Challenging The Gods With RYAN KIRBY From FIT FOR A KING

Interview by Kris PetersThe seventh studio album for Night Flight Orchestra was always going to be difficult given the passing of original member David Andersson between releases.Music is an emotional form of expression naturally, but when having to negotiate loss and sorrow, any new music could quite easily be skewered too far in that direction and become almost self-indulgent.Not that that is a bad thing, but talking with frontman Bjorn Strid you get the feeling that he and the rest of NFO wanted to pay honour and respect to David's legacy and music by capturing themselves at optimal strength and unity on both a sonic and personal plane.The resulting body of work, Give Us The Moon - which is released on Friday, January 31 - takes the listener on an exciting sonic journey, balancing between uplifting escapism and captivating stories inspired by real life events. The album's themes span the likes of heroines and temptresses to liberation and romantic nostalgia, set to backdrops of abandoned cities and cosmic tides.The album is free from the limitations of one genre or style, although many of the soundscapes of the album draw inspiration from the 80s, making the album a varied, exciting adventure. Give Us The Moon is produced by THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA and Sebastian Forslund, who also mixed the album, and is mastered by Plec Johansson at award-winning The Panic Room Studios. To celebrate the release of the new full-length, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA will embark on a full European tour in late January, 2025. Boarding is completed - fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the flight!HEAVY sat down recently with Strid to discuss the new album and delve into its cinematic nature."It's a real special album," he began. "It's the first one without David Andersson, who sadly passed away two years ago, and it's been a special journey putting this album together. We wanted to create something really uplifting and empowering, and make it even more cinematic and dreamy than before. But the general guiding star was to make something really positive… but still multi-layered. What we have here is an explosion of emotions running through the album. It's very diverse, but it all sits together in the end. You just need to listen to the album to really get into it and get what we're saying. It's gonna be a beautiful ride."In the full interview we ask Bjorn if he still gets the same rush as an album release approaches or if that fades over time, he explains the terms cinematic and soundscape and how they relate to NFO's music, the musical direction of the album, bettering yourself musically, the early days of Night Flight Orchestra and where they fit in, the musical expansion of the band over each album, upcoming shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 Tammi 14min

Interview by Angela CroudaceIn our interview with Jake Taylor, the powerhouse vocalist of Australian metal band In Hearts Wake, we dug into the band’s latest album Incarnation, their connection to tarot, and the unique creative journey behind their latest work.The concept for Incarnation is deeply rooted in the band’s early fascination with tarot, something that’s been in Taylor’s life since childhood. “My mum was a tarot reader, so I grew up around people coming to her for readings,” Jake shared, “On this album, every song aligns with a major arcana card, but we’ve flipped them upside down,” he explained. This inversion of meanings reflects the darker, shadowy themes explored on the record. Incarnation delves deep into the underworld, musically and spiritually, creating a sonic experience that’s intense, raw, and unrelenting.Jake also revealed that tarot is more than just a lyrical motif for the band—it’s a tool for personal reflection. “We’ve turned to tarot during pivotal moments, like when we were figuring out the exit of a band member, just to see if things were aligned,” he said. This insight goes beyond mere fortune-telling, instead helping the band navigate life’s challenging decisions.Aside from the mystical, Jake also spoke about the band’s growth and experiences. Touring internationally, including a huge milestone tour with Slipknot and Lamb of God, has cemented In Hearts Wake’s reputation as a force in the heavy music scene.In 2025, In Hearts Wake will bring their dark, powerful sound to Australia’s Knotfest for the first time. The band is eager to take their place alongside metal heavyweights like Slipknot and Polaris. “It’s a nice recognition,”Jake reflected, “Australia gets it—it gets the heavy music, the humour, and the wild places. We can’t wait to share that connection on home soil.” It promises to be an unmissable moment for fans.When it comes to advice for aspiring Aussie musicians, Jake stressed the importance of staying grounded. “It’s got to be about the music and the people first,” he advised. “Don’t chase the numbers game. Find the roots that keep you connected to what you love.”With Incarnation now out, In Hearts Wake continues to push boundaries, blending their passion for music with a spiritual depth that’s unique in the metal world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 Tammi 18min

