HEAVY Music Interviews
HEAVY Music Interviews brings listeners exclusive conversations with leading rock, punk, metal and other heavy music artists, conducted by the team at HEAVY Magazine. New interviews are added regularly, covering the global heavy music scene. The podcast also encourages fans to follow the magazine's social accounts and support the show via Spreaker.
Episodes
Glam, Slam Australian Tour: STEVE SUMMERS From PRETTY BOY FLOYD Tells All
If your idea of a good time involves enough hairspray to deplete the ozone layer, leather pants tighter than a second skin, and hooks that could catch a great white shark, then brace yourselves, Australia. The glorious era of Sunset Strip debauchery and power-pop majesty is heading Down Under this November for the RU PRETTY ENUFF Australian Tour. In what is shaping up to be one of the most unapolo
From Apartment To Bandit: DAVE McCORMACK On CUSTARD: Z51, TRS80 And A Dog With A Guitar
Interview by Ali WilliamsSome people describe themselves as busy and mean they answered three emails before lunch. Dave McCormack currently has CUSTARD shows, his freshly assembled David McCormack’s TRS80 project, recording, touring, assorted end-of-year plans and the small matter of being Bandit in one of Australia’s most successful television exports. McCormack caught up with HEAVY’S Ali William
Guardians Of The Outback Scene: Down To The Wire With PIRATE From THE BLACK WREATH
If you call yourself a fan of heavy music in this country and you haven’t heard of The Black Wreath and the current campaign to ensure its survival it’s time to pull your head out of the sand. Tucked away in Ciccone, Alice Springs - right in the dusty, unforgiving Dead Centre of Australia - this absolute powerhouse has spent the last 15 years acting as the beating, bleeding heart of the outback me
ION SKY: Dirt, Decibels And Divine Chaos With MIKE JOSEPH
If there is one undeniable truth in the brutal, beautiful world of heavy music, it is that complacency is a killer. The moment a band thinks they have the game entirely figured out is precisely when the universe steps in to deliver a ferocious reality check. Nobody understands this balancing act of chaos and raw artistic instinct quite like Melbourne hard-rock outfit Ion Sky. Just when they were p
Things Are Heating Up: GUTTERFIRE! Return From Extended Hiatus With A Glint In Their Eye
Alright, music lovers, strap yourselves in and clear some space on the floor because you’re going to need it! When it comes to the Australian heavy music scene, Brisbane has a legendary reputation for breeding some of the most fiercely uncompromising, sonically massive, and downright dangerous rock bands on the planet. But even in a city bursting at the seams with top-tier talent, few outfits have
Heavy, Theatrical, and Unapologetic: The Rise of NECKO
Every now and then, a band bursts out of the local circuit with the kind of sonic swagger that leaves your ears ringing and your jaw firmly pinned to the floor. If you haven’t crossed paths with Sydney ’s own theatrical rock powerhouse NECKO yet, you’re about to get a rude, blues-drenched awakening. Dubbed by some as the next torchbearers of massive arena rock, this formidable three-piece—featurin
BLOODSTAIN: Laying It All On The Line With Self Titled Debut Album
Every now and then, a band comes along that leaves a massive, unforgettable dent in the heavy music landscape right out of the gate. If you have been paying attention to the underground metal circuit lately, you already know that Stockholm’s very own heavy metal prodigies, Bloodstain, are exactly that band.Ever since they burst onto the scene and dropped their absolutely savage 2024 debut EP, I Am
Confronting Truths: VAULT HILL Unleash Their Most Lethal EP Yet
Every now and then, a release comes across my desk that doesn't just demand a loud, unapologetic spin—it violently grabs you by the throat and forces you to confront the world outside your window. If you fancy yourself a follower of the Australian heavy music scene, you already know we are living through a massive golden era of home-grown talent. But right now, it's Vault Hill, a devastating four-
Dark Melodic Kings: EVERGREY Prepare For Aussie Chaos
Let’s be completely honest for a second: nineteen years is a bloody long time to keep a fanbase waiting. But when you are dealing with a band as musically meticulous and unyielding as Gothenburg’s finest, Evergrey, you know the payoff is going to be absolute perfection. After a brutal postponement earlier this year due to unpredictable airspace chaos, Tom S. Englund and his crew are firing on all
Down Under Devastation: Inside I PROMISED THE WORLD's Maiden Aussie Tour With CALEB MOLINA
There is nothing quite like the raw, unfiltered power of a band that breathes their entire soul into the music. It’s that exact, devastatingly beautiful energy that rising Texan metalcore heavyweights I Promised The World are bringing Down Under this month. For the very first time, the five-piece is packing their bags and hitting our shores for a massive nationwide tour alongside August Burns Red.
