The Eternal Battle Of Man Verses Camel With JASON WHALLEY From FRENZAL RHOMB

Interview by Kris PetersMr. Big have been captivating music lovers since their inception in 1988 with an irresistible blending of rock and blues music that is as infectious as it is beautiful to hear.After releasing their self-titled debut album in 1989, Mr. Big - (vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert and bassist Billy Sheehan) achieved universal breakthrough success with the follow-up Lean Into It, an album that spawned the smash single To Be With You that set Mr. Big on a collision course with destiny that has continued unabated ever since.A combination of musical brilliance, integrity and genuine love for their craft has allowed Mr. Big to perform for over three decades, but, sadly, all good things must come to an end and for Mr. Big that ending is delivered in the form of The Big Finish touring extravaganza that has wound its way around the world at select destinations from last year, winding up - at this stage - in Romania on August 27.But in true Mr. Big style, the band was not content to leave their fans with only the memories of their final live performances, but also announced their tenth studio album - appropriately named Ten - would be unleashed with a strong nod to the entire history of the band in a musical farewell that promises an eternal gateway into the sonic sensibilities of a band who may never be rivalled.With the release of Ten rapidly approaching its global birth on July 12, HEAVY had the honour of sitting down for a one-on-one with founding member Billy Sheehan to talk about the album, Mr. Big's legacy and more."It's our 10th studio record," Sheehan proudly affirmed. "There have been a lot of other records. The first time we played in Japan, we had a wonderful time. And they knew we wouldn't be coming back until the next record - which was going to be a cycle that happens - so they wanted a live record. And we didn't really have the facilities because we were on tour with Rush in America, and so the sound man took a DAT tape, a digital audio tape that they don't have many more that cost $7.95, and put it in and hit record on our show with no multi-track, no fixes, no overdubs, no nothing. So our recording budget for the whole show was $7.95 (laughs). That tape became the first Raw Like Sushi. I think in Korea it's sold like 350,000 units. I don't know how many in Japan, but I hope we recouped our investment (laughs). But it was kind of cool that it was completely real and no fixes, no turning the audience up or any of those cheaters that you can do. So we've done a lot of records. And there's a million bootlegs, too. There was a great bootleg store in Japan - I think they're long gone now - selling CDs, and they had the most amazing set of bootlegs you could imagine. I got the Band of Gypsys, Jimi Hendrix demos and rehearsals. I got Genesis', The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway demos. It's the most amazing thing, the Montrose first record, all the demos, Boston demos that led up to these iconic records. And so we'd go there after our show, and they'd already have our record with artwork for sale (laughs)."We ask Sheehan to tell us more about Ten musically."We took a break on a tour and were able to go in and record," he explained. "I was super busy and couldn't make it for the writing sessions, so I came in and just played bass and that was kind of cool. I just could go, what do you got? Okay, maybe this will work and I would put a little bass line down. The songs were very together, but it was nice to be able to just come in and create a baseline that just came from nowhere, just from my first impression of how the song went. I didn't have a lot of time to even rehearse the songs. So in a way, that was kind of good, too, because it was spontaneous and came right, I didn't think it through. Thinking often… thinking will ruin a song pretty easily. And that happens with writing a lot. You just come up with a part and like it (but) the next day you think maybe we should hold on a second. Wait a minute. We had it. And now you're changing your mind? So that was a cool way to approach it. I just went in and played bass, and we came up with some cool stuff."In the full interview, Billy discussed a range of topics related to music production and performance. He talked more about Ten and its significance as their 10th studio record. Billy provided a detailed account of the recording process for the singles Good Luck Trying and Up On You, emphasizing the value of spontaneity and avoiding overthinking when creating music.The conversation also touched on the art of song arranging and hit songwriting techniques, exploring the concept of motifs, key changes, and song structures. We discussed the deliberate use of songwriting mechanisms to create hits and the intentional avoidance of radio-friendly song titles by bands like Led Zeppelin. Additionally, he explored the importance of live performances and spontaneity in music production, emphasizing the raw energy and genuine feel that it brings to recordings, plus heaps more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Juli 202441min

