HEAVY Music Interviews

Interview by Kris PetersFor almost three decades now, Sum 41 have acted as a connecting force between pop punk and heavy metal. People who generally hate anything other than pure metal or pure punk found themselves intrigued by the musical amalgamations unleashed by the Canadian outfit, genuinely conflicted by their own elitist attitude and unexpected attraction to the band's music.To say Sum 41 have never fit in is an understatement of epic proportions. But the fact remains they never wanted to.Not even for a second.Their music has also appeared in movies and television, taking punk and metal to places never before dreamt of, all the while displaying a contemptuous attitude towards conformity and control that has stuck with them throughout their whole career.With the band announcing they would soon be disbanding, Sum 41 have released an album befitting of their entire service to the music industry.Titled Heaven :x: Hell, the double album pays homage to both sides of Sum 41's musical spectrum, with Heaven being ten tracks of snarling, high-energy pop-punk while Hell consists of the same number of metal anthems with crushing riffs and solos and massive, fist-pumping hooks.It is an album that not only sums up almost thirty years of music, but also caters to all fans of the band, offering a humbling and appreciative parting gift to their legions of supporters.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Dave Baksh to head down the musical rabbit hole that is Sum 41.With Heaven :x: Hell coming out last month we start by asking Baksh how the fans have reacted so far."It's wild," he beamed. "It is absolutely wild. I don't know if my algorithm is getting rid of the bad comments, but most of the comments have been really, really nice and gracious. After putting so much blood, sweat and tears into this record, it's nice and vindicating."Being Sum 41's last album ever, HEAVY presses Baksh as to what sorts of things were discussed by the band leading into the writing and recording process."The odd thing was in the early stages of the record it wasn't even going to be a double album, let alone our last album ever," he explained. "We just all kind of mentioned - every single one of us - on a phone call with Derek that maybe we should just take all the songs we have and put them out, because there was nothing that we heard from the demos that we wanted to cut. I think thanks to that, we were able to lean into the heaviest stuff we have ever done, and lean it to that classic sound with the updated appearance."In the full interview, Dave discussed various topics related to Sum 41's legacy. He shared insights into the intense effort and emotional experience of creating the band's last album, discussed the radio decision behind the singles, reflected on his personal preference for playing pop punk, and explained the decision to release a double album as the band's farewell. Baksh also opened up about his early experiences with punk rock and heavy metal, highlighting the challenges of merging pop-punk and heavy metal and the elitist attitude that emerged in the heavy metal community.He emphasized that the band's musical legacy is not for them to decide, but rather for the fans to determine, and expressed his dedication to the band's work and sacrifices made for their music. Baksh also shared his plans to continue in the music industry and explore other artistic endeavors, such as voiceover work and background acting, and expressed his excitement for the future and the prospect of trying new things that take him out of his comfort zone.

Interview by Karly JewellRapidly rising US rock outfit Crossbone Skully have yet to even release their debut album, yet still have managed to generate a vibe and feel seldom afforded to fresh bands, no matter their genre.But when the founding member and main man is none other than Tommy Henriksen (guitarist and musical director for Alice Cooper’s band and member of Hollywood Vampires) you can sort of get a feel as to why anticipation and respect is already at a premium.To date Crossbone Skully have set the music world on fire with the singles Evil World Machine, The Boom Went The Boom (feat. Phil Collen), I’m Unbreakable and I Am The Wolf, furthering expectations for the band's debut album which is scheduled for release later this year via Better Noise Music.The album features first-class recording musicians including Nikki Sixx (Mötley Crüe), Jamie Muhoberac (My Chemical Romance, John Mayer, Seal), Chris Wyse (Hollywood Vampires, Ace Frehley, the Cult, Ozzy Osbourne), Tommy Denander, Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires), the late UFO bassist Pete Way, and producer/mixer Mike Plotnikoff (AC/DC, My Chemical Romance, Aerosmith), with the legendary Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard) coming out of retirement to produce.HEAVY got the opportunity to catch up with Henriksen for a face-to-face chat last weekend while he was in Melbourne with Alice Cooper.

