Challenging The Gods With RYAN KIRBY From FIT FOR A KING

Interview by Kris PetersAustralian rock legends The Poor release their first album in over 10 years on February 3 when High Price Deed is unleashed on a world that might not be quite ready for it.After the one two punch (pun intended) of Round One (2009) and Round 2 (2010) The Poor seemingly vanished from the circuit and it appeared as though an illustrious chapter in Australian music may have come to a premature end.Those fears were allayed a couple of years ago when The Poor re-emerged with new guitarist Daniel Cox in tow and set about reclaiming their place atop the Aussie rock tree. Cox brought a fresh outlook to the band with his ferociously awesome guitar playing adding yet another dimension to the sonic structure of The Poor.They have toured relentlessly both at home and abroad since then, drip feeding new singles from High Price Deed at irregular intervals, heightening expectation with each and making a silent promise to their fans that The Poor are back, and back with a vengeance.The fruits of that labour will be on display for the world to judge this Friday when High Price Deed hits the open market, and trust me when I tell you fans will not be disappointed.Rather than conduct the standard phone interview one on one, HEAVY accepted the band's offer to attend practice earlier this week and take the opportunity to grill all four members - vocalist Skenie, guitarist Daniel Cox, drummer Gavin Hansen and bass player Matt Whitby - a task which seemed like a set up from the start.It could have turned out nasty being outnumbered with such odds but we stood firm and spoke our mind - and lived to relay the tale. We focussed initially on the new album and structure before running through our recent review track by track and seeing if the band agreed with my sentiments."Play rock and roll really loud, hard and heavy," vocalist Skenie offered, summing up High Price Deed in one sentence. "As you say in HEAVY, we wanna fuck shit up."High Price Deed is the first album released by The Poor since Round 2 in 2010, with the band agreeing unanimously that this album sees them return to their best."It's very different sonically," Skenie began when asked to compare the two releases. "I just don't think that we got the last two albums right, looking back on them now. The way this one is sounding and the way the songs came together... it was a lot of hard work... but it just felt right."This is greeted by a mock round of applause from the rest of the gang, who are all spread throughout the rehearsal room waiting for their chance to step in and have their way with me.So farThe Poor have released the singles Payback's A Bitch, Lover, Cry Out, Let Me Go and Take The World from High Price Deed, with Skenie admitting that while they do represent the album faithfully, they just scratch the surface of what to expect musically."Yeah, but there's more surprises coming," he teased."They're all a bit different, aren't they?" added guitarist Daniel Cox."They all have their own identities, but there's some songs on there that will surprise people as well," finished drummer Gavin Hansen.From there HEAVY ran through our album review track by track and asked if we were on the right path, and that's when things really got interesting.Listen to the full interview to hear The Poor critique our critic, run through each song and its meaning, talk about the musical direction of the album, recount some stories from the past including an impromptu jazz acapella performance, tell us about their upcoming album launch at the Wallaby Hotel, their upcoming European tour, an Australian tour later in the year and more.If you are a fan of The Poor this is a must listen, and if you're just a fan of a good time and a great laugh even better.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

