Making Up For Lost Time With BEAU BUECHELL From SAOSIN

Interview by Kris PetersBusting out of the musical walls of Brisbane in late 2022, five childhood friends united to create an infectious cocktail of catchy, heavy riffs, hard-hitting lyrics and purposeful melodies. Familiar, yet unique, the HISS sound is as diverse as the appearance and influences of the individual band members themselves. Their frenetic hook-laden energy - think Alice In Chains meets Helmet with a dash of Sex Pistols and Slayer combined - will guarantee crossover appeal throughout the rock and metal community.The grungy garage-metal punks recently dropped the first track, Trace, from their upcoming debut album Enoz Latem and are preparing to launch it this Saturday, March 29 at Greaser Bar in Brisbane alongside Tawny Hawk and Dedway.Trace also features on a 7” vinyl release in hot pink (limited to 150 copies) that the band has pressed via their own imprint LFT Records to coincide with the album launch and other promotional activities.HEAVY caught up with Blinx Bonaccorso (vocals) and Shinbone Starr (guitar) to find out more."It's been great so far," Starr enthused when asked about the early reception for Trace. "That one goes over well live, and it seems to be a good crossover track. It's got a great, heavy groove underpinning it and also some good melodies in there. Playing that one live is normally where we see a lot of people come from the outside of the room, gravitating, like 'what's going on here'."In the full interview, the discussion focused on the technical setup and promotional plans for Hiss's debut album, Enoz Latem and their first single, Trace. The band expressed excitement about their music's crossover appeal and their collaborative creative process, emphasizing their blend of grunge and punk influences.We also discussed plans for the album launch at Greaser Bar this Saturday (March 29), including exclusive merchandise, free entry, and a themed cocktail plus more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

25 Maalis 11min

Interview by Angela CroudaceIn a recent interview, Chas Levi, the drummer of Justice For The Damned, shared his excitement about returning to the stage after a challenging period, as well as the band's highly anticipated new music and upcoming Australian tour. The band's journey has been anything but easy, but with their latest single, The Current, they have come out stronger and more determined than ever.Chas spoke candidly about the surreal feeling of being back with the band after battling through personal struggles. "It's just a total blur," he admits. "It's happened so fast, and I can barely believe it, but I'm stoked." The band's resilience is evident, and with new music released and tours lined up, Chas and his bandmates are more energized than ever. He also mentioned that getting back into the groove of performing has been an incredibly rewarding experience. "The shows so far have been insane," he says. "They feel so much better now, maybe it's just because I'm back, but it’s like nothing else."Looking ahead, Justice For The Damned is gearing up for their headline Australian tour this March, covering major cities as well as more regional areas. "It’s going to be wild, especially the regional tour," Chas reveals. "Some of these places are so off the map for us, but we want to bring the energy to every corner of Australia." For Chas, this tour is especially significant because it marks his return to the stage in his home country after a long absence.As for the music, the band's upcoming album promises to be an exciting blend of new sounds, with Chas describing the new material as more groovy and spacious compared to previous releases. The latest single, The Current, has already been well received by fans, and the band is eager to perform it live. Chas says the track has resonated with him on a personal level, reflecting both his struggles and triumphs. "It’s about endurance and resilience, things we’ve all gone through, especially in the last few years."Looking back at the band's journey, Chas is grateful for the opportunity to connect with fans across the world. He’s especially excited about the upcoming regional shows, which he sees as a way of returning to the roots of their fan base. "We’re just excited to be bringing our music to places we’ve never been before," he says. "It’s the most fun you can have, playing to passionate people who might not always get the big shows coming through."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

