Where Legends Are Born With JOAKIM BRODEN From SABATON

Words and interview by Erin EddyThe Go Set are veterans of the Aussie music scene with a career spanning 20 years and the infusion of traditional Celtic folk music weaved into their sound not only sets them apart but helps them reach a wider audience than the average punk rock band.Their high-energy live performances can be enjoyed at pubs and clubs, but they have also been known to inject a healthy dose of rock and roll into the line-up of a folk festival or two during their time, too.It's only fitting that a band which features mandolin, bagpipes and tin whistle releases its new album on Saint Patrick’s Day.The Warriors Beneath Us is the eighth studio album by the band. Writing and recording an album through the pandemic was a blessing in disguise for The Go Set.“The one advantage that we had is the massive luxury of time,” Justin Keenan (vocals, guitar) explains. "The breathing space that was created by having to tackle songwriting remotely gave them the ability to really refine the songs, and showed them what they were capable of doing themselves, rather than spending time on the clock in a recording studio."“What we realised is that we got really, really good at making recordings without ever being in the same spot,” he continued, “as frustrating as it was at the time, our pre-production process was significantly more thorough. Now I know moving forward that we’ll certainly get through the writing phase and pre-production phase without actually even bothering to get together.”While distance played a part in a productive way for songwriting, being unable to play live was something Justin said he really missed.“We took it for granted. We were playing so much,” he says, “We were sitting on a bus in Europe for over a month, every day we were playing; You kind of just take it for granted that you’re going to be able to do this forever or until you’re sick of it and don’t want to do it anymore. But when someone takes it away and says not only can you not play music, but you can’t hang out together anymore either, no wonder a lot of artists’ mental health went through the floor.”The Go Set are celebrating the release of their new record with a spate of tour dates all over the country beginning from March 31.Justin spent time talking with HEAVY about writing music during lockdowns, the changes he’s seen in the music industry over the last 20 years and his eagerness to get back out doing what he loves most – performing. Listen to the interview in full here and be sure to check out thegoset.com for a list of the band’s tour dates.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

20 Mar 202333min

Interview by Kris PetersBrisbane punk Gods Fake News have done the hard yards, supporting legends of the scene such as Good Riddance, No Fun At All, Bodyjar, 28 Days and Guttermouth - and that was all within one year of starting the band in 2017!Since then Fake News have capitalsed on that early success with their 2021 debut album Everyday Warrior and have now followed that up with their latest four track slab of goodness, Take Me Away.Traversing the boundaries of traditional punk, Take Me Away sees Fake News explore their musical psyche even more, dipping their toes into other genres while still fully embracing the punk ethos from which they were born.Vocalist Tim Russ and bass Nick joined HEAVY to chat more about the EP."This has been a massive work in progress," Tim explained, "and it's so good to see it's not far away from getting to show the world. There's definitely been so much hard work go into it. Darren and Nick and Matt, they all put in so much effort to get this one over the line. We got Matt in the studio and he belted things hard, so you can really hear the hard hits in this one. It's been nothing but a hard slog, so it's good to see it finally coming to light."In the full interview, the boys talk more about the musical nature of the EP, shifting away slightly from the punk sound on which they built their name, the heavier edge and where it comes from, the early days of the band and how it has evolved into what you hear today, their early influences and how they have changed since, finding your niche in the musical market, their upcoming show at Mo's Desert Clubhouse, what to expect from a Fake News show and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Mar 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersNorwegian hard rock/punk/metal outfit Blood Command are better known for their hard-hitting, punchier numbers that provide a sense of palpitation and venom when played in the live arena.Since the addition of former Pagan vocalist Nikki Brumen from Australia, the band have taken on a more ferocious edge on the back of Brumen's take-no-prisoners approach to music that has seen Blood Command spread their wings as far as this country for the first time at last year's Good Things Festival.After completing her first album as vocalist, Praise Armageddonism in 2022, Brumen has now fully claimed the role as Blood Command frontwoman as her own, allowing founding member and guitarist Yngve Andersen greater freedom to express his own musical personality, in turn elevating the band into another stratosphere altogether.That newfound expression has translated to Blood Command's upcoming track Losing Faith, a song which will come as a shock to some people into the band, but will be seen more as a natural extension by others.Venturing into acoustic territory, Losing Faith features just Brumen and Andersen, with both providing vocals in a country-style hoedown of a tune that focuses on the fallout of unrequited love.HEAVY caught up with both of them on the eve of Friday's premiere of the song."I think that fans will maybe not be too shocked," Brumen began. "Yngve and I have spoken about this quite at length and I think the real diehard Blood Command fans might be pleasantly surprised. I think they might not even be surprised because it is still thematically very Blood Command. But perhaps for people that don't really know the band and maybe pigeonhole us as a heavy band with screaming vocals and guitars they are the people who might be quite shocked. It's a bit of a country western cowboy tune (laughs), so I think that there will be some surprised people which is what we really want. We like to keep people on their toes."With the subject matter of Losing Faith centering on love failed and lost, we ask Brumen and Andersen which one of them got dumped for inspiration."It's not about a particular event," Andersen replied when he finished laughing. "It's about tapping into those feelings. Everyone has experienced heartache once in their lifetime at least, so I think it's very relatable.""It's a typical Blood Command thing to write about," Brumen added. "A lot of the themes for many songs that Yngve has written in the past have had that feeling or that meaning behind it. Before we wrote this song Yngve sent me this really beautiful country and western song, sort of… it wasn't a similar message, but it kind of had a similar idea in that it was about someone pretending not to love someone and putting on a mask and acting that they didn't love someone, and we said wouldn't it be cool to write a song like that. That's where the idea might have stemmed from."In the full interview, Nikki and Yngve discuss Losing Faith in greater detail, why they elected to do the track acoustically, the added vocals of Yngve and what they bring to the song, their recent tour of Australia and coming back, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