Interview by Kris PetersIt's been five long years since US rock sensations Greta Van Fleet have toured Australia, but the band have announced they are returning for a string of shows across this country and New Zealand this August with a promise to make up for lost time.Greta Van Fleet have taken the world by storm following the breakthrough success of their 2017 EP From The Fires, which won the group Best Rock Album at the 61st Grammy Awards.From there the band - brothers, vocalist Josh Kiszka, guitarist Jake Kiszka and bassist/keyboardist Sam Kiszka plus drummer Danny Wagner - released well-received albums Anthem of the Peaceful Army (2018) and The Battle At Garden's Gate (2021) before unveiling Starcatcher in 2023.While their familiar brand of rock has captured the hearts and ears on a global scale, it is Greta Van Fleet's stunning live performances that have set the band apart from a multitude of similar outfits.Sam Kiszka sat down with HEAVY recently to discuss the upcoming tour."This is gonna be over the top," he enthused. "It's been way too long since we've been there. And, of course, like everybody else, I'm gonna say we had a tour planned, but then for some reason everything got cancelled… But now, finally, we're gonna be there, and I'm so excited because we love Australia." Sam's enthusiasm is so infectious, we have to point out how refreshing it is to hear someone genuinely excited about a tour."I know it sounds… It's like, at every show you can say 'oh yeah, Sydney, you're my favourite city in the world', but we fucken LOVE Australia, going to the beaches and going out and seeing the wildlife," he smiled convincingly. "You can get outside of the city so quick. It feels so good to be out of town in the middle of nowhere."We ask Sam what has changed with Greta Van Fleet since their last Australian tour in 2019."I guess a couple of albums," he laughed. "We've got two albums out since then, and, oh gosh… the show's a completely different experience. We're really happy to be finally coming to share the show, because we've always wanted to curate everything right down to a T. Everything. From the colour of the stage, to the light show, to the pyro that we're using and the music, and the jamming. We're, like, 'how much should we jam'… everything has changed since then. There are so many more songs that the show is so different. There's so many great moments in the show… Gosh, I'm so excited!"In the full interview Sam talks through the live show in greater detail, speaks of the nostalgia of playing at venues like Wembley and Madison Square Garden, any difficulties the band faces going from the euphoria of a sold-out stadium show to a smaller venue performance, their new album Starcatcher and how it has been received, capturing the band's live energy on that album, winning the Grammy in 2017 and what pressures it placed on the band, the temptation to replicate a winning album formula and more.For complete tour and ticket information, visit: gretavanfleet.com & livenation.com.au & livenation.co.nz

Interview by Kris PetersTopping their last self-titled album was always going to be difficult for Californian metalcore outfit The Ghost Inside after it was named one of Loudwire's Best Rock and Metal Albums of 2020. The accolade was richly deserved for a band who have been through more lows than most, but despite sometimes insurmountable odds have always let their music do the talking.Merging metalcore's proficiency with the frenetic urgency of punk rock, The Ghost Inside have always had an aura of familiarity mixed with chaotic schizophrenia that has allowed them to connect with audiences on a global scale. But on their new album Searching For Solace, the five-piece metal machine have raised the bar upwards once more.Blending definitive characters of their music - honesty, vulnerability, the message, and the melody - with darker themes and expansive sonic landscapes, Searching For Solace is the perfect footprint on the journey of a band who have already proved that passion, resilience and perseverance can guide you through any setbacks.With a little help from music, of course.HEAVY sat down with the whole band - vocalist Jonathan Vigil, guitarists Zach Johnson and Chris Davis, bassist Jim Riley, and drummer Andrew Tkaczyk - to chat about the new album and life within The Ghost Inside."It's very exciting, man. We've been sitting on it for a while now," Vigil enthused about album release day. "So it's nice to see it come to fruition and see it out in the world and see people's reactions and stuff. It's exciting."We ask the band to tell us more about the musicality on Searching For Solace."We feel like with the self-titled we really stuck with like The Ghost Inside formula," Riley answered. "(we) Didn't take any chances there. That record was very clear what the objective was, kind of like long before we went into it. It was going to be the band's comeback record. Lyrical themes were all there right from the beginning. And this time, I think we just felt a lot more freedom."In the full interview, The Ghost Inside discussed their newly released album Searching for Solace and the creative process behind it. They talk about collaborating with multiple producers to explore different creative avenues and avoid limiting themselves to one specific sound. The band members also expressed their excitement for the upcoming Parkway Drive arena tour in Australia, highlighting the line-up of bands and the significance of the tour for the Australian music scene. They discussed their determination to define themselves without external influence, and their eagerness to play for both existing fans and new audiences.

Interview by Kris PetersFor the last decade and a half the name Flaming Wrekage has been synonymous with hard, thrashy and brutal Australian music.Since forming in Sydney in 2009 the band have raised the bar for touring and commitment in this country, constantly throwing themselves at the mercy of the metal Gods in countless trips around this country and beyond.Not content to live on past glory, Flaming Wrekage are about to unleash their hardest-hitting record to date in the form of Terra Inferna on April 26.Showcasing a more experimental side of the band that can only be borne from self-confidence and belief, Terra Inferna looks set to elevate Flaming Wrekage even further, with vocalist/guitarist Dave Lupton joining HEAVY to talk about the album."It's all systems go at the moment," he began. "I just picked up some merch from the printers this morning, so we'll be going out with the pre-orders pretty soon. It's been really good. It's an intense process, but super rewarding, much like the recording of the album, I would say. We really jammed everything we could into the time that we had and I think we've got something really special with this one. We've had a couple of singles out already, so hopefully everyone's digging it, but I'm really looking forward to getting the whole thing out. It's going to be a cathartic experience to get the whole album out on the world."In the full interview, Dave spoke more about the upcoming album release, Terra Inferno, and the band's experimental approach to songwriting, including the use of synths, slide guitar, and percussion. He also reflected on the band's evolution and shift towards a more diverse and cohesive sound. Lupton shared insights into the band's decision to use vintage equipment for recording, emphasizing the desire to create a big, impactful sound reminiscent of classic metal albums.The conversation also touched on the band's upcoming exclusive album launch shows in Melbourne and Sydney, where Lupton shared insights into the band's approach to preparing the set list and announced a competition for fans to win a bar tab and early merch access. Additionally, Lupton explained the intentional decision behind the band's name without the letter "C," which has become a recognizable feature of their logo.

