Harts, Howler Melbourne.
Taking to the Howler stage the man from Weribee – Harts as he is known played a small yet grooving gig in Melbourne to showcase new music and have a little fun.
Behind the lens Amanda Lee Starkey
Pete Murray, The Corner Hotel Melbourne.
Pete Murray rose to fame with the iconic album ‘ Feeler’ in 2003, the catchy ‘ So Beautiful’ launching his career. For the first time Pete strips back his music for a series of acoustic shows.
Behind the lens Amanda Lee Starkey
Singer, songwriter and producer Aeora releases her sophomore EP Let Loose, a collection of songs that highlights Aeora’s bold and commanding vocals and Haxx’s dark pulsating production.
The release of Let Loose is accompanied by the new music video for ‘Need You’ and leading single ‘I.G.I’.
The EP also includes previously released singles ‘Need You’ co-written with LANKS; and ‘Party All Night’, which received praise from online tastemakers and Australian community radio and triple j Unearthed. Aeora explores empowerment and self-truth on Let Loose:
“This collection of songs was written over a period of time where I started to deal with some issues that surrounded me in a really positive way. I started to push for the truth and push for what I really wanted from certain people in my life. These songs are hugely confrontational and more truthful than I have ever been, which I think has also been hugely empowering for me”
Produced and mixed by Haxx (of Kult Kyss) and mastered by Joe Lambert, Aeora reflects on her time with Haxx:
“Working with Haxx really helped to embrace the nature of these songs, making them a mix of pop and electronic with a few bits of dub and wonky tied together carefully. I want people to feel like having fun and to feel confident in themselves”
The last couple years have seen 2 showcases at Canadian Music Week and performances alongside Flower Drums, Evangeline, SAATSUMA and Vincent Sole. 2018 will see Aeora continuing to hone her craft in production, song-writing and live performance.
The genesis of Attonbitus took place inside the halls and rehearsal rooms of the Conservatorium of Music at Adelaide University, where the three members of the band were studying. They quickly bonded stylistically and began to create using their own unique pallet of sounds.
Led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Michael Brigante, Attonbitus fuses music and poetry to create a compelling aural experience which you can see in action here. Band members, Shivon Diana (bassist), and Alex Walendy (drummer), drive the group with steady and melodic bass and drum grooves that hint at a multitude of genre influences, including prog, art-rock, and reggae.
The brand new single, ‘Next Time Around’, is a quirky and energetic mash-up of alternative pop-rock and up-tempo reggae.
Let’s hear it from the band –
“The idea of this video clip is simply promoting expression; letting yourself be silly dancing with no care in the world. With regard to the song its asking people not to be cold in public; express yourself anywhere at any time and if the opportunity arises don’t be afraid to dance.”
– Michael Brigante (Vocals, Guitar)
The video was filmed in and around Rundle Mall in the Adelaide CBD. Most of the dancers featured in the video were spontaneous. The colourfully dressed older gentleman is always dancing around the mall and is a local icon according to Brigante.
Next Time Around is the band’s 3rd single release in the lead-up to their forthcoming debut album, ‘David Street’, due to be dropped on the 27th July 2018.
Hadal Maw are today unleashing “White Elephant” – their brand new cut from forthcoming EP Charlatan. The crushing new single is the second cut from the EP, following the release of Idolatry a few weeks ago. The EP is available for pre-order now at www.hadalmaw.com and will be released into the world on Friday August 3. They will be out on tour alongside Psycroptic and Archspire from August 16.
Since their inception in 2010, Hadal Maw have 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”.
Moving forward with their overwhelming, wall of sound approach, the band has imported elements from black metal, sludge and noise to engineer a considerably darker and denser approach than previously known. Teaming up this time with Troy McCosker (Ne Obliviscaris, Vipassi) the production is a swift departure from the tight, clean cut veneer of “Olm”, opting for a raw, livelier, unforgiving and sludgy morass, designed to pull the unwilling participant into an abyss.