16 Mar 202311min

Interview by Kris PetersIf, like me, you haven't heard of a US band called Aftermath go and lock yourself in a cupboard for five hours and have a good think about what you have done with your life to this point.It seems these guys have been around since 1985 and despite going through a long period of inactivity still managed to impart a unique and completely music-driven mark on the musical landscape.They were thrashing before it was cool, and just when they started to get popular because of it they changed tact and decided rock was more their thing.Or plain heavy metal.Or death metal.Or basically whatever the fuck they felt like expressing at the time, because there lies the very core of Aftermath's existence.Musical expression.You get the sense from talking to vocalist "Charlie" Tsiolis that - and this will be one of the rare occasions I will ever put my neck on the line with such a bold statement - he genuinely does not give half a fuck about the trappings of fame and fortune the music industry can generate. As long as he retains a voice to be heard and a will to breathe then music is his salvation and a vehicle from which to lay forth his opinions and grievances on the world.The most recent - and perhaps most vital - chapter in Aftermath's existence began when they started writing the first album of a conceptual trilogy in 2017. The album was called There Is Something Wrong and revitalised the whole of Aftermath and reinstalled their belief that there was still purity in music and their voice was still relevant.That trilogy closes on March 17 with the release of No Time To Waste, an absolute beast of an album that incorporates elements of thrash metal, rock, rap, blues and whatever else Aftermath were feeling at the time.It is a culmination of almost 40 years worth of oppression, frustration and disbelief that packs a message just as powerful as the music through which the story is told.When HEAVY caught up with Charlie earlier today he was in a particularly chatty mood and as such, for one of the first times ever, we shall present the interview to you in its entirety. It may be a little different to the normal structure of a HEAVY interview, but I think you will agree is much more impactful because of it.Charlie opens up about the new album, the perils of society, the history of the band, how came they came to finishing things forever and a multitude of other topics that make for engaging listening.So kick back with a cold drink and strap yourself in.Shits about to get real.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