Interview by Kris PetersFor those uninitiated, Yacht Rock encapsulates the revival of Soft Rock Hits from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, which has become a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring fans to dress the part and sing along. Yächtley Crëw are not just the ultimate entertainers, but also incredible musicians. The full 7-piece band recreate those smooth 70’s and 80’s sounds to perfection, including the sax solos of course!And now, for the first time ever, Yachtley Crew is setting sail for Australia for a run of shows this May.The nautical-suited and captain’s-hat-clad nautical musicians are proudly flying the flag of Yacht Rock for each and every generation that loves good fun, good times and a good sing-along. With scintillating renditions of songs from Toto, ELO, Steely Dan, Hall & Oats and plenty more, Yachtley Crew are a fun-filled musical extravaganza that combines all of your loves in life on one deck.HEAVY caught up with Philly Ocean to learn how to swim…"We couldn't be more happy," he enthused when asked how he is feeling about finally getting the chance to cross the ocean. "We started back in 2017, and we've been doing this for eight years. We never imagined that something that we did just because we thought it would be fun would now be going international. We started off playing small bars in Southern California and realized pretty on that people love Yacht Rock. By the way, for those of you who have maybe never heard the term, Yacht rock is made up of all your favourite soft rock hits from the late 70s and early 80s. Artists like Kenny Loggins, Little River Band, Christopher Cross, those kinds of sounds make up what we play in our show, and it's the best music. It's so much fun, and it's super nostalgic."In the full interview, Philly talks more about the genesis of Yacht Rock, the balance between enjoying the performance and recreating music that is held in the hearts of many who hear it, their first trip Down Under, what they are expecting, what we can expect from Yachtley Crew, the possibility of adding soft metal tracks to their repertoire and more.Tickets: https://totaltouring.com.au/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 Tammi 11min

Interview by Kris PetersHouse of Protection, the new venture from Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta, serves as a sanctuary for those who surrender to impulse. Abandoning any regard for tradition and form, they followed a feeling and unearthed a sound that sees them push their limits further than ever before. Bridging the not so disparate worlds of hardcore, electronica, and punk, the two forged a space for boundless creativity and a community fuelled by chaos.The band is a project created by formerly two-thirds of Fever 333 (Stephen & Aric), they're signed to Red Bull Records and backed & produced by legendary producer and ex-Bring Me The Horizon keyboardist Jordan Fish AND are featured on Architects upcoming album. House Of Protection are in Australia for the first time, supporting Bad Omens with Poppy across the nation, and HEAVY caught up with Stephen & Aric not long before their recent show at Brisbane's Riverstage."It's been awesome so far," Aric began. "Honestly, we didn't really know what to expect, especially walking up because Bad Omens audience looks very much like a Bad Omens audience (laughs). They are there for that band, but they have been really receptive. It's cool to be on such an eclectic tour because it doesn't feel competitive. It just feels like everybody's expressing themselves honestly, and that's always a cool situation to walk in to."In the full interview, we spoke about the tour and how it is going, the band's formation from the ashes of Fever 333, their musical direction, getting the mix of styles right in the creative process, their recent EP track by track, plans to come back to Australia and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Tammi 11min

