HEAVY Music Interviews

HEAVY Magazine

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS
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All the latest music interviews from the team at HEAVY Magazine. HEAVY interviews the worlds leading rock, punk, metal and beyond musicians in the heavy universe of music. We will upload the latest interviews regularly so before to follow our social accounts and our podcast account on www.speaker.com/user/heavy Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

7H AGO

YOTH IRIA: From Hellenic Roots To Heavy Metal Heaven

Interview by Ali Williams If there’s one thing metal fans adore, it’s passion — and talking to Yoth Iria’s Nikolas and Jim (the legendary Jim Mutilator, no less) proves the Greeks have it in spades. Despite what might be the most lag-ridden Zoom call in human history, we all the patience of monks and the enthusiasm of headbangers at their first gig. And managed to have a conversation bursting with humour, honesty, and riffs of wisdom about their latest album, the evolution of Hellenic metal, and why live music is the truest form of human connection. Yoth Iria’s sound is best described as new wave of Hellenic darkness— unmistakably forged in the fires of the Greek black metal scene — continues its ascent with new album which was unleashed late last week. Jim describes it as “the new wave of Hellenic black metal”, but with experimentation that stretches far beyond borders. The record blends everything from gothic metal and thrash to traditional Greek folk motifs and the odd splash of punk — a sonic gyros with a side of dark melody. Nikolas adds with a grin that the secret to their evolution lies in balance: “You have to keep your identity but explore new worlds. You can’t just replicate yourself forever — that’s not art, that’s photocopying.” There is undeniable chemistry behind the chaos, and artistic chemistry, seems to be their real superpower. Jim and Nikolas compose like siblings who occasionally disagree but always end up laughing about it over beers. “We’re different in style,” Jim admits, “but that’s our secret to success. It’s the difference that makes the music breathe.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 min
1D AGO

Bringing Big Screen Energy To Your Music Vido With CHRIS SUN From SUN ENTERTAINMENT

Australian filmmaker Chris Sun has spent over 15 years building a reputation in the horror world crafting brutal, unforgettable films like Daddy’s Little Girl, Charlie’s Farm and BOAR. Now, he’s turning that same cinematic intensity toward a new frontier: music videos. With the launch of Sun Entertainment, Chris is stepping into the global music scene with one clear mission — to give artists bold, high-impact visuals that cut through the noise. What started as a small, passionate setup with his son Kyle has rapidly evolved into a full-scale production powerhouse. Today, Sun Entertainment is backed by a team of producers, editors, set builders, and creative artists, many of whom have worked alongside Chris on his feature films. The result? A crew that knows how to bring big-screen energy into the world of music. “We want to be able to shoot incredible music videos at almost any budget level,” Sun explains. “From simple performance shoots to full cinematic story-driven productions it all comes down to the artists' budget and how far they want to push it. We’ll meet them there.” That flexibility is a huge part of what sets Sun Entertainment apart from other production companies. While many directors lock into one style or genre, Chris is flipping that idea on its head. Despite his horror roots, he’s making it clear this is about all music. All artists. All visions. “I’m not here just to shoot horror-style clips,” he says. “If you’ve got a song and a vision, I want to bring it to life no matter the genre.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

