[Review] The Smith Street Band @ Macedon Railway Hotel, Macedon – 23/04/2022
They were literally hanging from the rafters at the Macedon Railway Hotel as The Smith Street Band powered through a set loaded with classics and new songs.
Like every other band that suffered through Covid, Smith Street had to postpone last year’s tour after lockdowns pulled the plug on them hitting stages around the country.
And the 'spicy cough' took another swing at the weekend’s gig with support act the Money Boys succumbing to the Rona and replaced by Joe Guiton, who warmed up the audience.
The Smith Street Band didn’t waste any time setting the tone as they launched into the anthemic and unmistakeable guitar intro of I Still Dream About You for the first of many crowd favourites.
Will Wagner, possibly Australia’s most underrated hard-rocking storyteller, captivates with emotive lyrics delivered in equal amounts of singing and shouting that has the band on par with other great Aussie pub rock acts of the ‘80s, such as Hunters and Collectors.
It’s a fine act that can have you one minute absorbing a sad tale (Young Drunk) before belting out a killer chorus that has an overjoyed audience arm in arm all singing “tonight I’m getting young drunk!”, of which many of us did.
It didn’t take long for sweaty young blokes to burst into a mosh and see bodies swinging off the pub’s rafters and sliding on spilled beers.
The Railway Hotel is fast-gaining a reputation for attracting great live music in a venue perfect for an intimate acoustic session or roof-raising rock show, or chin-ups, which there was plenty of this night.
The energy in the room turned up as fast as beers went down with Wagner bellowing out hit after hit as the band move seamlessly from song to song.
Wagner’s physical presence on stage is as big as his voice, wielding his guitar around like a chainsaw and dripping sweat that invites punters to get up close and party.
They delivered over a decade of hits, including Death To The Lads, Don’t Fuck With Our Dreams, Passiona, and a taste of what’s to come on their soon to be released new album, that left us wanting more after so many false starts to seeing them on stage again.
The Smith Street Band is touring regional Victoria and you would be mad to miss an opportunity to see these powerful pub rockers in action.
Friday April 29 – Torquay Hotel, Torquay *
Saturday April 30 – Volta, Ballarat *
Friday May 6 – Kay Street, Traralgon ^
Saturday May 7 – Pier Bandroom, Frankston ^
Friday May 13 – Westernport Hotel, San Remo ^
with special guests
*Money Boys ^Cheap-Skate
Tickets on sale now
www.thesmithstreetband.com
[Review] Full Tilt Festival @ Eatons Hill, Brisbane – 23/4/2022
After four false starts, Full Tilt Brisbane's leg beat the pandemic, finally hitting the ground at Eatons Hill Hotel last Saturday.
Still the current trend, with festivals of any form, come last-minute changes. With a sad blow for fans of The Bennies, the events Facebook page announced the band had pulled out last minute. Event openers, Closure moving up into their place.
The dual-stage event had an ‘Outdoor’ and indoor ‘Ballroom’ stage set up ready for the bands to entertain the eager masses. A light rain played tag with the sunshine throughout the morning with sunshine winning round one as Sydneysiders Reliqa, opened up the outdoor space.
The band took over the stage, bursting with energy from the get-go. The dynamic frontwoman Monique Pym led the eagerly awaiting music fans into the festival vibe. Their versatile frontwoman worked the crowd from the front of the stage and from behind the keys. They played through popular tracks including Hangman, Déjà vu, and the new single Bearer of Bad News.
Dominant bass combined with Pyms keyboard skills creates a metal soundscape opening up a whole new experience leaving the gathered crowd enthralled. Add in massive riffs, and belting drums from new addition Ben Knox, Reliqa saw that the festival was off to an impressive start.
Inside Brisbane locals, Stepson opened up the Ballroom stage with ferocity to a near-packed room. The intensity pushed out across the crowd injecting their high-octane brand of hardcore into the packed space. Playing through tracks old and new the band kept fans on their toes. The crowd clutching the barrier hanging off every guttural lyric. Dual vocals from Brock Alan Conry and bassist Nick Bennett created the perfect balance for their sound. Singing along, it was obviously a large portion of their home crowd were there to see Stepson. They wrapped up the set with the track Deeper Sleep. The Ballroom stage was in fact, now wide awake.
