HEAVY Music Interviews

Not many bands in the metal scene - or any other for that matter - can lay claims to being true flag bearers and essential ingredients in shaping the history of music. Sure, many can try, and just as many come off as ill-informed, but the ones that are, know, and those same ones don't ever brag about it. Unless they're asked, of course. Rising from the infamously riotous city of Newcastle, England...

For three decades Devin Townsend has become a part of the audio furniture in our homes and lives! In 2024 th e incredibly prolific and brilliant great man that is Devin reaches into to his beautifully profound heart and mind, telling enlightening us about the journey of creating what was initially a simple thank you to his fans in the overall purpose of Powernerd to a diary journal of realising an...

Combining the haunting sounds of dark symphonic metal with the lovelorn energy of gothic rock, Blue Mountains music machine Carmeria have upped the anti significantly with their recently released sophomore album Tragédie D'amour. While their 2021 debut album Advenae announced the arrival of Carmeria it was also somewhat of a tease, showcasing a sonic temperament and direction that was fresh and vi...

West Australian metal outfit Make Them Suffer found themselves at an important crossroads just a short couple of years ago. With the turmoil of COVID still echoing in the rear vision mirror, Make Them Suffer found themselves beset by more line-up changes, which, coupled with a high level of external expectations, cast an increasingly large, dark shadow over the possibility of a productive future....

One of the best things about touring foreign countries is experiencing local bands, music and culture, and Japan is by far one of the best places in the world to do so. Heavy Metal is a growing and thriving market in the country, and over the course of seven trips with Australian and International bands, the talent and diversity on display has been nothing short of sensational. One such band is he...

Progression, or more generally, change, is a constant in music; in order to adapt and survive, you must grow and develop. No band knows this as much as Michigan heavy music act Of Virtue. Born from the blistering cold, barren fields of Michigan and erupting into an internationally recognized and critically acclaimed alternative powerhouse, Of Virtue’s growth is nothing short of jaw dropping.  Whet...

As if this year wasn't already exciting enough for Nebraska rock outfit 311 with their upcoming appearance at Good Things Festival 2024 alongside Sum 41, Korn, Mastodon, Kerry King and more, but the band have added a touch more spice to proceedings with the release of their 14th studio album Full Bloom late last week. Full Bloom is the group's first full-length project in 5 years, following their...

It seems these days every second touring band is doing an anniversary run for an album from their back catalogue. Almost to the point where the whole concept is starting to lose its appeal, mainly because it's hard to tell which bands have a genuine interest in revisiting that album and which bands just see it as a potential financial bonanza. You don't have to think hard to see which side of the...

Australian music is on the rise - and deservedly so. While there are bands like RedHook, Ocean Grove, Void Of Vision and Alpha Wolf who are lighting up the airwaves and flying the flag for the younger generation, the more old-school rock and hard rock bands are also showcasing their worth. Bands like The Poor and Rose Tattoo, who have been around for more than three decades, are playing to large c...

While Good Things 2024 boasts a stellar line-up of hard rock and metal bands - including Korn, Kerry King, Northlane, Alpha Wolf and From Ashes To New - the band on everybody's lips as a must see on the day is Mastodon. Since emerging in 2000 the Atlanta quartet have defied both sonic and thematic boundaries with an uncategorizable, undeniable, and uncompromising vision unlike anything else in mus...

Wendy James' musical career has mirrored the life of many of her fans. From the rebellious punk stage to the seasoned, reflective artist, James has endured a lifetime of music many in the profession only dream of. Starting with the wildly successful, provocative and infectious Transvision Vamp in the 1980s - a band who oozed anarchaic intent coupled with a sexuality that would be frowned upon toda...

If you don't know who Me First & The Gimmes are by now, then you either have little taste in music and/or a sense of adventure, or you don't listen to music at all. If you have been figuratively touched by these fun loving punk reprobates then you will already know that the band only recently visited these shores on a blitzkrieg tour, and you will also likely not be surprised to hear that ever...

You don't get more punk than completely bamboozling people without trying, and for this reason alone Melbourne duo Another Rotting Corpse (ARC) have won before even playing a note in anger. On face value with a name like that, it would be natural to assume ARC were, at the very least, a deathcore sounding band but one listen to any song from their upcoming debut album Soaring Highs, Crushing Lows...

