HEAVY Music Interviews

If you like your metal fast, furious, and dipped in absolute carnage, then you already know that Washington, D.C. melodic death metal/metalcore pioneers Darkest Hour have been holding down the frontline for over three decades. These legends have consistently defied trends, outlasted the copycats, and repeatedly shown the heavy music world exactly how to fuse the raw aggression of American hardcore with the razor-sharp melodic precision of Scandinavian death metal. They are certified lifers of the scene, but just when you thought they might take a breath after 2024’s massive Perpetual Terminal, instead Darkest Hour have gone and un...

Few bands can claim to have completely rewritten the rulebook of modern heavy metal, but then again, Killswitch Engage aren't your average band. For over two decades, the Massachusetts powerhouses have stood as the undisputed kings of metalcore, blending crushing, groove-laden riffs with soaring, anthemic melodies that have defined a generation of heavy music. They are a band that has survived lineup changes, shifting musical trends, and the brutal grind of the road, only to emerge every single time looking stronger, heavier, and more vital than ever.
Now, the standard-bearers of the scene are packing their bags and heading...

Australians, brace yourselves. There is a sonic prehistoric storm brewing in the underground, and it’s about to stomp its way straight through your speakers.
If you think you’ve heard everything the heavy music landscape has to offer, think again. Enter Mapel’s Pet Dinosaur, a towering, genre-bending anomaly that has been steadily mutating in the shadows, ready to unleash their monstrous debut EP Childs Play upon an unsuspecting world. This isn't just another generic release dropping into an oversaturated market; this is a calculated sonic assault that fuses bone-crushing riffs, Jurassic-sized grooves, and an unpredictable, wild energy that f...

When it comes to bands that leave every single shred of their sanity, soul, and vocal cords on the studio floor, Michigan metalcore powerhouses Of Virtue sit right at the top of the pile. They’ve never been a band to do things by halves, but what they have unleashed with their massive new album, Death Of The Altar, is an entirely different beast altogether. This isn't just another collection of breakdowns and heavy riffs to nod your head to; this is an emotional, spiritual, and visceral exorcism. It is a record born out of pure, unadulterated chaos, and it mi...

Dust off the leather, fire up the hairspray, and brace your ear canals, Australia—because real rock ’n’ roll is heading our way, and it’s coming in hot!
Next month the legends from XMusic and MR Touring are unleashing a dual-headlining masterclass in unapologetic rock excess with the RU PRETTY ENUFF Australian Tour '26. We’re talking about a massive, high-octane double bill featuring power-pop royalty Enuff Z’Nuff alongside Sunset Strip sleaze icons Pretty Boy Floyd. For those of us who grew up with our speakers cranked to eleven, MTV glued to the screen after dark, and cassette tap...

Iron Maiden are bringing their massive 50th Anniversary Run For Your Lives World Tour to Australia in November, with a setlist tailor made for diehard fans drawing predominantly from their first nine studio albums up to Fear Of The Dark. On the eve of their arrival, guitarist Adrian Smith sat down with HEAVY to break down what this historic milestone means for the heavy metal pioneers. In a high-energy conversation packed with rock-and-roll nostalgia, Smith details the daunting task of building a setlist that spans five decades of legendary metal anthems. He shares insight into how the band plans to...

If - like HEAVY - you like your tunes dark, theatrical, and packed with an absolute mountain of sonic intensity, then you have no doubt heard of Pyrefly. HEAVY had the pleasure of sitting down with the band, one of the most mesmerizing and devastating acts currently tearing up the Australian underground scene. If you haven't caught their live ritual yet, you are seriously missing out on some of the finest heavy music this country has to offer.
The countdown is officially on for the ultimate night of entertainment this Halloween: Hollowfest 2026. This absolute monster of a festival is...

The Aquabats are heading back to Australia, and HEAVY caught up with Christian to talk superhero costumes, ska-punk, Saturday morning cartoons and more than 30 years of musical mayhem!In this interview, Christian takes us back to the band's early days in California, revealing how their now-iconic superhero look began with handmade wetsuit helmets and an idea that was never supposed to become quite so legendary.We also discuss the band's memorable experiences playing Soundwave in Australia, why The Aquabats have always prioritised fun and inclusivity, and what fans can expect from their unique live shows, complete with inflatables, beach balls...

