Keeping The Spirit Alive with ROTTING CHRIST
Non Serviam, a philosophy that they have sworn by their entire lives. “We do not conform. We follow ourselves and our vision. The spirit is what matters, and I feel that that’s what’s missing these days. You have to fight with your demons. And that’s how we keep the spirit alive.” HEAVY Mag was honoured to have a chat with none other than the incredible Sakis Tolis, frontman and guitarist of Greek extreme metal lords Rotting Christ, a band that paved the way for underground extreme music.
DIMMU BORGIR – A Council of Norwegian Wolves
Two incredible decades and more of creating not just music but an art form in itself, Dimmu Borgir have undeniably earned their position and reputation as one of the greatest Norwegian Black Metal bands that ever existed. There is no doubt that the band stands apart in more ways than one, primarily with their majestic […]
BEHEMOTH I Loved You At Your Darkest
Behemoth. An extreme name that is undoubtedly synonymous with extreme metal, extraordinary music, powerful performances and unorthodox philosophies. A band that has persisted despite all the odds that have challenged their journey and a group of dedicated musicians that will stop at nothing to create music that is absolutely mind-blowing and to share it with […]
WOLFMOTHER’s Andrew Stockdale New Album ‘Slipstream’, Announces Tour Dates
Having just released a brand new album ‘Slipstream’, Wolfmother’s main-man Andrew Stockdale has just announced a coinciding Australian tour! ‘Slipstream’ is the second solo album by the Australian hard rock musician and Wolfmother frontman and follow up to Stockdale’s 2013 effort ‘Keep Moving’. The album is now available via iTunes. Catch this rocker legend and his band at […]
SLASH FT. MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS Release New Video For First Single “Driving Rain”
Slash and his band, Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators have released the new video for “Driving Rain”—which features a live-action, animated adventure with ragdoll puppets; the first single off their new album Living The Dream. Slash describes creating the fun clip here: “The idea behind doing an animated video for ‘Driving Rain’ is mostly due to the dark subject matter […]
TRIPLE KILL Release New Video For “Fear The Old Blood”
After the highly successful release of the first single “The Alchemist” from their new and yet to be released album “Age Of Rebellion”, Melbourne’s metal legends Triple Kill are backing it up with their second release “Fear The Old Blood”. This second helping is just as tasty as the first and will leave you desperately wanting more. Fans won’t have […]
THERION At The Manning Bar, Sydney On 14/09/18
After two really random gigs in a row the previous nights, my third was at the Manning Bar for a night of symphonic metal brought to Sydney by Hardline Media. Swedish metallers Therion have been around for a long long time and were finally making their debut performance on our shores! The opening band was one […]
MOTHER FEATHER Announces New Album ‘Constellation Baby’; Streams Scorching First Single “Red Hot Metal”
New York City’s Mother Feather have perfected the formula to pay homage to the roots of punk’n’roll and heavy rock injected with their own brand of the divine feminine, and since their debut album has been keeping the audience on their toes. The evolution of their high-energy “pop cock rock” surges forward this November with their sophomore […]
ARCHITECTS Return With ‘Holy Hell’ Out November 9th; Release New Song And Video “Hereafter”
ARCHITECTS have returned! Holy Hell marks the band’s first release since the untimely passing of Tom Searle, Architect’s founding guitarist, principal songwriter and twin brother to drummer Dan. “In those first months after Tom’s death, I didn’t deal with it at all and I felt so unhappy and anxious,” Dan explains. “I’d ignored it and just tried […]
EARTH SHIP Set To Release New Album ‘Resonant Sun’
Ever since their inception in 2010, Berlin 3-piece EARTH SHIP has built their reputation in the vast field of the stoner/ doom/sludge underground scene as one of the most relentless and heavy-hitting live bands out there. After three albums on Pelagic, the band signed with Napalm Records for their fourth album ‘Hollowed‘ but returned to Pelagic’s […]
DIMINISH THE GODS Release 360° VR Video For “Combust Into Infinity”
Sydney, Australia technical progressive death metallers Diminish The Gods have released a killer 360° video for their new track “Combust Into Infinity”. The band in a short span of time has forged a sound of their own, mastering technical melodic patterns that intertwine in chaotic progression before plunging into brutal rhythm structures and breakdowns. Taking inspiration from bands such as Within The Ruins, Conducting […]
ANGRA Release Video for “Light of Transcendence”
