Where Legends Are Born With JOAKIM BRODEN From SABATON

Interview by Kris PetersThe world lost a true legend earlier this year, when vocalist/guitarist John Sykes - Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Tygers Of Pan Tang - lost his battle with cancer. While his legacy endures thanks to the music he created, the world has still lost a musical innovator and pioneer with a gift for writing timeless music.Around eight years ago, Sykes entered into a contract with then-fledgling music label Golden Robot Records, agreeing to terms for a new album to be released through the company. But over the ensuing few years and as life and circumstances got in the way, all that was honoured by Sykes in that contract was four songs, written by him with a view to completing a full album down the track, that have until now remained locked away from the world in their original demo state.Since Sykes' passing, the label has gone to the vault and dusted off the cobwebs and had them professionally remixed and remastered by Aussie legendary producer Paul Gommersall (Paul Weller, George Michael, GNR).Paying respect to the music and legacy of John Sykes, Golden Robot decided to allow the music world at least six months to grieve the loss of Sykes before announcing their intentions to release the four songs - the first new music from Sykes in a quarter of a century - as a four-track EP.It was a decision taken with much respect to the situation, the man, and his music, but ultimately one which Golden Robot Records believes serves the best interests of fans and enables them to release material which was to form the nucleus of a full body of work.Golden Robot Global Entertainment’s Mark Alexander-Erber sat down with HEAVY to talk us through the release and the history behind four tracks, which could well be the final recording the world hears from a man who has shaped so much of its history."John was introduced to me during the formative days of Golden Robot Records’ journey in Los Angeles," Mark explained. "The label officially launched around 2015, and by 2017 we had entered into an agreement with John for a full-length studio album. The original contract was straightforward — John was to deliver a minimum of ten tracks for a complete album.""As per the terms of the agreement, we made an initial payment to John, and everything was progressing well. John preferred to work at his own creative pace, which we respected. The understanding was that upon delivery of additional material, a second tranche of payment would be made. However, as time went on, it became clear that what we had originally paid for and what was ultimately being delivered were two very different things.""That said, we approached the situation the way we always have at Golden Robot — through open communication and a commitment to the relationship. Like many bands we worked with in those early years, it was never just about rigid contractual enforcement; it was about navigating challenges together in good faith.""In the end, what we received were four absolutely outstanding demos — powerful, compelling tracks that truly reflect John’s immense talent and artistic voice. While it wasn’t the full album we initially set out to produce, those recordings have tremendous value, and we’re proud to be the ones bringing them to the world."In the full interview, Mark provided detailed insights into his professional relationship with John Sykes, which commenced in 2017. He acknowledged that while not all contractual obligations were fulfilled to the letter, all parties involved reached mutual compromises in good faith. Mark expressed sincere appreciation for their personal and professional relationship, noting the importance of approaching sensitive matters with discretion and respect.The discussion also included specifics regarding the forthcoming 4-track EP, which will feature two previously unreleased songs along with remastered versions of two existing tracks. Mark confirmed that the estate of the late artist will receive the royalties as stipulated under the terms of the agreement.He conveyed confidence in the artistic and technical quality of the recordings, stating that the work pays a respectful and authentic tribute to John’s legacy. The release strategy includes the rollout of two singles ahead of the EP, with the first single scheduled for release in late June through Golden Robot Records on a global basis.We discussed Mark's personal relationship with John and the decision to delay releasing the songs after John's death, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Mai 14min

