Beyond The Abyss With LEE JENNINGS From THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT

Interview by Kris PetersSouth East Queensland metal outfit Distorted Views made a massive impact on the local music scene with their debut single Propoganda in early 2021, with their blending of metal and rap elements managing to transcend the tried and true formula into something refreshingly unique and original.Since then they have released a couple of equally as impressive tracks in Suffocate and Glitch, but haven't cracked that next level they are undoubtedly capable of.After a quiet 2022 which saw the band play only one live show, Distorted Views took stock of the band and themselves and elected to streamline the project into a three piece, enlisting Zach on vocals and promoting Cameron to lead guitars with Jordan steadfast behind the kit.Understanding the transitional phase ushered in by these changes Distorted Views are adopting a steady approach to reigniting their aural assault, starting with the recently released single Interference.Cameron sat down with HEAVY earlier today to bring us up to speed."We've had a few people message us that aren't directly friends or family," he smiled when asked about the reception for Interference, "which I always love because it's a neutral opinion. You always feel like your friends and family are guaranteed to say it's awesome (laughs) so when you get people telling you they're chucking it on their gym playlist or it pumps them up then that's awesome to hear. It's in Drop E, which is, at this point in time, the lowest song we've recorded so it's quite low there, especially in the middle with that breakdown. It's a dissonant note in Drop E so it's bloody heavy."We push Cameron on the musical aspect of Interference and what the band were going for with it."Essentially, we wanted to blend low tuning stuff but still have some sort of melody in there," he measured, "and not just be constant chuggs. As much as we all love the chugging and that heavy part it provides more dynamics when you create those leads and stuff. It was originally meant to be dual guitar, but now I'm just gonna use a pitch shifter being that I'm the only one playing it now. In regards to the song, it's just something to hype you up. It's about that attitude of whatever you want to do in life and not letting anyone try to say 'why are you doing that? You should be doing this'. That's why in the lyrics it says 'You push me, I push back, that's the way it'll be'. It's got that grit to it but at the same time it's got that melodic element as well."In the full interview Cameron talks us through Interference in more detail, talks about the new look three piece Distorted Views and what it means for the band, how it will affect their sound, how the band has changed musically from Propoganda to now, reinventing their live sound, playing more shows, drip feeding new material, their podcast Something To Scream About and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

4 Jan 202310min

Interview by Jimmy GlinsterHEAVY had the honour of conducting backstage interviews with a selection of bands for the final Good Things Festival show in Brisbane recently, which we are going to drip-feed you just because we can!One of the highlights - especially for Jimmy - was getting to chat with the legendary Dino Cazares who was playing guitar with Soulfly for the tour. After a rocky start which included Dino getting blasted by Gloria Cavalera and his tour manager, things soon settled into an entertaining chat.The sound quality may be affected in patches due to the interviews being recorded live with a full festival raging behind us, but sit back and enjoy the fully immersive experience of each band as they navigate the day. They are also sparsely edited for maximum effect.Full video interviews will be published in the near future.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

30 Dec 202211min

Interview by Kris PetersSunshine Coast based metal outfit Dying Sun are seasoned enough musicians to understand the notion that sometimes you don't have to go like a bull at a gate to make an impact.Often it is more beneficial to step back, take stock, and assess the landscape before rushing in.Comprised of current and former members of bands like Misery, Laceration Mantra and Motorized, the musical pedigree spread throughout the band members is the perfect platform from which to launch a sustained and, more importantly, successful career.After recently releasing their second album Black Coven, Dying Sun also took to the road for the first time as a band, playing with PistonFist and Lucifungus across three dates covering the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Despite the sudden rush of activity vocalist Matt D stresses Dying Sun are still very much a work in progress, especially for the near future as Misery hit the road for an anniversary tour.Matt sat down with HEAVY to tell us more, starting with the early reception for Black Coven."We've got lots of good feedback so far," he smiled. "It's pretty early days, but we're happy with the feedback. We got some really good feedback from a couple of peeps about the sound of the album."Of course, if people are saying good things about the album then it has a lot to do with the musical component on the finished product, with Matt delving a little deeper into what Dying Sun were actually going for sonically."We didn't have any big plans for it," he measured, "apart from we wanted it to be better than the first album, of course, which is probably what every band says (laughs). I just wanted it to sound a little more cohesive, particularly moving between the songs and the dynamic of the album. We feel like we've got a pretty good dynamic range happening there amongst the songs, with different topics and different sounds."In the full interview, Matt talks more about Black Coven, how it differs musically to their debut album DoomdayCometh, the fantastic artwork, what each band member brings to Dying Sun based on their experience in other bands, the staggered release schedule of Black Coven and why they chose to do it that way, finding the balance in music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

