Melbourne outfit Riff Raiders are a powerhouse hard rock outfit known for their explosive live energy, massive hooks, and crunching guitar riffs. Formed in 2017, the band features core members Jenni Powell on soaring lead vocals andMarty Powell on lead guitar. The band initially built a loyal following across the Australian live rock circuit with their debut album Live Like You Mean It and their critically acclaimed 2020 follow-up Rock and Roll Daydream, with their signature sound blending classic Aussie rock traditions with a sharp, modern alternative edge.
On 7 June 2026, the band ended a six-year album hiatus by releasing their highly anticipated third studio record, Welcome to Mars. Released worldwide across streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube Music, the tightly constructed 11-track project serves as a grand “rock ’n’ roll re-entry”. Welcome to Mars is a genre-blurring collection that explores diverse musical flavours while staying rooted in hard rock. The album’s roll-out was driven by three standout singles that showcase the band’s creative evolution: Nothing to Lose, Broken Halo and Welcome To Mars.
To support the release, Riff Raiders are breaking their long absence from the live stage. They will celebrate their official live comeback on August 28 in Melbourne as part of the Rock Is Not Dead festival, bringing their new space-age stadium anthems directly to the fans. HEAVY caught up with Jenni and Marty to chat more, asking them to describe Welcome To Mars from a musical point of view.
“On the last album, Rock and Roll Daydream, we did a lot more overdubbing and went for a bigger production sort of sound,” Marty measured. “So this time we stripped it right back and brought the bass and drums right up into the picture and kept the guitars pretty dry and simple and really showcased the vocals. The idea of the band with Riff Raiders is we do a few different styles of hard rock, which hopefully tie together under the theme ofWelcome to Mars this time.”
In the full interview, Jenni and Marty dive deeper into Welcome To Mars, including the three singles released and how they reflect the album overall. We spoke about the different layers of rock throughout the album and finding the balance and cohesiveness to keep the flow going.
We talked about Riff Raiders’ prolonged absence from the stage and the reasons behind it, the upcoming Rock Is Not Dead show, future gigs and more.
Welcome To Mars is out now: https://tinyurl.com/WelcomeToMars
