MARAUDER AT THE BENDIGO
For the first time in Australia. Legendary New York hardcore legends (and spellcheck-befuddlers) Merauder will be destroying their way across the country in November 2014, landing at The Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood with two killer shows: Thursday November 27 with Blood Duster, Metal Storm and Against (QLD), and Friday November 27 with Within Blood, Against, Crowned Kings and Outsiders Code. Tickets are available from Eventbrite.
BLACK MAJESTY TO CELEBRATE TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF SILENT COMPANY
Australian melodic power metal band Black Majesty will celebrate the ten-year Anniversary of their Silent Company album with a special one-off hometown show on Saturday March 14 by playing the entire album from start to finish at Musicland in Melbourne. Silent Company is highly regarded as a fan favourite with songs like the title track and the Jon English cover of Six Ribbons gaining worldwide recognition. Black Majesty is currently putting the finishing touches on their sixth album which is being mixed by Masterplan’s Roland Grapow. The new album will be released next year.
KILL TV’S LAST GIG OF THE YEAR
Kill TV’s last gig for 2014 is this Saturday November 29 at Mr Boogieman Bar at the early time of 5.15pm. It’s a massive show of seven bands with Morth headlining.
J. ROBERT YOUNGTOWN’S WHAT YOU DO VIDEO
Self-confessed guitar nerd and power-pop fetishist, J. Robert Youngtown has released a video for the song What You Do lifted from his recent debut release Moderate Aspects. Conceived in Launceston, recorded in Manly, Marrickville, Paris and LA and mastered in Seattle, the album (out now on Hobart indie record label Tommy Records) is a testament to the tyranny of distance not being a barrier and James’ tenacity – not to mention patience. The video for What You Do is a fun, tongue-in-cheek pastiche of the band, represented as puppets, and was directed by Mel Page, former station manager of Hobart’s community radio station Edge FM. Check it out at youtube.com/watch?v=69mWwZ1UG8Q.
ORSOME WELLES EP LAUNCH
Capping off a hugely successful year, following touring Australia with international heavy metal giants Orphaned Land (Israel) and Australian prog royalty Voyager, Orsome Welles will launch their highly anticipated debut EP Erth News Bulletin at The Workers Club on Friday December 12. Having also supported the likes of Ne Obliviscaris, Caligula’s Horse, Toehider and Barbariön, the intangible force that is Orsome Welles have built a reputation nationally from fans and critics alike for their intensely unique, energetic and captivating live performances. Erth News Bulletin encompasses six of the band’s finest works, showcasing their signature heavy grooves, outstanding musicianship and soulful, distinctive vocals. Presented by Wild Thing Presents, Orsome Welles are joined by a stellar lineup including carnivale metallers Troldhaugen (NSW), fresh from a European tour with Alestorm (UK), who will be launching their album Obzkure Anekdotez For Maniakal Massez. Also, joining the night are two of Melbourne’s leading progressive bands, astral rockers AlithiA and the alternative intergalactic Full Code. Doors open at 7:30pm and tickets are available via wildthingpresents.com and Oztix.
METAL DOWN UNDER COMES TO ITUNES
Metal Down Under, A History Of Australian Metal is an epic, three-hour journey into the Australian metal scene. Released in Australia in late August, the DVD spent seven weeks in the Aria Charts peaking at Number Four and has sold over 1500 units to date. And as of last week, it’s now also available on iTunes and available in the European and UK markets via Plastic Head Distribution (PHD), giving fans on the other side of the world the opportunity to gain an insight into their antipodean metal brethren. Metal Down Under features over 40 exclusive interviews as well as rare archive footage and photographs from Metal For The Brain, Metal For Melbourne, The Big Day Out, SBS, music videos, live concerts and much more. It’s the brainchild of lifelong metal fan and film maker Nick Calpakdjian, who spent two long years travelling the country interviewing the who’s who of the Australian scene. With massive support, some crowd funding and donations, the mammoth project has finally been completed and is ready to share with Australian metal fans and people everywhere.
BALLARAT BEER FESTIVAL NAMES HOME BREWED BAND WINNER
The Ballarat Beer Festival announce that the winner of their Home Brewed Band competition is solo artist and rising star, Demi Louise. It was hot competition at The Eastern Hotel in Ballarat recently with four artists playing a set to secure their place as the opening act of the Ballarat Beer Festival in January. Demi is a 20-year-old local resident who has toured extensively in the past two years in Europe, USA and Asia, and having released just one EP and a small handful of video clips and singles to date, she’s presently working on her debut album. “It’s amazing to have won such a big opportunity, especially in my hometown,” she says. “It’s a lovely feeling to be able to come home and open for such big Australian acts also, people that I have been following for so long. I can’t wait.”
At the Ballarat Beer Festival Demi Louise will perform a 45-minute set on the City Oval main stage and perform alongside the likes of Dan Sultan and Ash Grunwald who are also on the bill on the day. Other acts include Way Of The Eagle (Jay Skubiszewski’s creative collaboration featuring Dan Sultan and The Cat Empire’s Harry James Angus); Ash Grunwald, Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes; Chris Russell’s Chicken Walk; Buddha In A Chocolate Box and Timberwolf.