Back outdoors, one of the country's most admired punk/alt rock acts Luca Brasi do what they do best hitting the stage to an eager fanbase. The punk favourites played through as many of their popular tracks as they had time for, from Never The Right Time to Tangled: Content. Possibly one of the most underrated rock bands in the country, their fans connects fully with the magic and passion the band obviously channels through their music. No strangers to the festival circuit their live show creates the perfect vibe for fans to carry throughout the day. How this band has never risen higher into the mainstream is beyond me.
As Luca Brasi had fans joyfully jumping just meters away, Justice For The Damned called for chaos hyping up the crowd on the Ballroom stage. The popular deathcore outfit opened up at a rapid pace, Vocalist Bobak Raffiee demanded the crowd “open this pit up” as bodies unleash a frenzied force of pent-up energy. The crowd was ready for the pandemonium. Days of the pandemic induced sitting down at shows a distant memory with the sweaty chaos of the pit a welcomed return for hardcore music fans. This release was needed for both band and fans.
It’s evident the focus is a metalcore crowd with punters outside already lining up ready for the next Ballroom act Void of Vision.
As a light rain settled in, Sydney pop-punk/emo band Slowly Slowly took over the outdoor stage.
The crowd engulfed the outdoor space, gathering in mass for this popular alt-rock/punk outfit. The vibe is at a peak with girls on shoulders, crowd jumping along to the music as the band opens with Blueprint. The festival spirit is in force.
Slowly Slowly define the modern music sound with so many aspects to their sound, indie/punk/alt/rock all in there. They have created their own genre-diverse brand, and it’s a crowd-pleaser. Vocalist Ben Stewart strikes a certain emotive chord in the crowd with his ability to inject a wavering force of emotion into his melodic vocal.
They play through as many songs as possible including Creature of Habit Pt 2 and popular track 19 bringing out the pipes in the crowd. Only at an Aussie outdoor festival will you see all the colours of the Power Rangers crowd surfing. This defines the atmosphere at the outdoor stage.
An intensely penetrating bass opens Void Of Visions set to a capacity crowd in the Ballroom. Vocalist Jack Bergin makes a rock star entrance. The intensity of what is about to unfold is not lost on one single person in the room. Void of Vision capture a level of intensity many bands aims for. They open with Into The Dark and play through popular tracks including massive hit Ghost In The Machine sending the already hyped-up room into a frenzy. The crowd is swept away in the moment. The Lonely People took the set out. The crowd left wanting more.
The clouds had set in and light rain continued to fall across the outdoor stage. Mother nature was setting the scene as a silence set in across the crowd. The mic stand was donned with an ethereal-looking mascot watching over the crowd like a demonic guardian as Sydney deathcore legends Thy Art Is Murder took to the stage. An ominous mood filled the space around them. Guttural vocals from CJ McMahon invoked an ‘other worldly’ feel with the crowd channeling energy unique to a deathcore show. The band performed with a theatrical display. The crowd was fully invested in the whole experience. The music was the connecting force bringing the band and the fans together as one mammoth beast.
The band played through their set announcing bassist Brad replacing Kevvie B (Kevin Butler), off in Melbourne for a strongman competition. The Aussie music community has a strong camaraderie especially evident since the pandemic’s onset. Band members fill in for each other when someone is out (commonly) with the 'spicy cough'. They belted out tracks including Make America Hate Again and Holy War. A ‘Wall of Death’ stopped the entire venue, with the mass collision of bodies, a highlight of the day for everyone within sight of the chaos. Reign of Darkness completing their intense set.
Sydney pop-punk/emo band Closure took over the Ballroom taking some chaos out of the pace of the day. The band was meant to open the event but moved into The Bennies' place later in the day. For a newer band, their stage presence was felt across the room. The band played hits including Bedroom, Sink, and Laundry Day and brought a breath of fresh air to a day of music intensity.