Bowl Cuts And Breakdowns: ELECTRIC CALLBOY’s Aussie Arena Invasion
Interview by Angela CroudaceFew musical trajectories in recent Australian heavy music history have matched the breakneck, neon-soaked velocity of Germany's electronicore powerhouses, Electric Callboy. What began as a wildly packed, early-afternoon curiosity slot at Good Things Festival 2022 has evolved into a full-blown love affair with the Southern Hemisphere. Aussie audiences quickly proved they
Incoming! THE KOVENANT Prepare For Aussie Assault
Australia, stretch your necks and brace your ear drums, because the metal gods have smiled upon us once again. After nearly three long decades of waiting, industrial symphonic black metal royalty The Kovenant are finally crossing the equator to make their monumental Australian debut this September. Let that sink in for a second. Thirty years. For decades, Aussie metalheads have had to settle for s
POLARIS: Unfiltered, Unleashed, And Without You
Interview by Angela CroudaceAustralia, strap yourselves in. If you thought Sydney’s heavy hitters Polaris were done pushing the boundaries of the global metalcore landscape, you are dead wrong. These guys don’t just walk up to the line; they systematically tear it down and rebuild it with more grit, more venom, and more raw emotion than almost any other band on the planet today. They have consiste
Beer Soaked Bliss: LAGERSTEIN Return Home To Lay Waste To Australian Livers
Brisbane’s favorite rum-guzzling party pirates, Lagerstein, are back and ready to lay waste to your livers.After what feels like an eternity off the map, the boys have finally dusted off the S.S. Plunderberg to deliver the most aggressively fun spectacle in Australian heavy music. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to witness a Lagerstein show, you know it’s not just a concert. It is a full-blown, b
PERTURBATOR On Upcoming Australian Tour With HEALTH
Synth-driven producer Perturbator is heading back to Australia next month, joining HEALTH's tour as support after the two acts crossed paths through mutual popularity in the region. In a new interview, the artist explained the tour was an easy yes: a chance to return to a country he already loves, paired with an invitation from friends whose Australian fanbase is thriving. It's not his first rodeo
BRAD ROBERTS And The Curious Life Of CRASH TEST DUMMIES
Interview by Ali WilliamsCRASH TEST DUMMIES have reached a particularly agreeable stage of their career. They can tour when they want, play songs that have already survived several decades of public consumption, slip some new material into the set without causing mass panic, and frontman Brad Roberts no longer feels obliged to work quite as hard as he once did. Catching up with HEAVY’s Ali William
Half A Century Of Metal: WOLF HOFFMAN Talks About ACCEPT'S Legacy And New Album
If there is one band that embodies the absolute, steel-plated spine of traditional heavy metal, it is Germany’s legendary sonic architects, Accept. For half a century, these heavy metal pioneers have been forging the blueprint for speed, power, and razor-sharp riffage, leaving a trail of broken necks and shattered eardrums in their wake. 2026 marks an unbelievable milestone for the band, celebrati
TEENS: From BIGSOUND To FOO FIGHTERS, Making Big Noise On The Way
Interview by Ali WilliamsCalling a band TEENS does leave you open to a few fairly obvious questions, particularly when nobody involved can reasonably blame puberty for their decision-making anymore. Thankfully, Tasmania’s TEENS are well aware of this. The name has survived longer than originally anticipated, having been hacked down from the considerably more cumbersome Teens of Thailand lifted fro
GLOAM Bring The Wild West To BIGSOUND
Interview by Ali WilliamsBeing a Perth band with East Coast ambitions requires several things: good songs, patience, a tolerant bank account and an acceptance that Australia is ludicrously large when you are paying to move musicians and their gear around it. GLOAM know this very well. Founding member Rowan Hardy sat down with HEAVY’S Ali Williams to chat about the bands beginnings and their progre
CATPISS: Questionable Name, Great Band, Big Opportunities
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are band names that require an explanation. Then there is CATPISS, a name that mostly requires people to stop laughing long enough to ask the question. For Newcastle guitarist Jacob Dewberry and his bandmates, there was no tortured artistic manifesto behind it. Their drummer found inspiration in the deeply intellectual halls of Facebook meme culture, where a collecti
