Painting A Musical Portrait With CHRIS THEMELCO From ORPHEUS OMEGA

Interview by Kris PetersFor years people thought the most formidable things to come out of Scotland were William Wallace and the Loch Ness Monster, but James McBain and his project Hellripper are quickly changing that perception.Essentially a one man battering ram, Hellripper started the descent into darkness with 2017s Coagulating Darkness before solidifying their intentions with The Affair Of The Poisons in 2020.By bringing to life an electrifying brand of blackened thrash metal laced with scintillating solos and themes normally considered taboo, McBain has crafted a sound uniquely his own which is at times mesmerizing, others terrifying but always fast, frenetic and brutal.With Hellripper's third album Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags ready to be unleashed on February 17, McBain set aside some time to sit down with HEAVY to talk about creating the perfect sonic landscape. One of the topics we discussed was the lyrical inspiration for the album which was measured from the landscapes and legends of the Scottish Highlands."I moved to the Highlands about four years ago," he began, "near the end of the writing process for the last album. And I'm not usually inspired or influenced by my environment, but being in the Highlands and surrounded by these landscapes it was hard not to be inspired. It made me wanna look into some Scottish folklore and some Scottish history and stuff, kind of the darker side. I didn't want... I wasn't looking to speak about William Wallace and that kind of stuff. I wanted it to be stuff that would suit Hellripper's aesthetic, like the Devil in Scotland and Sea Serpents and all this evil stuff. I thought originally I would get one or two songs out of it for the new album, but after reading more into the Scottish folklore I realised there was so much to write about and eventually thought let's make the whole album centred around the theme of Scotland. I've never done an album with a theme or concept before and I thought this would be interesting. It's also something a bit different to what the usual black speed, black thrash lyrical themes are. I knew a bit about these folklores beforehand, most of the stuff I'd heard of but didn't know the details. So looking into that you've got stuff like The Nuckelavee which is a giant, grotesque, skinless horse-like demon that has the torso of a rider attached to its back and it's got poisonous breath that can wilt crops and cause plagues. So it's perfect for the Hellripper aesthetic."In the full interview, James discusses Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags in greater detail, the personal nature of the album, creating such a broad sound as a solo project, more of the inspiration for the music, recording and mixing your own music, future shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 Feb 202327min

Interview by Erin EddyNewcastle hardcore kings Honest Crooks have just dropped a metric ton of ‘heavy AF’ (which is surely a legitimate unit of measurement by now, right?) with their latest album The Sounds Of Hell.HEAVY sat down to speak with vocalist, Brodie, about the release and the tour the band is about to embark on.Brodie explained the relief in finally being able to release this record, since there were quite a few snags along the way, and he felt like the process had been very drawn out.“With this record, everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong,” Brodie explains, “so I’m just speaking for myself, but I just want to get it out. I’m almost sitting here going like, ‘what the fuck else is going to happen?’”At the time of recording, The Sounds Of Hell was on the cusp of release. It is now available and so here's hoping Brodie is breathing a nice big sigh of relief that the album that Honest Crooks sat on for almost three years has now made its way out into the world.You can catch Honest Crooks touring around the country on the following dates:February 16 – Vinnie’s Dive Bar, Gold CoastFebruary 17 – The Tomcat, BrisbaneFebruary 18 – Newcastle Hotel, NewcastleFebruary 19 – Factory Floor, SydneyFebruary 20 – The Basement, CanberraFebruary 24 – The Worker’s Club, MelbourneFebruary 25 – Crown & Anchor, AdelaideCheck out our interview for a deeper dive into what Brodie had to say about The Sounds Of Hell, switching from guitarist to vocalist, taking responsibility for Japan’s Kruelty on their first ever visit to Australia, plus more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 Feb 202317min

Interview by Kris PetersThey say music is in the blood, a point which has been proven time and time over the years and through the annuls of music history.But despite the long history - which includes famous musical relatives Tim and Jeff Buckley, John and Jason Bonham, Max and Jay Weinberg - seldom, if ever, has musical heritage been passed from father to son in quite the same fashion as Australian musicians Adrian and Steven Campell.Adrian fronted Aussie rock outfit Avalanche in the 1970s, a band who are well known for one of their hit tracks Sweet Baby Brown Eyes. Now, over four decades later, Adrian's son Steven has released a cover of his fathers song in his new rock outfit called... Avalanche.Sound confusing? Well it is until you hear the whole story which is one of the topics Steven (lead vocals, bass) and his partner Veronica (lead guitar) spoke about when they sat down for a chat with HEAVY earlier this week."It's a cover of a song my father actually wrote back in the 70s for a band of the same name," Steven smiled. "It's a bit of an amped up version of it, it's not a complete straight cover. So we do add a bit more of a rock heavy vibe to it, but it is relatively the same. It's an old school rock vibe - almost 12 bar blues but not quite - but we amped that up a little bit even more. So the verses, the choruses, there's more amped up and elongated sections, but it's just a classic, fun rock and roll song. Something you would have definitely heard in the pubs in that 70's circuit. It's a great callback for someone that taught me how to sing and really pushed my interest in music."In the full interview, Steven and Veronica talk more about Sweet Baby Brown Eyes, taking Steven's fathers old band name, fusing old style rock sensibilities with modern rock, how this song is the band's most ambitious yet, forming during the COVID period and how they got the band off the ground, their upcoming run of shows, the special treat they have in store for fans at the Sydney and Melbourne shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Feb 202315min

