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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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ENDLESS HEIGHTS – VICIOUS PLEASURE

I’m going to be honest. This is the first time I’ve heard of Sydneysiders Endless Heights, and what an introduction.

The title of the band’s latest album ‘Vicious Pleasure’ fits the collection of dark, emotionally charged songs perfectly, as the band traverse the space between shoegaze and post rock with ease.

Album opener ‘Taste It’, is a moody brooding track, which leads seamlessly into the guitar driven ‘You Coward’, while the instrumentation maintains the dark tones, the vocals keep the track feeling dreamy even as the track progresses to a more angsty affair.

Up next, the track ‘Toxic’ opens with a beefy bassline and rolling drums, and this time, both the guitars and vocals work together to fuel the gloomy track, but the melodic chorus pulls you back in as the track shifts.

‘Drain’ feels as though it could sit snugly alongside any Boston Manor track, the groovy guitar leads the song as vocalist Joel Martorana calls ‘Thought I’d be the one here by your side’.

Taking a slight breather for a second, the album gives way to the rolling ‘Come a Little Closer’, Martorana croons ‘Dream a little louder’ over the top of beautiful guitar work that makes you feel you should do just as the track title suggests.

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As the last of the catchy ‘Pray I Fade’ rings out, we’re treated to yet another catchy track in the form of ‘Goldleaf’, which sounds a little like if early The Wonder Years had a child with Basement. The swaying vocals meld with the drums and guitar to create a less dark track than some of the earlier songs, but it doesn’t feel at all out of place. Lyrically, the song is also more upbeat than some of the earlier tracks ‘I feel your hands all over me’ the track feels optimistic and almost anthemic.

It’s slightly surprising that we shift back so quickly to moody guitars following the catchiest songs on the album, but if ‘Goldleaf’ is optimistic, ‘Shiver Down’ feels like a heavy emotional outpouring ‘rip the skin from my flesh’.

‘Paralyse’ is the softest song on the album, featuring only vocals and guitars. With the drums stripped away, the lyrics are given the spotlight and the track feels incredibly raw.

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The next track ‘Run’ starts off relatively simple as well, the pure vocals and distortion immediately give way to chaos as the drums and guitars pick back up. While ‘Run’ revels in the madness, album closer ‘Heart of Your Lie’ brings back the rolling melody.

Equal parts heartbreaking and infectiously catchy, ‘Vicious Pleasure’ shows a band at their most vulnerable. The phenomenal guitar work provides a platform for the emotionally raw lyrics, and it feels as though we’ve been let in on something secret, being able to share in the product of immense catharsis. Thank you Endless Heights.

#endless heights #vicious pleasure #review #cooking vinyl

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Thornhill - Butterfly EP

The story of Melbourne’s Thornhill is a slightly unusual one. Formed just 2 years ago, the band have seen incredible growth in the last few months, signing to UNFD and touring with the likes of Void of Vision, and most recently, In Hearts Wake. But now it’s all come to fruition, with the band’s label debut, ‘Butterfly’.

The EP is 6 tracks long and caps in at a cool 22 minutes, but in a little less than half an hour, the band manages to highlight musical prowess that outshines many of their contemporaries.

The album kicks things off with the ever evolving ‘Sunflower’, a track which sees vocalist Jacob Charlton transition smoothly from unearthly cleans to brutal screams, a type of duality that builds the core of this EP.

The band’s Triple J unearthed page lists Northlane as one of their influences, and they definitely wear it on their sleeves. The thick bass sounds very familiar, as on the first few moments of the bouncy ‘Parasite’, which steers a little too close to Northlane’s sound pre ‘Node’ (though as they’re one of the forefathers of the genre, any remotely djent sounding band is likely to warrant comparisons), but Thornhill manage to wrangle the track towards the latter half, keeping enough distance to carve their own sound.

Next up is ‘Reptile’, my personal favourite song. This song kicks down the fucking door on its way in, but carefully balances the blend of heavy riffs with ethereal cleans to create a perfect chaos.

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‘My Design’ begins with absolutely mental work from guitarists Ethan McCann and Matt Van Duppen, and going back to the duality I mentioned earlier in the review, these guys nail it. The melancholy vocals play with the guitar and drums so flawlessly on a track that provides a breather between ‘Reptile’ and the blistering ‘Lavender’, which is a track so riff heavy it’ll just about melt your face off.

Closing off the album is the beautiful ‘Joy’, one of the slowest songs on the album, it still manages to hold its own space, and even as the longest track on Butterfly, the pulsing drums and meandering guitars and vocals take you on a journey that feels well worth it, and the track never for a second feels as though it has overstayed its welcome.

On ‘Butterfly’ Thornhill capture a sound that is uniquely their own, and if they keep going in their own direction, they’re set to be Australia’s next big thing. You can catch the band at their upcoming EP release show at Melbourne’s Cherry Bar.

#thornhill #butterfly #review #unfd

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Metal in the mainstream #1 – The Grammys (and other awards)

The last few months haven’t been particularly kind to metal, with the loss of Slayer, and no heavy bands in the Hottest 100 despite a year of absolutely massive releases from Australian heavy artists. But to top off the festering month that was January, we had to endure yet another year of ‘The Grammys kind of tries to cover all their bases but fails miserably because they have no fucking clue about anything other than Pop and Country’.