Brazilian heavy metal veterans Angra return with a brand new music video which shows the duality portrayed daily in humanity through light and shadow. The music chosen for this visual representation is “Light of Transcendence”, the opening track of the last studio album ‘ØMNI’. Carefully directed by Thiago Kiss, who recently worked with Alírio Netto in his last work “Back to […]
ENSLAVED at The Factory Theatre, Sydney on 30/08/18
It can be a Thursday night but that doesn’t stop us Sydneysiders from getting our weekly dose of metal. This was a gig that I had been waiting for, for a while and from the looks of it so were a lot of other people. The Factory Theatre was filling up pretty quickly with a […]
HANDS LIKE HOUSES Drop New Single “Monster”, Announce Intimate Album Release Shows
Hands Like Houses have revealed “Monster” – the second single from their new album ‘Anon’ set for release on October 12 via UNFD. Alongside the single reveal, Hands Like Houses have also announced an exclusive run of album intimate launch shows during release week in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Built around the line “I can feel it coming alive”, […]
CONAN Release Single From New Album ‘Existential Void Guardian’
Supreme doom trio CONAN, renowned for their heavy, down-tuned and unique sound revealed earlier this week that they will be releasing their brand new album on September 14th. Two years after their last record, ‘Existential Void Guardian’ will be the fourth album by the British masters of doom and distortion. Check out the crushing new […]
ALTERBRIDGE Release Trailer for Live At The Royal Albert Hall
After 14 years of performing together, five full-length studio albums, and countless sold-out shows around the globe, there aren’t many items left on a band’s bucket list. For Alter Bridge, one of the remaining list items was crossed off in October 2017 when the band performed two sold-out shows at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall backed by […]
G-Shock Bangalore Open Air Review
Words: Prarthana Images: Vishal Dey Bangalore Open Air celebrated its 7th year of existence earlier this month on what seemed like a perfectly pleasant day in the city of Bangalore. India’s biggest metal festival has been going strong for a while now despite many hurdles and came back stronger than ever this year with […]
Ame Noire – The Tree That Bears Rotten Fruit
For a band whose name literally translates into ” black soul ” (something I relate to), I knew instantly that I would love them; and I was right. Melbourne’s Ame Noire rose from the ashes left by the members’ former bands, which eventually led into the melancholic black metal outfit. Formed in the latter half […]
Behold, Âme Noire
From the darkest depths of Melbourne’s metal scene, surfaced a new ominous force Âme Noire in 2016, a band that has made their mark with their unorthodox, uncompromising and unmatched sound. Carving a niche for themselves already, this five-piece melancholic death metal outfit has stunned audiences across the country, bringing with them, genre-defying music and blistering […]
TIRED EYES “In Denial, Force a Smile”
I would like to just cut to the chase and say it right here; Tired Eyes are brilliant and they will go far – very, very far. The four-piece prog rock/hardcore outfit from Brisbane is undoubtedly one of the most versatile, creative and professional upcoming bands in the scene, something that reflects very powerfully in […]
HADAL MAW Drop New Single “Idolatry”, Announce New Album ‘Charlatan’ & Tour Supporting Psycroptic & Archspire
Since they formed in 2010, Hadal Maw has fast procured a stature as a benchmark for creating new perspectives on heavy music. Metal Hammer described them as “…very much the contemporary and forward-thinking metal force” and today they are returning to the fold with their new single Idolatry- and the announcement of their new EP Charlatan, which will see it’s way into the […]
CIRCLES Announce New Album, Release New Single “Breaker”
Australian alternative progressive rock powerhouse Circles are the next step in the evolution of heavy music. This Melbourne-based outfit composes music with such world-class instrumentation, a passion that will lead to the emotional heartstring pull of the lyrics, precision and the sheer force of their output placing them in a league of their own. Having […]
Everything You Need to Know about HELLFEST 2018
Europe is undoubtedly the hub for all things heavy metal, being the chosen summer destination for most a plethora of music addicts; but with a reputation for possibly some of the most killer lineups in metal festival history, HELLFEST has always stood out just a little further ahead, other than the mighty Wacken of course. […]
Interview With IMPERFECTIONIST; Release of debut EP ‘Magnolia’
Australia is definitely among one of the top countries for music that holds a strong versatility and uniqueness and it is bands like Imperfectionist that exhibit a genre-defying creativity which is both refreshing and captivating. Hailing from Newcastle, New South Wales, this project came to life when two good friends decided to create music together, […]
INHUMAN REMNANTS ‘Solipsis’