L.O.W Get Loud: Wollongong Hardcore Takes On BIGSOUND
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are plenty of ways to introduce yourself at BIGSOUND. L.O.W have chosen the wonderfully uncomplicated option of turning up with five members, a stack of hardcore songs and absolutely no intention of pretending they belong on the polite end of the program.For a band that has spent just over two and a half years building itself out of Wollongong, landing a place on Aus
It's Just A Matter Of Taste: LATEX GRENADE Do Things Their Way
Interview by Ali WilliamsLATEX GRENADE have heard the question before: are they punk or are they metal? Apparently, asking them to choose has achieved very little. The San Diego outfit has spent years allowing both sides of its musical personality to coexist, despite record labels once suggesting the concept of a band playing whatever the hell it wanted was unnecessarily complicated. Now, after an
God Forbid A Girl Hates Spiders! 'LØLØ' Talks Good Things And Finally Coming To Australia
Interview and words by Kyra JadeIt's that exciting time of year where Australia goes absolutely mad for Good Things Festival. All the speculation surrounding who will be on the line-up and most importantly who can guess the most correctly to earn all bragging rights!LØLØ has secured her spot on this year's amazing line-up along which means she is finally coming to our Aussie shores to serenade us!
IRON MAIDEN & MEGADETH: DAVE MUSTAINE Promises Absolute Chaos For Australia
Aussie metalheads, strap yourselves in because the tour of the century is officially locked, loaded, and headed down under this November! If you haven’t already heard the earth-shattering news, the absolute icons of heavy metal, Iron Maiden, are bringing their monumental Run For Your Lives 50th Anniversary World Tour to Australian shores. And because the metal gods clearly smile upon us, they aren
Rituals And Rebellion: CHRIS HOWARTH Unpacks The Magic Behind IN THIS MOMENT's New Album WITCH
When you think of theatrical, boundary-pushing heavy music, one name immediately commands the global spotlight: In This Moment. Led by the mesmerizing, chameleonic frontwoman Maria Brink and riff-master Chris Howorth, this band has spent nearly two decades turning live alternative metal into a dark, cinematic art form. Now, the Grammy-nominated force is back to claim their throne, unleashing their
Pure Sonic Devestation With DALE EVANS From TO THE GRAVE
Western Sydney deathcore titans To The Grave have never been a band to play nice or bite their tongues.Over the last few years, they’ve systematically carved out a reputation as one of the most brutally uncompromising, intense acts on the global heavy music circuit. But if you thought their previous material was the peak of their hostility, you aren't prepared for what's next. To The Grave's sonic
Running Towards The Dark With CHELSEA WOLFE
Words and interview by Kyra JadeYes I know, I come off clunky here. In my defence I had a few interviews back to back this particular day...I'm not one to shy away from leaving in my little discombobulated moments that make me human.HEAVY caught up with Chelsea Wolfe on the cusp of releasing her new album, The Dark. With a career spanning over many years; garnishing many amazing accomplishments in
Nostalgia, Noise, and New Music: KALATONE Unleash The Beast
Every now and then, a track lands on the HEAVY desk that doesn’t just ask for your attention—it kicks the front door off its hinges, grabs you by the collar, and demands you sit down and listen. That is exactly what happened this week when the absolute powerhouses in KALATONE dropped their blistering new sonic assault, Nostalgia.If you’ve been tracking these guys like we have, you already know the
Industrial Warfare Down Under: KING YOSEF Ready To Unleash Hell With HEALTH And PERTURBATOR
Few packages hitting Australian shores this year carry the sheer, unapologetic sonic weight of the upcoming Australia 2.0.2.6 tour. Headlined by LA neo-industrial heavyweights HEALTH, alongside French synthwave master Perturbator, the line-up is an absolute dream for anyone who loves their music dark, heavy, and deeply visceral.But if you think this run is just about the headliners, you are dead w
Clowning Around With MASTODON'S BRANN DAILOR
Words and interview by Kyra JadeI don’t know many people who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to interview Mastodon’s drummer Brann Dailor. We all have our bucket list interviews and this had Simon, AKA HEAVY MAG'S 'Professor of Mastodon', written all over it. The universe had other plans this time and Si’ was living it up in Bali. This meant it was my turn to jump in and make the most of this cha
