HEAVY Music Interviews

Interview by Kris Peters After over a decade of devotion, intensity and passion, Melbourne's VOID OF VISION have announced that it is time to bid farewell to fans and announce the What I'll Leave Behind Australian Tour for 2025; a huge headline run where they will celebrate the end of an era one final time to close out their chapter. VOID OF VISION will be joined for their swan song tour in Februa...

Interview by Kris Peters Since forming in 2007, Counterparts have gone from the Hamilton, Ontario, underground to touring the world as one of Canada's most important and impactful musical exports. They've released seven full-lengths, with A Eulogy for Those Still Here landing in 2022. They've also released four EPs and a live album. Late last year they delighted fans with the surprise EP, Heaven W...

Interview by Angela Croudace Polaris is heading to Knotfest, and if you’re not already pumped, you should be. The Aussie metal juggernauts are ready to tear it up alongside some of the biggest names in heavy music. HEAVY had the chance to chat with guitarist Rick Schneider about what it’s like to be part of the iconic line up, what’s in store for fans, and what’s next for the band. When asked abou...

Interview by Kris Peters Playtime is over. Now shit gets real. Much has been made of Frankenbok welcoming back original vocalist Hutchy to launch their next foray into the world of metal, but as fun as the honeymoon period has been it's now time to let their music do the talking. Following the frenetic Demon Tantrum, the tongue in cheek cover of (You Spin Me) Right Round and the most recent track...

Interview by Kris Peters The seventh studio album for Night Flight Orchestra was always going to be difficult given the passing of original member David Andersson between releases. Music is an emotional form of expression naturally, but when having to negotiate loss and sorrow, any new music could quite easily be skewered too far in that direction and become almost self-indulgent. Not that that is...

Interview by Angela Croudace In our interview with Jake Taylor, the powerhouse vocalist of Australian metal band In Hearts Wake, we dug into the band’s latest album Incarnation, their connection to tarot, and the unique creative journey behind their latest work. The concept for Incarnation is deeply rooted in the band’s early fascination with tarot, something that’s been in Taylor’s life since chi...

Interview by Kris Peters For those uninitiated, Yacht Rock encapsulates the revival of Soft Rock Hits from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, which has become a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring fans to dress the part and sing along. Yächtley Crëw are not just the ultimate entertainers, but also incredible musicians. The full 7-piece band recreate those smooth 70’s and 80’s sounds to perfection, includin...

Interview by Kris Peters House of Protection, the new venture from Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta, serves as a sanctuary for those who surrender to impulse.  Abandoning any regard for tradition and form, they followed a feeling and unearthed a sound that sees them push their limits further than ever before. Bridging the not so disparate worlds of hardcore, electronica, and punk, the two forged...

Interview by Kris Peters While it came as no surprise when Void of Vision announced their swansong with the What I'll Leave Behind Australian Tour 2025, the impending sense of loss was still evident. Due to frontman Jack Bergin's recent health problems no-one could argue with the band's decision to call it a day, but the band's legacy and indelible mark on the global music scene will have to serve...

Interview by Kris Peters When CKY pulled out of the Australian leg of their Australian tour with Alien Ant Farm towards the end of last year the collective sighs from around the country could be heard far and wide, but when Drowning Pool were named as their replacements those sighs turned into boisterous cheers, especially when coupled with the recent news that Ryan McCombs had rejoined the band....

Interview by Angela Croudace After nearly three decades, Sharon den Adel, lead vocalist of Within Temptation, is finally bringing the band to Australia for the first time! During an interview with HEAVY, Sharon shared her excitement for performing at Knotfest and reflected on the band’s long-awaited journey to the land down under. When asked about the band's lengthy absence from Australia, Sharon...

Interview by Kris Peters American Pie Emo Night is coming to Australia, celebrating 25 years of the infamous movie American Pie featuring Thomas Nicholas Band. Frontman, Thomas Ian Nicholas is best known as Kevin Myers from the films. Thomas began his acting career on Who's the Boss? playing a young Tony Danza. At age 12, Nicholas embarked on a series of feature films that would shape his young ad...

Interview by Kris Peters They’ve been called Deathrock, Gothcore, and, from one creative soul, “kinda goth punk glam Manson-y metal?” They’ve also been called “a best kept secret”. Although that really began to change since the debut LP was released… Which begs the question: Who the fuck are these guys, then? Well. Department of Gloom is made up of four, Sydney, Australia based musicians, includin...