Interview by Kris PetersTumbleweed have been a mainstay on the Australian music scene for over three decades, having lasted through a plethora of music cycles, phases and periods of revolution.Throughout all they have steadfastly stayed true to their music, refusing to conform nor bow to the powers that be, instead rightfully deciding to forge their own path in music and thus create their own identity.It is a move that sees Tumbleweed as one of the last remaining rock icons from that era, with the band not only surviving through good times and bad, but also coming out stronger because of it.While Tumbleweed have earned the right to pick and choose their live shows, public demand for their music is still high, ensuring they are invited to perform at many Australian festivals as a major drawcard.So far this year, Tumbleweed have seldomly graced the stage, so much so that this weekend's headlining set at Sonic Rendezvous Record Store Day will be their first - and at this stage their only - gig in their hometown of Melbourne for 2024.To be held at Welcome To Thornbury on High Street, Northcote this Saturday, April 20, Sonic Rendezvous Record Store Day is a sonic celebration of live music and vinyl records on one of the most important days of the year, Record Store Day.Other bands appearing include Grinding Eyes from Sydney, acclaimed all-girl rockers Hot Machine, and a cast of other celebrated bands and DJ's. There will also be a record fair happening from 12pm to 4pm with 15 of Melbourne's best vinyl venders, food trucks, cold beers and countless other tasty delights, and all for the modest amount of $20.To find out more about the show and what has been happening in the Tumbleweed world, HEAVY tracked down frontman Richie Lewis for an entertaining chat."It'll be great," he enthused. "My daughter's band is playing as well, Private Wives, they're on the bill so they will be really cool. They played with us down in Melbourne a couple of years ago, but they've gotten heaps better, so that will be amazing to see them doing their thing. Grinding Eyes, I've always been a big fan of. We actually did a 7" single with them a couple of years back, and we did a cover of an old 60s song called Pathway through The Forest, which is a wonderful song by a band called The Factory. We did a bunch of shows with Grinding Eyes a couple of years ago as well, and they are amazing live. I'm looking forward to seeing the other bands as well. I know of them. I've checked them out, but it will be the first time to see Hot Machine. It's gonna be pretty awesome. Twenty bucks? I mean, twenty bucks is a 1993 price (laughs). The whole vibe of Record Store Day is a good one. I'm a big fan of records. I like vinyl. I'm not a big fan of Spotify and digital stuff."In the full interview, Richie discussed a variety of topics related to music and their personal experiences. He talked about the upcoming music event where Tumbleweed will be performing alongside other bands, expressing enthusiasm for the line-up and sharing past experiences with some of the bands. He also discussed the appeal of Record Store Day and the resurgence of vinyl records, expressing a strong preference for the tactile and communal experience of vinyl over the convenience of digital streaming services like Spotify.The conversation also delved into the ethical considerations of supporting artists and the growing interest in vinyl records, ultimately emphasizing the positive and inclusive atmosphere of Record Store Day events, which cater to music enthusiasts of all ages. Additionally, he discussed the promotion of Richie's solo album and more.

Interview by Kris PetersOn the surface, Swedish outfit Quantum can be best categorised as a progressive metal band, but as you start to peel back the layers a deeper, more eclectic personality emerges.Blending elements from various genres, including prog rock, metal, late romantic era classical music, and jazz, Quantum's music output transcends just prog, diving into a more all-encompassing sonic landscape that is as captivating as it is expansive.After the favourable response to debut EP Next Breath Of Air… Quantum are on the cusp of delivering their first full-length offering titled Down The Mountainside which draws from the above genres and more to provide a glimpse into the ever-evolving world that is Quantum.Frontman Anton Ericsson joined HEAVY to take us deeper."It's an album with lots of things happening," he promised. "There's lots of heavy riffs, there's great grooves, longer chords and beautiful melodies."We ask Ericsson to take us further into the musical nature of Down The Mountainside."We wrote… when I was writing the songs - they've been around for a long time some of these songs - you have some of the riffs and some of the songs done," he offered, "and you realise a lot of these songs fit together nicely so you start writing some of the other songs to fit in with those. I think one of the general sounds of this is like rock with a lot of electric elements of metal and a lot of electric elements of prog and a lot of electric elements of some jazz and some classical music as well."In the full interview, Anton discussed their highly anticipated debut album Down The Mountainside in more depth, shared details about the album's musical influences, sonic diversity, and thematic elements as well as the deep and intense lyrical themes that explore the concept of wearing masks and alter egos in dealing with life's challenges. He also explained the rationale behind inviting Richard Henshall and Tom MacLean from Haken to contribute guitar solos to the album, detailing their previous collaboration and the transformative effect of their solos on certain tracks. Anton's eclectic music style was attributed to his diverse musical influences and intuitive writing process, and he explained that the recording process involves starting with the band, adding layers, and sometimes envisioning specific sounds from the beginning, aiming to keep the band's sound at the forefront.