29 min
2D AGO

35 Years Of Fear With DINO CAZERES From FEAR FACTORY

Interview by Angela Croudace One can’t overstate the size of the FEAR FACTORY boot print on the neck of heavy metal. Unleashing influential albums with devastating anthems for 35 years now, they are widely recognized as both crucial and innovative in extreme metal circles. FEAR FACTORY manufactured, demanufactured, and remanufactured a sound that reverberates across several subgenres. They perfected an explosive blend of staccato paint-stripping riffs, industrial- tinged drums, electronic flourishes, and a scream/sing dichotomy, all of which became staples in heavy music, ever since the group first emerged in L.A. Celebrating 35 Years Of Fear, FEAR FACTORY are dialing in a Cybernetic Domination of Australia for their first full headlining tour in 10 years and finally for New Zealand, they perform for the first time since 2012! The signature sounds, concepts, and passions remain, as FEAR FACTORY salutes its past, present, and future. HEAVY caught up with guitarist Dino Cazeres to find out more. "We've been coming to Australia since 1993," he began. "This is gonna be our 15th time there, and I can't wait to get there. We have a huge catalogue of songs to sift through and create a perfect set for a killer live show in Australia." Fear Factory often deal with subjects of dystopia and control, the rise of the machines being a dominant landscape. Which begs the question, does Dino see the world today as closer to those themes than when the band first started? "100%," he nodded. "And I believe we are at fault, you know what I mean? We're the ones who are allowing this to happen. Sure, there are higher people who are making these kind of executive decisions and developing this technology, but a lot of the stuff that we sang about in the past has definitely come to fruition, and it's just… this technology's gonna keep on evolving." In the full interview, we covered Fear Factory's current creative state, touring plans, and forthcoming releases, with Dino explaining his songwriting and performance perspective. Dino described himself as a rhythmic writer who composes riffs with drum patterns in mind and said he writes whatever he feels, whether melodic or brutal; he noted his performance approach and enjoyment of entertaining fans remain consistent with his work since the 1990s. The conversation addressed touring improvements, and emphasized that studio collaboration keeps the project enjoyable and motivating. Dino confirmed that new singles and a new Fear Factory record will be released soon and directed fans to fearfactory.com for tour dates and VIP packages and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 min
3D AGO

Welcome To The Enchanted Rock Palace With ROBERT NIXON From WEARY WIZARDS FEDERATION

Interview by Kris Peters Magic DOES happen! Weary Wizards Federation are coming back after a brief slumber and have declared a welcome home party for one and all Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on May 16. While your attendance stops short of being compulsory, if you’re NOT there you will miss out on not only the Wizards’ first live performance in over 365 days, but also the debut show from the fresh assortment of Wizards who now call the stage their home as part of Weary Wizards Federation. The Weary Wizards Federation have awoken from hibernation and are ready to once more unleash a thunderous sound rich in sonic beauty. And what would a welcome home party be without a few friends? Pretty boring that’s what! So to ensure everybody enjoys themselves Chase the Wolves, Birds are Fake, and Dirty Jox have all sent in their RSVP’s with a promise to do justice to this momentous occassion. Even better, you can bring your aspiring Wizards and Enchantresses because the whole celebration will be open to music lovers of all ages. To catch up on all of the spellbinding happenings, HEAVY nailed down the man behind Weary Wizards Federation, Robert Nixon. One topic of discussion is preperations for the comeback show and how Robert is feeling only a week or so out. "It's been a really interesting change for me," he measured. "From going from the previous members who were guys that have played in multiple bands and were very much familiar with playing on stage and in a band setting, to now, our new drummer Tom, it will be his first time playing in any kind of band. And the first time getting up on stage in front of a live audience. But he's stoked. He's pumped as. It's great for me - I have been doing this since I was 16 or 17 - so to see a guy doing his first show and to be lucky enough to get to do that at somewhere like Mo's Desert Clubhouse… We've struck it pretty lucky to be honest." In the full interview, Robert talks more about the show and what to expects. He talks us through the three other bands playing - Dirty Jox, Birds Are Fake and Chase The Wolves - and what they bring to the table. We talk about the lunchtime start and the fact it is an all ages gig and the benefits of that to the next generation of music lovers plus the diversity of genres across all four bands. We spoke about the re-recorded version of the band's 2023 debut EP and what to expect from that, including a brief history of Weary Wizards Federation and their plans moving forward plus more. Weary Wizards Federation play at Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Saturday, May 16 with Dirty Jox, Birds Are Fake and Chase The Wolves. Show starts at 12 pm and is an all ages event. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