Interview by Kris PetersAustralian rock outfit Kingswood are set for a massive 2023.Not only are the band releasing their latest album Home on February 24, they are also embarking on a tour around the country which will see the boys perform over 100 shows and take them from the outback to the ocean in a mission that will take up more than half of the year.After making a name for themselves based on pure rock sensibilities, Kingswood have allowed themselves to further explore the complexities of this genre on Home, introducing more acoustic guitar to complement additional vocal harmonies.The result is nothing short of mesmerizing, with Kingswood displaying an alterior side to their musical personalities without straying too far from the sound that has made them a household name in their home country.The tour is understandably the band's biggest, most ambitious run of shows yet, and will see Kingswood drive practically the whole way in a custom built touring bus built, as one would expect, by the band to suit individual touring needs.Guitarist Alexander Laska sat down for a chat with HEAVY earlier this week, nestled comfortably in the second lounge section of what will be the band's home for more than six months."I cannot be more excited, to be honest," Laska beamed when asked about the upcoming album. "It's an album that's been in the works for the last three years - we've actually got a bunch of albums ready to go. We were very diligent in the COVID situation. All of this was done at the base of Mount Tamborine and we finished a little bit off in Nashville this last year when we were there for AmericanaFest. It's a big rock and roll album, it's an alt-country album, it's got lots of guitars. Everyone says that we've gone country, but we played Tamworth and everyone was like what's this rock and roll band doing here (laughs). We sort of stride the line between the two, but I would say it's a pretty guitar heavy album, to be honest. Put it this way, there's the most guitar solos we've ever had on this album and a lot of them are harmonised guitar solos, so what does that tell ya?"To date Kingswood have released the single Burning Holes, with Laska shaking his head when asked if that song is a good sonic representation of what to expect from Home."Definitely not," he smiled. "Not at all. Burning Holes is probably the most tender moment and we released it because it was the oldest written and we wanted to come out... we like pulling left field moves, so in a cruel twist of fate we decided to release our acoustic ballad as our first single and then drop a rock and roll album in the follow up. Just to fuck with people, because we're sadistic or something. I don't know what's wrong with us (laughs). It's also a really good song, and we believed in the song so we thought why not."In the full interview Alexander talks more about the song selection on Home, opening the album with an acoustic feel and why, having the album mixed in Nashville, the new musical journey of the band as outlined in the press release, their recent tour of Europe and the U.S.A, the upcoming Home Towns Tour and how they plan to survive, what to expect from the shows, slumming it in the tour bus and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Feb 202315min