Interview by Kris PetersAt thirty-three years young, doom/death metal outfit My Dying Bride still bite with the ferocity of a stallion, with a kick twice as ferocious.While many would be slowing down entering this stage of their careers, My Dying Bride give the impression they are only just getting started.Which is a frightfully sensational prospect.With their 15th album A Mortal Binding set for release on April 19, My Dying Bride are promising fans something fresh and enticing, adding yet another chapter to the band's musical output that has seen them dominate the genre for so many years.Featuring a revamped line-up of now-permanent guitarist Neil Blanchett and the return of drummer Dan Mullins, A Mortal Binding is signature My Dying Bride.Only better.Guitarist Andrew Craighan joined HEAVY to tell us more."To be fair, I'm quite relaxed," he measured. "I'm a little bit apprehensive because we… I don't do a lot of social media. I don't see a lot of the reactions that are happening to it, and we didn't send the album out to our friends and family and that sort of thing. So I don't really know. I'm relatively confident that we've created something that's okay, but there's a little bit of apprehension on that because I don't really know what people are gonna think. Also, I'm relieved… is probably the word, because to get an album right - I don't think you ever get an album right. You finish when you run out of money type thing and hope they're right enough, so it's been hard work. There's been a lot of hard work and a lot of blood, sweat and beards and all that kind of thing. It's kind of like… it's dead space, if you know what I mean, where you're sat with a pregnant pause; the bride is quite literally… (laughs). You've got this strange time where you can't say anything about it because you don't want to oversell it. You can't push it out and you can't send it out - you're certainly not allowed to do that - so you're just sat waiting and thinking what's next? Thankfully April 19 isn't so far away, so we'll soon see."In the full interview, Andrew talks more about A Mortal Binding, if it's what fans would expect from the band, the singles released and how they sonically represent the album, what has changed with My Dying Bride since their last album The Ghost Of Orion, coming up with new material a

Interview by Kris PetersAustralian self-proclaimed metal diva Billie-Jade is counting down the days until the release of her debut EP XI:XI, an album both raw and unapologetically honest full of attitude and spunk while still maintaining an air of vulnerability.After releasing her first single Horror Haus not long after electing to perform as a solo artist back in 2016, Billie-Jade has hardened and refined her sound over recent years with the help of Grammy-winning producer/mixer Mitchell Marlow (New Year’s Day, In This Moment, Stitched Up Heart).Since tasting earlier success with Hatchet Dawn and Diamond Noir before going solo, Billie-Jade knows what it takes to be heard in the music industry and has channelled all of that rage and experience into her first solo outing XI:XI which will be released on April 19.HEAVY caught up with Billie-Jade to find out more."I'm so excited," she enthused. "This has been a long time in the making. I did try to go over (to L.A.) for another writing session during COVID and got sent back (laughs). It's been a long time, and I'm just so excited to put out the ideas. There was one track I wrote in a writing session with Mitch when I first met him, which is Scream. That's the first track on the EP, and the rest I wrote with him later on. I'm just so excited to get all those ideas out together as an EP."In the full interview, Billie-Jade discussed her upcoming debut EP XI:XI in greater detail, providing insights into the creative process behind each song and the personal significance of the title. She emphasized the empowering themes of her music and the importance of working with a producer who understands her vision and more.

