Metal Heart III - 18th April 2015
If you didn’t make it last Saturday then you missed a sensational day and night of quality local and national talent. Metal Heart impressed with a stellar line-up AND this year a change of location to the recently opened The Triffid @ Newstead. If you haven’t visited The Triffid to catch a show yet make sure you do when your favourite bands or performers come to town. The venue was the perfect playground for Metal Heart that had top notch facilities that once was an old aircraft hangar back in the day. The hangar has amazing acoustics and an impressive stage, lighting and sound production system. A spacious beer garden and food is served from the trendy “seems to be the new thing” fitted-out shipping containers.
The day ran relatively smoothly despite some last minute cancellations from bands. Apart from a late start and a change of set times we doubt anyone would have noticed any prolonged interruptions, and credit is due to staff that managed the changeover’s between acts, which was only a short time between beers.
Here’s how the day and night panned out…
Our crazy friends from Ipswich opened the show with their unconventional heavy punk, and if anyone was still half asleep when they arrived, they would have been wide awake and raring to go after AA’s set. These guys are always energetic on stage and encourage the same from their audience. If you don’t have a beer in your hand you’re likely to get a spray from the lead vocalist Bud for being a pussy, and it’s always fun to see what bass guitarist Bill will be wearing on the day. We think the Easter Bunny took a wrong turn on the way back to the rabbit hole this Easter!
From easter bunnies to nuns and ninjas with dildos hanging off their instruments, an interesting transition one might say, but a fitting one for this fun comedic four piece. Cactus Dill Dos had the crowd in stiches at front of stage with their “ballsy” lyrics and “bouncy” stage props. The mighty trumpet made an appearance which is always an awesome acompliment to any punk/rock/funk band.
Fronted by devilish doll face Bee, the little lady hit the stage in force and demanded attention from the get go. The girl has a strong set of pipes on her and together with the support of her heavy punk rocker counterparts, these guys produced a solid set. The band has a new EP out so find out how to get your hands on a copy via their FB page. The guys took time out to answer some prying questions, here’s what they had to say…
Tell us about how the band formed, where you’re from and how long have you been together? Are you all original members?
Tell us about how the band formed, where you’re from and how long have you been together? Are you all original members?
Originally, The Unprettier were Bee, Al, Jim and Brett. Since then there have been a number of lineup changes, with a total of three drummers and three bass players since we formed.
What inspirations do you draw on?
Locally there are a lot of great female fronted bands like The Flangapanis, Smoking Martha and The Halls that we really enjoy. It’s great to be part of a scene that really embraces women in bands in such a variety of styles, and so that has been part of what inspires us to continue playing. As for the music, inspiration is everywhere – we don’t have anything that is off limits so we have lyrics about religion, politics, sex and sexism, as well as things that happen day-to-day like drinking, love, hate, boredom, work… even some about weird dreams I’ve had. There is nothing that is off the table, so what you sometimes get is a really weird mix of concepts that we’ve mashed together to make a song ☺
Are the songs a collaborative effort or does the band have a main songwriter. How does the music affect the lyrics and vice versa?We all have our parts to play when it comes to the songs. Sometimes they’ll start with a bass line, or a guitar hook. Other times, there will be a drum part or a lyrical melody. It’s great that we don’t limit ourselves to having one person do everything or a particular model to write our ‘sound’. My ipad is constantly full of new lyrics waiting for their song. Some of them never go anywhere. Others seem to find their place, or I’ll hobble together a few chords to give the guys an idea of what they should sound like, and then we work on getting it right. Most of the lyrics I right have a specific idea to convey, so the sound is very important to get the right feeling across. I’m lucky enough to work with a band of musicians who can do that.
What’s different in the music industry today compared to when you first started and what would you do differently if you where just entering the industry today?
I think that the music industry tries to have little to do with local Australian musicians anymore. A lot of what is ‘making it’ isn’t what you would hear in your local pub or club, and bands in local scenes have to push hard and tour outside of Australia to get any real recognition. It is a double edged sword because the bands that really want it will commit to touring and for some of them it pays off. Unfortunately, it also means that there is a lot of amazingly talented musicians that you will probably never hear about because they don’t tour.
