CONCERT REVIEW: Stigmata Promotions, by Collin Brophy, 9/11/2014

DAEMON PYRE (Sydney Death Metal)

Venue: The Valve Bar (Underground) Sydney.

Date: 25^th October 2014

Guest includes: The Schoenberg Automaton, Hadal Maw, Daemon Pyre, Grim Demise and Autolysis.

I left work and headed for the city, met up with some mates, and we made our way to The Valve Bar. I arrived around 30 minutes prior to the doors being opened. I walked around, spoke to numerous band members, and had a few cold beers. Before the doors opened, the band members could be seen bringing all their gear in and setting up for the night. Everyone waiting was pumped for an awesome night of serious metal.

The doors opened just after 8pm, there were quite a few people already inside the venue, and for only $10.00 for 5 very quality Australian metal bands, who could argue. Out of the 5 bands, I had only seen 3 of them before. I have only heard the other two, Autolysis and Hadal Maw, on YouTube, so I was very much looking forward to seeing them live tonight.

Tonight the promoter of this brilliant gig, Stigmata Promotions, decided to do something very different.  They set up a big screen up against the side wall and played 3 cult horror movies (Dawn of the Dead, Halloween and Hellraiser) on repeat throughout the whole gig, and everyone loved it. It was crazy how some of the vocals and the movie images on the screen managed to coincide with each other, which made the experience even better. I had to laugh when a female fan was getting right into the music and when she turned around, she saw a scene from Hellraiser, and screamed … in tune to the music.  It couldn’t have been timed any better.  This was one of the best local gigs I have been to in a while, and by the reactions of the crowd, I wasn’t the only one who thought the same.

Autolysis (Newcastle, NSW, Australia)

Band Members: Adam – Guitar, Legion – Bass, Mitch – Guitar, Dave – Vocals, Macca – Drums.

Genre: Extreme Metal.

Set List: 1. Deacidal, 2. Total Desa, 3. Drill, 4. Cradle, 5. Death Walker, 6. Enslaved, 7. Autopsy, 8. Malignant.

Tonight was my introduction to the slaughter machine that is Autolysis. These guys were tight, hard and fast, with sick riffs from the guitarist. The drummer was awesome, some very fast drumming and he never missed a beat. The bassist was a beast of a man, who beat the crap out of his bass and ended up braking the strings, not once but twice. The vocalist was non-stop, up and down and back and forth.  He was very energetic, with amazing vocal skills. His growls went perfectly to the horror movies playing on the screen in the background. I very much enjoyed these guys set. I’d like to see these guys again, but this was Mitch’s last ever show with Autolysis and this could quite possibly be Autolysis’ last show ever, as they are struggling to find anyone to replace Mitch’s awesome guitarist skills … Or if they found another drummer, then Macca could play the guitar for Autolysis. We at Busuk Webzine wish Mitch and the other band members of Autolysis all the best in their future endeavours … we hope you find someone soon.

Grim Demise (Newcastle, NSW, Australia)

Band Members: Wretched – Vocals, Pendo - Lead Guitars, Mungo – Bass, Silence - Rhythm Guitars, Dave – Drums.

Genre: Blackened Death / Thrash / Australian Metal

Set List: 1. The cursed, 2. Evil, 3. Forgotten, 4. Decay, 5. Abandon, 6. Left with nothing, 7. Wretched, 8. Harvest.

I haven’t seen Grim Demise for a few months now and I was looking forward to seeing them and hearing some new tunes. Not use to seeing these guys play on a small stage, as they are very energetic and like to spread out, but it was great to be up close and personal.  It was good to see Wretched back up and smashing out tunes after having surgery and titanium rods/pins inserted in his right arm/hand.  You could tell that he was in a bit of pain by the way he kept swapping the mic from right to left hand, but there was no way that the pain was going to stop the metal machine that is Grim Demise from playing a great set.  The drummer was brilliant, as was the bassist and guitarist. While they smashed out their own style of metal, it suited the horror movie being played on the screen, Dawn of the Dead. Grim Demise just gets better and better every time I see them, and tonight was no exception. They’ve introduced some new music, which is heavy, fast and brutal. The crowd definitely liked the new music as well. With a new album on the horizon, things are looking up for Grim Demise.  We here at Busuk Webzine would like to wish Wretched a speedy recovery from his injury and look forward to seeing these guys in the future.

Daemon Pyre (Sydney, NSW, Australia)

Band Members: Sam Rilatt – Vocals, Andrew Lilley – Guitar, Simon Tattam – Guitar, Nathan Crofts – Drums, TBA – Bass.

Genre: Melodic Death Metal.

