Guitars, Riffs, And A Little Bit Of Aussie Heat: RICK SCHNEIDER On Polaris And Knotfest

Interview by Kris PetersMusical bonds forged over many years in the industry are almost an essential part of surviving and thriving in the cut-throat world of music.While friends and fans come and go, the mutual respect afforded band members and their bandmates is a constant despite the many troughs associated with the highs and lows of an industry that is fickle at best. It becomes an us against them mentality where only the strong flourish and is difficult to fully appreciate from anywhere but the inner sanctum.But it's there.And when that tether is severed for any reason, the resulting fallout can be too much for bands to bear. Which is why when long-time bass player and clean vocalist Kyle Erich announced his intention to leave In Hearts Wake earlier this year, the band were faced with a myriad of possibilities, with not all of them potentially returning a positive outcome.Rather than rush into finding a replacement, In Hearts Wake decided to push forward with plans for the next album, keeping things more in house and producing music that reflected their current position and state of mind.The result is Incarnation, which will be unleashed on an unsuspecting world on July 12. Far heavier than anything put out before by the band, Incarnation showcases are a more direct approach from the metalcore outfit, with the emphasis more on the harsher side of the light and shade spectrum than the light.But Incarnation is more than just a fresh beginning for In Hearts Wake. It also serves as the shadow counterpart to the band's debut album Divination, providing a previously unknown link between the birth of continued momentum that drives this group of now four individuals.With a September album promotional tour which features King810, Paleface Swiss and Gravemind, things are rapidly heating up for In Hearts Wake with no respite predicted for their near future.So, snatching the opportunity while we could, HEAVY sat down yesterday with frontman Jake Taylor to find out more."It's a culmination of our career since we were teenagers," he offered. "I think this is our sixth record and essentially our first as a four-piece, and it acts as a sequel to Divination, which came out twelve years earlier. It tells the other half of the coin."We ask Taylor whether he is feeling anxious, nervous or excited with the release date so close."None of those things," he smiled. "It's more like a hurry up, let's go thing. Get everyone up to speed is really where it's at. There's no anxious or nervousness. I know how it plays out. I know how it sounds, I know how it feels. I can't control what everyone else thinks. I just wanna get it out there so we are all on the same page."In the full interview Taylor discusses Incarnation from a musical point of view, making an album for the first time without Kyle, the decision to write and record this album as a four-piece, some of the things missing without their former bandmate, how Incarnation connects with Divination, the tarot card theme of the album, what to expect, their upcoming Incarnation tour, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Jul 202420min

Interview by Kris PetersHeavy metal and blues music have a long history that is ignored by some and refuted by others, but when push comes to shove there can be no denying the two genres can not only co-exist in the same musical realm, but also owe much of their existence to the influence of the other.This is perhaps no more evident than in the case of New Orleans sludge metal outfit EYEHATEGOD, who combine the sounds of southern rock, blues riffs and hardcore punk to create a musical division of their own that while being unashamedly metal is still a bastardised love child of centuries of history and tradition that has come before.Born into a musical climate that shunned their very existence and forced them to evolve, adapt and create unto themselves to negotiate the treacherous waters of the music industry, the band have gone on to become a dominant force, with many bands citing EYEHATEGOD as being hugely influential on their own career trajectory.They are a band with no master and therefore no guiding light other than their own darkness and have become such a pivotal catalyst in the amalgamation of musical diversity that Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan and Randy Blythe have all crossed musical paths on their journeys, with each leaving better for the experience.With EYEHATEGOD on the cusp of their first Australian tour in half a decade with Goatwhore, vocalist Mike IX sat down for a chat with HEAVY to tell us more."It's gonna get crazy," he laughed. "It will definitely get weird at some point."When talk turns to the early days of EYEHATEGOD Mike was unapologetic in regards to their early insistence to do things that made them happy, not that were considered safe or acceptable."We didn't fit in," he shrugged. "People hated us. People couldn't stand us. We had very few fans locally. The climate back then was still mostly thrash metal with bands doing the Exodus, Slayer type of thing. There was a lot of different styles, but there was some hardcore punk bands, then there was the thrash stuff. There wasn't a lot new going on at the time. We were big fans of Black Sabbath and Black Flag and all these bands, so we thought let's just do that. That's all we wanted to do."In the full interview, Mike talks more about the upcoming tour and what to expect, what has changed with EYEHATEGOD since their last visit, the name of the tour and what significance that has on what we can expect, touring with Goatwhore, putting local supports at each show, new material and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Jul 202412min