Festivals in Australia never feel complete if Frenzal Rhomb isn’t on the list. As Starship classic We Built This City blasted out through the speakers, the very much adored Aussie punks appeared in their orange safety vests ready to do what they do best. The punk rock stalwarts drew a crowd of all ages playing through their short, sharp, loud, and fast set with precision and stamina. They dedicate Mummy Doesn’t Know You’re a Nazi to Peter Dutton. Flew straight into Bird Attack, progressing through a plethora of classic punk tracks. Frenzal have been hitting the tour circuit since the early ‘90s and the band (and their fans) have aged in body but not in musical spirit. The band gave the crowd classics like Uncle Ben, 5000 Cigarettes, School Reunion, Never Had So Much Fun and Punch In The Face. The last track had Luca Brasi frontman Tyler Richardson joining in before jumping in for a crowd surf. The perfect Aussie festival vibe.
Meanwhile back in Ballroom Alpha Wolf attracted a furious pack, with the band working on crowd control moving the hectic pit back from the crushing barrier. The band spoke about being on tour but were glad to be home as they played through tracks like Black Mamba, No Name, and Bleed For You. The room transformed into a massive circle pit. The dual vocals from frontman Lochie Keogh and bassist John Arnold brought a standout element to their brand of metalcore. Akudama finished off the set, the crowd was pumped ready for the next performance.
And what a performance. In Hearts Wake walked on stage masked up ready to electrify the crowd in the best possible way. You know you’re at a metalcore show when security and paramedics are on standby in the pit. The crowd was intense. The mass gathering proving the Australian metal scene is not just alive but thriving post-pandemic. The popular metal outfit from Byron Bay has built a strong following over their 15+ years on the circuit and the crowd reaction to vocalist Jake Taylor joining the band on stage said it all. After congratulations went out to guitarist Kyle Erich on the birth of his baby boy earlier in the week the band took the hungry fans into opener Crisis. The crowd surfing started from the first number putting the security to work and the paramedics on watch. New track Dogma hyped up the crowd, hands up, feet pounding the ground beneath, moving as one. The band blends metalcore, hardcore, and nu-metal genres into an explosive force giving them an edge in what can sometimes become a generic metalcore sound. Thy Art Is Murder’s ‘wall of death’ seemed a practice run as the band called for a wall of death. The crowd knew what to do and opened up ready. Security safely extracted crowd surfers; punters leaving the inner barrier with smiles a mile wide.
They work through their set giving the crowd what they came for with popular tracks Refuge and Earthwalker, then ending their set with the latest releases Son of A Witch and Hellbringer. In Hearts Wake takes melodic hardcore and gives it an ethereal infusion, producing something unique within the metalcore genre.
Moving back into the Ballroom stage is like stepping into a parallel universe. High energy is still the core element, but the contrast is stark. Melbourne pop-punks Between You And Me is full of catchy riffs and upbeat melodic punk taking charge of the Ballroom crowd. Their brand of music may be completely different, but the energy of the band is like watching a power surge take over the stage. Frontman Jake Wilson runs like a hyperactive child on Red Bull bouncing around the stage. Old fans were charging up to Supervillain, with new fans wondering why they’d never seen this band before. They had taken the intensity out of the day and transformed it into a massive party energy. With a four-year gap in-between album releases Between You and Me have just dropped their sophomore album Armageddon, the band playing a big serving of their new music. The aggression of previous bands is transformed into the same level of passion through their set. This passion flowed out across the room as the crowd grew and started jumping along with the band. They were humbled to be playing amongst such epic bands but well and truly earned their late-in-the-day billing. They saved their biggest tracks until last with Dakota having Wilson taking a massive flip off the stage into the crowd. Finishing off with Jake and bassist James “Bassy” Karagiozis, joining in the pit.
Headliners, popular Sydney metalcore powerhouse Northlane, brought the pyrotechnics to the stage taking the night to the level a closing act should. The show started with intensity before the band even took to the stage. The heat from flames bursting from cannons on stage was felt across the massive crowd. The fans seemed almost spent but as soon as the band opened the crowd drew on their final energy stores to take the night out. Crowd surfing, hands in the air, ponding the grass beneath their feet, it was their final burst from a day of intensity. The band released their latest album Obsidian just the day before taking the opportunity to introduce the crowd to their new music. They opened the night with smash single Clockworks the crowd showing their approval. Some newer tracks included the latest singles Carbonised and Plenty and were more than embraced by the crowd. Vocalist Marcus Bridge shows versatility, easily flowing from melodic to hardcore vocals.
