Swinging The Axe With BRIAN SLAGEL From METAL BLADE RECORDS

Interview by Kris PetersCanadian death metal outfit Crytopsy have been quiet for just over a decade, seemingly lost to the world of metal.After a succession of well received albums Crytopsy remained as a force on the live circuit, but after releasing their self titled album independently in 2012 have failed to record another full length since.Since then the band has released two EPs - The Book of Suffering – Tome I (2015) and The Book of Suffering – Tome II (2018) - but it wasn't until an eventual signing with Nuclear Blast Records that their upcoming new album As Gommorah Burns (September 8) was finally given voice.Vocalist Matt McGachy sat down with HEAVY to discuss Crytopsy's absence and the new album. "It's great to be back creating full length records," he began. "Throughout the past 11 years we did drop two EPs and then we toured a lot before the pandemic, so we were extremely busy. A lot of people think not much has happened since the self titled album, but we have been extremely busy. Up until 2019 we toured a lot, and then we stopped in 2019 to write a new record and then the pandemic just added a little bit more time."We ask McGachy what has changed with Crytopsy in those 11 long years."Actually nothing has changed," he laughed, "because we have the same line-up. 2012 John was in the band and then he left and since that moment we are the same four dudes that have been touring the world together. We released The Book Of Suffering Tome 1 and Tome 2 together - those were independent - and then we signed to Nuclear blast which is where As Gomorrah is coming out. Those would be the biggest changes, that we're the longest running Cryptopsy line up and that we signed to Nuclear Blast and will be releasing a full length record coming up on September 8.In the full interview, Matt talks about the musical side of As Gommerah Burns, the singles released and how they represent the album, settling in as vocalist on this, his third album, the dark side of some of the songs and making them gel with the album as a whole, the "new era" of Cryptopsy, the conceptual thread on the album, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

5 Sep 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersThe pairing of Evergrey's Tom. S. Englund and acclaimed US-based pianist/composer Vikram Shankar (Redemption, Lux Terminus) might at first seem like a strange combination, but once you have taken the time to digest the sheer beauty that is the music of Silent Skies things fall easily into perspective.Over the course of two previous albums Silent Skies have set about dismantling convention and expectation by painting sonically rich landscapes of musical clarity that resonate long after each listen.The band returned earlier this week with their third album Dormant, an album which shows yet another metamorphosis of their combined vision.Shankar and Englund both spoke with HEAVY on the eve of the release of Dormant."We think that it's our best statement yet," Shanker obliged, "and a level up pretty much in all of the ways that characterize what we do.""We spent, honestly, an unhealthy amount of time on this album," Englund added. "We've been into every detail, because that's something we really enjoy doing. Now it's time to leave it for the world to enjoy instead of us having to be in it and fiddle around with stuff that we no longer can affect. Hopefully people enjoy it. Honestly, we are super, super happy with what we have accomplished on this album."In the full interview, we discuss Dormant musically, the singles released and how they represent the album as a whole, new elements on the album and ways they approached recording, the cinematic aspect to their music, how Dormant differs to the first two albums, how much musical growth Silent Skies have left in them, more about Vikram and his musical pedigree, why they started the band, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

5 Sep 202311min

Interview by Kris PetersThrashville has quickly become one of the must-attend music festivals on the Australian calendar.Not only is it situated miles away from any form of civilised life – meaning noise restrictions and the like are non-existent – but it is also a damn good festival featuring a splattering of the best in Australian music from major headliners through to up-and-comers.With this year’s line-up – set down over September 8 and 9 at Dashville in the Hunter Valley – comprising a host of talent including CIVIC, Shady Nasty, Crocodylus, Bloody Hell, Downgirl, Wildheart, Operation Ibis, Deadshowws and more, it is the reuniting of two of this countries heavyweight acts that is generating most interest.Progressive rock outfit COG and funk/rock/metal masters Mammal headline over both nights, continuing their successful partnership at the top of concert-goers wish lists.HEAVY caught up with COG drummer Lucius Borich to find out what they have planned for the show, starting with the fact Thrashville is pretty much in the middle of nowhere."It's perfect for us," Borich smiled. "The Great Outdoors. Maybe it comes from watching that show The Leyland Brothers when we were younger or something... there's also a bit of that touring a lot back in the day we would go to a lot of places that were not just in the cities as well. We all love getting off grid so to speak and connecting with nature and getting out there, and I think to play music in that kind of environment is pretty good. It's the right fit. We've always been inspired by the natural realm and that is infused in a lot of our music as well. It looks like it's gonna be a good spot."COG have a well earned reputation as one of the best live acts getting around, so the spaces of the outdoor environment with no noise restrictions should elevate the band to yet another level."We'll just do what we love to do best I guess, and hopefully the power will stay on and the generators won't break," Borich laughed, "and we'll be able to get through the set unscathed and have a top night. To do more of those community based gigs in those environments and help the music industry in those regions and bring some quality music to those parts of Australia is a much needed thing and we love doing it. If it's right, if the dates are right and the timing is right we're all about it. We love doing that."In the full interview, Lucius talks more about what COG will deliver at Thrashville, the importance of Australian only festival lineups, renewing their long term association with Mammal, negotiating each respective bands views on life, politics and society, new music in the works, the new vinyl album editions and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Sep 202332min

