While many people and critics hail certain albums as being pivotal or defining in terms of musical genres or movements, the reality is that, while undeniably a great album, whatever they are referring to was just that. A great album at a time where a musical genre was earning its stripes.
But every now and then - usually with the test of time - an album stands out in their particular field of metal. An album that really did help shape and refine a movement that was later to become a genre. An album that, decades after its release, is still hailed as a masterpiece and rightfully so.
One such album is Broke from HED (PE). 25 years ago an up and coming rap/metal outfit called HED (PE) had already announced themselves with their self-titled debut album, but it was the release of Broke in 2000 that really catapulted the band up the rankings. Featuring Serj Tankian (System of a Down) and Morgan Lander (Kittie) as guest artists, Broke spawned the singles Bartender, Killing Time, and Feel Good, fusing rap, funk, hip hop and metal like never before and playing a huge part in the early development of nu metal.
The album has resonated with fans the world over for the last two and a half decades, and Australian audiences will get the chance to share in the beauty of Broke when HED (PE) head to this side of the world next February to celebrate the album's anniversary.
HEAVY sat down with frontman Jahred Gomes to get up to speed. One of the questions was if it was difficult learning the whole album, taking into account when it was written it wasn't done with the intention of playing the whole album in the future.
"No, it wasn't difficult," he recalled, "but you know, at PE, we've got some really long songs. So sometimes in the live setting, we do more medleys so we can play a bunch of shit. I imagine when the show comes out there'll be some songs played in full, some songs that we just touch on, but we want to make it exciting for people. We've got some tricks that we're going to be doing. It's different. It's 25 years later, so it's got more of a straight-ahead, thrashy punk rock vibe now than it did back then."
In the full interview, Jahred discussed the significance of Broke, reflecting on its themes of financial and emotional struggles, its impact on the band's rise to fame, and the evolution of their songwriting. He acknowledged some lyrics he now finds regrettable but expressed comfort in performing the older songs. He also shared his excitement about touring with Nonpoint, highlighting the importance of supporting friends in the music industry and more.


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Interview by Ali Williams
LA Outfit BLVD OF EYES have just released their latest single We Are Human, and are about to kick off their Australian Tour on November 21 in Melbourne to coincide with the release of their EP on the same day.
Founder and leading lady of the band Chloe Trujillo caught up with HEAVY Mags Ali Williams on the weekend to talk about their upcoming tour and new album drop, amongst other things. Having formed during the pandemic, BLVD OF EYES is the collaborative brainchild of Trujillo and fellow artist Mark Dalbeth. Chloe, who is also the wife of Metallica’s Rob Trujillo, is already in Australia supporting her husband as he tours with Metallica, in the lead up to her own tour. 
She shares that she has a genuine love for Australia and our people. Having formerly collaborated with other Australian companies such as The Guitar Strap Co, Chloe has formed an instant bond with the place since coming here in support of her husband band tour, Her Aussie connection doesn’t just stop there as her fellow band member and founder Mark Dalbeth is probably best known for being a founder of the Australian band Bellusira.
Other band members of BLVD OF EYES alongside Trujillo and Dalbeth are Kevin Hicklin on guitar, and on drums, Lullah Trujillo daughter of Rob and Chloe. Although not joining them on this current tour, their daughter has been drumming for the band since they started back in 2021 and the tender age of 15. 
See the full interview at the HEAVY channel on Youtube. We Are Human is available now on all streaming platforms and for tour, tickets and event info for BLVD OF EYES go to https://www.blvdofeyes.com/

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With their ninth studio album, Another Miracle, landing on November 14 - and an Australian tour commencing May 7, 2026 - Of Mice & Men are stepping boldly into their next era—one defined by emotional depth, creative freedom, and an unshakeable bond with their fans. Drummer Valentino Arteaga speaks about the record with a mix of pride and awe, describing it as a “journey” built on layered soundscapes, soaring melodies, and crushing heaviness. It’s an album meant to be absorbed front to back, not just thrown on a playlist.
Self-produced and richly textured, Another Miracle reflects a band continually pushing their own boundaries. Valentino compares its intricate sonic layers to “ten wedding cakes stacked on top of each other,” each one representing experimentation, growth, and the group’s ever-expanding musical vocabulary. Songs were crafted during a period of major life changes, including frontman Aaron Pauley discovering he was about to become a father, which brought a new emotional dimension to the writing.
Valentino’s current favourite track, Troubled Water, mirrors the album’s dynamic energy with groove-driven drumming and bold performances. Yet he insists each song offers something different: “With Of Mice & Men, there’s something for everybody.”
Despite their evolution, one thing remains firmly intact; their connection to fans. Community is at the heart of their legacy, and it’s something the band is determined to honour. “When you come to an Of Mice & Men show, you’re there with family,” Valentino says. That spirit will follow them to Australia in May 2026, where they’ll tour with genre-blurring heavyweights Crystal Lake for what promises to be an explosive run of shows.
With Another Miracle, Of Mice & Men aren’t just reinventing their sound, they’re reaffirming why their music continues to resonate so deeply after 16 years: honesty, passion, and a commitment to constant elevation.
OF MICE & MEN + CRYSTAL LAKE May 2026 Australian Tour Dates
Tuesday 5th May - PERTH, Magnet House
Thursday 7th May - ADELAIDE, Lion Arts Factory
Friday 8th May - MELBOURNE, 170 Russell
Saturday 9th May - SYDNEY, Manning Bar
Sunday 10th May - BRISBANE, The Triffid
Tickets: https://thephoenix.au/of-mice-men-2026/