Interview by Kris PetersIf you used only the sheer brutality of their music as a guide, it would be easy and highly probable to imagine Werewolves to be a serious metal band. Their music is soul-destroying and intense, pummelling your senses from every angle before regrouping to smash you in places you didn't even know existed.No shit.But when you listen to or read an interview with any of the three members - or even read the quotes in their press releases - then it becomes blatantly obvious that there is a plethora of riches simmering just below the surface that generally manifest themselves by way of humour or self-depreciation.Because Werewolves are not a by-the-numbers, regulated behemoth, They are a formidable force of nature with a laconic, Australian sense of humour who actually give little fucks to what is happening around them as long as they get to immortalise the problem in verse.Ten years ago a fresh and ambitious death metal outfit featuring three well-known musicians of the Australian heavy scene - Sam Bean (The Berzerker), Matt Wilcock (The Berzerker, Akercocke) and Dave Haley (Psycroptic, Ruins, Blood Duster) - boldly declared their intent to release one each year for the next decade.Fast-forward to today and Werewolves are about to successfully hit the halfway point with their fifth entry Die For Us, which will be released over several platforms starting with Bandcamp on July 12 then everywhere else from July 19.HEAVY caught up with vocalist/bass player Sam Bean last night to find out just how brutal album number five is going to be."This one's a little bit different," he measured when we asked how he was feeling about Die For Us. "It's a self-release this one, so there's been a lot of moving parts. Whereas with the other ones, we'd just roll up to each album release basically in a carriage with horses and the red carpet treatment (smiles), this time around there was a lot of moving, spinning plates that we were having to keep spinning. Normally, we'd already be on our victory lap even before the album is released. Now we're very much just staring at that date and crossing the fingers that all goes well. We're quite a bit more nervous this time around that everything happens as it should. As for the response for the album, we don't worry about that. We never worry about that. We've got a pretty heinous slab of death metal that we know is absolutely stupendous, and that the title track - the very first thing that anyone will hear when listening to the album - is just gonna knock both their socks off and then some. We're not worried about that. We're worried about the boring bullshit out back of house (laughs)."In the full interview, Sam talks more about the musical side of Die For Us, the brutality of their music and how the band gets that tough exterior, having Rok from Sadistik Exekution guest on one of the tracks, keeping up with their promise of one album a year for ten years, the pros and cons of releasing an album yourself, the term Caveman Death Metal that has been thrust upon them, maintaining the rage and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

