TEMPLES ON MARS: Build It, Burn It, Keep Playing

TEMPLES ON MARS: Build It, Burn It, Keep Playing

Author: HEAVY Magazine August 12, 2026 Duration: 19:21
Interview by Ali Williams 
There are bad weeks, and then there are weeks where the rehearsal studio you spent a year building burns for 4 days, TEMPLES ON MARS guitarist and vocalist James Donaldson joined HEAVY’s Ali Williams somewhat later than originally planned, although his excuse was considerably better than forgetting to check the calendar. Back in the end of June, the London building housing the band’s newly completed rehearsal space and studio went up in flames, bringing 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines to the scene and taking 4 days to extinguish. 
Nobody was hurt, which remains the only part of that story worth celebrating, but the timing was particularly brutal given TEMPLES ON MARS had only just finished creating the space in the first place. 
Building their own headquarters had been a practical answer to the expensive and restrictive reality of London rehearsal rooms. After spending the better part of a year getting everything operational, the band finally had somewhere they could rehearse and record on their own terms. After having a rehearsal there on the Wednesday night, by the following Friday , they were receiving photographs of the entire building burning.
Full interview heavymag.com.au

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Dive straight into the raw, unfiltered conversations happening behind the amplifiers and drum kits. HEAVY Music Interviews, straight from the team at HEAVY Magazine, pulls you backstage and into the green room for genuine talks with the most compelling voices in rock, punk, metal, and the wider heavy music landscape. This isn't about polished press releases; it's where artists open up about the craft of a crushing riff, the stories behind an iconic album, and the realities of life on the road. Each episode delivers a new perspective, whether it's a legendary frontman reflecting on decades of noise or a breakthrough band explaining their explosive sound. You'll hear the passion and personality that fuels the music, directly from the musicians creating it. For anyone who lives for the energy of a heavy track and wants to know the people behind it, this podcast serves as a regular, essential connection. Tune in for authentic discussions that go far beyond the surface, keeping you directly plugged into the heart of the scene.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

HEAVY Music Interviews
Podcast Episodes
TEENS: From BIGSOUND To FOO FIGHTERS, Making Big Noise On The Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:31
Interview by Ali WilliamsCalling a band TEENS does leave you open to a few fairly obvious questions, particularly when nobody involved can reasonably blame puberty for their decision-making anymore. Thankfully, Tasmania’…
GLOAM Bring The Wild West To BIGSOUND [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:44
Interview by Ali WilliamsBeing a Perth band with East Coast ambitions requires several things: good songs, patience, a tolerant bank account and an acceptance that Australia is ludicrously large when you are paying to mo…
CATPISS: Questionable Name, Great Band, Big Opportunities [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:51
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are band names that require an explanation. Then there is CATPISS, a name that mostly requires people to stop laughing long enough to ask the question. For Newcastle guitarist Jacob Dewberr…
L.O.W Get Loud: Wollongong Hardcore Takes On BIGSOUND [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:56
Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are plenty of ways to introduce yourself at BIGSOUND. L.O.W have chosen the wonderfully uncomplicated option of turning up with five members, a stack of hardcore songs and absolutely no int…
It's Just A Matter Of Taste: LATEX GRENADE Do Things Their Way [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:18
Interview by Ali WilliamsLATEX GRENADE have heard the question before: are they punk or are they metal? Apparently, asking them to choose has achieved very little. The San Diego outfit has spent years allowing both sides…
Pure Sonic Devestation With DALE EVANS From TO THE GRAVE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:28
Western Sydney deathcore titans To The Grave have never been a band to play nice or bite their tongues.Over the last few years, they’ve systematically carved out a reputation as one of the most brutally uncompromising, i…