Fulfilling The Prophecy With CHRIS ADAMS From SMASH INTO PIECES

Interview by Kris PetersDespite their relative youth, New Zealand alternate rock outfit Voodoo Bloo are no amateurs when it comes to music. Don't let their baby faces or innocent looks fool you. When it comes to making the tough decisions that could ultimately make or break your career, these lads will invariably make the right one.Be it youthful exuberance, diligent studying or just plain luck, Voodoo Bloo have always ended up on the right side of the equation since their formation in 2020, constantly releasing new music and content for their growing fan base.After starting out with more than a dash of punk-fueled teenage angst, the former school friends gradually found themselves veering into rock territory, the trappings of youth giving way to a more mature outlook on life that ultimately flowed back into their music.Over two previous albums - Jacobus and The Blessed Ghost - the band has gradually adopted a safer approach to music without shunning their heritage completely.With their recent single Hot Garbage being revealed as the first song of a new album cycle, Voodoo Bloo have tapped back into their punk sensibilities to a degree, with vocalist/guitarist Rory McDonald saying in earlier interviews and press releases that the new EP will definitely be a trip down memory lane in many respects.HEAVY sat down with McDonald to find out more."The reception has been great," he enthused of the new single. "I think one thing that we have gotten pretty often with this single is that it's quite reminiscent of the stuff we were originally doing about four years ago, but it's just a level above what we were doing. From the people I have spoken to they say it shows a bit more maturity in what we're doing, even though I'd like to say the things we're talking about are probably a lot less mature (laughs)."In the full interview, Rory talks more about Hot Garbage and the shift in musical direction, whether the band set out to write a song with old-school leanings or it just happened, producing the track themselves and the pros and cons of keeping it in-house, the release plan for the next two singles and what they will sound like, the EP coming out in June and what it will be called, the musical direction it will take, the decision to revisit the band's old sound, Voodoo Bloo's musical journey over the last four years and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

20 Helmi 202413min

Interview by Kris PetersEnglish punk/folk singer/songwriter Frank Turner is a man at peace with himself and his music.Not that he has had a sudden epiphany that washed over the daily trials and tribulations of everyday life, but more a peace borne out of contentment.Following his first UK#1 album FTHC in 2022, Turner made the bold decision to step away from the major label world of music and the relative safety blanket it provides to embrace the freedom and liberation of working as an independent artist.It was a move that invariably has its pros and cons, but when you are as recognizable musically as Turner is, the advantages of being independent far outweigh the drawbacks.His first album since unbinding himself from the industry is aptly named Undefeated and sees Turner producing his own album for the first time and able to have total creative freedom. The result is an eclectic assortment of styles and genres, all tackled with an unflappable and flexible attitude that only inner happiness can provide.Sonically switching from Black Flag to Counting Crows and from Descendents to The Pogues via Elvis Costello and Billy Bragg, Undefeated is more than a body of music.It is a statement and expression of artistic freedom from an artist who has felt somewhat stiffled by an industry that rewards figures rather than merit.With Undefeated slated for a May 3 release, HEAVY caught up with Turner at the start of his promotional campaign to find out more, starting with if he still gets nervous before each album is released."Yeah, of course," he smiled. "I think there's a funny inbuilt thing in the way that what I do works. I'll spend two years writing, rehearsing, arranging, recording, mixing an album that comes in at 44 minutes and people listen to it in 44 minutes. Sometimes people go 'that's alright', but that's two years of my life (laughs). It's the tenth time around, so I'm used to that on some levels, but yeah, I’m still nervous. I'm also pretty confident about this record. I think it's a banger, shall we say. I feel like on my last album FTHC I kind of got my mojo back a bit and hit my stride again. I feel with this record on the other side of the pandemic and I've got my new drummer in the band, first time recording with him… And it's the first time producing myself. First time on the other side of the universal label world kind of thing. Just the whole thing feels like a bit of a reset and it's nice. I'm excited about it."In the full interview, Frank talks more about Undefeated musically, how he handles the period between finishing an album and having it released, the singles released so far and how they represent the album, how stepping away from major labels helped shape Undefeated, the mixing of styles and how he makes it work, the temptation to rehash a winning album formula with the next release, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Helmi 202413min

