A Celebration Of Live Music With KRAM From SPIDERBAIT

By Angela CroudaceGerman melodic death-doom outfit Nailed to Obscurity have just released their highly anticipated new album, Generation of the Void. For frontman Raimund Ennenga, the record represents the band’s boldest and most diverse work yet.Following the critical success of Black Frost, the group set out to explore wider sonic territory. “We wanted the next one to be more diverse, more dynamic,” Ennenga explained. “On one side, you have the extremity of Glass Bleeding with blast beats, and on the other, songs like Allure, which is a full ballad. We even pushed into more accessible territory with tracks like Spirit Corrosion, which I would call catchy in a way.”This push into new territory demanded that Ennenga redefine his own vocal role. Known primarily for his harsh delivery, he embraced clean vocals more extensively than ever before. “I had to find the sweet spot for my voice,” he said. “It feels like more mature singing now, and we really wanted to make sure it worked both on the record and in a live setting.”Recorded across Woodshed Studio in Germany and Jacob Hansen’s studio in Denmark, the album benefits from a balance of fresh experimentation and polished production. Hansen’s calm yet meticulous approach provided the final layer of refinement. “It’s still unbelievable that this is our album,” Ennenga admitted. “Jacob was on our wish list for years, and he lifted the songs to a new level.”Lyrically, Generation of the Void reflects a more cinematic scope while also resonating with the turbulence of recent years. Themes of isolation, social unrest, and emotional weight run throughout, offering listeners both intensity and catharsis.Though no Australian tour is currently locked in, Ennenga expressed the band’s enthusiasm: “We would love to come down under one day—it would be really special.”Generation of the Void is out now.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Sep 31min

Two decades into their career, Ohio metalcore outfit The Devil Wears Prada are still intent on exploring their sonic boundaries. Despite - as most bands do - having a core, recognisable brand of music, The Devil Wears Prada remain unrestrained by the confines of expectation, preferring to allow their creativity to dictate the direction of their music rather than expectation.This has never been as evident as with The Devil Wears Prada's upcoming ninth album, Flowers. The new album marks the start of an incredibly epic cycle and phase for the band, representing perhaps their most significant creative leap forward yet.HEAVY sat down with vocalist Mike Hranica for some clarity."This one has been years and years in the works," he began, "even since the record was finished being mixed feels like years ago, but that's an exaggeration (laughs). We're excited for folks to hear it."We ask Mike to tell us more about the epic new cycle of the band alluded to in the press release."In terms of looking at the cycle, what we just did with Color Decay coming out of the pandemic was certainly unprecedented compared to the seven other full-lengths we released every year or so," he measured. "We really looked forward to this cycle. We feel like we're in stride in terms of the band and marking 20 years in and full steam ahead."Talk turns to the musicality present on Flowers."There's a lot of pop sensibilities," he offered. "When you look at the genre and the label of metalcore, you think of the heavy with the singing. When I think about what this record is, I think it leans a little bit rocky - at least from the exterior - but there are certainly songs that by all means fit the metalcore description. I think it's very chorus-oriented and working with the pop sensibilities to the choruses and the theatrics having more of a place than ever."In the full interview, Mike dives deeper into the musical side of Flowers, details how it marks the start of an epic new cycle for the band, runs us through the dual single release and accompanying short film and how they lay the sonic platform for what is to come.He discusses the opening track That Same Place and the thought process behind it, the meaning behind the title, whether Flowers is an overall representation of hope or despair, their continued musical evolution and how it stands The Devil Wears Prada amongst their peers, their upcoming tour of Australia with Bullet For My Valentine and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Sep 11min