It’s no surprise to anyone that The Grammys aren’t exactly massive rock or metal fans. They don’t even broadcast the Best Metal category on television. The Grammys are also well known for choosing the most ‘middle of the road’ artists to win, artists that seem to be casually accepted and listened to by different groups of people. With that in mind, it makes absolute sense that Mastodon would take out Best Metal Performance over more niche bands like Code Orange, August Burns Red, Meshuggah, and Body Count. ‘Emperor of Sand’ was almost universally praised by critics, but at the same time, why bother nominating other artists if you end up picking the album which leans heaviest towards ‘Rock’ territory? This isn’t just a problem confined to rock and metal though, The Grammy’s relationship with counterculture as a whole over the past few decades is an uncomfortable one. Although it’s hard to think of now, only a few years ago they had to deal with the massive backlash over how they handled Best Rap category, and even as Hip Hop took a massive leap into more popular culture, The Grammys still struggled to give recognition to the genre, and even in 2018, Bruno Mars’ ‘24k Magic’ (an album released in November of 2016) won Best Album over Kendrick Lamar’s universally lauded ‘DAMN.’

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But does either culture really need The Grammys? 2017 was an absolutely massive year for Rap and metal, and back home, local Aussie talent is gaining traction on the world stage, with bands like Polaris and Ocean Grove receiving praise for their debut albums. More established artists also performed incredibly well, with incredible new releases from Enslaved, Cannibal Corpse, Bell Witch, Marilyn Manson, and Power Trip just to name a few.

I’m not saying that the bands nominated for Best Metal performance aren’t good. Code Orange has made a massive impact on the genre in the last few months alone, and Mastodon’s ‘Emperor of Sand’ is a captivating dive into Progressive Metal. But the fact that those two bands have both come so far without much push from mainstream avenues, particularly in the 2018 landscape, is admirable enough, and proves how well bands can do with even a little fan support.

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The Hottest 100 proves that now more than ever, the community is turning more inward to look for new music. Before I go on, I just want to say that I bloody love Triple J, and I love listening to The Racket and Short Fast Loud, but it seems that more and more people are turning inwards to the heavy community in search of new music. By festival terms, even Unify is still the new kid on the block, but continues to sell out 7500 tickets every year; and sites like The Faction are slowly making waves with their freshly minted ‘Hardest 100’ (which you should honestly go vote in now), and providing a place for people to listen to heavy music at any time.

So why would fans bother voting in an awards ceremony that’s not really designed for them? Especially when there are so many places that acknowledge and promote metal and hardcore to a niche audience, because even though Triple J set slots aside for some mental breakdowns, you’d be unlikely to hear a live at the wireless on a Sunday afternoon from Unify Festival, and in terms of interacting with the community, there are plenty of other places where fans can go where the discussion is wholly centred around heavy music.

I guess that’s the point of this whole, rambling article, The Grammys and The Hottest 100 seemed to leave everyone seeming a little deflated, and undoubtedly there was probably a few hundred angry tweets along the lines of ‘METAL IS DEAD NOW’ or ‘METAL WAS BETTER IN THE 80’s, I HATE THIS SCREAMO SHIT’. But it’s important to highlight how far we’ve come as a community in the last 3 years alone. The death of Soundwave left a massive gap in the touring landscape, one which companies like Destroy All Lines and the then non-existent Unify Presents have done well filling. Overseas, Warped Tour has finally called it quits, but Aussie bands continue to dominate the world stage, with bands like Northlane gaining a massive following in the UK, and already powerhouse bands like Parkway Drive and The Amity Affliction dominating the European Festival circuit.

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So to the nonbelievers, and all those worried about the future, don’t be. Just because you don’t hear metal on the radio or see it recognised at awards shows, it doesn’t mean that we’re not still here. Because it’s your support and love that makes it all the more worthwhile. It’s watching small artists who still get no mainstream support, grow and go on to sell out arenas (Bring Me the Horizon, A Day to Remember, Architects) all the while staying our hidden gems. Savour it, and never forget.

#opinion #download festival #Parkway Drive #mastodon #metal #the grammys #power trip

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Code Orange release free new song ‘Only One Way’

As if it hasn’t been a good enough morning already, Code Orange have released their unusual (in the best possible way, because let’s be honest, we’re talking about Code Orange here, the more experimental the better) new track ‘Only One Way’ as a part of Adult Swim’s 52 weeks of free music. This isn’t the first time Code Orange have partnered with the network, last year they released music video ‘The Mud’ on the channel.

You can listen to the track on the Adult Swim website now, or if you’re outside of the US, on Soundcloud.

#code orange #adult swim #only one way #news #single

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Hellions release brand new song ‘X (Mwah)’

IT’S FINALLY HERE!

It’s been a busy morning in the Hellions camp, with the release of the absolutely boppin’ new track ‘X (Mwah)’. Hellions have already kicked off 2018 in style with a Melbourne sideshow, and a massively popular Unify set which saw guest vocals from Marcus Bridge and Realbad.

While those who attended the fest will already be familiar with the tune, the lads have also released a brand new music video, featuring some classy as fuck moves worth trying out at your next disco night (as well as some blood, which might not be as popular in the club):

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The cherry on top of this morning’s announcement is a special Sydney release gig, with lots of surprises promised for the hometown show. Tickets for the gig are onsale now via oztix, and you can buy or stream ‘X’ now.

#hellions #x #news #tour #single

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Ark Prevails

Good morning, In Hearts Wake have released a brand new EP!

I mean, I guess this is where we say ‘we told you so’. The Byron bay boys have finally revealed what they’ve been teasing since the release of Ark, the 4 track EP ‘Ark Prevails’ features reworkings of original Ark songs, ‘Arrow’, ‘Frequency’, ‘Waterborne’ as well as a new track ‘Adrift’. You can listen to the new EP on Spotify, and you can also catch In Hearts Wake live on their mammoth regional tour which is going around the country now.

#in hearts wake #ihw #ark #ark prevails #news

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Marmozets - Knowing What You Know Now

It’s been a long four years since we last head new music from the West Yorkshire rockers Marmozets, and make no mistake, they’re back with a bang.

The band’s latest offering comes in the form of ‘Knowing What You Know Now’, a fitting title for such an eclectic gathering of songs. The album openers immediately silence any doubt about the direction of the new album, a catchy as hell punk rock one-two punch in the form of ‘Play’ and ‘Habits’. The hardcore post punk is still there, but the band also loosens the reigns on some songs, like the melancholy ‘Insomnia’, which serves as a welcome breather following the first initial pummelling of punk rock jams.