Interview by Kris PetersAfter the disappointment at having to postpone their debut Australian tour in 2023, US death metal outfit Jungle Rot have stuck true to their promise of making it out here as soon as possible with the news they managed to find suitable dates with German black metal pioneers Rotting Christ this May.While Rotting Christ will be celebrating 35 years of servitude to the Metal Gods, Jungle Rot will be savouring the opportunity to showcase their music to a new audience, with a plan to capture the attention and support of as many of their Australian fans as possible.Frontman Dave Matrise joined HEAVY recently to discuss the rescheduled tour and more. With the tour just two weeks away we start by asking if he has already packed and readied himself for the long trip Down Under."I'm gonna start tomorrow, actually," he smiled. "We're running down the list tomorrow, and we're gonna start doing it, and I'm gonna start mentally preparing myself. That's the hardest thing, mentally preparing myself for that flight (laughs)."Once here Jungle Rot have a brutal schedule, playing the whole run without a day off, which beckons the question does someone in their booking team dislike the band for some reason?"No, that's how we like it," he grinned. "We'd rather be playing every night, man. When you're on tour you wanna be playing every night because if you're not, you're going to spend money, so we'd rather try and make some money and work every night (laughs)."In the full interview, Dave discussed the band's upcoming tour in Australia, shared details about the tour schedule and his preparations for the shows and expressed his excitement for the band's first tour in Australia. The conversation also delved into the band's preference for playing shows every night and their determination to make the most of the tour.Matrise provided insights into the band's musical style, emphasizing their old-school death metal roots and the intense, raw energy of their live performances. The chat also revolved around Jungle Rot's music and career evolution, with a focus on their songwriting process and commitment to their sound.Additionally, they talked about their 11th studio album, A Call To Arms, and outlined their plans for future tours and new music, emphasizing their continual dedication to their craft.

Interview by Kris PetersNSW industrial punk project Schkeuditzer Kreuz are premiering their new single Ratchet via HEAVY this Monday, capitalising on the momentum built from previous releases Joy and Second Life.All three tracks are taken from Schkeuditzer Kreuz's album No Life Left, which came out in the last part of 2023, with Ratchet being the most diverse and eclectic representation of an album full of moods and atmospherics.Kieren Hills, the creative force behind Schkeuditzer Kreuz, joined HEAVY this afternoon to chat about the new music."It's probably the most upbeat and poppier kind of songs, which is not really saying much," he smiled when asked about Ratchet. "It's all heavily distorted synth of various different kinds with industrial percussion and drumbeats. Lyrically, it's another song about how fucked in the head I am, basically (laughs).In the full interview, Kieren runs us through Ratchet in greater detail, talks about the creepy but awesome music video, how Ratchet differs to the previous two singles, how they represent No Life Left musically, the term Industrial Synth Crust and what it translates to, upcoming shows and more.

Interview by Kris PetersWith a cross pollination of varying metal genres including sludge, death, gloom, black metal and hardcore, UK heavy outfit Conjurer are one of the few modern metal bands to walk that balancing tightrope of styles without imposing too much in any direction.Their willingness to experiment and push themselves outside of their usual comfort zones has seen the band traverse new sonic landscapes with each album, the most recent of which, 2022's Pathos, seeing the band expose their music to a wider global audience and open the musical minds of a whole new legion of fans.After visiting Tasmania as part of Dark Mofo that same year - and absolutely slaying it from all reports - Conjurer return to this side of the world for their debut tour of mainland Australia when they start a run of shows with Lo! and Botch in Brisbane from May 15.HEAVY sat down recently with singer/guitarist Brady Deeprose to find out more."We are coming on tour in Australia - which sounds insane to say out loud - (and) we're playing three headline shows and a couple of shows supporting Botch," Deeprose enthused.We ask if he is already packed and ready to go, still one month out from the tour."I moved house three days ago, so I'm not even unpacked at this point," he laughed. "Last time we were in Australia we were down for Dark Mofo in Tasmania and I spent four out of the five days sick as a dog in bed, so I'm ready to get back out and actually experience some of the country. It's one of those bucket list tours that you see bands go to Australia, and it never feels like it's going to be you. We're just so thankful to have the opportunity and to be getting back out there."We point out that it is a brutal run of five shows in five days and ask if he ever gets the feeling someone in their booking team doesn't like them."It's all of them, for sure," he laughed. "We're playing nine shows in ten days and then flying directly to Australia off the back of that, so we're like… I was saying to the guys I'm obviously really excited about this, but it's going to the most brutal month of touring we've ever done. We're gonna be absolutely shagged by the time we get there (laughs). We're so lucky to be able to do this. You get up, drink a couple of Red Bulls, and you make it happen. The shows are gonna be amazing."In the full interview, Brady talks more about the tour and what to expect, visiting a country on tour for the first time and how he prepares, Conjurer's influences and where they come from, knowing how much of each genre to mix through new music and how to tell if they go too far, their status as a 'non-specific' metal band in terms of genre, new music and more.

