Responsible for some of the most uncompromising and experimental hardcore music, Grand Rapids, Michigan five-piece hardcore luminaries LA DISPUTE return to Australia in August to play their biggest national headline to date to celebrate Wildlife, the 10 year anniversary and recital tour.
Kicking off in Brisbane on Friday, August 18, the tour will hit Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth before finishing up in Melbourne on Sunday, August 27 at the Forum Theatre.
Released now 12 years ago, Wildlife, LA DISPUTE’s seminal and brilliant sophomore record is an examination of a city in flux, the people who populate it and the tragedies that befall them and us seemingly every day.
Wildlife, told through the short stories and journal entries of a young man alone in a room, the record documents an individual’s search for meaning in the trials of others among the fallout of his own unnamed tragedy. An album for hard times, harsh landscapes, and for now, as the last three years have proved its themes, in a sense, universal, or which have at least breathed new life into all art exploring how it is to find purpose among the ruins of modern existence.
With a sonic profile to match the rawness and emotion of the subject matter, and fresh off a frequently sold out US anniversary tour, LA DISPUTE has in some ways returned to the place where it started all those years back: writing and performing songs of urgency, exploring earnestly what it means to be human, to hurt, and ultimately, what it might take to survive, in cities like and unlike Grand Rapids, all over the world.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your ticket for what promises to be a night to remember.
Early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Tuesday 2 May @ 10am AEST time
DUBFEST is a annual gathering of Volkswagen enthusiasts from across Melbourne, brining together vintage and modern VW’s.
We were lucky enough to catch a break in the weather and check out some of the great rides on display, from traditional builds to full custom and outlaws.
Check out some of our favourites below and follow DUBFEST on social media.
Pennsylvania’s SIGNS OF THE SWARM have dropped their latest track ‘Amongst the Low & Empty’. Over the years the bands sound has been evolving, their latest track really highlights this progression, brining a new sound combined with the absolute mind destroying heaviness you have come to love.
SIGNS OF THE SWARM are hitting the road this April & March supporting WHITECHAPEL along side Archspire and Entheos.
Check out the video below of ‘Amongst the Low & Empty’ and keep up to date with SIGNS OF THE SWARM on social media.
Aussie blackened sludge veterans Lo! have returned in 2023 bigger and better than ever. To celebrate the release of their highly anticipated new album The Gleaners out now via Pelagic Records, they announce a string of headline shows in June and July for The Gleaners Album Launch Tour with special guests Black Lava.
A soul-ripping hell-ride across nine visceral anthems, Lo!’s third full length album The Gleaners is an affair of raw violence, with a touch of sophisticated madness. Aimed at executing crushing judgment upon the tyrants who put the poor to powder, the long-awaited release is set over an overarching storyline with multiple characters, all set to a symphony of sonic death and destruction. The Gleaners showcases Lo! via a terrifying vision of the infernal madness of reality alongside some stellar sludgy blackened hardcore.
LO! THE GLEANERS ALBUM LAUNCH TOUR 2023 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS BLACK LAVA
TOUR DATES: SATURDAY 10 JUNE – THE EVELYN, MELBOURNE FRIDAY 16 JUNE – HOPE AND ANCHOR, ADELAIDE SATURDAY 17 JUNE – CROWBAR, SYDNEY SATURDAY 15 JULY – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE
The end is only beginning for Australia’s VOID OF VISION, announcing their Das Ende Australian Tour set to celebrate their completed CHONICLES EP series live in action this August with special guests LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES (USA), VARIALS (USA) and ANNALYNN (THAI).
Kicking off at The Triffid in Brisbane on Friday 11 August, the Das Ende extravaganza will then head to Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide, before closing out at Magnet House in Perth on Sunday 20 August.
Since erupting onto the metal scene a decade ago, VOID OF VISION have gone on to solidify their standing as one of the most innovative and sonically explosive acts in the modern heavy scene. In 2023 alone, the quartet have featured at Australia’s first-ever Knotfest edition, alongside Slipknot, Parkway Drive, Megadeth and more, collaborated with metal-meets-electronic DJ and producer PhaseOne on the ambitious crossover single Eyes Wide Shut, locked in an appearance at UNIFY Off The Record, and unveiled the amalgamated CHRONICLES series as a complete album, bringing together the previously standalone EPs LUST, HEAVEN and UNDERWORLD into a scintillating snapshot of VOID OF VISION‘s relentlessly inventive past, present and future – and the band are truly only just getting started.
“Looking back to the beginning of this post pandemic world where we began unleashing the Chronicles series to everyone, it’s truly inspiring to see how far it has bought us since,” shares VOID OF VISIONfrontman Jack Bergin. “Taking us all around the world and to some of the biggest stages we’ve ever performed on, this collection of music not only helped us find ourselves sonically but also unearthed a new Void Of Vision live performance we never even thought was possible.“
“We’re exactly where we want to be as artists right now so feel it would be truly fitting to take the entire EP collection on the road around Australia whilst in our element to celebrate the end of an era and give you all a taste of what’s to come.”