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Something which should be pointed out as one of the most significant changes for the band since 2014’s ‘The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets’ is the production. This album sounds absolutely massive. This can perhaps be heard best on the thumpy ‘Lost in Translation’, which opens with heavy thudding drums as vocalist Becca Macintyre cries: ‘Three one seven seven, I'm alone again, no one here to be my friend’.

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The pace rarely lets up on the album, with the rolling drums and guitar carrying you through to the next song, each as catchy as the song before, but towards the end comes the slowest song on the album, the sombre ‘Me & You’, Macintyre croons over the gloomy guitars: ‘I made it there just in time, to say my last goodbye, heaven stole her for glory, while I'm left on the other side’

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‘Suffocation’ picks the pace back up with a jaunty guitar line, but it seems a little squashed between the album closer ‘Run With The Rhythm’ which similarly to ‘Me & You’, starts off slow, but soon builds to what can only be described as an optimistic guitar tune, and equally optimistic lyrics: ‘Far from home, and I've found hope’. A beautiful end to an album that brings you on an exhausting rollercoaster of a journey, from loss, anger, and pain, ‘Run With The Rhythm’ reminds the listener why they put the album on to begin with. The absolute journey.

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#marmozets #knowing what you know now #review #album

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Unify Gathering 2018: A Review

DAY 1

As someone who bussed down to Unify, I’m definitely glad I did. The relaxing and hassle free ride down to Tarwin was only interrupted when it started raining when we reached the coast.

With my tent set up in a matter of minutes (cheers Kmart), I met my fellow campers and was introduced to the ‘Unify Vibe’. Everyone was incredibly friendly and the atmosphere couldn’t even be dampened by the incessant rain.

I only caught the last few songs from Belle Haven, but if their charismatic Sunday acoustic set was anything to go by, they’re definitely a band worth keeping an eye on.

I was one of the lucky few to get my Unicoin wristband early, so I can’t really complain about the incredibly long line that I walked past after Belle Haven finished, but after running into some friends and waiting with them for their wristbands, I guess if there’s one thing to take away from Unify 2018, it’s that it definitely pays to get in early, especially at a festival of 7500 people.

Knocked Loose were up next and by god, the hype was palpable. The pit opened as soon as the band came onstage, and the crowd followed frontman Bryan Garris’ every move. Finger pointing goodness ensued as the band ran through fan favourites Counting Worms and Deadringer. Halfway through the set Garris asked how many people had heard of Knocked Loose, and was greeted with an entire crowd of raised arms. Hardcore is set to dominate 2018.

If Knocked Loose had already set the bar high, Sydneysiders Polaris absolutely obliterated it. Opening with ‘Lucid’, the band powered through a setlist comprised largely of songs off their debut album ‘The Mortal Coil’, much to the crowd’s delight. At points, fans almost drowned out the band, particularly during set closer and hottest 200 charting ‘The Remedy’. The band’s growth in the last 12 months is incredible, and proves that the Aussie scene is stronger than ever.

After going fucking hard to Polaris, I retreated to the campsite to have a drink and a game of Uno. I legged it to Tonight Alive’s Underworld release party at the bush bar, and was almost blinded with a sea of yellow. When Tonight Alive finally arrived they greeted every fan and thanked them, after spending so long overseas (Australia wasn’t even graced with a proper Limitless headliner), the release of ‘Underworld’ couldn’t come at a better time for the Sydney ‘Conscious Rockers’, Tonight Alive are definitely back. It was still raining by the time their set rolled around, but the mood was electric. Some in the crowd were still wearing yellow flower crowns from the release party, as the band belted out a mix of classics and newer songs. Welcome home Tonight Alive, we’ve missed you.

Next up was one of the most anticipated sets of the night, Architects burst onstage amid a flurry of lasers and cryo. Their set consisted mainly of songs from their last 2 albums, and while bodies hurled over the barrier during ‘Gravity’, everyone wanted to be in the mosh for crowd favourite ‘These Colours Don’t Run’. Rain split the light from the lasers as the crowd pulsed to the beat of every song. It was already set to be an emotional night, but following the new track ‘Doomsday’, everyone knelt on the ground as a tribute to Tom Searle as Sam Carter made a speech about loss and the importance of being able to grieve. There was barely a dry eye in the crowd as the band rolled onto ‘Gone With The Wind’. Architect’s Unify set was incredibly special, and will no doubt a favourite for many for years to come.

It’s been a while since Parkway Drive were last in Australia, but their first shows back were definitely special, celebrating a decade of metalcore classic ‘Horizons’. While the mosh had definitely gotten rowdy earlier in the day, Winston McCall definitely knows how to command a crowd. The Oompa Loompa boatrace was another highlight of the night, with other favourites ‘Wild Eyes’ and ‘Bottom Feeder’ chucked in for good measure. One last blast of confetti and it was over for the night, we all shuffled back to our tents, hoping that they had lasted the storm.

DAY 2

While I would’ve loved a sleep in, I was up bright and early (as in, 6am early) on Saturday, and was able to catch some of the brief glimpses of sun before the clouds began to roll in once again. I spent the morning hanging out at the campsite until it was time for my first set of the day.

I’ve heard about The Beautiful Monument quite a bit in the last few months, and so I was pleasantly surprised when I finally saw the band live, performing their own blend of synthcore and rock which ends up sounding a little like a PVRIS/Motionless in White mashup. Definitely a band worth checking out if you haven’t already, they also pulled a decent crowd for so early on in the day. Here’s hoping we see more of them in 2018.

I only caught the last of Outright’s set, but it was absolutely incredible.