Interview by Kris PetersSometimes I feel Japanese bands don't get the recognition they deserve.Sure, you could mount that same argument the world over, but after having toured Japan on close to ten occasions with different bands and seeing around 100 of the country's emerging artists on the same line-ups I feel I am qualified to highlight Japanese music in this instance.Take Boris for example, widely recognised and revered in their home country but relatively unknown here in Australia.The band are considered pioneers of heavy rock in Japan, having recently notched up three decades in the music industry. Their ability to channel 70s proto-metal vibes into a fresh and unique sonic explosion has seen the band attain great heights in Japan but failed to earn them global recognition outside of their core fanbase.Following their 2022 album Heavy Rocks, Boris are finally returning to Australia with first-time visitor Kiyoharu for a run of shows and festivals this March.HEAVY recently spoke with Boris frontman Atsuo Mizuno via a translator to find out more."We're very excited for this tour," he began. "We haven't done a national tour for a while. Last time we came back was only Sydney, Tasmania and Melbourne, so we are looking forward to this tour. Also, very excited to tour with respectful Kiyoharu, the Japanese artist. It is our first time touring together. There should be some songs we will play together on stage as well, so very excited."In the full interview we ask Atsuo to give us a brief history on Boris and what to expect from their live show, what has changed with the band since their last visit, the difference between Japanese and Australian crowds, the latest album Heavy Rocks and how it was received, how much of that album will be in the set list, new material and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

18 Helmi 20246min

Interview by Kris PetersAfter sixteen albums and rising, you would think Bruce Soord from The Pineapple Thief would know pretty well what he is doing with himself and the band musically.Essentially a rock outfit, The Pineapple Thief have released a consistently steady stream of albums, amassing a staunch, loyal and growing fan base with each one.Their place in rock history is assured, but despite having done the hard yards already, Soord refuses to rest on his laurels.As a songwriter he can lay claim to being amongst the best in the business but with the band's recent album It Leads To This, Soord has managed to tap into a delicate nuance of material and compile it in such a way that what would generally be a depressive and seemingly hopeless landscape has been transformed into a bright and optimistic take of life itself.The basic premise for It Leads To This has Soord reflecting on the world and fearing for the life his children will inherit, but at its core is an introspective look at life and each of our roles within it.Soord sat down for a chat with HEAVY to tell us more."It's been good," he enthused at the early reception for the album. "You know what it's like, you can't hide from the reaction these days on social media, so you get to see everything. It's been really positive, thank goodness for that, because the internet and online can be quite brutal sometimes."We ask Soord to dive deeper into the concept of the album."I've always written about things that…," he measured. "…I wake up in the morning and how I feel. You put the news on and look out the window - I live in a small town in the South West of England that has its fair share of problems like drugs and alcohol - so you look out the window, and you see it. You see these lost souls walking around. You read the news, and it's just getting worse and worse then you look at the kids and my kids are a lens to the world. I think, 'oh shit, what's going on?' and then you pick up a guitar and that's the inspiration. But the thing about it is, even though it's all dark thoughts about the future and what the Hell are my kids going to inherit, it's still positive. There's still a positive message. It's not all doom and gloom."In the full interview, Bruce talks more about the idea behind the album, how he puts a positive spin on it, if the personal nature of the subject matter made it a difficult album to write, runs us through each track individually and the message behind it, talks touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

