Deicide Australian Tour April 2009

After issues with promoters earlier this year, and a canceled Australian tour for 2008, Florida-based death metal veterans DEICIDE have scheduled the following dates in Australia and New Zealand for 2009!

April 04 - Transmission Room - Auckland, NZ
April 05 - QUT Guild Bar - Brisbane, AUS
April 06 - The Corner Hotel - Melbourne, AUS
April 07 - The Manning Bar - Sydney, AUS
April 08 - Capitol - Perth, AUS

Make sure you get out to one of the following shows!

Live Review - Slipknot at Sheffield Arena - 12/12/08

Children of Bodom:

With an unfortunately limited 35-minute set tonight, we’re only treated to small fraction of the Children of Bodom live experience which is a shame because their mix of thrash, power and extreme metal is pretty unparalleled in the music world at the moment. Alexi Laiho and co. are particularly unique and songs like ‘Angel’s Don’t Kill’ and ‘Hate Crew Deathroll’ are certified head-bangers and although they have their work cut out getting a crowd moving at 7pm, for the most part, they manage just fine. The only minor gripe however is Alexi’s frontman skills. Hopefully, he will eventually drop the excessive use of the f-word as it begins to lose its intended effect when used 10 times in one sentence.

Setlist:

Hellhounds On My Trail

In Your Face

Blooddrunk

Angels Don’t Kill

Hate Me

Hate Crew Deathroll

Downfall

Machine Head:

Once the houselights descend for the second time tonight, a deafening chant of ‘Machine F-In Head’ roars through the arena and the band open with ‘Clenching The Fist Of Dissent’ from last year’s much hailed ‘The Blackening’. While the album was no doubt Machine Head’s finest hour to date musically, live the songs tend to drag on a little too long for those of us who became used to Machine Head rocking us with anthems like ‘Take My Scars’, ‘Ten Ton Hammer’, ‘From This Day’ and ‘Blood, Sweat, Tears’. Sadly, songs such as these are dropped tonight in favour of the newer material that allow Rob Flynn and co. to show off their instrumental wizadry, despite the fact that since the album came out, the set has been pretty much the same. With fifteen minutes more allotted to Machine Head than Children Of Bodom, they still only manage to fit in the same amount of songs which gives you an idea of how long some of these behemoths drag on for. And in much the same vein as Bodom frontman Alexi Laiho, Robb Flynn really is too old to be using the f-word quite so excessively as, just like with Alexi, it becomes devoid of any intended effect (oh and Robb, you like circle pits, we get it). With only around 50 minutes allotted to them at last year’s Download Festival, the Black Crusade tour, this tour and no doubt the same amount of time in February when they return to support Metallica, there’s something unappealing about having to sit through the same setlist, again, for the fourth time in two years. Don’t get me wrong, Machine Head never put on a bad show and they certainly have more about them than 99% of what passes for metal these days, and I can imagine that those seeing Machine Head for the first time tonight would not have left disappointed but I hope they soon take their own advice and “bite the bullet” by playing full shows in smaller venues. Unfortunately, Machine Head’s set had to be cut short by one song tonight as guitarist Phil Demmel collapsed during ‘Halo’ and had to be carried off stage by his bandmates – thankfully, the crowd was later informed by Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor that Demmel was ok and would be fine.
Setlist:

Clenching The Fist Of Dissent

Imperium

Beautiful Morning

Aesthetics Of Hate

Old

Halo

Slipknot:

Unlike Machine Head, the headliners tonight never had to worry about treating us to a familiar setlist, or about an over-saturated presence in the UK in the last few years as the anticipation of the crowd tonight is at fever pitch. Slipknot have not played on these shores since the 2005 Download Festival and their cancelled appearances at Reading and Leeds this year only served to heighten the anticipation of tonight’s crowd. The band start as they mean to go on, opening with ‘Surfacing’ which tonight comes across a statement of intent – that Slipknot are back to claim their throne and lay all the young pretenders to waste. Frontman Corey Taylor confesses that the band are tired after such a long tour which can only mean that tonight’s furious performance is the result of a band running on adrenaline because you seriously can’t tell, with everyone in the band giving their all to a crowd that have been waiting far too long for their heroes to return.