2 Feb 202331min

Interview by Kris PetersAfter Australian fans were left retreating to the jungle following last years postponement of Paradise Kitty's tour, relief is finally around the corner as the world famous Guns 'N Roses tribute band touches down in this country for a run of shows starting in Geelong on March 24.Not only will the girls be bringing the sounds of Sunset Strip to the other side of the world, but they are also performing the Gunners classic debut album Appetite For Destruction IN FULL.It is a show not to be missed - personally endorsed by Guns 'N Roses themselves - and one which transcends the usual tribute performances, instead recreating a time, world, and era of modern music history.HEAVY recently caught up with drummer Rachael Rine to find out what we can expect, starting with memories of their previous successful visit in 2018."It felt like home to me," she smiled. "I felt so at home there. I didn't feel like I was on the other side of the planet in a different country. Everyone was so lovely. Australia really has some amazing rock fans so it was fun to be a part of that. It was a really liberating experience and I'm excited to come back."As mentioned Paradise Kitty will be revisiting Appetite For Destruction on this tour, with Rine explaining her view on why people connected with that album on a universal scale."I think that album start to finish... there's a lot of great albums out there, but to have an album...," she measured, "first song plays and you're like oh my God, this must be the best song on the album. Then the second song plays and you're like this must be until you get through the whole album and every song was the best song on the album. That's rare. And that created such a movement that it's still pushing and fanning the Guns 'N Roses flame decades later."We press Rine for her very first thoughts on Appetite For Destruction when it came out in 1987."I was a young kid in school and we were in P.E class, and we had to run around the track," she laughed. "I remember I was running around the track to Welcome To The Jungle and it was interesting, and it was cool, and it felt so appropriate in life at that moment being a young kid - I think I was nine or eight, just a little kid - but there was this freedom of running and listening to rock and roll. I was raised on rock and roll but I dunno... I clearly, clearly remember that moment of the track under my feet and hearing it for the first time and running to it on the track."In the full interview, Rachael talks about living on the famed Sunset Strip, the timeless nature of Appetite For Destruction, what bad habits she picked up from their last visit to Australia, reproducing the sound and feel of Guns 'N Roses, playing with members of the band, the personal satisfaction she gets out of playing in Paradise Kitty, the legacy of Guns 'N Roses and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

2 Feb 202313min

Interview by Kris PetersSouth Australian metal outfit Headbore are gearing up towards a new album, fresh off the back of a stellar last 12 months that saw them support metal legends Soilwork recently after appearing at last years Froth & Fury Festival which also featured Alestorm, Skeletal Remains and King Parrot.One of the bands songs Digging My Grave - which has not yet even been properly recorded - turned up not long ago courtesy of an unknown punter who filmed Headbore playing it at the Soilwork show. Such is the quality of the recording and the awesomeness of the track, HEAVY felt compelled to track Headbore down and find out more.Earlier this week we sat down with bass player Mike and vocalist Fish to find out more."That wasn't actually a single release," Fish laughed of the live video for Digging My Grave. "It's just alive clip. I think we played it for the first time a few months back. We played it at the Soilwork show and I think someone posted it on YouTube and it seems to have gone down pretty well. Every time we play it live it's getting a really solid response from the crowd so that's the direction we are looking at with that song and everything else we are writing at the moment."In the full interview, the boys talk more about Digging My Grave, what the song is about, writing new music and the direction it will take, supporting bigger bands and the mindset needed to succeed, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Jan 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersMelbourne rockers XCalibre are preparing to launch their new single Calling U Out this Friday, February 3.The song follows on from previous singles Stronger and No Sensei, all of which will be part of XCalibre's debut EP which will be released on April 14 via XMusic.Born from the embers of the COVID period in 2020, Xcalibre chose to rock their way out of the blues rather than retreat into desolation, knuckling down and focussing on refining the band's sound and live show while the majority of the population were left lamenting what could have been.HEAVY sat down with frontman Dan Marazita earlier today to talk about Calling U Out and recent developments."We recorded the song a while back," he explained. "We had a rough demo and come COVID when we sorted some songs out we revamped it and fixed it up a bit and brought it into the studio. We think it's killer. It's just got that vibe, that XCalibre drive that we were looking for."Calling U Out is a very guitar driven rock number, with Marazita agreeing epitomises XCalibre's sound."Vinnie's guitars are very unique and he's got that style that you know as soon as you hear it," he nodded. "Usually with the old stuff it was more rap/rock but this is a bit more of a dark and melodic character driven track through the verses and then we have that big melodic chorus."In the full interview, Dan talks more about Calling U Out and the meaning behind it, the two previously released songs and how they form the nucleus of the new EP, the formation of XCalibre and how they utilised their time, his vision for the band moving forward, signing to XMusic, upcoming shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Jan 20238min

