooms, proper bills, and crowds that actually remember what they saw. It's not a nostalgia trip, it's more a recalibration: bands building followings one room at a time, and venues becoming the heartbeat again.There's also a very human reset in the story. Between the first record and this one, the band stepped away for a while and Matt openly references getting into trouble with substances. Coming back wasn't forced or deadline-driven, it happened naturally, helped by having their own studio and a crew who stay busy across other projects. Once the momentum returned, the album came together over roughly a year and a half, without the pressure-cooker vibe that can kill the fun. On the nuts-and-bolts side, Matt talks recording approach too. The first record was tracked live; this one was built for tightness, with click tracks and obsessive attention to detail to nail that classic heavy metal precision. The studio situation is both blessing and curse, because unlimited time can turn into endless tinkering unless you know when to walk away. Also, for the record: Matt's a bassist, which means we briefly bonded over the sacred duty of being the reason the crowd moves while guitarists soak up the spotlight. Even though Grim Rhythm are instrumental, the band isn't short on voices. Matt and other members sing in their other projects, they just choose to keep this one wordless, and it works because the focus is pure muscle and movement. When we touched on fanbase, Matt didn't pretend he's above it all either: validation matters. One person coming up after a set and telling you it ruled can be enough to fuel the next round of “eating shit,” and he calls out the “we don't care” crowd as liars. You don't have to be an egomaniac to want your work to land. You just have to be human. To top it off, the band's not sitting still. They're launching the album in Melbourne on 4 April, then heading up for shows on the Gold Coast and Brisbane, with more dates and festival slots in the mix, before a proper two-month Europe run. They've done a handful of U.S. shows previously, but this is framed as the first real European tour. And because sleep is clearly optional in this camp, Matt's already booked in to record another album in June and says they've got the next one written. No eight-year wait required this time, apparently. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

The Last Ten Seconds of Life were forged in 2010. Within a year, they were touring regularly and had self-released their debut album, Know Your Exits. By 2013, they unleashed their second album, Invivo [Exvivo], the prolific act would go on to release five more full lengths, each earning Billboard chart placements and reaping critical accolades both stateside and abroad. With a total of 50+ tours since 2011 with bands including Sepultura, Cattle Decapitation and The Black Dahlia Murder, TLTSOL are showing no signs of slowing down. On the contrary, they're looking to a 2026-2027 that's among the busiest times in the band's history. “Everyone in the group was a teenager or in their early 20s when this band started,” says guitarist Wyatt McLaughlin, concluding, “The sonic and lyrical growth has been immeasurable in ability and maturity. At this point it seems like another life!”Intense and intensely personal, the band's upcoming new album The Dead Ones marks THE LAST TEN SECONDS OF LIFE's Metal Blade Records debut. For the ten original tracks of pulverizing deathcore produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland of Pennsylvania's Atrium Audio, the band focused on the guitar, bass, and drum tones as well as the mix/master to achieve what McLaughlin calls, “a super-thick sonic output and ‘rolling-tank'-like feel.”Lyrically, The Dead Ones follows 2024's acclaimed No Name Graves in the theme of death and rebirth, but in contrast, is directly focused on the human experience and the band members' own struggles. The Last Ten Seconds of Life have never been stronger as a unit. With singer Tyler Beam, bassist Andrew Petway and drummer Dylan Potts in the band since 2022, the chemistry is super-charged. “Everyone is very direct and any bumps in the road are solved through group conversations,” McLaughlin says. “Sometimes it takes years to find the right mix of people who all coincide at the right times in their lives to coexist and elevate each other and this is it for us.”HEAVY caught up with Tyler to find out more. We start by asking how he is feeling about the release."It is without a doubt the best piece of music that any of us have created or collaborated on," he replied confidently and honestly. "It's got a little piece of everything that we've ever made, put all together in one big album. And we touched on everything that the band has kind of touched on before since the beginning of the discography up into right now. So it's just a potpourri of everything that we absolutely love about the band."In the full interview, Tyler described the record as a concentrated blend of the band's past styles with an emphasis on heavy, groovy songwriting and tighter song structures after prior experimentation.Discussion then covered personnel and influences that shaped the record: the drummer's precision-focused death metal background, the bassist's Northeast deathcore roots, and Tyler's expanded songwriting role on this album. Guest appearances were drawn from longtime friends and alumni, including the original lead singer on one track as an homage to the band's past. Technical choices contributing to the band's distinct low-end included a six-string baritone tuned to drop F. He outlined the album's lyrical and conceptual focus that centers on themes of death, rebirth, and community identity as The Dead Ones and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Formed in Stockholm in 1983, Glorious Bankrobbers quickly earned notoriety for their uncompromising sound and electrifying live performances. Their 1984 debut, produced by Kee Marcello (Easy Action/Europe), marked the arrival of a band destined to push boundaries.By 1989, the group cemented their place in rock history with Dynamite Sex Doze—a landmark release that became a cornerstone of Swedish sleaze and action rock. The title track earned rotation on MTV's Headbangers Ball, while their U.S. promo tour, including the cult live album Live at CBGB's N.Y.C., expanded their reputation worldwide.Now entering a new era with Wild Kingdom Records, Glorious Bankrobbers recently released Intruder in late February. Delivering 12 brand-new tracks, the album distills everything that defines the band—grit, swagger, and heart—while propelling their sound into bold new territory. With Intruder, Glorious Bankrobbers reaffirm their place at the forefront of Scandinavian rock. Louder, harder, and hungrier than ever, the band stands as living proof that true rock 'n' roll never dies.HEAVY caught up with frontman Olle Hillborg to find out more. We start by asking him how the early response has been for Intruder."It's been great, actually," he smiled. "We've got so many responses from all over the world, thinking that this is the best album of the three releases. We have released three albums in the last three to four years and this is the best one, people have been thinking."In the full interview, Olle emphasized that Glorious Bankrobbers deliberately retained a straight rock-and-roll sound, recorded without AI and using classic gear with recurring producer Robert Pehrsson. The conversation reviewed the band's origins in Stockholm in 1984, early influences from sleaze/glam and punk-pop, and how their timing aligned them with the broader sleaze wave of the late 1980s and early 1990s.Discussion moved to the band's live reputation and early-stage behavior at pubs and parties, followed by the impact of a drummer's death that led to a 16-year recording hiatus. Olle explained the rationale for restarting with a sound consistent with their legacy rather than shifting styles and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsIf you've ever wondered what it takes to fly the classic hard-rock flag out of a country where Bollywood runs the audio monopoly, Girish and the Chronicles have the answer: persistence, volume, and a deep love of the big-chorus, big-guitar stuff that got most of us into this mess in the first place. Ali's chat with bassist Yogi quickly locks into the band's origin story, which starts simple and very rock'n'roll: Girish was gigging solo as “Girish Unplugged,” the rest of the crew jumped in, “The Chronicles” got scribbled onto the poster, and suddenly it was a full band with a proper name and a mission. Musically, they're not pretending to reinvent the wheel, they're polishing it and lighting