They kept long-time fans happy with more popular tracks like Jinn, Echo Chamber and Quantum Flux finishing off the night with fan favourite Bloodline. After an intense and massive day, you would think fans would be ready to hightail it home but the demand for one more song was too great. Northlane returned to the stage with one final track, Talking Heads.
Full Tilt may have been off to a few false starts but if there was anything plainly evident from the day it was that Australian metalcore and punk fans are patient and dedicated. The turnout at Eatons Hill Hotel was in the thousands and the crowd, although at its peak at the end was still at an impressive number from the opening act.
No one went home disappointed.
BRING ON JULY!!!!!
FULL TILT FESTIVAL LINE-UP:
THE GHOST INSIDE
UNDEROATH
PVRIS
ICE NINE KILLS
MAKE THEM SUFFER
OCEAN GROVE
WAAX*
THE WONDER YEARS
YOURS TRULY
TEENAGE JOANS
CAROLESDAUGHTER
STATIC DRESS
SAVIOUR
TO THE GRAVE
*Sydney + Brisbane only
DATES AND VENUES:
SATURDAY 16 JULY – EATONS HILL OUTDOOR AND BALLROOM, BRISBANE
SUNDAY 17 JULY – BELLA VISTA FARM, SYDNEY
SATURDAY 23 JULY – PICA (PORT MELBOURNE INDUSTRIAL CENTRE FOR THE ARTS), MELBOURNE
Head to www.destroyalllines.com for more information.
[Gallery] Full Tilt Festival @ Eatons Hill, Brisbane 23/03/2022
Northlane
Between You And Me
In Hearts Wake
Alpha Wolf
Frenzal Rhomb
Closure
Thy Art Is Murder
Void of Vision
Slowly Slowly
Justice For The Damned
Luca Brasi
Stepson
Reliqa
Interview with Paul Martin (DEVILSKIN)
In what seems like an eternal rollercoaster of close calls and postponements, Silverback Touring are pleased to announce that after several attempts, the long-awaited DEVILSKIN RED Australian Tour is finally happening. The hard-hitting Kiwi bandreleased their critically acclaimed third studio album RED in April 2020 and have been trying to make it to Australia to celebrate. Now, with borders finally opening and plenty of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, Australia finally get their chance to witness DEVILSKIN on their first ever headline run down under in April/May.
On the tour, DEVILSKINs Nic Martin says, We are so grateful for our overseas supporters, who have proven their patience and loyalty as we have tried to bring this show to their shores. Now that it appears safe to do so, we are frothing to be connecting with our friends in Australia again. Were incredibly excited to finally showcase our latest album, especially in a few cities weve never previously performed. Its going to be a massive reunion, so we hope youre ready for a Kiwi-style party, Aussie!
Having stunned Australian crowds on tours with HALESTORM and SLASH Ft. Miles Kennedy and the Conspirators, and appearing on Download Australia in 2019, DEVILSKIN are one act not to be missed.
DEVILSKIN have garnered a formidable reputation and a solid fanbase worldwide from their relentless touring schedule. A swathe of brilliant live reviews from Europe to USA to Australia are testament to the groundswell of support for this hard-working and focused New Zealand act.
The title of their latest album RED is significant: it is the universal colour of passion, vitality, blood, danger, romance, anger, horror and love; everything evocative. Of all the colours, RED is a warning and a statement.
RED starts with a sonic throat punch titled Do You See Birds and promises to enthrall the listener with a tour-de-force of emotions and moods. From the de-tuned anthem Corrode and the caged rage of Same Life, to the poignant beauty of Sweet Release, the swagger of Be Like The River, and the manic fury of Everybodys High But Me. DEVILSKIN have long been noted for their emotive songwriting and ability to touch peoples hearts, and on RED they have bared their soul with their finest performance yet.