Soulfly have long been a force unto themselves, spearheading the movement of groove metal over twelve previous albums, integrating tribal elements into metal with a passion and genuineness that is as undeniable as it is brutal.Proudly wearing his Brazilian heritage as a badge of honour, frontman Max Cavalera has overseen Soulfly since its inception, consistently raising the sonic bar with every new body of work. This trend looks set to continue with the impending release of Chama on October 24.The album is already being touted by those who have heard it as a return to the roots of Soulfly; a return to the gritty rawness that accentuated their early albums such as 1998's self-titled effort as well as Primitive, 3 and Prophecy. Capturing the essence of tribal lore in every breath of music, Soulfly are at their best when singing about their core ideologies, with Cavalera leading the charge with honest, meaningful appraisals of lost lives, land, and heritage.Max himself has already said, "I'm excited to present it to long-time Soulfly fans, it's a revival of our original sound", a statement which may seem casual enough but is also one which has sent scores of fans around the world in musical raptures of anticipation.HEAVY recently caught up with Max to go into greater detail. We start by asking if, after 13 albums with Soulfly and countless more with other projects, he still gets the same feeling of anticipation that accompanies an album release."Oh yeah," he replied instantly. "No matter how many albums you make, it's always the same; there's nervousness and anxiety. I probably have a bunch of ulcers from making records, but it's a cool excitement. It's fun. You're proud of the thing, you want to hear what people think of it because that's what fuels it. Everything that we do is for the fans to enjoy what we do, you know. But I think right now, Soulfly is being more inspired than ever before. I think this is a really good moment in Soulfly; a really inspirational moment to make a record like Chama. And the record is full of very strong songs and full of tribal grooves, kind of back to the tribal beginnings of Soulfly with a lot of real cool noise stuff in it, which makes it more modern. I've been joking that this album feels like tribal technology. You have the tribal beats, but with technology on top of it. If you love Soulfly, this album is definitely for you. This is an album made for Soulfly fans. If you don't like Soulfly, don't even waste your time."In the full interview, Max further shared his excitement and anxiety about Chama, emphasizing its strong songs and a return to tribal influences, blending traditional beats with modern technology. He noted that the album is tailored for dedicated fans, with themes reflecting Brazilian culture, including songs in Portuguese and narratives inspired by personal and historical experiences. Notable tracks like Always Was Always Will Be and Indigenous Inquisition were highlighted for their experimental sounds and thought-provoking content, addressing issues such as the genocide of indigenous tribes.Max also discussed the collaborative nature of the album's creation, involving his son Zyon as a producer, which brought a fresh perspective to the music. He expressed pride in the familial contributions to the project and the emotional challenges of writing authentically. The conversation included details about the upcoming Australian tour featuring Soulfly, NailBomb, and Snot, with Max expressing enthusiasm for the setlist and the opportunity to connect with fans. Overall, the album represents a significant moment for Max and Soulfly, capturing the essence of their musical journey while looking forward to future endeavours.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Sep 20min

Melbourne-based crust-death outfit KÜNTSQUÄD (pronounced Kountskard) announced themselves with their self-titled 2022 debut album, selling out multiple pressings and ushering in a new era of extreme style Australian music. It was an album laced with brutality and unflinching honesty that was as much a declaration of war as it was a statement of intent.Fast-forward three years and KÜNTSQUÄD return with a new, heavier mission, delivered in the form of their follow-up album Satan's Cock. Satan's Cock is an album that pulls no punches, offering up an intense sonic battering that fuses crust punk’s raw chaos with death metal’s guttural power, laced with blackened grime and a signature streak of unbridled discontent. With their sharpened edge and unholy vision, KÜNTSQUÄD prove once again that there are no genre walls—only a relentless descent into weaponized sonic depravity.HEAVY sat down with vocalist Paula VC Damnzal and guitarist Nikronomicon Satanik to journey deeper down the rabbit hole."I think it was a concerted effort," Paula replied when we asked her to dive deeper into the new album. "We took a lot more time this time to actually finish it. When we started the recording - which is probably more than two years now - the intention was to do four songs. We put four songs down, and it sounded like crap, and we thought, no, we've got to start again. And then we had some dramas, and our engineer also had some issues, so long story short, basically, we started again. We wrote some more songs, down-tuned again just to get it right, because the last release was a bit… We weren't expecting a record to be honest, so it was done in a very rushed way. So this time round, we took a lot more time and did a bit of a critical review, where we were kind of going with it, and solidified what we'd already been doing. But it just needed to be more direct, because not everyone got it. But this time it was a lot more measured in how we did it."In the full interview, Paula and Nick further highlighted the band's commitment to a more refined production process, resulting in a heavier and more cohesive sound that reflects their goal of musical progression with each release. Nick noted that the album maintains a consistent style, addressing past challenges in genre categorization.They elaborated on the complexities of merging various metal genres while striving for originality, emphasizing the collaborative effort of each band member in shaping the album's sound. The conversation also covered their upcoming tour, starting in Perth and extending to Melbourne and other locations, with fans encouraged to follow their social media for updates on tour dates and information.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