Despite sporting a new mask that makes him look slightly like the Hitcher from the Mighty Boosh, Taylor is attired not in a boiler suit but in a Slipknot jacket, jeans and converse trainers – this is not the Slipknot of old and the band know that re-invention is the key to a successful career and the contrast in their musical extremes is evident in what can only be described as a surprising setlist. Instead of ‘Wait and Bleed’ and ‘Left Behind’, we are treated to oldies that some (the band including) may have thought were buried forever such as ‘Prosthetics’ and a ferocious run-through of ‘Get This’. But there are still plenty of anthems to get the crowd jumping and tracks like ‘Before I Forget’, ‘Duality’ and ‘The Heretic Anthem’ nearly take the roof off the place, not to mention the ever popular JTFU moment in ‘Spit It Out’ and dance-floor friendly number ‘Psychosocial’ both of which make the crowd go truly mental. And if anyone ever doubted Slipknot’s heaviness, they encore not with the songs most people expect, but with the brutal ‘People = Shit’ and ‘(sic)’, the latter complete with a revolving, almost upside-down drum solo from Joey Jordison that would make Tommy Lee wet his pants.

Slipknot will always have their naysayers that dismiss them for the masks, or their popularity, or for the fact that Corey occasionally likes to broaden the band’s musical horizons by actually singing, but tonight, naysayers be damned. Just witness Mick Thompson’s piercing solos, Joey Jordison’s blistering drumbeats or Corey Taylor’s call-to-arms style of whipping up a crowd and tell me this isn’t metal. In fact, never mind that, there are times when Slipknot are more of an extreme metal band than any of the one-dimensional Terrorizor crowd you care to name. But they’re popular, loved by kids and adults alike and are playing in an arena with pyrotechnics so of course that will never be metal to some. To the rest of us that don’t live by some self-imposed imaginary rulebook, Slipknot are one of the best live acts around and to miss them when they’re sure to come back next year would be to miss out.
Setlist:

Surfacing

The Blister Exists

Get This

Before I Forget

Liberate

Disasterpiece

Dead Memories

Psychosocial

The Heretic Anthem

Prosthetics

Spit It Out

Duality

Only One

Encore:

People=Shit

(Sic)

Live Review - The Wildhearts at Manchester Academy 2 - 7/12/08

Tragedy

There are some things you never think you’re going to see. And I bet that a glam-metal, Bee-Gees tribute band is probably on most people’s list. However, assumptions be damned because this is exactly the band that is chosen to open for The Wildhearts on this UK tour and Tragedy are the perfect example of Ginger’s quirky sense of humour. Put their awesomely titled debut ‘We Rock Sweet Balls And Can Do No Wrong’ onto your iTunes and you’ll see that the songs are categorised as ‘unclassifiable’ which is probably the best description one could give a band like this. On paper, this shouldn’t work but with a little suspension of disbelief, it’s impossible not to come away from Tragedy’s performance without a huge grin on your face. While it’s certainly doubtful that this current gimmick will lend itself to a long-term career, Tragedy are funny as hell and they put a much-needed smile on everyone’s face and that’s perfectly fine for now.

The Wildhearts

Fresh from playing their fantastic debut album ‘Earth VS…’ in its entirety at a special 15th anniversary show in London (why wasn’t the show up north?), The Wildhearts seem like a band reborn tonight. From the moment they hit the stage and burst into ‘Vanilla Radio’, the entire place is jumping to one feel-good, pop-rock anthem after another as the best British band to emerge in the last 15 years rips it up old-school style. The show has a real stripped-down feel to it – gone is the sparkly, fairy-light backdrop that accompanied their show in this very same venue almost one year ago and what we’re left with tonight is four guys playing some damn fine rock n roll that the guys can bang their heads to and that the girls can shake their asses to – what more could you want? (Apart from sequin costumes and glam-metal Bee-Gees covers of course).