Set List:

This was the first time I had seen Daemon Pyre, formally known as, As Silence Breaks, since they changed their name earlier this year. I was really looking forward to see these guys tonight, as I have been a huge fan of theirs for quite some time now. From the moment they started until the very last note, Daemon Pyre were brilliant. With a new band member, who has only been with them for a short while, they played like they have been playing together for years. Changing their name and with a whole new attitude DP were brutal. They have matured so much as a band together and it showed in their performance. Playing their new music was a massive hit with the crowd who loved it all. DP has a heavier, nastier sound then when they were ASB. There whole persona as a band has changed and I think it’s for the better. A new name, attitude and focus has definitely worked for DP and with their debut album due out before the end of the year, it looks like next year is going to be huge for all in involved in DP. We at Busuk Webzine wish DP all the best with their new album and the launch once the album is released.

Hadal Maw (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)

Band Members: Aaron Grice – Vocals, Nick Rackham – Guitar, Ben Boyle – Guitar, Jim Luxford – Bass, Rob Brens – Drums.

Genre: Death Metal

Set List: 1.Sure man, 2.Dissent, 3.Aetas De Morior, 4,Invisible Eye, 5.Hypnoguise, 6.Altar of Ire, 7.Corridors, 8.Obsequia, 9.The Lurid, 10.Coil, 11.From the Mouths of Monsters.

A week before the gig I did a search on YouTube to see if I could hear a sample of Hadal Maw, as I had never heard them before.  I came to the realisation that I have been missing out on one very talented and brutal band. These guys don’t muck around.  They got straight into their set and it was full throttle from the start to finish of non stop death metal. It was inspiring. The drummer was relentless on the skins and his drum kit copped a beating and a half. The bassist was brilliant, the guitarist smashed out some sick riffs as well and the vocalist was an amazing front man, who commanded your attention. This was Hadal Maw’s album launch and by the look of it at the end of the night, they had won over many new fans with their assault on their ear drums. Now I know exactly what I have been missing out on and I definitely can’t wait to see them again.

The Schoenberg Automaton (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)

Band Members: Nelson Barnes - Drums, Jake Gerstle - Vocals, Shayne Johnson - Guitar, Zimi Shabanay - Bass, Damien Boorman - Guitar,

Genre: Technical / Abstract Death Metal

Set List: 1. Stopping a God Midsentence, 2. Ghost of Mirach, 3. The Woodhouse Sakati Syndrome, 4. Lost City of Embers (New), 5. All Roads Lead to Rome, 6. The Fragile Ones (New), 7. The Worm Engine, 8. Where are We, In a Cube?, 9. Vengeance (New).

I didn’t want to miss seeing these guys, as it was TSA’s last Sydney gig before leaving “The land down under” as they are relocating to Canada. I last saw these guys when they supported Aborted in June 2014 in Sydney, and tonight there was a good crowd ready for a great set and to see them off in style. I have been looking forward to catching up with TSA before they relocated to Canada to try there luck over there. TSA were awesome tonight. They played their hearts out to a very grateful crowd. It was great to be able to chat to the guys before their set and to personally wish them all the best in Canada. By the time they were ready to play, the crowd had gathered and everyone was anticipating a great set. The guys in TSA didn’t disappoint. Easily one of their best sets I’ve seen them play in Sydney. They gave their all in this performance and by the end of their set, they had absolutely demolished the Value Bar. No-one wanted to see them finish because they knew they weren’t going to see them again for a long time.  I am going to miss seeing TSA, as are a lot of other fans. The Canadians won’t know what hit them once TSA have moved over there. Busuk Webzine would like to wish the whole TSA family all the best and we hope that you guys enjoy your time in Canada and hope it all goes well for you all.  The Aussie Metal Scene is going to miss you, but know you will be working hard over there representing the Australian Metal Music Industry and will do us proud.  Hope to see you guys touring back here soon.

[By Collin Brophy for Busuk Webzine.]

CD/ CONCERT REVIEW: Whoretopsy EP CD Launch, Saturday, 19th July 2014 @ the Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, by Michael Mifsud

Whoretopsy EP CD Launch Review, Saturday, 19th July @ the Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne, Australia

Whoretopsy is a brutal death-metal band from Melbourne, Australia, they first started in January 2011. This band has performed at Hammersonic Festival in Jakarta, toured around Australia, and shared the stage with metal legends such as Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Dying Fetus and Kataklysm.

This 5-piece band consists of.

Storma – Vox

Poey- Guitar1

Lachy- Bass

Chrisso- Drums

Brent – Guitar2

Their new EP called While You Were Sleeping is their third official release. Their first album, They Did Unspeakable Things, was released in 2012. This was followed by an EP, Isn't She Lovely, which was released later in the same year.