5 Sep 18min

It's hard to believe that a band who have dominated the global metal landscape for more than 35 years would be about to embark on their first ever Australian tour. Hard to believe, but also true in the case of England’s most disconsolate export, pioneers and kings of doom metal, MY DYING BRIDE.Well known for haunting atmospheres and sorrowful tones whilst balancing uniquely heavy, desolate riffs with melancholic melodies, MY DYING BRIDE redefined musical misery with their earlier albums Turn Loose the Swans (1993), The Angel and the Dark River (1995) and Like Gods of the Sun (1996). A consistent flow of exceptionally sombre albums and EPs have followed, with highlights including The Dreadful Hours (2001), A Map of All Our Failures (2012), and today they continue their endless suffering like no other band of this ilk can.Aussie fans finally get the chance to see My Dying Bride live this month (September) when the band makes the trek Down Under for two select dates in Sydney and Melbourne. To commemorate the occasion, HEAVY sat down for a great chat with guitarist Andrew Craighan."We're about to come to Australia for the first time in our 35-year career or existence or whatever you want to call it," Andrew reiterated, "so we're all really quite excited about that, and some of us are still in shock that it's finally happening. Some of us are still shocked that it's happening at all (laughs)."We ask Andrew what he is expecting from Australian crowds, warning him that we do get a little crazy at times."I'm expecting that actually," he laughed, "and we're hoping that we can just hold it together to get the set done. We'll be happy with whatever takes place. These two shows that we're doing are very up close and personal type club shows. It's not like the festivals that we sometimes play in Europe, where the crowd's massive, and you're 20 feet away from everybody and 40 feet up in the air as well sometimes. So we appreciate it's very much a club show, and we haven't done many of them in the last few years, so for us, it's going to be almost like a blast from the past. We'll be going back in time to when people were really keen and really close at the same time, so it should be interesting."In the full interview, Andrew talks more about the tour and what we can expect, why it has taken this long for My Dying Bride to make it to Australia, what the set list will look like, new vocalist Mikko Kotamaki and why he was selected, how crowds have been responding to him, My Dying Bride moving forward, the early days of the band and where they fit in, if creating music gets easier or harder the more you put out, new music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

4 Sep 27min

Formed from the ashes that has become COVID, Melbourne hard rock outfit XCALIBRE had the benefit of time on their side from the outset. Time to hone their craft. Time to practice. Time to plan.All of which proved fruitful when XCALIBRE hit the ground running, earning themselves slots alongside acts such as Van Halen, Aerosmith, Drowning Pool, Karnivool, and The Amity Affliction, among others. Their upward trajectory attracted the attention of rising Australian label XMusic, who snapped up the band and set about planning their next step, which begins this Friday, September 5, with the release of their single Gravity (Through It All).Not content to open their account with what is already a great track, XCALIBRE enlisted the help of two massive music identities in DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit) and Marcos Curiel (P.O.D.) as guest artists, tracking the song in the home of Guns N Roses drummer Matt Sorum. While not a guaranteed recipe for success, pulling off that trifecta is an achievement in itself, especially for an up-and-coming band from Melbourne.HEAVY sat down with lead vocalist Daniel Marazita to find out more. We start by gauging his enthusiasm surrounding the impending release of Gravity."Yeah, we're just looking forward to getting it out," he smiled. "We did a lot of hard work on these tracks, so to have this one off the rank first… It's pretty exciting."We ask Daniel to tell us more about Gravity from a musical point of view."It's got a mixture of sounds with this one," he measured. "Brandon Friesen mixed it so we've got that electronic in the background, that real sort of - I hate to stereotype songs - but Linkin Park sounding with the rap and the big melodies. We've got that aggression, but we still keep a sound within it, which is really important."In the full interview, Daniel also discussed the music video, which features creative visuals, the collaboration with DJ Lethal from Limp Bizkit and Marcos Curiel from P.O.D., including how their contributions enriched the song through electronic programming and distinctive guitar sounds.He emphasized the collaborative spirit during the creation of their upcoming debut album X, noting that Gravity represents just a fraction of the album's diversity, which will include a mix of heavy, soft, and crossover tracks. Plans for live performances were spoken about, along with upcoming plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

