Metalise column brought to you by Josh Nixon

Transitioning from frost to waterlogged isn’t all bad when there is plenty of heavy metal around to keep one distracted from the trench foot.

The mighty Týr (Faroese Vikings) and tour buddies Arkona (Russian folk metal) are FINALLY slated for a huge night at The Basement on Thursday, 6 October after two long Covid postponed years.

Aided and abetted by Rumahoy and Beast Impalor it’s an absolute treat to get international gigs back at The Basement. Hold the heathen hammer high and get your tickets, including a very tempting VIP package for super fans, through the venue ticket site now.

Melbourne supergrind group Remains recently released their debut full length through Spikerot Records and it so happens to be an absolute banger. Entitled Grind ’til Death the album seamlessly blends death metal and grindcore influences to devastating effect. This should come as no surprise as the Remainiac alumni includes members of Blood Duster, Fuck…I’m Dead, Captain Cleanoff, King, The Kill and The Day Everything Became Nothing. Quite the pedigree! It’s an album that rewards the listener with successive plays. Get on it at once.

The good news is you, too, will have an opportunity to join the Reaminiac army when the band bring this new material to the Pot Belly Bar on Friday, 7 October. And Remains are the only ones with new material on the bill.

Wretch have been slow-blast burning through a tenure that’s included a spot on the grind festival Shangri-La that is Obscene Extreme in both Australia and in the festival’s spritual home in the Czech Republic as a part of a broader European tour. The lads are currently putting the finishing touches on a new full length and thanks to vocalist Benny I got a preview. It’s a certified lift in intensity, production, and song writing.

Blight Worms round out the bill and doubtless will bring their bag-tearing consistency to the show. A ripper beckons.

The good times keep coming at the Pot Belly Bar on Saturday, 8 October with a super sludgey bill so thic it makes Megan Thee Stallion looking like she needs a meal. Lucifungus, busy as ever, head up a super bill of interstate heavy hitters. Goat Shaman have been my revelation of 2022 as Australia’s best new(ish) heavy band after hooking me at Sunburn and utterly decimating me at Canberra Metal Fest. Sludge and doom mixed with a totally unique recipe all of their own making with the three guitarists all bringing a vocal that hits different and a prodigious talent on the drums holding it all together.

Brisbane’s PistonFist drags the gigs carbon footprint into questionable territory, but they make a welcome addition to round out the Temtris bill for the show with material from a soon-to-be released full length.

If the recently released single Dig In is anything to go by, it’s going to be a sharply produced piece of stoner rockin’ heaviness with great guitars and a couple of complimentary vocals mixing strong melodies as well as more aggressive deliveries. Ripper weekend at the Pot.

If you want something a bit more opulent with your metal on Saturday, 8 October, The Basement and Temtris are hosting an evening of metal with Snakewitch, Terrorential, and Shockwave. Bringing some of Sydney’s best exponents in their respective flavours of metal. Tickets are available now through Oztix.

On Monday, 10 October Germany’s Acranius hit Canberra with the Mercy Denied tour with Zeolite and Alter Idem.

The heavy hitting German death metal band bring their 4th album to Australian shores off the back of a full suite of European summer festival touring. The discerning technical and progressive death metal fan will have all they need. If an evening of riffs is your bag, grab them tickets asap.

Promising an evening of “unrelenting, uncompromising sonic punishment” Scottish extreme band Frontierer are on a national tour of Australia with Brisbane’s Apate. It’s Frontierer’s first Australian foray and it lands at The Basement on the Thursday, 13 October. Tickets are on sale now.

Ex-Kyuss, QOTSA and Fu Manchu members have a new band called Stöner who are brining the desert rock of the Palm desert to The Basement on Monday, 7 November with good friends Mario Lalli & the Rubber Snake Charmers. Hyrdanaut, they of no slouching stoner rock pedigree themselves, will be in support and your tickets are on sale now.

Until next month.