Revitalised Spirit With KAT O From KTV

Interview by Kris PetersSwedish rock outfit Eclipse are just one of a myriad of international rock/sleaze/glam metal bands about to descend on Australian shores for Glam Fest 2023.Eclipse will be hitting the stage in Brisbane at The Zoo on January 25 alongside Faster Pussycat, Enuff Z Nuff, Wednesday 13, Tuff and Pretty Boy Floyd plus local supports before travelling through Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide for a run of shows highlighting the best purveyors of rock music the world has seen over the last three decades.After the massive worldwide appeal of their most recent album Wired in 2021, Eclipse are riding a renewed wave of success, with frontman Erik Mattensson joining HEAVY to chat about the tour."I haven't seen any of those bands live," he almost apologised when asked about the rest of the lineup. "I've seen so many bands throughout the years and we have played so many festivals but we have never played the same festivals as these guys, so it's going to be the first time for every band for me. I've never even met anyone! Usually all bands know each other because they always meet at festivals and chat back stage, but none of these guys we have met before so it's gonna be super exciting. It's fun that it's Glam Fest as well, because we don't consider ourselves glam. Have a look at me. I'm not glam at all (laughs). That's gonna be exciting too."In the full interview we talk more on the diversity of the lineup and how important that is in a festival such as this, what Eclipse has in store for Australian fans, how much time goes into their live set, the reception to Wired, the early days of Eclipse and where they fit in, his early vision for the band and how it has changed since and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Jan 202310min

Interview by Kris PetersAussie prog rock legends COG don't just spend their time promoting their own music, they also give back to the Australian music scene by regularly taking local bands with them on the road, and now helping run their own music festival to help highlight some of this countries hardest working and quickest rising outfits.The Other Festival is set down for January 28 at The Tivoli in Brisbane, with COG being joined by Osaka Punch, The Stranger, Bare Bones, The Wrath, Rhino, Mass Sky Raid, Minds End and more in a one day extravaganza that made its debut in 2021.COG drummer Lucius Borich joined HEAVY earlier this week to chat about The Other Festival and... whatever else he felt like really."We're very pumped," he enthused. "Getting the fuel in the tank, getting the cogs all greased up, getting rid of the cogwebs..."COG have never been a band to over-saturate the market with singles and/or live shows, and as such don't necessarily get the chance to be match fit so to speak when it comes to performing."We just did that bunch of five shows with Karnivool on the Monolith Festival," he said, "and went to all of the different states of Australia and we hadn't played - because of COVID and all that stuff - we hadn't played for almost two years. That was a real adjustment. All of a sudden BOOM, you're up in front of 3000, 4000 people, whatever it was, and it was somewhat intimidating. I think we did well, but to try and get in that frame of mind and that environment and feel comfortable after two years of not playing was definitely a challenge, that's for sure. I think we pulled it off and we've got a bit of that still remaining in the tank from doing those shows which was only about four months ago. It definitely requires you to be playing quite a lot to feel confident and comfortable but we just don't seem to have that luxury to some degree. Just given the circumstances of everyone's lives and where we're at in our career but we try to rehearse and get things dialled in and then just get up there and do what we need to do. But to be a well fitted out, oiled up outfit you do need to have regular gigs and it does make it harder when you don't, so it's challenging - which is good in some respects. You could say it adds a lot more dynamic to the performance because you're not playing all the time or jaded. So there's a little bit of that double edged sword there. It's kind of one of those situations."In the full interview, Lucius talks more about The Other Festival and what to expect, the other bands on the line-up, what sort of criteria is used to select bands on a festival bill, moving from Fortitude Music Hall to The Tivoli, current writing progress and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Jan 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersThe music industry is very much about reward for effort.No matter how good your music is, if you don't put it out there and have it heard by as many ears as possible then the likelihood of your band progressing up the universal ladder reduce significantly.But even that is more of a prerequisite to the possibility of success. Nothing is a given.Not by a long shot.Norwegian rock outfit Wig Wam are classic examples of this, with one of their songs, Do Ya Wanna Taste It, being chosen as the theme song for HBO television series Peacemaker last year and in the process turning the band effectively into overnight sensations.Overnight to some, but definitely not for the band themselves who have been spreading the voice of rock since 2001. Sure, as many bands, they have had their ups and downs, but, as vocalist Age Sten Nilsen explains in the interview below, Wig Wam have always had at least one eye on the prize and made sure individually and collectively that they were giving themselves the best opportunity to be in the position they currently find themselves in.Nilsen sat down with HEAVY to discuss this months first ever tour of Australia and plenty more."There are places we haven't played," he laughed when quizzed about neglecting Australia for so long. "We have played Japan several times, but never Australia. Never New Zealand. Never America, actually. We only focussed on Europe and Japan and then we broke up so when we got back together it was like one part of the deal that we made was to go out and do places we haven't played before, so here we go!"We press Age on what the band are expecting from Australian crowds and if the band has done their homework but he just shook his head."I like being surprised," he laughed. "I know a couple of Aussies and I find you people... you're not too far away from the Norwegian people. We're pretty much the same kind of people. In Japan it's a different thing. They have their special things with the shows. They'll be totally crazy and then suddenly they will go very quiet. They have this very... different style of behaviour - in a cool manner. In Australia I reckon you guys are just like in Norway. A little bit stiff sometimes but then you have a couple of beers... (laughs)."In the full interview Age talks more about the run of shows, Wig Wams new album Out Of The Dark which will be released February 10, the success of do Ya Wanna Taste it and how it has changed things for the band, how the song was chosen to be the theme song for Peacemaker, the early days of the band, early fake cover stories perpetuated by the band themselves and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Jan 202317min