Interview by Kris PetersIt's hard to believe that two of rocks biggest musical exports of the last quarter of a century have never toured Australia before. With a combined tenancy of 50 years, ORGY and COLD are loved and revered the world over for a succession of singles including Blue Monday, Stitches, Stupid Girl and Suffocate to scratch the surface, but it is the bands' respective albums Candyass and Year Of The Spider that have seen them both stand the test of time with their integrity intact and their heads still rocking.With ORGY celebrating 25 years of Candyass and COLD two decades of their breakthrough album, the two bands have joined forces for a twin assault on this country this October with select dates in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.HEAVY caught up with founding member and frontman from ORGY Jay Gordon and guitarist Carlton Bost to find out just we should expect."Your guess is as good as mine," Bost laughed when asked why the band has neglected us for so long. "I've been there with another band, and it was amazing, so I guess better late than never for ORGY to get there. We're totally excited and just finished a two-month run with COLD, and it's a really great package."In the full interview, we discuss Orgy's upcoming tour in Australia, including the tour dates, bands they will be performing with, and the energetic stage show and setlist. We also talked about the band's history and the challenges of relearning old songs for the tour, as well as their excitement about playing new material. Jay Gordon reflected on the band's origins and their impact on the industry, including their relationship with Jonathan Davies and his label.The conversation also touched on future music releases and tour plans, including a record deal with Golden Robot Records and a partnership with the band Cold. Despite uncertainty about their fan base in Australia, the group expressed gratitude and anticipation for the upcoming shows.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Jul 202410min

Interview by Kris PetersOne look at any press release from Brisbane rock outfit Full Flower Moon Band and you know everything you need to know about their music in two words.Babyshakes Dillon.Just try and tell me that a band whose frontperson proudly wears that monicker is anything but the real deal. In all honesty when I first came across Full Flower Moon Band and was asked to speak with the band about their new release Megaflower I almost skipped on by, thinking the band name indicated strongly that Megaflower would comprise washed-up, whimsical love songs borne out of the hippy era designed to make me feel even less in touch with reality than I already am.Which provides another lesson here. Don't judge a book by its cover - or a band by its name in this case.Thankfully, I hit play on the link and instantly made a mental note to be less judgemental in the future when the sweet, blues-drenched sounds of Devil filled my ears as I rushed to press confirm on the interview request.Since releasing their 2021 EP Death Or Hell, the public has fallen in love more readily with Full Flower Moon Band, earning them the sought-after national support for The Black Crowes, allowing the band to spread their rock goodness over more of this country.2023 release Diesel Forever solidified Full Flower Moon Band's rapidly growing stature, with all indications pointing towards Megaflower - out July 19 - magnifying that acceleration even more. HEAVY sat down with Babyshakes herself to talk about the album and upcoming tour."I just came home from listening to the test pressings, and I'm feeling really good," she enthused. "I finished the record a few months ago but haven't had that break to listen to it with fresh ears until now. I had a full listen through and (laughs) for the first time can say I'm pretty proud of it."We ask Babyshakes to tell us more about the musical side of Megaflower."Our last album Diesel Forever was an album that gained us a larger audience," she offered, "and it was a heavy rock album. With this album, I really wanted to be as expansive and generous as I could in terms of it being a studio album and being genre-bending. I felt like I had two choices. I could double down on hard rock riffs and continue to… I guess play into the last record. Or I could be a little bit more adventurous and take a bigger risk. And I chose to do the latter."In the full interview, Babyshakes talks more about Megaflower and what to expect, the temptation to rehash the winning formula on Diesel Forever and how she pushed herself away from doing that, how Full Flower Moon Bands music has changed over their journey, the metamorphosis of the songs during the writing and recording process, experimenting more and trusting her instincts, the band's upcoming tour which will be their biggest yet and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Jul 202417min

Interview by Kris PetersIn a world where the lines between light and shade are being constantly shifted, it is refreshing to come across a band who embrace life to its fullest while still enjoying the many and varied excesses a musical lifestyle offers.Described as a pure glam slam boogie woogie rock n roll outfit, Omaha's The Midnight Devils are a breath of fresh air on the global music scene, partying all over the world and taking ass and kicking names anywhere and everywhere they go.Frontman/bassist Sam Spade, guitarist Sniper and drummer Jimmy Mess have worked tireless for almost a decade, plying their trade and delivering their infectious brand of glam metal wherever possible over two previous albums Something Bigger and Never Beg For It, but it is their new album So Hard It Hurts - out July 5 - that has fans and critics alike salivating at the prospect that finally The Midnight Devils might just be rewarded for effort.With an Australian national support slot to Bon But Not Forgotten looming on the horizon, followed by the bands first ever tour of Japan, Sam Spade sat down with HEAVY to talk life, music and justice The Midnight Devils way.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

