[LIVE REVIEW] ALTER BRIDGE + Like A Storm, Festival Hall, Melbourne
It’s been nine years since I last saw Alter Bridge live. That was back in 2008 when they supported Disturbed (P.O.D. (remember them?) and Behind Crimson Eyes also played that show just to make it odder). That show was at Festival Hall so it’s great to see them, tonight, now headlining that same venue. First […]
[LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS] I PREVAIL + Void of Vision + The Beautiful Monument, April 1, Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Every once in a while, a band takes the metal scene by storm. Currently, I Prevail are that band. After forming only a few years ago; a cover of Taylor Swift‘s Blank Space saw them launch into stardom. Their 2016 debut album Lifelines was a huge success and their Australian tour literally sold like hotcakes. It […]
[LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS] TAKING BACK SUNDAY, Acceptance and Endless Heights, 170 Russell, Melbourne
If I’m not mistaken, this is Taking Back Sunday‘s sixth Australian tour. Considering they’ve been a band for a tad under twenty years that is mighty impressive. This time they’re touring on the back of their 2016 album, Tidal Wave. Sydney’s Endless Heights have the difficult and daunting task of taking the stage first and the […]
[LIVE REVIEW] STORM THE SKY + Stepson + The Comfort, The Evelyn, Melbourne
Not including festivals, it’s been a long time—like, a really long time—since I went to an all ages day gig. Possibly ten plus years ago in high school was the last time (damn that makes me feel old), so it felt a little strange getting to The Evelyn Hotel in Melbourne around 3 pm for Storm […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] DEATHLESS LEGACY: Dance With Devils
In Italy, back in 2006, five friends who loved Italian metal band Death SS formed a tribute band to them called Deathless. After seven years of this, they decided to begin writing their own music. Deathless became Deathless Legacy. The next year, the band released their debut album, Rise From The Grave, and two years […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] PRIMAL ATTACK: Heartless Oppressor
Portuguese groove/thrash metal band Primal Attack return with their second full length, four years after their debut. This one is called Heartless Oppressor. Heartless Oppressor starts with Red Silence. A fast, aggressive, in-your-face, track with screaming vocals from “Pica” and slamming guitars from Miguel Tereso and Tiago Camara. It’s a banging, thrashy way to start […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] JACKIE D: The J Spot
From the time I requested to review the new album by Jackie D (titled The J Spot) to the time I got to the review, I’d forgotten what type of music they were. Upon seeing the name, for some reason, I thought they’d be a punk band. I guess I wasn’t far off; they’re a […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] CAROUSEL KINGS: Charm City
It’s hard to believe a pop punk (or “easycore” according to Wikipedia) band could be inspired by metal but that’s exactly the case with Pennsylvanian rockers Carousel Kings. Inspired by the likes of August Burns Red and Texas In July who are both from the same small town in Pennsylvania as Carousel Kings. However, Carousel […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] BETRAYING THE MARTYRS: The Resilient
French deathcore/metalcore six-piece Betraying The Martyrs are back with album number three. The Resilient is the first to feature new drummer Boris Le Gal who joined the band last year. The album starts with Lost For Words. The track starts with heavy guitars and blasting drums music before frontman Aaron Matts kicks in with his […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] THE BOTTOM LINE: I Still Hate You EP