Guitarist for the decimatingly heavy outfit, Ben Boyle said that “This release represents a breath of new life in the band – we approached Charlatan with a no holds barred passion and a new found aggression. In doing so, we captured an intensity that was almost cathartic in how it differed from the previous albums – in the process and in the aspired outcome. It’s raw, chaotic, and showcases the strongest points of the band and our individual styles. Each piece of the puzzle came together this time to form a unified and consistent vision, which demonstrates the strength of the current line-up. It is the purest representation of the band to date, and we couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished.”
Hadal Maw have shared the stage with the likes of Decapitated, Suffocation, Ne Obliviscaris, Psycroptic, Beyond Creation, King Parrot, Aborted and many more.
Hadal Maw’s EP Charlatan will be released on Friday August 3 at all good online outlets and available now for physical pre-order at www.hadalmaw.com.
Bluesfest is proud to announce they are listed this week as the #1 Australian festival – and #14 worldwide company
in the global media industry bible Pollstar’s mid-year Top 100 Worldwide Concert Grosses.
Bluesfest Director Peter Noble OAM comments:
“WOW! This news has blown me away. To be ranked at #14 worldwide in the global media industry bible Pollstar’s mid-year Top 100 Worldwide Concert Grosses plus the first Australian Festival is an incredible feat, considering the major artist tours that have been staged so far this year.
To then be listed as the #1 Australian festival makes me feel proud of the team that make Bluesfest happen.
It is a testament to not just the artists we book who come and produce so many memorable performances, and not just to the team of 600 plus who work tirelessly to produce Bluesfest, but it is testament also to our loyal Bluesfest customers who purchase the tickets, spread the word and return year on year. These are the people who inspire me to try and achieve greater line-ups year after year …. to be as big as I can – and to book the best I am able.”
Bluesfest 2018 was a huge success with over 101,000 attendees enjoying artists including Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters, Lionel Richie, Ms. Lauryn Hill, John Butler Trio, Tash Sultana, Seal, Jackson Browne, Melissa Etheridge, Gomez, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Jimmy Cliff and Leon Bridges.
Tickets for the 30th Anniversary Bluesfest are selling at an unprecedented rate – with almost 50% of available tickets already sold without any artist announcement – and will definitely sell out !! The First artist announcement is imminent, and everyone is hanging out for that first list of names.
Next Easter’s Bluesfest looks certain to be a bumper celebration.
Music lovers from across Australia will visit the beautiful Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm, just outside Byron Bay over the Easter long weekend (Thursday 18th April to Monday 22nd of April 2019) for the 30th Annual Bluesfest. During the Festival they will enjoy 12 hours of music each day on multiple stages, incredible food and market stalls and on-site camping in a range of accommodation options.
Mass Sky Raid are standing at the ‘Edge of the Unknown.’ Today they are announcing the release date and details for their brand new album ‘Science of Fiction.’
Gold Coast alternative/rock outfit Mass Sky Raid formed in 2011, releasing their debut EP ‘Courage Under Fire’ mid 2013, securing physical distribution to Australian retailers via MGM. Off the back of receiving strong media reviews – including a 4.5 out of 5 star rating in rock bible Blunt Magazine – Mass Sky Raid secured support slots with high profile Australian bands including Dead Letter Circus and Twelve Foot Ninja as well as UK exports I Am Giant.
Vocalist for the band, Adam Lomas, describes the new record was “…inspired through each members desire to evolve and gain more understanding about themselves and to challenge their own ideas and concepts. Each song is a reflection of personal experiences which explore the struggles, sacrifices and feeling of alienation that can be faced in the search to live your dreams and create a world that gives your life true meaning and purpose. Through each sonic layer the music builds on these emotions and creates a platform for the listener to break free and find their own destiny.“
The “Edge of the Unknown” filmclip was Produced, Edited and Directed by Tyson Leith. The “Science of Fiction” record was Produced, Mixed & Mastered by Mathew Bartlem and engineered by Tyson Leith & Zachary Hylton.