Although airing just one track from their recent covers album ‘Stop Us If You’ve Heard This One Before’, it’s a special occasion as Ian McNabb comes on to provide guest vocals on ‘Understanding Jane’ and it becomes obvious why Ginger calls it ‘one his favourite songs of all time’ as it could easily have been written by the man himself – the sort of great, self-deprecating story about the mysterious wonders of the fairer sex that Ginger often does so well. After that we’re hit with several of the more short, sharp and fast Wildhearts songs such as ‘Suckerpunch’, ‘Caffeine Bomb’, the brilliant ‘My Baby Is A Headfuck’ and the rarely heard gem ‘Red Light/Green Light’ (preceded by a hilarious rendition of ‘Lonely This Xmas’ by Ginger). All of these go down a storm of course but it’s the seemingly extra amount of intensity that these songs (and indeed the whole set to be honest) are played with that really grabs your attention – there’s no hint of routine here, Ginger’s off-the-cuff humour is as entertaining as ever and the band seem to be enjoying it so much that its impossible to tell which night of the tour this actually is as they give nothing but 100% for the whole 90 minutes.

It seems like after their triumphant set at the Download Festival and their life-affirming 15th anniversary show in London that The Wildhearts have found a new lease of life and after a short break, the band return to the stage to play other seldom-heard greats such as ‘Caprice’ alongside fan-favourites like ‘Top Of The World’ and of course the rousing set-closer ‘I Wanna Go…’. But it’s after the unprompted mass sing-along that accompanies ‘Geordie In Wonderland’ that Ginger sums it up best by declaring that he wouldn’t want to be in any other band because he wouldn’t want any other audience. The crowd certainly let him know that the feeling is more than mutual and while The Wildhearts may never get the props they really deserve, it doesn’t matter because neither the band nor the fans care when the shows are this good.

Setlist:

Vanilla Radio

Someone That Won’t Let Me Go

Everlone

Understanding Jane (feat. Ian McNabb)

The Revolution Will Be Televised

Suckerpunch

Sick Of Drugs

Caffeine Bomb

My Baby Is A Headfuck

Lonely This Xmas/Red Light, Green Light

Encore1:

Geordie In Wonderland

Nothing Ever Changes

Top Of The World

Caprice

Rooting For The Bad Guy

Gettin’ It

Encore2:

I Wanna Go Where The People Go.

Satyricon Australian Tour 2009

Norway's Satyricon officially announce their triumphant return to Australia in March 2009! With one of the most infamous and beguiling shows on offer, these shows will sell fast. Don't miss your chance to see Norway's most notorious metal export.

Catch Satyricon at one of these venues in March.
Friday 20th - The Arena, Brisbane www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849 & www.oztix.com

Saturday 21st - Manning Bar, Sydney www.ticketek.com.au or ph 132 849 www.moshtix.com.au & www.custommade.com.au

Sunday 22nd - Billboard The Venue, Melbourne www.ticketek.com.au or ph 132 849 or www.moshtix.com.au and www.billboardthevenue.com.au

Monday 24th - The Capitol, Perth www.heatseeker.com.au & www.moshtix.com.au or Mills, Star Surf

Phil Demmel Collapses onstage & MH cancel next 2 dates

Phil Demmel, Guitarist with Machine Head collapsed onstage during the end of the bands set in Sheffield. This news was posted on the bands official site on the same day.

Phil Demmel did indeed collapse onstage during Machine Head's second-to-last song Friday night in Sheffield, England. Says singer Robb Flynn, "He's doing much better now and taking it easy. As Phil has mentioned before, the doctors say he suffers from episodes of Cardiogenic Syncope and has for the last 17 years or so. We're all a little worried here in our camp, but Phil genuinely wants to carry on. It is a bit unclear to us as to why these keep happening, but at Phil's request, we will finish out all these dates through to Metallica in L.A.". Machine Head wish to extend our gratitude to the good people of Sheffield for their support and for being so understanding at the end of our show. Machine Head are still set to perform with Demmel at the last 2 remaining
stops in Antwerp and Luxembourg.