Commercial stations used to have a quota of Australian music that they had to play. That’s when bands like The Angels, Cold Chisel, Men at Work, Divynals, Easybeats, The Saints and AC/DC started to be popular – They were available to the masses. Currently, the stations supporting local music are stations like 4ZZZ in Brisbane, and Double J in Sydney. These stations are under threat because government funding is being pulled, but they are the only voice that local scenes have to get their sound out. I think that the lack of industry support for local artists, lock out laws and the number of venues either closing, or no longer supporting local artists is a massive threat to every band that decides one drunken night that they are gonna pick up some instruments and have a go. To get a support slot is often a facebook vote which is not reflective of how good the music is, but the amount of friends that you can get to vote. Today’s industry is about marketing, not necessarily the music, so if we were starting out today, it would mean a much bigger focus on the marketing than when we started out.
What should we expect from the band in 2015, or what’s the plan for the band moving forward?
At the moment we are focusing on Metal Heart and releasing Doruhausu which is our new album. We are super happy with how it has come together and are keen to get it out there and see what happens! There has been a lot of work behind the scenes to get this one together in time for the Metal Heart release, and we are thankful to have such a good bunch of people that we have worked with on it!
If you could play in any other band, who would it be?
Bee (Vocalist) Wow – big question! I mean, ideally, Alice Cooper would be great to play with, but he already has a vocalist! Maybe Nekrogoblikon could use another set of lungs.
Al (Guitar) Really, any full time band so I could do it for a living. Picking one - Foo Fighters.
What album do you have on repeat in your stereo/ipod?
Bee (vocals) Currently it’s George Orwell’s 1984, but before that it was Nekrogoblikon, Community Cervix and Marina and the Diamonds. What can I say - I have a wide taste in music!
Al (Guitar) It's actually Doruhausu by The Unprettier, really liking it. Also Blondie's Greatest Hits.
This five piece metal core outfit picked up the pace and had the crowd cranking their necks to an aggressive set with the singer pacing the stage like wild beast. Spoken word and a switch to a melodic pattern broke through the intensity, and the heavy riffs were clearly warming the crowd up.
A blanket of darkness covers the room when our friends from Inhailed take the stage. The intensity they bring to their set is sensational and it’s so much fun to watch the crowd’s jaws drop when the guitar solos kick in. If you were too close to the stage you may have been whipped by the singer’s spinning dreadlocks, which always makes for an awesome photo. These guys are solid who have mastered their skill and are on a definite rise that is being noticed by many. We can’t wait for new material from these dudes. The boys were kind enough to answer some personal questions..
How would you describe the band's style and who are your influences?
Our style has been described as brutal heavy groove, amongst others. We just call it metal. When writing songs, we only stick to a couple of rules - it's got to be heavy as hell and it's got to groove. We're influenced by many styles of music ranging from 1970s rock through to extreme black metal. There are many bands we listen to for pleasure, way too many to list.
Tell us about some highlights or low points of the bands career?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): Low points I don’t really think about or care about. But the highlights would be every gig that we’ve ever played at where the crowd has gone absolutely mental, and not only have they screamed out at the end wanting more, but we don’t wanna leave the stage!
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): A definitely low point for me was when I dislocated my shoulder the morning of a gig in Brisbane, with another show in Ipswich the next day. Ipswich basically got rained out, bands ran late and we played a late set to a couple of the bands (I should mention Decryptus are the best band to play to and throw an awesome pit).
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): for me it was probably plaing with the wacky King Parrot. Always a great crowd at their shows.
How would you describe the evolution of the band's sound?
Inhailed started out as thrashy death metal with a lot of influence from Nile and the classics. Inhailed's sound now if anything, is getting more technical. We have to be careful not to write tech stuff just for the sake of having a tricky riff or odd time signature. It's still got to groove and the punters must be able to feel it when we perform it.
Which of your song/s are the most fun to play live, or which songs are you most proud of?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): I have fun playing all of our songs live because all I have to do is scream and jump around like a lunatic. But I’m most proud of Kingdom of Leeches because of the process in which we wrote it and the input we all had in that process. It was our first attempt doing it that way as well, and it came out a cracker!
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): Amputated Entity is probably my favorite to play. Lots of room for windmills and I get to do a bunch of sweep picking. I think we are all incredibly proud of Kingdom of Leeches, it brings the groove and the heavy.
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): Kingdom of Leeches or Demon Within
Name some of the bands you grew up listening to?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): Cryptopsy, In Flames, Shadows Fall, Soilwork to name a very few.
2. Langley Smith (drums): Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Slayer.
3. Tom Logan (bass): System of a Down, Shadows Fall, Opeth and Children of Bodom were all big influences growing up.
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): Kiss, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer.
Who did you see at your first ever concert?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): I know who I have and haven’t seen. But as to who I saw first….. fuck knows.