Their new album consists of five songs:

1. Fiddler In The Roof

2. While You Were Sleeping

3. Bashed and F***ed

4. Nature’s Pocket

5. The Terrible Thirty Two’s

These 5 songs and 15.01 minutes of brutality metal makes your windows explode when turning up the volume. The lyrics are of a sexual nature, but the beat of the drums and guitars are awesome to listen to. I will give this album 8/10 but listening to them live 10/10.

[By Michael Mifsud for Busuk Webzine]

GIG REVIEW: “Origin” - The End Of An Entity: Australian Tour 2014 by Collin Brophy

Venue: The Cambridge Hotel Newcastle (NSW, Australia)

Date: 10 May 2014.

Special Guests: Grim Demise, The Seer, Eternal Rest, A Million Dead Birds Laughing.

I finished work and then headed up the freeway to The Cambridge Hotel in Newcastle. There was a small crowd already inside the venue when I arrived. Once Grim Demise started there were a few more people in the venue. Unfortunately due to another show around 20 minutes down the road which started earlier than this gig, this amazing gig with some truly talented bands didn’t get the crowd which it deserved. I spoke to a few people who were also disappointed with the turnout, with roughly only 100 people turning up for this gig. Because of the low crowd turnout, the crowd that was there was treated to what was an amazing gig, and it felt like our very own private gig. 

Grim Demise (Newcastle, NSW, Australia).

Genre:  Blackened Death / Thrash / Australian Metal

Band Members:

RiCho – Vocals

Pendo - Lead Guitars

Mungo – Bass

Dave – Drums

Matt Ohma - Guitar

Set List: 1. Evil, 2. For They Bleed, 3. The Forgotten, 4. Left With Nothing, 5. Wretched Harvest.

I saw these guys around 5 weeks ago for the first time and they were brilliant … and that was Matt’s first gig with Grim Demise.  It looks like he has settled in very well with the band. Tonight’s gig is different as these guys stepped up to the mark big time as the opening support for Origin. From the very start of “Evil” right to the end with “Wretched Harvest”, Grim Demise were fantastic.  Unfortunately they only had enough time for 5 wicked songs. The band was having a lot of fun on stage and they even set the vocalist up with a song with clean vocals, which surprised even him as it wasn’t meant to happen.  He said, “They made me do it”.  After their set, I ended up getting their album called “Nameless Graves” which I started blasting on my way home.  I got so engrossed in the music.  It was fantastic. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, due to head banging, and ended up driving in the opposite direction … I took an extra 30 minutes to get home … but that was OK as I got an extra 30 minutes of blasting this album.  Stay tuned for another CD review … lol!

The Seer (Newcastle, NSW, Australia).

Genre: Symphonic Death Metal

Band Members:

Ryan Huthnance - Vocals and Guitar
Daniel McInnes - Guitar
Allan Swaffield - Bass
Tom Taylor - Drums

Set List: 1. Thanatos, 2. Timeless, 3. Condemnation, 4. Demise of the Gods.

I last saw The Seer at the start of the year and they were brilliant, and tonight they were even better. With a new album under their belt, they were ready to let lose with some new songs off the album. As usual they were very tight and intense. Due to time restraints, they only had enough time to smash out 4 incredible songs. After their set, I ended up going to their merch stand and pre-ordered their new album.  I can’t wait for it to arrive.  This was The Seer’s second gig for today, as they came straight from their set at Hexham’s (Newcastle) Metal Bloody Metal festival to the Cambridge. The Seer have been pushing themselves and their music, to the limit in their performances, that they have been selected to support two of their biggest influences, the brilliant “Septicflesh” and the amazing “Fleshgod Apocalypse”, on the Australian tour, in early-mid May 2014, at The Manning Bar in Sydney.  Just goes to show that hard work does pay off.  Good luck guys and I look forward to seeing you all again.

Eternal Rest (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia).

Band Members:

Lochlan Watt – Vocals (The Racket)

Mick Hunter - Drums
Jake Kaiser - Guitars
Chris Clark - Guitars
Jannico Kelk - Bass

Genre: Death Metal

Set List: 1. Manifestation, 2. Preaching the decimation of spheres, 3.New, 4. song, 5. Onset of destruction, 6. Remnants, 7. New song, 8. Prophetic.