4 Sep 14min

No matter what genre of music you listen to, if you had an ear to the radio in 1995, then you would have heard a track by Skunkhour called Up To Our Necks In It. A raw, jazzy and ultimately uplifting tune, Up To Our Necks In It opens with melancholic instrumentation before swelling into a swooning and soulful affair, embracing rapped spoken-word vocal verses balanced alongside soaring melodies and rousing arrangements.While such genre mashes might be considered the norm in the modern age of music, back then, it was a concept still very much in the experimental stage. Sometimes it worked, more often than not it didn't.But when Skunkhour released Up To Our Necks In It, the musical landscape shifted forever. Before then, it was seemingly impossible to blend sounds and instrumentalisation together and still achieve commercial success. Not that the idea of combining musical ideas was entirely new to Skunkhour, whose career to that point had been laced with songs of varying experimentation. But this time it had struck a chord with the masses and catapulted Skunkhour from the local scene into international infamy.Now, thirty years later and still rocking out, Skunkhour plan to celebrate that groundbreaking single by honouring it on a national tour through October and November. HEAVY sat down with vocalist Aya Larkin to take a trip down memory lane. We start with Up To Our Necks In It and ask if the band had any inkling that there was something special about the song when they initially wrote it."It's a good question," he measured. "It came together pretty quickly, and we did, we enjoyed it a lot as it was forming. The guitarists came into the rehearsal studio one day and said, 'oh, I dreamt this part' - and I think that was the intro section. Then he got a couple of the other riffs, because it's like a whole series of riffs that kind of just work, you know, rolling over each other. But my brother Del had had this idea in his back pocket - he's the MC. He had this idea in his back pocket of a spoken word thing that didn't rhyme, and those parts came together. They kind of grafted onto each other seamlessly. And yeah, it felt good. But it didn't…we didn't know that it would be our biggest song…"In the full interview, Aya announced the band's upcoming tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Up To Our Necks In It, which will take place along the east coast of Australia in October and November. He shared insights into the song's creation, emphasising its themes related to urban life and its pivotal role in the band's evolution, contrasting it with their heavier subsequent album.We talked about how that one hit song forever changed the career of Skunkhour, the title of the song and its broader meaning, what to expect from the live shows, the band's progressing sonic direction during the period Up To Our Necks In It came out, the musical climate that gave birth to Skunkhour, new music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Sep 12min

Interview by Angela CroudaceAustralian heavy outfit Arkangel are charging into a bold new chapter with their latest single, Haunting My Dreams, set for release on September 5. The track marks a defining moment for the band, not only in sound but in ambition, and features a powerful collaboration with electro-driven artist Misstiq.For vocalist Jake Harrop, the collaboration was a dream realised. “I’d always wanted to work with Misstiq—her synth work is incredible, and she brought a whole new energy to the track,” he explains. “We already loved the song before she jumped on it, but when she added her vocals and flair, it just took it to another level.”The single was produced by ARIA-nominated songwriter and producer Callan Orr, who Harrop describes as “like a fifth member of the band,” and accompanied by a visually striking music video filmed at Melbourne’s historic Old Jail with acclaimed director Colin Jeffs. “If we were ever going to go all out, this was the one to do it for,” Harrop says. “It’s our favourite song we’ve written so far, and we wanted everything around it to match the scale and intensity.”Since forming in late 2022, Arkangel have been quick to make their mark, with their debut EP racking up over 250,000 streams and a relentless schedule of nearly 30 shows across Australia. The band’s unique blend of crushing heaviness and atmospheric synths has earned them both a loyal fan base and the respect of peers in the heavy scene.Looking ahead, Arkangel aren’t slowing down. With more singles already in the works, including additional collaborations and a return to the studio immediately after this release, the band is focused on pushing boundaries. Fans can also catch Haunting My Dreams live at Ark Fest on November 1, where Arkangel will headline alongside a stacked line up.Tickets are available now via Oztix.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

3 Sep 28min