Interview by Kris PetersU.S progressive metal outfit Exodus Rising have been making a stir on the music scene following the release of last year's debut album The Book Of Life.Armed largely with a DYI approach and a firm desire to take their music to a global audience, Exodus Rising first grabbed the attention of HEAVY just prior to the release of The Book Of Life, and we have been listening with a keen interest for more advances from the band ever since.That came recently with the arrival of the third album single The Fallen, accompanied by a visually stunning music video that captures the intense spirit coursing through Exodus Rising's musical veins.HEAVY caught up with the band late last week to discuss The Fallen and other developments with Exodus Rising."Everybody's been receiving the music - and the video especially - very, very well," vocalist JSlate began. "We included two songs from the album initially, and we included our Overture because it added a lot more depth into it, and then we decided to throw in an extra interlude and put an anime-style type of feeling to breathe a lot more life and a lot more modernity."Exodus Rising have previously released the singles Blazing Love and Paradise Lost, so we press the band on how The Fallen showcases another side of their sonic structure."For Paradise Lost, that was a power metal song," JSlate replied. "That was definitely full power metal and included everything within our diverse repertoire within the album. Which showcased symphonics, theatrical elements and then the classic power metal elements. For Blazing Love, that was more of a ballad - a heavier ballad - and one that was showing love in a different side of that; keeping it a bit more in tempo to prepare people to manoeuvre throughout the remainder of the album. For The Fallen, we included two songs with that. It's very theatrical and cinematic. It includes the cinematic aspect of how we want to approach our music… We want it to feel like a movie, and you're in a story and a place of space and time. For The Fallen, as a single itself, it's metal, but it's more leaning towards the hard rock elements of everything."In the full interview Exodus Rising discuss The Fallen in greater detail, the music video and what it took to put together, which of the three singles best represents the band's sound, Christianity and heavy metal, how their faith enhances their music, the general accessibility of music and how it transcends barriers, future plans and more.

Interview by Kris PetersIconic Canadian rock outfit The Tea Party have been mesmerizing fans around the world with their innovative music and captivating live shows for over three decades now.While their musical output has always been in a league of its own, it is on the live stage that The Tea Party have excelled, delivering knockout performances every time they grace the stage and transfixing audiences with their almost laconic approach that never fails to entertain.After being absent from these shores since 2019, The Tea Party will make a welcome return this June for the Trip (tych) 25 Tour, celebrating 25 years since the release of one of the band's most recognised and loved albums.HEAVY sat down with drummer Jeff Burrows recently to talk more about the tour and an album that will go down in rock music history.We start by asking how much focus Trip (tych) will have for the shows."With this tour, it's not a top to tail album sequenced show," he explained. "We're gonna play 8 or 9 - including some of the deeper cuts that we've never played before - mixed with some other B sides and deeper cuts, and of course some of the hits."We ask what has changed with The Tea Party since they were here last five years ago."I think… I can honestly say it's an appreciation for where we're at," he measured, "what we've been afforded, the types of shows that we get to do. We've been doing this for over thirty years now and ask me thirty years ago if I thought I'd still be able to travel abroad and play shows in front of people who love our music and sing along with us, I never thought that would be possible. I think more grateful, communicative and the fact that it's easily the best job - if you have to call it that - in the world. There's no complaints here. It doesn't even really get harder. It kind of gets a bit easier, because we don't worry now about… back in the day we would cross Canada in a van - we've crossed Canada 13 times in a van before we were even signed - and we didn't know if we were making it to the next town. Canada's alot like Australia. You're going from Perth to Adelaide in a van, that's essentially Vancouver to Calgary in a van, and it's brutal. There's overnight drives after the show where you're still sweating because there was only one hotel. There's no showers at these tiny little clubs, so things get a little bit easier as you get a little bit older. I dunno, I think we've moved in quite well (laughs)."In the full interview, Jeff talks more about the upcoming tour, playing songs from the album they haven't performed live before, how Trip (tych) has stood the test of time, how significant the album was in The Tea Party's career, how their sound changed from their 1991 debut to Trip (tych) and more.

Interview by Kris PetersFive Finger Death Punch have never been a band to shy away from musical experimentation and collaborating with artists outside of their comfort zone and chosen genre.Over the years they have recorded songs with everyone from Rob Halford to Brian May to Kenny Wayne Shepherd, each time taking themselves out of their safety net and into the musical psyche of bands and artists many would not even consider sharing space with.But perhaps the biggest collaboration of them all came when Five Finger Death Punch recorded a song with rapper/hip hop artist DMX called This Is The Way, which was originally meant to be included on their 2022 album Afterlife.Sadly, DMX was taken from the world before that could happen, with Afterlife being released without that song in order to pay respects and tie up any lingering issues and legalities.But now, two years later, that album is being re-released in Deluxe format with acoustic versions of album songs The End, Judgement Day, and Thanks For Asking, plus the collaboration with DMX which is already being hailed as a defining moment in metal/rap crossover history.HEAVY sat down for a rare chat with guitarist Zoltan Bathory to go over Afterlife Deluxe."Great, man. This has been a long time in… we worked on it for a long, long time," he measured. "This deluxe edition of the record is coming out because at the time when we originally released this album we had this track which is the collaboration with DMX everybody is talking about and the song was meant to be on this record. However, because DMX passed, and we had to have the approval of every single person that was involved - the estate to the producers and publishers - we realised that it might take longer. And it did take a bit over a year to complete everything, and we didn't wanna wait, so we released the album without this track. But this track was always meant to be on this album. Every record you assemble, every song has a reason to be there and every song has a reason to be in that specific spot in the sequence. And so, one of my favourite records we did - Afterlife - was still missing this song and this song is important and was important to be on this record. Basically now with the deluxe edition coming out I feel like we completed the record."In the full interview, Zoltan talks about his excitement about getting the deluxe version of Afterlife out, how This Is The Way completes the album musically, the three acoustic songs and how they broke them down, the meaning behind Judgement Day, where Afterlife stands in Five Finger Death Punch's musical evolution, collaborating with DMX and the parallels between heavy metal and hip hop, touring plans and more.https://5fdp.ffm.to/afterlifedeluxe

