The Heavy Desert Podcast

Today on The Heavy Desert Podcast, I’m joined by Drew Dupuis of Call of the Beast Radio and Mark Richard of The Jam Yeti Music Blog for a full‑throttle preview of Ripplefest Texas 2026!

We tear through the entire lineup: the bands we can’t wait to see, the ones we’re just discovering, and the heavy hitters guaranteed to level Austin. We also break down what to expect at both venues — Sagebrush and The Far Out Lounge — from the atmosphere to the energy to the kind of frenzy that makes Ripplefest the heavy rock pilgrimage of the year.

Drew gives us the inside scoop on how Call of the Beast plans to make its mark at the fest, and as always, hanging with these guys turns into a blast of riffs, laughs, and pure underground hype.

Ripplefest is almost here, and we’re fired up to get out there and soak in every crushing set.

Tune in and hit subscribe — this episode sets the tone for the whole damn weekend.

*At the time of this recording, Yob was still scheduled to play.

Today on The Heavy Desert Podcast, I welcome guitarist and founding member of Greenleaf, Tommi Holappa to the show. This legendary band has brought so much great music to the scene and we dig into the influences, the backstory and what’s coming up on the horizon. Not to mention after 25 years, they will be making their first trek to North America for a 13-show tour starting in Austin, Texas at Ripplefest on September 20th and wrapping up at In The Key of Doom Fest on October 3rd, in Brooklyn, New York. Not to mention, they’ll be back in late January of 2027, in Las Vegas, Nevada for Planet Desert Rock Weekend. I had a great chat with Tommi who was a blast to have on, so make sure to tune in & subscribe!

Today on The Heavy Desert Podcast, Dusty Donley and Jared Collins of Mississippi Bones join the show to talk about their latest release Maladroit Blues For The Colorblind, that drops the day this show is released, on September 8th. These guys have quite a history together, that started as a duo, morphed into a full-live band and came full circle back to being a duo - now releasing their eighth studio album. We dig into everything from the roots, influences, and everything in between, as these guys pride themselves in being a totally independent band. Heavy/bluesy/stoner/doom all mixed together at its finest, Mississippi Bones latest release has it all if you’re a fan of the genre. So make sure to tune in and subscribe to get to know the guys behind this incredible band!

Today on The Heavy Desert Podcast, I welcome The Captain - Staale Rodvelt, Azul-Josh, Doffy, Bjørn & Bjudas of the mighty Kal-El. In the span of 10 months, Kal-El has released, arguably, two of the heaviest, earth-shattering albums in the heavy underground. Astral Voyager Vol 1 & 2 dropped on  May 16 of 2025 and March 20 2026, respectfully, and we dig into how they shaped their latest space odyssey. We also dig into their influences, the backstory of the band, their upcoming U.S. tour with Goya and Black Moon Cult and so much more! Dunkin’ Donuts, sex appeal and Kal-El - three - things you probably never thought you’d hear in the same sentence! You’ll need to tune in and subscribe to hear what it’s all about!

Today on The Heavy Desert Podcast, James Matheson, Ethan Scott, and Brandon Doucet of Welland’s fuzz‑drenched trio Cannabus roll through the heavy desert. Their debut full‑length Ride the Bus dropped July 3 via Black Throne Productions, and we dig into the band’s roots, influences, and the creative spark behind the record.

Mark Richard returns with a fresh Jam Yeti Music Minute review, and we dive into how Black Throne is shaping the heavy scene up in their corner of Canada.

Cannabus is already cooking up what’s next — subscribe and tune in to hear what’s coming.