Interview by Kris PetersWhile it came as no surprise when Void of Vision announced their swansong with the What I'll Leave Behind Australian Tour 2025, the impending sense of loss was still evident.Due to frontman Jack Bergin's recent health problems no-one could argue with the band's decision to call it a day, but the band's legacy and indelible mark on the global music scene will have to serve as a reminder for future generations.Not content to merely throw a farewell party, Void Of Vision have invited some international guests to the party as well, with Japan's Knosis, and Gideon plus Unity TX joining the tour from the United States Of America. HEAVY sat down with Shaolin G from Unity TX to get to know the band a little better."That's what it was at the beginning," he recalled of the genesis of Unity TX. "It was just nothing but fun. We played our first show and it was hype. Of course, it was kind of a treacherous sound because we were all hyped to do it but some of us were, like, I forgot the part (laughs). It was chaotic but if you ever see our first set on YouTube - which, honestly, if you hear this and you look it up, don't say anything to me about it (laughs). It's insane. It's the most unhinged shit. If that doesn't tell you what Unity is from the beginning, I don't know what to tell you. That set… I look back on it, and sometimes I go ugghh, I can't believe I did that (laughs). It's the energy. It's always been that. It's just about the raw energy of everything."In the full interview, Shaolin G talks more about the formation and early days of the band, coming to Australia for the first time as part of this tour, their relationship with Void Of Vision, what he is expecting from Australia, what we should expect from Unity TX and much more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Tammi 14min

Interview by Kris PetersWhen CKY pulled out of the Australian leg of their Australian tour with Alien Ant Farm towards the end of last year the collective sighs from around the country could be heard far and wide, but when Drowning Pool were named as their replacements those sighs turned into boisterous cheers, especially when coupled with the recent news that Ryan McCombs had rejoined the band.Their fresh single Revolution emphatically proved this was more than a nostalgic reunion run of shows, with McCombs - in fact the whole band - sounding as ferocious and uncompromising as ever.For some the wait would seem like forever, and for those forever has finally come with Drowning Pool set to join Alien Ant Farm and Frankenbok for a series of co-headline shows kicking off in Brisbane on February 7.HEAVY spent some time with McCombs not long before he flew out to join the rest of the band. One of the questions we asked related to the fact lots of people will be coming out to see the show because of one song - Bodies - but Drowning Pool are far from a one trick pony."The song Revolution came out recently, (and) you've also got Step Up from the Jason Jones era…" he measured. "The cool thing about this band is it's very easy to separate the band into four different eras. You can easily do that with Dave Williams, Jason Jones, myself and Jason Morano, it's very easy to separate that. You'll see… live-wise you'll see every flavor of the band through those years because I think it's very important to always keep in mind as a member of Drowning Pool that not only are we blessed and lucky that people have kept us around this long, but you have to have the realization and the reality of the fact that some people out there… some people are old school, man. They were into the band from dave Williams on. Some people maybe they didn't get introduced to Drowning Pool until Desentsitized and Step Up and Hate, maybe some of those songs were their favourite tracks. Maybe my era with Feel Like I do or Enemy or one of those songs, maybe that's their era. Or maybe some of the stuff with Jason Marano like Finger & A Fist, or Redlight, maybe that's their flavor. So as a member of the band you've gotta keep in mind that there's people out there in the crowd who may be a fan of any one of those eras that may be their favourite so you wanna incorporate pieces and parts of all those times into the live show so everybody walks away and they heard a track from their album. It's not only awesome to be kept around this long, but it's awesome to have a discography like Drowning Pool has that you're able to pull from such a vast variety of music to make a killer set. Or what you hope is a killer set (laughs)."In the full interview, Ryan shared what we can expect from Drowning Pool's shows, their relationship with Alien Ant Farm, rejoining the band and how it came about, his first show back and how it felt, new single Revolution, future new music and what to expect and more.ALIEN ANT FARM and DROWNING POOL February 2025 Australian Tour Dates:Friday, February 7 - BRISBANE, Princess TheatreSaturday, February 8 - SYDNEY, Metro TheatreSunday, February 9 - MELBOURNE, Northcote TheatreTuesday, February 11 - ADELAIDE, Lion Arts FactoryWednesday, February 12 - PERTH, Magnet HouseTix: www.thephoenix.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Tammi 14min

