24 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters Melbourne rockers The Dreadful Tides emphatically announced their arrival on the Australian music scene in 2021 with their infectious and rock as all fuck debut single Crazy. The song was like the meeting of two sonic forces that exploded with raw guitars, meaty solos and the kind of swagger that left rock music while the Rolling Stones were still in their nappies. Blessed with an upbringing of 70s and 80s old-school rock and metal, The Dreadful Tides wove those influences with a modern edge to create a hybrid rock and metal blast of sonic intensity that almost dares you not to take notice. The band have been steadily building since then, culminating in the release of their new single Fire In The Hole which takes everything already sprinkled in The Dreadful Tides' DNA and laces it with slabs of hard rock bordering on metal intensity to elevate their music to another level. Part of that intensity blast came through new vocalist Jimmy Black, whose recent inclusion to The Dreadful Tides has opened the chasm of opportunity even further and invited the Gods of metal into their realm. HEAVY caught up with guitarist Justin Strudwick and drummer Leland Hallett to find out more. "It's actually really, really surprised us this time," Hallett offered when asked how Fire In The Hole has been received. "Everyone has just loved the track. The amount of messages we've got off people and the appreciation off so many different people. We also managed to get airplay in multiple countries already which is good for us. The reception has been phenomenal." We ask the boys to dive deeper into Fire In The Hole musically. "It started off, in all honesty, as just a riff that we were messing around with," Strudwick replied. "We said we just need a cool opening track for gigs. Not even for recording purposes. Just for gigs. So me and Leland messed around with a few things, but the music has stayed pretty solid for that track the whole time. We actually had some different lyrics for it originally - except the chorus. The chorus was still the same, but when Jimmy came on board he had a different take on the song and changed the lyrics apart from the chorus, and we were just like, yep, that's it. That suits the music. We went into the studio to record that song and use it in our back pocket for if we need it, but once we heard it we thought we have to get this thing out." In the full interview, Justin and Leland discussed plans for their upcoming singles and the potential release of an EP. They provided details about the band's decision to introduce each track individually, highlighting their desire to give each song its own spotlight. They also delved into the band's musical growth, explaining how their writing process has evolved as they have become more familiar with each other and their producer. Additionally, they hinted at upcoming interstate shows starting in April, indicating an exciting future for the band.

24 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters Fresh off the road from a tour with Tapestry and AM/PM, Adelaide emo alt-rock five-piece Wolf & Chain find themselves already consumed by producing more content so that the current wave of hype the band has generated does not go to waste. The band needn't worry too much, because after the success of their catchy and infectious recent single Not Giving Up it is highly unlikely anyone will be forgetting their name in the foreseeable future. Pulling from sounds found in the 2000s with My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco and 30 Seconds To Mars, Not Giving Up is a quirky and fun slab of music, driven by typically personal subject matter that has become one of Wolf & Chain's trademarks. HEAVY sat down for a chat with vocalist Jack Cumes and guitarist Joe Butcher to find out what the next steps of this exciting young band will be. We start by asking how the recently completed run of dates with Tapestry went. "Super cool," Cumes replied. "A bunch of people came out to see us, which is always great. Tapestry, those guys are super amazing live, so it was amazing just to see them and learn off them as well. Melbourne felt like a big step up from when we usually play. I think Melbourne can be a bit hit-and-miss for us. We've only played there a few times, but this last show we played, we had a great time. There was heaps of people, and it was a good wrap-up to the end of the tour as well." The tour was essentially to help promote the new single Not Giving Up, with Cumes happily relaying the new track was positively received live.. "It went down well," he smiled. "We always have a good time playing it, and we worked really hard on that song. It was a bit of a process getting it to where it was, so I think whenever we play it live we feel pretty good. We're happy that it's had this journey." In the full interview, Wolf & Chain discussed the visual and conceptual inspiration behind their music, using werewolves as a metaphor and drawing inspiration from horror movies for their music video. They hinted at a larger project on the horizon and expressed a desire to push themselves to create something different for their next work. The band also emphasized the importance of working with different collaborators and expressed confidence in their progress towards finding their distinct sound.