Several tracks from the EP as well as follow-up standalone singles “Oceans” and “Enemy” received airplay on rock radio shows around Australia including Triple M, 4ZZZ and 2FBi, in addition to over 40 stations worldwide, including BBC1 & BBC6 in London.
Recent singles “Sacrifice”, “Closer” and “Chemical design” have received national air play on multiple radio stations with Jane Gazzo placing “Closer” in the top 30 of Triple M’s Home Grown tracks in 2017. Mass Sky Raid are now getting ready for their first full length album to release mid 2018 with huge anticipation.
Of Misery is Brisbane’s newest downtempo and bone-crushing heavy band. Today they are announcing the release of their debut EP “Black Noose”. The 5-piece brutal crew are celebrating this release with a first taste of the EP with the title track from the record, streaming now. Blending the aggression of deathcore and the emotion of hardcore, and dealing with subjects such as depression, anxiety, denial, bullying, and abuse – they are poised to be heavy music’s newest sound.
The Black Noose EP will see its release into the world on Friday August 10th and the first single from the record, also titled Black Noose, will be in streaming/digital outlets from this Friday July 6th.
The record was Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Cory Judd at Colossal Tracks Studio (She Cries Wolf, A Night in Texas, Crowned in Flesh and more).
Charley Watson, vocalist for the band said that “Black Noose paints the emotional reality of our collective upbringing, from young adolescent teenagers to our current state. The songs in cover topics such as anxiety, depression, suicide, drug addiction, bullying and acceptance. In certain songs we make some relations to God, though we are not a religious band we like to make the topics that have happened in our lives relatable to all audiences no matter their situation or beliefs. The lyrical side to Black Noose is very dear to us, and in many cases personal. The title track from the EP especially relates to my childhood and tells the story of when I used to get bullied by the neighbourhood thug.”
“In making the overall tonality of Black Noose, we wanted to bring a dark, aggressively heavy and ambient touch to chug doom deathcore. We wanted each song to pack a punch of reality and emotion and be utterly mosh.”
Formed in mid 2017, their original lineup consisted of Charley Watson on vocals, Bart Tyson and Andy Barker on guitars, Julian Lang on bass and Cai Cardenas on Drums. After a few months of writing they released their debut single “Immortal” in October 2017. In June of 2018 Andy Barker left the band to pursue other interests and was soon replaced by Dan McLuckie. They are due to release their debut EP “Black Noose” on August 10th 2018, with the title track being released on July 6th.
Planet Perth’s Daybreak are quickly being recognised as the next big thing in Australian Heavy Music. Having recently toured nationally with acts like Polaris, Alpha Wolf and Honest Crooks – the words SOLD OUT being stamped all over posters has been common occurrence.
Leaving behind their high school beginnings and moving forward into young adult life, the band recently stepped back into the studio with engineer and producer Cody Brooks to record new single ‘Acid Green’, which was then mixed and mastered by Lance Prenc. The track is available for purchase and streaming Wednesday, July 4th with a local launch party happening at Amplifier Bar, Perth taking place on Saturday, July 14th featuring guests Deadlights (Brisbane), Illyria and Owed to Damnation.
While the pure anger of their youth still remains, the band’s sound has matured into its current state.
Vocalist Shaun Cox said that new single Acid Green “…talks about a turning point at the start of my adult life. I describe the emotions that were running through my mind at a time where I could visualize how my future would pan out if I didn’t change the fundamental values in my life. This experience caused me to grow and mature as a person, faster than anything had before which also accompanies the maturing in the sound of our music. Acid Green is the start of the next chapter of Daybreak.”