A little more relaxing before what I like to call ‘The Marathon’, with back to back massive sets, starting off with Perth’s Cursed Earth. Applause was scattered as the band came onstage with a different vocalist, but they still gave an absolutely blistering set, full of hardcore mosh anthems off their newest double release ‘Cycles of Grief’.

Young Lions were a refreshing breather of rock goodness, and even the return of rain couldn’t stop the seemingly nonstop crowdsurfing. Ending with ‘Burn the Money’, Young Lions undoubtedly earned a load of new fans.

It was now raining heavily as Void of Vision finally came onstage, throwing merch into the crowd. The set relied heavily on cuts from their latest EP ‘Disturbia’, vocalist Jack Bergin climbed up the stage frame halfway through their set (what OHS?).

Roam were seemingly blown away with the size of the crowd during their set, pumping through a mix of old and new songs, before the crowd sang vocalist Alex Costello happy birthday. Watching the band’s growth just since the release of 2017’s ‘Great Heights & Nosedives’ has been incredible, and I can’t wait to see what the Roam camp has up their sleeves next.

The sun had just begun to peak through the clouds as Being As An Ocean took the stage. Playing songs mainly off their most recent album ‘Waiting For Morning To Come’, Joel Quartuccio dove into the audience to sing their last few songs. Despite a rough few months and a label dispute hindering the release of their 2017 album, the fan reaction to the newer songs (OK, Black & Blue, Thorns), proves that in 2018, fan support can still go a long way.

Next up was Make Them Suffer, who pulled a massive crowd following the incredible success of 2017’s ‘Worlds Apart’. As everyone has already heard by now, the walls of death and moshing was only interrupted by the absolute legends playing Uno in the pit (during Widower of all songs). The set was a perfect balance of old and new (though I was a bit emo when they didn’t play Fireworks).

Following a brief game of ping pong cricket in the pit, Knuckle Puck came out to give us all one final kick of Pop Punk for the night. The band seemed at home onstage, pumping out songs ‘Evergreen’ and ‘Gone’. Vocalist Joe Taylor proved he was a pro at Aussie festival culture, doing a shoey before the band had even played their first song.

The temperature had well and truly started to drop as Stick To Your Guns kicked off their set, full of cuts from their newest album ‘Married to the Noise’ as well as hits like ‘Amber’ and ‘We Still Believe’. Jesse Barnett took time out of the night to say how special it was that Unify gave bands the opportunity to play in front of massive audiences, and how mind blowing it was to see how many Aussie fans they had.

If anyone had any expectations for Hellion’s set, they were well and truly exceeded, to see how far the band have come since the release of ‘Opera Oblivia’ is incredible. Real Bad came out for his feature on ‘Hellions’, and a sneaky appearance from Northlane’s Marcus Bridge, as well as a debut of their still unreleased new song ‘X’, made the landmark set feel truly special.

Having seen Hands Like Houses multiple times on their ‘Dissonants’ cycle, I slid to the side of the crowd to watch the full show from the Canberra rockers. And by god I wasn’t disappointed. Confetti and cryo burst into the air as they powered through absolute bangers ‘I Am’, ‘Drift’, and slower songs like ‘A Tale of Outer Suburbia’.

It was bloody cold by the time The Amity Affliction came onstage, and despite being advertised as a ’15 Year Anniversary Show’, fans waiting for some deeper cuts were most likely disappointed, but the start of the set was full of classic hits pre ‘Let The Ocean Take Me’. Even the band seemed bored though as they dragged through the last few songs, and everyone seemed glad to be able to lug themselves back to the campsite.

DAY 3

Most people had left early on in the morning, so by the time I wandered down to the acoustic stage, the vibe was incredible. The sun had finally come out, and those who had waited around were greeted with clear blue skies and mellow tunes.

Belle Haven were the first acoustic I saw, and the intimate vibe seemed to suit them better as they chatted with the audience in between songs. Their cover of Paramore’s ‘Decode’ with an unbelievable feature from Brie (? My god, I’m sorry I can’t remember her name but she was so bloody good) was a particular highlight.

I didn’t know too many of the bands on the acoustic stage, but I’m now proudly a fan of Chasing Ghosts.

Introvert were up next, and even though the band seemed a little worse for wear from the previous night, they were still absolutely incredible.

I finally lugged all my shit to the bus area, which was full of people staring at the ground, eyes glazed. The ride home was a quiet one, with almost everyone on my bus taking the opportunity to have a nap on the 2 hour ride back to Melbourne. For my first Unify, I’m incredibly glad I went. Even though it rained all weekend, spending time with friends and making new ones all while listening to incredible bands made it a weekend I’ll never forget.

#unify gathering #unify 2018 #opinion #review #hellions #styg #architects #parkway drive #knocked loose #belle haven #introvert #knuckle puck #hands like houses #roam #being as an ocean #void of vision #polaris #make them suffer

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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7 Reasons you should probably (definitely) go to Download Melbourne 2018

While I’m sure that most eager fans have already snagged their Download tickets, I’m here to win over the nonbelievers, the ones sitting on the fence. I’m not going to lie, when the Melbourne Download was first announced, I felt a bit disappointed. In comparison to its UK counterpart, the headlining acts seemed a little, well, boring? But as the dust settled, I came to realise that the lineup is absolutely crammed full of fantastic bands I initially overlooked due to the pre-announcement hype (something I blame for overhyping everyone’s expectations of the first year of the event), so let’s take a proper look at some of the reasons you should go to Download Melbourne 2018.

1. The Classics

Yes, it’s no surprise that with headliners like Korn and Limp Bizkit, the nostalgia has trickled down through the rest of the lineup, with pop punk icons Good Charlotte performing their first Aussie shows (disregarding The Madden Brother’s 2014 tour) since 2012. Don’t lie. You still know the words to ‘The Anthem’.

