Heavier Territory With LEIGH KAKATY From POP EVIL

Interview by Angela CroudaceSwedish rock collective The Night Flight Orchestra have always fused nostalgia and ambition, but their latest release, Give Us the Moon, dives deeper than ever before—both emotionally and sonically. Frontman Björn Strid opened up about the band’s journey through loss, growth, and creative expansion following the passing of co-founder and guitarist David Andersson.Strid describes the album as “cinematic” and “dreamy,” a result of the emotional weight carried during its creation. “We had to grieve as a band,” he says, reflecting on the impact of losing Andersson. “But we also wanted to find joy again and create something uplifting—something he would be proud of.” The result is a multilayered, genre-fluid soundscape that defies classification, staying true to the band’s commitment to musical freedom and sincerity.Themes of space and existential reflection permeate Give Us the Moon, inspired in part by a letter Andersson left behind, wishing to be remembered as “an astronaut floating in space.” This poetic image gave shape to the album’s narrative arc and title. Despite their retro influences—pulling heavily from late '70s and early '80s AOR and classic rock—Strid emphasises that their music is not just a throwback. “It’s a tradition we want to carry on, but it needs to make sense today.”The band’s recent signing with Napalm Records also marked a turning point, opening up new promotional avenues and international exposure, including a surprise interview with CNN. With their growing global footprint, The Night Flight Orchestra is preparing for a return to Australia—a country that left a profound mark on Strid during their last visit, inspiring the emotionally charged track “Melbourne, May I.”Balancing his heavy metal roots (as the frontman of Soilwork) with the melodic, theatrical nature of TNFO, Strid finds fulfilment in the contrast. “I switch between genres easily,” he says, noting that each project brings out a different side of his artistry.As Give Us the Moon soars, The Night Flight Orchestra continues to celebrate both the cosmic and the deeply personal—honouring a lost friend, embracing new creative horizons, and inviting listeners on an unforgettable voyage through sound and soul.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

20 Touko 23min

Interview by Angela CroudaceFor Burning Witches bassist Jay Grob, the path to heavy metal thunder began with a red guitar—and a little persuasion. “Romana (Burning Witches’ guitarist) gave it to me and said, ‘It fits your hair,’” Jay laughs. “But I thought, every idiot plays guitar! Then she handed me a bass, and I was like—yeah, that’s more me.”Now a cornerstone of the Swiss all-female metal powerhouse, Jay’s bass playing has become a defining force behind their sound. Guided by Romana Kalkuhl and her husband, she’s never stopped learning. “You have to play continuously, even in your free time,” she says. “It never ends.”With their first-ever Australian tour about to ignite, Jay is buzzing with anticipation. “I’m so curious about the fans there,” she says. “Every country’s different. We’ll meet fans at VIP events, and I hope I can explore the food and culture too—maybe see a kangaroo!”Despite their fierce stage presence, the band’s bond is grounded in friendship. “Off stage, we’re like family,” Jay shares. “We BBQ in Switzerland, go shopping together on tour days off—it’s real.”When it comes to songwriting, Jay jumps in after the drums are locked in. “Romana and Lala (drummer) get the riffs down first. Then vocals. Then I come in with the bass.”Live, it’s the fans that fuel her fire. “Whether it’s Wacken or a tiny club, when fans sing every lyric, that’s the most beautiful thing.” But the real challenge? “Finding a washing machine on tour,” she jokes.As Burning Witches’ fan base grows globally, Jay stays grounded. “We’re just five crazy chicks spreading our love for metal. I hope Aussie fans feel the magic when they see us live. Real heavy metal. Real energy.”Australia, get ready—Burning Witches are about to set the stage ablaze.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Touko 12min