I haven’t seen Eternal Rest for quite some time and I was really looking forward to seeing them. Last time I saw them I really enjoyed the show.  This time was no exception.  It’s obvious they have grown as a band.  They hit the stage and just smashed it. I have always enjoyed their sets as the music is heavy.  Their stage presence was awesome and they always seem to have so much fun on stage. They played some new songs which were brilliant. For some reason I have always admired the way both Jake and Chris play guitars.  I can’t explain why, buy you just have to watch them live to see what I mean.  They have a presence on stage that commands respect.  They are both very talented guys who complement each other with their playing styles and technique.  This is not to take anything from the rest of the members in the band … the bass player is a real character, the drummer is insane and the vocalist demonstrated great range and talent.  Eternal Rest always put on a great set, but tonight’s set was just brilliant.  The time went by too fast and their set was over before I knew it.  It’s amazing how much these guys have matured in such a short space of time.  I look forward to seeing these guys live again and to any future albums.

A Million Dead Birds Laughing (Melbourne, Australia).

Genre: Death Metal/Death Grind

Band Members:

BB - Guitar.
DT - Drums.
SA - Bass.
DL - Vocals

Set List: 1. Conduit, 2. Seppuku, 3.VII, 4.Rashomon, 5. Defaced, 6. Nest, 7. Beast, 8. Fortress 9. Defiants, 10. Agony, 11.Warlord, 12. Imperium, 13. Axiom, 14. Empress, 15. King, 16. Zombie.

I know of these guys, but have never seen them live before tonight. AMDBL were fantastic, very heavy and brutal. These guys have to be seen to be believed how really good AMDBL are.  DL’s vocal range is some of the best I have heard live. AMDBL have a cult like following. From what I saw and after witnessing their brutal assault on the Cambridge, I can understand why. This was AMDBL’s first ever gig at Newcastle and hopefully they will return in the near future. AMDBL brought out a new album at the end of last year (2013) called “Bloom”.  It’s a very heavy, intense and brutal album.  They played some songs tonight off the new album to which the crowd loved. AMDBL have been playing some insane supports over the last 12 months.  They played the Sonic Forge Festival, The Australia Day Party, support for Nile & The Face Tour 2013, as well as Psycroptic’s 'Inheriting the Sickness' Australian Tour 2013 as well.  So these guys know a thing or two on how to destroy a venue or two with some seriously heavy music.  If you get a chance to see these guys, make the effort … you won’t be disappointed.

Origin (Kansas/California/New York, USA).

Genre: Death Metal

Band Members:

Jason Keyser - Vocals
Paul Ryan - Guitars/Vocals
Mike Flores - Bass/Vocals
John Longstreth - drums

Set List: N/A

This was my first time in seeing Origin, and from what quite a few people told me, I was in for one hell of a show from these guys. Vocalist, Jason, definitely knew how to work a crowd.  He is a very charismatic front man.  He is a great entertainer with a lot of energy, never stopped moving around the stage and continuously involved the audience. Drummer, John, played like a demon.  He is easily one of the best drummers going around in the Death Metal scene today and is just amazing to watch live. After watching him play, I’m surprised the drum kit still existed in one piece after the set.  Mike, the bass player, was ruthless with his bass.  He beat it, flogged it, slapped it and brutalised it, in the most musical sense of the way!!  I have never seen anyone brutalise a bass like he did tonight. He was like a man possessed.  Guitarist, Paul, was fantastic.  Some of the riffs he played were unbelievable.  The things he can do on the guitar has to be seen to be believed. 

Vocalist, Jason, said he wanted to see a one man “mosh pit”.  There were a couple of people who put there hands up.  Only one was chosen and he “moshed” by himself until others joined in after a couple of minutes. A solo “mosh pit” was the funniest thing I’d ever seen.  From were I was standing I had a very good view of the crowd and of the stage, and when the 4 person circle pit got going, I couldn’t help but laugh. The funniest part was when Jason wanted a 2 man “wall of death”.  The singer from Grim Demise, RiCho, said he would be in it.  I’m not sure what happened, but another dude got in and RiCho missed out. Jason counted down, and the 2 man “wall of death” started.  One of them got smashed, but he was ok. I couldn’t stop laughing at them because it looked so funny from were I was standing. All during Origin’s set there was 3-5 man “mosh pit” and 3 man “circle pits”.  Everyone there was enjoying themselves so much.  The band really knew how to make the most out of getting entertainment out of their fans.  Unfortunately, when their set was over, the cheering and the roar of the crowd was very loud, considering the turn out was limited. I definitely want to see Origin again when they return to our shores.  We were very privileged that the crowd was not very large, as we had our very own private performance where the band was able to interact more with the fans.

What a fantastic night of metal with some brilliant Aussie metal and Origin (USA) which at times left me speechless. I was lucky enough to have picked up 2 albums from AMDBL, one from The Seer and a Grim Demise album.  Unfortunately, I spent my “allowance” on the Aussie bands merch and wasn’t able to grab an Origin CD at the end of the night, but I will definitely be picking up the Origin CD when they release their new album in a couple of months. 