This is the second onstage incident in the past year that has caused worry within the Machine Head Camp. Causing the band to cancel the next 2 shows of the tour. Adam Duce, Machine Head Bassist, has posted the following on the bands official site:

After considering the seriousness of Phil's health condition, we all feel that skipping these last two shows is the best thing to do. It's a bummer to end this tour like this after doing 9 amazing weeks and 3 continents with Slipknot, but getting Phil back to the States to get checked out is the most important thing right now. Our sincerest thanks to Slipknot and Children of Bodom for their support and understanding, we understand that it's a big disappointment to the fans, and Phil is very sorry about it, but we all feel that his health and safety is most important at this time.

For more info and updates visit: Machinehead1.com

Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil Down Under Australian tour

Just Say rock release:
Just Say Rock Productions, together with Roadrunner Records Australia, proudly presents Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil Down Under Australian tour – in May 2009.

Conspicuously missing from our shores since 2000’s Midian tour, the highly successful extreme metal innovators from Suffolk, England will deliver their full theatrical rock show to Australian audiences who have been kept waiting in the depths of murky darkness for ‘ages’.

Touring on the back of their highly successful 8th album, Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder (through Roadrunner), Cradle of Filth’s lavish musical arrangements and uncompromising persona are equally matched by a thrilling and dramatic live show.

A limited number of exclusive advance tickets are now on sale and available through www.justsayrock.com.au but dare we say, get in early because this is a tour that will unquestionably sell out!!!

Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil Down Under Australian tour. It’s one date with the devil that you don’t want to miss. You’ll be damned if you do…and if you don’t.


Australian Tour Dates 2009

PERTH
Friday 22 May – Metro City
146 Roe Street, Northbridge - 08 9228 0500

ADELAIDE
Sunday 24 May - Thebarton Theatre
112 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville - 08 8443 5255

MELBOURNE
Tuesday 26 May –Palace Theatre
20 Bourke St, Melbourne – 03 9650 0180

SYDNEY
Thursday 28 May – The Metro
624 George Street, Sydney - (02) 9287 2000

BRISBANE
Sunday 31 May – The Arena
210 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley - 07 3252 5690

Australian Summer Slaughter Tour

Necrophagist, Dying Fetus and Aborted will be touring Australia in March 2009 for a Summer Slaughter Tour thanks to Soundworks Touring. Also joining them for national support slots are Melbourne’s The Red Shore and The Faceless. Tickets are already on sale.

March 13 - The Manning Bar, Sydney
March 14 - The Red Room, Brisbane
March 15 - Fowlers Live, Adelaide
March 16 - Club Capitol, Perth (18+)
March 17 - The Corner Hotel, Melbourne (18+)

Whitechapel Australian tour

Formed in February 2006 Whitechapel seamlessly meld death metal, grind, and hardcore to create a blistering brand of modern death metal that leaves fans no other choice but to throw themselves into an uncontrollable frenzy.
Whitechapel stands out in today's overcrowded metal scene due in part to their ability to fuse memorable and even groovy riffs with crushing breakdowns, tremolo picking at neck breaking speeds, and incredibly evil and dissonant sounds. Their songs demand repeated listens and gang vocals at shows are common place. Metal Maniacs even took note of the band's unique approach to metal guitars and their incredible work ethic. "A noted characteristic is Whitechapel's three guitar assault; without a doubt an impressive apocalyptic sound. Propelled by the band's DIY ethics, Whitechapel is a driving force that will continue to grow through hard work and determination."
This is a band that is true to their music and honest in their delivery. They refuse to be ignored and will continue to bring their crushing metal to show after show until metal heads worldwide have experienced the manic intensity that is Whitechapel! The bands Metal Blade Records debut This is Exile is out now.

Whitechapel smash Australia for the first time with an amazing 13 shows covering all the major cities & many regional areas. With most shows catering for the all ages market, there is no reason for any metal fan in this country to miss out on the aurally assaulting experience that Whitechapel deliver.

Bring in the new year with a real bang & witness the new force of modern death!