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Sometimes a band comes along that manages to transcend the normal parameters of heavy music. A band who has all the elements to be labelled as such, but also displays enough emotional resonance and accessibility to allow their music to seep through into other markets as well.
With a self coined phrase calling their music 'sad rock', Southern Californian outfit Dayseeker have proudly evolved from post-hardcore upstarts to a band whose sound sits somewhere between that genre and many more, defiantly allowing their emotions to dictate proceedings but still spicing things up with moments of heaviness that in lesser hands would work against them.
Having recently released their sixth full length album Creature In The Black Night, Dayseeker have grown musically once more, delivering their most immersive and intentional record to date — eerie, cinematic, and threaded with a dark emotional current. It is a deeply personal experience for vocalist Rory Rodriguez, but one which he feels is essential in his own personal development as well as that of the bands.
 Dayseeker will be bringing their music to Australia early next month for all three Good Things Festival shows, as well as two select sideshows in Melbourne and Brisbane. HEAVY sat down with Rodriguez recently to talk about the new album and their upcoming Australian shows. We start by asking if the band is packed and ready to go with the Australian tour looming large.
"I think so," he smiled. "It's a little nerve wracking because we unfortunately parted ways with our guitar player very recently. We have a good friend of ours who is gonna be filling in for us, so these are our first shows with him. We're trying to get rehearsed and make sure that everything's good and that our live show stays intact. We really care about our live show being good, so other than that, we are really excited about coming to play."
We mention there's no pressure at all having a debut gig in front of 50,000 people, to which Rory lets out a laugh. "Yeah. I feel worse for him. I think we get a warm-up show for a side show in Melbourne so he will get to play to 900 people and then jump times fifty for the festivals (laughs). He's a pro, though, He's gonna do great."
In the full interview, Rory talks more about their live shows and what we can expect, highlighting the differences between outdoor and indoor gigs. He ran us through three songs Good Things punters can listen to if they aren't that familiar with Dayseeker, plus the diversity of the line-up and how that is a good thing for festivals.
We talked about the just released Creature In The Black Night and the early response, what Dayseeker were going for musically on album number six and how it is their most immersive album to date. He dove deeper into the lyrical content of the album and whether it is an album of hope or despair, how singing about his problems has worked over time and more.


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Armed with undeniably some of the heaviest riffs known to mankind, DYING FETUS have established a reputation for uncompromising integrity with a slew of classic albums, and today ride a resurgence of respect and esteem with a new generation. 
After 12 horribly long years since their last tour in Australia and in only their second appearance in New Zealand since 2009, DYING FETUS are well overdue to lash us unmercifully this December with their savage beat downs and earth-moving grooves and grunt, equally designed to pulverize and mesmerize. 
And smash us they shall, but to find out just how they plan to do that, HEAVY sat down to chat with bass player Sean Beasley. One of the things we ask about is the well-known ferocity of Dying Fetus's mosh pits and what it looks like from stage.
"Yeah, it's always different," Beasley smiled. "You never know with big festivals or whatever. That's when you see it, like, oh shit, somebody might get hurt out there. Usually, people get hurt when they fall over the railing instead of being in the pit, you know?"
We also address the fact that the band have not toured Australia for well over a decade, and ask cheekily why they have neglected their fans here for so long.
"I don't know, to tell you the truth," he replied, laughing. "It just hasn't worked out. We haven't been back to Southeast Asia either, so for some reason that hasn't worked out. It's been this long, which is really surprising to me. I had to look it up and was, like, damn, when was the last time we were there (laughs), and then I had a look and realized it's been that long!"
In the full interview, Sean talks more about the tour and what we can expect from Dying Fetus. He runs through what has changed with the band in between visits, including new albums and how much attention they will be getting in the set list.
We praise him on the selection of 200 Stab Wounds as support, talking about this being their first tour of Australia and how they will adapt. The excellently graphic tour poster is discussed, along with more on the mosh pits in the crowd, new music and more.