Joining DEVILSKIN are fellow Kiwis SHEPHERDS REIGN on their first ever Australian visit. SHEPHERDS REIGN are a Polynesian Metal band and seem to be a world first. The band is made up of 5 brothers: Pacific, Mori and Asian, who are united in their passion for writing and performing hard hitting music that expresses where they are from and shares their life experiences. Its metal with thick textures and big melodies, delivered with attitude and conviction. Their recent release Le Manu has received close to two million views on YouTube.
SHEPHERDS REIGN is best experienced live, where each band member gives it their all and aims to smack the audience in the face with their performance. The live show is a culmination of years of playing together and developing their natural chemistry and on stage is where they are most powerful.
This is a show of some pure Kiwi metal power, and one that is not to be missed.
Tickets are on sale now from: https://www.silverbacktouring.com.au/devilskin/
Touring April / May 2022
Friday 29 April – Sydney – Manning Bar
Saturday 30 April – Brisbane Mansfield Tavern
Sunday 1 May – Gold Coast – Coolangatta Hotel
Thursday 5 May – Adelaide -The Gov
Friday 6 May – Perth – Amplifier
Saturday 7 May – Melbourne – Max Watts
Papa Roach – Ego Trip
Review by Jodi Maree
EGO TRIP, the 11th studio album for California’s PAPA ROACH, was released in April 2022 and has been met with mixed reviews across the board, but the majority appear to be positive. The album reached #115 on the U.S Billboard chart, whilst on the UK Rock and Metal chart it has tipped in at #3.
Since coming together in 1993, PAPA ROACH has been very consistently churning out albums approximately every 2-3 years, with some being very successful and others only moderately so.
This album, in my opinion, has the makings of being one of the former. It has quite the mix of tracks on it, and at times can seem a touch disjointed, but it somehow comes together. If you go into it wanting everything to sound like “Last Resort”, you may be a little disappointed, but if you go into it open-minded and ready for a little diversity, mixed with some old-school sounds, then you are really going to like it.
Straight out of the gate the album opens with “Kill The Noise”, which is a punchy angsty track, with a heavy riff. The track was the second single released from the album back in September 2021, and if Spotify plays are anything to go by, seems to be the most popular. Lyrically it runs with the very prevalent theme of PAPA ROACH’s music, which talks about inner demons, and in particular in this track about the internal rage and voices of said demons, which are just becoming too loud, hence the title “Kill The Noise”. I was drawn to the song immediately and found it very catchy and relatable.
The second track “Stand Up” was the fourth single released from the album, and was released in January this year. It has very much the Nu-Metal sound that has appeared so often in the back catalogue. I get a very RATM meets Sevendust meets BMTH vibe. Weird mix, I know but that’s what comes to mind when listening to this track. Touching on the subject matter of oppression, and the need to encourage us all to “Stand Up”. Definitely a great track though and a stand-out for me.
The first single from this album, and the third track, is “Swerve” which features Jason Aalon Butler from Fever333 and rapper Sueco. While this totally contradicts Jacoby Shaddix’s statement in 2004 that the “rap was gone”, this track is well-produced and catchy, it has a funky little sax bridge, and is likely to appeal to those who prefer the rap-rock stylings. One thing this track does do highlights the diversity of PAPA ROACH, and how they are always looking to move with the times and not be stuck in the early 2000s. And while I am a rock/metal/punk-oriented person myself, I certainly do not discredit musicians whose diversity steps outside of the genres I prefer.
“Bloodline”, the fourth song from EGO TRIP, feels a little darker, and a little more aggressive. A heavy beat, with a catchy pre-chorus leading into a loud and boisterous chorus. As with many of the tracks, this song is short and punchy. None of the tracks exceed 4 minutes, with more than half being less than 3 minutes long. It certainly leaves the listener wanting more, but means you can bounce through the whole album from song to song without feeling like you need to skip a track at all. And while there are certainly some songs that grab me more than others, I really do not think there are any really bad tracks.
The fifth track is “Liar” and this is one that I really like. It has such a bouncy, catchy tune, and the lyrics, while fast and at times a mouthful, flow well. The layered, gang-style vocals of the chorus work really well on this track.
“Ego Trip” is the sixth song on the album of the same name, and if I’m honest is one of my lesser faves. Musically it is great, with the drums absolutely standing out, and also has some real funky bass riffs too. I do find though, that lyrically this one is a little cheesy.