When it comes to bands that refuse to stay in their lane, Glasgow’s djent-pop-metal powerhouse Sixth Wonder are currently leading the pack by a country mile. These Scottish alternative mavericks have spent the last few years systematically tearing up the heavy music rulebook, collecting a couple of Best Metal gongs at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards and leaving a trail of sonic destruction in their wake. Fresh off massive tours with the likes of The Hara and Mallavora, and with a legendary slot alongside Skindred at the iconic Barrowland Ballroom locked down, they are a band operating at peak pe...

When it comes to heavy music, some bands play the riffs, while others live inside the smoke. Nashville’s All Them Witches belong to the latter category. For over a decade, this formidable outfit has been brewing a dark, enticing cocktail of delta blues, stoner grit, and cosmic psychedelia that completely resets your internal compass. Despite building a global reputation as a monolithic live force, they have left an agonising gap on their touring map: Australia.
Thankfully, the wait is officially over. This December, Good Things Festival 2026 is delivering the ultimate Christmas present for Aussie riff-worshippers by bringing the ba...

When you talk about the absolute Mount Rushmore of heavy metal, the conversation begins and ends with the Riff Lord himself, Tony Iommi. But when the master of doom decides to unleash a brand new sonic assault upon the world, he needs a voice that doesn't just cut through the smoke—it commands it. Enter Jorn Lande, the powerhouse Norwegian vocalist whose golden pipes have been channeling the spirit of classic rock and metal royalty for decades.
The heavy music community collectively lost its mind recently with the announcement of From The Dark, the monumental new collaborative album set to...

Gun Of Ishiki are here to make noise, challenge the system and remind us that punk can still stand for something.In this interview with HEAVY, the Brisbane punk outfit talk about the origins of their name, their musical influences, their politically charged approach to songwriting and why they believe bands should use their voices to inspire change.We also discuss their upcoming EP, their history in Sydney’s Newtown scene, their energetic live shows and their plans to bring the local music community together for a two-night fundraiser at Crowbar Brisbane on January 8–9, 2027, supporting Bravehearts.From Fugazi and Radio Bird...

Interview by Ali Williams
Swedish metallers TUNGSTEN have a busy October ahead, although releasing their fifth studio album and embarking on their first European headline tour is a pretty reasonable excuse for having very little spare time. Their latest offering, Ashes, arrived on October 9 through Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music, coinciding with the band's biggest touring commitment as headliners to date.
Vocalist Mike Andersson recently joined HEAVY's Ali Williams for a conversation about the new record, the band's musical ambitions and the considerable excitement surrounding a tour several years in the making. Since forming in 2016, TUNGSTEN...

If you like your music thick, volatile, and dripping with pure, unfiltered Aussie attitude, you need to stop what you're doing right now. We are sitting down with Ben Hosking, the powerhouse guitarist from Newcastle's own groove-metal wrecking ball, Where The Devil. If you haven't witnessed these boys live yet, you are seriously sleeping on one of the most punishing and exhilarating acts in the local underground scene right now.
The main reason we’re spinning this yarn today is because the countdown is officially on for one of the most anticipated events on the heavy calendar: Hollowfest 2026. This ab...

When you think of the ultimate chameleons in the global extreme music scene, one name consistently rises from the shadows to claim the crown: Mortiis. From his early days forging the fires of Norwegian black metal on bass for Emperor to completely reinventing himself as the grandfather of dungeon synth, Håvard Ellefsen has spent more than three decades refusing to play by anybody else’s rules. He’s an artist who doesn't just push boundaries—he completely obliterates them, evolving musically, visually, and conceptually with every single release.
Now, the enigmatic mastermind is preparing to bring his legendary, dark so...

Interview by Ali Williams
Long before Australian playlists started happily throwing funk, rock, hip hop, soul and heavy groove into the same digital bucket, SKUNKHOUR were already doing the hard, sweaty version of it onstage. No algorithm. No tidy marketing lane. Just real instruments, an MC, big rhythm, bigger nerve, and a refusal to flatten themselves into something easier to explain.  Now the band are taking that history back out on the road with the Back to Basics Tour, a title pulled from one of their earliest songs and a pretty cheeky understatement for a band with this much b...