“The icing on the cake is being able to bring over a tour package comprised entirely of international acts that we’re all so excited to share with you. We couldn’t think of a better way to send off such a special release for us than to accompany it with some of our favourite heavy hitters from all around the globe to warm you all up for the biggest Void Of Vision shows to date.”
US metalcore act LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES have consistently galvanized their sonic identity since emerging back in 2010. From their debut full length album When We Don’t Exist in 2011 to their mid-pandemic acclaimed EP Pure Like Porcelain in 2021, the flame has only burned brighter for LIKE MOTHS TO FLAME with each new release, including recent single Predestination Paradox which showcased sharp production and an eruption of violent vocals and oozing breakdowns. Set to tour alongside fellow US metalcore titans Currents this May and June, LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES are also currently turning the heat up in the studio working on new material.
Hailing from Philadelphia, US quintet VARIALS deal in searing intensity, unbridled energy and uncompromising creativity. Having amassed tens of millions of streams over the years, the metalcore heroes have also ignited ever-growing global acclaim courtesy of previous albums Pain Again (2017), In Darkness (2019) and, most recently, Scars for You to Remember (2022). Previously sharing stages with the likes of All That Remains, Wage War, Oceans Ate Alaska, Kublai Khan and more, a VARIALS live show is guaranteed to weld crushing power with melodic poise, ultimately creating an irresistible collision of metal and hardcore.
A five piece metalcore band from Bangkok, Thailand, ANNALYNN rose from the ashes of former musical projects in the mid 2000s before taking their local scene and, inevitably, the world by storm. From their most recent album, 2021’s A Conversation With Evil, to their debut 2017 album Stare Down The Undefeated, ANNALYNN continue to enamour with their fluid aggressive-meets-melodic musical flavours, with a horde of collaborations also in their wake including Jonathan Vigil of The Ghost Inside, CJ McMahon of Thy Art Is Murder (AUS), and Ryo Kinoshita of Crystal Lake (JP).
Set to be one of the most anticipated events on the tour calendar in 2023, don’t delay securing your tickets for the Das Ende Australian Tour this August!
Dont forget to check out our coverage of VOID OF VISION playing as part of KNOTFEST Melbourne 2023.
Destroy All Lines, New World Artists, Open Door Management + UNFD Presents
VOID OF VISION ‘DAS ENDE’ AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2023 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES (USA) VARIALS (USA) + ANNALYNN (THAI)
TOUR DATES: FRIDAY 11 AUGUST – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE (18+) SATURDAY 12 AUGUST – NEWCASTLE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE (18+) SUNDAY 13 AUGUST – FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY (18+) WEDNESDAY 16 AUGUST – THE BASEMENT, CANBERRA (18+) FRIDAY 18 AUGUST – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE (18+) SATURDAY 19 AUGUST – LION ARTS FACTORY, ADELAIDE (LIC AA) SUNDAY 20 AUGUST – MAGNET HOUSE, PERTH (18+)
Early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Wednesday 13 April @ 5pm AEST time
Last year ended on a high for Manchester’s ROLLA as they hit arenas with Kasabian, opened for local legend Shaun Ryder, and were highlighted at #5 on The Sun’s 23 For 23 new artist rundown. Their previous single ‘Ease My Mind’ provided a taste of their immense potential, with the band firing elements of The Verve, The Sex Pistols and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in a supercharged new sound, leading their first national airplay courtesy of John Kennedy at Radio X as well as a key tastemaker tip from Rolling Stone.
All that’s in the bag, so what’s next for ROLLA? A triple-shot of big moments, starting with the recent release of their new single ‘Hey You’ and their debut EP Nothing Less Than Everything, before they embark upon a UK headline tour the following week.
Nothing Less Than Everything is officially out now via Golden Robot Records.
The debut EP was written by ROLLA – James Gilmore (vocals), Luke McConnell (guitar), Luke Gilmore (bass), Tom Paddon (guitar) and Saul Bardsley (drums) – and was recorded at Rockfield Studios during a week of self-confessed “creative carnage” with production from Nick Brine (Oasis, Stone Roses) and mixing courtesy of Gareth Nuttall (The Lottery Winners, The K’s).
Nothing Less Than Everything is an electrifying powerhouse of rock ‘n’ roll attitude interspersed with a tender ballad. Its lyrics focus on brotherhood, battling against the odds, and striving to achieve your goals regardless of anyone else’s opinion. It’s an EP that puts ROLLA on the first step towards filling arenas in their own right.