London pop-punkers The Bottom Line have put out their new EP; “I Still Hate You”. The record starts with Pull Me Out. A definite throwback to the late nineties, early 2000’s of pop-punk where bands like Blink 182 and Sum 41 were at their best. Fast drumming, quick-fire lyrics. It’s clear very early that this […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] FALL OF CARTHAGE: The Longed For Reckoning
German trio Fall of Carthage returns with their second album, the follow-up to 2014’s “Behold. The Longed For Reckoning” starts with Fast Forward. An aggressive, thrashy, Machine Head sounding opening number which is sure to draw your attention in. Frontman Sascha Aßbach‘s groove metal type vocals suit the heavy music perfectly. They’re Alive is the […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] FROM INSIDE: The New Era EP
After forming last year, Liverpool based alternative metalcore band From Inside have already released their debut EP which is titled The New Era. The aim of From Inside? Offer music to people who will help them through tough times. From Inside take inspiration from Bring Me The Horizon and early Linkin Park, something immediately apparent […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] KILLING ADDICTION: Shores of Oblivion EP
Back in the late eighties, death metal band Killing Addiction formed and quickly released their debut album Omega Factor (which is to be re-released this year). This paved the way for many other fan-favourite death metal bands, especially in the Florida area. In 1994, the band decided to call it a day. Twelve years later the band reformed […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] GHOST SEASON: Like Stars In A Neon Sky
Bands out of Greece aren’t exactly bands you come across every day but Ghost Season are one of those. The four-piece, alternative metallers, just released their debut record, Like Stars In A Neon Sky. The album starts with the build up, mellow track The Reckoning before launching into Sons of Yesterday. The first thing you […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] DISTURBED: Live at Red Rocks
Red Rocks Amphitheatre has been a commonplace for bands to record shows for live CD releases. From Incubus to U2. Even comedian Steve Martin. It’s also now the place where Disturbed chose to record their live show for their new release and first live CD titled “Disturbed – Live At Red Rocks”. The album kicks off […]
[LIVE REVIEW] HIGGO’S HEAVY CHERRY VIII, The Cherry Bar Melbourne, Dec. 16
Dave Higgins aka Triple M’s “Higgo” is a man known for his love of Aussie metal. So it came as no surprise when a couple of years ago he teamed up with iconic Melbourne venue Cherry Bar for Higgo’s Heavy Cherry. Now onto its eighth edition; some of Higgo’s favourite Aussie bands hit the Cherry […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] DEGRAEY: Chrysalis
If I was to say “name a metal band from Spain”, you’d probably struggle. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a plethora of talent in the country. The latest band to emerge from Barcelona is post-metal band Degraey. With the insane talents of drummer/unclean vocalist Cesar Perals, guitarist/singer Victor Paradis, Ivan Pizarro on guitar and […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] THE ANSWER: Solas
Back in 2006, a band from Northern Ireland called The Answer released an album called Rise. It was a well received hard rocking, classic rock sounding album which was part AC/DC part Led Zeppelin that led some to tip that they could become the next big thing. Now, ten years and a further four albums […]
[LIVE REVIEW] ANTI-FLAG, Scott Reynolds and Wolfpack, Max Watt’s Melbourne
Anti-racism. Anti-homophobic. Anti-sexist. Anti-capitalist. Anti-transphobic. Anti-fascist. Anti-nationalist. Anti-war. ANTI-FLAG! Anti-Flag is back in Australia playing their highly controversial For Blood and Empire in full for its tenth anniversary. Tonight sees Melbourne’s Max Watt’s play host to the final show on the tour. Local trio Wolfpack hit the stage first up. Led by the extremely enthusiastic […]
[LIVE REVIEW] METAL OBSESSION’S 8TH BIRTHDAY, The Tote, Melbourne, 9th Dec.