KING ULTRAMEGA Keep CHRIS CORNELL’s Legacy Loud, Loved And In Very Safe Hands
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are still very much mixed opinions out there in music land when it comes to tribute bands. Hard core fanboys will state "there is only ever one ..."(insert band name here), others will be highly critical unless its a carbon copy of the original artists , and on the other side of that some will say they have a place only if the artists is now frontman for that big ban
LYNCHMADA Return For Unfinished Business At NECROSONIC FESTIVAL This Weekend
Interview by Ali WilliamsCalling a performance One Last Time sounds decisive until the band involved is Lynchmada. Bassist Daryl Russell has already watched one emphatic farewell lead to another show four months later, so he is sensibly refusing to manage anybody’s expectations beyond Saturday. This could be the end. It could also become further evidence that Lynchmada are considerably better at m
FALLUJAH Carry XENOTAPH Into SHREDFEST
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are busy years, and then there is whatever FALLUJAH have decided to do with 2026. When Kyle Schaefer joins HEAVY’s Ali Williams from Nashville, the band are in the middle of an international schedule that has already taken them through Europe and Latin America, with Japan, the United States, Canada and Australia still sitting on the itinerary. For Schaefer, who has s
From Good Things To Great Things With JEFF STINCO From SIMPLE PLAN
Interview by Angela CroudaceAfter seven years Simple Plan are finally returning to Australia’s Good Things Festival, and guitarist Jeff Stinco couldn’t be more excited to be back.Speaking ahead of the festival lineup announcement, Stinco admitted he couldn’t believe it had been seven years since the band last played Good Things. What he remembers most is the festival’s diverse lineup, which allowe
Riffs, Wrath, And Destiny With JURGEN BREFORTH From MAD MAX
If you call yourself a fan of traditional, hard-hitting German rock and power metal, then the name Mad Max should already be permanently tattooed onto your musical psyche. For over four decades, these absolute legends have been tearing up stages and delivering riffs that could shatter concrete. They are a band that refuses to slow down, refuses to compromise, and quite frankly, they just keep gett
THE ALTAR DEMANDS MORE: Inside the Gates of NECROSONIC FESTIVAL with SEGRESSION
Interview by Ali WilliamsIf you call yourself a true-blue supporter of the Australian heavy music landscape, then the name Segression shouldn't just ring a bell—it should trigger absolute, unadulterated audio warfare in your eardrums. For three decades, these Wollongong legends have stood as one of the country's most relentless and enduring metal forces, a band forged in fire and built on pure, un
The Joys Of Discovery With EDWIN PREMBERG From METALITE
Interview by Ali WilliamsFor over a decade, Swedish melodic power metal outfit Metalite has stood at the absolute cutting edge of heavy music, carving out a distinct identity by fusing futuristic science fiction narratives with high-octane energy. Founded in 2015 by guitarist and main songwriter Edwin Premberg, the band quickly garnered a massive international following with their stellar debut, H
Making The Odd Seem Normal With DALE TANNER From OCEAN GROVE
If you’ve got your finger anywhere near the pulse of the Australian metal/alternative scene, you know exactly what last night was. It was the official launch of the highly anticipated Oddworld Underground Australian Tour, and it all kicked off last night in Western Australia at the legendary Amplifier Bar in Perth.We are sitting down with the absolute kings of eccentric heavy tunes, the one and on
Down the Garden Path with JOHANNES ECKERSTROM From AVATAR
Interview by Angela CroudaceIf you like your heavy music served with a massive side of absolute, unadulterated chaos and a theatrical bite, then grab yourself a slice of the dance floor and brace your necks. The Swedish metal visionaries collectively known as Avatar are finally making their way back Down Under, and trust me when I say this is shaping up to be one of the absolute heaviest and most
CORELEONI Keep The Metal Moving With Generection
Interview by Ali WilliamsCORELEONI have a new album on the way, Generection and guitarist Leo Leoni sounds exactly as you would hope somebody still making rock records after more than thirty years would sound: pleased to be there and keen to keep going. The album came together quickly. The band collected ideas, got together and worked through them while everyone was still fired up, and within a fe