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2. Pop Punk overload

Sure Download (at least the international events) has always been a metal festival at heart, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some bloody good Pop Punk bands on the 2018 lineup. Trophy Eyes will no doubt be a crowd favourite on what may be one of their last Aussie shows on the ‘Chemical Miracle’ cycle. The Story So Far are also bringing the goods, armed with a brand new single, the band have also recently been in the studio recording their 4th studio album, so who knows, we might get to hear some new TSSF before their Download slot? And of course, one of the most hyped bands in Pop Punk right now, Neck Deep will be making their way to Melbourne off the back of their new album ‘The Peace and The Panic’, it’ll no doubt be standing room only for their set, so you’d better get down early to sing along tearfully to ‘In Bloom’.

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3. The Gritty Goodness.

European festivals breed a whole different kind of performer, with many bands going above and beyond to capitalise on the outdoor festival experience. Amon Amarth will no doubt see everyone in the crowd grow a thick beard before they roll in on their viking boats, and with Sabaton along for the ride, there will probably be some tank action too. Mastodon are also seasoned performers, and armed with 2017’s critically acclaimed ‘Emperor of Sand’, it’s set to be a massive performance.

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4. Thoughtcore.

Both Northlane and Gojira are playing Download this year, so get your whale calls ready, it’s time to take back our home.

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5. Hardcore Dancing Anonymous

Dust off your vans and get ready to kill each other, Cursed Earth, Suicidal Tendencies and Nails will likely have you wondering if you’ve told your loved ones if you prefer cremation or burial.

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6. Cream of the Crop

Ocean Grove are set to lay waste to Download, with the overwhelmingly positive response to 2017’s ‘The Rhapsody Tapes’, you’d better see the OG lads before they explode. Issues will also be flying down, in one of their first performances without screamer Michael Bohn, similarly, label mates Of Mice & Men are set to perform their first Aussie shows with Aaron Pauley on lead vocals. (Pic by Thomas Elliot)

7. If You Build It, They Will Mosh

On top of the already fucking great reasons to go to Download listed above, there’s also the idea that if enough support is shown, the festival will only continue to get bigger and better as the years go by. We’ve been deprived of a massive metal gathering (still love you Unify, but we’re not all campers) since 2015, and with great food, art installations and new mates guaranteed, what’s not to love about a new summer metal gathering? You can get tickets at the Download website here : https://www.downloadfestival.com.au/

#tour #news #download festival #download festival melbourne #dlau2018 #good charlotte #amon amarth #gojira #mastodon #neck deep

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hvarchivefinal · 6 years

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Most Anticipated Releases of 2018

2017 was a bit of a weird one. Highs, lows, gutturals. But now it’s all over, and we’ve bought our fresh cat calendars in anticipation for the year ahead, time to start marking off my most anticipated releases of 2018 :

Bring Me The Horizon

This is an obvious one for the list and will no doubt be on every music website in existence, but the hype surrounding the band’s 6th studio album is palpable following their 2015 album ‘That’s The Spirit’ which catapulted the band to absolute stardom and global domination.

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Architects

After releasing the absolutely stunning single ‘Doomsday’ in 2017, Architects are set for an absolutely massive 2018, kicking off with an HOUR LONG UNIFY SLOT, a headliner at Alexandra Palace, and possibly a new album?

The Amity Affliction

2018 seems to be the start of a new era for the Gympie lads, a 15 year anniversary set at Unify will see them playing some songs for the very last time, and in recent interviews the band have suggested that the next album may see a change in sound…

Beartooth

So far, talking about the new Beartooth album, Caleb Shomo has said - ‘The lyrics on this record are fucking dark’, and the studio diaries released so far seem to show the new album moving in a heavier, darker direction than Aggressive. Who knows what to expect from a Beartooth album though? One thing’s for sure, it’ll be fucking mental. You can keep up to date with the studio diaries on the Beartooth Instagram.

Bury Tomorrow

Following the success of ‘Earthbound’ (the band’s last release on Nuclear Blast Records) Bury Tomorrow inked a deal with Sony in October last year, so I can only assume that whatever happens next will be massive.

In Hearts Wake?

This one’s a bit tricky. Fans of the band will remember that the back of the 2014 ‘Earthwalker’ CD held clues to ‘Skydancer’. Then when both CDs were released, the back of the ‘Duality’ CD led to ‘Ark’. Now, the back of the ‘Ark’ CD holds a clue that reads: February 2nd, 2018. So what should we expect from the In Hearts Wake camp in 2018? A new album? A live DVD? Seaskimmer? Regardless of what happens on Feb 2nd, I’m sure it’ll be fantastic.

Panic! At The Disco

Brendon Urie’s solo project is due for a new album this year, and with each Panic! album following a different theme, who knows how it will compare to the glitz and glamour of ‘Death of a Bachelor’?

Babymetal

Regardless of what your opinion of the Jpop Metal fusion Babymetal, there’s no denying that their last album ‘Metal Resistance’ had some absolute bangers. With the announcement of album #3 on the horizon, here’s hoping their first Aussie tour isn’t far behind.

Bastille

A band that somehow manage to outdo themselves with each new song, the last we heard from Bastille was the anthemic ballad ‘World Gone Mad’ from the soundtrack to the Netflix blockbuster ‘Bright’, British ‘till the very last.

Black Peaks

Talk about underrated. Black Peak’s last album, 2016’s ‘Statues’ was chocka block with Alternative Rock songs that would sit snugly among the lighter Gojira and Mastodon tracks.

The Brave

One of the newer additions to the UNFD roster, Brisbane’s The Brave last released music in 2017, in the form of the single ‘Ethereal’, pushing the boundaries of their last album and showing signs of carving out a shape of their own in the crowded Aussie Metalcore landscape.

Boston Manor

Last year, Boston Manor gave us a little taste of what’s to come in 2018 with their catchy single ‘Drowned in Gold’. A band rising fast through the ranks of UK Pop Punk, Boston Manor are definitely a band to keep your eye on.