10 Juli 202418min

Interview by Kris PetersThere are very few bands in the world of music that push themselves to the extremes like Mushroomhead.Their music draws from pretty much all genres of metal known to man, with sprinkles of punk, hip/hop, electronica and God knows what else thrown in for good measure. And what's more is they make it work.While not unique in their amalgamation of musical influences, Mushroomhead are streets ahead of the pack in terms of cohesiveness that defies logic given the eclectic nature of their delivery. But, again, it works.If you want proof take a listen to the band's upcoming studio album Call The Devil, which will be unleashed on the world on August 9. Loosely described in promotional material as an album that covers everything from bangers to ballads, Call The Devil is much more than that. So much so that it would be quicker to list the musical landscape NOT covered than the ones explored over the journey.To put things in perspective and delve deeper into the musical psyche of Mushroomhead, HEAVY sat down for a one-on-one with founding member Skinny that proved to be not only engaging but also more in-depth than expected.We start by asking how he is feeling about the impending release of Call The Devil."Oh man, really excited," he enthused. "Album eight was A Wonderful Life, and we released it in June 2020 and COVID came in and had its way with the world and definitely had its way with all the entertainers. I definitely felt first-hand how non-essential heavy metal drummers were at the time (laughs), so we all had to knuckle down and dig down in our spirit and say 'hey man, we wanna do this. Of course we're gonna keep doing this. It's our livelihood. It's who we are. We create music no matter if there's a world left to create for or not. We'll just do it until the day we die'. So it feels really good to be able to release an album and get out there and perform it on stage."With the continual evolution of both Mushroomhead and their sound, it only seems natural to press Skinny on what to expect this lap around the sun. "On this one, album number nine, it was just another 'let's let the music take us where it may. Let it lead'," he said. "The album's very diverse. There's a lot of doom and gloom. There's a lot of super aggressive, heavy stuff, and there's a lot of stuff in between. Super creepy, dark, typical stuff that ends up coming out of us. Whether we intend it or not, everything ends up with a creepy, heavy, dark vibe. It's just what ended up being the Mushroomhead sound. So there's plenty of that, and then we definitely stayed out of our comfort zone - if there really is one with Mushroomhead - but we tried to stay out of our own comfort zones and play with tempos and play different keys and play with non-traditional arrangements and let the music guide us. Some of it was straightforward and put together specifically for a heavy metal song and some of it is straight art that turns into dark art which we love."In the full interview, Skinny discussed Mushroomhead's music, production insights, and upcoming tours. He delved into the band's unique fusion of metal, hip-hop, punk, and electronic influences, and their commitment to authentic and diverse songwriting.Skinny also shared details about the production of the latest album, Call the Devil, including the return of guitarist Dave Felton after 10 years and the challenges of balancing male-female vocal dynamics. He also discussed the band's approach to producing their own music and the collaborative process of working with multiple drummers on the album, as well as the early days of Mushroomhead and their media-led feud with Slipknot, plus more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

10 Juli 202430min

Interview by Kris PetersNew Zealand-hailing, Melbourne-based heavy outfit Banks Arcade have always been a band who colour just outside the lines of acceptance, believing their fresh and unique outlook on the accepted parameters of music was worthy of stepping into the light of its own volition.Over a series of EP's - starting with 2018s Endnote - Banks Arcade consistently refuse to tiptoe around the broad scope of musical potential, instead preferring to brush stroke their intentions with haphazard outbursts of musical spontaneity that could quite possibly have isolated them from the increasing pack of promising outfits, but have instead earnt them a reputation as a band who aren't here to push the boundaries.They are here to smash them.Not content with the release of the Death 2 EP back in February, which preceded a national tour in May, Banks Arcade recently unleashed EP number two for the year in the shape of A Muse which finds the band shedding the expected and instead flourishing between moments of searing rock, towering hooks, dance beats and fresh explorations into heavy surrounds.HEAVY caught up with frontman Joshua O'Donnell not long before the EP dropped on June 28 to find out more. We start by asking if it is hard to maintain excitement levels for new releases with so much happening to the band."I think the excitement for me… the most excited is right when I am at the start of writing a song, and it's all happening" he measured. "When I write a song that I love I will pretty much be listening to that song every day and by the time it goes through all the process and all the finicky details you kind of get over it a little bit. But, yeah. I am more so of the mindset that you just have to keep on going and be as present and put out as much content as possible, even if you've fallen out of love with it. It's always up and down for me. Sometimes I am, sometimes I'm just, like, let's get on with it (laughs)."In the full interview Josh explains the genesis of A Muse and how it connects with Death 2, the darker nature of the music on the EP and where it came from, the story behind each of the six tracks one by one, how Banks Arcade's music has grown over their career, their hectic touring schedule and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Juli 202416min