it on fire. Yogi straight-up credits the holy trinity of hard rock and metal upbringing: Guns N' Roses, AC/DC and Iron Maiden, and you can hear that DNA all over the newer material. Ali clocks it immediately and calls out the classic-rock backbone, which Yogi happily owns. On home turf, the Indian heavy scene sits in the shadow of a massive mainstream industry, but Yogi explains the maths of it: even a “small percentage” of rock and metal fans becomes a serious crowd when your population is… well, India. He points to the proof: when international bands hit major cities like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi, the rooms are stacked and the fans actually know the songs, sing along, and show up loud. The conversation also ducks into Asia and the band's wider wish-list. Japan sits high on it, with Yogi nerding out over anime and shouting out Japan's long-standing rock culture, plus names like Marty Friedman and Paul Gilbert as examples of how deep that scene runs. They've already played Thailand and Vietnam, and he's clear-eyed about the next step: Southeast Asia needs more work, more shows, more presence. Then comes the bit Australia always cares about: yes, they're coming here, and it's soon. Yogi says they land on the 15th March for their first ever trip “Down Under” not just as a band, but as tourists too. They're lining up roughly five to six shows across the major cities, plus a New Zealand date. The tour kicks off in Brisbane, at the Crow Bar, and they've got a couple of days between landing and the first show (they mention the first gig being on the 19th) to explore, soak up the country and, naturally, sample the pub culture that keeps this nation emotionally upright. Ali does her civic duty and warns them about drop bears, prompting Yogi to promise he'll Google it, which is the correct response to any Australian wildlife briefing. Fresh music is also on the immediate horizon. Yogi says a new album is coming, with a couple of singles released first, and that the full production is finished, they're just waiting on the official release date. They're also tossing around music video ideas and hoping to shoot footage while in Australia. Their video “process” is pleasingly human: start with an idea that fits the song, then accept that things drift off-script and sometimes the unplanned bits end up being the best bits. There's a quick peek behind the curtain on what else the band has been up to too. Yogi notes that while the group's focus is firmly on Girish and the Chronicles, Girish has been involved in side projects with some serious names (George Lynch and Jeff Pilson get mentioned, along with Chris Adler and Joel Hoekstra), especially after signing with Frontiers. It's a neat reminder that while the band has that classic-rock heart, they're plugged into the wider rock world and they're not shy about doing the work to stay there. Bottom line: Girish and the Chronicles aren't selling a gimmick. They're a hard-rock band from a country where rock isn't the default setting, who've still managed to stack up major support slots, years of European touring, a surprise AGT run, and now an Aussie/NZ tour with a new album loading in the chamber. If you want to see what happens when the “classic” part of classic rock turns out to be alive, sweaty, and very ready to prove a point, grab a ticket and give them some lovin.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Melbourne based progressive death metal outfit Growth began in 2017 as a reflective space for brothers Tristan Barnes (guitar/bass/artwork) and Nelson Barnes (drums), and vocalist LF, later joined by Nick Rackham (bass) and Ben Boyle (guitar), to explore trauma, mental illness and grief without romanticising them. The project was never intended as catharsis for its own sake, but as a way to illustrate recovery in all its brutality. not as linear progress, but as something fractured, cyclical and deeply human.On March 27, Growth release their first album in more than half a decade, Under The Under. The gap between releases has been deliberate….and necessary. Where The Smothering Arms of Mercy was written from within collapse, sickness and isolation, Under the Under exists in the far more uncomfortable space that follows: what happens when survival is no longer the question and you're forced to confront who you are once the wreckage settles. In the bands own words, healing, is not gentle. It is an ugly process. Chaotic, disorienting and often more confronting than the pain that preceded it.Under the Under is an album that documents six stages of recovery - not as levels to be celebrated, but as thresholds to be endured. Across the record, Growth interrogates the dignity we attach to suffering, the comfort of identifying solely with trauma and the terrifying possibility that we might be more than the stories that have kept us alive.HEAVY sat down with guitarist Tristan Barnes to find out more. Under the Under is set for release on March 27 via Wild Thing Records. Pre Orders available now https://orcd.co/undertheunder. Growth will be touring Australia in August as part of the epic Psycroptic & Rivers of Nihil tour.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

One of New Zealand's fiercest rock exports, The Datsuns, will bring their all thrills and no frills brand of sleazy garage rock to their Australian fans next March.The Datsuns blazed into global consciousness with their 2002 self-titled debut, a record that topped the NZ charts and hurled them onto stages with Metallica, The White Stripes, and Queens of the Stone Age. Over the past two decades, they've released seven albums, worked with Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, and remain an absolutely potent live act. Their Aussie run promises to be filled with savage hooks, honed to perfection, delivering Stoogeoid evil, powerpop crunch and the classic proto rawk assault & battery they are world renowned for.Scandinavian drummer Adam Lindmark will drive the beast forward locking in with Dolf de Borst on bass. While upfront lead string wrangler and vocalist, Christian Livingstone, and rhythmic meister Phil Somervell bring a stack of raw, unfiltered and oh so good riffage.Expect the full sweep of The Datsuns' catalogue, from the anthems that scorched their early path to the first sparks of their eighth studio album, set to arrive in 2026. HEAVY caught up with vocalist/guitarist Christian Livingstone to find out more."We've been around for a long time now," he began when we ask what fans can expect from the shows. "We've got quite a few albums, so we're going to try and do a kind of cover everything, as it were, nice retrospective, and also throw in a few new songs from a record that we're hoping to release kind of middle of this year."Check out the full interview for the full discussion.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Finnish metal veterans Amorphis continue to evolve without losing their identity, guitarist Tomi Koivusaari explains in a candid interview about creativity, risk, and returning to Australia. Balancing a 15-album catalogue and passionate fan expectations, the band still approaches setlists and songwriting with fresh intent. Koivusaari describes an instinctive, cinematic writing process shaped by nature and mood rather than rigid plans. He admits the band once lost direction experimenting, but sees that era as essential growth that ultimately defined their sound. With multiple members contributing ideas, producers now help shape each album's final form. As they prepare to return to Australian stages, Koivusaari promises a career-spanning set and a tighter, more confident live experience. Despite decades in the industry, he remains driven to improve and explore.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Echoes Festival, a new immersive celebration of post-rock, experimental, and cinematic heavy music, will make its debut on Saturday, May 9, 2026, taking over both Rhino Room and Lowlife Bar for one day and night.Curated for fans of expansive instrumental rock, post-metal, and boundary-pushing alternative music, Echoes Festival brings together an eclectic and powerful lineup of interstate and local artists: which include the internationally renowned Mensicus who are playing in Adelaide for the very first time.With two stages operating across Rhino Room and Lowlife Bar, Echoes Festival will offer nonstop performances, allowing fans to experience everything and immerse in over 7 hours of non stop. Combining visual and lighting with state of the art sound - this event aims to change how you consume sound.HEAVY caught up with one of the people behind Echoes Festival, Nick Rivett.