Interview by Angela CraudaceSleep Theory is shaking up the rock world with a bold blend of anthemic choruses, polished production, and emotionally charged lyrics. Lead singer Cullen Moore opened up about the band’s journey, their creative vision, and how they’re building a powerful connection with fans both on and off-stage.From the start, Sleep Theory has stood out by combining elements of rock, pop, and metal in a way that resonates with a wide audience. The band’s breakout single Another Way catapulted them into the spotlight, and they haven’t looked back since. With millions of streams and a dedicated fan base growing by the day, their rise has been nothing short of meteoric.Moore emphasises authenticity and emotion in their songwriting. “Everything we write comes from a real place,” he says. “We want people to hear our songs and feel understood.” This genuine connection is reflected in the energy of their live shows, where fans sing every word back to them with raw emotion.Looking ahead, Sleep Theory is focused on pushing boundaries with upcoming releases. “We’re experimenting more,” Moore reveals. “We’re not afraid to step outside the box.” Yes, we also probed Cullen on the chances of an Australian tour; we can proudly announce that an Aussie tour is being discussed!With undeniable talent, fearless creativity, and a message that resonates, Sleep Theory is fast becoming a defining voice in the next era of rock.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Touko 19min

Interview by Angela CroudaceNick Thomas, frontman of The Spill Canvas, is bringing something special to Australian fans this year — a long-awaited celebration of their beloved 2005 album One Fell Swoop. Speaking ahead of their debut tour Down Under, Thomas shared his excitement and gratitude for being able to continue making music nearly two decades on.“To get to do this for even a year, let alone over 20, is a marvel in and of itself,” he said. “We’ve never been to Australia, so to come over now and play this album in full feels really special.”The tour, a co-headlining run with fellow emo pioneers The Juliana Theory, marks a major milestone for both bands. Thomas credits Emotion Is Dead as a formative influence in his own musical journey, and says he’s thrilled to share the stage with artists he once idolised. “I grew up listening to them — now we’re friends. It’s wild.”The Spill Canvas will perform One Fell Swoop front to back, staying true to its original sequencing. “We spent a lot of time curating the track list as a journey,” Thomas explained. “It just feels right to honour it that way.” After the final track, Self-Conclusion, Thomas plans to segue into a few more fan favourites to round out the night.Despite never visiting Australia before, Thomas is embracing the adventure with enthusiasm. “I’d love to see the Opera House, meet people, maybe spot a kangaroo. I’m also — embarrassingly — a big fan of Below Deck Down Under. Captain Jason is my hero!”Reflecting on the recording of One Fell Swoop, Thomas recalled humble beginnings at Black Lodge Studios in Kansas with producer Ed Rose. “It was our first real studio experience. I remember Ryan Pope from The Get Up Kids giving me a shoulder rub while I was recording guitar. I tried to play it cool, but I was freaking out.”Over the years, The Spill Canvas has toured with major acts like the Goo Goo Dolls and OneRepublic. Thomas fondly recalled an evening where Ryan Tedder listened to his demos and gave thoughtful feedback. “Moments like that are unforgettable. It’s what makes this lifestyle feel like a shared journey.”After all these years, Thomas remains a passionate music fan, recently inspired by artists like Medium Build and Bilmuri (not the actor). “Always be a fan,” he said. “That’s what keeps it exciting.”Check out the full interview for more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Touko 22min