27 Dec 20229min

South Florida based hard rock outfit Wolffpack understand the true value in the rich history of rock music.Not only do they perform music deeply rooted in the classic era of hard rock from the 1970s and 80s, but they also share that deference to timeless music with a seasoned and experienced lineup that includes bass player/producer Rey Montecristo - who has previously had record deals with Universal and Sony Music, former Scott Stapp drummer Derek Cintron and legend-in-the-making vocalist Alec Wolff. Realising the need to bring that era of music into the modern age, Wolffpack also enlisted two of the worlds brightest young guitarists in Julez Mason and Ace Long (both 21 years old).Although in their infancy, Wolffpack had made such a big impression on the local touring circuit that they recently became the first band signed to Big Red Records - a new offshoot of Big Red Communications - a company already successful in the fields of hospitality and US festivals.That, coupled with the fact the band are preparing to release their first music video for their song Fly, which is taken from a planned debut album release in the first half of 2023, makes Wolffpack a definite rising star for next years music pool.Wolff and Montecristo both joined HEAVY for a refreshingly laid-back and confident chat earlier this week."The whole ideology on this band is to have more of the classic feel - the real rock - not what is going on out there when Daddy has some money to produce some kids with bad songs," Wolffe began. "We cover the old vibe that you need some great songs and great music, so you can actually pull it off in the music business."We turn our attention to Fly and how it's coming along."It's great," Montecristo enthused. "I'm more of a writer. I'm the oldest guy in the band. I've had a couple of record deals. When Wolffe approached me I said you have to get a bunch of kids to play with you, I'm too old, and he said I love the way you play bass, I love the way you produce and your writing, so he asked me to do it, and I'm really glad I did. My last band was a country band and then COVID came in and I had already started managing other artists and producing, but he got me back in the game and I really love it. As far as the music video, I told them let's do a concept video. So it's something like… have you seen the movies for John Wick? It's something like that. He's gonna be like The Transporter transporting a secret case with something in it - nobody knows what - and he gets jumped by a gang of people with masks called The Brotherhood. They chase him down, then they fight with him, he gets in a Lamborghini and runs away, and they chase him. He ends up at the club where the band is playing, and he gets on stage and plays with them. Then at the end, he ends up escaping again and delivering the case to the head boss of the mafia."HEAVY cheekily asks if we ever find out what is in the case to which Montecristo replied, smiling "that's a secret. You've gotta watch the video."In the full interview, the guys talk about the pressures of making a music video, the musical direction of Fly, a couple more songs planned as singles, the whole album and how it sounds, signing with Big Red Records and what it means to them as a band, handling the dual roles of producer and member, putting their own spin on a classic rock sound and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

26 Dec 202226min

Interview by Kris Peters.It seems inconceivable that a major international band could be on the world touring circuit for over three decades and never played a note in anger in Australia.Almost criminal in fact, but when that band is Powerman 5000 it doesn't take long to move on and forget the thirty year snub and merely rejoice in the fact that they are finally coming.Very soon in fact.Powerman 5000 land in this country in around two weeks time, starting the nationwide trek in Brisbane at The Zoo on January 12.Not only will the pioneering industrial/nu-metal heavyweights be armed with a plethora of awesome hits up their collective sleeves, they are also celebrating the recent 21st anniversary of their breakthrough debut album Tonight The Stars Revolt!, spearheaded by the song that changed the landscape of metal as we know it, When Worlds Collide.HEAVY sat down for an enlightening chat with frontman Spider One, starting by emphasising the point that Australian fans have been neglected by the band for far too long."It is kind of amazing," he smiled. "We've been touring since 1996 or 97 and for some reason we've either eluded Australia or Australia's eluded us, but we are finally getting there, which is kinda cool. I mean, it's not that common after being in a band for thirty years or so that you can say you're gonna do something for the first time. We've toured the States so much, and I can pretty much tell you exactly what a night in Dallas, Texas is gonna be like. Or a night in Los Angeles is gonna be like. But I don't know what a night in Sydney's gonna be like, I have no idea. So it's gonna be exciting."In the full interview, Spider talks us through the 21st Anniversary of Tonight The Stars Revolt!, why he thinks that album resonated like it did in the metal community, their role in bridging the gap between industrial metal and nu-metal, the early days of Powerman 5000 and how they shaped their sound, lessons learnt from his older brother Rob Zombie that helped Powerman 5000 in their formative years, blending his love of sci-fi and horror into their music, appearing on Beverley Hills 90210, coming back from being dropped by Dreamworks Records in 1996, revitalising the band, his side gig directing films, what we can expect from Powerman 5000 on tour and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Dec 202220min