TEMPLES ON MARS: Build It, Burn It, Keep Playing
Interview by Ali Williams There are bad weeks, and then there are weeks where the rehearsal studio you spent a year building burns for 4 days, TEMPLES ON MARS guitarist and vocalist James Donaldson joined HEAVY’s Ali Williams somewhat later than originally planned, although his excuse was considerably better than forgetting to check the calendar. Back in the end of June, the London building housin
NOIR ADDICTION: Pretty Things Don’t Last And Finding Comfort In The Dark
Interview by Angela CroudaceFor Sonny Lanegan, frontman of Noir Addiction, music is about creating something authentic enough to pull listeners into its world.Speaking about the band’s latest EP, Pretty Things Don’t Last, Sonny explained that its songs explore love, obsession, addiction and the desire to escape life. While each track stands on its own, he believes the EP becomes connected when hea
Small Name, Big Noise With JESSE ATTARD From RUNT
Brisbane has a fiercely proud history of producing world-class rock performers, with the production line rolling out yet another slab of excellence to continue the momentum. The newest addition is Runt, a powerhouse four-piece alternative rock and grunge outfit that refuses to play by the rules. Describing their massive sound as having an "underdog chip on its shoulder," this hungry local lineup s
Australia, Prepare For A Long-Overdue Dose of Sonic Brilliance With SOEN
Australian progressive metal fans, it is finally time to stop pinching yourselves because the wait is officially over. Sweden’s undisputed kings of cognitive, emotionally driven heavy music, SOEN, are finally hitting our shores this October. For a band that has spent the last decade and a half redefining the very boundaries of modern prog with their intoxicating blend of crushing riffs, soaring me
Finding Your Niche With KYLE BLOKSGAARD From BARRIERS
Brisbane is about to get hit by an absolute wall of sonic destruction. The third annual Necrosonic Festival is locking and loading for its most brutal ritual yet, taking over the legendary Mansfield Tavern on Saturday, August 22, 2026. We are talking 12-plus hours of pure, unadulterated musical chaos spread across three massive stages. While the international heavyweights in Rivers of Nihil and lo
Owning Your Legacy With ZOLTAN BATHORY From FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
Five Finger Death Punch are back with absolute chaos on their tenth studio album, Legacy. Formed in Las Vegas, the multi-platinum metal titans are marking their 20th anniversary by delivering an aggressive masterclass in modern hard rock. If you thought 2022's AfterLife pushed their boundaries, this new record proves that 5FDP are actively evolving without losing their signature, in-your-face snar
The Shadows Of Death With ROHAN STEVENSON From SUNK LOTO
If you like your heavy music served with a side of absolute, unadulterated chaos, then grab a cold beer and brace yourself. Gold Coast alternative metal titans Sunk Loto are officially heading back out on the road this August for their highly anticipated Dead Shadows Tour. Trust me when I say this is shaping up to be one of the absolute heaviest and most intense runs of the year.For those who need
PARADISE LOST: GREG MACKINTOSH Finds Ascension In The Ashes
Interview by Ali WilliamsPARADISE LOST have spent close to four decades making misery sound magnificent. While countless bands have shuffled through genres, line-ups and ill-advised creative awakenings, the UK veterans have built an entire legacy from heaviness, melancholy and the endless human capacity to stare into the void and find a decent guitar melody lurking inside it. After almost a decade
Total Annihilation With GRAVEMIND
Brisbane’s Mansfield Tavern is locking its doors and bracing for total structural failure. The third annual Necrosonic Festival is descending on Saturday, August 22, 2026, delivering 12-plus hours of unrelenting extremity across three stages. While international powerhouses Rivers of Nihil and homegrown technical death metal legends Psycroptic are set to co-headline, the middle tier of this massiv
Waging War Down Under With CODY And BRITON From WAGE WAR
If you call yourself a fan of heavy music and your pulse isn't already racing, you need to check your vitals right now. The absolute masters of Floridian metalcore, Wage War, are officially gearing up to bring their massive, unrelenting It Calls Me By Name world tour down under. This isn't just another casual standard run across the ocean, folks; this is a full-blown, sonic assault that is set to
