THE HALO EFFECT: A Conversation with NICLAS ENGELIN On Their New Album And Band Energy

Australian music is on the rise - and deservedly so.While there are bands like RedHook, Ocean Grove, Void Of Vision and Alpha Wolf who are lighting up the airwaves and flying the flag for the younger generation, the more old-school rock and hard rock bands are also showcasing their worth.Bands like The Poor and Rose Tattoo, who have been around for more than three decades, are playing to large crowds and still producing quality music, but it is the comradeship and support bands of all seasons continually offer each other that stands out the most.Case in point the upcoming union of two of Australia's leading rock/hard rock outfits in The Screaming Jets and Mammal, who are hitting the road in November for a run of eight dates dubbed the Life Blood Tour, including a select number of all ages shows. It is a union that few ever saw coming, but also one which is a tantalising match made in the halls of metal that, at the very least, will introduce fans of each band to a different side of the rock coin to which they are accustomed to listening to.The Screaming Jets are more of your true blue Aussie workhorses, with a truck load of hit singles and a spiralling career once more on the rise. Mammal, on the other hand, are a raging pit of funk-fuelled metal, still smashing it on the back of recent album The Penny Drop with so much more to give.If there's one thing the two bands have in common, it is their enigmatic and proudly outspoken frontmen, both of which sat down earlier this week for a chat with HEAVY. On their own, one on one, Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets) and Ezekiel Ox (Mammal) are a ball of fun-fuelled energy, but put them together and anything could happen.Which it did."I'm really excited about this tour," Gleeson began. "I've seen Mammal's exploits On YouTube and stuff, but I can't wait to see them live, and I'm sure the Jets fans, part of the reason they love our band is the energy and that real rock and roll vibe that we bring and that's why I think they are really gonna take to Mammal.""I reckon you're right there, Dave," Ox picked up. "It's a great opportunity for us to get in front of some fans that will be a bit different and vice versa. There will be some Mammal people coming that may not have seen you guys yet, but I think most of the people would not have seen us. We're so looking forward to it. We're probably leaning further towards a slightly heavier sound when we get going. It's been interesting discussing it with the boys and how we're tailoring our set to make sure that we're giving the Jets fans what they want. We love all our songs, but it's been fun thinking. It's a bit of a different one for us, but we're absolutely pumped, to say the least."In the full interview, we discuss where the idea came from to put The Screaming Jets and Mammal on the same line-up, their contrasting musical styles and how they will complement each other, their confidence as frontmen and how important that side of the performance is, their first memories of each other's respective bands, what to expect from each band, between song banter, which songs of each other's bands they like the most, all ages shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

27 Okt 202422min

While Good Things 2024 boasts a stellar line-up of hard rock and metal bands - including Korn, Kerry King, Northlane, Alpha Wolf and From Ashes To New - the band on everybody's lips as a must see on the day is Mastodon.Since emerging in 2000 the Atlanta quartet have defied both sonic and thematic boundaries with an uncategorizable, undeniable, and uncompromising vision unlike anything else in music. Quite simply, Mastodon have quietly evolved into one of the most influential, inimitable, and iconic rock bands of the modern era.Following their recent collaboration on single Floods Of Triton with Lamb Of God, Mastodon have found themselves in perpetual motion on the road, leading them all the way to Australia where fans are already counting down the days.HEAVY caught up with drummer Brann Dailor to find out more. We start by asking if he gets excited about touring as part of a festival line-up as he does his own headlining shows."They're different," he mused. "I'm just happy to be there. I'm excited to get up on stage and play in front of anybody. I don't care if there's five people there, I don't care if there's 10,000 people there, I give the same exact show every time. I'm not gonna say if it's something crazy like opening for Iron Maiden… there's been moments in my life with big shows that I'm very, very excited to be a part of it, but I like playing. I like being at festivals. I don't care if we're playing during the day or if it's at night. (I've had) A lot of pinch me moments in my life where I can't believe I do this for a living. I try to ride it out (laughs)."In the full interview, Brann goes through some of the other bands on the Good Things line-up and shares experiences playing with them, reveals what we can expect from Mastodon live, their new song with Lamb Of God, creating music with another metal heavyweight, upcoming new material, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Okt 202415min