13 min
3D AGO

Finding Yourself With ROU REYNOLDS From ENTER SHIKARI

Interview by Kris Peters A band who transcend genre and have transfixed fans across the globe since emerging in 2003, ENTER SHIKARI weave an unforgettable blend of post hardcore rock and electronic wizardry, while also flying the flag for meaningful lyricism that spans politics, climate change and the very gamut of the human experience. During their remarkable and celebrated career, Enter Shikari have received several accolades in the form of gongs from NME, Kerrang!, Rock Sound, Heavy Music Awards and more. They have played a whopping 3000+ live shows around the world including three headline arena tours in the UK, supported the likes of The Prodigy and Linkin Park and played festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Download and Slam Dunk where they also headlined in 2023. And now it's Australia's turn, as Enter Shikari ready for their first headline tour of this country since 2022 on the back of dropping their most recent album, Lose Your Self, as a well kept secret with no singles, no promotion. Nothing. A band who have never been afraid to shun convention, Enter Shikari remain as fresh and relevant today as when they first burst onto the scene in 2003. HEAVY took the opportunity to chat with frontman Rou Reynolds ahead of the tour, starting by asking if he is packed and ready to fly. "Getting there," he laughed. "We're all very excited to get back to Australia. It's one of our favourite places to play." Australian fans got to see Enter Shikari live earlier last year as part of Knotfest 2025, so we ask Rou what has changed with the band since that tour. "Oh, blimey," he countered. "We finished up our record and released that. That was a long, arduous process (smiles). All sorts of life stuff has been going on… It's been all change really. But at the same time it doesn't feel like that long ago we were in Australia but that's an example of how quickly time seems to ebb away at the moment (laughs)." Talk turns to last months unconventional release of Enter Shikari's new album Lose Your Self, which was granted no advance publicity or convential single release schedule and was instead set forth on the world to little fanfare and much surprise. We ask Rou about the thought process behind such a potentially risky move. "I think once we finished the album we really saw it as a body of work; as one entity," he replied, choosing his words carefully. "And that was kind of a shock really, because the album was recorded in such a disjointed way over a long period of time. There was a worry that it wouldn't come together as one solid body of work but it did, quite effortlessly. At that point we were trying to think how did we want to release this and we basically just thought it would be a credit to the art of it if we just released it. How do we want people to approach this album? How do we want them to absorb it? And I think the traditional way of releasing three or four singles before a reord just didn't excite us. I think just dropping a record in people's laps forces them to take it in as an album. The focus then becomes not about the hype or trying to make a really successful album. It actually becomes about how do people react to the album? How do people indulge in it and make it their own when they take one body of work and immerse themselves in it. That's really exciting to us." In the full interview Rou talks more about the tour and what we can expect, running us through an Enter Shikari live show and the synergy between the band and the crowd that creates a welcoming and comfortable experience. We spoke more about Lose Your Self and the surprise release, including the changes in approach and pressure the band experienced by not having to meet pre-album obligations and expectations. Rou talked about the darkness inherent in the album material and how it represents Enter Shikari moving forward and much more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

11 min
3D AGO

Everything's Better With Ice Cream According To STEVE HARRIS From HILLBILLY VEGAS