Interview by Kris PetersOsaka Punch are one of those once in a generation bands that would be perfect for ANY line up or concert.Their music is a force unto itself, mixing jazz, rock, metal, piano lounge vibes and an eclectic nature often tried but seldom mastered.Until now.If you live in Queensland then you definitely have at least heard of Osaka Punch, but if you live anywhere else in the world and have managed to escape the hype these guys have generated over the last decade then you are about to be baptised with the impending release of Mixed Ape, Osaka Punch's "official" debut album.Featuring all of the above musical nuances with even more spectacular surprises, Mixed Ape is an absolute gem in every way, harnessing Osaka Punches elusive on stage chemistry and humour with an array of styles and influences that have to be heard to be fully appreciated.HEAVY sat down for a chat with frontman Jack Muzak earlier this week to take us deeper into the crazy world that is Osaka Punch."We did an album with Voodoo Love machine but we recorded it as another band when we were Kidney Thieves," Muzak cleared up. "So ages and ages ago we were a band called Kidney Thieves and another band called Kidney Thieves tried to sue us and threatened to kick us off the face of the planet, so we had to change our name and we changed it just as we were releasing that album. Also, just as we were moving overseas to the U.K, so it was kind of all bad timing. We went overseas, released the album as Osaka Punch and then while we were in the U.K recorded an EP and then that was done in Liverpool. We released that when we got back from the U.K, so we're not very smart at how to release things. It's like, 'here, have this. See ya later, we're going somewhere else'. (laughs). So this is the first one that we're actually doing right. We recorded it in Brisbane, we're releasing it, we're touring it, we're doing it right. We're finally going to have something to tour properly which is cool."Sound confusing? Welcome to Osaka Punch..."There's a whole bunch of songs that didn't make it onto this album," he continued, "which will make it onto the next one. The ones that made it onto this one... first of all, we wanted it to show the eclectic nature of the band. We wanted to show all of the different facets that we do. Every song has either been written by one different member and then added to by others, or written entirely by all four members which kind of is what gives it that... makes them all sound so different. For example, Too Old For This Shit, I basically wrote that on the computer with the vocals and everything and then for the big band swing jazz section I got a mate of mine from the Jazz Music Institute to arrange the big band section so that song was almost entirely written by myself and Travis Jenkins, who is an absolute jazz genius, and then the boys put their own flair onto it. But other songs like Hekyll & Jive - which is the last track instrumental - we all put our brains in and wrote it completely together. The good thing about different brains behind it is we all listen to different music. I listen to funk and more on the jazz spectrum, the bass player listens to a lot of heavier and instrumental stuff, Chrispy the guitarist listens to literally everything but a lot more metal guitars so it kind of brings it all together into this weird, eclectic mix which is cool. To be honest, I would say the songs that were ready first, were the ones that made it on the album (laughs). I'd like to say there was a lot of thought went into it..."In the full interview, Jack talks more about what to expect from Mixed Ape, the styles that went into it, finding the balance between so many influences, the urban myth surrounding the Mixed Ape, the infamous black dildo that seems to make its way into most film clips and where it currently resides, their upcoming tour and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Sep 202326min

Interview by Kris PetersAustralian Industrial metal outfit Our Last Enemy are on the cusp of releasing their latest EP As Within So Without, which will be set free on September 22 after being pushed back from August 18.The EP follows and is the companion piece to 2021s As Above So Below, which was a commercial and critical success.Once more produced by two-time ARIA nominee DW Norton and featuring the legendary John Sankey (Fear Factory, Divine Heresy) on drums, As Within So Without is an introspective 5 track release that perfectly encapsulates the past, present and future of Our Last Enemy.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Wade Norris to find out more, starting with the release delay."Everything's fine," he assured us. "We just wanted a bit more time in the oven to make sure we get the release right. We've got a few things coming out with it that we're lining up and we thought a few extra weeks won't hurt anything."Which leads us to enquiring about the modern trend of releasing music with release schedules based around release schedules and the like."The other thing is you've got to try and line up shows around releases," he expanded, "and it's getting harder and harder for bands out there to find available venues. You also don't want to clash with the absolute torrent of international bands that are coming over. The environment we're in with venues closing and venues that can't afford to take a risk on a heavy metal night is wild."In the full interview, Wade talks more about the musicality of As Within So Without, having C.J McMahon from Thy Art Is Murder guest on one of the songs, runs through each of the five tracks individually and explains the meaning behind them, having John Sankey on drums, the pressures and expectation of success, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