Interview by Kris PetersMusical bonds forged over many years in the industry are almost an essential part of surviving and thriving in the cut-throat world of music.While friends and fans come and go, the mutual respect afforded band members and their bandmates is a constant despite the many troughs associated with the highs and lows of an industry that is fickle at best. It becomes an us against them mentality where only the strong flourish and is difficult to fully appreciate from anywhere but the inner sanctum.But it's there.And when that tether is severed for any reason, the resulting fallout can be too much for bands to bear. Which is why when long-time bass player and clean vocalist Kyle Erich announced his intention to leave In Hearts Wake earlier this year, the band were faced with a myriad of possibilities, with not all of them potentially returning a positive outcome.Rather than rush into finding a replacement, In Hearts Wake decided to push forward with plans for the next album, keeping things more in house and producing music that reflected their current position and state of mind.The result is Incarnation, which will be unleashed on an unsuspecting world on July 12. Far heavier than anything put out before by the band, Incarnation showcases are a more direct approach from the metalcore outfit, with the emphasis more on the harsher side of the light and shade spectrum than the light.But Incarnation is more than just a fresh beginning for In Hearts Wake. It also serves as the shadow counterpart to the band's debut album Divination, providing a previously unknown link between the birth of continued momentum that drives this group of now four individuals.With a September album promotional tour which features King810, Paleface Swiss and Gravemind, things are rapidly heating up for In Hearts Wake with no respite predicted for their near future.So, snatching the opportunity while we could, HEAVY sat down yesterday with frontman Jake Taylor to find out more."It's a culmination of our career since we were teenagers," he offered. "I think this is our sixth record and essentially our first as a four-piece, and it acts as a sequel to Divination, which came out twelve years earlier. It tells the other half of the coin."We ask Taylor whether he is feeling anxious, nervous or excited with the release date so close."None of those things," he smiled. "It's more like a hurry up, let's go thing. Get everyone up to speed is really where it's at. There's no anxious or nervousness. I know how it plays out. I know how it sounds, I know how it feels. I can't control what everyone else thinks. I just wanna get it out there so we are all on the same page."In the full interview Taylor discusses Incarnation from a musical point of view, making an album for the first time without Kyle, the decision to write and record this album as a four-piece, some of the things missing without their former bandmate, how Incarnation connects with Divination, the tarot card theme of the album, what to expect, their upcoming Incarnation tour, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Juli 202420min

Interview by Kris PetersHeavy metal and blues music have a long history that is ignored by some and refuted by others, but when push comes to shove there can be no denying the two genres can not only co-exist in the same musical realm, but also owe much of their existence to the influence of the other.This is perhaps no more evident than in the case of New Orleans sludge metal outfit EYEHATEGOD, who combine the sounds of southern rock, blues riffs and hardcore punk to create a musical division of their own that while being unashamedly metal is still a bastardised love child of centuries of history and tradition that has come before.Born into a musical climate that shunned their very existence and forced them to evolve, adapt and create unto themselves to negotiate the treacherous waters of the music industry, the band have gone on to become a dominant force, with many bands citing EYEHATEGOD as being hugely influential on their own career trajectory.They are a band with no master and therefore no guiding light other than their own darkness and have become such a pivotal catalyst in the amalgamation of musical diversity that Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan and Randy Blythe have all crossed musical paths on their journeys, with each leaving better for the experience.With EYEHATEGOD on the cusp of their first Australian tour in half a decade with Goatwhore, vocalist Mike IX sat down for a chat with HEAVY to tell us more."It's gonna get crazy," he laughed. "It will definitely get weird at some point."When talk turns to the early days of EYEHATEGOD Mike was unapologetic in regards to their early insistence to do things that made them happy, not that were considered safe or acceptable."We didn't fit in," he shrugged. "People hated us. People couldn't stand us. We had very few fans locally. The climate back then was still mostly thrash metal with bands doing the Exodus, Slayer type of thing. There was a lot of different styles, but there was some hardcore punk bands, then there was the thrash stuff. There wasn't a lot new going on at the time. We were big fans of Black Sabbath and Black Flag and all these bands, so we thought let's just do that. That's all we wanted to do."In the full interview, Mike talks more about the upcoming tour and what to expect, what has changed with EYEHATEGOD since their last visit, the name of the tour and what significance that has on what we can expect, touring with Goatwhore, putting local supports at each show, new material and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Juli 202412min