Returning To Take Care Of Unfinished Business With MARC ZELLWEGER From PALEFACE SWISS
Interview by Kris PetersIf you like your heavy music served with a side of absolute, unadulterated chaos, then grab a cold beer and brace yourself, because Swiss deathcore juggernauts Paleface Swiss are heading back Down Under. After completely decimating venues across the country on their sold-out 2025 run, the Zurich four-piece have just announced a massive seven-date Australian headline tour fo
Balance In Artistic Evolution With CHRIS MOTIONLESS From MOTIONLESS IN WHITE
Interview by Kris PetersWhen American metal titans Motionless In White announce a new record, the heavy music community stands up and takes notice. Celebrating two decades of sonic devastation, Chris Motionless and his gothic-metalcore troupe are poised to unleash their highly anticipated seventh studio album, Decades, on July 17. It is a monstrous, career-defining release that effortlessly honour
Teaching Old Bulls New Tricks With LINK MEANIE
The Meanies are absolute legends of Australian punk rock, and they are tearing through 2026 like a runaway train. Formed in Melbourne back in 1988, these sonic maniacs have spent nearly four decades delivering chaotic, high-energy pop-punk packed with hooks and bruises. Fronted by the indestructible Link Meanie, they are a band that leaves everything on the stage - literally - known for chaotic li
Manifesting Your Desires With PLINI
Sydney six-string maestro Plini has just unleashed his monumental third studio album, An Unnameable Desire, and it is a certified masterpiece. For a musician who already operates in the absolute stratosphere of technical guitar playing, this new record pushes his sonic boundaries into completely uncharted territory. It is heavier, prettier, more complex, and utterly brilliant.If you thought his pr
YOU AM I Pull Some Strings To Give New Life To Some Old Loves
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are few bands in Australia who can announce they are taking a string quartet on tour and not have the nation immediately clutching its pearls in fear of acoustic violations. You Am I, thankfully, are not most bands. When HEAVY’s Ali Williams caught up with bassist Andy Kent, the news was as unexpected as it was oddly perfect: You Am I are heading into theatre territo
Returning To Your Roots With HORST TESSMANN From STORMHAMMER
Interview by Angela CroudaceGerman power metal veterans StormHammer are embracing a heavier, more aggressive direction on their upcoming album Wrath of the Hammer, due for release on July 17, while still staying true to their melodic foundations.Bassist Horst Tessmann revealed the album marks a deliberate shift back towards the sound of Welcome to the End after the more melodic approach of Seven S
Prepare For Annihilation With DAVE HALEY From PSYCROPTIC
Let’s be honest: when you talk about Aussie heavy music, you cannot look past the absolute legends in Psycroptic. For over twenty-five years, these boys from Hobart have been wave-makers. They show the rest of the world that Australia doesn’t just do metal; we master it. Led by the unstoppable Haley brothers - Dave laying down machine-gun drum beats and Joe ripping absolute shred-fests on guitar -
SCREAMFEEDER: Still Keeping At It After A Million Years
Interview by Ali WilliamsSCREAMFEEDER, the beloved Brisbane Indie Rock Trio, formed back in 1991, and in 2026 have proven to be one of this country's influential groups in the industry. They’re best known for turning down major-label offers throughout the 90’s as a way of maintaining their independence and ultimately having control over where and how their music was created and displayed. Their de
Victim Or Villain: A Sonic Journey With AMANDA LYBERG From EVA UNDER FIRE
Detroit rock quintet Eva Under Fire are about to unleash their most ambitious, vulnerable, and absolutely crushing record to date with Villainous, dropping on July 10, 2026, via Better Noise Music. If you thought their 2022 debut Love, Drugs & Misery pushed boundaries, then strap yourselves in, because this new 13-track monster completely redraws the map. It is a gritty, cinematic concept albu
Spreading Chaos Through The Orthodox With ADAM EASTERLING
Australia, get ready to have your faces completely melted because some spectacular savagery is heading down under this winter. Floridian metalcore titans Wage War are returning to our shores for their first-ever nationwide headline tour, and if you think they’re coming alone to play nice, you are dead wrong. They are bringing one of the most vicious live acts on the planet today to help them tear