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to Metal Obsession. Happy birthday to you. Now let’s rock out with some metal! The Tote in Collingwood plays host to Metal Obsession’s eighth birthday bash where the upstairs and downstairs stages will host various metal bands. Black clothes, long hair and epic beards will […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] HEAVENS DECAY: The Great Void of Mystery
Julio Viterbo is a man known for playing in death metal bands – from Tormentor to Cenotaph to Shub Niggurath – but he recently decided to go back to his roots. Heavy metal. The genre which got him into music. Thusly, Heavens Decay was born. Rounded out by former Shub Niggurath and Cenotaph drummer Oscar […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] AMARANTHE: Maximalism
I remember first hearing about Swedish metal band Amaranthe five years ago when they released their debut self-titled album. With songs like Hunger and Automatic on it – it became a favourite of mine. Somehow over time, however, they managed to slip my mind until recently. So when the chance came to review their new […]
[LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS] THE USED, Storm The Sky and Corpus, Melbourne, 22 Nov
The first thing you notice when entering 170 Russell for this, night two of The Used‘s 15th-anniversary tour, is the set. A cardboard tree with a giant love heart hanging from a noose from one of the branches – just like the album cover – and In Love and Death written on a metal archway […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] DEVILSKIN: Be Like The River
Releasing your sophomore album can be a daunting task. Especially when your first is number one on the New Zealand charts for four straight weeks. That’s what happened with Hamilton’s alternative metallers Devilskin with their debut We Rise. The independently released album took the country by storm and now, two years later, they follow it […]
[LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS] The Used, Storm The Sky and Corpus, Melbourne, 21st Nov
It’s hard to believe that post-hardcore legends The Used have been around for fifteen years but that’s exactly what they’re celebrating on their massive 12 show Australian tour (which includes four sold out Melbourne shows!) The band is doing things a little differently on this tour, too. They’ll be playing 2002’s self-titled one night and […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] Sixx: AM: Vol. 2 Prayers For The Blessed
DON’T MISS OUT ON YOUR CHANCE TO GET A CD BOOKLET SIGNED BY THE BAND AND YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SKYPE VIDEO CALL THE MEMBERS OF SIXX:A.M. VIA JBHIFI.COM.AU – EXCLUSIVE TO AUSTRALIA! Next year will mark ten years since hard rockers Sixx: AM formed. In that time they’ve released four studio albums, which is especially […]
[LIVE REVIEW and PHOTOS] Buried In Verona and Supports, 5th November, Melbourne
Local post-hardcore/metalcore band, The Motion Below, kicked things off tonight. The band is very new. So new in fact that they have just a few hundred Facebook likes and, incredibly, the five-piece only played their first show a few months ago. The Motion Below play a short four song set with the confidence and stage […]
[INTERVIEW] KILLSWITCH ENGAGE
“I’ve only maybe been home maybe a month in the past year,” Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D’Antonio says. “I don’t see my wife nearly enough. Or my dogs. I just tell her to pretend I’m in the army but I’m not getting shot at. It’s the only drawback to having one of the greatest jobs […]
[INTERVIEW] AMARANTHE
Sweden is a country known for great metal bands. Opeth, Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth. . . just to name a few. Another that should be on your list (if they’re not already) is Amaranthe. Amaranthe, if you are unfamiliar with them, are quite unique as they have three vocalists. Elize Ryd, who is the clean female […]
[LIVE REVIEW] Atreyu, Cane Hill and Supports, Melbourne
It’s been around ten years since Atreyu last did a headline show in Australia. Lucky for Melbourne, while the band are here supporting Bullet For My Valentine, they’ve booked a headliner in one of the days off from the tour. Of all the times I’ve been to the Corner Hotel I’ve never seen the side-stage […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] Alter Bridge: The Last Hero
Review by Matt Barton Is there a harder working frontman in music right now than Myles Kennedy? The man is constantly recording or touring with either Alter Bridge or Slash and as such it’s been three long years for Alter Bridge fans, but finally they return with album number five. In our current world where true […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] Yellowcard: Yellowcard
2017 will mark the twentieth anniversary of pop-punkers Yellowcard forming, and it will also be their final year as a band. After recently announcing their plans to split after a final world tour, the band have released their tenth and last eponymous record. Fittingly, the first single released from this album is album opener Rest In […]
[LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS] Mayday Parade and supports, Melbourne, 9th October 2016
Review by Mathew Barton Photography by Bethany Mafrici From the moment Melbourne five-piece Harbours walk on stage frontman Tory Robertson tries to get the crowd moving but it’s to avail. Ultimately, the three quarter full room barely move (bar timid claps at the end of songs) as the alternative rock/(almost) post-hardcore group play through their […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] New Device: Devils on the Run EP
[rwp-review id=”0″] At their core, London four-piece New Device are all about classic hard rock. In the style of band’s like Heaven’s Basement, Alter Bridge and The Treatment, New Device sound like they have come straight out of the 80’s. The band have released two studio albums, 2009’s “Takin’ Over” and 2013’s “Here We Stand”. “Devils […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] The Kreoles, Psycho
[rwp-review id=”0″] Band: The Kreoles Album Title: Psycho Record Label: Sliptrick Records Release Date: Out Now Review by: Matt Barton When you think of Italian hard rock/metal bands, veterans Lacuna Coil likely come to mind. Giving them a run for their money are The Kreoles . Led by front-woman Valentina Merlo, the four-piece return with album number two Psycho. Kicking off with The […]
[INTERVIEW] Mayday Parade
In 2005 two local Tallahassee bands, Kid Named Chicago and Defining Moment, joined forces to form Mayday Parade. Just one year later, the band released their debut EP, Tales Told By Dead Friends. Just another year after that, their debut full-length, A Lesson In Romantics was released. Mayday Parade guitarist Alex Garcia discusses how he feels […]
[INTERVIEW] Against Me!