Wendy James' musical career has mirrored the life of many of her fans. From the rebellious punk stage to the seasoned, reflective artist, James has endured a lifetime of music many in the profession only dream of.Starting with the wildly successful, provocative and infectious Transvision Vamp in the 1980s - a band who oozed anarchaic intent coupled with a sexuality that would be frowned upon today - and moving through to her current solo career, James has always maintained a strong sense of worth and self belief. Professionally and personally.While her music has understandably gone through the subtle nuances of time and the public image might not be as openly flirtatious, James maintains a youthful exuberance that sees her release her tenth album The Shape Of History on October 25.James joined HEAVY earlier this week for a chat about life, music and art."There is a consistency to my songwriting," she measured when asked to delve into the musical nature of The Shape Of History. "I often say that my comfort zone is that CBGB/Max's Kansas City, mid 70s to late 70s downtown new wave punk sound that the Americans did. Even though I grew up with the English punks, it's actually that grimy New York downtown scene that I really enjoy. So there's always that in all of my albums, but The Shape of History is an expanded outlook and sound. All of my albums have experimentation, but they go off. So maybe there's a little country. Maybe there's a little blues. Maybe there's a little bit of girl pop, and this album, if it's got anything that marks it different to the albums, is the fact there's a bit of California sound in there as well. And it's called The Shape Of History because it is my tenth album and I did start when I was a teenager in 1986 and so you can chart the course of my life through all the albums I've made, and therefore you've got a shape of history."In the full interview, Wendy discussed her collaboration with Australian photographer and editor, David Lee Dodd, who condensed 48 hours of old Transvision Vamp footage into a 3.5-minute music video. She also talked about her album, The Shape of History, which starts with a beautifully ambient piano intro for the track Sweet Like Love. Wendy explained that she wanted to create a musical interlude, similar to the opening of Woody Allen's movie Manhattan, and worked with Dave Sherman to achieve this. We spoke about her history and music and how the two merge together, the changing musical landscape, her upcoming instore appearances, future tours and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

24 Okt 202417min

If you don't know who Me First & The Gimmes are by now, then you either have little taste in music and/or a sense of adventure, or you don't listen to music at all.If you have been figuratively touched by these fun loving punk reprobates then you will already know that the band only recently visited these shores on a blitzkrieg tour, and you will also likely not be surprised to hear that everybody's favourite punk covers band are about to board the plane from the U.S of A for a return visit dubbed The Band Of The Long Weekend Tour.Except it goes for more like two weeks.Armed with their latest release - a tribute to the late Billy Thorpe with Most People I Know - Me First & The Gimmes are set to once more decimate Australian crowds, and, according to frontman Spike Slawson, can't wait to experience our good old Australian hospitality once more. With less than seven days to the first Brisbane show on October 30, we start by asking if he is packed and ready to go."Getting there," he smiled. "I always leave it to the last minute, but we're getting there. Preparing ourselves mentally and emotionally and infrastructurally it's always a challenge, but somehow we always make do. And the flight keeps getting shorter and shorter! I think they hit some kind of slipstream or… I dunno."Talk turns to the name of the tour and the fact that Me First & The Gimmes are anything but predictable, both as people and in the sonic realm."We like to put our fans and facilitators at a disadvantage," he joked. "I think it's… it's not a strategic thing as much as it is just a sort of troll. Our shows are an hour and a half long troll and at first we try to set the bar high for ourselves by really alienating our potential allies until the point where they are actually expressing their displeasure audibly. Booing. We like to bring them to about that point before we start to reel them back in. When it really kicked in was recently - two or three years ago - and it was still during lockdown so it was a crazy tour, but we were on a bill with the Violent Femmes and Flogging Molly as well as a band from New York called Thick. All the other bands played originals, or at least mostly originals, so, as with most bands that play originals, they are the heroes of their own stories. They're very earnest, and they're very serious about their music. They may be smiling but it's a serious moment they're sharing with you. Whereas for us, we understood right off the bat that we were the heels of the bill. Just as we are the heels of any bill that we're on. Interestingly enough, the nights when you alienate the crowd the most, those are the nights where you end up selling the most t-shirts. Isn't that funny?"In the full interview, Spike reminisced about their previous performances in Australia and their upcoming return. He expressed his love for classical pop music and punk music, particularly the Ramones and the Buzzcocks, revealing that his band's covers would likely come from outsider pop or weirdo pop, which was prevalent in the 1970s. He also discussed his admiration for the music of the 1970s, despite its sometimes jarring themes. We spoke about support band, Dwarves, and how this coming tour will differ from recent shows, places where Me First & The Gimme Gimmes WOULDN'T play and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Okt 202422min