25 Maalis 29min

Interview by Kris PetersPhil Cambpell was, and always will be, primarily known for being one-third of the legendary metal outfit Motorhead. For more than 30 years Campbell stood side by side on the biggest stages in the world alongside his brother Lemmy, recording 16 albums and having a major role in Motorhead classics like Orgasmatron, Killed by Death, Going to Brazil, Eat the Rich, Stone Deaf in the USA, Rock 'n' Roll and more.While the music world at large mourned Lemmy's passing, those closest to him were left with a gaping chasm in their lives; a musical and personal void which would be impossible to replace. But Campbell was lucky in the respect he had his family to fall back on and not just emotionally.Within one year of Lemmy's passing, Campbell's three boys - Todd, Tyla and Dane - had rallied around their father, uniting to form their own band aptly named Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons.Whether the band was started to fill the void or as a form of comfort or for any other reason in the Metal Gods playbook, they are still going strong almost ten years later and are about to make their maiden voyage as a band to Australia in September for a run of shows that promises to be one of the must-see live shows of 2025.Not only will The Bastard Sons be playing material from their three albums, but Campbell has also promised an equal portion of Motorhead tunes not seen or heard in this country since before 2015. But to make sure that wasn't just a vicious rumour, HEAVY tracked Phil down to make sure things were on track.Amongst the general chit-chat we asked Phil if he is comfortable playing Motorhead songs without Lemmy there with him, in particularly how it felt the first few times he performed after Lemmy left us."It's never going to be Motorhead, obviously, without Lem," he sighed, "but we give it a good shot. It'll be the only chance for especially younger Australians to have heard some of the Motorhead stuff with a band member playing them. We get a lot of youngsters come to our shows anyway if we're playing Motörhead stuff or our own stuff. We get older Motörhead fans bringing their young children to the shows. Basically they're just turning them on to good live music because there's so much crap about these days with autotuned voices and all that. We're the real deal, which is the way it should be."We nod in agreement before asking if having his boys by his side made things easier."I spent a lot of the boy's formative years away from them when I was so busy with Motörhead," he replied. "So it's great to be able to give something back, you know, and spend time with them and still go around the world in another kick-ass rock and roll band. You know, they deserve it. They're great players. The band is as tight as hell that we have now. So they deserve it. They deserve to tread the boards. It's a lot of fun, yeah. I enjoy it."In the full interview, Phil spoke more about what we can expect from the show and coming up with a list of Motorhead songs to appease the masses. He highlighted the difficulties in choosing songs from the vast Motörhead repertoire and expressed excitement about performing with his sons. He also underscored the significance of creativity in the songwriting for Phil Campbell & The Bastard Sons, encouraging experimentation without rigid constraints.Phil spoke about his love of rock n roll and how forming The Bastards came at the perfect time for him, introduced us to the new (ish) singer Joel Peters and explained how he fits in with plans moving forward, hinted at new music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Maalis 11min

Interview by Kris PetersAfter earning themselves an ARIA nomination with 2022's album Heroine, Melbourne metal titans Thornhill have pulled out all stops to ensure its successor further explores the sonic parameters in which their music falls.Bodies finds Thornhill elevating to spectacular new heights, offering an unbridled explosion of raw vulnerability fused with some of the band's heaviest moments to date. While Heroine revelled in lush textures and bold, curated aesthetics, Bodies finds Thornhill opening the floodgates to spontaneity. Balancing intensity with boundless creative freedom and ingenuity, album number three for Thornhill is not only a definitive snapshot of a band in full flight just shy of a decade into their staggering career; it's also a celebration of authenticity and gripping dynamism from one of Australia's most engaging heavy acts.HEAVY caught up with vocalist Jacob Charlton and guitarist Ethan McCann to talk more."I think the first thing that we wanted to sit down to after Heroine was we wanted a lot more energy and a lot more pace in the music," Ethan explained. "We found that when we took Heroine to our live show it felt like it was dragging at times. Because we started playing heavy music when we were teenagers we kind of missed that energy, and seing that reaction in real time."We ask how they actually achieved that, to which Ethan replied, "I think just a lot more focus on rhythm, and drumbeat. Jacob was listening to a lot more pop and R&B music around this time, so I think there was a lot more pace with his vocal patterns, as opposed to long, stretched out chords and crooning vocals from the last album."In the full interview we speak to Jacob and Ethan more about the musicality on Bodies, the pressures of following an ARIA nominated album, how it contains the heaviest moments in Thornhill's musical history, the singles released and how they represent the album as a whole, how Bodies represents Thornhill in 2025, this weekends Album Listening shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Maalis 16min