French collective Nouvelle Vague are set to return to Australia for three exclusive shows, bringing their unmistakable reimaginings of iconic new wave and post-punk classics back to local audiences.For singers Melanie Pain and Phoebe Kilde, the upcoming dates offer an opportunity to experience the band in a different setting, with intimate club performances promising a more rock ’n’ roll atmosphere than their previous Australian appearances.“We’ve been doing festivals, big outdoor afternoon events,” Pain explained. “I’m really glad we’re coming and doing proper night gigs in proper clubs.”With an impressive catalogue of interpretations spanning artists including Joy Divi...

Few bands manage to weaponise raw, unadulterated musical chaos quite like Germany’s Half Me. Bursting onto the heavy scene with a catastrophic blend of modern metalcore, nu-metal bounce, and visceral post-hardcore, the Hamburg five-piece have rapidly evolved into one of Europe’s most formidable sonic juggernauts. Following the massive success of their devastating debut Soma, the band has refused to take their foot off the throat of the genre. Now, they are back to deliver another absolute masterclass in sonic violence with their highly anticipated sophomore album, Dogma.
Dogma is a savage, uncompromising step forward that captures Half Me a...

Get your dancing shoes polished and your neck muscles thoroughly warmed up, because post-hardcore royalty is finally heading back down under! That’s right, heavy music lovers—the absolute icons of progressive, chaotic, and infectious math-rock-infused bliss, Dance Gavin Dance, are gearing up to storm Australian shores for what promises to be an unforgettable run of shows. For years, this band has been rewriting the rulebook of alternative music, blending soulful melodies with face-melting riffs, and their upcoming tour is set to be one for the history books. Ahead of this massive trek, we sat down for a chat with the...

The Australian heavy music landscape is littered with the carcasses of short-lived festivals, but every now and then, a beast rises from the underground with enough grit and staying power to change the game. Enter Hollowfest.
Masterminded by the chaotic minds behind groove-metal juggernauts We The Hollow, this rogue gathering has evolved from a passionate local showcase into a mandatory calendar fixture for the nation’s riff-worshippers. It is raw, it is unapologetic, and it represents the exact kind of DIY defiance that keeps our scene breathing.
At the epicenter of this beautiful madness is Scotty (A.K.A...

There are few bands in the modern Australian rock landscape that capture the raw, bleeding pulse of human emotion quite like Melbourne’s indie-pop-punk heavyweights, Slowly Slowly. Led by frontman and master songwriter Ben Stewart, the band has carved out an untouchable reputation for turning vulnerabilities into massive, stadium-sized anthems. They don't just write hooks; they craft sonic confessionals that force you to look in the mirror and reckon with whatever you find there.
Today, Slowly Slowly announced their highly anticipated sixth studio album, Everybody Tells The Truth, an album that already promises to push their signature emotional urgency in...

When you talk about skate punk royalty, few bands hold a candle to Sweden’s finest musical exports, Millencolin. For over three decades, these absolute legends have been providing the ultimate high-octane soundtrack to our lives, blending lightning-fast riffs, infectious melodies, and a relentless sonic energy that simply refuses to age. Now, the boys are gearing up to cross the hemisphere once again to blow the roof off Australia, landing a highly coveted spot on the massive Good Things Festival 2026 lineup, alongside a string of highly anticipated headline sideshows.
Aussie punks have always shared a deep, almost symbiotic love af...

Every now and then, a band bursts onto the alternative landscape with such violent, genre-shattering momentum that they force you to sit up, put down your beer, and take notice. Ladies and gentlemen, meet unpeople.
The fast-ascending UK four-piece has been absolutely tearing up the rulebook over the last year. They have systematically evolved from a fiercely buzzed-about underground secret into an absolute juggernaut destined to conquer arenas. They refuse to be pigeonholed by standard sonic definitions. Instead, they weaponise a beautifully chaotic cocktail of heavy riffs, theatrical flair, and massive, addictive melodies that get completely stuck in your...

G’day heavy music lovers, Kris Peters here for HEAVY Mag, and boy, do we have an absolute cracker of an interview for you today! If you call yourself a fan of the dark, melancholic, and crushingly heavy, then you better buckle up because the undisputed pioneers of gothic metal are finally making their long-awaited return down under. That’s right, the legendary Paradise Lost are bringing their gloomy majesty back to Australian shores this October, and the excitement across the local metal community is already reaching a fever pitch. 
It has been a hot minute since the British heavy...