By Collin Brophy 

GIG REVIEW: Morbid Angel “Covenant” Australian Tour 2014. By Collin Brophy

Special Guest: Bastardizer

Venue: The Metro Theatre Sydney.

Date: 24^th April 2014

I arrived in the city with about 40 minutes to spare, and just as well because I got lost!  I finally found the venue (after I rang my wife) with around 10 minutes before the doors opened. I walked around the corner where the line up was and saw it was about 100 meters long. I overheard a few fans saying how they were looking forward to tonight’s gig, and by the looks of it, so was the rest of all the fans in line.  When the time came for the doors to open, there was a loud roar and everyone shuffled their way in. I was one of the lucky ones, I got in there early enough to grab a shirt and not wait in line for 10 minutes.

Bastardizer (Sydney, NSW, Australia).

Band Members:

Chris Beesley - Lead Vocals

Bill Morgan – Guitars

Jackson King – Drums

Ray McGill - Bass.

Genre: Black Thrash Metal

Set List: 1. Bastards, Bullets, Bitches & Beer, 2. Bathory & Lust, 3. Enforcers Of Evil 4, Eureka, 5. WWIII, 6. Bareback In Brazil/Baphomet's Bukkake, 7. Pentagram Of Pleasure, 8. Up The Ante, 9. The Black Scourge Of Death.

I saw Bastardizer last year and they were brilliant.  If you want any band to support Morbid Angel for their Covenant tour, then there is no better band then Bastardizer. 

From the very first song, “Bastards, Bullets, Bitches & Beer”, they spewed forth their very own brand of Black Thrash metal to which the crowd loved. “Pentagram Of Pleasure” was a crowd favourite by the sounds of the applause after the song was finished. By the end of their set they had made many new fans and friends.  A lot of people I spoke to really enjoyed their set.  The band blew me away with how much better they were tonight then when I saw them last year. They’ve really matured as a band, which was great to see.  I was lucky enough to have a quick chat with the guys after the gig and they were more than happy to sign my Bastardizer album entitled “Enforcers Of Evil” which was released earlier this year. If Bastardizer are playing anywhere near or around, even if you have to travel, I highly recommend that you catch these guys live.  They’re getting better and better and put on a great show.

Morbid Angel (Florida, USA)

Band Members:

Trey Azagthoth – guitar, guitar synthesizer, keyboards, backing vocals (1984 – present)

David Vincent – Lead vocals, bass guitar (1986 – 1996, 2004 – present)

Thor “Destructhor” Myhren – guitar (2008-present)

Tim Yeung – drums (2010-present)

Genre: Death Metal

Set List: 1. Rapture, 2. Pain Divine, 3. World Of Shit (The Promised Land), 4. Vengeance Is Mine, 5. The Lions Den, 6. Blood On My Hands, 7. Angel Of Disease, 8. Sworn To The Black, 9. Nar Mattaru, 10. God Of Emptiness, 11. Ageless, Still I Am, 12. Curse The Flesh, 13. Existo Vulgore, 14. Immortal Rites, 15. Fall From Grace, 16. Maze Of Torment.

After waiting 20 years to see this amazing album played in it entirety, is a once in a lifetime gig, and I wasn’t the only one who felt like that.  The atmosphere was electric and The Metro was packed to the seams. From the very first moment they walked on stage and ripped into “Rapture”, the crowd went ballistic with so many bodies bouncing of each other and bodies flying over the top. By the time they got to “Angel Of Disease”, I was still in awe of what was happening in front of me. The drumming was just insane. I have never heard anyone play drums live like that before and I’m not sure if I ever will again. The bass was just pounding non stop throughout the whole gig, as was the vocals. The band was just incredible. The guitarists were both unbelievable. I have never ever seen anyone play a guitar like these guys tonight and people were still talking about it after the gig.

This Morbid Angel gig would go down as one of the best gigs I have ever been to, and I have been to quite a few over the years.  I think the reason for me enjoying this gig so much was mainly due to the fact that Morbid Angels’ Covenant is one of my all time favourite albums. They smashed out 16 songs and it still left the fans wanting more.  By the time the last song, “Maze Of Torment”, finished the crowd wanted more, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be. This was a brilliant night of metal and no-one wanted to leave, but like they say, “all good things must come to an end”. By the time I walked outside the Metro, there was heaps of fans just standing around talking about the brilliant gig they just witnessed. This was truly an awe inspiring gig to witness.

By Collin Brophy 

GIG REVIEW: Kreator “Road Rage Down Under 2014” by Collin Brophy

Special Guest: Death Angel and Metreya.