Camp Cope

The trio of rockers have had a massive 2 years following the success of their emotional rollercoaster that was their self-titled album. Now signed to Run For Cover records in the US, (still love you Poison City) 2018 will no doubt be absolutely massive in the Camp Cope camp (see what I did there?)

Ceres

A vibrant mix of laid back rock and indie, if you didn’t listen to Melbourne’s Ceres last effort ‘Drag It Down on You’, you should definitely fix that before their new album.

Casey

Casey’s new single ‘Fluorescents’ sees the band continuing down their path of blending heart wrenching lyrics with hardcore, the new album ‘Where I Go When I Am Sleeping’ is set to be released March 16 on Hassle Records.

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Columbus

I’d argue that Australia doesn’t exactly produce a large amount of Pop Punk bands (We seem to have a stronger hardcore/metalcore scene with bands like With Confidence and Trophy Eyes as outliers), so the fact UNFD signing Columbus may signal the next wave of big Aussie Pop Punk is incredibly exciting, and after the release of their ‘Next to Me’ EP back in 2017, hopes are definitely high.

Dance Gavin Dance

Somehow Dance Gavin Dance seem to release new music every single year. And each year is just as incredible as before.

A Day to Remember?

While it’s not certain if we’ll see new music from A Day to Remember in 2018, they managed to keep the recording of ‘Bad Vibrations’ a secret until the release of the first single, so who knows?

Issues

Despite the mystery currently surrounding the band given the apparent departure of screamer Michael Bohn, Issues have reunited with original member Ty Acord (aka – Lophiile) to create a record that will no doubt continue produce catchy genre defying tunes.

Emarosa

While Emarosa released new music last year in the form of ‘131 Reimagined’, the band are definitely due for new material in 2018 and I can’t wait.

Every Time I Die

By now I’m sure everyone has seen the video for ‘Map Change’, if you haven’t, please see below and get incredibly excited for new ETID.

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Ghost

A Grammy, live album and a lawsuit later, Ghost are currently one of the most talked about bands in the metal scene, and following the kidnapping of Papa Emeritus III back in September, a Ghost record seems to be on the horizon.

Hands Like Houses

Hot on the heels of their UNFD/Hopeless signing in 2017, Canberra Alt-Rockers Hands Like Houses released ‘Drift’, one of the heavier songs to come from the band. If previous performances are anything to go by, hopefully we’ll get to hear a little teaser off the upcoming album at the band’s Unify set.

Hellions

‘Opera Oblivion’ catapulted Hellions to new heights in 2016, and while supporting You Me At Six last year, they let slip that they were recording new material before starting a new album cycle after Unify. Fingers crossed.

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Harbours

Following a Moose Blood support slot in 2017, Harbours seem to only be growing with each passing day, they’re set to support Tonight Alive at their Melbourne pre-Unify acoustic, and are set to release new Pop Punk goodness in 2018.

Knocked Loose

Hardcore seems to be the genre of 2018. 2016’s ‘Laugh Tracks’ saw Knocked Loose explode onto the scene, with a knack for capturing the wild energy of their live performance on CD, Knocked Loose are only set to get bigger with each passing show.

Ice Nine Kills

There are very few bands I can think of that pull off theatrical metalcore as well as Ice Nine Kills, and seeing as ‘Every Trick In The Book’ was released in 2015, I need another fix of horror themed metalcore.

Parkway Drive

While ‘Ire’ was one of Parkway Drive’s more divisive albums, their ambition was to produce an album that would be received well live. And though the mainstream crowd may balk at the idea, Parkway are poised to be the next generation of headliners (particularly in Europe and the UK). There’s a lot riding on their next album, and with Unify and the European summer festival season fast approaching, here’s hoping we get new music sooner rather than later.

Ocean Grove

Yes, Ocean Grove released an absolute RIPPER of an album last year, but the lads have since been in the studio, so who knows what they have cooked up for the next chapter in the Odd World Chronicles.

The Plot in You

The end of the incredibly successful ‘Happiness in Self Destruction’ cycle saw The Plot in You move to Fearless Records and release the super slick single ‘Feel Nothing’, which was a slight departure from their previous flavour of Hardcore/Metalcore. Their new album ‘DISPOSE’ is set to be released February 16th and is sure to make numerous top 10 lists.

Rammstein

At this point the possibility of new Rammstein in 2018 is just as exciting as the idea of an Australian Rammstein tour in 2018.

Real Friends

Real Friends seem to be one of those bands that fell of the radar for a few people, despite the success of their much beloved EPs and debut album ‘Maybe This Place is the Same…’ their last album ‘The Home Inside My Head’ left many hardcore fans divided, but the release of their latest single ‘Get By’ sees the start of a new era for Real Friends.

Tonight Alive

If ‘The Other Side’ was a massive step forward for Tonight Alive, ‘Limitless’ was their stumble. In recent interviews the band have expressed their regret with how the album was handled by their then Australian label Sony, but now, refreshed and signed to UNFD/Hopeless, Tonight Alive have released 3 solid singles and are set to release their 4th studio album ‘Underworld’ January 12th (They’re holding a Unify release party to celebrate!)

Stepson

‘The Beautiful Lie’ is one of the most underrated EPs I’ve ever heard, and though I probably shouldn’t let my emotions cloud this list, if you loved the new Being As An Ocean album, you should definitely be keen for new Stepson.

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Silent Planet

If their last album is anything to go by, Silent Planet’s next album is set to be absolutely brilliant and will probably end with me crying. Again.

Storm the Sky

A dark horse of 2016, ‘Sin Will Find You’ took many people by surprise, following the departure of Daniel Breen, the Melbourne group rebranded, and released an emotionally raw, and unexpectedly honest ‘Death-Pop’ album, followed by one of the best headline tours I’ve ever seen. If the crowd at their sold out (!) Evelyn Hotel gig was anything to go by, Storm the Sky are a force to be reckoned with.