For Prayers, inspiration has never been something that can be forced. His latest Spanish-language EP, Oraciones, arrived almost by accident, after a session in his friend Alfonso’s Chicago kitchen turned into four songs written in a single day.“I captured lightning in a bottle with these four songs,” Prayers explains, describing the pressure-free process as his favourite way to create. What began with electronic beats eventually evolved into something more deeply connected to his Mexican heritage, with cumbia rhythms helping shape the EP’s direction.While Oraciones represents a new chapter, Prayers says it remains connected to everything he has crea...

Every now and then a band bursts out of the underground circuit with the kind of pure, unadulterated sonic swagger that leaves your jaw firmly pinned to the floor. If you haven't yet been introduced to the auditory demolition that is Los Angeles power trio Primitive Ring, then pack your bags, turn your speakers up to eleven, and prepare to have your ears left properly ringing.
Born from a collective state of what they call "high-functioning de-evolution," this formidable outfit is a rock and roll brotherhood comprised of Bert Hoover, Jon Modaff, and the guitar-wielding madman himself, Charles Moothart...

Interview by Ali Williams
Forty-five years into SHONEN KNIFE, Naoko Yamano can still describe the band in three words: “pop, fun and punk.” It is remarkably efficient for a group whose history stretches from Osaka’s early-’80s underground to major-label releases, international festivals and enough world touring to make airport carpet a recurring feature of adult life.  Australia has occupied a sizeable patch of that history. SHONEN KNIFE first toured here in 1997 and have returned repeatedly since, but their October visit is considerably more ambitious than a quick lap through the eastern capitals. The Lets Knife: Re-Cut Australia/NZ 2026 t...

If there is one band that knows how to completely tear the roof off a venue and leave the crowd begging for mercy, it’s Virginia groove metal powerhouse Lamb of God. For over two decades, these absolute legends have been consistency personified, delivering some of the most punishing, riff-driven, and neck-snapping metal on the planet. Aussie heavy music fans are currently losing their collective minds because Lamb of God is heading back down under for a massive, stadium-sized 2026 co-headlining tour with long-time brothers-in-arms Trivium. It is the kind of dream-ticket tour line-up that doesn’t come around often, and with...

Interview by Ali Williams
Interview by Ali Williams
THE CRIBS are bringing ninth album Selling A Vibe to Australia this October, and Ryan Jarman is considerably happier about the shows than the long-haul flight. It will be their first national tour since 2018; the pandemic prevented an Australian visit for 2020’s Night Network. Ahead of the return, the guitarist and vocalist caught up with HEAVY to discuss a new recording approach and the spontaneity he refuses to give up.  Ryan, bassist and vocalist Gary Jarman and drummer Ross Jarman still write together in the rehearsal room, working out the son...

If you haven’t crossed paths with Melbourne’s premier unholy crusty death metal outfit Küntsquäd yet, then honestly, what the hell have you been doing with your life? Led by the ferocious, guitar-wielding frontwoman Paula VC Damnzal, this four-piece wrecking crew has been absolutely tearing the Australian heavy scene a new one with their toxic blend of blackened grime, extreme death metal, and crust punk aggression. Fresh off dropping their latest devastating sonic assault, Satan's Cock, they are gearing up to take their chaotic live ritual across state borders.
And where better to unleash that unadulterated musica...

Interview by Ali Williams
KATATONIA return to Australia this October with Nightmares as Extensions of the Waking State and crowds that can span several generations. The Australian run starts at Crowbar in Brisbane on October 7, with Atticus Chimps and PARHELION supporting. Released on June 6, 2025, the record is the thirteenth studio album from the Stockholm band whose music has expanded from death/doom into gothic and progressive music. When bass player Niklas Sandin spoke with HEAVY even he acknowledged the demands of saying the album title aloud. “It’s kind of a tongue twister,” he laughed. The group remain enthusiastic about...

If there is one undeniable certainty in the heavy metal universe, it is that when Sweden's premier Viking metal juggernauts Amon Amarth decide to unleash a new record, you drop everything, grab your drinking horn, and prepare your neck for an absolute beating.
For over three decades, Amon Amarth has been the gold standard for sonic warfare, delivering monumental, slab-heavy melodic death metal that lands with the subtlety of Thor’s hammer. But just when you thought they couldn't possibly raise the stakes any higher, the band has returned with their massive thirteenth studio album, The Allfather Awakens, out Oc...

