The Metallise sources are proving reliable of late as the rumoured Metallica tour has now been confirmed in interview, with Mr Ulrich announcing that the band will do a run of Australian and New Zealand dates in November this year before the band takes a break and begins a new record cycle.
For me though, the Metallica news wasn’t as nearly as exciting as the email that got arrived in my inbox from a good friend late last week. Why? Because of welcome news that the folks at Obsidian Records are bringing out one of my all time favourite Japanese bands, Coffins. If you have not heard albums like Buried Death or The Other Side of Blasphemy, then mete out some self-flagellation and get them at once, especially if you’re into Autopsy-style dirty old school death metal. The tour is due to hit Australia for three shows in September, in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The Melbourne show is Saturday September 18 at The Hifi Bar and the Sydney show Sunday September 19 at The Gaelic Club. All shows are 18 and over as the kiddies might not be able to handle a band as brutal as a Tibetan sky burial (Google it). You can get pre-order tickets at the Obsidian Records homepage (www.obsidianrecords.com) or from Moshtix when they go on sale Friday April 23. Do not miss this tour.
On the local front this weekend, Friday April 16 at The Basement in Belconnen hosts a big lineup of local talent in the corpulent riffs of System Addict, Loud So Clear, Barbarian and Imperial. Saturday April 17 is a mix of interstate rock and metal acts with Melbournites House of Thumbs touring last years Crossing the Rubicon album with Heaven The Axe Spoil and Blindeyedgods.
Speaking of local albums, here are a couple of Australian releases to keep an eye out for that have just dropped. First is the monumental work of Orange (NSW) black metal band Arkheth. Their double album XI & I: The Quintessence of Algaresh has taken four years of hard toil and the band’s labours result in this huge double album out now through Obsidian Records. Algaresh provides the band a conceptual geographic platform for their concepts and the album is the long awaited follow up to 2003’s Hymns of a Howling Wind.
Also out this week is The Death of Utopia from Adelaide’s Space Bong. You may have caught their ungodly hate-filled doom dirge at the Doomsday shows late last year, but if you didn’t, the band’s blackened stoner/sludge is set to full uncompromising dirge on this record. You can pick it up for only 15 bucks through 65degrees.com. Albums from Five Star Prison Cell (M A T R I A R C H) and Astriaal (Anatomy of the Infinite) coming soon too; a big year for Australian metal.
I also note with interest that the Aussie metal band Gospel of the Horns have come back now more times than even John Farnham (thanks Geoffy) and touring Europe this winter.
Pod People will be at The Basement on Friday May 7 with Sydney band Fattura Della Murte who recently got themselves a new vocalist, I Exist and possibly another surprise act or two to come.
Josh np – Jaws of Life – Hatred Surge – Collection 2005-2007
