COOL BAND ALERT: ETERNAL REST
Hailing from Brisbane, Eternal Rest are one of the Australian metal’s best kept secrets but not for long as they set out to envelop the country and beyond with their meticulous and venomous brand of technical ferocity. Their immense sonic assault caught the ear of US label Deepsend Records who immediately signed the band to a deal. The end result was their crushing debut album Prophetic. Keep an eye out for ’em!
STEEL PANTHER SPREAD THE DISEASE
Everyone’s favourite sleaze rockers (and I say that with affection) Steel Panther are heading back to Australia in December. And while their spiritual stomping ground is the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, here in Melbourne they’ll be rocking the balls off a much higher-capacity venue: the Myer Music Bowl on Sunday December 8 (tickets on sale Friday September 27, 9am). Support comes from none other than Buckcherry. That’ll be a hell of a flight from LA… And Steel Panther have teamed up with On The List to provide a variety of VIP ticket packages for the tour including dancing on stage, early entrance, meet and greets, photo ops, parties and more. For more information go to www.SteelPantherRocks.com. I highly recommend doing whatever you can to get drawn into the cyclone of decadence that is Steel Panther close up: last time they were in town a few of us lucky journalists got to party with the band and a bunch of porn stars pre-show and y’know what they say: what happens at the Steel Panther pre-show stays at the Steel Panther pre-show.
SPEAKING OF METAL MIXED WITH COMEDY… SATAN’S FINEST
The Devil’s never been so disappointed. Come with Jackson Voorhaar and Mitch Alexander as they crowd surf their way atop the cultural norms and greasy-haired assumptions surrounding the modern metalhead. Laugh as they reveal the hidden code of death metal vocals, cringe as they expose the disturbed psyche of the metal groupie, and sigh as they circle pit a sweaty hug around your heart. Satan’s Finest doesn’t promise to deliver anything, but it’s probable you’ll walk away with a smile, a sore neck, and a bit more understanding of what it means to be a metal head in an age of Salmon coloured shirts, Nespresso machines, and feelings. The show’s at Tuxedo Cat (17-23 Wells St), September 29-30, October 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Tickets available at the door on the night subject to availability or from www.melbournefringe.com.au
LOVE KING DIAMOND & MERCYFUL FATE?
King Fate, Stormbane and Diabolical Demon Director bring their combined brutal powers to the Bendigo Hotel in Collingwood this Friday September 27. King Fate was formed to celebrate the musical vision of two of the most ground breaking and innovative bands from the heavy metal genre: Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. The band features well-known talented players from the Melbourne metal scene and they pull it off to perfection.
TOUR ALERT: DARK TRANQUILITY
Sweden’s metal wonders Dark Tranquility are returning to tour Australia for the first time since 2006. They will be here performing tracks off their very recent brilliant and thought provoking release Construct, more importantly, they will be performing all their fan favourite tracks across their discography. They’ll be at Billboard the Venue on Thursday March 27. Doors at 6:15pm, DT onstage at 8pm. Tickets and VIP meet and greet fan packs on sale now from metalmassacre.com.au, or from ticketing outlets from Monday 8th October.
THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF BEASTWARS
After laying waste to The Bendigo way back in May, Wellington natives Beastwars return to play on Grand Final night (that’s Saturday September 28, for those of you whose heads are so full of metal that they’re oblivious to AFL), joined by Melbourne’s noisy punk rockin’ trio Batpiss along with heavy mates Broozer and TTTDC.
BLUESFEST SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT IS A DOOZY
Diehard Bluesfest fans always hang out for the second announcement. The first is usually focused on headliners (this time John Mayer and Dave Matthews Band) and contemporary musicians, while the second announcement is where you’ll hear about the legendary icons and genre hardcores. And Bluesfest 2014 boasts a particularly stellar second round of names: The Doobie Brothers, Aaron Neville, Gregg Allman, Boz Scaggs, India.Arie, Suzanne Vega, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Dr John & The Nite Trippers, Jamaican Legends featuring Ernest Ranglin, Sly & Robbie and Bitty McLean, Jimmie Vaughan, The Wailers, Ozomatli, CW Stoneking, Larry Graham & Graham Central Station, Grandmothers of Invention (featuring alumni of Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention), The Magic Band, Robben Ford and more. Bluesfest Byron Bay is held over the Easter long weekend (April 17-21) at the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, north of Byron Bay.
MISFITS ARE COMING! MISFITS ARE COMING!
When you think of a band that is defined as being outside the realms of what is punk, one of the first to spring to mind has to be the one and only Misfits. They’ve left their darkened imprint on many a soul worldwide with their iconic horror punk stylings, blending the intensity of punk rock with themes and imagery from horror films and literature for over 35 years and they are making their long awaited return to Australia in 2014! Their setlist is chock full of classics such as “Die, Die My Darling,” “Attitude,” “Last Caress,” “Where Eagles Dare,” “Skulls,” “Mommy,Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight?,” “Astro Zombies,” “Hybrid Moments,” “We Are 138” and “Horror Business” to name but a few. They’ll be at the Corner Hotel in Richmond on Friday January 17. Tickets only $59 + bf available from metropolistouring.com, and strictly limited VIP meet and greet packages are available for all Australian shows! Meanwhile the band’s current line-up has rerecorded 90s-era Misfits ‘fiend’ fave “Descending Angel” with wicked cover art by Jeff Zornow (Fright Rags, IDW’s Godzilla comics and more).