Venue: The Manning Bar, Sydney.

Date: 18^th April 2014

I arrived in Sydney a little early and went and had a couple of cold beers. While at the pub, I spoke with some of the other metal heads who were also their before the gig started and were really looking forward to tonight’s gig. I arrived at The Manning Bar around 15 minutes before the doors opened and met up with some mates who were already in line. Considering that the starting time for tonight’s gig was at 5:30 pm due to the 10 pm noise curfew, there was already a massive crowd outside ready to go in, with most wearing the denim jackets with all different band patches on them.

Metreya. (Illawarra, Sydney, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Dieter Jabs - Rhythm Guitar

Sean Clifford – Drums

Adam Grozdanic - Lead Guitar

Sean Veale - Bass Guitar

Michael Demov - Vokills.

Genre: Thrash Metal.

Set List: 1. The Menacing, 2. Martyr, 3. Machines of War, 4. Metreya, 5. War Era.

I was looking forward to seeing Metreya as I have only seen them on YouTube before tonight. As soon as they started the room started to fill up.  If you want anyone to support a couple of worlds best thrash metal bands, then Metreya are the guys to fill that spot. Metreya pumped out 5 thrashing songs that got the night going with a small pit happening by time they started to play Martyr and Machines of War. Metreya played a tight, intense and fierce set of brilliant thrash metal and finished their set off with a sick track called War Era. If you like the 80’s style of thrash metal, then Metreya is for you. They also released an EP last year called Machines of War, and they are looking at doing an album sometime in 2014. Metreya are one of the bands set to play on the “Slayer Day” in Sydney on the 3^rd of May 2014.

Death Angel. (San Francisco Bay Area, USA).

Band Members:

Rob Cavestany – lead guitar (1982–1991, 2001–present)

Mark Osegueda – vocals (1984–1991, 2001–present)

Ted Aguilar – guitars (2001–present)

Will Carroll – drums (2009–present)

Damien Sisson – bass guitar (2009–present)

Genre:  Thrash Metal

Set List: 1. Left or Dead, 2. Son Of A Morning, 3. Evil Priest, 4. Claws So Deep, 5. Relentless Revolution, 6. Fallen, 7. Seemingly Endless Time, 8. The Dream Calls For Blood, 9. Caster Of Shame, 10. Mistress Of Pain, 11. Sonic Beatdown, 12. Succubus, 12. Execution – Don’t Save Me, 13. Thrown To The Wolves (The Ultra-Violence Intro).

I have only been listening to Death Angel for only around 12 months, so I am new to these guys.  This is my first Death Angel gig and I was looking forward to this from the first moment when they said they were touring Australia. From the opening track, Left For Dead, the pit action was non stop crazy. The drummer was incredible. I couldn’t believe just how fast he was smashing those skins. The bassist was just as great and both guitarists were brilliant, with some of the best guitar playing I have seen live in all the years I have been going to metal gigs, and the vocalist was just amazing. By the time they got to “The Dream Calls For Blood”, the place was absolutely going off and by the last song, “Thrown To The Wolves”, the crowd was completely stunned by what was one incredible set from Death Angel. I can’t wait for these guys to return to Australia again.

Kreator. (Essen, Germany).

Band Members:

Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar (1982 – present)

Christian “Speesy” Giesler – bass (1994 – present)

Jurgen “Ventor” Reil – drums, vocals (1982 – 1994, 1996 – present)

Sami Yli-Sirnio – guitar (2001 – present)

Genre:  Thrash Metal

Set List:  Mars Mantra, 1. Phantom Antichrist, 2. From Flood Into Fire, 3. Warcurse, 4. Endless Pain (Coma Of Souls Intro), 5. Pleasure To Kill, 6. Hordes Of Chaos (A Necrologue For The Elite), 7. Riot Of Violence, 8. Enemy Of God, 9. Phobia, The Patriarch, 10. Violent Revolution, 11. United In Hate, 12. Civilization Collapse, 13. People Of The Lie, 14. Flag Of Hate, 15. Tormentor, Until Our Paths Cross Again.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 5 years since Kreator last graced our shores, and that was one hell of a gig. After a well earned break between the end of Death Angel and the start of Kreator, the crowd were getting restless with loud chanting for Kreator. From the start of the intro of Mars Mantra and then strait into Phantom Antichrist, the crowd went completely crazy and I should know, I was one of them. The energy and ferocity of the pits was just insane.  After 5 songs I was totally spent, and had to drag myself out for a breather.