Another one of my faves from the album is track seven, “Unglued”. It has an old-school “rock style PAPA ROACH” sound that I have an affinity with. Lyrically it is cohesive and appears to be about the breakdown of a relationship. Although not one of the higher ranking songs when you look at the album as a whole, I like the sound of it, and have often played it over again for multiple listens in a row.
“Dying To Believe” was released in October 2021, and looks to be right up there in popularity. Jacoby Shaddix was reported as having described this song as having been written to help unify the division that is prevalent in today’s society. Anyone who loves music, knows that, in itself, music is a great way to unite people from all over. It brings us together, it makes us feel whole, and is an outlet for so many to express themselves and their feelings, so I applaud Jacoby on trying to lessen the divide. Lyrically it is deep, and musically it has elements of the new styles we see being produced by some of the world’s biggest artists. More synth, couipled with a very harmonic chorus makes this track super listenable and appealing.
Track nine, “Killing Time”, to me has what I deem as the typical PAPA ROACH sound. Highly identifiable, and one to get you moving. A tad repetitive but nothing so bad as to taint the song.
Anyone who knows me knows that vocals are my thing. I love a great vocal track. On this album, this is that track. I cannot tell you how many times I have played this song over and over again. Jacoby Shaddix has done such a stellar job on “Leave A Light On”. It is nothing like any of the other tracks on this whole album. It is poignant, deep, and just an absolutely beautiful, beautiful song. I hold nothing back in saying it is my favourite. It’s no heavy rock song or riffing Nu Metal song, but it is the one I just cannot stop singing and playing over again. I would love to see this acoustic song done live!!
100% my highlight of the whole album, even if I am the only one who thinks so!
Track eleven brings in yet another element in what I can only describe as more of a pop-punk/rock type of vibe. “Always Wandering” is definitely catchy, I actually really like this one too. I feel it is referring to recurring issues, whether it be drugs, bad relationships, or mental health.
Saying that somehow it always comes back around. Life is a constant battle for some, and I think, in that respect, PAPA ROACH nails this sentiment in many of their songs., including the next track “No Apologies” Learning to let go of the things we hold deep inside is hard, but listening to songs like this, for some, might just make it a touch easier.
The penultimate track is “Cut The Line”, which is another one of those songs that has a vaguely pop-punk rock sound to it, that is becoming popular right now. The drums on this track are brilliant and Tony Palermo has to be congratulated on his overall performance across the whole album. So too do Tobin Esperance and Jerry Horton, and of course, the one and only Jacoby Shaddix, whom I believe is the driving force behind the success of PAPA ROACH.
And lastly, but certainly, not least is the final track “I Surrender” which starts out heavy, and has a very melodic chorus. Backing vocals are notable and the tale of not running from your past, and accepting who you are seems to be where this song leads you. A great track to close out what I think is an excellent album. I certainly like it far more than the last two albums and have an appreciation for the diversity the album brings. Bands that have been around as long as these guys do well to constantly evolve, try new sounds, and develop further the sounds they have created for themselves. Nearly 30 years in this business is a huge milestone, and I look forward to hearing more from PAPA ROACH in the future.
Meshuggah – Immutable
Review by Mitch Charlton
The lords of the polyrhythm are back with their ninth studio album Immutable and even after 30 years, Meshuggah is still killing it and showing the world they can write some incredible music. Straight off the bat, from the opening track Broken Cog, you know you’ve put on a Meshuggah album, it's their sound, their riff style, you know it’s going to be good, and you know you’ll get what you want out of it.
This album blends amazingly, the song progression from track 1 to track 13, over 60-Minutes of riffing, flows like a river, Immutable is incredibly well written and produced, which you’ve come to expect from this band. This is the kind of album you should have on and listen to in its entirety. Whether the album lyrically is conceptual or not, I am unsure, but the music definitely sounds like it is or at least produced in a way to be cinematic or soundtrack-esque and even has a 9:30 minute instrumental, They Move Below, about halfway through the album. This song breaks up and revitalizes the album, flow, its starts slow and builds all over again to then bring you into Kaleidoscope which brings it straight back into the single string chugginess. On my first play-through of the album, I put it on and just listened without really taking note of a track change and then realised I was halfway through the album, it's just ebbs and flows in the right places.