Interview by Kris PetersBoston metal outfit Unearth return to Australia for the first time in over eight years next week for a run of shows in support of their new album which will be out this May.After having to postpone due to COVID in 2020, Unearth finally get to deliver on their promise to be back with a series of headline and festival shows starting in Adelaide on January 20.They will be supported by The Ascended and Complexant in Adelaide, Canberra and Newcastle as well as headlining the borderline Destruction festival with those same two bands plus King Parrot and local supports in Brisbane (Jan 21), Sydney (Jan 27) and Melbourne (Jan 28).Vocalist Trevor Phipps joined HEAVY earlier today to discuss the shows and new music."We were scheduled for May 2020," he began, "and it couldn't happen for obvious reasons. Matt (The Ascended) stuck with us the whole time. Every three or four months during the pandemic he would reach out to us, saying that he wanted to keep the tour going, and sure enough here we are ready to come back. So he's a true legend for seeing this thing through and we're very excited to be coming back. This will be our eighth time. We front loaded it with a bunch of tours early in our career and haven't been back since 2015."In the full interview Trevor talks more about the tour and what to expect, the festival shows with King Parrot, the new album including the exclusive release of its title, playing new music at the Australian shows, the early days of the band and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 Jan 202310min

Interview by Kris PetersMelbourne rock outfit Torrential Thrill have always conveyed the sound and image of life.While undoubtedly deep in terms of lyrics, the band has never proclaimed to have an agenda despite the fact their subject matter has roots in events that affect each and every one of us on a daily basis.After teasing their potential with two previous albums, Torrential Thrill have taken their first major steps on the road to the holy rock kingdom by going all out on album number three in terms of EVERYTHING.Cited as the band's "most prolific and ambitious album yet", Torrential Thrill's new album, State Of Disaster - which is due out on April 1 - is an opus more than five years in the making and one which promises greater production, greater songs and more substance.They will launch new single High Society on January 30, a song which reflects the bands new found outlook and paves the way for a collection of tracks that looks set to introduce the Melbourne rockers to a much larger demographic.Guitarist Steven Morrell sat down with HEAVY to go into more details."We haven't really strayed too far away from the ethos that the band has always gone with," he offered when asked about the musical direction of State Of Disaster. "And that is... TT is kind of a blue collar working class band. A lot of the context of our songs are around hardship, corruption, the relentless pursuit of power, but also loss as well. It's not all dark, there is light in there as well. There's plenty of up-beat, happy songs celebrating the good times as well, but when we started this thing we were never gonna be one of those bands who sing about drinks, chicks and rock and roll all night. We've always wanted to have something that had a little more substance. This band was never geared to be a roll of the dice to be the next main thing coming out of Vegas. It was always going to be an on the ground, local, working class band that hopefully connects with a couple of punters from more of a realistic point of view. This album's pretty much the same. The album is called State Of Disaster, and I don't know if you remember when we were going through the lockdowns we had a State Of Emergency and a State Of Disaster and the politicians had a catch phrase for everything to describe the next thing that we were going through. It's not a political album. It's not having a crack at COVID, or having a crack at anybody about that. It's a reflection on where we are in the world and where the world is at."In the full interview, Steven talks more about the make-up of State Of Disaster, why it took so long to get out, how it is an improvement on previous albums, the next single High Society, its awesome film clip, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Jan 202318min