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsAlien Weaponry might have been speaking to HEAVY from Barcelona only a couple of hours after leaving the stage, but there was nothing flat about the energy. If anything, the interview captured a band running on that familiar touring cocktail of adrenaline, sleep deprivation and sheer gratitude for being able to do the thing in the first place. Midway through a European run with Avatar, the New Zealand trio sounded road-hardened but still properly hungry, laughing their way through stories of disrupted schedules, long drives and the weird limbo that hits when a tour suddenly loses momentum. After a run of cancellations due to illness in the headlining camp, Alien Weaponry found themselves stuck in the rare position of wanting less sightseeing and more stage time. A deeply metal problem, really. That restless energy says a lot about where Alien Weaponry are at right now. What began in 2010 as a project between brothers Lewis and Henry de Jong has grown steadily into one of the most distinctive heavy acts in the region, now rounded out by Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds on bass. There was no inflated self-mythology in the conversation, no grand speech about destiny or conquest, just the kind of grounded honesty that tends to come from bands who have actually done the work. Tour, write, repeat. Then do it again, preferably with less airport food. Their current run with Avatar, plus support acts Witch Club Satan and Agabas, has only reinforced that sense of upward momentum, with the band clearly relishing the chance to keep testing themselves in front of bigger and broader audiences. The Australian leg, naturally, loomed large in the conversation. Alien Weaponry know full well that Australian fans have been nagging, pleading and emotionally blackmailing them into returning for years, and they seem genuinely touched by the enthusiasm. Their past visits have been enough to build affection, but not enough to satisfy the appetite for a proper headline run. This tour is still another support slot, yet there was no trace of complaint in the band's tone. Quite the opposite. They sounded genuinely stoked to get back across the ditch, reconnect with fans who have been waiting impatiently, and introduce themselves to fresh ears in the process. That blend of familiarity and unfinished business gives this next trip a bit of extra charge. Australia may not officially own Alien Weaponry, but the adoption papers are clearly halfway filled out. What also came through strongly was the band's appreciation for the support slots themselves. Lewis was refreshingly realistic about the whole thing: when you are opening for another band, there is no guarantee anyone in the room knows who you are, let alone likes what you do. That is the gamble. But on this run, the reception has been encouraging, especially in Spain, where crowds were already singing along and throwing themselves into the set. For a band like Alien Weaponry, whose music carries both cultural depth and pure physical force, that kind of response matters. It means the connection is happening in real time, not just in algorithms and streaming numbers. It means the songs are landing where they are supposed to: right in the chest. There was also a nice sense throughout the interview that Alien Weaponry are not taking any of this for granted. The discussion drifted naturally into the wider value of live music, with both band and interviewer reflecting on how audiences have changed since the COVID years. People are showing up differently now. They are less casual, more invested, more willing to throw themselves into the experience whether they know every lyric or not. That suits Alien Weaponry just fine. They are the kind of band built for discovery, the kind that can walk on as support and leave with a chunk of the room mentally recalibrated. Not bad for a group chatting after a show while preparing for a nap and the next drive to Madrid. Human endurance is such a stupid little miracle. For all the momentum, though, the band already has one eye on what comes next. Once the touring cycle wraps and the Australian dates are done, the plan is to get home, reacquaint themselves with their own beds, their own showers and the radical luxury of not living out of a suitcase, then begin work on album number four. They also spoke excitedly about the idea of eventually reaching Japan, a place high on their wishlist and one they clearly see as a natural fit. So while this interview caught Alien Weaponry in transit, somewhere between Barcelona, Belgium, Australia and the next motorway nap, it also caught a band with a very clear sense of direction. Still climbing, still evolving, still carrying themselves with humility, humour and just enough chaos to make the whole thing interesting. Which, in heavy music, is usually a very good sign indeed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Photo by Matthew HedgesInternationally renowned Lutruwita/Tasmanian genuine sideshow freak Samora Squid will be doing an hour of their most full-on material for SQUID'S SUNDAY SIDESHOW, a DIY punk residency at famed Naarm/Melbourne venue The Tote, and don't say you weren't warned.Sword swallowing. Live piercing. Extreme contortion. A Samora Squid show is shocking, confronting, hilarious and not for the faint of heart. “What I do, it's not stand up, though I'm sure I'll say some dumb shit that people will laugh at. There'll be a lot of non-verbal storytelling, involving sharp pointy things and burny things. When I registered the show, I ticked all the trigger warnings. [Laughs] Not all of them were in the show yet, but I wanted to cover my bases.”Having spent years performing everywhere from Europe to Dubai, SQUID'S SUNDAY SIDESHOW was born when the Melbourne Comedy Festival put out applications. “I thought, “It's been a while since I've staged something I've made … This is a good chance for me to make a new show, to revitalise old stuff, to try new stuff out, and do something that encompasses the range of skills that I've acquired over the last thirty years. This show's got my original music in it, as abrasive, industrial and dystopian as it is. I'll be using all my physical theatre training, and all of my knowledge of theatre to turn a dive bar into a unique experience. The Tote is one of my favourite places for live music.”HEAVY caught up with the man himself to peek behind the curtain some more...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Thrash metal titans ANTHRAX return to Australia later this month for four huge shows. Bold and uncompromising, ANTHRAX stands as one of the legendary “Big Four” of thrash, a band whose breakneck riffs and mosh-pit anthems have shaped heavy music for over four decades.On their 2026 Australian tour, ANTHRAX will ignite stages in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, performing a career-spanning arsenal of classics. Fans can expect a high-octane set packed with fan favourites, deep cuts and new-era highlights as Anthrax once again prove why they remain one of metal's most vital live forces.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Scott Ian to find out more. One of the things we ask is what has changed with the band since they were last here in 2019."The main thing is we made a record," he replied with a sense of pride. "We finished an album. It's done and it's coming out soon. There will be an announcement soon. That's all the information I have or that I can give. And we're very I'm very, very, very excited about it. And maybe people in Australia will get to hear a little bit of it when we're down there at the end of the month. That's the that's the major, the major change from six years ago, for sure."In the full interview, Scott addressed setlist strategy, noting the band balances staple hits with rotating deeper cuts because it is impossible to please every fan, and the group continues to adjust choices to keep shows engaging. Scott reviewed geographic differences in crowd energy, highlighting particularly passionate responses in Melbourne and several South American cities. He also described a recent back injury sustained during a cold outdoor cruise show, his appearance in Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Rock sensation THE GEMS return with their second album Year Of The Snake, out on March 13, 2026. The Swedish trio solidifies their position as a strong player in modern hard rock with Year Of The Snake. Their very first single, Like A Phoenix, instantly hit #2 on the German Rock Radio Airplay Charts and they impressed both fans and critics with their debut record Phoenix (2024). With one album under their belt, and numerous electrifying live shows, THE GEMS quickly established what Year Of The Snake now effortlessly proves: this is the future of rock!In less than three years of existing as a band, THE GEMS have managed to shape modern rock like few other bands. Year Of The Snake is an impressive follow-up to their debut, filled to the brim with catchy anthems and groovy hits. To find out more about the rise and rise of The Gems, HEAVY caught up with vocalist Guernica Mancini.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

