HEAVY Music Interviews

Interview by Angela Croudace Ronnie Simmons talks about his new release with the Red Back Spiders and stories from his time with Rose Tattoo and beyond. We sat down with Ronnie Simmons, guitarist from Rose Tattoo, to talk about the latest release from his band, Ronnie Simmons and the Redback Spiders. The single Alone With You was released in true rockstar fashion atop a boat in the middle of Sydne...

Sludge metal experimentalists Sugar Horse have always been a band that pushes the boundaries when it comes to music. Since their 2021 debut album The Live Long After, Sugar Horse have been constantly evolving, searching for their definitive sound without placing too much emphasis on finding it. To them music is the reward and the less restrictions placed upon its creation the more natural and sati...

After fourteen years of metal in the Australian music scene, d-beat hardcore outfit Dark Horse feel they are only now just starting to hit their straps. Three albums deep, Dark Horse recently brought in a new bass player, in the process reinvigorating the line-up and providing greater impetus for the future. As well as nearing completion on a split 7" with Canberra based Blight Worms, Dark horse a...

Interview by Angela Croudace It is hard to believe that the current line-up of the Hard-Ons (Blackie, Murray, Ray and Tim) have been together long enough to be putting out album number three, but it has to be true, because they are! I Like You A Lot Getting Older - which is out on October 4 - follows 2021's ARIA top 5 debuting I'm Sorry Sir, That Riff's Been Taken and last year's Top 30 debuting R...

The Black Dahlia Murder were a band in limbo following the tragic passing of frontman and co-founder Trevor Strnad in 2022. Torn between allowing that event to force a premature end to their career or carrying on in their fallen brother’s charismatic spirit, there was no right or wrong choice. It was simply a matter of what emotional toll either decision would take. After an understandable period...

One of the beautiful things about music is its ability to transcend boundaries and expectations. Nothing can be taken for granted or thought of as a given, with each individual piece of music a different sonic representation of the people who wrote and played it. But sometimes things can surprise you out of the blue - especially collaborations - where bands from seemingly opposing sides of the mus...

In just five years, Mo's Desert Clubhouse in Burleigh Heads has established itself as a leader player in the Australian music industry, providing a venue that caters to all genres of music played by bands of all levels. But it has become more than that for so many people, providing a comfortable and accessible live music outlet that has as much of a famly feel as it does a live music house. Mo's r...

Tacoma, Washington’s outfit Enumclaw released their second album Home In Another Life late last month, taking another musical step forward in their short, but promising career. Home in Another Life is the natural expansion of the high-octane rock foundation Enumclaw built with their widely-praised 2022 debut album Save The Baby, coming across as louder, faster and more confronting than their debut...

Immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Nordic culture, groundbreaking collective Heilung are a musical force unlike any other. Entwining theatrical rituals with mesmerizing sonic undertones, Heilung have quickly powered to the upper echelon of global performers with a look and sound difficult to describe and even more difficult to behold. But try turning away from it. Utilising a unique fusi...

Melbourne metal outfit Void Of Vision have flown the flag for Australian music for over a decade; the quintessential underdog that remains humble and unassuming despite having more than enough heart to claim whatever patch of turf they, in the minds of most observers, deserved. Rather than restricting themselves and overstaying the musical welcome they built from their debut EP, 2014's Broken//Bon...

So much is made of the sophomore album syndrome with bands, especially the belief that a second album can often be the making or breaking of a band in terms of longevity and success. Although personally I have never favoured that belief - good music is good music whether it's your first, second, third or fourth album - there are many bands who have dished up below-par second albums and never recov...

Out of all the music genres, sub-genres and classifications that, for some reason, people feel compelled to label bands with in the modern age, there is one - and one alone - that commands instant respect. One which sums up everything you want or need to know about a band in just two simple words. Old school. If a band is referred to as old school metal then you pretty much know what you are in fo...

Rising Australian talent The Beautiful Monument have somehow managed to tap into that elusive reservoir of musical expression that is tantalisingly close for every band and artist, but also ever elusive to most. By blending shades of light with lashings of heaviness and combining them with enough attitude and rebelliousness to be just shy of dangerous, The Beautiful Monument have become adept at p...