Interview and words by Erin EddyCanadian heavy rock band Twelve Years Today have their sights set on 2023 being a big year.With a fresh new single, Reveal The Pain, already being well received, news at Camp TYT is that a full length album is on the way.This is no small feat for the duo, James and Jason, who have endured their share of challenges over the lifespan of the band.Independent and self-produced, they began amassing a loyal fan base, helped largely by the fact that they are very interactive on Twitter, and have created an inclusive community that calls themselves the TYTArmy.But in 2021 the band became victims of a false copyright claim against them, the result of nothingmore than internet trolling, culminating in their music being pulled from Spotify without notification,losing their streaming numbers, and the boys were left feeling like their hard work was all fornothing.“Quite frankly, it pisses me off to think about it,” Jason scowls. “One morning someone mentioned[our song] Unveiled, is blacked out on Spotify.”He explains that after some digging, they were left pretty exasperated. “Someone basically made afalse copyright claim on our music. There’s no arbitration, there’s no process to have that claimreviewed, it was as simple as [someone] reporting a song and they removed it.”“What pissed us off is that we didn’t get any notification that there was any wrongdoing or allegedwrongdoing.”With no support to reinstate their music, they had to admit defeat and move forward with whatthey could salvage, and with some time and the unending support of their fans, move forward isexactly what they did.Last year saw the release of the EP Escape The Grey as well as the re-release of two of their mostpopular songs that were part of the false copyright take-down, Debt Of Sin and Say Goodbye.In early 2022, James and Jason went from living within driving distance to one other, to living incompletely different parts of the country with a significant distance between them. Thus, thelearning curve of creating music via distance with the aid of technology became another challenge to navigate.“With regards to the difficulties or challenges of being so far away, so far it’s worked out prettyflawlessly,” says Jason, “James, luckily, is a quick learner and we face timed the process to record his vocals and send me all of his stuff.”“It’s been a great experience, doing this new record with all these miles between us,” James adds.“We think it’s definitely worked out really well so far. You guys are hearing the result of it right nowwith our new song Reveal The Pain; I recorded my vocals exclusively here and that was the guineapig. In my opinion it worked out really well.”HEAVY spent time chatting with both Jason and James recently and got in depth regarding the saga of the Great Spotify Take Down of 2021, which is an interesting story in and of itself. Have a listen to the interview to get the full details on that as well as a very cool story about how their song lyrics literally saved someone’s life, and learn about the past, present and future of Twelve Years Today.You can stream their latest single, Reveal The Pain now – yes, it is on Spotify! – and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more new music from Twelve Years Today later this year.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Jan 202355min