You don't get more punk than completely bamboozling people without trying, and for this reason alone Melbourne duo Another Rotting Corpse (ARC) have won before even playing a note in anger.On face value with a name like that, it would be natural to assume ARC were, at the very least, a deathcore sounding band but one listen to any song from their upcoming debut album Soaring Highs, Crushing Lows and you will get a quick education as to why you should never judge a cover by its book, or however the saying goes.After a five-year hiatus, ARC returned to the live scene with a renewed fire a couple of years ago, marking their comeback with the 2023 EP, Exchange For Safe Passage. That snowballed quickly to become their debut long player, which is set to be unleashed on the world with devastating force this Friday, October 25.HEAVY caught up with Nath and Ant to find out more."Just a two-person punk album, essentially," Ant offered when asked what they were going for with the album musically. "I write a bunch of songs and give them to Nath, and he puts his part in and that's how it comes out. We didn't want to mess around with the sound too much.""I will say one thing," Nath added, "When Ant writes a song for a two-piece - we were a three-piece, but the bass player has moved to Gippsland - but writing songs for two pieces what Ant does really well is he keeps the sound really full. There's so many opportunities where he could do a solo or something else interesting, but what was great about the album was it gave us the opportunity to fill that sound out even more than what we already do."In the full interview, Ant and Nath talk more about Soaring Highs, Crushing Lows, its musical direction and the high-energy songs on it. We discuss how ARC's sound has changed from their debut EP Exchange For Safe Passage to Soaring Highs, Crushing Lows and what sorts of things they discussed as a band going into it. We spoke about the album launch party at Nighthawks this weekend and what to expect, plus more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Okt 202415min

Throughout their career, New Jersey heavy outfit Fit For An Autopsy have remained stoic to their music and beliefs, following their own trends and passions rather than bow to the will of the masses.As such, the band have developed a staunch and loyal fanbase, which, despite Fit For An Autopsy finding themselves thrust into the ears of a more mainstream market in recent years, have remained as passionate as ever. The band's 2022 album What The Future Holds saw Fit For An Autopsy somehow make small cracks in the chasm dividing metal and the general public, achieving the band's highest-charting position to date, becoming the first of their six full-length albums to reach the Top 25 of the Billboard 200.Not that this had any effect or influence on Fit For An Autopsy when it came time to record the follow-up, with guitarist Will Putney joining HEAVY to explain where the new album plans to take us."It's a reflection on how I feel about the world," he began. "This record's no different in a sense to any of the previous ones in the place that it comes from. It probably gets a little more frustrated from album to album, but on the past few records I feel that Fit has sort of found itself, and we're comfortable in our own skin now. We know what we wanna do. We can play to our strengths. We're just refining the thing that we think is ours."In the full interview, Will talks more about the musicality on The Nothing That Is, the singles released and how they reflect the rest of the album, listening to an album in its entirety rather than in bits and pieces, the success of What The Future Holds and the temptation to rehash the winning formula, producing the album himself and the advantages and disadvantages of keeping it in house, three songs to listen to in order to get to know Fit For An Autopsy and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