16 Mar 20231h 13min

Interview by Kris PetersNewcastle metalcore outfit Vilify are one of the new "covid babies" when it comes to music.Formed in around the global pandemic, Vilify have endured the same trials and tribulations as the rest of the world, except unlike many, the constant setbacks provided an impetus which has given the band more drive and focus.Unable to play live for almost two years after their formation, Vilify instead channeled their energies into making music, the fruits of which can be heard in their latest track Take The Pill which is out now.HEAVY had the pleasure of sitting down with the whole band to find out more about these promising upstarts.We start by asking how the feedback has been for Take The Pill."Everyone has been really nice so far," vocalist Amy McIntosh smiled. "So far the feedback has said it is probably our best song to date. I keep using the word polarising... it's got some of our hookiest bits, some of our heaviest bits so I wouldn't disagree. I think it's the most true version of us so far.""We're probably gonna use that as a basis for future things that we release too," guitarist Deni Hourihan added. "Not to say certain parts won't be a bit more techy or heavy or whatever but we all really liked how the song came out and felt that it's our vibe, or our sound."In the full interview the band tells us more about Take The Pill musically, the massive guitar riff that introduces the song, the lyrical content, more new music, forming during lockdown and the challenges that posed, their upcoming show with Gravemind at Stay Gold, other shows coming up and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Mar 202318min

Interview by Kris PetersSydney based hard rock/metal outfit Temtris are finally beginning to see reward for effort.Over six previous albums the band has built a strong fan base off the back of a relentless touring schedule and never-say-die attitude. They have always stayed in touch with their fans and pillaged the best parts of the metal genres to create a sonic landscape drawing from thrash, hard rock, power metal and rock. With a twin pronged guitar drenched sound atop the majestically soaring vocal range of Genevieve Rodda, Temtris have redefined the way metal bands approach their craft in this country.Now, after more than two decades honing their sound, Temtris are preparing to release their most ambitious and dangerous album yet.Khaos Divine breaks convention by being a completely conceptually based collection of songs, telling the story of struggle and oppression in a dystopian society possibly closely shadowing our own future.With an overseas tour scheduled for later this year and a massive album launch run of their home country to coincide with the album release, Temtris are certainly capitalising on the momentum already afforded Khaos Divine, which seems certain to intensify once the album is released on March 17.Rodda sat down with HEAVY to reveal more about their 7th and most complete album."We wanted to modernise our sound a little bit," she began. "We wanted it to be a bit fresh, and I think we've done that, even in the mix. It's quite clear and fresh for what we've done on previous albums. We've always had a bit of a grittier sound with our other albums but even the reviewers are saying the vocals are crystal clear and they are liking that. I think we've reached what we wanted to portray. It's still got our traditional Temtris sound, but there's something different about it and I think it's that little modern tweak that we've done with the songwriting. It's really helped to get the story across and it matches the concept."As is usual with Temtris, the band has combined elements of a large number of metal genres from thrash to power metal and everything in between to encapsulate the sound on Khaos Divine, with Rodda admitting that versatility is something she considers the core aspect of their music."We call ourselves heavy metal, but on every album we've got one thrash song on there," she smiled. "We have always done that. We use whatever genre we need to convey the emotion of the music, so we don't box ourselves in and I think that helps us write new music sounds fresh and new each time with each album. We don't just go, we're a power metal band and we have to do this. We don't restrict ourselves in that sense when it comes to songwriting. On this album Ground Zero is the thrash song, and that's what we do. We set out to write a thrash track, but then you've got Eternal Death Machine which has a black metal picking intro. That just came together because the song needed something and I went how about you boys try this, and it worked. It's not always locked in, but sometimes we do go for that defined this is a thrash track and this is what we want. I would say with the previous album Ritual Warfare we had a desire to write a fast album, so the songs are a lot faster in that sense but with this album the music had to match the story and the emotion we were conveying. We definitely didn't box ourselves in, but that final track Ground Zero was set to be a thrash song because it was about everything exploding (laughs)."In the full interview, Genevieve discusses the concept in greater detail, learning how to use her voice for power and effect, why they chose to write a concept album, the opening track The Grand Design and why it introduces Khaos Divine, playing the album live and the benefits and disadvantages of writing in a concept style, their Australian tour and what to expect, their first overseas tour later this year, capturing the perfect sound and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Mar 202323min