1 Sep 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersFor a band who only released their debut EP Global Suicide a couple of years ago, Norwegian metalcore outfit Fixation are making big waves in the current music scene.After recent performances at festivals like Tons of Rock (NO) The Great Escape (UK), Summer Breeze (DE), as well as tour dates with well-established acts like Leprous, Smash Into Pieces and Djerv, Fixation are now ready to unleash their debut full length album on the world, More Subtle Than Death.Their unique blend of electronic elements, stadium rock, and post-metal, combined with their emotionally charged and thought-provoking lyrics creates a rollercoaster of melancholic aggression that leaves audiences wanting more - which shall be provided on September 8 when their demon child is borne unto this Earth.HEAVY caught up with frontman Jonas Hansen to find out more."I'm both excited and anxious," he revealed. "It's been such a long time coming now. We've been working on it for three years - or we started working on it in 2020 - and having it finally in my hands... it's insane. The fact that we're releasing it next week is crazy. I can't believe it."We ask him to tell us more about what Fixation were striving for musically on the album."For this album - it's our debut album - we started this band a long time ago, we actually started in High School when we were 15 back in 2011," he offered. "We tried a couple of different things. All the guys have different musical backgrounds of what they listen to and what they play, so I think this album is a combination of everything that we have been listening to throughout the years and also trying to find a middle ground for what the five of us like now and how we want Fixation to sound. I think everyone has brought something from their past to create this sound. I don't think we tried to go for anything particular. We just made music that we felt was something we like. Maybe we have one ballad here or orchestral song there and maybe a more upbeat rock song or heavy music here... so I think the album was a combination of everything we wanted to make without specifically thinking we should make this type of sound or that type of sound. It just happened."In the full interview, Jonas talks more about what to expect from More Subtle Than Death, where the title comes from, the singles released and how they represent the rest of the album, how it differs musically to their debut EP, the opening track and what it means, supporting Devin Townsend and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Aug 202315min

Interview by Kris PetersBrisbane masters of noise New Clear Vision returned for our listening pleasure last year with a fresh line-up and renewed vigor.A mainstay on the music scene for a number of years, New Clear Vision took a break that many hoped would be fleeting, with frontman and all round nice guy Brad Bromfield promising there was more to come.And hasn't he delivered on his promise!When NCV returned to our stages last year expectation was high. This was a band whose live show borders on legendary, with a full nuclear wasteland type visual component offset by ferocious and scathing lyrics delivered with a rap/metal/nu-metal hybrid unlike anything to come out of the Australian music scene in perhaps forever.Now, with Daniel, Brodie and Zac on board, Bromfield has managed to elevate the legend that is NCV even more, delivering pulsating recent performances that has seen the band added to the whole upcoming Nu Metal Mayhem tour which features Anders Colsefni (Slipknot) and Wayland Reavis (Mushroomhead).But, before that, New Clear Vision are set to explode your senses with a crushing new single The New Rage, which will be premiered via HEAVY at midday, August 31.Bromfield sat down with HEAVY to take us further into the world of New Clear Vision.WARNING: PLACE EAR MUFFS ON CHILDREN BEFORE LISTENING"It's been nearly three years," he almost sighed when asked how long it has been since New Clear Vision have released new music. "It's very, very exciting. It's a better product - and that's no disrespect to anyone that's been there before - but we're finding the sound that I wanted 6, 7, 8 years ago."We ask Bromfield to delve deeper into the musical side of The New Rage."We were supposed to release it when we did the show at Caloundra earlier this year," he explained, "but thank fuck we didn't because we hadn't had it... there's now some samples at the start and some different shit there thast we've never done. I won't say too much about it, but it's hitting those nu-metal vibes that we're all about and always have been. Decisions were made just before we were gonna release it so we had a few things and different ideas. And, again, thank fuck we did because now it's a product of what we represent and what we always should have been."In the full interview, Brad talks more about the musicality of The New Rage, how they have changed the song from it's initial version, releasing it as audio first and why, the planned film clip and what it entails, how The New Rage kicks off a proposed trilogy of sorts, introduces us to the new members and what they bring to NCV, the upcoming run of shows as part of Nu Metal Mayhem, a new album and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

31 Aug 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersBad Manners are ska/punk royalty.Period.No arguments, no debates, just pure, simple fact.With a track listing including Lip Up Fatty, Special Brew, Walking In The Sunshine, Lorraine, Just A Feeling, My Girl Lollipop, Inner London Violence and of course the ultimate knees up Can Can, Bad Manners peaked back in the late 1970s but their enduring legacy has seen them survive all that Father Time has thrown their way as the band fronted by the legendary Buster Bloodvessel gears up for Australian assault with a Greatest Hits Tour this October.Buster joined HEAVY earlier this week to run us through the life and times and future of Bad Manners."We are coming to tour your lovely country and eat all your pies," was his initial greeting.Which was followed up by, "I don't really care if I offend anybody, but I'm not really an offensive person. I can be if it's pointed in my direction (laughs)."We move on to the setlist, which, of course, is made up of fan favourites, but we ask Buster if there would be much difference to the songs played if he was to choose his own personal favourites."Not quite, but not far from it," he measured. "I mean, all the songs we do live are usually my favourites. Songs that make people dance have always worked for me."In the full interview, Buster tells us what we can expect from the shows, what he never leaves home on tour without, the early days of Bad Manners and where they fit in, his early vision for the band and how it has changed since, what he feels was the best time period for the band, making allowances on stage as you get older, some of his personal highlights, changing with the music scene, his top three commandments of punk and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

30 Aug 202314min