HEAVY Music Interviews

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.