January 6 - Brisbane - Guild Bar
January 7 - Gold Coast - Logan Ent. Centre
January 8 - Sydney - Manning Bar
January 9 - Wagga Wagga - The Basement
January 10 - Canberra - The Basement
January 11 - Geelong - The National Hotel
January 12 - Ballarat - The Bended Elbow
January 13 - Melbourne - The Corner Hotel (early show)
January 13 - Melbourne - The Corner Hotel
January 14 - Mt. Gambier - The Old Jail
January 15 - Adelaide - Fowlers Live
January 16 - Perth - Amplifier Bar
January 17 - Perth - YMCA HQ Skatepark

Supported by Psycroptic and Dyscord Nationally, with extra local supports at each show.

Amon Amarth confirmed for BOA 2009!

Swedish viking/death metallers Amon Amarth have been confirmed for Bloodstock Open Air, set to take place on 14-16th August 2009 at Catton Hall in Derbyshire, UK. The line-up is now shaping up as follows:

Friday 14th August:

Amon Amarth

Katatonia
Sabaton

Saturday 15th August:
Candlemass

Die Apokalyptischen Reiter

Satyricon

Turisas

Wintersun

Sunday 16th August:

Saxon

The Haunted

Live Review - Korpiklaani at Leeds Rio's 5/12/08

It takes a certain kind of band to play at the same venue three times in the space of one year and still draw a packed crowd – and Korpiklaani are one such band. They never fail to disappoint and are one of, if not the, most entertaining bands on the live circuit right now. After 3 support bands, Korpiklaani don’t actually take the stage until gone 10.30pm and the crowd have been in the venue drinking since 7pm (some clearly for longer than that) so everyone is clearly in the mood for some folk-metal jigging and from the opening notes of ‘Wooden Pints’ the floor doesn’t stop moving all the way through the set. Not many bands can get a crowd dancing and moving like Korpiklaani – their anthems to beer, forests and a pagan culture long-shared between the UK and the Scandinavians (but sadly long forgotten here in Britain) just force you to wave your limbs around and dance like a fool without a care in the world, and in such unstable times, there’s something incredibly appealing about that.
Nobody comes to a Korpiklaani show to stand still and hear songs that make you ponder all of life’s worries, if you do, then you’re at the wrong gig. No, everyone hear is in the mood for a good time and Korpiklaani deliver, as they always do, with their accordion and fiddle-tinged brand of folk-metal that is currently at an unprecedented height of popularity, particularly in the UK. The aforementioned ‘Wooden Pints’, along with good-time anthems like ‘Journey Man’, ‘Let’s Drink’ and ‘Happy Little Boozer’ bring the house down, but it’s a rousing finale of ‘Beer Beer’, complete with a stage invasion from the other bands on the bill (courtesy of the fact that it’s the last night of the tour) that really epitomises what Korpiklaani are all about – drinking, dancing and having fun. And to those who would sneer at Korpiklaani and the rest of the seemingly never ending collection of folk/battle/power metal bands emerging in the last few years as being ‘cheesy’ or ‘gimmicky’ miss the point entirely. Yes, Korpiklaani are probably the best of the bunch and many others (including tonight’s support acts) have a long way to go to catch them but what all of these bands epitomise is a simpler time, and one that, by the looks of it, was a whole lot more fun than what the 21st century has offered us so far and they’re contributions to bringing the happy element back to metal shows should be applauded and not casually overlooked. Thanks to bands like Korpiklaani, it’s now ok to have fun at metal gigs again and what can be wrong about that? After tonight, you can keep your ‘original’ or ‘technical’ bands because, for £15, many of us want to drink and dance to some actual songs and there’s no better soundtrack than Korpiklaani. Forget all the depressing ‘credit crunch’ rubbish and go see Korpiklaani and put a smile back on your face again – go on, you know you’ve wanted to for ages and remember, it’s now perfectly OK!