Interview by Kris PetersAussie rockers Sisters Doll have done more in their short music career than most bands do in a lifetime.Since forming in 2010 the three brothers have been on Australia's Got Talent, judged All Together Now, played on seperate occassions with KISS legends Bruce Kulick and Peter Criss, performed on last years KISS Kruise, toured overseas on multiple occassions, played the Whisky A Go Go and toured Australia with legends such as Eclipse, Pretty Boy Floyd, Enuff Z Nuff, Wednesday 13, Crash Diet and more.Did I mention they are all still pretty much kids?The music world has had the privelage of watching these three youngsters from the small town of Collie in Western Australia grow up - both musically and as men - practically before our eyes. We have shared in their debut album Welcome To The Dollhouse and breathed every moment of their television performances and live outings.Essentially starting life as an 80s inspired glam metal outfit, Sister's Dolls music has grown with its members, the culmination of which can be heard in their latest single Kiss Me which is out on February 10.HEAVY caught up with Bryce (drums) and Austin (bass) Mileto to chat about the new track and more."It's kind of a bit more punk and pop influence," Austin began. "That was not a choice. We wrote it and that's the path it was taking. Musically, it's kind of in that vein but has a super catchy chorus.""It probably wasn't our first choice going in with this song," Bryce added. "But the more we were working in the studio Ricky, our producer, said this would be a good one to go with. Prisoner (last single) is pretty heavy and in your face. This one still has the edge of that but it's a bit more pop/punk esque. A bit more radio friendly and a bit more...""A bit more of that touch to it," Austin took over. "Prisoner was so hard hitting so we thought... this is a hard hitting song - it's got that heavy, guitar driven riff...""We thought we would try a different thing," Bryce concluded. "And then the follow up single to this one even is different again. It's pretty cool. We thought we would show the different side of the band and how we can pump out... I guess we're trying to steer away from that stereotypical thing where people think we're a cover band or a throwback to the 80s, but we're more trying to show our musical growth."In the full interview the boys discuss Kiss me in greater detail, the inspiration behind the track, the special video being released on Valentine's Day, growing up in the spotlight, their upcoming album and its musical direction, the recent Glam Fest tour, playing on the KISS Kruise, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Feb 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersKnocked Loose are returning to Australia next month as part of the first ever Knotfest Australia run of shows.Having only been here the once before, fans who witnessed those shows can attest to the majestic ferocity of their live performances, and those who missed them... well you have a chance to rectify that over three shows on March 24,25 and 26 in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.HEAVY spent some time with frontman Bryan Garris this week to get the lowdown on what to expect."I'm very, very pumped," he smiled. "I was just saying to somebody that Australia is one of our favourite places to be and it's so long since we've been back."Being that this is the first time Knotfest has spread its wings to Australia, the addition of Knocked Loose to the travelling event seems like just rewards for a band who has taken the world by storm in their brief existence."It is a huge honour," Garris nodded. "It's an honour to just be included. We were fortunate enough to play in Iowa a couple of years ago and that alone was an amazing opportunity. To be able to take it to Australia and for it to be your first time in Australia... it's like pretty legendary and we are very excited to be able to play a small part in that."In the full interview, Bryan talks more about the run of shows, who he is most looking forward to touring with on the line-up, the strong Australian representation, checking out local bands while they are here, what to expect from Knocked Loose's shows, their last EP A Tear In The Fabric Of Life, how much of that they will be playing live, the concept behind that album, if it is easier or harder to write to a conceptually based theme, future new music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Feb 202311min

Interview by Erin Eddy.Punk rockers A Wilhelm Scream will be heading back to Aussie shores in March and are ready todrink beer outta shoes with us all!HEAVY got to chat with Trevor, Nuno and Nicholas who are very enthusiastic about returning toAustralia for the first time since 2016.They also explained why they took nine excruciatingly long years between album releases.“I think someone from The D4, or some really cool band, said something really cool like ‘I neversigned no fucking contract that said I had to put out a record every year! This is punk rock! I do whatI want!’ I am paraphrasing of course but yeah… I mean, we had a lot going on.”A Wilhelm Scream spend a lot of time on the road touring, and this also contributed to the lengthytime period between releases.“Every time we put out a record we’re pretty much on tour non-stop, so in that regard, it’s difficultto write on the road – not impossible, but it’s difficult.”Check out the interview with the guys, who will be on the road across Australia, including someregional locations, as of March 2.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Feb 202332min

Interview by Simon Russell-WhiteYou know those songs that just stick to your ear drums like a top rated super clue? Now, let's be honest this can have a negative effect especially when it's a tune/ song that simply frustrates you and is a song you don't even like ahhhhh f*****k......but, the science of music and the tempo just makes some stick hey?!!Fortunately for us, certain bands just instinctively know how to create the opposite effect for thelistener, which finally brings me to my (ranting) point. With their first release for 2023 Spacegoat have proven yet again that they're still here to further master their craft and do so with conviction and true blue hard work and wow, how it has paid off!New single and video clip 'Earthquakes' is almost on our intergalactic doorsteps (release date, February 8, 2023) so it was time to have another chat to the one and only Erin Eddy (Singer) about the single and all things Spacegoat and of course, a whole lot more......In the interview, it becomes very clear very quickly that I the interviewer/ reviewer really felt the pulse and musical pull of 'Earthquakes', you see I was privileged enough to be able to listen to it over and over and in my opinion this is up there with one of the bands best ever releases to date!That cannot be said lightly given the bands discography with their blistering debut ep '33' (2019) and of course the tremendous works that was 'Catharsis' (2021) both being of a standard that could/should see them playing anywhere across this Great Southern Land and abroad.But for now, it's about the single release, and I seriously hope you all enjoy 'Earthquakes' as much as I do, it has more hooks than a butcher shop and will pull at your heartstrings, but it wouldn't beSpacegoat if it didn't!Spacegoat will be launching 'Earthquakes' at this special show with Victoria K, link below:https://www.facebook.com/events/s/victoria-k-kore-australia-tour/502734345293053/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

7 Feb 202328min