As I sat out the next song and watched from the back, you could see bodies flying up and over the top and I couldn’t help myself and after the one song rest, I ran and dived off the stairs into the pit and I got smashed in the process. The crowd was singing out loud to some of the classics, Phobia and People Of The Lie, just to name a couple. At one stage, there was a splitting of the crowd as the vocalist counted down from 3.2.1 go.  The impact was incredible. A completely crazy, insane merging of bodies in the pit. I’m sure that some were hurt or injured, but it didn’t seem to bother them as they kept moshing like it was their last ever gig.

The Manning Bar was bursting at the seams.  I have never seen it so full before and as I found out later, it was a full sell out. By the time Kreator got to, “Flag Of Hate”, everyone was pretty well stuffed, as it was one of the most energetic and violent mosh pits I have ever been in.  But out from somewhere, in the dark, sweaty, crowd, someone upped the anti and everyone in that pit completely lost their shit.  There were shoes, bodies, beers and anything else that was there, was thrown into air or they just hurtled over the top. 

By the end of the gig, I was absolutely stuffed.  I was covered in beer, bourbon and sweat. It took me a while to get out as I couldn’t walk properly and it felt like I had been tenderised by a meat mallet.  Every inch of my body ached for days afterwards and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. This would have to have been one of the best gigs that have been played at The Manning Bar. I was just so stoked that I got the privilege to have not only seen it, but participate in the pit.  These guys are true entertainers and really know how to get and keep the crowd moving.

By Collin Brophy 

GIG REVIEW: HARDCORE 2014 By NOISE by Collin Brophy

Venue: Underground @ The Beachcomber Hotel, Toukley, New South Wales, Australia

Date: 19^th April 2014

Guest includes: Driverside Airbag, Brain Freeze, Blind Sight, Choke, Staunch, The Takehold, and Mark My Words.

I arrived at The Beachcomber 10 minutes before the doors to the venue opened and there was already quite a few inside the Beachcomber. Once inside the venue, bands and crowd mixed and mingled together having some cold beers and exchanging stories about bands they’d seen.

There were already heaps of people at the venue, not just inside the hotel, but the actual area where the gig was being held. This was the biggest crowd I had seen since coming to this venue, which is really good for the local music scene. By the time the first band took stage there was a huge crowd ready to get into it.

Driverside Airbag. (Budgewoi, Central Coast, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Rory Cook – Vocals, Bass & Guitar

Aaron Noble – Guitar & Vocals

Kale Stanton – Drums, Guitar & Vocals

Drew Godfrey - Bass, Drums & Vocals.

Genre: Punk Rock / Hardcore.

Set List:

1. Corporate Knobhead, 2. Close Proximity, 3. Cotton Pickin', 4. Seenzo We're Here We Might As Well Get Something To Eat, 5. Deckhead, 6. This Is Prostitution, 7. Beautiful Girl, 8. Keno, 9. Keno 2, 10. Yeah It Does Doesn't It?, 11. Dolly Dunn

A very raw sound and typical Aussie slang and humour not only in their lyrics but on stage as well, which I really liked. This is so different to what I normally listen to, but by the end of their set I was a new fan. I was told that when they play longer sets, the guys all change instruments and all take turns in singing … Now I would love to see that. These guys are a great “opener” and I would definitely see these guys again.

Brain Freeze.  (Central Coast, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Connor Bugelli – vocals

Brad shaw – guitar

Jordan Whyte – guitar

Will Rudlin – bass

Jesse Hoole - Drums.

Genre: Hardcore.

Set List:

1. We Gotta know, 2. Suffocate, 3. Break Free, 4. Step Aside, 5. Wake Up, 6. Black Holes, 7. Mess, 8. The Clique.

Very hardcore and so aggressive!  The crowd went nuts when they started … with bodies flying all over the place.  When you consider that these guys are only a new band, they are only going to get better and better.  For a very new and young band, these guys blew me away with their set, very energetic and lively. If you get the chance to see these guys live, do it.

Blind Sight. (Central Coast NSW Australia)

Band Members:

William Rudlin – Vocals

Tom Hill – Guitar

Ben Leaudais – Drums

Lincoln Clarke – Guitar

Jake Leaudais - Bass.

Genre: Hardcore / Metal.

Set List:

1. Intro, 2. Stultify 3. Turn My Back, 4. Cut You Loose, 5. Chill, 6. Fueled By Sin (Alpha And Omega Cover), 7. Blind Sight.

These guys are absolutely insane!  Another very aggressive and lively band! All areas of the pit went crazy with bodies flying around all over the place. These guys played a tight and intense set which was hard and fast as well as heavy. I recommend catching these guys live if you can.