Words by Angela CroudaceUK death metal giants Ingested are returning to Australian shores, and drummer Lyn Jeffs gave HEAVY the inside scoop on what fans can expect. After their tour in 2023 alongside Archspire, the band was blown away by the warm reception and immediately knew they had to come back — this time for a headlining run.“We always wanted to come over and do a headliner,” Lyn shared. “The Aussie crowds were amazing — really good energy, and we made solid connections with bands like Melancholia and Werewolves. It just felt right.”Ingested’s recent shift back to a five-piece line up has brought fresh energy and creativity to both the stage and studio. With the addition of guitarist Andrew and bassist Tom, the band embraces a more collaborative approach to writing and performance. “It’s way more dynamic now,” said Lyn. “We’ve got new perspectives, and it’s even influencing the sound. There’s a section in the new track ‘Ultra Flesh’ that’s just bass — something we’ve never done before.”Their physical and mental preparation for tours has evolved over the years, too. Gone are the hard-partying days of trying to live out Pantera-style tour videos.Now, Lyn sticks to yoga, running, and a gym routine to stay stage-ready. “Playing the kind of music we do is like a sport,” he said. “It’s not normal to play these tempos — it’s f***ing stupid really — but if you prepare well, you can still perform at your best.”The band is embracing this tour as a way to connect their evolving sound with their roots. Expect older tracks to return to the set list, now that they’ve got longer headline slots.Despite their brutal sound, Lyn reminds us not to judge a book by its cover. “People expect us to be scary or into horror 24/7,” he laughs. “But most of us are just regular people who like football, cycling, or different kinds of music.”With their grounded approach and renewed energy, Ingested’s return to Australia promises to be a tour that fans — and the band — won’t soon forget.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Mai 16min

Interview by Kris PetersSince bursting onto the sonic landscape in 2010, Melbourne metal machine Ocean Grove have pushed every conceivable musical boundary known to man, and, more importantly, made a successful transition on each occasion. Blending elements of nu metal, hardcore and alternative rock to create a sound that is uniquely their own - dubbed Oddworld Music - Ocean Grove have consistently challenged themselves and their fans in search for their ultimate sound, but one gets the feeling the band are only now just scratching the surfaces of what they can ultimately achieve.Ticking off their first headline tour in Australia since the release of their 2024 album ODDWORLD next month, Ocean Grove will pay homage to their past and present via their Odd Label Tour, with 2025 marking the 10 year anniversary of the band's iconic second EP Black Label, and the upcoming headline shows also set to feature founding OG members Luke Holmes and Matthew Kopp (Running Touch) performing each night.Ocean Grove frontman Dale Tanner joined HEAVY from a baseball game while on tour in the US to discuss the tour and the growth of Ocean Grove."We've been playing some of the old stuff at soundcheck, and it's really exciting," he enthused. "The boys go up on stage, and I get to stand on the floor and be a participant in it and witness what it's going to be like. And I'm hearing these songs that we haven't played live in a very long time once again being performed with this new life and this new energy that we have now as a current live band. These songs are going to get performed in a way they have never been played before."In the full interview, Dale talks more about the run of shows and what we can expect, the challenge of playing two albums live, learning old material with newer songs and if that makes Ocean Grove reflect on their musical journey, selling out shows a month in advance and what that does for the band's confidence levels, the decision to have Luke Holmes and Matthew Kopp join the tour and what it will bring to the sound, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Mai 14min

Interview by Kris PetersChasing Ghosts have traversed a multitude of styles and genres over the course of their career, ranging from solo material to punk fuelled anthems to their current blending of indie rock and punk, but the one thing that has remained consistent with all of their work is the bands unflinching search for understanding and resolution, particularly in matters pertaining to Indigenous people and their culture.Frontman Jimmy Kyle - a Thungutti man who has emerged as one of Australia’s most important voices in recent years - openly wears his heart through his lyrics, verbalizing topics and situations that are generally shied away from or pushed aside by most bands and musicians. Since the release of Chasing Ghosts' debut album Confessions From A Phone Booth in 2011, Kyle has successfully and poignantly married introspection with boldness as his stories confront, deconstruct and illuminate the challenging realities of being an Indigenous Australian; while also championing human persistence, the ability to overcome, and the recognition of beauty in even the most flawed.The bands new album, Therapy, which is released on May 16, further highlights the thoughts and feelings of Chasing Ghosts, tackling issues from domestic abuse to the mental health crisis in a confronting yet sensible way which only accentuates the strength of character and conviction that has strengthened the band and their music over the years.HEAVY sat down with Kyle to discuss Therapy in greater detail."I think it's definitely a lot more upbeat," he replied when asked to describe Therapy musically. "As you know, the Chasing Ghosts story is, I guess, acoustic punk troubadour leaves hardcore music and goes solo (laughs). It has come full circle where this is a heavier record. It's sonically a lot more polished than and bigger than anything we've done before. And the songs felt like the next progression coming out of Homeland; the next progression was kind of like, where can this go?""We had done a real lo-fi, very Melbourne sounding mix for Homelands, and then Therapy is a very produced - very shiny is the word that I tend to use - kind of polished record. And it was a real pleasure to do something different because I'd always had a history in recording the earlier records in the analogue way. So now have we not only moved into the digital realm, finally, but we've moved into it sort of with no rules, just leaning right into a modern process, and so we could give some contrast and personality difference between the other releases."In the full interview, Jimmy provided an overview of Therapy, describing it as a significant evolution in their sound. He discussed the themes of the album, which stem from his personal journey through therapy, addressing issues such as insomnia and domestic violence, and aimed at fostering understanding among listeners. The conversation also included details about the Therapy Australia tour, scheduled from June 6 to June 14, featuring a mix of classic songs and new tracks.We also discussed the meanings behind some of the songs and their significance to modern society, whether he feels people are starting to accept his messages, how Therapy represents the next chapter for Chasing Ghosts and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Mai 25min