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Entering album number ten, the all-encompassing sonic realm inhabited by Swedish musical enigma Avatar looked set to face the band's biggest personal hurdle to date. Very much a band who have proudly proclaimed their intention to maintain musical growth from day one, Avatar were forced to confront the critical and commercial success of the wildly entertaining album Dance Devil Dance. While most bands would welcome such success, it also forced Avatar to take stock of their music and career.
This is a band who have steadfastly refused to become a parody of themselves, forsaking convention and expectation in pursuit of their own musical vision from where the sonic Garden Of Eden would forever bunker down. But the temptation would surely have been there. The temptation to possibly rehash whatever winning formula was at the core of Dance Devil Dance's success and squeeze that metaphorical cash cow while the milk was still fresh and creamy.
So what did they do on their recently released follow-up, Don't Go In The Forest?
They did exactly what long-term fans of the band and the band themselves would have expected and basically raised their middle fingers in the air in an act of defiance to the Metal Gods, who felt they had paved the way for Avatar to continue their journey unabated to the upper layers of the global music empire.
While understandably retaining certain elements of what was created on Dance Devil Dance, Avatar more took the challenge of continuing their sonic evolution, exploring new and unchartered ideas personally. Maybe not outwardly, but certainly in the dark recesses of their brain, the band vowed to stick by their word. Stick by their mantra, their fans, but most importantly themselves. What they created was pure musical genius of unrestrained creativity that is perfectly represented by the intentionally sporadic and unexpected turn taken over the very first few songs on Don't Go In the Forest and only gets more disturbed from there.
HEAVY was given the opportunity to journey into the creative mind of Avatar frontman and mastermind Johannes Eckerström and relished the chance to put some sense to the engulfing madness.
"The first couple of weeks is transpositional in the sense that you are a writer; you're a performer, we're a bunch of stuff, right?" he more stated than asked the question. "And release, as in putting something out, that word has a double meaning. Because release also means letting go. And as far as the writer in us goes, it's done. It's gone forever. It doesn't belong to us anymore, it belongs to everybody."
We mention that it must be hard to emotionally let go of a body of work that has dominated their world for such a large period of time.
"There's a thing I do for myself...," Johannes measured, choosing his words carefully. "Ever since going back to the Black Waltz, because that album started an... I don't know... a quarter-life crisis kind of place in our lives, at least speaking for myself and John (Alfredsson, drummer). We had a powerful moment of that around that time, which, long story short, led to us really thinking, 'okay, this is the last album. Fuck it.' And that mindset of this is the last album, fuck it, I've tried to keep that ever since. I mean, I have some kind of confidence in that we will get to do another one (laughs), but it's always that question. If this were to be the last album, would I be okay with that? Did we achieve what we want to achieve here? If the world hates it, did we do enough to be at peace with that? And yes, I am. So, yeah, I have that little mental exercise or whatever you want to call it to deal with exactly that."
In the full interview, Johannes spoke deeper about the musical side of Don't Go In The Forest, including the deliberately eclectic nature of the music and the way they approached the order of the songs on the album. We discussed the singles released and the thought process that goes into their...

The main common thread that ties music and comedy together is timing, not that it works every time. While there and many - some would say the majority - of musicians out there who THINK they are funny, once the alcohol and/or adrenaline wears off, what they thought funny 20 minutes ago is suddenly now lame at best.
But occasionally the transition between two very different forms of artists' works seamlessly. Artists like Weird 'Al' Yankovic, Stephen Lynch and Jack Black spring immediately to mind when talking about people who have performed at high quality across both professions, but there have also been some riotous failures - but we won't go into that for fear we, too, might be accused of overstepping the line.
If you had have asked me a couple of weeks ago how I thought Five Finger Death Punch's bass player Chris Kael would go on the stand-up comedy circuit, I may have mumbled alright, but that would only have been to save my ass if word had got back to him. Then, if you had have suggested an admittedly famous comedian by the name of Craig Gass, who is best known for voicing cartoon characters, chances are I would have tuned out and failed to clock back in.
Ask me the same question now after having spent a night interviewing then dining with the pair of them, and you would get an entirely different response. So I guess even the black sheep of the world are not immune to judging a book by its cover…
What Kael and Gass may lack aesthetically as a star comedy pairing, they make up for with impeccable timing that has its foundations in mutual respect. The fact that they have lived similar lives in and around the music community definitely helps to keep the conversation flowing, but together this mismatched pair are more like the Golden Goose of the comedy circuit. Their jokes are hilarious, their banter even better, but above all else, both are humble and inspiring people who just happen to have a somewhat concerning panache for a side hustle referred to as DCP. 
What is DCP, you may ask? Well, have a listen to our conversation, and you will find out the meaning of that unexplained wonder of the world, plus heaps more that you may or may not be emotionally prepared for at this stage of your life. HEAVY sat down for an engaging and entertaining chat with Kael that covered everything from comedy to music to shin chins.
We start by asking how the tour has been so far.
"It's been incredible," Kael purred in his gravel-stained Viking voice. "We had a very short time to be able to promote these shows, so the amount of support that we've had and the amount of people we've got in there in only a week of promoting the show is awesome. We did the stand-up comedy show in Melbourne at The Comics Lounge on Friday night, and then we went to see Metallica on Saturday. That's basically all we're doing. Just funding the Metallica vacation (laughs). I have found ways to make money to be able to travel while off the road with Death Punch. I saw that Metallica was playing over here, so… I am a marketing aficionado. What better way to go out and see my old friends in Metallica? Because we toured with them the last couple of years, going all around the world, but we're working on a new record right now, so this gave me the opportunity to come over, see Metallica and get the comedy show going. We had those two shows in Melbourne, and then on November 11 here in Brisbane, we are playing at the Good Chat Comedy Club, doing a show at 7 o'clock and at 8.30 pm. Me and Craig - Craig Gass is a stand-up comedian. An actual stand-up comedian. Not a bass player who is basically telling stories about life on the road. He's been doing it for about 25 years and has been on The King Of Queens and the Howard Stern Show. 
A funny story about Craig - well, I don't know whether it's funny or not because it's his story - but when he was growing up, he was the only person in his family who could hear. His entire family is...