In support or their the long-overdue debut album ‘The World Is Not Yours', Melbourne based purveyors of blackened grinding death, MUNT embark on a spiteful nine show Australian east coast throughout March and April of 2026. Supported by death / groove churners Nembutolik, this promises to be a local tour not to be missed.Across thirteen relentless tracks on The World Is Not Yours, MUNT forges black metal, death metal, grindcore, hardcore, and noise into a dense slab of raw aggression, sharpened by a bitter philosophical edge. This edge cuts like a rusted scalpel, dissecting the hubris, corruption, indifference, and complacency that underlie our sick society.From start to finish, the album drags the listener through an urban hellscape of despair, disillusion, and the realisation of powerlessness. This is MUNT at their most focused, dynamic, and driven — Their sound, distilled into its purest and most caustic form, stands as one defining statement: THE WORLD IS NOT YOURS.HEAVY caught up with vocalist Tim Richmond to find out more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

The Final Fall have never been a band to rush things. Instead, they have always written and released material when they are ready and feel like they have something relevant and important to say.After a prolongued period of inactivity, The Final Fall resurfaced in 2024 with the single Sold, reminding fans and music punters alike of the depth of their talent and the diversity within their music. At the time teasing the possibility of an EP in the near future, The Final Fall instead retreated to the sanctity of the rehearsal room for another extended period, intent on writing enovugh quality songs to realise their goal of releasing another album more than ten years after their debut.The first seeds of that new album have been cast into the wind, with The Final Fall releasing the first piece of new material in two years with I'm On My Way, a rollicking, fun and eclectic slab of music that accentuates the band's strengths but also introduces more elements and sonic layers to their range.HEAVY caught up with frontman Benny Whiskey to find out more, with I'm On My Way set to premiere via HEAVY at 5.pm, Tuesday March 11.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceFresh from a powerful return to the region in 2024, Faroese artist Eivør is set to bring her first-ever headline tour of Australia this March, marking a long-anticipated homecoming of sorts. After opening for Heilung last year, the experience left a lasting imprint on the singer, who describes the visit as the fulfilment of a long-held dream and the catalyst for returning with her full band and production .Known for live performances that feel closer to ritual than concert, Eivør approaches each setlist as an emotional journey, carefully shaping the arc of every show while allowing room for spontaneity and connection. “It's about taking people somewhere,” she explains, noting that no two nights are ever exactly the same .Australian audiences can also expect elements drawn from her work on The Last Kingdom, where her voice reached a global audience and reconnected her deeply with her Nordic roots, threads that continue to weave naturally into her live shows .Above all, this tour is about community. Eivør speaks warmly of the love she felt from Australian crowds last time, describing the experience as family-like and deeply affirming. For first-time headline attendees, she hopes audiences leave feeling “something”; whether joy, release, or simply love."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

For the first time ever, the Sydney Guitar Show will take over Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March 2026, delivering two super-sized days of guitar gear, live performances, workshops and immersive experiences celebrating the world's most popular instrument.The 2026 program features performances, workshops and conversations with some of the most exciting and innovative guitarists in the country, including Diesel, Plini, Hussy Hicks, Tash Wolf, and international guest Larry Mitchell (US). Highlights include Diesel's exclusive Decoding The Dream conversation with Fender Custom Shop Master Builder David Brown, Plini showcasing the future of instrumental rock, and deep-dive workshops spanning tone, songwriting, recording and guitar craft.Beyond the stage, the event is a playground for players and fans alike — from boutique Australian luthiers and global brands like Fender, Gibson and PRS, to pedal launches, a dedicated Studio Room for home recording, a Pedal Party spotlighting Australian effects builders, and a brand-new Kids Room designed to inspire the next generation of guitarists. To put it plainly, there is something for everyone.HEAVY caught up with Diesel to find out more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceFresh off the release of his latest single Relapse, Sydney singer-songwriter Hayden McGoogan is writing from a place of hard-won clarity. Penned just after a month into sobriety, the stripped-back track captures a fragile headspace: doing well, but fearing it could all unravel. “It's not about relapsing,” he explains. “It's about hoping I don't.”Recorded live with a full band, including pedal steel, piano and violin, Relapse deliberately resists the urge to rush. The restrained tempo mirrors recovery itself; staying present, letting things breathe. For McGoogan, sobriety lifted a creative fog. Songs began pouring out after a period where he “just didn't have the brain capacity” to write.Over the years, Hayden has shared stages with some formidable names, experiences that have quietly shaped his outlook on longevity and authenticity. From the Celtic punk fire of Flogging Molly to the thunderous hard rock charge of Danko Jones and the trailblazing Belfast punk spirit of Stiff Little Fingers, McGoogan has witnessed firsthand what it takes to hold a crowd. He's also played alongside punk royalty Marky Ramone and CJ Ramone — a full-circle moment for a musician raised on that era's raw urgency. Watching seasoned performers command a room night after night confirmed for McGoogan that connection, not spectacle, is what turns a gig into something unforgettable.Known for his raw, raspy vocal edge, he now leans into vulnerability over perfection. Influenced by artists like Social Distortion and Jason Isbell, McGoogan sits somewhere between grit and brutal honesty.With an EP set for release on March 28, his mission is simple: be authentic. “Worst thing than failing,” he says, “is not trying.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

When British extreme metal legends CRADLE OF FILTH and American metal titans DEVILDRIVER, two of heavy music's most iconic and ferocious bands - each with a stellar reputation for incredible live shows - joined forces for a North American tour in 2023 the results were predictably amazing and the synergy undeniable.Now Australia will  finally experience this much lauded team-up in July of this year as the two titans bring full headline sets packed with classics, to deliver a night of unrelenting intensity, theatrical horror, and crushing grooves. Cradle of Filth, led by the inimitable Dani Filth, continue to reign as the most influential and enduring name in extreme metal. Their reputation as a singular artistic force and as one of the most insanely entertaining live acts metal has ever produced remains unchallenged. Fresh off the success of their acclaimed 14th studio album The Screaming of the Valkyries, the band is ready to unleash their signature blend of blackened gothic metal, orchestral grandeur, and venomous lyricism on Australian fans who in turn rewarded the band with a fully sold-out tour on their last visit.HEAVY caught up with Dani to find out more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