Interview by Kris PetersNothing More are a band on the rise. And rapidly.Since the release of their seventh studio album, Carnal, last year, Nothing More have become the darlings of the hard rock scene, with three songs from that album already taking out top position on Rock Radio. And what does a band worth their promotional dollar do when they strike gold on a release? Yep, you guessed it, re-release the album as a deluxe special and draw in a whole new bunch of fans while placating existing lovers of their music.While more often than not such a move reeks of cashing on for the sake of it, with Carnal Deluxe, Nothing More have expanded on the quality provided the first time around, plus added a new song to keep diehard fans happy.HEAVY spent some time with frontman Jonny Hawkins earlier this week to go over Carnal Deluxe and why it is superior to the original version. We start by asking if Carnal was received as well as the band hoped."We knew this was going to be a strong album," he affirmed. "We felt a lot of confidence in our bones about this one. It just had good songs, and when we put it out, it performed as good as we had hoped, if not better. We have three number ones in a row, and now we have the song Freefall that will be climbing the charts, and we're - knock on wood - but we're hoping for a fourth number one."We ask if the anticipation and excitement levels are the same for a Deluxe release as opposed to the initial album."I'd say typically not," he smiled honestly. "Deluxes are fun little ways to kind of boost the album and push it back up to the top of people's streaming platforms. But that's the main goal, I think, is just reminding people and getting them to stream it again. I mean, for us, we did have a feature on a song called Freefall with Chris Daughtry. So that was kind of cool, because we hadn't released that version of the song yet.And then we had some cool remixes and stuff that were like good workout tracks or things to drive fast to that we didn't have on it before."In the full interview, Jonny spoke more about Carnal Deluxe and the value of being able to release upgraded versions of an album. We ran through each of the five bonus tracks individually, and Johnny told us more about each song and the new versions available. We spoke about K9s For Warriors and the organisations success in dealing with mental health and why Nothing More chose to help them, working with David Draimen from Disturbed, the band's pleasure at having Chris Daughtry on one song, the new song We're All Gonna Die and how it came to be on the album, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Touko 14min

Interview by Kris PetersQueensland punk upstarts Fake News are having a stellar 2025. Starting the year with a national opening slot for Pennywise and Millencolin, the lovable punksters have just released their new album Dead Set, abody of work which sees Fake News showcase a different, yet still familiar, side to their musical psyche.The band are ready to take the next step forward with Dead Set. Whilst staying true to their 90s Skate punk sound, Fake News have evolved and raised the bar on the album. Boasting a high-energy and action packed live show, the release of Dead Set is a staunch reminder that Fake News are here to stay and create a legacy that stretches beyond their own backyard.HEAVY sat down earlier today for a chat with guitarist Darren Crowe to find out more, starting by asking how the early reception to the album has been."It's been good," he smiled. "It's moving at a steady pace in the streamage. It seems to be doing all the right things and moving in the right direction. There are a few different songs in there, which might have lost a few listeners, but there's a few different songs in there that might have gained a few listeners as well. We've stayed true to who we are, and we've evolved, and we feel like we've got a very now sound with what we've done on this album. A lot of these songs were written seven years ago when the band started, and we just knew that we wanted to get them right. We didn't have the right people for the job so we kind of went back and redid them, and there are riffs there I've had lying around for like 15 plus years, so it's nice to finally get them released. People don't understand how much work goes into a riff in a song sometimes. When you hear it on release day, itwas probably recorded two or three years prior, and then by the time it comes out and stuff… there's just a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. But it's nice to have it out."In the full interview, Darren discussed Fake News' evolution and the challenges faced during production, emphasizing the importance of their punk roots while incorporating new elements. He highlighted the album's diverse tracks and encouraged fans to engage deeply with the music. We also discussed the unique approach to covering songs, noting the significance of drums in creating a fresh sound. We spoke about Fake News signing with Thousand Island Records, enabling international distribution and vinyl production. Darren expressed excitement for their upcoming launch show at Sol Bar and mentioned plans for more, as yet unannounced, touring this year plus more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