Choke. (Central Coast, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Daniel Coy - Vocals

Joshua Magony - Bass

Jarrod Birch - Guitar

Nathan Byrnes - Drums

Blake Ohlback - Guitar

Genre: Hardcore.

Set List:

1. Israel’s Son (Silverchair Cover), 2. Meth Head, 3. Hereditary 4. C.R.E.A.M 5. False Hope (Found My Direction Cover) 6. Denialism, 7. Who Do You know (Left For Dead Cover), 8. Penal Colony, 9. Bro Hymn (Pennywise Cover).

These guys came out dressed in all sorts of gear, a dinosaur suit, football gear, wetsuit, and other crazy stuff. The vocalist was wearing a bike helmet and this had me wondering what the hell we were in for. As soon as they started I was blown away by their intensity and aggression which was like a tornado going through the venue. From the very first note to the last, it was complete chaos. There were bodies flying everywhere, including from the side of the stage. Their whole set was insane and I loved every minute of it. If like you gigs insane and very crazy with some of the hardest and fastest hardcore going around, then these guys are definitely for you.

Staunch. (Muswellbrook, Newcastle, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Mitch – Vocals

Angus – Guitar

Jacob – Guitar

Dom – Bass

Lewis - Drums.

Genre: Hardcore

Set List: 1. New Song, 2. Cutting Ties, 3. Straight To The Point, 4. Sink, 5. Reality Unfolds.

Just as I thought tonight couldn’t get any crazier, Staunch come out and went off like a massive bomb from the get go … and by the end I was just amazed and left speechless. Due to the intensity and ferocity of which these guys play, their set was cut short due to the guitarist having snapped a couple of strings and the drummer braking his pedals. These guys were my favourite band tonight, but only just by a whisker. How no one was hurt or injured during this set is beyond me. If these guys are playing and you get the chance to see them, I highly recommend that you do.

The Takehold. (Central Coast, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Ben – Vocals

Jesse – Drums

Reece – Guitar

Shnobsy – Guitar

Jonesy - Bass.

Genre: Hardcore.

Set List: 1. Intro, 2. False Sense, 3. Evil Within, 4. Death Row, 5. Power Abuser, 6. Assume Control, 7 Misled Youth.

This was another intense and crazy set by some of the best hardcore I have seen. These guys were awesome, with crazy pit action not just from the fans but also the band members, who are just as sick as their fans. Very much enjoyed their set and by the sounds and the actions of the fans, so did they. I can’t wait to see these guys again, and I recommend that if you like hardcore at its most insane then you should see them too.

Mark My Words. (Central Coast, NSW, Australia)

Band Members:

Luke McComb – Guitar

Ryan Russell – Bass

Michael Mathews – Vocals

Jason Tzeegankoff – Drums

Jordo - guitar

Genre: Hardcore.

Set List: Unable to provide

This was the last band for what was a very interesting and brilliant night. I have heard of these guys before but I have never seen them live. I was told these are one of the best hardcore bands on the Central Coast at the moment, and by the end of their set I can understand why. These guys were just as intense and crazy as all the other bands that were on tonight’s bill. I have seen some crazy stuff before in pits, but these guys take the prize for the craziest fans I have seen at a gig. In all honesty, how no one was seriously injured or killed is a miracle, but thank goodness there weren’t any injuries at all ... maybe just a few bruises, but that’s all part and parcel of getting involved with the music and paying homage to the “metal / hardcore gods”.

I didn’t realise that there is such a large Hardcore community on the Central Coast.  I was made very welcome into that community, not only by the fans, but the bands as well. Their fans are dedicated to their music and once the music started, they went absolutely insane. I was witness to, and I have been in some insane and violent pits before, but these guys are a different breed altogether. How no one was hurt is beyond me, but what I did see was what I see at all metal gigs I have been to … everyone looking out for everyone else.  If someone fell down, there were 4 or more fans there to help them up, and it’s a brotherhood of Hardcore.  There is a definite “etiquette” when entering the pit.

(Pit photography kindly supplied by Jessy Holtfreter of JGH Photography - https://www.facebook.com/pages/JGH-Photography/550916548361249 )

I really wasn’t too sure what to expect from tonight’s gig as I rarely listen to Hardcore music, so I went with a very open mind. By the end of the night I was a new fan.  What I was privileged to witness tonight was 8 very talented Central Coast, Hardcore Bands, who played some of the rawest, heaviest and hardest Hardcore music that I have ever heard or seen live before tonight.  I now have a lot more respect and admiration for just how much hard work they put into the genre.

At times it was hard to describe all the bands and put it into words in the review, but all I can say is that if you the chance to see any of the bands on this line up, even if it’s just one of them, then I hope you go, as you won’t be disappointed.

Article by Collin Brophy