2 Jul 202422min

Interview by Kris PetersThey say good things come to those who wait, and if that's the case, Gold Coast melodic technical death metal outfit Snake Mountain have some damn fine times ahead of them.Rather than trying to force themselves onto the international support rollercoaster from the outset, Snake Mountain have preferred to bide their time, practising, waiting, and networking until they felt their product was of high enough standard to put out there.It has been a long and sometimes painful path to the open market, but one gets the impression it will bear the fruits of progress much sooner rather than later.In recent months, Snake Mountain have opened for international heavyweights Fleshgod Apocalypse and Wolfheart, as well as teaming up with Australian royalty in Black Rheno and Witchgrinder, in the process proving their suitability and diversity on any metal lineup as long as it's loud.Following the release of two crushingly brutal singles - Everliving and Extinction Through Fire - Snake Mountain are in the final stages of the long-awaited release of their debut EP Villainous 1: Reverence on July 5. Not content to give the fans new music, the boys have also announced a string of shows along the East Coast over June, July and August so they can share their musical triumphant far and wide.HEAVY cornered Snake Mountain frontman Neville Pearce to find out more."I'm pretty excited about it," he measured when asked about the looming release date. "And I am nervous for people to hear it because I guess it represents where we've been. It's part of a bigger picture that we're trying to paint. We put a lot into it - it's only four tracks - but it shows the different mini-era's of the band and the different members influences that have weaved in and out throughout that time. And I'm really proud of that. That's exactly what the title is in reference to is paying those respects."We ask Pearce to dive deeper into the music side of the EP."It's - as we said before - each song represents, not only the members, but I guess the year they were written," he explained. "The first track, Extinction Through Fire, which we recently released digitally, goes right back to the beginning with Dan Maynard. Then we've got Hunted which was with Dan Maynard, and we have that one with Jamie and Dario then it goes on to All Of Eternia which was Dario and Jamie, and it progresses from there onto the last track Everliving, which was the last single we released. You can sort of tell within those styles how the band has changed and where we've come to now. Which doesn't really represent who we are now with our technical stuff, but it's definitely part of the journey." In the full interview, Neville discusses the length of time it took Snake Mountain to release their debut EP and why, the timeline of each song and what part of the band's history it represents, scoring support slots and what it means to the band, the guest artists on the EP and what they brought to the sound, his transformation from one of the good guys off-stage to a raging demon on, their upcoming shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 Jun 202424min

No matter the existing strength, quality or back catalogue of a band - and regardless of their past successess - there is ALWAYS a defining moment in their career that makes what may or may not have come before seem trivial and insignificant. While that moment may come in a number of different forms, it is generally a groundbreaking performance or an album so good it defies even internal expectations.That moment is here and now for US metal tyrants Nothing More, who celebrate the release of their latest - and quite possibly greatest - album yet with Carnal thIs Friday, June 28.It is an album featuring not only a musical underbelly that highlights all the strengths and none of the weaknesses of Nothing More, but also features guest performances from a veritable who's who of metal royalty including David Draiman (Disturbed) and Eric V (I Prevail) and a production team that have overseen bands such as Motionless In White, A Day To Remember, Limp Bizkit and Bring Me The Horizon.Carnal is and will be that defining moment for Nothing More, with frontman Jonny Hawkins recently sitting down with HEAVY to tell us more, discussing the musicality of Carnal, the guest artists and why they were chosen, the temptation to rehash the winning formula of their previous album, collaborating with David Draiman, how Carnal came together, diversifying their music without separating themselves from their fanbase, the musical growth of the band and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Jun 202424min

Interview by Kris PetersFifty years of service to any industry is a remarkable effort, but when that industry happens to be the cut-throat one of music, then that achievement takes on ever greater credence.The Angels have long been an institution on the Australian music scene, with their high-energy brand of rock transcending generations of music lovers across this country and beyond. The band have literally been there and done that in a landscape not designed for longevity, bouncing back from tragedy, critical upheaval and anything else the world of music and life has thrown their way.Better known with Doc Neeson out the front, The Angels also welcomed The Screaming Jets' Dave Gleeson to the family for an extended stay, but now, as they enter their second half-century as a band, the baton has been passed on to former drummer, now focal point, Nick Norton.To celebrate this wonderful milestone, The Angels are releasing their 14th studio album - and first in over a decade - on June 28. Simply titled Ninety Nine, the album marks Norton's first release as vocalist but promises all of the hard-edged rock and roll swagger made famous by The Angels over so many years.The band has also announced their 50 Not Out national tour, starting in June as well, with Norton putting some time aside recently to tell HEAVY about all of the new adventures in store for The Angels."We're stoked about the album," he beamed. "I actually haven't been this excited about a new album since I was… at least ten-plus years. It's always good to be on recordings, and it's an exciting thing, but this one I have repeatedly said to the band and I think I keep surprising the guys about how excited I am about it (laughs). I'm satisfied with the way the tracks have gone down, the way we made sure that everything has been done to a T and exactly how we wanted it. Even from a vocal perspective, this is the most time I have ever taken to really nail parts and layer up all of these interesting harmonies and got it exactly as I was hearing it. Some of these tracks we recorded the rhythm section stuff for four years ago, and we've been laying guitars over since. It was not long before Christmas last year we went on this whole kind of extra thing to get the album finished, and we did a couple of big sessions down in Melbourne at Light Hill Studios to get the album all finished up for the 50th year. Suddenly it's gone from 'we'll get around to finishing the album' to we actually have something here, let's do this."In the full interview, Nick talks more about Ninety Nine and how it sounds, what they were going for with the overall sound and how The Angels' DNA is spread throughout it, lead single Ninety Nine and why it was chosen to represent the album, delivering what is expected of you while still coming up with something fresh, taking over from Dave Gleeson, fan reaction to his role as frontman, his history with the angels, writing with the Brewster Brothers, their upcoming tour and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

27 Jun 202419min