Interview by Kris PetersCorey Glover has long been recognised as one of the finest vocalists of the modern era thanks to his role as frontman for Living Colour. It would be both easy and understandable for the singer to remain in the comforting confines of Living Colour, where his vocal prowess will always be beyond reproach, but Glover has never been one to rest on his laurels.Teaming up with guitarist Mike Orlando from Adrenaline Mob, Glover has started a fresh, vibrant project called Sonic Universe that allows him to display his chops in a different environment, with different musicians, to no less overall effect.If the two lead singles I Am and Higher are anything to go by, Sonic Universe sees Glover step into more hard rock territory, with both songs an extension of his work with Living Colour without rewriting the rulebook to excess.With Sonic Universe's debut album It Is What It Is scheduled for release on May 10, HEAVY scored some Facetime with the legendary vocalist to chat about his new project and more."All these songs are pretty personal," he began. "This song Higher, for example, is Mike's ambition at making a metal Gospel tune, and he got the right people to do it, I guess (laughs)."We ask Glover to tell us more about Sonic Universe and how it came to be."Me and Mike met on a cruise, on the ShipRocked cruise, we were both stowaways on that," he laughed. "I saw Mike playing and his guitar playing was like 'Holy Shit, who is that dude?' I was like, I gotta meet this guy, so I met Mike, and it turns out we all have a bunch of mutual friends, and we know a bunch of people so it was like 'look, let's get together and do something at some point'. And that was just before the pandemic. Some time after that, we got together. I would go to his place and studio called Sonic Sound, and we just banged out a bunch of tunes over the course of two years."In the full interview, Corey discusses Sonic Universe in greater detail, runs through each track on It Is What It Is individually and tells us more about it, why they decided to introduce the world to Sonic Universe with the song I Am, the album from a musical perspective and what they were going for, touring plans and more.

Interview by Kris PetersMelbourne industrial titans Witchgrinder released their highly anticipated third album, Nothing Stays Buried.Once more revolving around horror and the macabre, Nothing Stays Buried is a meaty slab of intent from the Australian outfit, furthering the promise shown on Witchgrinder's two earlier albums but magnifying it even further.Since the release of their debut album in 2013, Witchgrinder have systematically built up a loyal and growing fan base, scoring support slots to the likes of Ministry, Rob Zombie, Ghost, Wednesday 13, Powerman 5000, Sevendust and Drowning Pool before landing the covetted opening spot for Static X last year. The band have honed and refined their live show to reflect both their music and influences, creating an overwhelming sense of dread and foreboding that perfectly accentuates the sonic blast of agression elicited by their music.With Nothing Stays Buried unleashed on the public, frontman Travis Everett took the time to talk with HEAVY, discussing the album in greater detail."This album took a while to write," he measured. "Actually, the writing didn't take so long, what it was, is there was a large gap in between from the lat album due to line-up changes and covid. Witchgrinder had a nice touring line-up, but nothing put together where I felt comfortable writing and getting back in and doing the third album. Of course, I had a lot of stuff put away with riffs over the years, but I never started really structuring anything together. With this album I looked at what the previous two had done… I had time to talk to a lot of people who listened to Witchgrinder over the years - alot of new fans and a lot of old ones - and worked out what they liked best from the first album and the second album. What songs were their favourite and what weren't. We really sat - especially me and the guitarist Scott - we sat down and spoke about what style of song we wanted one to be. We'd pick one of the old ones off the album and say we kind of want it a bit like this, but we want this one rockier. We want this one more thrash metal. But we still wanted to keep the Witchgrinder sound."In the full interview, Travis talks more about the writing process for Nothing Stays Buried, the musical direction of the album, the band's upcoming tour plus he runs us through each track on Nothing Stays Buried in greater depth.

