The Word on Metal with Josh Nixon

An arctic hysteria has, indeed, set in, primarily because I am trying to figure out how I am going to afford all these gigs I want to go to and see. Not to mention that I need to buy a bunch of the great music that is bombarding us unabated this year.

Terrifying Triumvirates

The oft-mentioned triumvirate international visit kicks off this reporting period on Friday, 7 June, with The Ocean (Ger), Cave-In (USA) and LLNN (Den). Thanks to Destroy All Lines and Pelagic Records, this package brings a feast for ears from metal to prog and everything in between; and that could be describing just the headliner’s career!

The tour takes in all of Australia, and marks Cave-In and LLNN’s first-ever visit, while The Ocean is up to its third or fourth. It’s going to be a ripper. > Edit, I’m sure it was!!! Send me your happy snaps if you took any – Angel<

For a domestic touring triumvirate, look no further than Wollongong doomsters The Witching Hour as they hit The Baso on Friday, 14 June, wherein they will be joined by Newcastle’s Herd Immunity and Central Coat rockers Annakaye. Tickets be at Oztix.

Holy Johannes!

Trivia test. What do the following bands have in common? QOTSA, Chris Cornell, Eleven, PJ Harvey, Them Crooked Vultures, No Doubt, and Arctic Monkeys?

Apart from world renown, they’ve all worked with Chilean- American multi-instrumentalist Alain Johannes, who is hitting The Baso via a world tour promoting his third solo record, Hum. Sunday, 16 June is the fridge calendar checkpoint, and they’ll be joined by the killer locals, Voodoo Acid Space Kings. Get yer tix via Oztix.

Brisbane prog metallers Caligula’s Horse have a brand new release in the form of Charcoal Grace and are on the promotion trail this winter. Canberra’s turn is on Saturday, 22 June, aided by Taliesin and abetted by Tundrel. Tix from Oztix, and doors at 7pm.

Saturday, 29 June at The Baso marks a visit from Brisbane metalcore outfit DEADNERVE on a four-band domestic touring package that includes locals st sinner, the similarly named by uniquely brutal Deadskin from Melbourne, Mackay’s Same Pains, and Cultists from Sydney. Oztix, you say?

Greuesome Twosome

There’s nothing like a mid-winter party, and yet there are few bands that can warm a Canberra winter. Well, it just so happens that not one but TWO of them are playing in a combination that you would never guess up front, but once you hear the pairing, you wonder how it hasn’t happened before.

It’s like the salted caramel of bills.

Firstly, it’s 11 years since the thrash crossover booze party of Municipal Waste visited these shores. And when you consider that they have seven albums (including The Art of Partying, no less) in their back catalogue, you don’t need excuses to party on Sunday, 7 July; you need tickets!

So, what band do you put on with a band of career booze hounds that will act as a compliment, not overdo it, and act as the pre-drinks to the main party? Why, none other than our own The Veebees, of course!

I know, right? Genius! Best pairing since chocolate and peanuts.

There are canapes to open proceedings, and providing the cherry on top of this deliciously thrashingly raucous bill, Loose Cannon is on-site to kick the party off right. Of course it’s at The Baso, so you know what that means. Gee thee to an Oztixery.

Saturday, 13 July sees a Sydney crusher of a show settle in, with veterans Lord Kaos, Cruciform, and The Veil stuffing themselves into The Baso’s The Abyss room along with some as yet unnamed supports.

Lord Kaos has reunited with guitarist Astennu, whom many of you will know from his time in Norway with Dimmu Borgir and Covenant. This show marks the first time in 25 years that Astennu has played in Canberra with the black metal blasting bleakness. It’s going to be a killer show. Yes, via Oztix.

Further A Field

Welcome news landed this week in the form of Nile coming back to Australia later in the year.

Not so welcome is the news that you’ll NOT be able to catch them in Canberra. This is especially hurtful as the tour package includes Novocastrian brutallers Carnal Viscera.

Nile is touring to celebrate The Underworld Awaits Us All, their 10th album and their 30th anniversary as an Egyptian mythology death metal powerhouse.

Seems like we visited The Catacombs of Nephren-Ka just yesterday!

Thankfully, you won’t have to go to Egypt to see the spectacle; you can catch them on 20 October at Crowbar in Sydney. Oztix are also in Sydney, excellent.

Right, that’s plenty to see you broke for this month. Stay warm, stay brutal, folks!

[DOOMTILDEATH@HOTMAIL.COM]