Daybreak’s 2017 sophomore EP Death Dreams featured tracks with guest vocals from Mark Poida from Aversions Crown and Jamie Hails from Polaris. The EP’s massive & complex deathcore sound, developed well beyond their years, proved to be hugely successful and resulted in their Spotify numbers going through the roof, being showcased on the Official Deathcore Spotify & Homegrown & Heavy playlists to over 150k followers. Daybreak have already supported a tonne of bands, including Parkway Drive, The Acacia Strain, Stick to Your Guns, Ocean Grove, Alpha Wolf, Polaris, Hellions and Make Them Suffer.
The Pineapple Thief have revealed their first single, entitled “Far Below” from forthcoming new studio album Dissolution.
The highly anticipated follow up to 2015’s Your Wilderness, is the band’s second album to feature King Crimson and Porcupine Tree virtuoso drummer Gavin Harrison. Vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Bruce Soord explains the song’s evolution ”’Far Below’ began life as a bit of a jam session between myself and Gavin. Gavin had this distintive 6/8 rhythm going and it didn’t take long for me to find the melodies. And so, a song was born. Is it my favourite track from the album? Impossible to judge as the album covers so much ground. But it does showcase what the four of us want The Pineapple Thief to be about and I for one can’t wait to play this one live.”
Bruce Soord reveals more about the themes within Dissolution “broadly speaking the title reflects the disintegration of relationships and the undoing of our social fabric.
We’re living in a time when supposedly we are more connected than ever before, but, I personally am at my happiest when I unplug that connection.”
Soord elaborates on the writing and recording process “We’ve once again been joined by Gavin Harrison. It’s been a real collaborative journey between the 4 of us writing and recording this record, with the songs taking on a life of their own. When everyone pulls in the same direction, amazing things can happen. The Pineapple Thief is a different proposition with Gavin. This time he was with me from the inception of ‘Dissolution’ and together we took the songs into territory I wouldn’t have found on my own. We found ourselves pushing each other so much further, both technically and artistically. There were times in the depths of the writing and recording process, which took 6 months, that I felt so exhilarated but at the same time exhausted and overwhelmed, that I couldn’t imagine us ever finishing the record. Every day we found ourselves finding that extra something we didn’t know we had. None of us would let anyone or anything get in the way of what we felt the album should become. I look back on the process with immense pride”
Gavin Harrison stated “It’s been fantastic to collaborate with these guys again – especially as this time I’ve been involved from the ground up. It’s been a most inspiring effort and I think it will prove to be the best yet.
Dissolution was recorded across the UK at the band member’s various studios, Bruce explains “The drums were recorded and mixed by Gavin at his studio, ‘Bourne Place’ in London. He has the best sounding live room I have heard and gets an incredible drum mix. Gavin would send me a stereo drum mix that he would constantly tweak as the songs progressed. Jon records his bass at his studio north of Leicester. Steve records his keyboards at his mastering studio in Exeter and I record and mix the rest here in my studio (Soord Studios) in Yeovil, Somerset. It may seem odd that we were able to create something as ‘a band’ when we are so far apart. But we talked almost daily. Technology means ideas can be shared instantly. We were effectively jamming a lot of the time. Just a bit further apart.”
Dissolution features cover art artwork from iconic design agency Stylorouge, who have produced artwork for the likes of Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Blur and the British film Trainspotting.
The Pineapple Thief have grown to become one of the leading lights of Europe’s experimental rock domain, Your Wilderness produced 4m+ album streams, a #7 in the UK Independent Charts and two extensive headline European tours culminating at London’s Islington Assembly Hall where the concert was recorded for the live release Where We Stood.
Dissolution will be released in the following formats
CD
Black LP –pressed to audiophile 180g vinyl
Limited Edition Crystal Clear LP edition – pressed to audiophile 180g vinyl
Blu-ray – features a 16-page booklet, the album plus bonus music in a 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mix and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio
Deluxe 4 disc edition – features 52 pages containing exclusive additional artwork, the original album on CD plus a second CD of bonus music, and is topped off with a DVD and Blu-ray featuring the album and bonus material in a
24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mix and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio.
All digital & streaming platforms