Interview by Angela Croudace
Half a century on from his Rabbit days and even longer since fronting the very first line-up of AC/DC, Dave Evans hasn’t slowed down one bit. Celebrating 50 years of Rabbit with the new album Defenders of Rock, the self-proclaimed “King of All Badasses” still lives by the mantra: every song a killer, no song a filler.
Speaking to us from Mexico, Evans radiates the same unstoppable energy that’s defined his career. “I’m lucky I went solo years ago,” he says. “I can record with anyone, anywhere in the world. If someone gives me the shits, I just say, ‘See ya later!’” That autonomy, he explains, keeps his fire burning and his fans around the globe ready to rock.
Evans credits his longtime collaborator and Rabbit guitarist Mark Tinson, “the king of all riffs,” for the new album’s punchy sound. “Rabbit’s a party band — sexy and tough. The world needs Rabbit right now,” he grins. “No doom and gloom. Just rock and roll, baby.”
Reflecting on the early Aussie rock scene, Evans recalls when “getting signed was like being touched by God.” Yet, even as times change, he believes the secret to survival is simple: energy, hooks, and happiness. “I still go out there to make people happy,” he says. “When they leave my show, they’re smiling and that’s what it’s all about.”
At 50 years of Rabbit and counting, Dave Evans proves that real rock ’n’ roll never dies — it just keeps getting louder!



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For a man who has been there and pretty much done it all in the Australian music industry, Mark Lizotte - or Diesel to his friends - is one hell of a humble guy.
First snapping necks with Johnny Diesel & The Injectors in the mid to late 1980s, the 90s saw Diesel launch a solo career that has seen his career progress in a steady trajectory that is a testament to the workman-like way in which he goes about his business. Singer, guitarist, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Diesel has mastered all aspects of his craft with a youthful exuberance and genuine love for music that is as infectious as it is rare.
After releasing his 17th studio album Bootleg Melancholy in 2023, Diesel could be forgiven for being a touch pickier about where, when and how he plays, but by talking to the man, you get the feeling such thoughts are barely a whisper in his subconsciousness. Instead, Diesel has spent much of this year on the road, culminating with his current By Request Tour, which sees fans and audience members choosing his nightly set list in a performance where it is guaranteed no two shows will be alike.
But rather than hang his guitar on the rack at the completion of this successful run of shows, Diesel recently announced his intentions to fire it back up again for round 2 early next year, with another 21 shows added from January through to April. And seeing how it is blatantly obvious Diesel doesn't know what to do with his spare time, HEAVY jumps at the chance to keep him busy by accepting the invitation to have a yarn about life on the road. We start by pointing out that he must be a glutton for punishment to basically turn straight back around and head out for another run of shows.
"I hope it's not punishment," Diesel laughed. "No, it's been really fun, I have to say. I've really enjoyed these ones. I think in the back of my mind, I was always like, well, if we're going to do regionals, let's do some cities too. Take it to the big smoke."
We get a bit cheeky and ask if the songs for each night's set list are 100% as voted by the fans, or if he sometimes takes liberties with what he feels like or doesn't feel like playing.
"I try to attach a person's story or name to every song," he smiled. "I've got the analytics come to me in a document, and it's all very… It's great, actually. They've got graphs of songs and which ones have been chosen, and I can see which ones are more popular than others on particular nights. It's a lot of information for me to digest. And along with that, I think the thing that is most usable and intangible are the comments that people write about why they want that song."
In the full interview, we ask Diesel if there have been many surprise requests, any that he has seen come up and cringed, and if he can see any trends between different eras of his career. We ask how he remembers so many songs on demand, the range of songs people can draw from, and the personal nature of these particular performances.
We look back on his career and ask Diesel if he ever has time to reflect on his achievements, next year's run, which starts in Tasmania and ends at the Sydney Opera House, the prestige of playing there, and more.

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Interview by Ali Williams
90’s alt-rock legends Everclear are heading back down under in November, ready to kick off their 30-year Anniversary tour of their debut album Sparkle and Fade. HEAVY Mag's Ali Williams caught up with frontman and founder Art Alexikas to chat about the tour, their huge success in Australia and what fans can expect when they swing through in a few weeks.
Hailing all the way from Portland, Oregon, Everclear started making a name for themselves in the early 90s when their debut, independently released album World of Noise (1993) would gain them credit on the home front and East Coast Alt Rock scenes. But that was nothing compared to the epic surge they felt after signing to Capitol Records. In 1995, Sparkle and Fade was released, and in what felt like overnight, the world fell in love with them.
Australian audiences couldn’t get enough, with the album going platinum soon after its release and reaching 9th place on the ARIA charts of the same year. Their music has that Cali Coast grunge vibe and lyrics that struck a chord with those who could relate.
Singing about growing up left of centre, trying to make it in the world, overcoming childhood trauma, teenage angst, underwritten by the influence of recreational drug use and powered by the sex drive of a young adult in top gear still learning the road rules, seemed to resonate with young listeners, and their following albums had the same effect.
For many Australians who were teenagers in the 90s, Sparkle and Fade was the soundtrack to their misspent youth, cassette tapes played on repeat, driving along the coastline, windows down, the summer heat thick, mixed with the distinct pungent odour of leaded petrol and dank kush being choofed in another bong hit billowing out of their prized Datto 120Y in clouds of fury. Life was good.
Art recalls the moment he realised that their track Local God had become an anthem in Australia when the head of EMI Records asked him before a show why it wasn’t on the set list. He couldn’t believe it and from then on says “we can’t come to Australia and not play Local God,” surprised that a song written as a soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann's remake of Romeo and Juliet had struck such a chord with Australian audiences.
Alexikas also shares some insight into what it’s like still touring and battling MS, a debilitating, lifelong chronic illness. At 63, Art is definitely showing no signs of slowing down, although he admits he’s a little slower than the fast pace he’d once lived. Tickets for Sparkle and Fade are available from www.ticketmaster.com and www.everclearmusic.com