The Distinguished Art of Staying Heavy - MAT SINNER Talks About SINNER's Final Album Release
Interview by Ali WilliamsMost legacy bands eventually announce one final album before quietly discovering that "farewell" is a surprisingly flexible word. MAT SINNER never bothered with any of that. He simply got busy.For decades, the German bassist, songwriter and producer has been balancing more projects than most people have unread emails, with PRIMAL FEAR naturally becoming the priority. SINNE
Double Trouble Down Under With DANI FILTH And DEZ FAFARA
Lock up your eldest, dust off your leather, and brace your ear canals, because a metal storm of apocalyptic proportions is officially tracking straight for Australian shores! HEAVY is absolutely stoked to bring you a rare, face-to-face breakdown with two of the most uncompromising, venomous, and legendary frontmen to ever grace a festival stage: Dani Filth of black metal royalty Cradle of Filth an
X Marks The Spot With DAN MARAZITA From XCALIBRE
Melbourne's powerhouse hard rock trio XCalibre are gear-jamming their way back into the spotlight, less than half a year since they delivered their crushing debut album X. Born from the chaos of lockdowns, frontman Dan Marazita, guitarist Vinny Mancuso, and drummer Shane Evans have evolved from regular music warriors into a stadium-levelling force. They have spent years refining a massive sound th
Sonic Journeys And Canadian Summers With DALLAS FRASCA
If there is one thing you can always count on in this crazy, beautiful thing we call the rock and roll landscape, it’s that Dallas Frasca does not do things by halves. She doesn’t just play music; she lives it, breathes it, and commands it like a genuine force of nature. Coming off the back of heavy touring, massive arena supports with legends like ZZ Top, and a highly successful Green Electric To
Settling Scores Through Music With ADAM DE MICCO From LORNA SHORE
The meteoric rise of New Jersey deathcore titans Lorna Shore stands as one of the most remarkable modern success stories in heavy music. At the centre of this sonic storm is lead guitarist and primary songwriter Adam De Micco. Since co-founding the band in 2009, De Micco has steered the group through seismic lineup changes, genre-defining stylistic evolutions, and the viral explosion that followed
Still Figuring Out How It Works After 25 Years With CAM BAINES From BODYJAR
Interview by Kris PetersBodyjar is bringing the machine back in for its 25-year scheduled service this July and August 2026, proving that classic Aussie punk rock never goes out of style. Celebrating a quarter-century of their iconic, gold-selling fourth album How It Works, the Melbourne legends are hitting the highway for the massive How It Still Works national tour.Let’s be honest: when an album
The Art Of Sonic Seduction With CARINA ROUND And MAT MITCHELL From PUSCIFER
Get ready to have your absolute minds melted, Australia. The legendary Maynard James Keenan is pulling a massive double shift this December, bringing his electro-rock side-project Puscifer down under to open for none other than his own alternative rock heavyweights, A Perfect Circle. Talk about an absolute masterclass in sonic insanity!If you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know it’s been more
Embracing The Anger With GRACE PASTURINI From VINDICTA
Interview by Ali WilliamsVINDICTA are heading Down Under this month and are starting a new era by becoming louder, angrier and significantly harder to ignore. Freshly formed by vocalist Grace Pasturini, formally of Dutch band Dogma, Pasturini and other former members are diving headfirst into ensuring VINDICTA hits in all the right spots, following the chaotic demise of their previous band. Chatti
Absence Makes The Riffs Grow Stronger With JENNI And MARTY POWELL From RIFF RAIDERS
Melbourne outfit Riff Raiders are a powerhouse hard rock outfit known for their explosive live energy, massive hooks, and crunching guitar riffs. Formed in 2017, the band features core members Jenni Powell on soaring lead vocals and Marty Powell on lead guitar. The band initially built a loyal following across the Australian live rock circuit with their debut album Live Like You Mean It and their
From Calm Comes Chaos With JAYTANIC RITUAL From THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION
Interview by Kris PetersDead of Winter Festival is officially back, resurrecting its glorious, dark alternative underworld at Brisbane’s iconic Mansfield Tavern on Saturday, 27 June 2026. After six long years in the shadows, this absolute staple of the heavy music calendar is rising like a Phoenix. Organisers have curated a massive line-up of 31 bands, performance art, and horror cosplay. Yet, out