For too long now, parents have had trouble convincing their children that rock and metal are the way to go, not pop and the likes. It is a never ending battle of guidance, but one that is generally destined to failure from the outset. Parents the world over have agonised on how to introduce decent music to their children's lives, and now, thanks to a new band emerging from the US, their prayers may have been answered.By converting Disney classic tunes to the dark side, Metal Mouse are using already known and loved songs for children to their advantage by adding a touch of metal madness to songs from family films such as The Little Mermaid, Frozen and The Lion King. It is an ingenious idea that is sure to at least appeal to the next generation of music lovers.Fronted by American Idol alum James Durbin, Metal Mouse taps into Disney nostalgia with the flair and theatrics of glam rock. What began as a “what-if” idea has struck a chord, especially with millennial women who grew up on Disney - and men who never gave up on hair metal.Durbin and band creator/manager Alex Pels sat down with HEAVY to discuss this exciting new creation and how Metal Mouse plans to convert as many youngsters as possible to real music."We're trying to make the connection between heavy and Disney," Pels explained. "James and I both love metal. We're both involved with tons of other metal kinds of music, but we realised that the Disney songs - in addition to being excellently written by great songwriters - the themes and the chord progressions and everything else lend themselves to a heavy architecture."It's such a simple idea, but one which has never been tried on this scale before."I've been doing a lot of heavy metal in the last five or six… even longer than that, eight years," Durbin relayed. "I was with Quiet Riot for a couple of years and have put out a couple of heavy metal albums over the last few years with different projects. So, metal has been seeping through my system. It's difficult, because sometimes there can be such a thing as too much metal - a metal overload - and metal isn't widely accepted by everybody, but here's a perfect way to make it accessible to people. With songs that are already known mixed with the classic 80s music and hair of the day, mixed with this beautifully arranged music… it's a blessing."In the full interview we discuss the genesis of Metal Mouse, how easy Disney songs convert to metal, the selection process for songs, the live show and what it looks and sounds like, future plans for Metal Mouse and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Mai 23min

Interview by Jack HarlenMelbourne Metal Mates, an online community for metalheads to go to shows together as gig buddies, comes together for its one-year anniversary as they host a (free) gig on May 4 at The Bendigo Hotel. The line up includes Melbourne metal staples, including performances from Hybrid Nightmares, Vault Hill, The Incantus and All Monsters Are Human. HEAVY spoke with creator and founder Kat Wartooth about the creation and rapid ascension of the Melbourne Metal Community and what this unexpected success means for both herself, the fans and the bands of Melbourne's heavy music scene. In the interview we explore how the gig came to be and the connection to each band as well as the possibility of creating a tradition well after their first anniversary celebration. Kat also touches on the hardships and initial anxieties of starting a gig group before experiencing the influx of like-minded, heavy music enjoyers who latched on to the group's values and sense of community and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Mai 15min