By Matt Barton Punk rockers Against Me! are set to release album number seven on September 16th. The album is titled Shape Shift With Me and is the second to feature Atom Willard on drums. “You know, it was different,” Willard says in reply to the question about how recording this album differed to his first with […]
[INTERVIEW] Escape The Fate
By Matt Barton Escape The Fate were born in 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since then, as drummer Robert Ortiz says, “We’ve been through everything,” he laughs. “Just Google it, we’ve been through fuckin’ everything.” It’s pretty much true – their former singer Ronnie Radke went to prison in 2008 for battery and drug charges. Twelve […]
[INTERVIEW] Stonefield
by Matt Barton You can be excused if you’ve never heard of Darraweit Guim. The small Victorian town has a population of under one thousand and certainly seems an unlikely place for four sisters to form a psych rock band. However, in 2006, that’s exactly what happened to form Stonefield. The band is made up of Holly […]
[LIVE REVIEW] Simple Plan + Forever Ends Here in Melbourne on Sept. 15th
Simple Plan and Forever Ends Here Prince Bandroom September 15th, 2016 Review by: Matt Barton As Simple Plan frontman Pierre Bouvier says during their set, “we’ve been coming here [Australia] since 2003!” So, it’s a tad ridiculous that the Canadian four-piece are playing a venue as small as the Prince Bandroom. It was certainly […]
[EP REVIEW] The Dreamer Within – This Is Not Our Home EP
The Dreamer Within – This Is Not Our Home EP Release date: September 30 Review by: Matt Barton Formed in 2014 through a mutual love of synth, EDM, metal music and blistering riffs; UK’s The Dreamer Within have released their long awaited debut EP. This Is Not Our Home kicks off with Origins; the opening moments of […]
[SINGLE REVIEW] Comrades – Dark Tongues Part II
Comrades – Dark Thrones Part II Facedown Records Single out now Album Lone/Grey released October 7th Review by: Matt Barton American Christian rockers Comrades have released the first track from their sophomore album Lone/Grey. The album, due for release on October 7th through Facedown Records, is the follow-up to the band’s debut Safekeeper in 2014. […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] Light The Fire – Ascension
Light The Fire – Ascension Standby Records Release Date: Out now Review by: Matt Barton Texan electro post-hardcore (or electronicore if you will) band Light The Fire have been mighty busy since forming just five years ago. In that time the band released two EP’s: Note To Self in 2011 and a self-titled EP in 2013. […]
[INTERVIEW] Airbourne
by Matt Barton “I’m currently on the Sunset Strip at the Rock & Reily’s Irish bar in L.A. We just came from Europe so we’ve got a few days off of R and R and then we start the North American tour in just under a week. I’ve got a pint here. I’m ready to […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] Iron Fire – Among The Dead
Iron Fire – Among The Dead Crime Records Released: September 16th Review by: Matt Barton ‘Denmark’s finest power metal band’ is certainly a unique title to hold. But with sixteen years, and now album number eight under their belt, you can understand why Iron Fire hold that banner. Among The Dead, the title of the […]
