The Spirit Of Metal With EXODUS RISING

Interview by Kris PetersBrisbane, it's that time of year again!The annual celebration of music that is BigSound is just around the corner, with the music event that stops the nation set down for the Fortitude Valley from September 3 to 6.It is difficult to comprehend the vast array of benefits BigSound has for artists, music lovers and music industry people, but with a selection of live music, workshops, speakers, showcases and a range of other activities, one thing you can be sure of is getting your absolute fill of music.While recognising the achievements and status of established performers, BigSound also invites up and comers to join festivities, giving many young and hopeful bands an opportunity to not only showcase their music, but also make connections that could ultimately prove valuable for their future career in music.One of those bands is Central Coast trio Muzzle, who will be making their first visit to Brisbane and playing their songs to an established audience with a common love of music.HEAVY caught up with Isaac Wasiliev from the band to find out more.We spoke about their two showcase performances at Tomcat on September 3 and Ric's Backyard on September 5, what people can expect from their show, what they hope to come out of the BigSound experience with, where Muzzle came from and how they have been shaped into the band they are today, adding your own DNA to original music, three songs to listen to in order to know what to expect, their upcoming EP and more.BIGSOUND MUSIC FESTIVAL tix and delegate passes on sale now: www.bigsound.org.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Aug 20246min

Interview by Kris PetersGood Things Festival is back for another year, and that can only mean one thing.More world class live acts!Featuring the likes of KORN, Kerry King, SUM 41, Billy Corgan, Electric Callboy, Mastodon, Jet, The Gaslight Anthem and more, GT24 is already shaping up as an absolute cracker. But, of course, one of the best things about large music festivals is the opportunity to discover new bands. Because if they weren't good, they wouldn't have made the cut, right?For Good Things 2024 one of those bands who will definitely be on people's radar is Swedish metal outfit Imminence who, despite being around for more than a decade, have never made it to our side of the world.Imminence have made a huge impact on the music world pretty much everywhere else, with their latest album The Black cementing their status as one of the bands to watch anywhere and everywhere they play. HEAVY caught up with vocalist/violin player Eddie Berg to find out more."It's always about getting the formal invitation you have been waiting for," he laughed when asked why Imminence have neglected Australia for so long.We bring up the fact that organisers must have extreme faith in the band to bring them out without an established market, to which Eddie nods in agreement."Absolutely," he affirmed. "I think we'll come in cold," he added when asked how much preparation the band will do on what to expect when they get here. "We already have some people there that we're friends with through the internet, so it's gonna be great to finally see them. I think that we should just go in there with an open mind and see what it's like."In the full interview we talk about some of the other bands playing, what Imminence are expecting from Australian audiences, what we should expect from them, three songs for people to listen to in order to know the band better, the early days of Imminence while he was still in high school, his early attitude towards making a career out of music, how he focussed on a career from a young age, the blending of Swedish metal with violin that forms the nucleus of Imminence's sound, how difficult it is in the creative process to infuse the opposing styles together and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

27 Aug 20249min

Interview by Kris PetersAfter dropping two EP's in quick succession towards the end of the last decade, Melbourne indie-punk outfit Dental Plan decided to take their time with their next release, putting into effect not only their music interests and pedigrees, but also their growing knowledge of their craft.2021 saw Dental Plan return with the brutal single Hole In Me, which emphatically announced their re-emergence as a more polished unit. Landslide followed, and anticipation turned into expectation as Dental Plan announced their debut album Raw Nerve was incoming.That album landed on July 19, affirming Dental Plan's growing status, opening the band up for a new range of opportunities that are finally coming to fruition.HEAVY sat down with vocals/guitarist Niam Hegarty to find out more."It's been really good," he enthused of the reception Raw Nerve has received so far. "We've kind of got more streams than I expected and people seem to have been digging it. It's done what it needed to do, which I think is get the word about the band out there. We've been a band for a while, and this is our first record. A long time coming, but I'm looking forward to getting out to play some shows to support it."In the full interview Niam discussed Raw Nerve more in terms of musical direction, how it represents Dental Plan's trajectory to date, what sorts of things are discussed going into a debut album, finding their sound and the balance between genres, how Raw Nerve differs to their self-titled EP, finding your musical identity, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