Interview by Kris PetersAmerican hard rock outfit Winger have been a mainstay in the global music scene for almost 40 years, with their triple-platinum, self-titled debut album spawning hits like Seventeen, Headed for a Heartbreak, and Madalaine. Their sophomore album, In the Heart of the Young, solidified Winger's place in rock history, delivering anthems such as Miles Away and Can’t Get Enuff, propelling the band into a select group of artists who have become bigger than the industry that created them.Over the years, Winger has gained significant critical acclaim, with Grammy nominations and widespread recognition for their intricate compositions and electrifying stage presence. Each member of the band has built an impressive resume beyond the project, with Reb Beach becoming a longtime guitarist for Whitesnake, Rod Morgenstein playing with the Dixie Dregs, Paul Taylor collaborating with Alice Cooper, John Roth playing with Giant and Starship, and frontman Kip Winger enjoying a successful solo career and a critically acclaimed career as an orchestral composer which has earned him a Grammy nomination.But for all of Winger's achievements and tales from over the years, there is one mountain left to climb. One world left to conquer.  And that world is here. Australia.It's hard to fathom that the original incarnation of Winger has never toured this country, with previous visits being either as Kip performing solo or without the original band lineup. But in honour of their Australian fans and perhaps as a means of ticking off remaining bucket list points, Winger are finally headed this way - with original members - for a run of shows this April to deliver the ultimate send-off, celebrating decades of iconic music in a career spanning musical spectacle.HEAVY had the pleasure of spending time with Kip ahead of the tour, at one stage asking him what it will mean for him to round out his musical career to date with the upcoming shows."The band has got a huge legacy, and it's rare that a band like us would be all original members still," he replied. "It's rare, and we all still really enjoy playing with each other on stage, so it's great. When we played Australia in 2014 it was just spectacular. I mean, the fans are awesome, and I've always wanted to come back with the band. We're very excited about coming, and we've got all the original members, including John Roth. So it's actually going to be better than it would have been before because I don't think John was able to come that time."Another topic we broached was the period in the mid-1990s that saw Winger part ways, largely due to the explosion of grunge, and ask if that movement was as bad for rock music as history has led us to believe."Yeah, it was over like that," Kip sighed. "It was over overnight. When Smells Like Teen Spirit came out MTV dropped all the 80s bands, and MTV was really the big promotion tool. Then you had Beavis and Butthead and all that stuff, which didn't help at all. They were lifting all the grunge bands up and talking trash about all the bands like us, so it was over in a second. It was like, you're playing an arena, and then you're playing a club within a six-month period."In the full interview, Kip discussed Winger's upcoming tour in Japan and Australia with the original line up, emphasizing its significance as a rare opportunity for fans to see the band perform together in their purest form. He highlighted his transition to a classical music career, which adds to the tour's importance, and reflected on the band's legacy and positive experiences from their previous Australian tour in 2014. Kip recounted the band's formation during the peak of rock music in the late 1980s, their rise to fame, and the subsequent decline due to the grunge movement, which led to their disbandment in 1994.He noted his continued musical pursuits through solo projects and the resurgence of interest in Winger's music, keeping the spirit of rock alive. Kip also shared his artistic evolution towards orchestral music, mentioning his classical album and current projects with the Nashville Symphony and more.Australian tour tickets https://www.silverbacktouring.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Maalis 15min