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): My older sisters and brother all played in bands so I've been going to rock/metal shows since I was really young. I think my first ever 'real' concert was Trivium at Big day out in 2007. Old Brisbane locals Minus Life played after and they absolutely destroyed!
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): My first ever concert was Johnny Diesel and the Injectors at the ANU Bar in Canberra. I was dragged along and I hated every second of it.
In your opinion, which local or Aussie band/s should we be watching out for, or who do you think are genuine standout's at the moment?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): Psycroptic are the gods of Australian metal for me personally. There are a lot of others out there though. But you have to take your hat off to King Parrot. Their drive and dedication is second to none. And they’re nutters as well!! Must see!
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): Expulsed from Brisbane. If you haven't heard of them, you have now. Some of the best brutal death I've ever heard, I can't recommend them enough.
How would you describe the band's style and who are your influences?
Our style has been described as brutal heavy groove, amongst others. We just call it metal. When writing songs, we only stick to a couple of rules - it's got to be heavy as hell and it's got to groove. We're influenced by many styles of music ranging from 1970s rock through to extreme black metal. There are many bands we listen to for pleasure, way too many to list.
Tell us about some highlights or low points of the bands career?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): Low points I don’t really think about or care about. But the highlights would be every gig that we’ve ever played at where the crowd has gone absolutely mental, and not only have they screamed out at the end wanting more, but we don’t wanna leave the stage!
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): A definitely low point for me was when I dislocated my shoulder the morning of a gig in Brisbane, with another show in Ipswich the next day. Ipswich basically got rained out, bands ran late and we played a late set to a couple of the bands (I should mention Decryptus are the best band to play to and throw an awesome pit).
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): for me it was probably plaing with the wacky King Parrot. Always a great crowd at their shows.
How would you describe the evolution of the band's sound?
Inhailed started out as thrashy death metal with a lot of influence from Nile and the classics. Inhailed's sound now if anything, is getting more technical. We have to be careful not to write tech stuff just for the sake of having a tricky riff or odd time signature. It's still got to groove and the punters must be able to feel it when we perform it.
Which of your song/s are the most fun to play live, or which songs are you most proud of?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): I have fun playing all of our songs live because all I have to do is scream and jump around like a lunatic. But I’m most proud of Kingdom of Leeches because of the process in which we wrote it and the input we all had in that process. It was our first attempt doing it that way as well, and it came out a cracker!
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): Amputated Entity is probably my favorite to play. Lots of room for windmills and I get to do a bunch of sweep picking. I think we are all incredibly proud of Kingdom of Leeches, it brings the groove and the heavy.
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): Kingdom of Leeches or Demon Within
Name some of the bands you grew up listening to?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): Cryptopsy, In Flames, Shadows Fall, Soilwork to name a very few.
2. Langley Smith (drums): Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Slayer.
3. Tom Logan (bass): System of a Down, Shadows Fall, Opeth and Children of Bodom were all big influences growing up.
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): Kiss, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer.
Who did you see at your first ever concert?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): I know who I have and haven’t seen. But as to who I saw first….. fuck knows.
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): My older sisters and brother all played in bands so I've been going to rock/metal shows since I was really young. I think my first ever 'real' concert was Trivium at Big day out in 2007. Old Brisbane locals Minus Life played after and they absolutely destroyed!
4. Rob Stanley (guitar): My first ever concert was Johnny Diesel and the Injectors at the ANU Bar in Canberra. I was dragged along and I hated every second of it.
In your opinion, which local or Aussie band/s should we be watching out for, or who do you think are genuine standout's at the moment?
1. Ryan Farago (vox): Psycroptic are the gods of Australian metal for me personally. There are a lot of others out there though. But you have to take your hat off to King Parrot. Their drive and dedication is second to none. And they’re nutters as well!! Must see!
2. Langley Smith (drums):
3. Tom Logan (bass): Expulsed from Brisbane. If you haven't heard of them, you have now. Some of the best brutal death I've ever heard, I can't recommend them enough.
The flow continued with these heavy hitters from the Sunshine Coast. A 5 piece with a massive driving sound that would have blown the head off a few beers on the day. The acoustics of the room was a match made in heaven for these guys who’s trash metal style would have woken the dead. The audience responded as expected and the room really started heating up by this stage. The band took the time to give us an insight to all things Holistic…
Tell us about how the band formed, where you’re from and how long have you been together? Are you all original members?
Historically we have all had associations with other bands. Holistic was originally founded by existing band members Pretz (Ben - Guitarist), Dean (bassist) and Steven (Vocalist) who were former members of Ablaze Withsin.