UK progressive death metal outfit CRYPTIC SHIFT released their Overspace & Supertime full-length on February 27 through Metal Blade Records.While not commonly known as an extraterrestrial hotspot, Leeds faced an encounter of another kind in 2015 when vocalist/guitarist Alexander Bradley and drummer Ryan Sheperson set out to accomplish a project embodying their joint passion for the art of science fiction and heavy metal music. With CRYPTIC SHIFT taking form as a crossover between the worlds of technical thrash/death metal and all things sci-fi, the two set out to spread their influence across the UK and soon ventured across the globe.CRYPTIC SHIFT unveiled their debut full-length, Visitations From Enceladus, in 2020. The offering helped bring the band to the worldwide playing-field, receiving critical acclaim for its adventurous, progressive technical death thrash compositions, a twisted form of extreme metal simply referred to as the “Phenomenal Technological Astrodeath.”This year's Overspace & Supertime continues the conceptual and musical themes of their debut and delivers a new standard of technical thrash/death metal showmanship, including returning influences of progressive writing, harmonized with their fantastical storytelling.“The concept of Overspace & Supertime plays as an alternative reality to the happenings of Visitations From Enceladus, taking our character into new dimensions filled with both greater adventures and more bizarre encounters,” notes drummer Ryan Sheperson. “Whilst the concept themes of our sci-fi tale have grown, so have our efforts in synthesizing it with the ultimate Astrodeath soundscape. The record takes the listener on a deeper journey through the fusion of our influences, with some exciting twists and turns along the way.”HEAVY sat down with both Ryan and Alexander to get more information.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsSamy Elbanna of Lost Society caught up with HEAVY's Ali Williams to talk about all things dark and the journey of coming out the other side. Their chat feels less like a promo interview and more like a long, honest exhale. There's humour, perspective, and the unmistakable tone of someone who's been through the grinder, come out the other side, and is now enjoying the simple pleasure of writing loud music without staring into the void between riffs. Lost Society's sixth album, Hell Is a State of Mind, arrives March 6, and Elbanna doesn't sugarcoat how close it came to not existing at all. The band's previous record was written during an extremely dark period in his life, one where the idea of a future album felt wildly optimistic at best. That's what makes this release feel different. It's not fuelled by misery or desperation, but by rediscovering the fun of being in a studio and remembering why making music mattered in the first place. Rather than chasing trends or trying to outsmart algorithms, Elbanna talks about returning to instinct. Writing music he actually likes. Melodies that feel good to sing. Lyrics that say something without needing to be cryptic for the sake of it. He's visibly proud of this record, and not in the chest-beating way, more in the “I can finally enjoy this again” sense. Hell Is a State of Mind is heavy, unapologetically so, but lyrically it leans toward empowerment and self-acceptance, which is a pretty solid bait-and-switch for a metal album in 2026. The conversation drifts back to Lost Society's early days, which read less like a fairytale and more like a DIY survival manual. Underage, unable to play bars, the band organised their own shows, youth centre gigs, and mini-festivals, entered every competition they could find, and sold homemade demo CDs the old-fashioned way: face to face. No viral clips, no shortcuts, just persistence and a worrying amount of faith. Eventually, a televised performance landed in front of a Nuclear Blast A&R, and things slowly started to snowball. Slowly being the key word. Elbanna is refreshingly realistic about the modern music industry. He's not anti-streaming or anti-TikTok, just anti-bullshit. He points out that “overnight success” usually follows years of unseen work, and that skipping those years doesn't exactly prepare artists for pressure, touring life, or longevity. Social platforms, he says, are tools, not commandments. Not every metal band needs to dance for clicks, and not every promotion strategy has to look identical. Radical concept, apparently. Finland, unsurprisingly, gets its moment in the spotlight. Elbanna credits the country as one of the best places on earth to start a metal band, thanks to accessible venues, youth programs, and a culture that doesn't clutch its pearls when teenagers plug in guitars. Born and raised there, with Egyptian heritage and English as his first language, he's grown up in a musical environment that encourages experimentation rather than punishing it, which helps explain Lost Society's longevity. Looking ahead, the band aren't easing into anything. The album release is immediately followed by a three-week European headline tour, a major Helsinki show, and then straight into festival season. Touring remains the heartbeat of the band, not just for exposure or income, but because that's where the music actually comes alive. Bus life, inside jokes, and temporary escape from normal reality included. Australian fans also get a nod. Elbanna recently toured Australia and New Zealand as a fill-in member for Amaranthe and fell hard for the place, despite being deeply disappointed by the lack of constant spider attacks promised by the internet. Lost Society haven't toured here yet, but it's firmly on the wish list, with this album shaping up as the one that could finally bring them Down Under. At its core, Hell Is a State of Mind isn't a comeback story or a carefully packaged redemption arc. It's a heavy record made by someone who didn't expect to still be doing this, now offering listeners half an hour of noise, catharsis, and a brief sense that things might not be completely cooked after all. Loud therapy, if you will. And honestly, that's a pretty decent reason to press play.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Since forming in Orlando, FL in 2018, Magnolia Park - vocalist Joshua Roberts, guitarists Tristan Torres and Freddie Criales, drummer Joe Horsham and bassist Vincent Ernst - have repeatedly proven themselves to be one of the most exciting and forward-thinking groups in the underground. Spinning a chameleonic, genre-spanning sound that incorporates punk, hard rock, hip-hop and metalcore into a dizzying, multi-sensory experience, the prolific band has dropped a mixtape, 4 EP's, a slew of singles and two full length albums totalling an impressive 510 Million catalog streams to date.The heavy genre-bending five-piece have announced NIGHTS AFTER VAMP, the deluxe version of their ambitious concept album VAMP released last year. Out on March 13 via Epitaph, the band picks up where they left off with six explosive bonus tracks that expand the soundscape of their dystopian universe.With NIGHTS AFTER VAMP, Magnolia Park have spun an electrifying mix of hard rock, punk, nu-metal, hip-hop and metalcore into a dizzying, multi-sensory experience. Throughout its 17 songs, the record soundtracks an ominous journey through the fictional world of Nocturne Nexus; where rulers and rebels battle with the future hanging in the balance. Heavily inspired by the band's love of anime, horror and fantasy, the album's narrative was spurred by the long-running Vampire Hunter D, iconic works like Star Wars, Dracula and Joseph Campbell's legendary monomyth.Magnolia Park will be in Australia this March supporting BABYMETAL, so to bring us up to speed HEAVY sat down for a chat with the whole band.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsNecrofier are in that familiar pre-release purgatory where everything important is finished and everything annoying begins. When HEAVY caught up with Christian Larson (guitar, vocals), it was early, coffee was scarce on both sides of the planet, and the band's third full-length was suddenly two weeks from release. No drama, no manufactured hype. Just the calm chaos of a band doing the work. The  bands latest record Transcend Into Oblivion -out now - , marks Necrofier's first release on Metal Blade Records, following earlier releases with Season of Mist. Larson talks about it like someone who's already emotionally moved on, not because it fell short, but because it was finished nearly a year ago. That distance has given the band clarity and allowed them to be confident in the songs, the mix, and the overall execution, even if revisiting the material now feels like reopening a time capsule from a previous headspace. Originally conceived as a non-live studio project, Necrofier evolved quickly into a full touring entity, and the resume reflects it. US tours, major festivals, and shared stages with the likes of UADA and 1349 haven't shifted the band's core focus. They're still firmly rooted in black metal, without getting distracted by the endless micro-labels that seem to appear