Interview by Kris Peters Hillbilly Vegas’ dynamic sound caught the ears of an independent label in Nashville in 2011, and their first album Ringo Manor was released and sold more than 10,000 copies – driven by the hit single Little Miss Rough and Tumble. The band has gone onto chart five songs on Billboard’s Rock charts, including Let It Ride – which remained on the chart for 13 weeks and reached #10, Feels Good, High Time For A Good Time, Hell To Pay, Two GunTown, and fan favorite Shake It Like A Hillbilly. The band has earned a reputation for rousing live shows-bringing a loud, party-like atmosphere that is all-inclusive. They’ve shown they have a broad appeal across different genres, pleasing crowds while performing shows with rockers Blackberry Smoke, The Kentucky Headhunters, Wolfsbane and Ted Nugent; along with country icons Alabama, Travis Tritt, Blake Shelton, and Wynonna Judd. Hillbilly Vegas has played before huge crowds at NASCA Revents, as well as many major bike rallies, including the legendary annual Sturgis Motorcycle rally.They have a strong UK following, and have played the Maid of Stone and Steelhouse festivals. Now, Hillbilly Vegas are set to raise the stakes even higher with the release of their new album A La Mode, slated for release this Friday, May 8. With everything you love about Hillbilly Vegas and fresh characteristics that expand their sound even further, A La Mode epitomises the rock and roll spirit unlike anything you have heard in recent memory. HEAVY sat down with vocalist and original member Steve Harris to find out more, starting by asking how he is feeling about the release. "We feel good about it," he enthused. "We like what we've done. The name A La Mode is a silly name, but it's a fun name. We hope that everybody enjoys it as much as we enjoyed doing it." We ask Steve to dive deeper into the musical side of the album. "Well, I wish I could say there's a bunch of deep meaning in it," he smiled, "but we just write songs and when I hear the music that the guys start writing, I just... Sometimes it tells a story, sometimes it paints a picture, and then I start writing from there. I do a lot of observational stuff, and people I know are just things I've seen, and there's a lot of things on there. There's a good story in every song, even the silly ones, and we hope everybody finds their story in our story." In the full interview we covered Hillbilly Vegas’ new album A La Mode, its musical character, notable collaborations, and upcoming touring plans. Steve introduced the band lineup and described the record as a mix of ballads, heavy rockers, country, and boogie-woogie, explaining the title reflects the idea that “everything’s better with ice cream” rather than any title track. He also highlighted the single Mr. Midnight, noting Paul Rodgers contributed vocals, appears in the song and video, and was praised as a defining rock voice and a generous collaborator. The conversation then reviewed the band’s origins and early Nashville experience, with Steve saying the Nashville songwriting-factory environment conflicted with their broader rock-and-roll approach. He recounted how their first radio play led to a Nashville record deal. Steve also announced a U.S. summer tour planned for June–August, the band’s first U.S. tour in three years, and noted several of their top streaming cities are in Australia and more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 min
4D AGO

Killer Instinct With MIKE NESS From SOCIAL DISTORTION

Interview by Kris Peters This Friday, May 8, California’s legendary iconic band Social Distortion release their eighth studio album, Born To Kill, via Epitaph Records. Born To Kill is more than the conclusion to a 15-year wait between Social Distortion albums, it’s a revelation: 11 songs of pure, unadulterated rock ’n' roll fury, joy and catharsis, all imbued with the signature blend of defiance and world-weariness that has made founder Mike Ness a poet and sage to the dispossessed for more than 40 years. The first Social Distortion album since Ness’ recovery from a bout with cancer, Born To Kill brims with aggressive optimism. The album wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is, with its title track and mission statement dropping nods to Lou Reed (Rock ’n’ Roll Animal gonna come your way!) and Iggy and the Stooges (“The agenda is yeah to Search and Destroy”) and a homage to David Bowie (“It’s a Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide”) following a few songs later on Partners In Crime. This is a man, a band and a record that wear their influences proudly while creating timeless anthems and ballads that both chart Social Distortion’s path forward and celebrate its storied past: Tonight and The Way Things Were are emotionally charged reminiscences in the vein of classics like Story of My Life from the band’s eponymous 1990 breakthrough and I Was Wrong from 1996’s White Light, White Heat, White Trash, the latter containing a potent distillation of the Social D ethos: "I wrote a song with a stolen riff / If you ain’t got a song you ain’t got shit.” HEAVY sat down for an interesting chat with Ness about the new album, the history of Social Distortion and much, much more. One of the early questions was about expectation and if he felt any outside pressure due to the length of time since 2011's Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes? "I mean, a little bit," Ness measured. "I mean, I didn't mean for 15 years to go by, but a lot of things in life came up in the last 15 years. But I did know it was definitely a thought in the forefront of my mind that when it was time to make this record, it couldn't be a sleeper. It needed to be... it needed to get people's attention." We ask Mike to dive deeper into the musicality on Born To Kill and what he was going for this time around. "With every record you want to try and reinvent yourself," he replied, pausing to reflect. "But for me it was as simple as just going back to the late 70s and the music I was listening to, just to inspire me. It was a chance to pay homage, if you will, to some of my idols and play around with some different grooves and rhythms. I tried to go back to a little bit more primitive style. Primitive is good (smiles)." Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 min
MAY 1