Live Review - Clutch at Leeds Cockpit 4/12/08

Gentleman’s Pistols
The support tonight comes from local lads Gentleman’s Pistols who live (literally) round the corner from the venue. It doesn’t take long to see why these guys are loved by record-label guru and Cathedral frontman Lee Dorrian as their mixture of stoner-rock groove and 70’s rock a la Free goes down an absolute treat tonight. Tracks like ‘Lady’ and ‘Widowmaker’ have the sort of bottom-end groove that would give the headliners tonight a run for their money. Album no. 2 is eagerly awaited, lads.

Clutch
Well, Gentleman’s Pistols would’ve given the headliners a run for their money if Clutch weren’t one of the best live bands around today (and for the last several years). Though perhaps not the best time I’ve seen them, Clutch even at 95% are still leagues ahead of many of their peers and the reason this band are not far bigger than they are becomes even more mind-boggling. This band are not capable of playing a bad gig and singer Neil Fallon is in top-form and a serious contender for the best frontman award (if such a thing existed), his performance being almost preacher-like.
Unlike many bands, Clutch constantly change their setlist so you can see them on a regular basis and never get bored (take note, Machine Head) so of course, there’s always songs you wished they’d played and tonight we don’t get the awesome ‘Careful With That Mic’ or ‘10001110101’, but we are treated to such gems as ‘Texan Book Of The Dead’ and ‘Shogun Named Marcus’ alongside Clutch classics like ‘Cypress Grove’, ‘Burning Beard’ and of course, ‘The Mob Goes Wild’ which nearly takes the roof off the place and has lost none of its resonance, despite George W. Bush’s days being numbered. Forever the underdogs, long may Clutch continue not to care, and neither will we.

Live Review - Power Quest at Wakefield Strafford Arms 2/12/08

You’ve got to feel for Power Quest really. Given that they emerged around the same time as Dragonforce and that they are certainly no strangers to each other (keyboardist Steve Williams having played in Dragonheart – an early version of the band that was to become Dragonforce – and current ‘Force guitarist Sam Totman having played on Power Quest’s debut album are just two examples), it’s a bit disappointing that while Dragonforce have gone on to achieve world-beating status, Power Quest are still plugging away on the pub circuit. This is even more disappointing when you witness just how good Power Quest are live and the realisation that they are actually more musically diverse than their dragon-loving buddies sets in. The band are all great players with Steve’s keyboard skills rivalling that of a certain Ukrainian gentleman and singer Alessio’s voice reaching notes you would doubt the existence of. Unfortunately the Power Quest experience is hampered tonight by the fact they’re playing in an uncomfortably tiny venue and that said venue have seen fit to employ one of the worst soundmen to ever sit behind a desk – if this guy isn’t out of a job by the end of the night, there’s something seriously wrong – and a collection of Wakefield kids up past their bedtime who clearly don’t know the first thing about the etiquette of mosh-pitting.
Despite these problems however, Power Quest manage to deliver a quality performance. Songs like ‘Wings of Forever’, ‘Far Away’, ‘Edge of Time’ and ‘Find My Heaven’ are anthems that should be belted out in arenas, not your local watering hole but alas, maybe this is part of the appeal of a band like Power Quest – that you can go see them with 100 or so of your metal brethren and leave pleased in the knowledge that everyone else is missing out and that you’ve just been privileged to a performance not many get to see. However, for Power Quest’s sake, hopefully this will change as I’m sure we the enlightened few would gladly trade that status for the further success of one of the UK’s best, and most unsung, bands.

Hellfest 2009 - First Announcement

MANOWAR and HEAVEN & HELL have been confirmed as 2 of the 3 headliners for Hellfest 2009, due to take place from 19-21 June 2009 in Clisson, France. Other names announced include Anthrax, Amon Amarth, Stratovarius, Sacred Reich, The Misfits, Destruction, Devil Driver, Epica, Gorgoroth, Enslaved, Napalm Death, Cathedral, Backyard Babies, Entombed, God Forbid, Electric Wizard, Grand Magus, Orange Goblin, Holyhell, Gama Bomb and Wolves In The Throne Room.

rumours also abound that Motley Crue are to make an appearance as well....