every six months. Larson is refreshingly blunt about it. They know what they are, they know what they play, and they're not interested in inventing a new genre name just to keep up with internet trends. The album itself took a more layered approach than previous releases. Songs were written in advance, tracked across multiple studios, and refined with more breathing room than the band had previously allowed themselves. That extra time wasn't about over-polishing, but control. It gave Necrofier the ability to think, adjust, and add texture without the pressure cooker environment of a single studio lock-in. The result, by Larson's account, is a record that feels deliberate rather than rushed. Visuals played a larger role this time too. Multiple music videos were shot with both long-time collaborators and new creatives, blending live performance footage with subtle narrative and animated elements. Nothing overcooked. Just enough to complement the songs without distracting from them.Away from the album cycle, Larson comes across as a lifer. Someone who's been in doom bands, punk bands, death metal bands, and everything in between. His vinyl collection, stacked somewhere behind him on the call, mirrors that history. Old punk, classic metal, country records, black metal staples. Records he's owned since he was fifteen and still spins, not museum pieces collecting dust. Touring plans are in motion but intentionally unannounced. Europe is on the horizon, the US will follow, and Australia has been discussed, if not yet mapped. There's no false certainty offered, just the quiet confidence of a band that knows momentum doesn't need to be shouted about to be real. Necrofier sound like a band comfortable in their lane, uninterested in chasing novelty, and focused on longevity rather than noise. With their third album about to land and a bigger platform beneath them, they're not reinventing themselves. They're sharpening what already works. And honestly, that restraint might be the most telling thing of all.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

A relentless force in the underground scene, Brisbane metal outfit Dreamkillers are known for their raw intensity, genre-defying sound, and fiercely DIY ethos. Fusing thrash, English punk and melodic metal into a sonic assault that is both unrelenting and emotionally charged, while still maintaining a surprising sing-along quality, Dreamkillers continue to evolve without compromise.That evolution has never been more apparent than on new album, Proiphys Cunninghamii, that is out and ready for your listening pleasure now.Proiphys Cunninghamii is a no-holds-barred album that blends fire, fury and defiance in equal measure. Named after a rare native plant found only in Brisbane, commonly known as the Brisbane lily, the title reflects the band's roots and resilience — thriving in harsh conditions, unapologetically local, and impossible to ignore.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Damien Kechagias to find out more, asking him to describe the musical side of the album."We've tried to use as many different musical inferences as we can throughout the whole process," he measured, "keeping it true to original Dreamkillers from day one. You've never known what you were going to get, back from the original days to now. But as we've gotten older, political views change, personal views change. There's new stories out there. But the main thing that has stayed constant was giving Les the voice pad to bring those stories to life.Giving him the storyboard. And that's where we took the time to go, right, here's the songs that we're working on. Let's make them the best we can. So, not everything fits in a pigeonhole. Yeah, you've got Dreamkillers sound, but we had to look at what makes Dreamkillers sound now. We can always look back to influence the future. So that's what we've tried to do."In the full interview, Damien went through the recording process in greater detail, the importance of maintaining the old school sound and ethos of Dreamkillers while also representing them now, and the writing process for new material.He ran through each of the eight songs on the album, explaining the musicality in more depth, as well as the subtle and not-so-subtle nuances vocalist Les Jobson brought to the tracks. We discussed their upcoming appearance at Necrosonic Festival 2026, including their promise to play Poison In The Soup and Carnival Of Skin back to back and more.Proiphys Cunninghamii is available now: https://lnk.to/g37LSGBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Three short years ago, two heavyweights of the metal scene joined forces for what would become known as the Double Trouble tour across Northern America. It was an ambitious and unlikely pairing, with the two co-headliners coming from completely different spectrums of the genre chart, but the Metal Gods gave their endorsement and the two combatants - Devildriver and Cradle Of Filth - combined a run of shows that has already been written into metal history.Together, Devildriver and Cradle Of Filth created a live spectacle running the complete gammit of metal emotions, the sheer, aggressive nature of Devildriver providing the perfect folly for the more cinematic and theatrical world inhabited by Cradle Of Filth.With demand for the tour rampant across the globe, Australia has been chosen as the next destination to receive a welcome dose of Double Trouble with both bands touching down in this country for five shows across the country this July.HEAVY managed to track down Devildriver frontman Dez Fafara to get the rundown."It's incredible," he smiled when we mention the epicness of the double header. "When we did this in the United States it all sold out pretty quickly so we decided to bring it over. I mean, there's a couple of places around the world that are saying, come bring this tour. And of course, I'm great friends with Danny (Filth) so I'm proud to come out with him.We were going over the set list last night with the band, deciding what we were going to play and also going over production. It's going to be a good time. When we first started talking about it you could feel the energy in the room from both of the bands. It was like, let's go do this so it's going to be a great time. Much looking forward to it."We bring up the fact that the aggressiveness energy from Devildriver is a stark contrast to the more theatrical and cinematic stage show preferred by Cradle Of Filth, but Fafara, while acknowledging it isn't your standard teaming of bands, was quick to stress that sometimes opposites DO attract."For some reason the bands work together really well," he shrugged. "We're so separate musically, but it's a one-two punch that when you get done with the gig, you're walking out going okay, that's a proper heavy metal show."In the full interview, Dez described recent work on set lists and production planning, confirming that DevilDriver will perform an intense, non-stop hour-plus set. Conversation covered the pairing of the two band's origin and their chemistry, crediting a mutual respect between the bands based on the successful U.S. run.We spoke about the experiences for fans, including a special meet and greet, what material will be covered over the tour, the possibility of new music and never-heard-live-before songs and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Sylosis have been hacking away at metal's enduring coalface for the last 25 years. They exploded into the metal scene with their 2008 debut album Conclusion Of An Age, and have been repeatedly upping the ante for homegrown heaviness ever since. From the epic, thrash complexity of 2011's Edge Of The Earth and its swiftly-assembled follow-up Monolith in 2012, to the bruised and brooding Dormant Heart (2015), and 2020's deliriously intense Cycle Of Suffering, frontman Josh Middleton and his henchmen have been consistently at the forefront of all things heavy and brutal throughout their career. As they approach veteran status, Sylosis have sharpened their focus and are now making their greatest music yet. As with The Sign Of Things To Come, Middleton believes that the band's new album The New Flesh is a bold leap forward into more incisive and impressive songwriting territory. A towering testament to destructive riffing, incisive melody and refined brute force, Sylosis' seventh full-length offering is a powerful showcase for the state of SYLOSIS in 2025: lethal, uncompromising, and avowedly metal as all hell.HEAVY sat down with frontman Josh Middleton to find out more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsSome bands talk about changing the world. Others actually try to rewire the power source. When