Throughout their career, New Jersey heavy outfit Fit For An Autopsy have remained stoic to their music and beliefs, following their own trends and passions rather than bow to the will of the masses. As such, the band have developed a staunch and loyal fanbase, which, despite Fit For An Autopsy finding themselves thrust into the ears of a more mainstream market in recent years, have remained as pas...

Rising Australian metal outfit Sienna Skies continue to cement themselves as pioneers of Australia’s heavy and alt music scenes, thanks in part to the inking of a new record deal, support slots with some of the world’s largest rock and metalcore acts and a sold-out headline tour in early 2024 that saw the group ignite impassioned fans across the East Coast. Throw in a recent supporting run with Of...

Interview by Angela Croudace Melbourne's burgeoning music scene is buzzing with the emergence of Druid, a band turning heads with their unique sound blending and captivating performances. Guitarist Daeyul Baggins discussed the band's journey, their new single Chokehold, and their distinctive musical influences. "We started a few years back under a different name," Daeyul explains, recounting the b...

After a relatively quiet year by their standards - which included shows earlier this year with Pantera - Australia's favourite slice of brutality, King Parrot, are set to end the year with a band with their When The Weed Meets The Speed Australian Tour which kicks off at Mo's Desert Clubhouse on November 6. King Parrot have always done things their own way and at their own pace, and as such not to...

Raw, honest, explosive. DELLACOMA is a brash and hard hitting rock n roll project featuring the talents of passionate and energetic frontman Dellacoma Rio. With a relevant yet familiar sound, a relentless work ethic and an exotic yet somehow natural formation this 5-piece outfit is primed and set to ignite. After almost 4 years of exhaustive touring across Australia, USA, UK and Europe in support...

TISM return armed with a tantalising trifecta, with their first headline run since 2004 in October and November. The upcoming Death To Art Tour is bound to go down in Australian music history, with TISM set to be joined by fellow Aussie icons ESKIMO JOE, MACHINE GUN FELLATIO, BEN LEE and THE MAVIS'S. With four of the country's most iconic acts teaming up for the Death To Art Tour, this historic ru...

For the first time ever and finally, legendary extreme Dutch metal act PESTILENCE conquer Australian territory when they hit our shores for a run of shows next month.  PESTILENCE was one of the first major bands to emerge from the Dutch metal underground of the 1980’s. While all the other groups from that era have since vanished into ancient history, PESTILENCE is as vital, relevant, and ambitious...

If there were ever two words (well, three technically) that should not go together, they would be Buddhism and death metal. In fact, the words almost naturally repel from each other just saying them out loud. But if there's one thing the cheesy wave of Jean-Claude Van Damme movies taught us is to never say never, so when your path next crosses - or could even potentially cross - that of Buddhist d...

Interview by Angela Croudace Tim Kasher, the visionary frontman of Omaha-based band Cursive, delved into the creative journey behind their tenth album, Devourer. "We're pretty stoked on it," Kasher remarked, reflecting on the extensive work that went into this release following a four-year hiatus since their last album in 2019. Kasher described the album as a significant departure from the band's...

Where you come from often has a profound impact on where you eventually go in life. While some people choose to focus on the negatives of any given situation, there are others who find beauty and inspiration in even the most unlikely places. These people are generally the ones who achieve their goals. Hailing from the tiny village of Syðrugøta on the Faroe Islands, vocalist Eivør grew up surrounde...

Interview by Angela Croudace Ryan Goldemann, lead singer and guitarist of Mother Mother, discussed the band’s latest album with HEAVY, Grief Chapter, which dives deep into themes of death and existentialism while simultaneously celebrating the beauty of life. “Grief Chapter is kind of like a concept album around death and grief and mourning,” Goldemann explains. “But it’s not as sad as it sounds....

Following the release of their debut album More Subtle Than Death last year, rising Norwegian metalcore outfit Fixation had two options. Revel in the adulation being heaped in their direction for a stunning slab of metal, or capitalise on the growing momentum and get back in the studio. So back in the studio they went. But instead of rehashing what was obviously a winning formula, Fixation elected...