Tiny Moving Parts

A blend of uplifting beats and sincere lyricism, Tiny Moving Parts seem to have been in a constant state of evolution the last few years, and now the band are gearing up to release ‘Swell’ January 26th.

Trash Boat

Leaning on the heavier side of Pop PUNK, and one of the newer bands on this list, Trash Boat’s 2016 album ‘Nothing I Write You Can Change What You've Been Through’ displayed a level of maturity rarely seen from a debut album. The anticipation for their Sophomore album is real.

Trophy Eyes

2017 saw a lineup change and a new single from Trophy Eyes, and while ‘Chemical Miracle’ was incredibly popular, ‘Hurt’ has already proven to be a fan favourite (and seems to be doing incredibly well given the amount of Hottest 100 lists I’ve seen it on).

Turnstile

It seems like the majority of this list is stuffed with rising bands, and Turnstile are no exception, ‘Time & Space’ is expected February 23rd, their first on Roadrunner Records.

Void of Vision

Last year’s ‘Disturbia’ EP was a pleasant surprise from the boys in Melbourne’s Void of Vision, who already seem to be gearing up for a huge year, ending 2017 with Invasion Fest and kicking off 2018 with a Unify slot, and are supporting Miss May I on their European run.

#void of vision #turnstile #bmth #the amity affliction #architects #trophy eyes #hellions #tonight alive #trash boat #tiny moving parts #real friends #stepson #storm the sky #knocked loose #parkway drive

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hvarchivefinal · 7 years

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What we know so far about Download Australia 2018

(Download Festival 2017, Ben Gibson)

Following the demise of Soundwave in 2015 (RIP), Australian summers have been sadly, quiet for most metal heads. Unify Gathering picked up the hardcore, punk and metal core crowd, giving younger Aussie bands a platform, but the Tarwin based 7500 capacity event still doesn’t quite fill the hole left by the mammoth touring festival which boasted headliners such as Metallica, Blink 182, Green Day and Slipknot.

In 2016, rumours of an Australian leg of Download surfaced, and with the UK juggernaut already holding events in Spain and France alongside the original Donnington Festival, it didn’t seem too unlikely that the event would come to Australia.

In July 2016, Musicfeeds reported that American based touring company Livenation had purchased the Australian domain ‘downloadfestival.com.au’. Livenation also sponsors the UK version of the festival, and have recently partnered with UNIFIED in Australia, to create Unify Presents, a company that have promoted tours from the likes of Slipknot, A Day To Remember, Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce the Veil, and Architects.

Former Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah gave the murmurs new life last year, but more recently, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive as Chris O’Brien from Destroy All Lines tweeted out that the Aussie Download announcement would be sooner rather than later and confirming that the fest was promoted by Livenation.

Now I’m going to be honest here. Do I even know if Download is actually happening? No, I’m still a little unsure at this point. But by god if I don’t love getting hyped about shit, so here’s hoping.

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#download festival #news

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hvarchivefinal · 7 years

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Tonight Alive are filming a new music video!

So what are your plans Monday evening?

Sydney ‘conscious rockers’ Tonight Alive are looking for fans to be part of a video shoot on October 2nd (That’s this Monday!!) at Melbourne’s Black Rabbit Bar. The shoot starts at 7pm, but you’d best get in quick, there are only 200 spots available.

For more info you can check out the event page HERE,

You can also catch Tonight Alive at one of their upcoming ‘Back to Beginnings’ shows, or at Unify 2018.

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#tonight alive #news

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hvarchivefinal · 7 years

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10 Horror themed music videos to get you through October

So October is right around the corner and although as an Australian I’m somewhat ambivalent towards the concept of trick or treating (cough, scabs, cough) I’m all for watching scary as fuck movies/shows/getting into the overall vibe of Halloween, so without further ado, here are 10 music videos to get you in the October spirit.

1. Ice Nine Kills – Communion of the Cursed

A band that breathes horror, it’s hard to choose only one Ice Nine Kills video for this list, but this dark retelling of ‘The Exorcist’ is perhaps one of their best.

2. Marilyn Manson – Tourniquet

Perhaps one of the most visually stunning artists of the late 90’s, Tourniquet is pure Manson, grotesque imagery and all.

3. Slayer – Repentless

Slayer’s trilogy of music videos beginning with the blood filled ‘Repentless’, don’t let up on the gore for a single second, so maybe skip this one if you’re a bit queasy.

4. Creeper – Black Rain

While perhaps not scary in the traditional sense (more of an x-filesy affair), the music video trilogy from Creeper’s newest album ‘Eternity, In Your Arms…’ follow the journey of paranormal investigator James Scythe, as he is haunted by a supernatural creature known only as ‘The Stranger’, it’s definitely worth checking out the other videos for the full storyline.

5. Ghost – Cirice

A school talent show turns dark as the kids start performing a satanic ritual. Good for them.

6. Rammstein – Mein Herz Brennt

Despite almost all of Rammstein’s videos being unsettling in some form, Mein Herz Brennt is straight out of a nightmare, complete with terrifying rabbit children?

7. Slipknot – The Devil In I

I’ll admit, I didn’t start listening to Slipknot until the release of ‘.5 The Gray Chapter’. I often thought the band were more visually appealing than sonically, but when I watched the video for ‘The Devil in I’ it all suddenly clicked. The depiction of the brutal murders of the band members will forever be stuck in my head whenever I listen to the song, and so while the ‘Spit it out’ pays homage to horror classic The Shining , ‘The Devil in I’ will always take the cake for me as one of the more unsettling Slipknot music videos.