Interview by Kris PetersIt's hard to believe that two of rocks biggest musical exports of the last quarter of a century have never toured Australia before. With a combined tenancy of 50 years, ORGY and COLD are loved and revered the world over for a succession of singles including Blue Monday, Stitches, Stupid Girl and Suffocate to scratch the surface, but it is the bands' respective albums Candyass and Year Of The Spider that have seen them both stand the test of time with their integrity intact and their heads still rocking.With ORGY celebrating 25 years of Candyass and COLD two decades of their breakthrough album, the two bands have joined forces for a twin assault on this country this October with select dates in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.HEAVY caught up with founding member and frontman from ORGY Jay Gordon and guitarist Carlton Bost to find out just we should expect."Your guess is as good as mine," Bost laughed when asked why the band has neglected us for so long. "I've been there with another band, and it was amazing, so I guess better late than never for ORGY to get there. We're totally excited and just finished a two-month run with COLD, and it's a really great package."In the full interview, we discuss Orgy's upcoming tour in Australia, including the tour dates, bands they will be performing with, and the energetic stage show and setlist. We also talked about the band's history and the challenges of relearning old songs for the tour, as well as their excitement about playing new material. Jay Gordon reflected on the band's origins and their impact on the industry, including their relationship with Jonathan Davies and his label.The conversation also touched on future music releases and tour plans, including a record deal with Golden Robot Records and a partnership with the band Cold. Despite uncertainty about their fan base in Australia, the group expressed gratitude and anticipation for the upcoming shows.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Juli 202410min

Interview by Kris PetersOne look at any press release from Brisbane rock outfit Full Flower Moon Band and you know everything you need to know about their music in two words.Babyshakes Dillon.Just try and tell me that a band whose frontperson proudly wears that monicker is anything but the real deal. In all honesty when I first came across Full Flower Moon Band and was asked to speak with the band about their new release Megaflower I almost skipped on by, thinking the band name indicated strongly that Megaflower would comprise washed-up, whimsical love songs borne out of the hippy era designed to make me feel even less in touch with reality than I already am.Which provides another lesson here. Don't judge a book by its cover - or a band by its name in this case.Thankfully, I hit play on the link and instantly made a mental note to be less judgemental in the future when the sweet, blues-drenched sounds of Devil filled my ears as I rushed to press confirm on the interview request.Since releasing their 2021 EP Death Or Hell, the public has fallen in love more readily with Full Flower Moon Band, earning them the sought-after national support for The Black Crowes, allowing the band to spread their rock goodness over more of this country.2023 release Diesel Forever solidified Full Flower Moon Band's rapidly growing stature, with all indications pointing towards Megaflower - out July 19 - magnifying that acceleration even more. HEAVY sat down with Babyshakes herself to talk about the album and upcoming tour."I just came home from listening to the test pressings, and I'm feeling really good," she enthused. "I finished the record a few months ago but haven't had that break to listen to it with fresh ears until now. I had a full listen through and (laughs) for the first time can say I'm pretty proud of it."We ask Babyshakes to tell us more about the musical side of Megaflower."Our last album Diesel Forever was an album that gained us a larger audience," she offered, "and it was a heavy rock album. With this album, I really wanted to be as expansive and generous as I could in terms of it being a studio album and being genre-bending. I felt like I had two choices. I could double down on hard rock riffs and continue to… I guess play into the last record. Or I could be a little bit more adventurous and take a bigger risk. And I chose to do the latter."In the full interview, Babyshakes talks more about Megaflower and what to expect, the temptation to rehash the winning formula on Diesel Forever and how she pushed herself away from doing that, how Full Flower Moon Bands music has changed over their journey, the metamorphosis of the songs during the writing and recording process, experimenting more and trusting her instincts, the band's upcoming tour which will be their biggest yet and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Juli 202417min