Finding Salvation in Loss With ALPHA From GAEREA
Interview by Kris PetersPortuguese masked metal maestros Gaerea will embark on their highly anticipated debut tour of Australia next month. Presented by Soundworks Direct, the five-date national run is officially titled the Loss Australian Tour. This run marks the very first time the cathartic extreme metal band will bring their intense live performance down under.Known for their signature black h
Growing Pains With NATHAN CAVALERI
There are few stories in Australian rock history as heavy or as real as Nathan Cavaleri’s. We all remember the kid—the pint-sized blues prodigy who jammed with B.B. King, signed global deals, and made the guitar sing like a seasoned delta master before he was even a teenager. But as any rock fan knows, the higher the climb, the more brutal the crash. With his upcoming massive national theatre prod
THE DAMNED's CAPTAIN SENSIBLE Reflects On 50 Years Of Punk Chaos
Interview by Angela CroudaceFifty years after helping ignite the UK punk movement, Captain Sensible still sounds pleasantly surprised that The Damned are standing strong.Speaking ahead of the band's Australian 50th Anniversary Tour this September, the guitarist reflected on a career that has taken the group from playing tiny pubs to prestigious venues that once wanted nothing to do with them."When
Not Beating Around The Bush With BRENT SMITH From SHINEDOWN
American rock titans Shinedown and British alternative legends Bush are uniting for a massive co-headline tour across Australia and New Zealand in September 2026. Promoted by Destroy All Lines, this blockbuster arena run bridges two distinct eras of heavy guitar music. The highly anticipated roadshow represents Shinedown’s monumental return down under for the first time in over 15 years. Simultane
Keeping Death Metal Honest With BORISZ THE SAVAGE And BASTIAN HERZOG From FLESHCRAWL
Interview by Ali WilliamsGerman death metal veterans FLESHCRAWL are entering a major new chapter with Epitome Of Carnage, their 10th studio album and the first to feature Borisz (The Savage) Sarafutgyinov handling all vocals and lyrics. In conversation with HEAVY’s Ali Williams, founding drummer Bastian Herzog and Borisz spoke about the refreshed lineup, the record’s old-school approach, the press
Waking Up The Dead With STEVE FRANCIS From BULLETBELT
Get ready to snap your necks, Australia, because New Zealand black-thrash titans Bulletbelt are crossing the ditch this June to tear you all a new one.The Wellington metal veterans are locked and loaded for the highly anticipated resurrection of Dead of Winter Festival. Taking place on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at its brand-new stomping ground the Mansfield Tavern, this iconic alternative counter-c
The Power Of Music With GREGG DEAL From DEAD PIONEERS
Denver, Colorado punk collective Dead Pioneers return with their fierce third studio album, Wagon Burner. Set for release on 26 June 2026 via Hassle Records, the project builds upon the momentum of their 2023 self-titled debut and 2025’s acclaimed PO$T AMERICAN. Fronted by Indigenous visual performance artist and activist Gregg Deal, Dead Pioneers' continue to blend the raw fury of hardcore punk w
Death Metal For The Disconnected With DIVA SATANICA From BLOODHUNTER
Interview by Ali WilliamsSpanish melodic death metal force BLOODHUNTER returns on June 12 with their new album, Sons Of The Abandoned. It has been both a long wait and a very deliberate one for the band. Four years have passed since the band’s previous album, and while fans have been understandably circling the release date like metalheads around a merch table with limited sizes, BLOODHUNTER have
The End Is Just The Beginning With JAKOB NOWELL From SUBLIME
Interview by Kris PetersThirty years after the tragic loss of frontman Bradley Nowell, California’s premier ska-punk icons Sublime have defied the impossible. The band has returned with their new album Until the Sun Explodes (June 15), their first full-length studio album of entirely original material since 1996. Arriving via Atlantic Records, this highly anticipated 21-track LP is a monumental ge
Calm Amidst The Chaos With GREG KUBACKI From CAR BOMB
Interview by Kris PetersLet’s be honest for a second. When you hear that Karnivool is touring, your ears instantly prick up. They are the undisputed kings of Australian progressive rock, a band that makes complexity sound like second nature. But when the tour announcement dropped, the words Car Bomb and TesseracT were slapped on the bill alongside them, things suddenly took an even bigger turn for