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While most kids are out and about trying to think up what trouble they could possibly get into, 13-year-old Vox Realis was indoors, practising his guitar. Ever since picking up his first guitar at just 7 years of age, Realis has ploughed all of his time and energy into mastering the instrument, earning the praise and subsequent guidance of Kiko Loureiro (Megadeth, Angra) along the way, who saw something special in the aspiring musician. Not content to merely practice for himself, Realis started the YouTube series Metal For Breakfast - which has since gone viral - putting his name and guitar prowess out there to a global audience.
The result is his recently released debut single Overkill, which also features Felipe Andreoli (Angra) on bass and Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth) on drums. HEAVY recently sat down to chat with the young guitarist and start by asking him to go into the musical side of Overkill a bit deeper.
"I knew that I needed to find my own voice, and I wanted to make sure that what was in my head was represented in the song," Realis measured. "I'm really about tones, and so I really just embraced a song structure that is accessible to listeners, but I can still get what I want from my head into the song. This song is full of emotion, and I had lots of fun with the different effects and the drive and really capturing what I was feeling. School and life is pretty hard at 13 (laughs), and this song is my first attempt to communicate those sometimes conflicting and really big emotions."
We bring up his age and ask Realis if it is difficult being thrust into the limelight so young.
"Yes," he replied honestly, "but everyone is so supportive and excited to see where this all goes. They also recognise that I'm young and all this guitar needs to be my choice. My parents, my mentors and my teacher, they all help me keep a balanced life and encourage me to embrace the long and patient journey that is becoming a musician."
In the full interview, we talk more about Overkill and bringing the song to life. Vox tells us about the writing process for the song and how he put his own DNA through it. He mentions the two guest musicians playing on the track and how they came to be involved, as well as having Kiko Loureiro as his mentor and the importance of that in his future plans.
Vox talks about his passion for guitar and having old-style metal musicians as inspiration, but sprinkling enough of himself into the creative process to make it his own. He talks of future musical plans and what got him interested in guitar, plus winning the Musicians Institute Summer Program Scholarship and what it means moving forward. He spoke of future plans and mapping things out in steps, Metal For Breakfast and more.


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For most bands, album number two is make-or-break time. The general consensus is that a band's debut album is their easiest, taking into account things like no pressure as an unknown band and having a larger amount of time to come up with material and draw from their well of music.
But the dreaded sophomore album - especially if the debut is a raging success - is usually the one by which a band is judged. And more than you think fail. There's a multitude of reasons and excuses for this, but we are here to dwell on the positives, not the negatives.
Yorkshire melodic metal outfit Caskets fall firmly into this category. Following the breakthrough global success of their first album Lost Souls, Caskets went more introspective for the follow-up, Reflections, and although it, too, was well received, the band themselves still felt they could do better. And so it is that the band approached album number three, the hurdle of the dreaded second album behind them.
It was another fresh approach from Caskets, with frontman Matt Flood opening up and delving into deeply personal troubles like never before on The Only Heaven You’ll Know, which is out now. It was a risk, in a sense, inviting fans to take such a journey with a band on only their third album, but one which looks set to pay dividends, with Flood joining HEAVY to dive deeper. One of the topics of discussion was a quote from Flood that said, "this record is the sound of me falling apart in real time", which we ask him to elaborate on.
"I write, or I sing, or I've written lyrics where a lot of the meanings of these songs are written about parts of me, or aspects of my life that I've - in all honesty - been too scared or anxious to talk about before," he explained. "Ever. To anyone. I feel like it's time for me now to get these… not only thoughts out of my head for my own sake, but I know that this type of stuff that I've gone through in the past and what I've sung about in these new songs, I know they will potentially help other people listening. They will relate to it, and I hope it helps them find some closure or helps them feel heard and feel seen. A lot of the songs are about my dealings with my belief in Faith and my past with addictions and parts of my upbringing, and my own self-criticisms as well. It's about time I took a little bit of responsibility for some of the bad I've done in my life that I have kept inside and pent up. I let that out not just for me, but so other people can hear that it's fine to acknowledge that sometimes you can be the bad person in a situation, but also know that we all have bad in us, and we all do bad things, but it's also fine to forgive yourself and try and find forgiveness."
In the full interview, Matt talks more about the personal nature of The Only Heaven You’ll Know, what they were going for musically, how the album is the best representation yet of Caskets as a band and how such personal lyrics help in his own healing process.
He talks about the early days of Caskets and the band's early vision, how it has changed since, and their future goals as a band. Matt also talks about how each album has to stand on its own merits rather than repeat the winning formula of what came before, their Australian tour next year and what to expect, plus more.