Interview by Kris PetersContrary to what their name initially suggests, Pop Evil are about as far removed from pop as The Wiggles should be the ARIAS.Since debuting with Lipstick In The Mirror in 2008, Pop Evil have released a succession of albums more on the hard rock scale, with War Of Angels, Up and their self titled albums all spawning a litany of hit singles, in the process stamping their name amongst the greatest rock bands of the last two decades.The band return with their latest album Skeletons on March 17, an album which vocalist Leigh Kakaty has said "is about us as a band stripping everything down to the bones. It’s more uptempo, it’s got bigger riffs, and we’re trying to capture the energy of our live show."HEAVY sat down with Kakaty earlier this week to discuss the album."We're excited, man," he beamed. "It always feels like forever for you to get the album finally out there once it's done, so it's exciting times. It's our 7th album, so it's a very big deal. I can't wait to get it out and get out there playing it."While always maintaining a strong rock presence in their music, it seems that, especially of late, the band has gotten progressively heavier with each release."It's the evolution of where this band is going," he replied. "And I think when you look at your growth - and this is our 7th album - I feel like it's our best Pop Evil album, and I'll tell you why. It's basically cliche, you talk to the singer and he will tell you it's the best album (laughs), but I really feel like the albums leading up to this have allowed this to be that. We were really driven about shaping our sound and making sure we have a consistency there that is different from the previous albums. Let's go back two albums, we had a producer Kato who is one of our close friends and mentor. He ended up passing away tragically in a motorcycle accident and it really shook us. I mean, when you lose your mentor you lose your rock. A producer's everything, man. He helps you with your sound. He basically takes the band and helps us tie the loose ends together and make everything go around. We spent an album trying to search for producers and find that right person, and we found him with Drew Fulk. Drew had written Waking Lions with us and he's done a couple of songs previously but it always felt like we needed more time with him. Finally we had an opportunity with this album and he obviously saw our vision and what we were doing and once he got on board this album all started to come together." In the full interview, Leigh talks more about Skeletons musically, stripping down to the bones and capturing the energy of a live show in the studio, bringing out the best in the band and himself, working with Heart Support, their upcoming run of shows and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Mar 202316min

Interview by Kris PetersAfter a long hibernation during which time the future of the band was uncertain, Northern Irish rock outfit The Answer are back, and, as the saying goes, are back with a vengeance.But this time that phrase isn't just bandied about as an expression. It is a welcome fact.After stepping back from all things to do with The Answer last decade, the members were finally coaxed back into music after being contacted by Golden Robert Records founder Mark Alexander-Erber who is a massive fan of the band and talked them into making their seventh studio album.When the band convened at Middlefarm Studios last year it was the first time they had been together in a studio since 2015. It was a milestone that could have gone either way but thankfully for the music world at large it fell the way of creativity and thus the seeds of Sundowners were sewn.Guitarist Paul Mahon joined HEAVY on the eve of Sundowners' March 17 release to fill in the blanks. We start by mentioning that after a seven year lay off the impending release of Sundowners must almost feel like the band's debut album all over again."It does a bit," he nodded. "It definitely reminds us of back in 2005 with our first record Rise. I think having that much of a break everyone was re-energised and really excited to get going again and we couldn't have had any more fun in the studio doing it."Sundowners is a beast of a rock album, harking back to the glory days of the genre, but we press Mahon on the musical make-up of the music and what The Answer was going for on the album."We made six albums before that and then having that break we kind of had a chance to be very objective and remove ourselves from the band completely for a while," he said. "When we stopped I wasn't sure if we were gonna come back and make another record so I was kind of in the mindset that I was no longer in The Answer and it gave me a fresh perspective on what we've done before and what I really liked about it and what I wanted to do for the chance again. There's some back to basics rock and roll which got us excited in the first place. We used that as the template to get going again. We wrote it in a much different way than usual, because we started with not seeing each other for a few years so it was quite different to get going again. I think we had maybe two or three sessions writing and demoing together before COVID hit us and then that put a spanner in the works. I wasn't sure when we were gonna finish it or when we could get in the studio and we would just write once a week on zoom where we would exchange ideas then go off and work on them individually. In the Summer of 2020 we got together and demoed the stuff we'd been working on and then we didn't see each other for another year and did the same thing and then went in the studio. I think it made the songs more focussed; a bit simpler in some aspects where we might have overcomplicated things before."In the full interview, Paul talks more about the time away from the band, what changed to make them try again, releasing Sundowners on Saint Patricks Day, how it felt coming together in the studio after so long, their first gig back at last years Planet Rockstock, their upcoming shows and what to expect and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

13 Mar 202319min