8. Behemoth – Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel

Though never a band to shy away from controversy, this video definitely isn’t for the faint of heart, with blood and gore at every turn (also nudity so perhaps a NSFW warning is necessary here)

9. Fall Out Boy – A Little Less Sixteen Candles

Fall Out Boy becoming vampire hunters, a Brendon Urie cameo, and peak emo Pete Wentz as a Vampire. 10/10

10. Motionless in White – A.M.E.R.I.C.A

Though Motionless in White are almost synonymous with all things spooky at this point, the A.M.E.R.I.C.A video, directed by Clown of Slipknot, is not only one of their sleekest videos to date, but the tune is sure to stick in your head for days to come.

#halloween #opinion #slipknot #motionless in white #rammstein #behemoth #ghost #fall out boy #creeper #horror #ice nine kills #Marilyn Manson

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hvarchivefinal · 7 years

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Your (incomplete) guide to Unify 2018

So the 2018 iteration of Unify has finally been announced, and with punters scrambling to grab tickets, the Tarwin based event sold out in just 5 days (likely to the headlining power of Parkway + Amity). And though many will have bought tickets to see just one of the main headliners, the lineup is still stacked with talent, so here’s a list of some of the other brilliant bands set to grace the stage at Unify 2018.

PARKWAY DRIVE

While it’s been a quiet year for Parkway on home soil, they’re back in 2018 to play Horizons. In full. Need we say more?

(Track pick - Horizons)

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THE AMITY AFFLICTION

The boys are back in town. Following their incredibly successful ‘This Could Be Heartbreak’ run, Amity are back to play some classics you’ll likely never hear live again before they disappear into the studio to record their 6th album.

(Track pick - H.M.A.S Lookback)

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ARCHITECTS

Following a massive 2 years of solid touring, Architects recently dropped the surprise track ‘Doomsday’, the band’s first new material since their massively successful 2016 full length ‘All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us’. Unify will be Architects only Aussie performance while they’re here, and it’s likely be huuuuugggeeee.

(Track pick - Doomsday)

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HANDS LIKE HOUSES

The hardworking lads in Hands Like Houses have toured heavily in support of their latest album ‘Dissonants’. The band’s departure from Rise to Hopeless/UNFD coincided with the release of ‘Drift’. The band are well known for playing sneaky unreleased tracks live, and though we don’t want to count our chickens before they hatch, this may be your last chance to see the lads before their next album cycle.

(Track pick - Drift)

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TONIGHT ALIVE

Though it’s been a fairly quiet year from the Tonight Alive camp, the band are back with a vengeance, signing to a new label (Hopeless/UNFD) and releasing the anthemic new single ‘World Away’. The group seem likely to have a few tricks up their sleeves though, as in recent interviews they’ve alluded to a return to a rockier sound with their newer material, so keep an eye out for new jams soon.

(Track pick - World Away)

BEING AS AN OCEAN

Being as an Ocean last graced our shores in 2015 supporting Architects, a cancelled support slot with TDWP and a label dispute later, and the boys have finally independently released their brand spankin’ new album ‘Waiting for the Morning to Come’, a collection of heartbreaking tracks including the previously released ‘Dissolve’ and ‘OK’. Incredibly dedicated to giving their fans some of the best crowd interaction in the scene, Being As An Ocean are not to be missed.

(Track pick - Thorns)

POLARIS

NEW TRACKS EVERYWHERE!?!?! The Sydney lads have had a massive 12 months following the success of their last EP, and now they’ve finally chalked in an November release date for their debut full length ‘The Mortal Coil’. The buzz around Polaris is getting louder with each passing show, so get out there and see one of Australia’s future big bands.

(Track pick - The Remedy)

KNOCKED LOOSE

You like dogs? You like face melting Hardcore? You’ll love Knocked Loose. Arf Arf.

(Track pick - Counting Worms)

HELLIONS

It’s only been a little over a year since ‘Opera Oblivia’ catapulted Hellions to local stardom. Arguably their catchiest disc to date, the band have come full circle to play Unify ’18 before they go back into the studio for their next album. No doubt their set will be chocka block with opportunities to mosh and sing along.

(Track pick - Thresher)

STICK TO YOUR GUNS

With a new album on the horizon, and some fresh as fuck singles under their belt, prepare to mosh and hardcore dance your lil’ heart out when STYG absolutely obliterate Unify 2018.

(Track pick - The Sun, The Moon, The Truth: Penance of Self)

CURSED EARTH

Signing to UNFD and releasing the blistering ‘Cycles of Grief : Volume 1’ and ‘Volume 2′ all just in 2017, Cursed Earth are the band to check out if you’re into Code Orange, Knocked Loose, or just getting fucked up to some massively heavy jams.

(Track pick - The Rage (The Cost))

WITH CONFIDENCE

Sydney band With Con have already started making waves overseas, but now they’re headed back home to inject a punch of Pop Punk goodness to Unify.

(Track pick - Voldemort)

BELLE HAVEN

Having signed to Greyscale records in 2017 and releasing the infectiously catchy ‘You, Me and Everything in Between’ the Melbourne rockers are set to show off some fresh tracks in Tarwin.

(Track pick - Selfmade)

MAKE THEM SUFFER

Known for thematically rich albums, this year saw Make Them Suffer release one of their most diverse creations yet in the form of ‘Worlds Apart’, followed by a massive headlining romp across the country, 2018 is set to be MTS’ largest year yet.

(Track pick - Fireworks)

ROAM

Another British pop punk band set to take the world by storm, Roam are heading to Unify armed with their upcoming album ‘Great Heights & Nosedives’, prepare for pop punk goodness.

(Track pick - Alive)

VOID OF VISION

Melbourne boys in Void of Vision dropped ‘Children of Chrome’ last year, featuring collabs with the likes Stray from the Path’s Drew York, the album was a solid slab of hardcore(?) goodness. You might wanna limber up for when VOV hit the stage…

(Track pick - //)

#unify gathering #news #opinion #parkway drive #amity affliction #melbourne

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