26 Aug 202410min

Interview by Kris PetersWith the countdown to Necrosonic Festival at The Mansfield Tavern in Brisbane on August 31 now on, HEAVY thought it appropriate to introduce you to some of the bands playing on the day.Conjured by one of the dark architects behind the legendary Overcranked, Inferno and Dead of Winter Festivals, Necrosonic heralds a day filled with unrelenting brutality and the heaviest, most sinister sounds that the underworld has to offer, some even returning from the dead for the ritual.Hosting 30 bands across three stages over 12 hours, Necrosonic Festival promises to satiate even the heaviest of hungers. One of the band's planning to destroy everything before them is Melbourne old school death metal outfit Algor Mortis, with vocalist CC joining HEAVY recently to talk about what to expect.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

26 Aug 202413min

Interview by Kris PetersTo steal a line from their bio, "ZEAL & ARDOR isn’t just a band; it’s a living and breathing entity."Since announcing their arrival with 2017's album Devil Is Fine, Zeal & Ardor have transgressed almost every musical parameter known to man, exploring sonic realms through their music that have no right being disturbed, yet somehow always combine through a submissive force of nature that is both compelling and irresistible.Founding member and main man Manuel Gagneux has long been the heart, soul and public face of this musical enigma, writing and recording everything himself in pursuit of total creative freedom and balance. It is a process which has worked beautifully over three previous albums, but for the band's fourth, Grief, which was released last Friday, Gagneux elected to change things up considerably by inviting his band - for seven years only used as touring musicians - into the studio to help start and complete the project.It was a brave move, but one which has yielded impressive dividends, with added vocal layers and differing thought patterns contributing to yet another musical evolution within Zeal & Ardor.HEAVY sat down with Gagneux earlier today to talk about Grief. We start by asking how the early reception has been for album number four."It's been pretty much what I expected," he smiled, "because it's not as… I wanna say heavy as the other records. So some people are butt hurt and other people are really into it (laughs). It's a good mix."With so much going on from so many different levels on Grief, we ask Gagneux how he would describe the album musically."Oh damn," he pondered. "I think it's just a collection of songs that I was really into. It's kind of like tapas where you have different small dishes; you can have a little bit of that and a little bit of this. It's the opposite of a concept album, I guess. There's a concept to it, but you're not gonna get Tool hours of nerding over it because there's a meaning between every single song. They're just songs, and I like them (laughs)."In the full interview Manuel discusses the musical side of Grief in more detail, how he has expanded on previous music, the continual musical evolution of Zeal & Ardor and how much growth is left in the band, the track Clawing Out and the story behind it, having his band in the studio with him and why now is the right time, relinquishing total creative control and if that was an issue, his creative side and where it comes from, having three different vocal layers on the album, self-producing your music and more.In a new interview segment, we also show Manuel some photos we dug up and asked him to explain them.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