Interview by Kris PetersAustralian blues/rock outfit Beasts Of Bourbon have been a mainstay of the Aussie music scene for over 40 years, blending a blues-infused swagger with sleazy rock and tonnes of attitude to create a musical aura that is as much about the musicians who make up the band as it is the music itself.Originally formed with James Baker on drums (ex-Hoodoo Gurus, The Scientists), Spencer P. Jones on guitar (The Johnnys), Tex Perkins on vocals (Dum Dums), Kim Salmon on guitar and Boris Sujdovic on bass guitar (both ex-The Scientists), the Beasts Of Bourbon went through several line-up changes over the years, with Tex Perkins and Jones being the only regular contributors.After disbanding in 1985 following their debut album The Axeman's Jazz it seemed the music of Beasts Of Bourbon would be lost into the channels of Australian history but they reformed just two years later and released a second album Sour Mash the following year.Several albums followed, culminating in 2007s Little Animals before Beasts Of Bourbon disbanded once more, seemingly for good.2013 saw a couple of select 30th anniversary shows before another slide into the unknown until 2019 when the band re-emerged under the shortened name of Beasts.After a new album Still Here came out in 2019 Beasts went back into slumber, resurfacing last year for 40th anniversary celebrations, with the response being so overwhelmingly positive that the band are on the cusp of undertaking a six-date nation tour with the intention of taking their music and legacy even further than the two shows last year allowed.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Kim Salmon to find out more."It has been a while, really, since we've done any touring in earnest with this band," he nodded. "It was just before the pandemic, so probably four years. We did a couple of shows last year with our original drummer James Baker, and we recorded that and we were so excited about that recording that we thought we'd take it out on the road. We're going to actually release some of this stuff. This is a beauty."We mention that HEAVY is a big fan of live albums, to which Salmon replied, "me too. There's been some good ones over the years. There's also been some less than good ones, but this one I think is… we were gonna call it… Tex and I were talking about it (laughs) and throwing titles around, and we thought how about The Best Live Album Ever Recorded or The Best Live Album Ever, but I had this thing… like there's Slade Alive and Kiss Alive, so I thought why not Beasts Alive? So we're putting that out through a French label called Beast Records. But that won't be out until September, I think. We've got a five track 12" that will only be available at the gig and that's some tracks taken from that recording."In the full interview, Kim talks more about the tour and what to expect, if he still enjoys touring after so much time on the road, the enduring success of Beasts and why, the rocky road to success, changing the band name from Beasts Of Bourbon to Beasts and why, their debut album The Axeman's Jazz and his thought of it 40 years later, future plans and more.

Interview by Kris PetersSince their inception in 1991 US rock outfit Incubus have defied the laws and conventions of music by shading outside the lines and creating their own brand of sonic retribution.Their music was different and experimental, while still maintaining a rock-infused underbelly that provided a meaty backbone that stood tall through a myriad of musical disparities that combined to create the perfect sonic storm.With three consecutive albums that pushed the envelope further than ever before S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (1997), Make Yourself (1999) and Morning View (2001), Incubus and their music quickly gained global attention and transformed what was once a personal odyssey into more of a worldwide phenomenon.Such is the band's enduring legacy, they have re-recorded Morning View and will release it on May 10 with the title Morning View XXIII, but first they are making a long overdue return to Australia for a run of shows with fellow rockers Live this April.As well as five national co-headlining shows with Live, Incubus will also appear at the inaugural Lookout Festival, an outdoor event on some of the country's most iconic stages alongside Live, Birds Of Tokyo, Eskimo Joe and The Superjesus.HEAVY was fortunate enough to speak with Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd on the eve of the tour."I think this is probably the most extensive tour of Australia we will have done," he smiled. "I could be wrong about that, but I don't remember having played… I think it's eight or nine shows by itself, just in Australia. I'm excited."This will be Incubus' first trip to Australia since 2018, so we cheekily ask Boyd why the band has neglected us for so long."(laughs) Something happened in the world sometime after 2019 that made it so travelling was really tough," he replied. "I don't remember exactly what it was, but something happened that kept us off aeroplanes and stuff (laughs). We're sorry it's taken us so long, but we're really excited to make our way back, and we're thrilled to be able to do these shows with the band Live as well."On the subject of Live, we ask why they were chosen to be touring partners with Incubus on this run."This is something that honestly would not have occurred to me," he measured, "to put our bands together to do this. It came through other channels to potentially pair us up to tour, but when we heard about it being a possibility, all of us were very enthusiastic about the idea because Live was one of those bands when I was growing up that just had some bangers. They've got some tracks that are just killer, and I've actually never seen them play live, so it's pretty awesome to go on tour with a band that you enjoy, but you've never had the pleasure of seeing live. So this will be my introduction to them formally."In the full interview we discuss the tour in greater detail, Lookout Festival and playing with Australian bands, what has changed in the 6 years since Incubus last toured Australia, the different excitement he gets from playing outdoor festivals compared to indoor arenas, re-recording Morning View, how well the music from that album has stood the test of time, if and how crowds respond differently to the songs from that album two decades later and more.

Following a recent successful tour of Australia with Northlane, metalcore legends ERRA are now readying for the release of their new album Cure, which is released on April 5.HEAVY spoke with the band just before their Brisbane show at Fortitude Music Hall.VIDEO WAS FILMED LIVE FROM SOUNDCHECK SO SOUND QUALITY MAY FLUCTUATE