Canberra isn’t as quiet as it used to be; not with the rising existence of Inhuman Remnants, a band that is steadily carving their niche in the Australian metal scene. The five-piece death metal outfit has returned with their latest offering, a three-part story EP ‘Solipsis’, an aptly coined name for the music it holds […]
[INTERVIEW] Encircling Sea
Ethereal. Powerful. Primal. Such words come to mind when describing the music of Encircling Sea, a band constantly defying the boundaries of genre-labelling and creating music that not only captivates and impacts but also remains with the listener. Having been around for quite some time now, Encircling Sea released their first full-length back in 2013, as well as two EP’s before that and, are now back in 2018 with […]
HEAVY PREMIERE: SNAKES Release Debut Video From Upcoming Album ‘Pure Evil’
From the shady sands of the dead centre of Australia come the slithering psychopaths SNAKES. A mysterious entity, a manifestation of the shadow of the collective unconscious, their isolation and introspection has spawned a venomous concoction of metal that defies typical comparisons. Having crafted a unique sound that is as sinister and unsettling as it is […]
STORMRIDER HEAVY FESTIVAL 2018 LINE-UP REVEALED
Stormrider Heavy Metal Festival will return for it’s 5th year in 2018 and once again, has brought together some of Australia’s best Power, Thrash, Pogressive and Melodic bands for an epic event. Headlining this year’s edition will be the legendary Australian Classic Heavy Metal band BLACK STEEL, who are performing for the first time in […]
Rise Of Avernus – Eigengrau
The world of heavy metal is a wide, open abyss of indefinite possibilities and if you play your cards right, the chances of you standing out and being heard amongst the many members in this world, are good. Sydney’s own four-piece doom metal outfit Rise of Avernus is a prime example of a band that […]
Meliorist ‘II’
Brisbane band Meliorist have returned after one year with their brand new EP ‘II‘, bringing to music lovers everywhere, more unconventinal, groovy tunes. Their powerful first single “My Reflection” was enough to get the attention of many, with a killer music video to boot. Still new in the scene, it’s amazing to see that this […]
The Omnific ‘Kismet’
Melbourne scores points once again on the progressive music front, with the latest offering from its progressive funk trio The Omnific, a band that till now, I hadn’t heard of but who have very quickly won my heart and my ears over. Progressive music can generally, be quite a hit and miss for me, especially […]
‘Echoes Through India’: A Psycroptic Tour Diary
The world of heavy metal is as vast and diverse as the culturally rich Indian sub-continent. But more often than not, the two, in my eyes, are not as connected as they seem. The Indian metal scene is certainly alive and kicking but doesn’t always get the tender-loving-care (or mosh pits) it truly deserves. That being said, it is exciting when an international band makes its way towards our part […]
Majora – Aphotic
As one of Newcastle’s most prized possessions, progressive metal/post-rock outfit Majora is rapidly becoming a favourite throughout the country, making musical waves and fans with their elegantly heavy style of music. After the success of their debut release, Iridescent, and following a string of shows – both their own and supporting big acts – around the […]
Watt’s the deal with touring India?
Lochlan Watt. A name synonymous with metal and heavy music – especially in Australia – and one that instantly comes to mind when you think about passion towards the scene. Renowned for his role as the host of The Racket, a heavy metal radio show on triple j, Lochlan has made music the priority in […]
APATE ‘Spit You Out’
Having never heard of this band and on first look at their EP title, I was definitely curious as to what kind of music I was looking at. What I heard, certainly left its mark on me and my ear drums. Australian metalcore act Apate have returned in 2017 with their highly anticipated EP, Spit […]
[LIVE REVIEW] Sleepmakeswaves + Caligula’s Horse + Solkyri + Stare At The Clouds @ The Metro Theatre, Sydney, 24/03/17
Friday night and post-rock – just what I needed. It’s the perfect way to kick off your weekend and really put your mind at ease especially with a stellar line-up put together, it was definitely a going to be a promising show from the moment it was announced. With people queuing up outside The Metro, […]
[LIVE REVIEW] DIRECT UNDERGROUND FEST @ The Factory Theatre, Sydney
Ah Direct Touring. Notorious for bringing many dreams come true for extreme and black metal fans in Australia and this celebration was proof again of that. Five years old, Direct Touring decided to bring out some of black metal’s finest in honour of their efforts put in over the years and all of the absolutely […]
[GIG REVIEW] Animals As Leaders + Plini + Nick Johnston @ The Metro Theatre, Sydney, 26th February, 2017