Interview by Kris PetersEnuff Z Nuff have rocked the lighter side of the metal world for the better part of four decades, with their enigmatic and irresisiable frontman Chip Z Nuff ushering in generation after generation of music lovers and taking them under his wing.Following the release of their 20th album Finer Than Sin late last year, Enuff Z Nuff return to Australia as part of the Glam Fest extravaganza, which kicks off in Brisbane on January 25 before hitting Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney over consecutive days.Glam Fest sees a mixed bag of genres, with artists such as Faster Pussycat, Pretty Boy Floyd, Eclipse, Wednesday 13 and Tuff joined by a host of local acts.Chip sat down with HEAVY to talk about the tour and plenty more."I'll tell you Kris, I'm really looking forward to Australia," he enthused. "Glam Fest 2023 is really shaping up to be something that's absolutely massive. It's not your usual stadium tour where you're out there and you have to pay $200 or $300 to see some of your favourite MTV bands. You get them all for a nice price, and they're all coming from North America and around the country. Faster Pussycat - fantastic live. We did a tour with them last year and it was absolutely incredible. Every show completely sold out. You've got Pretty Boy Floyd, Eclipse, can't wait to see my buddy Wednesday 13, Tuff will be out there - my old friend Stevie - it's a bridge truck full of bands from all around the country and getting together and celebrating hard rock and heavy metal and it's gonna be absolutely fantastic."The last time Enuff Z Nuff were out here was at the very start of COVID, with the band very fortunate to make it out of the country before lockdown."The last time was February 20th, 2020, and I remember picking up a newspaper at a restaurant - I never read the paper - and it said the prime minister of transportation in England says if you're a foreigner don't come here. And we were on a major tour. We started off in Australia and we were gonna work our way through England and then come back after the U.K and do Italy, Spain and France and it all got shut down. We barely made it home on time. As a matter of fact, when Enuff Z Nuff flew back to the States I remember it was on the news where the President was saying they are shutting down the borders. It was incredible (laughs). We did seven shows on that tour with Winger - those cats were great, I love Kip Winger - and they were all very well attended and we thought 'would we ever get a chance to come back here again? Well, we said prayers and they've come true. We're coming back!"In the full interview Chip talks more about Glamfest, who he is most looking forward to playing with, the different genres represented and why that's a good thing, what they plan on doing in Australia, their recent album Finer Than Sin, settling in to the role as lead vocalist, how difficult that decision was, last years Beatles tribute album Hard Rock Nite, the early days of Enuff Z Nuff, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Jan 202317min

Interview by Kris PetersBrisbane outfit Young Lions are on the cusp of dropping their fourth album, the wonderfully titled Make A Rainbow And Put It In The Sky, which is out on January 6.An extremely challenging album for the band in many respects, it is also an album that signifies the continued musical growth of the band who are coming off the back of the universally praised previous release Mr. Spaceman in 2015.It has been a long while between releases for the band, with Zach Britt sitting down with HEAVY to run us through the new album."It has been such a journey," he affirmed. "I'm so excited. This one is really cathartic to get out. Every album, I'm sure you would understand, has such a distinct journey in itself but this one for us has been quite arduous. Coming through what was 2020 to 2022 for music, entertainment, and the whole world with super big changes for all of us... we wrote this album from 2018... the whole thing has been crazy. Where it was getting mixed got flooded, there was just all these insane things that happened on the way. That's kind of where the album title came from. There's just been this huge, big effort to put something out that will give people a smile at the end of the day."Musically, Make A Rainbow And Put It In The Sky distances itself somewhat from it's predecessor, with Britt saying it was important Young Lions created a new body of work rather than rehash a winning formula."Everything started from a personal point of view," he measured. "A lot of the time with albums before this it would start with the ex guitarist Dan coming to us with all of the beds, but I write everything from scratch as a song standing alone and then took those songs to the band which was something we hadn't done before. We really relished the process that way. I think we got more dynamic than ever before. It might not necessarily be the heavy offering that people got on our first album Burn or the soft element we had on Blue Isla, but it's got a crazy journey. I think it's a little more exploratory than anything we have done before, even coming out of Mr. Spaceman, but there's some heavy hooks in there and some real ragers. I think people who know what we are usually about are going to be able to get a kick out of this one too."In the full interview Zach talks more about the musical side of the album, living up to expectation, resisting the temptation of recycling tried and true material, the musical journey of Young Lions so far, this years 10th anniversary of the band and what they have planned, future shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

5 Jan 202313min