18 Helmi 202412min

Interview by Kris PetersMusic is a dish best served fermented.Too many bands these days - possibly because of the ease of recording in the modern era - throw music around with too much regularity, losing in substance what they gain in output.But it's the smarter bands who sit back and master their craft before releasing music, and even more so when that band is new on the scene and therefore maybe overzealous and in a rush to be heard.Tweed Heads rock machine The Whiskeys formed back in 2019 but spent the next few years refining and finding their sound through countless live shows and hours spent writing. Although having enough material to possibly record and release an EP, The Whiskeys allowed themselves time to connect with their music before announcing it to the world.The result is their debut single Hoedown which is set to premiere via HEAVY on February 23.A rocking and catchy as fuck number, Hoedown is but one of a string of releases planned for 2024, but first HEAVY took time out to get to know this two-piece - NOT a duo - a bit better."Hoedown is a party, brother Krispy!" Josh exclaimed. "It's a party!""It's just us doing our thing," Benny added, "everyone having a good time moshing and dancing. All types of dancing. And getting it all together in one place and forgetting about the world and dramas for a bit. Just ripping into the music and having a bloody good old Hoedown. That's what it's all about."We press as to how much of a good time and how close to the country version of a Hoedown the track gets."Ah… well… there could be some elements in there," Benny laughed. "We've got a bit of a mixture in our music, so there's definitely some foot tapping and leg slapping happening, that's for sure.""It's a modern version of country metal," Josh chimed in. "With a bit of rock, a bit of blues, the whole kit and caboodle."In the full interview, we ask the boys more about Hoedown, why they chose it as their debut single, how it reflects the overall sound of The Whiskeys, future music, why they waited 5 years to release their first piece of music, the difference between a duo and a two-piece band, their blending of sounds and how they make it work, tour plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

18 Helmi 202410min

Interview by Kris PetersMelbourne rock outfit Sordid Ordeal are the epitomical Aussie music act, if there ever was such a thing. Fronted by Laurence Hewson - who some might know by his stage name The Voice Of Flinders - Sordid Ordeal have been through the proverbial ringer and back but survived to tell the tale and then some!Starting out in Melbourne in 2010 and formed by a group of mates freshly dropped out of university, Sordid Ordeal spent the next 8 years of their musical journey as a hard-drinking, hard-partying, and hard-playing punk outfit but for some reason known only to themselves decided to straighten their act out in 2018 and began actually recording music and touring outside of their comfort zone.Following an East Coast tour in 2023, the band members took things a step further, assembling more talented musicians to join the cause and getting down and dirty on their debut album.That sonic effort has manifested itself into part 1 of a two-part album release called When I Left Town, which details the early days of Hewson moving to Melbourne and falling in love with music.It is a quirky and entertaining trip through musical history, highlighting the many adventures undertaken by Hewson and the trials and tribulations of making it in the real world.Unleashed on the world today (February 16), When I Left Town is a stunning debut album from a band who are as eclectic as they are brilliant, with Hewson joining HEAVY to talk through things in greater detail."I can't even begin to tell you how long I have waited for this moment," he enthused. "In the time this band has been together we've had 20 or 30 mates bands all put out multiple records and break up and look back on a successful career in the time we've been working on this. So it's been a long road in, but it is a massive relief to smash this one out of the chamber. Tracks on this were on previous demos and EP's that we have done, but with this I feel we have finally attained the sound that we always wanted to have. This is the line-up I've always dreamed of for this band. I'm actually glad that it took so long because if I'd done this under previous line-ups or previous circumstances it wouldn't have sounded or been the way I wanted it to be. This is it. This is a true representation of what I think this band should have always been."In the full interview, Laurence talks more about the album process and getting it to the release point, the musical side of it and what they were going for, the four singles released and how they represent the whole album, the two-part concept behind the twin releases and why he has done it that way, having a 12 piece choir, brass ensemble and string quartet on the album and how difficult it was to keep a cohesive flow to the music with so much going on, the early days of Sordid Ordeal and how they shaped the bands future, the album launch party and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Helmi 202427min