Interview by Kris PetersBrisbane groove metal outfit Awaken The Hate are a band in transition. Transition within themselves, their membership, their direction and their sound.But one thing they are not, at least internally, is a band in conflict. Far from it.As a band, their vision for the future is clearer than ever, their goals resolute. For Awaken The Hate, the future is now, and is coming off the back of a trilogy of singles dubbed Death. War. Fire that was recently completed with the release of the third and final single, Planet Death.Each of the three songs, started by Reign Of Fire before Contradiction Of War seconded the trilogy and Planet Death rounded things out, portrays a subtle changing of musical landscape for Awaken The Hate and casts an ominous eye into what the future holds for those who dare to follow.Concluding this ambitious new movement for the band, Awaken The Hate next week take the new tracks on the road for their first full national tour, starting in Perth on May 8 before hitting Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney over consecutive days. Welcome to Awaken The Hate, and board the train if you have the mettle.HEAVY was joined earlier today by frontman Benno and drummer Ryan to dive deeper into the Death. War. Fire trilogy and what it means for Awaken The Hate moving forward."Steve, who started Awaken The Hate, made the decision at the end of last year to step away," Benno began. "That was all for his personal reasons. These were the last of the three songs that he wrote with the band, and we thought this would be a fitting way to say goodbye. He actually came back to record them with us. He's still a very good friend of the band, and the door's always open if he ever wants to come back.""Planet Death is environmental, Contradiction of War is very political, and then Reign of Fire is a bit more spiritual about the whole thing," he continued, focusing on the three songs. "So that's what the concept about it was, and then releasing them as a trilogy was to say thanks to Steve and also finally get a bit more than two tracks out there for people (laughs)."In the full interview, we focused more on their recent single releases, particularly Planet Death, which received positive feedback from band members. We discussed the trilogy of singles honouring former member Steve, with each song addressing different themes. Reign of Fire was highlighted for its unique inspiration and straightforward approach, while Contradiction of War, released on Anzac Day, aimed to honour veterans and provoke thought about military service. We talked about recording thir latest tracks live, enhancing the emotional resonance, and are eager to test new material during their upcoming national tour. We also chat about balancing their music careers with personal responsibilities while engaging audiences and supporting local acts, plus more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Mai 19min

Interview by Kris PetersThe Murdering roared back to life in June last year, releasing the track Finality and breaking an eight-year drought that saw the band release nothing since their 2016 EP From Hell. While many bands had come and gone over that period, if you were a fan of the heavier side of metal, then you still remembered The Murdering.After establishing a loyal, rabid fan base due largely to From Hell and the ferocity of their live shows, The Murdering fell off the proverbial radar for the best part of ten years. Not broken up. Not disbanded. Just simply not playing or actively recording.While to many of us they are all the same thing, not so for the members of The Murdering knew their day in the flames would come once more, if not when exactly, but the seeds of melancholy had been planted far too deep for there not to be a continuation of some sort.Finality reignited the hunger and set The Murdering on a collision path with a collection of songs based around the crimes and passion of a serial killer under the guise of Death Process, a five-part tale of death and decay to be released sometime this year.Having already released the devastatingly brutal Daemon Eater, The Murdering have decided to brush off the remaining cobwebs and set this year's Necrosonic Festival on August 23 at Brisbane's Mansfield Tavern as the day the music world once more bows down to the masters of death.HEAVY sat down with vocalist Joel for a chat about the re-emergence of The Murdering and their first live show in nine years at Necrosonic Festival."It's a killer lineup so far," he smiled. "Obviously, there's a second wave to come out for it as well, and I think people are going to be pretty psyched when they see who's on that second announcement."With a handful of bands playing at Necrosonic - including Beanflipper, DaysEnd and Brace - being metaphorically brought back from the dead, we ask Joel if The Murdering fall into the category of one of the undead after so long away from the scene."I wouldn't say we're back from the dead," he laughed. "It was more just a very long continuation of what we were doing before we stopped doing it, I guess. I haven't even really thought of it that way, to be honest with you (laughs). We're just happy to be on the bill. Like I say, we haven't played a live show in a very long time, and we've got some really good material coming out at the moment. We've not got any expectations on anything. It's just going to be a day to have a good time and just knock the dust off."In the full interview, Joel emphasized the importance of music loving promoters like Kent Bartley (organizer of Necrosonic) in fostering connections within the music community, highlighting the flow on benefits for heavy metal bands and music in this country. He expressed enthusiasm for the festival and shared insights about their upcoming EP, Death Process, which features a narrative centred on a fictional serial killer and aims to create a cohesive audio-visual experience.We spoke about The Murdering's recent collaboration with The Amenta, what fans can expect from their live show, future plans for the band and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 Apr 13min