Interview by Kris PetersLed Zeppelin are one of the most revered and respected bands EVER.Their contribution to music is legendary and the indelible mark the band and their music has left on generations of music lovers is immeasurable.The death of drummer John Bonham in 1980 brought an end to that era of original music, but his, and the music of Led Zeppelin, lives on in the form of Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening (JBLZE) which was formed by and is the musical heartbeat of John's son Jason.It is more than a tribute band. Much more.It is a labour of love, honour and respect for Jason, who grew up with the sounds of Whole Lotta Love, Ramble On and more reverberating through the walls of his home.JBLZE is an extension of that childhood, faithfully harnessed to capture the musical essence of a time gone past that will never be repeated. It is a faithful adaption of Led Zeppelin songs from the heart of one of the only people left in the world who can truly claim to be a part of that evolution, and one which has entertained audiences the world over.Now, it is Australia's turn to experience the musical magic of JBLZE when the band touches down for a string of shows this April.Jason joined HEAVY for an insightful chat about the band and the many moving parts that bring it to life."It's an honour to bring my Father's music in a live setting, with some personal stories and get to know the fans a lot more," he began. "Zeppelin only got there once so I love to carry the torch. It started off 13 years ago as one of those things I said I would do once and pay homage to my Father. I said I would do thirty shows and we had a video wall and home footage and I would tell a few stories, and then I realised it wasn't so much about what I thought of Led Zeppelin. Everybody shared with me - through social media, or even at the concerts - how much Zeppelin meant to them. It was mind blowing and very emotional. I'd never really gone into it in that depth before so it was an eye opener for me to do that. It was a way for me to still have to play with them and everything we did in 2007 when it all stopped... It was still kind of an open wound for me that still hadn't healed. In some ways I wanted to address it but at other times I wanted to leave it open, but it was the best way I could ever think of. Just to go on there, perform the music from my heart, tell a few stories of life with the old man. He was just Dad. I didn't know the bonzo side of him too well, so it really grew from that. The next thing you know we were seven years in playing in front of 16,000 people doing festival shows and I never imagined in my wildest dreams a thing I started purely as a way of expressing and playing Led Zeppelin music would suddenly take a whole energy and a life of itself. We've been doing this 13 years now, and it still doesn't get old. It still feels as fresh as the first day we did it, and that's the secret. We don't overplay it. We don't try and do 100 shows a year. If we do 35 shows a year that's all we wanna do."In the full interview, Jason tells us what to expect from the show, how accurate the songs are to their original versions, choosing between different recorded versions of the songs, capturing the feel of the era led Zeppelin's music was created in, his upbringing under the Led Zeppelin umbrella, pressures and expectations growing up, reproducing the sounds live and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Jan 202327min

Interview by Kris PetersThe term supergroup is far too often thrown around when trying to promote a new band and their music.So let's cut that straight away and call World Gone Cold for what they are.An awesome new hard rock band.Comprising members of P.O.D, Demon Hunter, Disciple, The Letter Black, and Attack Attack!, World Gone Cold are more than just the sum of their musical parts. They are a breath of fresh rock in a scene that is increasingly sounding familiar.By blending hard rock and metal with catchy hooks and melody - it's not rocket science, but how often do you hear it done right? - World Gone Cold have woven enough strands of musical DNA through their music that even the uncool metal kids might even discover something to their liking.The band launch their debut single Opposites Attract on February 3, a song which manages to capture the lifeblood of World Gone Cold while only scratching at the surface of their potential.Opposites Attract is taken from World Gone Cold's self titled debut EP, which will be out on March 17, and is the perfect introduction to the bands musical vision that already promises so much.Guitarist Mark Anthony joined HEAVY to discuss the evolution of World Gone Cold and their upcoming single."Opposites Attract is the first song off our debut EP," he began, "and it's kind of a nice mixture of heavy slash a bit of electronics and a bit of an ode to some of the stuff I grew up listening to. The singer is really good at writing these big, giant choruses so it's gonna be a lot of fun to see how people react to the message in the song."Musically World Gone Cold are a great mixture of rock and metal with catchy as fuck hooks, so much so that their music might even take our beloved genre to a wider, more commercialised market."I've always been a metal guy," he stressed, "so when I grew up the Big 4 were my go to's. Especially Megadeth and Metallica, they're probably the biggest influences on me as a guitar player. Growing up in the 80's that was the pinnacle for me of heavy metal. When someone asks me what our genre is it's really hard for me to say, but I call it heavy pop, and that's just because I write heavy music and Ryland the singer just writes there... I mean, he screams too, so it's not like he doesn't do anything insane, but he writes these big catchy, kinda pop melodies. I guess that's what you call it (laughs). It's hard to say, because I think Steven Tyler is pretty bad ass and I don't think Steven Tyler writes pop melodies, but they're catchy, right? It's something that you like. I feel like sometimes when I say pop I think of Justin Beiber or something (laughs) and that's not what this is! I think it's just that thing of... I think the biggest thing with this whole thing that we're doing here with this band was we just wanted to write heavy music that's good and is relatable. If it's catchy, cool. If not, none of us really give a shit. We just wanted to write good music. That's all there was to it."In the full interview, Mark talks more about Opposites Attract, choosing music to represent your band, the EP and the different styles that make it up, the band members and how they came to be part of World Gone Cold, finding the balance between each members individual influences, the future of World Gone Cold and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Jan 202318min