Words by Angela CroudaceAfter decades since their last show in Australia, Brad Roberts of Crash Test Dummies is excited to return. The Canadian band’s first Australian tour, back in the early 90s, was met with poor attendance as they were relatively unknown at the time. “When we played our first tour in Australia, we were promoting our very first record, Ghosts That Haunt Me. We had a hit in Canada, but hardly anyone knew us there,” Brad recalls. However, the situation has drastically changed, and this time, with a larger fan base, the band is eager for a more successful reception.Reflecting on the impact of God Shuffled His Feet, the album that defined the band’s career, Brad shares his pride. “It means a lot to me that God Shuffled His Feet holds such a special place in people's hearts after 30 years,” he says. The album, featuring iconic tracks like Superman's Song, still resonates with fans around the world. The band's success skyrocketed early on, with invitations to perform on Saturday Night Live and The David Letterman Show.Despite the early fame, Brad’s musical journey didn’t begin until after his university years at the University of Winnipeg. “I didn’t spend much time in music until after graduation. Success on the second record was overwhelming,” he admits. The Crash Test Dummies’ rise to fame is a testament to their unique sound and Brad’s distinct low voice, which became an unexpected asset.The reunion of the original line up in 2017 was a poignant moment for Brad and the band, marking a new chapter in their journey. “We decided we wanted to keep going because we had such a good time,” he reflects.As the band gears up for their upcoming tour, Brad’s passion for music remains strong. “I still love touring and playing,” he says. And with the ongoing evolution of music, Brad continues to study classical composition, including the works of Bach, proving that music is a lifelong constant.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Maalis 13min

Interview by Angela CroudaceIn an interview with Simone Simons, lead vocalist of the symphonic metal band Epica, we dive into the band’s upcoming album Aspiral—a powerful reflection of their growth, both musically and personally. Simone describes Aspiral as a fresh start, where the band’s continuous evolution is highlighted through their music and lyrics.The title of the album was inspired by a Stanislaw Szukalski bronze sculpture, a piece of art that left a profound impact on the band after a visit in 2022. Simone explains that the album’s theme of rebirth, renewal, and self-discovery resonates deeply with the band members, as they navigate their individual struggles and experiences. The synergy between art and music is a key theme, with Szukalski’s sculpture influencing not just the visuals but the emotional core of the album.The band embraced a unique writing process through isolated writing camps, allowing them to fully immerse in creating without distractions. Simone shared how the intimacy and collaboration during these camps fostered a stronger bond between the band members, helping them achieve creative heights while crafting songs with emotional depth.Simone also reflected on the emotional power of Epica’s music, recalling poignant fan interBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Maalis 22min

Interview by Kris PetersWithin Destruction, Slovenia’s most awesomely audacious, genre-defying metal pioneers, have officially announced their next chapter with the reveal of their upcoming album Animetal set for release on April 11, 2025, via Sumerian Records.To mark the news, the band has dropped their electrifying new single Cybergirl, accompanied by an official music video that plunges listeners into a dystopian world where the lines of reality are blurred. Packed with relentless riffs, soaring melodies, and their signature, anime-inspired electronic elements, Cybergirl epitomises Within Destruction’s ability to innovate and push boundaries while staying rooted in the chaos of modern metal.In more good news, the Slovenian futurists have also announced their return to Australia on the eve of Animetal. Having truly transcended their deathcore origins, the band’s once relentlessly brutal sound has flourished into a cyberized, anime-inspired, and unpredictable concoction. Fans of sheer guttural force fear not, however - as fellow Europeans Distant will be tagging along to bring their downtempo slams to Australia for the first time ever. With Melbourne’s Gravemind rounding out the bill, this is a psychotic trio of modern metal sure to dazzle and pulverise.HEAVY caught up with Within Destruction's frontman Rok Rupkin recently to discuss the album and tour."If you listen to our other records and then listen to Animetal there is quite a bit of sound difference," he measured when asked to describe the new album musically. "The reason why that is the case is because we have decided to stray our own path to set ourselves away from the industry. Not only through the sound but also visually through art, through music videos and band members as well. So any time someone would listen to our song or see our album, they would immediately say I know this is Within Destruction. We wanted to build our own brand, in a way."In the full interview, Rok talks more about Animetal and what Within Destruction were going for musically, how their sound has changed since their previous release, the anime aspect to the album and how they fit in together, the early days of the band and where they fit in, musical growth and how much Within Destruction have left in them, their upcoming shows in Australia and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Maalis 14min