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It's a great sign in the modern music scene in Australia that there are still festivals in this country that feature exclusively homegrown bands. It is a testament to the quality of music at our disposal, and also just reward for Australian bands who are able to be showcased in their own right.
One such festival is Metal In The Mountains, which is set to go down in Beechworth Historic Precinct on November 29. Featuring Frankenbok, In Malices Wake, Goat Sharman, Whisperhead, Saralisse, ESP Mayhem, Oblivion and Sufferance, Metal In The Mountains is an annual regional event held in picturesque Beechworth under the open sky and gets bigger, better and louder each year. Throw in the fact that you can take the kids along for an education in metal, and you can't go wrong!
With the festival just weeks away, HEAVY caught up with guitarist/vocalist Shaun Farrugia from In Malice's Wake to talk shop.
"We started, I'd say, as a bit more of an old school thrash band, but over the course of recording the last five albums we've definitely gone to a much heavier death-infused band," he began, introducing In Malice's Wake for those unfamiliar with the band. "We've been kicking it for about 20 years now, and we're stoked for Metal In The Mountains. It's our last gig for the year, and everything I've heard seems to indicate that it's super well attended. It's a bit of a hub for all the regional towns, and it's supposed to absolutely go off. I had a few friends who played it last year who said it's the regional one to go to."
We mention the cross-section of metal styles on display over the eight bands and praise the modern trend of diversification in line-ups as opposed to the older style of keeping it more like-for-like.
"Yeah, that's right," he said, nodding in approval. "And it just keeps the day a bit fresh. I really miss Metal For The Brain back in the early 2000s, because you'd go to a show like that and there would be just so many different bands. You'd see, I don't know, Lorde playing next to Hobb's Angel of Death, for example. It was just a full day where you'd see all these world-class bands, but the vibe and the range of things to see, there'd always be something interesting happening."
In the full interview, Shaun talks more about Metal In The Mountains, doing research on the other bands playing, what we can expect from In Malice's Wake, three songs to listen to if you aren't familiar with the band, Metal In The Mountains being all ages and the plusses in doing such a thing, the importance of Australian only festivals in the growth of Australian metal, In Malice's Wake changing sound over the years, next year's new album The Profound Darkness and more.


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Ten years is a long time in music, especially when you take into account the changes in the music industry, which magnify with each passing year. When a band decides to have a break from making music for that amount of time, the temptation to try and amalgamate the changes over that period into their music would be huge, even if that band has an established, existing fan base of international acclaim.
But when Toronto-based rock outfit Finger Eleven sat down to write and record their new album Last Night On Earth - their first in a decade - the decision was made to stick with their existing structure and bring the sounds that had made them a household name back to life by their own volition, in their own way and image.
The result is a highly entertaining slab of music which harks back to Finger Eleven's musical roots while still retaining their relevance in the modern age of music. HEAVY took the chance to catch up with frontman Scott Anderson to break things down, starting with how he is feeling about the album release.
"I'm feeling good," he beamed. "I have felt everything there is to feel about this album. It's been a long journey, and I'm so happy that it's finally coming to an end and it's going to materialise in an actual record. I'm thrilled."
We ask if he feels there is extra pressure on the album, given the lengthy amount of time between releases.
"I think there's a lot of pressure because of the time," he nodded, "you can't just put out anything. There's been so much time that's gone by, and so I think that hung over our heads a little bit. But it doesn't change the day-to-day writing where it's like, okay, we're still going to try to do the best we can. That's what Finger Eleven does. We're going to get in a room and try to make whatever idea we're working on the very best it can be."
In the full interview Scott dives deeper into the musicality of Last Night On Earth, if the personal growth of each band member shows in the finished product, the singles released and how they represent the album as a whole, keeping their earlier sound while using modern technology, the start of the album and the small nuances that prepare you for this particular journey, having Richard Patrick guest on one song, having an acoustic number as the title track and more.


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The world of death metal is relentless and unforgiving, with hardcore fans renowned for their refusal to have pity nor understanding for anything that isn't pure of metal. As such, new bands to the fold face a literal baptism of fire with no quarter given, and certainly none taken. Put simply, you either impress from the very get-go or you get gone. Simple as that.
Which is what has made 200 Stab Wounds' rapid ascension up the metaphorical metal ladder all the more impressive. In just six years, the band have solidified a global base of loyal supporters, with some in the know proclaiming them as death metal legends in the making. But legend status is not something handed out freely. It has to be earned, then earned again, and Australian audiences will have the opportunity to judge for themselves when 200 Stab Wounds hit this country for the first time this November, teaming up with fellow purveyors of brutality, Dying Fetus. It is a match made in the bowels of Hell and one which is certain to shake Australia to the core, but first HEAVY elected to sit down with 200 Stab Wounds' guitarist Ray Macdonald to see how the band is approaching their first trip Down Under. 
One of the questions we ask is if 200 Stab Wounds have toured with Dying Fetus previously. "Yes, we've played with them before," Ray affirmed. "We did a tour with them in the US, and it was a great time. They are great dudes, their team are great dudes. We all got along really well."
We mention the fact that having two brutal bands on tour together would keep each other on their toes, keeping the bar at a consistently high level so as not to disappoint.
"I mean, Dying Fetus are legends," he replied. "They are arguably one of the heaviest bands - if not the heaviest band ever - so watching them and knowing that we have to set the stage for them every night makes us definitely want to push our game up for sure."
In the full interview, Ray talks more about the band's debut Australian tour, including why it has taken them so long to get out here. We talk about touring a country for the first time and how Ray approaches the experience, what they are expecting from Australian crowds and what we can expect from 200 Stab Wounds and how crazy shit gets in the mosh pit.
We spoke about how quickly 200 Stab Wounds have established themselves in the death metal scene and what he thinks it is that makes them stand out. The topic of musical experimentation comes up as Ray tells us how the band have changed and grown musically over their two albums, how much experimenting they have in them moving forward and more.


