Interview by Ali Williams
Lord of the Lost are currently somewhere between frostbite and frequent flyer miles. When HEAVY’s Ali Williams caught up with frontman Chris Harms, the band were enjoying an “off day” in Las Vegas, which sounds glamorous until you realise it comes after three straight weeks of snow and a delightful minus 25 degrees in Canada. Celsius, for the record. The kind of cold that makes you reconsider every life choice that led you there.
The German dark rock outfit are wrapping up the North American leg of their tour before pointing themselves toward Australia for the very first time. Yes, first time. Seventeen years into their career and they’ve somehow never made it Down Under. Not for lack of trying either. A previous Australian run collapsed thanks to the classic rock’n’roll villain arc of a disappearing promoter and vanishing ticket money .
Enter Hardline Media and Extratours, who stepped in to resurrect the tour and finally get the band on a plane for the 28-hour trek south That’s commitment. Or madness. Possibly both.
The Australian run kicks off in Brisbane on February 19 before heading through Melbourne, Sydney and wrapping up in Adelaide It’s a tight schedule. Fly in the night before the first show, play, fly, repeat, and then straight back out again No cuddling koalas, no hunting for drop bears, no leisurely beach days. Just work, work, work. Romantic, isn’t it?
Musically, Lord of the Lost are in the middle of rolling out their ambitious Opus trilogy. Volumes 1 and 2 are already out in the world, with Volume 3 on the way. Two singles from the final instalment have already dropped, meaning Aussie fans will get a taste of the new material alongside the older cuts that built their reputation Harms promises a set that represents the whole journey, not just the shiny new toys.
And journey is the right word. Over 17 years, the band have evolved through multiple musical styles, toured with Iron Maiden and even dipped into the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023 tghe result is a fanbase that’s gloriously mixed. Older devotees have grown up with the band, while younger fans keep discovering them through playlists and, somehow, TikTok Harms jokes they’re “too old for TikTok,” but the algorithm clearly disagrees.
As for what Aussie audiences can expect? According to Harms (who answered in jest), “extremely boring shows” with zero effort and maximum disappointment. Given their reputation for theatrical impact and high-energy performances, we’ll assume that’s the driest German humour you’ll hear all summer. After surviving Canadian blizzards and Vegas temptations, Lord of the Lost are trading snow boots for sunscreen and finally ticking Australia off the bucket list. Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, prepare yourselves. Seventeen years in the making, and they’re not flying 28 hours for a quiet night out.
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