13 Touko 19min

Interview by Kris PetersThe Dead Daisies have always had an underlying stream of blues coursing through their music. It is an age-old style of music that has influenced pretty much every conceivable genre over the years, although rock music has benefited the most.With vocalist John Corabi coming back on deck for last year's album Light 'em Up, The Dead Daisies embraced their blues side even more, culminating in late night jam sessions while recording that album at the legendary FAME studios progressing into recording sessions which led to their new album Nothin' But Trouble, which is due out on May 30.The album pays homage to the work of blues legends such as BB King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Howlin Wolf, with The Dead Daisies reworking their classic songs and sprinkling enough of their own DNA through the tracks to make them their own. It is an outstanding body of work from a band with an impressively high back catalogue, and showcases some of the influences that have seen the members hone their craft.HEAVY caught up with Corabi to find out more."You know what I'm excited about so far is that the first two songs that we released have been getting great feedback from everybody," he began. "And as I was saying earlier, this was it was what we call a happy accident. This whole thing came about in such a weird, random way. We went to this legendary studio in America called Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, and it was kind of a bucket list thing for all of us, including Marti Frederiksen (producer).So we went down there with the thought in mind that we would just maybe write and maybe do a little bit of recording down in this legendary studio. It's a legendary place, but also it's a functioning studio, and they do museum tours through this place and each night around dinner time, they bring in 20, 30 people.So we'd take a break. And then we kind of sat and thought about it. We're like, well, okay, the tour was over. We were done eating, and we'd crack open either a bottle of whiskey or some wine. And we thought we could go back to the hotel and sit and watch TV all night, or, we're here, let's just jam. Let's see. Let's just have some fun. So we kind of started jamming some blues that everybody was familiar with, obviously, like Crossroads, Going Down, and Born Under a Bad Sign. And then it was weird, we just kind of sat, and Marti kept the session rolling. We listened and thought, okay, this is really cool. This is really cool, so what we did is during the day we worked on what became the Light 'em Up record, and we just continued working at night and putting together 10 of our favourite blues songs and so far man, everybody's been raving about it."In the full interview, John spoke more about the band's intention to honour their musical roots through a collection of blues tracks. He explained the challenges of reinterpreting classic songs, emphasizing the need to make them their own while maintaining their integrity, using When the Levee Breaks as a reference for transformation. He shared insights on the evolution of specific tracks, such as Terror Plane Blues into Take My Soul, and acknowledged the blues' influence across various genres.We talked about the process behind reworking other people's music, which songs were the easiest to do and which ones more difficult and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

13 Touko 20min

It was the turn of the century, and everything was meant to be crumbling.The Y2K bug had been and gone, but people were still unsure of their future - or the future of the planet for that matter - but amid all the gloom and chaos emerged a beacon of light, headed by a brother/sister combination, both still in their teens.That band was called Killing Heidi and the release that changed it all, coming out in 2000, was Reflector.Propelled by hit singles Weir, Mascara and Superman/Supergirl, Killing Heidi, and particular teenage frontwoman Ella Hooper, became the voice for disenfranchised youth everywhere. Their songs, filled with hope and belonging, gave people a view to a brighter future, which, coupled with the rags-to-riches story that accompanied the Hooper siblings, resonated with a much wider audience than the band's teenage demographic would suggest.The band would go on to release another two albums over the next 25 years, plus took a ten-year break, but will forever be known and loved for that debut album.Now, a quarter of a century on, Killing Heidi are celebrating Reflector by re-releasing the album as well as heading out on tour to take their music to the nation.Jesse and Ella both joined HEAVY to discuss 25 years of Killing Heidi."We're pretty stoked," Jesse enthused. "We're getting the band back together for the 25-year anniversary of our debut album Reflector, and doesn't that make you feel young and old (laughs). We tend to mainly do festivals with Killing Heidi over the last eight years, so we're stepping back into our own headline shows, which is really exciting for us. We're going to play Reflector in full - which we've never done before - and it's gonna be a party.""This is a big deal for us," Ella added. "We're putting on our big girl pants and doing our own headline tour with some amazing support acts as well."In the full interview, Jesse and Ella discussed the tour in greater detail, reflected on their debut album and the success it brought them, ask what the album actually means to them, their thought process going into the album and their initial hopes, which of the songs are most personal to them, their youth at the time Reflector came out and if the success of the album forced them to grow up quickly, how those songs helped shape the people they are today, playing the album in full and how difficult it was to learn all of the songs and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Touko 16min