One thing I have always loved about this band, regardless of what they are playing, you are always able to find the beat and headband along. These songs aren’t riddled with changing riffs, crazy interludes, or bridges, they are generally a couple of different riffs per song and then fleshed out with some lead work here and there. It really gives you time to enjoy the riff and get into the flow of the song, sometimes I find in prog metal that bands try and cram as many riffs into a song as they can and you get “Oh that’s a killer riff….. and it's gone” you don’t find that with Immutable.
The three singles released from this album, The Abysmal Eye, Lighting the Shortening Fuse and I Am The Thirst will give you a slight taster of the album, pretty good choices from Immutable to show off. The Abysmal Eye has a film clip that is visually stimulating as there is a ton of imagery flowing across the screen, vast deserts and of course, eyes everywhere. My favourite track off the album is Ligature Marks, this is ridiculously heavy and ambient. The repeating rhythm just hypnotizes you into head banging, you can’t help it.
Hearing this album, you can hear how Meshuggah have really paved the way for Modern Metal and their influence on the scene, whether the current bands are conscious of it or not. They are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to their craft and this album just further cements that in. I hope that by the time they get to tour this and even get to Australia, they are all fit and fighting, the drummer, and goddamn WHAT a drummer, Tomas Haake has been suffering from a skin condition that has caused issues playing but you wouldn’t even notice from listening to this. Meshuggah are unstoppable and Immutable.
The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain
Review by Mitch Charlton
For me, Watain are the epitome of Black Metal, they are pure aggression, ambient, and moody but above all else, there has always been conviction in their music. You know they believe in what they write about. I enjoy music a lot more if a band can make me as a listener, believe that they believe or stand behind what they are writing about, and with Watain, there is no second-guessing. You know they mean business.
Watain are back with The Agony & Ecstasy of.. their 7th studio album and this is a punch in the face or the petrol on the fire that the Black Metal world needs. This album is aggressive and intense, just as their fans expect, and throughout their endeavor to create brutal and threatening music, there is no clarity lost in their sound. Everything is crystal clear but, on each listen, I find more layering in the music, little guitar or bass melodies like in the doom-laden We Remain, there is always more to find and take from their music. Where the music may slow down in pace, it makes up for in mood or atmosphere, it never feels or sounds less intense regardless of what they are playing.
The two singles released for this album are The Howling and Serimosa, good choices that show off the two moods of the album. The Howling reminds me of Lawless Darkness sort of riffing, a good Black N Roll vibe, whereas Serimosa has a more ambient reverb sound, and the Bassline and Kick pattern really drives home that rhythm at the heart of the song. This album has made incredible use of reverb, the drums sound massive! It is a classic Watain sound, I’ve always enjoyed how their drums sound on an album. The mixing of the guitar and bass is a classic Black Metal sound with the use of tremolo guitars and colder sounding bass holding it all together and providing you ample chance to get into a Black N Roll mood to headbang along from start to finish.
My personal favourites off this album are We Remain and Septentrion. These two stood out just for the epic sounds the tracks provide. We remain is a slower doomier piece featuring guest vocals from Farida Lemouchi, who is the voice of The Devil’s Blood, a band that influences Watain, also another band that practices what they preach, definitely check them out! It reminded me of how They Rode On fit into Wild Hunt, it has a completely different sound to other tracks, a complete darkened affair. Where it lacks the pace and ferocity of other tracks on this album, the intensity and atmosphere are kept evident. Septentrion, the album ender brings it home amazingly, this epic track should be played loud for you to fully immerse yourself in the music. I hope this one makes the live set; it would be incredible on the stage.
Watain live shows are just as dangerous as their music sounds, not in a physical sense but from the gigs that I’ve been to see them, they do incredibly well at proving their conviction and message in their music, it’s animalistic, the feeling they provoke in the audience. The Agony and Ecstasy of.. is quite a fitting name given that these guys most likely went through both of these stages whilst writing this album and they will bring this energy to their live performance and the crowd will have the same feelings. With an already incredible catalogue of material, this album only adds fuel to the fire!