Interview by Kris PetersMoldovian metal hybrid Infected Rain are currently riding the wave of global acceptance that has been 16 years in the making.Since debuting in 2008, Infected Rain have often been undervalued in an industry that too often rewards mediocrity, finding themselves caught in musical purgatory on many levels simply because they are a band almost impossible to pigeonhole or genre classify.In a world that is becoming increasingly sanitised and regulated, Infected Rain have always dared to be different.To do things their way.With a sonic intensity harnessing genres from progressive rock to electronica to nu-metal to out-and-out aggression, Infected Rain have steadfastly refused to conform but more or less forced the world to take notice with their acclaimed 2022 album Ecdysis. It was an album that broke down barriers for the band, opening them up to a new audience that were pounded into submission.With the recently released successor Time expanding on the creativity and musicianship of its predecessor, Infected Rain are finally earning the respect they so richly deserve, with festival opportunities and high-profile support slots continuing the band's upward trajectory.HEAVY caught up with vocalist Lena Scissorhands to discuss the new album."We have just released our sixth album," she smiled. "After all these years, it is quite a milestone for us. We started in 2008 in a very small country in Eastern Europe."Time was released just last Friday, so we start by asking Lena how the early reception has been."Very good so far," she nodded. "More than we could expect. Great comments, great feedback. People are loving it."We ask her to take us deeper into the musical side of Time."From the musical point of view, I think you want to talk to my musicians more," she handpassed, "because they are more the composers of the instrumental parts. When they are ready, and they have a raw version of a song or a good chunk of an idea of a song, they often send it over so I can start thinking in that direction and see what inspires me and what I could adapt to that melody. To me, it's just when I have the songs my task is to compose melody and upline lyrics I go based on how the instruments make me feel, and that's how I choose what is the direction of the song and what lyrics I'm going to apply. We have something that we introduced for the first time on this album, which is an eight-string guitar. Some of the songs are recorded for eight-string guitar, and we've never had that before. Also, we have a new bass player. Even though she joined the band after the composing stage of the album, she recorded a big part of the songs. We've already been on tour together, and it feels really great."In the full interview, Lena talks more about the songs on Time, the eclectic nature of the music and making it cohesive, her transition from harsh to clean vocals and how much work is put into her vocals, the underlying theme of the album, pressures associated with following the success of Ecdysis, Infected Rain's upcoming tour with Dragonforce and Amaranthe and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 Helmi 202413min

Interview by Kris PetersIn the modern age of music, it is important - almost vital - to maintain a steady output of music and engagement with your fans. People's increasingly shorter attention spans, coupled with the sheer volume of new bands and music being released daily, combine to ensure bands that aren't active, don't survive.Pure and simple.But try telling that to experimental death metal outfit Job For A Cowboy, who have let a staggering ten years elapse between records. The band have taken their time in following up the critically acclaimed 2014 release Sun Eater, preferring to patiently harness their creative impulses and allow them to ferment until the band was happy.The result is Moon Healer, set for release on February 23, an album that maintains the rage and aggression associated with Job For A Cowboy's music, but also expands on their conventional sound. It is an album that has already garnered immense interest and positive reaction from critics who have heard it, and marks but one more step on Job For A Cowboy's path to musical enlightenment.Vocalist Jonny Davy sat down for a chat with HEAVY to tell us more."This band has been around, shockingly - although it doesn't feel like it - for a good 20 years," he began. "After about a ten-year hiatus, we're about to come out with our new album called Moon Healer. I am pumped."We ask what the period is like after finishing an album and having to sit by and wait for it to be unleashed on the public."At this point, it's in the past," he replied. "We've taken a break from it, and in hindsight we're looking back already and seeing what we would have done differently, or talking about what we want to do for the next record. It's been a long, long, arduous process, but we're finally here."We ask Davy about the musical side of Moon Healer and what the band was going for sonically."The band has evolved quite a bit since its origins," he measured. "We kinda started off pretty much as a cookie cutter deathcore band, and then we progressed into more modern death metal and after the release of Genesis we started sprinkling in the genres like technical death metal and now even some progressive elements. I think a lot of people recognise the band is kind of a cauldron of an evolution of sound, and that's our motto right now. We like to challenge, and we're the type of band who don't wanna put out the same record twice."In the full interview, Jonny talks more about Moon Healer, the singles released and how they represent the album, the opening track The Chemical Doorway and its Middle Eastern flavour, the temptation of repeating the formula that made Sun Eater successful, what has changed with Job For A Cowboy since that album, the conceptual elements of Moon Healer, the cover art and how it ties in with the concept, how Job For A Cowboy have changed musically over each album, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 Helmi 202418min