Although Ablaze came to the end of the road around 2012 for other reasons, Pretz Dean and Steven still continued to write and move there new material into a different direction with regards to the style, energy. They strived to demonstrate their passion for the metal genre.
I (Chris Downs- Guitarist) joined the band before we had any exposure as Holistic. Funnily enough I recognised a couple of band member from their Ablaze album cover while out having a couple of quiet ones. We agreed to meet up and it literally went from there. ( almost like a bloody date)
There were a couple of trial and error moment with various drummers however we came across Chris Booy (Drummer) who was in a few former "hard punk/rock" bands before Holistic. He fit in well, he had the right attitude and instantly embraced what we were going for.
Although Ablaze came to the end of the road around 2012 for other reasons, Pretz Dean and Steven still continued to write and move there new material into a different direction with regards to the style, energy. They strived to demonstrate their passion for the metal genre.
I (Chris Downs- Guitarist) joined the band before we had any exposure as Holistic. Funnily enough I recognised a couple of band member from their Ablaze album cover while out having a couple of quiet ones. We agreed to meet up and it literally went from there. ( almost like a bloody date)
There were a couple of trial and error moment with various drummers however we came across Chris Booy (Drummer) who was in a few former "hard punk/rock" bands before Holistic. He fit in well, he had the right attitude and instantly embraced what we were going for.
What inspirations do you draw on?
There are obviously other things in life that inspire us all and give us drive and passion for what we play however, bands that work hard, reap crap, make it but remain humble really inspire us.
Are the songs a collaborative effort or does the band have a main songwriter. How does the music affect the lyrics and vice versa?
Ben (guitarist) has written the majority, actually, all of the bands material. We get together and, I suppose "ok it" in a way... There is never really a moment whereby we discard new ideas however we always come up with ideas and find ways to incorporate/change the new material and new ideas so that it works, it's effortless with the right members and we always seem to get it to a point where everyone is happy. In the end it's all a band effort.
Steven's (vocalist) passion for metal certainly shines through his vocals. He just has a niche for what sounds good, knows exactly what fits and seems to emulate to Holistic's style. He is very lyrically talented... his lyrics and energy is certainly the icing on the cake with regards to the finish product.
Steven's (vocalist) passion for metal certainly shines through his vocals. He just has a niche for what sounds good, knows exactly what fits and seems to emulate to Holistic's style. He is very lyrically talented... his lyrics and energy is certainly the icing on the cake with regards to the finish product.
What’s different in the music industry today compared to when you first started and what would you do differently if you where just entering the industry today?
We think that there has been a huge change with regards to the acceptance of the metal genre. I don’t believe we would do anything differently, I believe what we have done in the past (the journey and the "ups and downs" we have all experienced to get to this point) has given us strengths in all faculties of this band. For anyone starting, I would recommend having a plan, sticking to it but don’t try jump to far ahead of yourselves. Focus on the fundamentals otherwise you might just end up disappointed.... Most of all, don’t give up!
What should we expect from the band in 2015, or what’s the plan for the band moving forward?
We aim to play as many shows on the eastern and hopefully western side of Australia. We are also currently in workings with a few mates across the ditch. We will hopefully be playing a Auz/Nz tour by the end of this year/early next year. Other than that, our EP should be a cracker and no doubt we will have some new material for the upcoming shows.
If you could play in any other band, who would it be?
Chris Downs - guitarist - If Holistic didn't walk out for some reason then I would go bush.
Stevie. P, Vocalist - I would love to sing in Lamd Of God or August Burns Red...Both very powerful bands
Dean Morcombe - Bassist - I'd have to say lamb of god.. Getting to party with randy everyday when he was drinking would have been good times..
Benjamin Nielsen - guitarist - Metallica
Chris "The Booy" Booy - Drummer - I would sit in on Metallica on Lars's seat... even just for a week
What album do you have on repeat in your stereo/ipod?
Chris Downs - guitarist - Craig D'Andrea's Standing Still
Stevie. P, Vocalist - I can't get enough of Machine Head: Bloodstone & Diamonds And Arch Enemy: War Eternal
Dean Morcombe - Bassist - At the moment Monuments- The Amanuensis is getting a lot of air time..
Benjamin Nielsen - guitarist Born of Osiris- The Discovery
Chris "The Booy" Booy - Drummer - Let The Ocean Take Me - Amity Affliction
A powerhouse on the rise is the only way to describe Evil Eye. The guys were a stand out on the day with their unrelenting heavy riffs and raw aggression. Their entire performance was tight from start to finish, but the groove they produce particually through the drumming is what makes this band stand out and what makes them so fucking awesome. Impressive is an understatement, what’s even cooler… is that these boys are from Brisbane. \m/
This Sydney five piece death metal band could only be described as a wall of cyclonic power. The entire set was relentless, the vocals hectic and the riffs equally crushing. The drummer couldn't possibly be human and hit like a machine. These guys mean business and we hope they come back to Brisbane again soon.