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New Zealand sludge/psych metal outfit Beastwars have been dominating the metal landscape ever since unleashing their self-titled debut album in 2011. Defying trends and convention, each subsequent album was just as good as, if not better than, the last, ensuring Beastwars maintained that elusive edge in a genre becoming more cluttered with each passing day.
Along the way, they have experimented with progressive rock elements, but for their upcoming sixth studio album, The Ship/The Sea, Beastwars have taken their sound back to its roots to deliver a punchy amalgamation of everything that got them to this point, with a stronger emphasis on metal. 
The result has seen The Ship/The Sea described as one of the band's most intense and cathartic albums by the few who have laid ears on the album, but regardless of the backstory, there is no denying that Beastwars have come up with another winner, as we all shall hear when the album is released on November 7. With a run of shows in Australia to follow soon after the album drops, HEAVY sat down with drummer Nato to get the inside information, at one point asking him to describe the album musically.
"We've done six records and I think with most bands, their first album is probably going to be their best record," he measured. "And their second album is hopefully better, and then if they make a better second album, it means their career goes pretty well. I think that we did that on our level. I'm not saying that we changed the world or anything, but our second album was pretty good, and the people who are into this sort of music really liked it. And then the albums that came after that, we went down a little bit of a different path, getting a bit more proggy and maybe going away from the sounds that we first created, which was much more direct. A lot of the recent songs had a much more linear song structure. I'd start somewhere, and I'd end up somewhere completely different, which I really love. But this record has really gone back to what the first two albums were like, just a lot more direct, heavy, riff-based, but still being a more standard sort of song structure."
In the full interview, Nato described the album as a return to a heavier sound, contrasting it with their previous experimental work, and emphasised the thematic significance of water, representing purification and chaos. 
He recounted their recording experience in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, where the beachfront setting allowed for focused creativity, and explained the artistic choices behind the album's opening track and cover art by Nick Keller. The conversation also covered the band's tour schedule starting November 12, marking their first visit to Australia since 2020, and more.


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For almost a decade, Melbourne alternative rockers Bad Juju have walked the tightrope between various genres, unafraid to experiment within or outside of their comfort zone.
With a unique blending of 90’s grunge, 00’s nu metal and modern hardcore, the band have opened up differing sides to their musical psyche with every release, and have done so again on their most recent EP, Simulacra. The release draws inspiration from the concept of simulacra and simulation, and explores the distortion of reality in the digital age. Each track unpacks themes of identity, perception, and the struggle to find authenticity in a world of artificial narratives.
With the album being out for one week, HEAVY caught up with drummer Drue Herring to discuss the new music and more.
"The reception's been great so far," Herring smiled. "With this new EP, we went back to our heavier roots. Seeing as we all come from heavier bands, it was nice to blend a little bit of the younger musicians' taste that we've been playing in previous bands before into this new body of work. Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Korn, all that type of stuff is music that all of us guys grew up on. We just wanted to influence a little bit of that type of sound towards what we were previously doing. And also just on the back of that, just for the live shows, we always feel like those heavier types of songs that are a bit more energetic and a bit faster, just have an overall better type of vibe."
In the full interview, Drue highlights the positive early reception for Simulacra and describes the EP as their most ambitious work, drawing inspiration from influential bands like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit to create a more energetic sound. He explains the collaborative songwriting process, where guitarists develop initial ideas before the group finalizes the tracks and how the songs came together.
The discussion also includes the revival of vinyl records, with a limited edition of the EP being pressed, how much further Bad Juju will go with their sound, how this is the band's most ambitious release, finding the balance between genres in the creative process and more.


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Interview by Ali Williams
HZED band’s leading lady Tenaye swung to chat with HEAVY’s Ali Williams amidst their hectic rehearsal schedule for their new single release Save Yourself. Released on October 17, Save Yourself is the latest single from Melbourne’s HZED. The band has had some recent line-up changes, and with that comes fresh, new vibrant energy.
The female lead group have been on the circuit for a number of years delivering riff-driven old school rock with raw, new energy. Having recently had their heads down and in the studio writing new material, HZED is about to bring their new tracks to the stage with a couple of performances over the coming weeks for their home crowd in Melbourne.
Temaye speaks of the commitment the bands had to staying consistent and working hard to get the results they want, and it shows; their new track slaps hard. Coming together every week to rehearse plays a big role in being able to go out there and perform live. With hopes to add some more shows to their roster for next year, they are also focusing on eventually releasing another album sometime in the near future.
Proudly doing it for the girls, Tenaye’s vibrant energy and passion for heavy metal is infectious as she hopes to inspire more girls to get out there and shred it. She’s definitely an asset to the band and an inspiration for females in the rock industry.
Save Yourself is out now and available on all platforms, and information about their shows and tickets can be found on the band's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HZEDBAND