Quiet and unassuming, Grand Rapids, Michigan post-hardcore outfit LA Dispute are a volcanic force of musical nature, shunning expectations in favour of experimentation and personal growth. Over four full length albums, the band have pushed themselves in whatever direction their music has led them, incorporating new soundscapes, tones and structures into a genre of music that is supposed to be more...

Lovingly referred to as one of the leading noise bands of all time, US rock outfit The Jesus Lizard are putting their long-suffering fans out of their misery this Friday, September 13, when they drop their first album in 26 years, Rack. Known for their energetic and off-the-cuff live performances as much as their music, The Jesus Lizard managed to release six albums between 1987 and 1996, gaining...

Dynamic rock outfit HER have been steadily building a name for themselves on the Australian music scene, with their infectious blending of rock and blues-infused grunge goodness finally getting the band national recognition following the release of their latest EP, Toe Rag. With members having played with and shared stages with the likes of The Screaming Jets, Keith Richards, Divinyls and Billy Th...

Interview by Kris Peters, After managing to steer clear of this side of the world since 2016, North Carolina stoner/sludge/doom outfit Weedeater have declared 2024 the year of the Weed as they prepare to traverse Australia with their good mates King Parrot for the When The Weed Meets The Speed Australian Tour kicking off on November 6. No strangers to touring overseas together - as recent as last...

Interview by Kris Peters Less Than Jake have played a massive role in the continued success of ska-infused punk since first bursting onto the scene in 1992. While their first two albums Pezcore and Losing Streak laid the platform for Less Than Jake, it was their 1998 album Hello Rockview that solidified their growing stature and propelled them from a band with great potential to a great band and f...

Interview by Kris Peters British rock outfit Boston Manor are gearing up for the release of their new album, Sundiver, which will hit the airwaves on September 6. Celebrating new beginnings, second chances and rebirth, Sundiver is the next chapter of a story that began with the 2022 album Datura, but, unlike the bleaker undertones of that record, Sundiver sees things through more rose-coloured gla...

Earlier this year Melbourne rock outfit Cicadastone released their third album, Future Echoes. An album that typified Cicadastone's sound, Future Echoes was also the band's first album under new label XMusic and solidified Cicadastone's reputation as a musical star on the rise. Creating a hybrid of rock and grunge that is accentuated by a fresh, modern approach, Cicadastone's music has always been...

Coheed & Cambria are possibly one of the most important bands to emerge in this generation. Essentially a progressive metal outfit, Coheed & Cambria are also a fully immersive sonic beacon of hope in a world that is too often void of such feelings. While musically the New York based prog rock icons sing about lands and situations that are bathed in darkness, it is their approach to music a...

Sydney punk reprobates FANGZ are in the thick of things of late. They just recently finished a massive national run as support to Cancer Bats, and have been busying themselves with releasing new music and generally making life a party wherever they go. True Aussie legends in their own right, FANGZ are a fresh band with an old-school mentality. They play hard and party harder without pause for refl...

Interview by Kris Peters Brisbane, it's that time of year again! The annual celebration of music that is BigSound is just around the corner, with the music event that stops the nation set down for the Fortitude Valley from September 3 to 6. It is difficult to comprehend the vast array of benefits BigSound has for artists, music lovers and music industry people, but with a selection of live music,...

Interview by Kris Peters Good Things Festival is back for another year, and that can only mean one thing. More world class live acts! Featuring the likes of KORN, Kerry King, SUM 41, Billy Corgan, Electric Callboy, Mastodon, Jet, The Gaslight Anthem and more, GT24 is already shaping up as an absolute cracker. But, of course, one of the best things about large music festivals is the opportunity to...

Interview by Kris Peters After dropping two EP's in quick succession towards the end of the last decade, Melbourne indie-punk outfit Dental Plan decided to take their time with their next release, putting into effect not only their music interests and pedigrees, but also their growing knowledge of their craft. 2021 saw Dental Plan return with the brutal single Hole In Me, which emphatically announ...