26 Aug 202415min

Interview by Simon Russell-WhiteIt's appropriate to skip the fluff on this one, for goodness’ sake it's Steve Harris (Bass/ Keyboards) we're talking to here and the importance of his "other band" (insert laughter here) Iron Maiden needs no explanation and/or justification.The focus tonight? The band he helped put back together piece by piece... Yes, I'm talking about the one and only British Lion.After the band imploded in the 90s, the man himself couldn't bear the sight of knowing that British Lion would not be again, the reasoning he explained was simple. "The songs were just too good for it to stop". And the rest, as they say, is history.For his bandmates - Richard Taylor (vocals), David Hawkins (guitar), Grahame Leslie (guitar), and Simon Dawson (drums) - this Australian tour is the first time the boys have ever even stood on Australian soil, let alone played here. Of course, Steve has been here a billion times, and assured me that he'd point the fellas in the right direction for any site seeing!Now, we all know what sized arenas/stadiums "Maiden" has played, but as our conversation leaned into discussing British Lion playing more intimate venues, a sense of stepping back in time took hold. But not in the usual way, as Maiden skipped playing a lot of smaller venues due to their sudden rise to fame so in many respects for Steve he is playing venues for the first time all over the world!!Now, if that doesn't grab you, then I don't know what will.Enjoy listening to one of the Godfathers of the heavy metal game, ohh and go check out the almighty British Lion this August/September supported by Tony Moore’s Awake - a man that needs no introduction. A man that Steve has had a musical bond with since 1977.All Hail!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Aug 202416min

Interview by Kris PetersThe Australian music scene was undeniably strong in the 1990s, with bands like Blood Duster, Dreamkillers, Armoured Angel and Damaged just to name a few carving a name for themselves in that era.It was a time before the internet, where bands had to promote themselves in a vastly different way, pasting posters onto telegraph poles and spruiking their upcoming shows at other gigs in order to get their music heard. There was no easy way. It was pure persistence and willpower just getting your name out there.One of the bands to emerge from Brisbane in the early 90s was Crypt, an old-school death metal act who refused to take no for an answer.Quickly making themselves heard with their 1994 demo cassette Excruciating Agony, Crypt set about sonically dismantling all before them, with their 1998 album El Nino irrefutably painting their name onto a sonic landscape that may never be rivalled.Then Crypt disbanded, and, despite a couple of East Coast tours in 2016 and 2017, remained in limbo seemingly never to return.Well, return they have for Necrosonic Festival at Brisbane's Mansfield Tavern on August 31, with guitarist Nathan joining HEAVY to discuss the past, present and future of Crypt.We discussed Necrosonic Festival, where Crypt is set to perform their last show. Nathan reminisced about the thriving metal scene in Brisbane during the 90s, highlighting the camaraderie and social vibe among bands, plus provided insights into the upcoming 30th anniversary celebration of the demo cassette Excruciating Agony at Necrosonic by discussing plans to play the demo in full.He also shared details about the recording of a new song called Chilling Madness and the band's nostalgic collaboration with the original demo artwork artist for the new song's artwork. We also discussed their sound and where it came from, and dived deep into Crypt's past and more.Necrosonic Festival features Psycroptic, Lo!, Misery, Astrodeath, Crypt, Bulletbelt, Potion, Bloody Tyrant and more. Tickets from https://necrosonicfestival.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Aug 202411min

Interview by Kris PetersWellington thrash metal outfit Bulletbelt have made massive inroads over their 15 year existence, supporting bands of the calibre of Municipal Waste, Napalm Death, Carcass, Dragonforce, Venom Inc and Arch Enemy to name just a few.Their brand of metal is fast, brutal and uncompromising, a welcome relief in a musical landscape that is becoming more predictable by the day.Despite numerous line-up changes over the course of their brief foray in heavy metal, Bulletbelt have delivered a string of consistently addictive albums, with their most recent, last year's Burn It Up, introducing new vocalist Diego Attinger and kicking off yet another chapter in Bulletbelt's Glossary Of Metal.That album saw the band introduce clean vocals for the first time, adding a depth and sincerity to their music that until now they had not known was missing.Later this month, Bulletbelt cross the seas for a run of three Australian shows, with their headlining spot at Brisbane's Necrosonic Festival promising to be a thing of pure metal ecstasy.HEAVY sat down with Attinger earlier this week to find out more. We spoke about the three shows and what Australian fans can expect, the response to Burn It Up, the introduction of cleans and how much it has affected the core Bulletbelt sound, his joining the band and how it came about, stepping into an established band and finding your feet, new music in the works and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Aug 202414min