HEAVY's Ali Williams caught up with Lime Cordiale's Ollie Leimbach, he was literally on the floor, charging his laptop somewhere five hours north of Sydney. Very rock 'n' roll. Very Northern Rivers. Very “I may or may not be barefoot and slightly stinky.” Which, frankly, checks out. Between laughs about weather patterns and mild coastal smugness, Ollie casually dropped the fact that Lime Cordiale are putting the finishing touches on album number four . Not that they're rushing it. “We're not a three-week studio band,” he admits. This one's only taken about a year. Growth. Maturity. Slightly less agonising perfectionism. But the real headline here isn't just new music. It's Lime Green Festival, their upcoming off-grid, battery-powered, 5,000-capacity experiment-slash-party happening April 18 off the coast of Adelaide . Yes, battery powered. As in, no diesel generators chugging away backstage. As in, the band is fully prepared to risk a blackout mid-set in the name of progress. Bold. Slightly terrifying. Excellent content. The Lime Green concept was born out of a crisis of conscience. During COVID, the band were working on a farm on the Mid-North Coast, diving into regenerative agriculture and learning how to reduce their footprint. Then touring came back. Planes. Diesel buses. Global laps. Cue existential whiplash. Rather than retreat into eco-guilt or write twelve reggae protest songs (no dreadlocks involved, he promises), Lime Cordiale decided to tackle the industry from within. Their approach is refreshingly non-preachy. No finger wagging. No “stop living your life.” Just practical shifts. They've trialled biodiesel buses in Europe, slashing touring emissions by around 98 percent. They've put a dollar from every ticket toward environmental causes they genuinely connect with. In Adelaide, that means supporting awareness around the current algal bloom crisis devastating local waters . Dead fish, stinging water, beaches people can't swim in. Not exactly tourism brochure material. The Lime Green Festival, though, is the big swing. Fully off-grid. Fully battery-powered. A case study in proving that you can run a major event without defaulting to fossil fuel generators. The battery companies are confident. The production crews are cautious. Ollie seems almost excited about the possibility of chaos. “If there is a blackout halfway through, that's part of the journey,” he shrugs . That's the spirit. Punk rock, but with renewable infrastructure. The lineup includes The Dreggs alongside Adelaide locals Alexia, Pash, and a Triple J Unearthed winner . Capacity sits at 5,000, which would make it Australia's largest fully battery-powered festival to date . Casual. Beyond the headline tech flex, Lime Green will feature practical green initiatives: better waste sorting, encouragement to bring reusable bottles, conscious messaging. Not exactly radical ideas, but when you've ever seen a post-gig floor that looks like a plastic tornado hit a bar fridge, you understand why it matters. Throughout the chat, Ollie keeps circling back to one core idea: don't shame people into change. Don't demand everyone bin their petrol cars tomorrow. Replace things when they break. Upgrade when it makes sense. Let progress feel possible, not punitive. It's a refreshingly pragmatic take in a space that often devolves into moral Olympics. At the end of the day, Lime Green will still be what everyone actually shows up for: good music, a crowd, and a reason to forget your inbox for a few hours. The difference is that it might also quietly prove that the industry can do better without killing the vibe. Album number four is brewing. The future might be battery powered. And if the lights flicker mid-chorus on April 18, at least you'll know you're witnessing a social experiment in real time. Tickets for Lime Green Festival are available now at limegreenfest.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceIn conversation with Dominic (Nicky) Palermo, the driving force behind Nothing, it's clear that A Short History of Decay isn't just another chapter for the long-running shoegaze outfit, it's a reckoning. Described as their most emotionally direct release to date, the record finds Palermo shedding vagueness in favour of brutal self-examination.“I just had to look at myself in the mirror a little bit more,” he admits. Time away from the relentless album-tour cycle forced reflection on family, identity and the distractions that once kept deeper truths at bay. The result is a body of work that feels less like therapy and more like confrontation.Borrowing its title from Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran's book of the same name, the album also draws inspiration from William H. Gass's novel The Tunnel, literature steeped in guilt, introspection and uncomfortable honesty. Palermo also carried a stark line from ancient philosopher Anaxagoras with him throughout recording: “The descent to hell is the same from every place.” It became a kind of thesis statement, there's no holding back with this record.Sonically, singles like Toothless Coal push into industrial territory, reflecting a band no longer trying to fit neatly into any box. After 15 years, Nothing still thrives in that tension; not heavy enough for some, not soft enough for others.And for Australian fans? Palermo hints there's a strong chance we'll see Nothing return this year — perhaps even for a festival slot. If this turns out to be true, you heard it here first! Fingers crossed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsGenerally speaking, bands spend years in rehearsal rooms crafting a “carefully curated sonic identity.” Others however, make an EP in a uni dorm room in a single day just to “see what happens”. Meet Tom, the founding member of Lismore's Media Puzzle, who definately falls in the latter category. In this week's chat with HEAVY Mag's Ali Williams, Tom proves that sometimes the best things start as a joke and spiral wildly into something very real. What began as a one-man experiment with a drum machine and a “let's just put it out and see” attitude quickly snowballed into a full five-piece outfit reverse-engineering lo-fi chaos into tight, high-energy live shows . Tom describes Media Puzzle as falling somewhere under punk, synth punk and the wonderfully unserious label of “egg punk.” Yes, egg punk. It's fast, scrappy, lo-fi, and occasionally powered by a drum machine that had to be dragged from bedroom obscurity into full band reality . The early worlds of Media Puzzle had no band at all, it was just Tom in his bedroom with a laptop, guitar ,drum machine he could use with synth samples. After showing his one day work of art to his friends, they loved it and wanted in. Tom found himself pulling apart his own recordings, rebuilding them piece by piece like some musical Rubik's Cube. ranslating bedroom experiments into something a five-piece could detonate onstage . There's something beautifully chaotic about having to reverse engineer your own songs because you can't quite remember how you made them in the first place. Most bands polish demos. Media Puzzle disassemble them like they're defusing a bomb. Their upcoming run supporting Regurgitator is a genuine full-circle moment for the band. Ten shows across Ulladulla, Canberra, Albury, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Bathurst are locked in , kicking off March 13 , marking their first proper tour invite and easily their biggest leap so far . For a few members, it's poetic. Bassist Kelly once snuck into a Regurgitator show at 16 . Now she's sharing the bill. That's not just ironic nostalgia. That's rock and roll karma doing its job. The timing couldn't be better. Media Puzzle are dropping a new album around the same time the tour kicks off . According to Tom, it's a step in a “somewhat different direction” while still sounding like them, which in Media Puzzle terms probably means faster, weirder and somehow tighter all at once. The interview drifts into everything from the widely recognised, now redundant Southern Cross University's Bachelor of Contemporary Music that helped shape Tom and a generation of musicians drawn to the Northern Rivers, to the glamorous reality of balancing band life with a day job at Bunnings. Rock and roll might be chaotic, but sausage sizzles keep the lights on. What makes Media Puzzle compelling isn't just the genre-blending, DIY approach or the scrappy origins. It's the freedom. Tom describes the project as something without rules, a space to try anything and learn in public . In an industry obsessed with strategy, that kind of creative recklessness feels refreshing. From dorm-room experiment to national tour support for one of Australia's most iconic alternative acts, Media Puzzle are no longer just “seeing what happens.” They're making it happen. And come March 13, they'll be doing it loud, fast and proudly egg-shaped. For more info and links to tickets for all of Regurgitators Jukeboxxin Tour head to https://www.regurgitator.net/blog Tell ‘em ya mum sent ya and they'll tell you she loves it.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