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The 1990s were a turbulent time for music. The advent of gentrification began in earnest as strains and side strains of sidestrains of different sounds came together to supposedly enhance our listening pleasure. Newer styles- or genres if you will - of music materialised almost before our ears, and all of a sudden phrases like grunge and alternative rock/metal were being bandied about as though the very passing of those words through your lips gave you a greater natural aura than all else around you.
But it was also a time where work for musicians was plentiful, be it trying your hand at creating what was to become the next musical revolution or branching out into other fields within the music industry. It was a time where it was okay to mess up, because in those early years of a new era of music, mistakes were welcomed. Encouraged in some instances.
It was also a time when an aspiring musician was making a name for himself as a producer, latching on to the fascination with all things grunge and throwing his DNA behind the musical revolution from inside the studio. The place where the magic happens. His name? Butch Vig. Back then Vig was relatively unknown, but before long would become known as one of the pioneers of this sonic movement, producing bands such as Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, L7, and Sonic Youth. Butch could have set himself up as a producer for as long as he liked, but the discontent grew inside him, leaving him bored and disillusioned despite his obvious talents.
Rather than allow the lingering darkness to fully take over, Butch instead turned his attentions to creating and playing the music, in the process uniting with three other like-minded musicians and forming a rock outfit called Garbage, who still have the same original four members some thirty years later. Butch realised that in life, you must forge your own path. Pain is fleeting, the darkness penetrable. The easiest way for it to consume you is to sit by while it slowly takes control. Or you can go out and get that thing you want. Make it happen. Just like Butch Vig did some thirty years ago.
With Garbage set to touch down in a matter of weeks for the first time in a decade as part of Good Things 2025, HEAVY jumped at the chance to get a little nostalgic when we sat down for a chat with drummer Butch Vig.
"We are so psyched to be coming there," he said warmly. "We have a huge fan base there. I'm going down there to play some shows, but also I'm going early, and I'm gonna stay late in Australia, so I actually can be a tourist for a few days. I'm bringing my wife along, who has never been there before. So I'm really psyched to come back."
We point out that it has been a while between drinks.
"Like I say, I am coming down early," Butch laughed, almost apologising. "We're going down to New Zealand early, then we're gonna stay extra time in Australia because I haven't been there in a while. Garbage hasn't been there for a while, and I wanna be able to take in the country and spend some time there. In the US run, we play a show, and then we get on the bus and we drive overnight and play a show again, then get on the bus and drive overnight. We have tonight off in Salt Lake City, but rarely do we have days off, so I really wanna get down there and be a proper tourist for a few days.
In the full interview, Butch tells us what has changed with Garbage since their last tour a decade ago. He introduces us to their new bass player and highlights some different elements she has brought to the band's music. We talk more about the tour and what to expect, reflecting on the eclectic mixture of bands at Good Things, and run over the pros and cons of genre-specific festivals opposed to ones with a wide range of different music.
We spoke about the vibe backstage at music festivals and if the musicians mix with bands outside of their genre, plus Butch suggested three songs for Good Things attendees to listen to from...

After establishing themselves as serious contenders in the ever-growing Australian music landscape with their 2024 EP Requiem, Melbourne hard rock outfit The Last Martyr seemingly went into their shells, still playing the odd show but failing to release more new music to deliver the knockout blow.
It was ultimately a combination of many different factors of life and music that stood as a buffer between maintaining momentum and walking the tightrope of everyday life, but if the absolute carnage that is their upcoming single Brain Rot is anything to go by, The Last Martyr have decided it's time to reacquaint themselves with their fans. And not by easing back into things, either.
Harking back to their nu metal roots, The Last Martyr have proved that while they might not have been as prolific in the public forum, that doesn't mean they have remained idle in the creative realm. Brain Rot is a seething, attitude-laced descent into a world diminished by the rapid emergence of the digital age and the many fears, problems, and disconnections that come with it.
Throw in the fact that vocalist Monica Strut was recently crowned as a deserved winner of the Women In Heavy Music Award at this year's Australian Women's Music Awards, and you have a potent mix of tempered aggression and personal embodiment that is just waiting to be unleashed. HEAVY spent time earlier this week with Monica to talk about the new single and her recent recognition by her peers.
"I think it's just one of those milestones that is so rare, especially in the music industry," she relayed when asked if winning the award has sunk in yet, "and as a woman, and in Australia. There's obviously the ARIA's, but you really have to be so on top of your game to win an ARIA. We don't have many awards like this in Australia, and there's something really special about even just being invited to the ceremony."
We question Monica on the gap between releases and ask if she thinks The Last Martyr may have lost momentum in that time.
"We thought we weren't going to do it justice if we rushed it," she said of Brain Rot. "We had the song ready, but in terms of being a musician, it's not just about writing music. You've got to prepare all the contents, and you've got to have the marketing for it and create the single artwork. So I think we've delayed it a little bit, mainly due to logistical reasons."
We bring up the return to a more nu metalcore sound and ask if that is going to remain the way forward for The Last Martyr.
"We're always going to experiment," Monica shrugged. "We're never going to be a band that sticks with a certain sound and then just copy/ paste. We have too many ideas, and we always want to be pushing ourselves as artists. But what I will say is I feel like this song and the next batch of songs, they're the best songwriting that we've ever done in terms of arrangements and everything like that."
In the full interview, we explored the shift back to The Last Martyr's roots in more detail, discussing the reasons behind the return and how Monica thinks fans will react. We talked more about her recent Award and what it means to her as a person and an artist, also mentioning the previous two winners and how tight-knit the Australian metal circle is.
We spoke more about not rushing into releasing anything straight after Requiem, whether Brain Rot is a standalone single or part of a bigger album picture, upcoming shows and more.


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