Its hard to believe that voice comes from a man and not the devil himself. The contrast of the melodic guitar riffs with the heavier guitar riffs were crazy cool, and the drum and bass breakdowns that escalate into mad frenzy makes for some head banging fun. We didn't leave the dance floor, they were solid and crazy awesome to get mental to!
The 3D visuals were a cool addition to the day and the stage show was visually impressive with tribal dancing, fire breathing and heavy hypnotic tunes. There was a didgeridoo involved and some pretty full on sound coming from numerous sources which made for one tripy performance. Definately worth checking out.
These guys ticked all the boxes, heavy as hell with a groove that brought the ladies to the dance floor. We don't know what else to say other than that these guys are the business, their music is disaplined and structured and crazy cool to move to. We can’t wait to see these guys again, and because they are only down the M1, we hope that its sooner than later.
Another stellar Gold Coast outfit that also blew us away. We love our southern american style sludge metal and these guys are top of their game in this department. Very cool shit that definately could be compared to a Down or Goatwhore sound for example. The drifting guitar riffs where hot, the drumming bang on and the whole affair dam sexy just quietly.
We were excited to see these guys after watching a few of their You Tube videos, and they did not disappoint on the day. HoIy shit balls… “This Awakening” would have to take song of the day. They smashed it and the crowd when crazy mental. These guys are ridiculously brillant and all we can say is check out the live performance below for yourself and you be the judge. Intense is an understatement.
Are hard core to the max. Gusty as fuck is the only disciption that comes to mind, but then things change and an unsuspected vocal melody kicks in. Their sound is an interesting journey and at first you think they are all over the shop but then they strangly pull it all together and it just fucking works.
These guys remind us of Trivium in style, they are a fierce uptempo group who’s guitar riffs are brutal but crisp in a sense. The drummer is a double kicking machine gun. The dual vocals are a awesome feature of this band and they are tight as tight can be be, true pros in their genre pool.
CH were mad ass and killed it in everyway, majorly cool who have a similar sound to Clutch. They where off the chain funky, infused with good old rock and roll riffs that had everyone moving. They pulled off a cover of Kiss’s “Love Gun” which was pretty rad.
These heavy weights never seem to disappoint and their performance was flawless. When you hear them play through a shit hot sound system in an old sound proof aircraft hangar, its quite the experience. Their latest album released October 2014 is called Painted in Blood, so get onto it if you haven't already.
The female fronted band was a stellar finish to the night, and as expected the beautiful Phoebe was even hotter in person. They played all the favourites and the Bogan Hunter was wicked to see live. There was a surprise appearance from the singer from Evil Eye and the guys closed the show in style.
Magnertron
Lucky last on the bill was these hell cats from Brisbane. Hardcore grind death punk is what best describes these hard hitters who smashed out their set with brutal force. The growling and roaring vocals were from out of this world and when put together with the screeching riffs and relentless banging beats, it was difficult not explode into a raging mosh. Very hard to come down from a set of that magnitude and even after a long day the boys left you wanting more.
Lucky last on the bill was these hell cats from Brisbane. Hardcore grind death punk is what best describes these hard hitters who smashed out their set with brutal force. The growling and roaring vocals were from out of this world and when put together with the screeching riffs and relentless banging beats, it was difficult not explode into a raging mosh. Very hard to come down from a set of that magnitude and even after a long day the boys left you wanting more.
The bands at Metal Heart this year were all amazing in their own right. The organisers did a fantastic job with selection and variety. It’s a real credit to all involved, including the avid supporters that put in their time to cover these events. Metal is alive and thriving in South East QLD and beyond people, we just need more of you to put down your computers and phones, leave the house and SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC. You would not believe what is in your own backyard and if Soundwave can pull 30,000 odd thousand in Brisbane for one day....where are all those people now?
Special mention goes out to the following supporters of the cause, and also the very talented photographers (that I know of) that where there for the entire day and night. Check out their facebook pages for more photos from Metal Heart III 2015. We all hope to see MH back again next year..\m/
MMK Music Promotions
Nyx Photography
Wild Eyes Photography
Gethin Hill Photography
MMK Music Promotions
Nyx Photography
Wild Eyes Photography
Gethin Hill Photography
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