Photos by Ian RitterInterview by Kris PetersThe Bendigo Hotel in Melbourne is stamping its mark on the live music scene from early in the New Year when it hosts Robot Rocks Presents, a showcase event of bands and artists aligned to the Golden Robot label.The brainchild of Kim Bencic, Robot Rocks kicks off on January 7 in the first of what is hoped will be a regular music program that will highlight some of Golden Robot's emerging artists across Australia.The first installment will see Stonetrip, Cicadastone, Shotgun Mistress, Gen2, The Vendettas, Mark E and The Exiles take to the stage in one massive night of live music covering a range of genres and styles.Bencic and Mark Alexander-Erber, CEO and founder of Golden Robot Records sat down with HEAVY to talk about Robot Rocks Presents and Golden Robot."Robot Rocks will be taking primarily our Australian - not all of them - but part of our Australian roster and touring them around Australia in 2023," Alexander-Erber explained, "which is fantastic.""Golden Robot Records has been going about 8 years now," he continued, "and we have fast become one of the leading independent labels in the world. We've got 12 labels in the group, around 500 bands, with some of the biggest names in the world. We have Filter and The Answer and three members of Guns N Roses, LA Guns, RATT and Faster Pussycat plus a huge slew of great Aussie singer/songwriters, like Nick Barker and Johnny Casino. We've worked with Steve Kilby from The Church. We've worked with Mark Of Cain and we've got new bands that have joined that could be the next big thing. We just signed an incredible band out of New Zealand called Shepherd's Reign that could be the next Sepultura, so we're right across all fronts from country music, hard rock, heavy rock, metal, punk, old school rock and classic rock etc. We're an Australian label out there kicking ass all over the world, especially in Europe and the UK and America."While Alexander-Erber oversees the above and more, he gladly defers to Bencic when asked about the Robot Rocks Presents events."A couple of the bands came to me and asked me what I thought about putting some shows together for everyone that's on the roster with Golden Robot Records," she began. "There seems to be a lot of festivals going on and you just can't get on them, so we thought together we'll put our own shows on and just go around Australia."In the full interview Kim talks more about the first show on January 7 and the bands involved, outlines her future plans to take Robot Rocks gigs throughout Australia. Mark talks more about Golden Robot Records, their stable of bands, upcoming releases - including Stonetrip who will be releasing a new single and their debut album early next year, tips for getting your band on a labels radar, showcasing homegrown talent and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

22 Dec 202220min

Interview by Jimmy GlinsterHEAVY had the honour of conducting backstage interviews with a selection of bands for the final Good Things Festival show in Brisbane recently, which we are going to drip-feed you just because we can!While all of the interviews on the day were special for their own reasons, ones like the following chat with Ocean Grove were a touch more special. Not only were they with Aussie acts, but the excitement and passion oozing from the younger bands like Ocean Grove was instantly infectious.It's been a massive year for the guys, with the band releasing their third album Up In The Air Forever earlier this year and finishing things off with a bang by appearing on the Good Things line-up.Jimmy Glinster caught up with Twiggy and Dale for a brief, but entertaining recap on their experience.The sound quality may be affected in patches due to the interviews being recorded live with a full festival raging behind us, but sit back and enjoy the fully immersive experience of each band as they navigate the day. They are also sparsely edited for maximum effect.Full video interviews will be published in the near future.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

22 Dec 20224min

Classic rock is a genre that will never die. And thank the metal Gods for that!Each generation seems to throw up another band that fits the classic rock mould, and each manages to maintain some form of individuality to separate themselves from those who came before.That band for this generation is the awesomely titled Cats In Space, a band that started life as a studio project but through sheer weight of brilliance soon morphed into a fully fledged rock outfit in their own right that has swept all before them, culminating in their latest 15 track behemoth, Kickstart The Sun.Guitarist/songwriter Greg Hart joined HEAVY to go into further detail."It's been amazing over here," he enthused of the reception afforded Kickstart The Sun. "I mean, it's done really, really well. It's outsold our other album so it's done well. In fact, I'm still getting emails in as we speak and it has featured high in the end of year readers polls and critics polls and stuff so we have had a couple of albums of the year mentioned with it which has been amazing. The reports and the reviews have been astonishing. It was a big gamble doing a double album in this day and age, but it seems to have paid off."We press Hart to elaborate on the musical direction of Kickstart The Sun and what Cats In Space were going for with it."To people in Oz that don't know who we are, we're kind of a classic rock band in the traditional sense that we're very steeped in the 70s - like Queen, Yellow, there's bits of Supertramp in there, John Miles, Uriah Heap - and we tend to go down that path. All of the albums we've done to date have gone down well in that marketplace. But Kickstart The Sun is a double album. It's loosely concepted, but it's not a heavy concept album. It's basically 15 songs of chaos (laughs). We do epic songs and we do ballads... As I'm the principal songwriter it's very, very influenced by Queen more than anything. We go to huge production that not many bands do these days, so it certainly gets us noticed."In the full interview we talk about the album being a double album and if that was planned from the start, the risks in the modern age of releasing double albums, the musical content, why specifically the 70s, touring Australia, the band name and where it came from and much more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

21 Dec 202216min