Keep On Digging Until You Make It With NED SMELLY From GOPHER

Wheezing new life and enjoyment into the current Australian heavy music climate, the arthritic riddled retirees known as GOPHER have released their astonishing, must hear debut album Tunnel Buddies. Featuring the forever young looking and current world mahjong champion Ernie Bingo on vocals, and perpetually complimented by the effervescent ladies man Ned Smelly on guitars, they prove without a doubt that you are never too old to hail the horns and bang your head. Even if it is fused to your neck. GOPHER’s infectious debut album Tunnel Buddies knits together a cohesive fusion of knee wobbling groovy grind, back breaking death/slam, slinky massaging synths, sedating sing along anthemic choruses, and most importantly FUN! Like a bit of diversity in your heavies and looking for something new to gnash your gums on? GOPHER, unlike Australia Post, delivers! To coincide the album’s release is a brand spanking new single and video for their about to be shindig hit Party In The Sky - a tale of guitarist and scrabble shark Ned Smelly’s passion for guzzling grog on flights and expertly making the time whizz by. Ned states, ‘When you’re up in the air for hours on end and with only s****y modern-day entertainment on offer, what better way to kill the time than drinking the plane dry, charming the hosties and passing the f**k out. We’ve all got a plane face and my ancient wrinkly noggin is the best of ‘em! This splendid ditty kicks off with a catchy synth intro before launching into an all-out groove riff spread and then cleverly leading into an all-time party sing along anthem. Get your boarding pass and come ‘Party In The Sky’ with us." Disturbed by the happenings with Gopher's sudden rise through the ranks, HEAVY tracked Ned down at his tropical hideaway to figure out whether or not to take Gopher's threats seriously. But first we thought we would compliment him on how good he looks today. "Look, when you're this old, everything freezes up," he spat back, possibly not believing I was being genuine. "Your muscles are f****d. Everything's just gone to shit. So I'm doing the best I can with what I've got to work with, you know? It's not easy. We do what we do. 250 years old, man." We turn our attention to Gopher's new single, Party In The Sky, with much the same result. "Yes. Yes," he nodded. "We like to party. We like to drink every day and smoke dairy and not do much else. We'll play guitars and write some music and do this crazy stuff. But yes, that's what we do. Flying in a plane is really boring, so what better way to pass the time than just to get really pissed, drink the plane dry and just pass the f**k out and voila, you land and you're good to go. Well, not so good, you're shit really, but at least you slept those six hours and then the time's gone." In the full interview, Ned described Party in the Sky as party metal about partying on a plane, explaining the song's themes and the video concept of staged on-the-road misbehavior, and positioned the album as a mix of metal subgenres with heavy riffs, synth elements, and singalong choruses. We talked about the past, present and future of Gopher, digging holes in Indonesia and their fun first ethos and attitude to music. Ned went off track more than a few times, but when he regained his focus we talked more about the musical side of Gopher's music, what they hope to bring to the music scene, playing live and much more. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

20 min

All the latest music interviews from the team at HEAVY Magazine. HEAVY interviews the worlds leading rock, punk, metal and beyond musicians in the heavy universe of music. We will upload the latest interviews regularly so before to follow our social accounts and our podcast account on www.speaker.com/user/heavy Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Creator

HEAVY Magazine
Years Active

2018 - 2026
Episodes

1K
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© HEAVY 2025
Show Website

HEAVY Music Interviews