Sisters Doll is a group of brothers bonded by blood and rock ‘n’ roll. With a signature melodic rock sound and an electrifying stage presence, Sisters Doll has captivated audiences across the globe, including an unforgettable performance in New York City. Since their formation in 2010, the band has shared the stage with renowned artists such as KISS, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Bruce Kulick, LA Guns...

MAJESTICA, the symphonic and power metal band from Sweden, is set to embark on an exciting new journey with their upcoming album Power Train, scheduled for release on February 7, 2025. This spellbinding experience awakens sleeping dreams with powerful riffs and epic choruses in singles such as Power Train, Battle Cry, and A Story in the Night.  Back in 2019, MAJESTICA made a significant impact in...

Interview by Kris Peters For the better part of three decades New Zealand rock outfit Shihad have ruled the proverbial roost, with albums like The General Electric, Pacifier, and even their most recent offering Old Gods showcasing an unflinching course of rock DNA to satisfy even the harshest of critics. Songs like My Minds Sedate, Pacifier, Home Again and Tear Down Those Names became the go-to-so...

Interview by Kris Peters Despite four decades of servitude to their craft, Italian metal legends Lacuna Coil are still invested in their music. The band could easily rest on their laurels and slowly ease into oblivion after their servitude to the industry, but instead they continue on their quest for personal musical fulfilment to satiate their own hunger. Many considered their 2022 reimagining of...

You Me At Six are set to kick off their Australian tour this week, starting in Brisbane on January 24. The run of shows - that extends through Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth - will feature very special guests Holding Absence, the band British rock bible Kerrang! labelled as British rock’s “new leading light”. YOU ME AT SIX are one of the most beloved British rock bands of all time, having d...

Interview by Angela Croudace Mike Tramp, the iconic frontman of White Lion, is gearing up for his highly anticipated return to Australia. After a long absence since 2008, Tramp is excited to reconnect with fans down under and perform with a new lineup, including seasoned musicians Marcus Nand, Jerry Best, and Brent Arcement.  Reflecting on his journey, Tramp shared with us how he embraced Australi...

The Koala Tavern in Capalaba will host the inaugural Rock Is Not Dead Festival on February 1, 2025. Self-funded and put together by a group of Australian music lovers who aim to help nurture and promote the wealth of talent in our own backyard, Rock Is Not Dead will feature 8 of the hottest bands from around the country, each with their own unique flair and passion for music. Headliners Avalanche...

Interview by Kris Peters Sometimes playing nice doesn't get the desired results, especially in music. To really get to know yourself, your bandmates, and your audience, stepping into a studio and cutting some tracks with more polish than Mr. Sheen is often a band aid fix to a bandage problem. Any inconsistencies and/or inadequacies can be ironed out with creative technology and by the time you mak...

Sydney rock outfit Dear Seattle epitomize the current wave of emerging Australian bands. With a distinctive Aussie tinge to their emotive and propulsive wares, Dear Seattle first emerged onto the scene back in 2013, releasing their debut EP Words Are Often Useless that same year. Following a second EP release, 2017's self-titled Dear Seattle, the Northern Beaches-hailing group solidified their pre...

Cavalera is a name with its fingerprints all over the history of heavy metal, an inspiring family legacy built upon decades of musical aggression, starting all the way back in 1984 in Brazil with Sepultura. Over the last couple of years, Max and Iggor Cavalera revisited their first three releases, Morbid Visions, Bestial Devastation, and Schizophrenia, re-recording them for Nuclear Blast Records w...

Heeding the call for their first odyssey to Australia and handed the highly important task of hyping up the party hungry, NEKROGOBLIKON - the self-proclaimed Kings of Goblin Metal - promise to deliver a unique blend of melodic rock and gnarly death metal, infused with EDM-style flourishes when they arrive here for a run of shows with Alestorm towards the end of February. Fronted by their ostentati...

Cavalera is a name with its fingerprints all over the history of heavy metal, an inspiring family legacy built upon decades of musical aggression, starting all the way back in 1984 in Brazil with Sepultura. Over the last couple of years, Max and Iggor Cavalera revisited their first three releases, Morbid Visions, Bestial Devastation, and Schizophrenia, re-recording them for Nuclear Blast Records w...