22 Okt 202418min

Rising Australian metal outfit Sienna Skies continue to cement themselves as pioneers of Australia’s heavy and alt music scenes, thanks in part to the inking of a new record deal, support slots with some of the world’s largest rock and metalcore acts and a sold-out headline tour in early 2024 that saw the group ignite impassioned fans across the East Coast.Throw in a recent supporting run with Of Mice & Men and you would understandably cut the group some slack if they wanted to see 2024 out in the comfort of their homes.But that's not Sienna Skies style. Instead, the band have released a new single, The Hardest Part, and decided to invite US outfit Of Virtue and Sydney rockers Clay J Gladstone to join them on an eight-date trek across Australia to start the year as they started.On fire.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Nick Musgrave to get the details, starting with reception afforded The Hardest Part."As far as I can tell, pretty good," he smiled. "I don't regularly look into the business of reading through every single comment (laughs). It just pops up here and here, which is kind of nice. Nothing too overly negative, so I guess in some cases no news is good news."In the full interview we discussed the film clip for The Hardest Part, the upcoming tour and what to expect, why Sienna Skies chose Of Virtue and Clay J Gladstone as touring partners, closing out the last EP cycle, new music in the works, the bonus of having eclectic live line-ups, what three songs to listen to in order to get to know Sienna Skies better and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

22 Okt 202421min

Interview by Angela CroudaceMelbourne's burgeoning music scene is buzzing with the emergence of Druid, a band turning heads with their unique sound blending and captivating performances. Guitarist Daeyul Baggins discussed the band's journey, their new single Chokehold, and their distinctive musical influences."We started a few years back under a different name," Daeyul explains, recounting the band's evolution. "We released an EP and then realised we were heading in a different direction musically. So, we decided to rebrand ourselves as Druid." This change allowed the band to redefine their sound and connect deeper with their musical identity.Regarding the name "Druid," Daeyul admits there isn't a profound story behind it. "We just couldn't agree on anything else! Someone suggested Druid, and we all liked it." Despite the lack of a backstory, the name resonates well with their musical ethos."We're inspired by bands like Thornhill, Alpha Wolf, and Bring Me The Horizon," says Daeyul. "When writing our songs, we try to channel that vibe." These influences, combined with a relentless drive to push sonic boundaries through the fusion of rap and metal, create a familiar and innovative sound.The band members have deep roots in music. Daeyul himself started out playing guitar but found his calling on the drums before ultimately transitioning to guitar. "My parents wouldn't let me get a drum set, so I started with guitar," he shares. "But once I got behind the kit, I realised I had a natural knack for it."Chokehold is their latest release, produced by Sam Yates, known for his work with Aussie band Dregg. Daeyul explains the creative process: "We recorded it about a year ago. Our drummer Alex wrote the demo, and we were thrilled when Sam liked it enough to work with us." The accompanying music video, directed by Martin Wood, showcases a unique blend of heavy music and pole dancing, capturing the skill and artistry involved. "We wanted to show the talent behind pole dancing, not just the suggestive aspects," he emphasises.Druid is also making waves with their collaborations. They teamed up with the talented Misstiq, who contributed a lo-fi remix of their song DTHBLW. "She was really into the idea, and her remix turned out amazing," Daeyul notes. "It's great to see different genres blending together."When asked about future aspirations, Daeyul shares their excitement for what lies ahead. "We have another track ready for release early next year, and we're supporting Outer Worlds in November. There's a lot coming up, and we can't wait to share it with everyone."As a band that's managed to weave different genres into their music while staying true to their heavy roots, Druid is poised to stamp their mark on the Aussie metal scene and beyond. With their fresh approach and dedication to artistry, they are certainly a band to watch.For fans of nu-metal and those looking for something different, Druid is a name that will soon be on everyone's lips. Be sure to check out Chokehold and keep an eye out for their upcoming releases. The future looks bright for this Melbourne band, and it's clear that Druid is just getting started.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

22 Okt 202425min