23 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters Tasmanian entertainment machine Luca Brasi are headed to this side of the ocean next month to celebrate their latest album The World Don't Owe You Anything with a tour of the same name. It is an extensive tour by Australian standards, taking in Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney and Newcastle but if past tours and reputation are anything to go by we are in for a nationwide treat. Luca Brasi will be bringing the beautifully named Spanish Love Songs with them for the trek, promising nothing but a night of great music, laughs and good old-fashioned mateship. Frontman Tyler Richardson joined HEAVY to tell us more. "Yeah man, it's nice to go and play places that don't get got to as much as they should," he smiled. "So it's nice to go back to those towns. We come from Tassie and quite often back in the day we didn't get all these tours, so it's nice to be able to go and play them." In the full interview, Tyler talks more about their upcoming tour with Spanish Love Songs, expressing excitement about playing in overlooked towns and the significance of returning to their origins in Tasmania. He emphasized the need to mentally and physically prepare for the extensive run of shows, highlighting the importance of maintaining gig fitness and being mindful of looking after yourself. Tyler also reflected on the band's journey in finding their musical identity and returning to creating music that resonates with them, despite the challenges of popularity and commercial success. He expressed his genuine excitement for live performances and his gratitude for the opportunity to be on tour, as well as their plans to start writing new songs and spending time with their friends from Spanish Love Songs.

23 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters The struggle most bands find these days is keeping together a stable line-up to help them grow both musically and professionally. A variety of obstacles face most bands currently doing the rounds, with member retention being the common ailment of bands on a global scale. Brisbane metal outfit Engraved are no exception. Since relocating from Sydney last year, Engraved have been plagued with the age-old problem of members internally combusting, halting their forwarded momentum every time the band starts to make serious inroads in the national metal scene. But, hopefully, Engraved's run of bad luck and/or poor judgement is about to end, with today's announcement that Cairns product Panda is joining the noise maestros as vocalist. Each incarnation of Engraved has had promise but fallen by the wayside for one reason or another, but after chatting with the band recently it seems their luck might just be taking a turn for the better. HEAVY caught up with guitarists Dan and Cory, bass player Phil and new vocalist Panda for a chat about their upcoming appearance at Beyond The Darkness at The Back Room on September 14 and plenty more. "It sounds like an excellent gig," Cory affirmed. "I am quite excited. The last Beyond The Darkness gig was actually my first with the band and was kind of like a trial by fire. I went out and very quickly all of our scepticisms and nerves disappeared, so I'm excited to come back out and smash it again." "This will be your anniversary with us, too," Phil added. In the full interview, the conversation shifted to personal updates, with Cory sharing news of his engagement. The band members introduced themselves and discussed their upcoming headlining show as part of Beyond The Darkness in greater detail, outlining the fact it is a benefit concert for the GI Cancer Institute. They also discussed their upcoming gigs, including Nowhere Festival at the Mansfield Tavern, and recent line-up changes within the band. The Engraved band members shared their journeys of joining the band and discussed their upcoming music releases. They expressed enthusiasm for the new material and assured fans that the essence of the band's original vision will be preserved while incorporating refined elements. The band members also touched on branding updates and new merchandise, with Dan taking the lead on these initiatives.