Interview by Angela CroudaceAfter nearly three decades, Sharon den Adel, lead vocalist of Within Temptation, is finally bringing the band to Australia for the first time! During an interview with HEAVY, Sharon shared her excitement for performing at Knotfest and reflected on the band’s long-awaited journey to the land down under.When asked about the band's lengthy absence from Australia, Sharon admitted, “There’s no real good excuse except that it was difficult to fit in and to find the right promoter to bring us over… but after 30 years, we’re finally coming!” She also discussed the challenges of long flights, especially with the notorious 24-hour trip to Australia, stating,"I’m going to try, it’s going to be a new experiment.”Sharon is looking forward to more than just playing at Knotfest, where she’ll share the stage with legendary bands. “It’s like a candy store,” she says, eager to explore the festival lineup.A notable part of Within Temptation’s music is their bold political commentary. Sharon explained that the band felt compelled to address global issues like the war in Ukraine and the plight of women in Iran. “We have a platform, and we stand for certain values… It’s important to talk about these things,” she says, emphasising that as artists, it's their responsibility to use their voice for change.Sharon also opened up about the challenges of being a female frontwoman in a male-dominated genre. She shared that despite facing some initial resistance from certain fans, she’s always felt at home in the metal scene. "I've always felt very at home in the metal (scene)… I was never separated because I was a woman," Sharon revealed. She also reflected on the broader impact her presence—and that of other women—has had on the genre, saying, "The more there is of us, the more diversity, and it makes the scene more interesting." Sharon’s perspective highlights how women in metal have paved the way for future generations, encouraging young female musicians to carve out their own space in the industry.With their long-awaited Australian side shows scheduled in Brisbane and Melbourne, fans can expect to hear not just their iconic symphonic metal, but a band that's unafraid to speak out on the world’s pressing issues.Catch Within Temptation at Knotfest and Monday 3 March - Princess Theatre, Brisbane, Thursday 6 March - Max Watts, Melbourne.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Tammi 17min

Interview by Kris PetersAmerican Pie Emo Night is coming to Australia, celebrating 25 years of the infamous movie American Pie featuring Thomas Nicholas Band. Frontman, Thomas Ian Nicholas is best known as Kevin Myers from the films.Thomas began his acting career on Who's the Boss? playing a young Tony Danza. At age 12, Nicholas embarked on a series of feature films that would shape his young adult career, including Rookie of the Year, A Kid in King Arthur's Court. By 18 he had recurring roles on hit TV shows like Party of Five and the role of Kevin Myers in the extremely successful American Pie franchise.Over the last 15 years his band has played over 1000 concerts in 12 countries and released a half dozen studio albums. Thomas' fourth release, a self-titled EP, first single My Generation was included on the American Reunion soundtrack album. The song has received global radio play and is close to 1 million streams on Spotify.Most recently, their seventh studio album We’re Gonna Be Okay was released by SBÄM Records and Double Helix Records on May 17, 2024 produced by Taylor Carroll (LIT) and includes features from Bowling For Soup, Less than Jake, The Early November and Ayron Jones.In 2015, Thomas co-write and performed the song All the Way which was included on Blue Traveler's album, Blow Up the Moon and in 2022 Thomas released 1999, a parody to Bowling for Soup's 1985.Now, for the first time ever, Thomas is headed to Australia to celebrate life, love, music and 25 years of American Pie. HEAVY had a great chat with the great man earlier this week."Man, it's really a highlight moment for me that has opened up so many doors," he smiled when asked what American Pie means to him 25 years on. "Here I am 25 years later and the success of this billion dollar franchise is giving me the opportunity to come and tour Australia. The doors that it opens for me just continue to happen, and I'm so thankful."We ask him what his first impressions were when asked to be in a movie that involved the now infamous pie scene."My initial reaction was actually way worse than you could think," he teased. "The first scene in the movie was Kevin and Vicky, not Jim and his sock puppet (laughs). It was Vicky instructing Kevin on which way to use his fingers… we'll let you put the rest of the scene together in your own mind - so I threw the script in the trash and called my agent and said 'why are you sending me porn?"In the full interview, Thomas relives other moments from the American Pie franchise, discusses his relationship with Ned Kelly, talks about his band - the Thomas Nicholas Band, what to expect from them live, working with Bowling For Soup and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

27 Tammi 19min