Interview by Kris PetersTwo international heavyweights of the rock and punk movement touch down in Australia in just over two weeks when Social Distortion and Bad Religion combine for a co-headlining tour.Kicking off in Auckland on February 15 the show travels to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth for a nostalgic look into the musical past that has also strongly shaped our future.In their 40 plus years of existence Social Distortion have only ever been to Australia once before and this run with Bad Religion also serves as their first headlining visit.HEAVY caught up with frontman Mike Ness to find out more, starting with choosing Bad Religion to celebrate the occasion."I just thought it was a cool opportunity," he shrugged. "We started about the same time. We've survived and managed to keep moving forward. There's a lot of similarities. I just thought it was a good idea of bringing two California bands that are equally well known and kind of making it a little more bang for the buck."Due to the fact Social Distortion have only ever toured Australia once before, it's fair to say that many local fans don't quite know what to expect. Sure, you can check out shows on YouTube and social media, but there's nothing that equals the intensity of actually being there."We might be getting older but we take this very seriously," he said. "We put on a high energy show. We start at the beginning of our career and work our way up in an hour and fifteen minutes. There's old stuff, there's not so old stuff and then there's a couple of new things because we are getting ready to record an album. We are going to be throwing in some new songs as well, as well as some classics that we haven't done in a long time."In the full interview, Mike talks more about what to expect from the tour, his memories of touring Australia, the early days of Social Distortion, the changing face of the music industry, refining your sound away from the mainstream, the new album and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Jan 202311min

Interview by Kris PetersUS metal machine Darkest Hour are set to launch their first Australian tour in over a decade when they touch down for a series of shows starting in Adelaide on February 8.In a career spanning over a quarter of a century Darkest Hour have steadfastly refused to allow labels or trends dictate their music, instead cross-pollinating the metal genres to create a bastardised sound that is unmistakably their own.The band are also putting the finishing touches to their new album, the first since Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora back in 2017.Guitarist Mike Schleibaum joined HEAVY earlier today to discuss the tour and the history of Darkest Hour. We start by pointing out the fact the band will be doing five shows in five days while here."The thing is, that's kind of how we do it in America," he shrugged. "We just run it out. We're not really good... days off are more dangerous than days on (laughs). Because we just get in a groove and get going. But as soon as we get a day off, and someone wants to climb a mountain or swim all day or get hammered the next day it's impossible. We're gonna be ready to go from day one because we've been trapped up in the studio for a whole month here together - everybody's having a good time - but it's not the same as when you're out there having an adventure. We are looking forward to getting back to the usual what it's like to be in a band rather than being trapped in a room arguing about notes, you know what I mean?"In the full interview Mike discusses the changes in Darkest Hour since they last toured Australia, balancing the setlist to please as many people as possible, what we can expect, the early days of the band and what inspired them, playing a cross section of metal and where it comes from, engineering that sound, the musical changes over the journey, finding your musical identity, work on the new album, their Patreon page, and how to secure your limited meet & greet package.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

30 Jan 202323min