Prog fans and music nerds were aplenty at the Metro, everyone certainly looking forward to what was a very promising line up and a night of most excellent music. Things kicked off with the prowess of Nick Johnston, a guitar wizard in ever sense of the word. Playing to what seemed to be an already […]
[LIVE REVIEW] Neurosis
Barely three hours in the city after a massive 17-hour journey to this country, and I found myself home once again at my favourite venue in Sydney; The Manning Bar, waiting to see the mighty Neurosis. Having been blown away by one of their oldest albums Through Silver In Blood quite a few years ago, […]
[TOUR NEWS] Clowns Announce Dead In The Summer Tour In 2017
Kicking off 2017 right in the dead of SUMMER, Clowns are back on the dusty deserted highways of Australia hitting some of your favourite regional holiday destinations. Best bring the family! After some heavy duty world touring following the release of their highly acclaimed sophomore record Bad Blood (Poison City Records), be sure to catch […]
[TOUR NEWS] UNIFY 2017 Announce Set Times
UNIFY 2017 set times have arrived! The third instalment of Australia’s only heavy music boutique camping festival will now take place over two nights from Friday January 13 to Sunday January 15 on one stage, which means there’s absolutely no clashes. Northlane will headline on Friday, while Alexisonfire will headline Saturday. Sunday will be the designated chill […]
[PREMIERE] Enviktas Release New Single Denali From Upcoming Debut Album Mantra
Newcastle metallers Enviktas are proud to reveal the first single ‘Denali’ from their upcoming album ‘Mantra’, due to be release next year. With an obscure, crushing and varied sound, the band has evolved musically from their self-titled EP which was released in 2014. ‘Denali‘ celebrates the spirit of the wolf and the coming of Mantra, an album which Enviktas has been working on since […]
[TOUR NEWS] Alter Bridge Announce Australian Tour In April 2017
Orlando, Florida-based rock legends Alter Bridge are today announcing that they will return to Australian shores in April 2017, presented by MJR Presents. Early October 2016 saw Alter Bridge release their latest studio album ‘The Last Hero’ in Australia – to an ARIA #6 album chart debut. With an obviously loyal and ravenous fan-base down […]
[ALBUM REVIEW] Heaven Shall Burn – Wanderer
Artist Name: Heaven Shall Burn Album Title: Wanderer Label: Century Media Release Date: September 16th. 2016 Genre: Melodic Metalcore, Deathcore, Extreme Metal There has always been something about Heaven Shall Burn that I can’t quite put my finger on – maybe it’s the sweet, cheeky way of unveiling their latest tunes to fans through online […]
[NEWS] Direct Touring Announce Direct Underground Fest, Celebrating Fifth Anniversary
It looks like 2017 is going to be a massive year for tours. Melbourne based Direct Touring have been bringing some of the finest underground extreme metal bands to the country for years. Five, actually. To commemorate this milestone, Direct Touring will be celebrating their fifth anniversary by throwing a gargantuan party.I kid you not, […]
[INTERVIEW] Lamb of God
Written by Prarthana Lamb of God to me have always been one of those bands that you can never get enough of. With their out-there, we-don’t-give-a-shit attitude and some brilliant albums to their credit, the band just keep getting bigger and better as time goes by. The Richmond heavy metallers fronted by the insane yet […]
[NEWS] Alpha Wolf Drop New Single And Video For Nail Biter
Alpha Wolf are today dropping their filmclip for their huge new track Nail Biter. Heavy and dissonant, some may find Alpha Wolf’s attitude honest where as others may find it crude. They make music for themselves, to tell their own saddening tales and deliver it in the only way they know how. The track premiered on radio […]
[NEWS] She Cries Wolf Release Sophomore Album Doubt, Embark On Tour
Alternative hardcore outfit She Cries Wolf have just released their much-anticipated sophomore album “Doubt”, and are soon embarking on their national tour run to celebrate. The band most recently released single and film clip Churchblock’to an extremely warm reception. She Cries Wolf have had a killer 2016 so far, releasing single ‘We’re All Arsonists’ to […]
[TOUR NEWS] Escape The Fate Australian Tour Supports Announced
This October will see Las Vegas natives Escape The Fate enthralling Australian crowds with a full headline tour with stadium wrecking hooks, jackhammer breakdowns and a new level of intensity as well as honesty in the band’s live performance. Joining the band along on their 6-date tour across the country is Dream On Dreamer. Local […]
[COLUMN] Satanas Lucifer Excelsi
By Prarthana Venunathan Hails and welcome to the second edition of this column, where I dig deep into the underlying obscurities, mysticism and esoteric nature of extreme, black and death metal. The subtle yet powerful connection between metal and subjects of study such as mythology, history, religion, philosophy, etc has always left me quite astounded. […]