American deathcore outfit Signs of the Swarm are widely regarded as deathcore's most ferocious bands.After recently completing a sold out US tour to celebrate ten years as a band, Signs Of The Swarm have now set their sights on Australia, heading Down Under for a string of shows with Born Of Osiris in March.Over six studio albums - the most recent of which being last years To Rid Myself Of Truth - Signs Of The Swarm have embedded themselves in the upper echelon of metal bands worldwide, with an unrelenting presence and dynamic output that looks set to dominate well beyond their current decade of dominance.HEAVY caught up with frontman David Simonich to find out more. We question David about their ferocious reputation and ask if it is a badge of honour worn proudly by the band."Absolutely," he smiled. "I feel like that we bring an attitude that a lot of people can't imitate because it's very organic. We just try to be ourselves and that's just the energy that conveys of us being ourselves, you know? Good old American deathcore, brother."With the band recently celebrating ten years together, we take the opportunity to ask David what sorts of things he has learnt about himself and his music over the journey."There's been a lot of learning curves professionally and musically," he measured, "always figuring out, like, sometimes you have to find the right balance of what you want to do and what your fans will like, where you'll be happy to play it for 10 more years. You know what I mean? So there's some songs on other records where I'm like, man, I hope I never have to play that one. Just my head was in the wrong place at the wrong time, you know?"In the full interview David answers the last question in more detail, talks about touring with Born Of Osiris and what fans can expect from the shows, celebrating ten years, how Signs Of The Swarm have grown as a band, how their live show has expanded since the last Australian tour with Within Destruction in 2022, some funny tales from that tour and more.BORN OF OSIRIS and SIGNS OF THE SWARM 2026 Australian Tour DatesWednesday 18th March ADELAIDE, Lion Arts FactoryThursday 19th March MELBOURNE, Max WattsFriday 20th March BRISBANE, Brightside OutdoorsSaturday 21st March SYDNEY, Manning Bar Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Angela CroudaceElectric Six are heading back to Australia, and according to frontman Dick Valentine, there's “no reason not to do it.” Big, profitable shows, short flights between cities and a guaranteed good time keep the band returning Down Under.This run promises refinement over chaos. “We're respectful, polite… and we have a good time,” Valentine laughs, describing the live show as “drunk karaoke” backed by seriously tight musicianship. Expect the hits, including the ever-electric Gay Bar, plus deep cuts for diehards yelling requests.Beyond the stage, it's the simple pleasures that win them over: hotel television, great food, and elite pre-flight rituals at the Virgin Australia Lounge.After 25 years, Electric Six remain shocked they're still doing this, but Australia keeps proving why they should.And if Valentine gets his way, fans will walk out of the final Melbourne show already demanding their return. In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, he half-jokes that Australia might be “our only hope.” Refined or ridiculous, Electric Six are ready to plug back in and let the absurdity roar.Tix from: https://metropolistouring.com/electric-six-2026/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

U.S rock/metal outfit Story Of The Year exploded onto the scene with their groundbreaking debut Page Avenue, one of the first albums of its kind to sell over a million copies.The breakout single “Until the Day I Die” quickly became both an enduring anthem and a mission statement for the band. What began as four friends working in a St. Louis pizza joint evolved into a movement, connecting deeply with fans through every era. From Page Avenue (2003) to In the Wake of Determination (2005), The Black Swan (2008), The Constant (2010), Wolves (2017), and Tear Me to Pieces (2023) the band, comprised of Dan Marsala, Ryan Phillips, Josh Wills, and Adam Russell, has delivered a signature blend of melodic aggression, raw vulnerability, and anthems built to scream along to in the dark.And, fans will be pleased to confirm, Story Of The Year are back bigger and better with A.R.S.O.N., marking the next evolution of the band's signature sound and raw, personal lyricism - elements that have earned the band a dedicated global following. An acronym for “All Rage, Still Only Numb,” the album channels their trademark energy into a powerful exploration of anxiety, emotional turmoil and inner darkness. With a dynamic blend of modern post-hardcore, polished production, and nods to their emo roots, A.R.S.O.N. delivers a compelling, storied sonic journey through the fight of Story Of The Year to make it through this life.HEAVY recently caught up with vocalist/drummer Dan Marsala to find out more, running through our review of the album track by track and listening to his thoughts on our thoughts...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Hailing from America's Rust Belt, hardened nu-metal underdogs KING 810 have built a towering sonic reputation around themes of poverty, crime and the real-world experiences linked to their hometown of Flint, Michigan. Unleashing their debut album Memoirs of a Murderer in 2014, KING 810's maiden LP reached #18 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums charts and #8 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers charts, with the group since forging their own path as an independent band through numerous albums.Earlier this year, KING 810 unveiled two palpitating releases, Rustbelt Nu Metal and K7 Rustbelt Nu Metal 2, with both LPs captured in front of a live audience in compelling and rambunctious fashion, and a promised third album in the Rustbelt series still yet to come.A band renowned for never holding back when it comes to their performances, KING 810 surge with chaos and intensity in a live setting, balanced with raw catharsis and an unwavering audience connection driven by lead vocalist David Gunn. And while often perceived as controversial due to the reality of their lives spent growing up on the streets of a deeply troubled city, the band's balance of heavy discomfort and spiritual insight has led to them becoming seasoned festival performers, with the likes of Download Festival, Rock am Ring in their wake, along with their own acclaimed headline shows and sharing stages with many of the scene's elite, including Korn, Slipknot and Alpha Wolf. Previously appearing at the final edition of Soundwave in 2015, KING 810 also most recently toured Australia in 2024, supporting In Hearts Wake, with Everblack Media noting of their Brisbane support slot: "for a band who has not been to Australia in over 10 years, they certainly got a warm welcome back with the crowd moshing to every song". But in 2026, it's headline prime-time for the ferocious quartet; and KING 810 will not be pulling any punches.HEAVY spoke with Gunn to find out more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

A whole new world of inventive, insidious and infectious metalcore awaits in 2026, with Melbourne's The Gloom In The Corner -- Mikey Arthur (vocals), Jesse Abdurazak (guitar), Paul Musolino (bass) and Joshua Clinch (drums) -- on the cusp of releasing their third full-length album Royal Discordance, due out on Friday 27 February via SharpTone Records.A record that could readily soundtrack an Anime epic, a Netflix smash series, or a sprawling open-world game, Royal Discordance is certainly not your average metalcore album. An action-packed opus hell-bent on sharp narratives and astonishing sonic dexterity, Royal Discordance journeys between an all-out onslaught (previous single Assassination Run) through to cinematic-yet-sinister brutality on Nope (Hollow Point Elysium), grinning chaotic frenzy on You Didn't Like Me Then (You Won't Like Me Now), and a double closing sucker punch via the two-track suite Love 1: A Quaver Through the Pale and Love 2: A Walk Amongst The Poppy Fields.HEAVY caught up with Mikey Arthur to find out more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.