23 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters While the annual APRA Music Awards have always celebrated the abundance of talent coursing through the Australian musical landscape, the focus has always been on the more mainstream artists and side of the industry. Hard rock and heavy metal have long been touted for inclusion, but for varying reasons have never quite made it onto the big stage for Australia's most prestigious awards. Until now. The 2024 APRA Music Awards will, for the very first time, include a category which rewards and recognises this country's strong and growing stronger metal scene with the inclusion of the inaugural Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work category. The point could - and will - be argued that heavy music should have been included long before this, but in the overall scheme of things, the fact this category has been introduced is recognition and vindication of how much heavy music is progressing in our own backyard. It is just reward for a scene and genre that has never claimed to be for the masses, but through sheer weight of listening numbers has ensured long overdue acceptance in the public spotlight. Nominees for the category this year include Alpha Wolf, Polaris, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, The Amity Affliction and Parkway Drive, all bands who have played a significant role in the increased growth of heavy music both here and abroad. To celebrate this landmark event, HEAVY tracked down Winston McCall from Parkway Drive to discuss just what something like this means to Australian heavy music. "It's sick," he smiled. "It's awesome that they have added that category. Awards are humbling in general. I'm really stoked for more recognition for our scene and community, full stop. Because right now it just seems like… it's honestly bigger than it's ever been. The more that we can do to push that forward and make people recognise it, the better for it. For us to get an award, sweet, I'm stoked the award exists with a bunch of really, really cool bands." As good as it is to have APRA finally recognise the heavy music community, their hand has been pushed somewhat by the continued expansion of artists within this genre. It is a sense of pride to everyone in the metal scene, and one not lost on the bigger fish like Parkway Drive. "Yeah, 100%," McCall agreed. "And that's the way it works. At the base of that, the really cool thing is being involved in a scene where situations like that come about because of the community behind it. It's like an engaged scene of people. Everyone pays attention to everything that's going on. Everyone supports everything. Not every scene is doing as well as ours at this point in time. Post-COVID it's been difficult, but I look out there, and I see people who still care about this music that is their passion and still support it 110% and look at where it is now." In the full interview, Winston expressed pride in the Australian music scene and the community's support for the genre, discussed his upcoming attendance at the awards night and his lack of preparation for a potential speech. The conversation also included a lighthearted exchange about sending photos of outfits and the casual approach to the event. Winston also reflected on Parkway Drive's 20th-anniversary tour later this year, expressing gratitude for the band's journey and the community's support. He shared insights on the band's supports for the tour and discussed the challenges of managing the unexpected popularity. Additionally, Winston discussed the band's upcoming European festivals and Australian tour, hinting at new music in the works but expressing a preference to focus on the existing material during the tour.

23 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters Hailing from the quiet town of Taree on the New South Wales Central Coast, emerging metal outfit Diamond Construct are anything but. Brash, loud, and in your face with no respite, Diamond Construct are a hurricane of musical intensity that is only just starting to gather real force. Since dropping their self-titled debut album around the turn of the decade, Diamond Construct have been working tirelessly on the live circuit, landing shows with Alpha Wolf, Justice For The Damned, Stray From The Path and Bury Tomorrow, with recent times seeing them perform at CVLTFEST plus hit the road with two of the Japanese bands on the bill, Crossfaith and Paledusk. Last year saw Diamond Construct sign with prestigious US label Pale Chord, subsequently releasing three killer singles, Hell Inside You, Switchblade OST and Jynx. All three are taken from the band's new album Angel Killer Zero, which will be unleashed on April 26. HEAVY caught up with Diamond Construct frontman Kynan Groundwater to find out more. We ask him if those trio of singles are a good sonic representation of what to expect from the whole album. "I think it's a pretty big picture, but it's not the full picture," he measured. "There's so much more to dive in on in the album. When writing such a big piece and body of work like Angel Killer Zero and having that diverse sound that we've had over the years, it was hard to fit everything into just 11 songs. If anyone thinks that they've heard it all from those three, they've got another thing coming. Because there's so much on that album. There's a song for everyone." We ask him to further explain Angel Killer Zero from a musical perspective. "It's not a concept album, but it's definitely got themes and concepts about it that tell a bit of a story," he replied. "So, obviously from start to finish it runs smoothly together with some of the interludes, and it's got some exerts from video games and stuff that I love to play. I love the anime stuff. We've got the robotics voice introducing some of the themes about the album, so that's something that came into it earlier in the piece. Musically, it's just a big expansion of DCX2. We went back and revisited the sound of what made us popular in the first place with Psychosis and Enigma, and then we blended that with the heavier sounds from the self-titled, which we know a lot of people like as well. It was just a big meshing of that, as well as adding in so many more elements that we haven't explored yet." In the full interview, Kynan talks more about what to expect from Angel Killer Zero, how it differs to their self-titled debut album, the anime connection and how it translates to the album, the themes explored on the album, signing with Pale Chord, their upcoming regional tour and what to expect and more.

22 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters For 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.

22 APR 2024 · Interview by Karly Jewell Rapidly 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.

22 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters It'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: https://bigpond.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=06200c9f18dbb6524f4a19460&id=3e37537ad7&e=8271d598b1 & https://bigpond.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=06200c9f18dbb6524f4a19460&id=85cd4b85a4&e=8271d598b1 & https://bigpond.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=06200c9f18dbb6524f4a19460&id=e87e1316a2&e=8271d598b1

19 APR 2024 · Interview by Kris Peters Topping 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.