Words and interview by Aysha Swanson
On Sunday, October 11, Sunshine Coast hardcore outfit Human Condition will return to Nambour Bowls Club for the launch of their debut EP S.C.H.C., bringing TwoSeventy, No Harm, Blatant Saint, Asbestos and Doping Control to the stage. Best of all, the whole thing is free and all ages. For Human Condition, S.C.H.C. represents the end of a long wait. The band have been playing together since 2024, with these songs existing in their live set long before they were committed to record. Finally having them ready to release is...

Every now and then a band bursts out of the local circuit with the kind of sonic swagger that leaves your jaw firmly pinned to the venue floor. Three decades ago a bunch of Frankston graffiti artists did just that when they decided to mash punk rock, metal, and hip-hop together, creating a beautiful monster that would completely reshape the Australian alternative music scene. They didn't just play gigs; they threw chaotic, adrenaline-fueled parties that became the definitive soundtrack for the Big Day Out and Channel [V] generation. Of course, I’m talking about the absolute bloody legends that are 28 Da...

Interview by Ali Williams
TAPE/OFF will be hitting the stages again bringing with them their beloved alt rock/groove punk sounds with them. Their first show for the year will be at Zed51 that effectively will kick off their tour. Drummer Branko Cosic caught up with HEAVY Magazine’s Ali Williams to chat about their return and their genuine excitement to be doing so. There’s a certain amusement in watching the bloke who normally on the other side of an interview asking the questions. Cosic spends a sizeable portion of his working life listening to other people betw...

The Dandy Warhols’ Zia McCabe has spent decades making music, but her latest creative chapter is taking her somewhere unexpected: immersive art.Returning to Australia in November, McCabe says the band’s relationship with Australian audiences remains special, saying “once Aussies decide they love you, they love you forever.”
But alongside the Dandy Warhols’ upcoming shows, McCabe will unveil SEE HEAR NOW at Tasmania’s MONA, an interactive musical installation opening to the public on November 26.The installation grew from McCabe’s desire to transform spaces and create environments that tell stories beyond music for everyone. Visitors will trigger musical elemen...

Interview by Ali Williams
THE MARK OF CAIN aren't a band prone to excessive activity for the sake of it. They play when there is a reason to play, record when there is something worth recording and, still prefer enough amplifiers and cables on stage to keep several roadies gainfully employed. In 2026, there happens to be a very good reason to get busy. 
The Adelaide trio Josie Scott, Kim Scott and drummer Eli Green are preparing to return to the stage, beginning with Brisbane’s Zed 51 Festival at Roma Street Parkland on October 24 before heading to Melbourne, Sydney and...

There are few bands in the modern alternative rock landscape that can genuinely claim to have completely rewritten the rulebook, but Essex powerhouses Nothing But Thieves are definately one of them. From their explosive self-titled debut right through to the sprawling, neon-soaked conceptual masterpiece that was Dead Club City, these boys have consistently refused to play it safe. They have spent over a decade blending indie sensibilities, electronic pulses, and massive, stadium-sized rock riffs into a cocktail that is uniquely, undeniably theirs. But nothing—and I mean absolutely nothing—could have prepared the rock world for the fierce sonic beast that...

Interview by Ali Williams
Sixteen years into a band, creative expansion can become a logistical problem. For PROTOMARTYR, the latest version apparently comes with horns, extra personnel and the growing realisation that every good studio idea eventually turns up on the tour budget demanding its own seat. The Detroit post-punk veterans are preparing to release their seventh studio album Hotel Usona on September 25, frontman Joe Casey dialled into HEAVY to chat with our Ali Williams about their new release and upcoming US tour. When asked how he would explain PROTOMARTYR to the uninitiated, his first assessment is brutally economical. “Re...

The global punk rock landscape would look vastly different without the bruising anthems, razor-sharp sociopolitical fury, and unwavering grit of Chicago’s finest, Rise Against. For over two and a half decades, Tim McIlrath, Zach Blair, Joe Principe, and Brandon Barnes have acted as the sonic conscience of alternative music, throwing their weight behind causes that matter while sound-tracking the lives of millions. Now, the powerhouse four-piece is gearing up to cross the Pacific once again for what promises to be one of the most explosive, boundary-pushing double-bills down under has seen in years.
While Aussie fans were treated to...