TOUR DATES
April 12th – London, The Lower Third April 13th – Birmingham, The Rainbow April 14th – Manchester, Gorilla
Fresh off winning Best Rock Album of the Year at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, Ghost announces the coming of PHANTOMIME, a five-song covers EP intended from the start to follow last year’s international chart-topping opus IMPERA. A diverse and spellbinding sampling of the GRAMMY Award-winning band’s musical DNA, PHANTOMIME is comprised of covers of classics and deep cuts by Television, Genesis, The Stranglers, Iron Maiden and Tina Turner. PHANTOMIME pays tribute in equal measure to every one of these unlikely bedfellow, influences while stamping them all with Ghost’s undeniable sonic signature.
The announcement of PHANTOMIME’s impending release also solves the mystery of Ghost’s recent Jesus Is Coming campaign, as referenced in the Good Friday premiere of the newest instalment of the band’s long-running webisode series, Chapter 17: Nap Time. PHANTOMIME’s May 18 release via Loma Vista Recordings is heralded by Ghost’s interpretation of Genesis’ 1992 satirical stab at televangelists Jesus He Knows Me, available now to stream and download, and as an instant grat track with pre-orders of the EP.
This second coming of Jesus He Knows Me is accompanied by an Alex Ross Perry-directed video that will surely make the case that one person’s beauty is another’s blasphemy. Culminating in a climactic ritual that must be seen to be believed, Ghost‘s visual interpretation of Jesus He Knows Me rises to the occasion in unholy fashion — and then some. Viewer discretion is advised: https://i.ghost-official.com/JesusVideo
The Easter Sunday release of the Jesus He Knows Me track and video continues two established Ghosttraditions: 1) Following up the release of a full length studio album with uniquely Ghost-ified cover versions, past efforts having included reinterpretations of favorites by Abba, The Beatles, Depeche Mode, Roky Erickson, Eurythmics, Metallica, Pet Shop Boys and many more; and 2) Challenging, confronting and upending societal conventions and authority figures, often taking on specific antagonists — in this case, Father Jim DeFroque, host of the evangelical radio show Jesus Talk with Father Jim DeFroque on KLAQ in El Paso TX — and also star of the Jesus He Knows Me video.
PHANTOMIME TRACK LISTING:
01. See No Evil (Television) 02. Jesus He Knows Me (Genesis) 03. Hanging Around (The Stranglers) 04. Phantom of the Opera (Iron Maiden) 05. We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) (Tina Turner)
PHANTOMIME’s release will coincide with Ghost’s first live dates of 2023, beginning with a May/June European run of festival and headline dates including appearances at Primavera Sound 2023 where the band will share a bill with Blur, Depeche Mode, Halsey and Kendrick Lamar, among others, and Sweden Rock Festival 2023, where Ghost will be one of four headliners alongside Def Leppard, Iron Maiden and Motley Crue. Ghost will then make its triumphant return to North America, for its RE-IMPERATOUR U.S.A. 2023 summer tour with special guest Amon Amarth. RE-IMPERATOUR U.S.A. 2023 kicks off August 2nd in Concord, CA, with stops in more than two dozen cities before its two-night finale the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 11 and — recently added by popular demand — September 12.
Australian fans of Texan prodigies Polyphia have made their presence known. The band’s upcoming tour in June has resulted in SOLD OUT shows in Sydney and Melbourne in little over a week and Brisbane is not too far behind!
The Sydney show on June 28 has been upgraded from The Metro to the Enmore Theatre and is now ALL AGES, allowing the next generation of guitar gods to see their heroes.
Tickets for this show are on sale 9am Wednesday April 12. All tickets for The Metro show remain valid and no exchange is required.
Once these tickets are gone, they are gone – no other shows will be added or further venue upgrades.
“We’re all very excited to be back and are look forward to seeing all of your beautiful faces. Be ready to party!” – Scott LePage
Since their formation in Plano, Texas in 2010, Polyphia have made a name for themselves by blending intricate guitar riffs with hip-hop rhythms, bass-heavy trap music, and progressive metal & rock influences.
With three celebrated studio albums – Muse (2014), Renaissance (2016), New Levels New Devils(2018) – as well as two EPs and a handful of singles under their belt, Polyphia raised the game yet again with their new new and fourth studio album, Remember That You Will Die, which was released in October last year featuring collaborations with $not, Chino Moreno (Deftones), Brasstracks, Steve Vai & more.
Produced by guitarists Tim Henson & Scott LePage, the album also features production from Rodney Jerkins (Michael Jackson, Destiny’s Child, Lady Gaga), JUDGE (Migos & Marshmello, blackbear, Young Thug), the band’s longtime collaborator Y2K (Doja Cat, Remi Wolf, Tove Lo), Johan Lenox (Kanye, FINNEAS), and more on select tracks
Their impressive catalog has earned them 650M+ global streams, 150M+ YouTube views, and international acclaim.
Nu-metal rising stars Sicksense, featuring Killer V (Vicky Psarakis of The Agonist) and Rob The Ripper (Robby J. Fonts of Stuck Mojo), have announced their new EP Fools Tomorrow, set for release on 11th June. They have also unveiled the title-track single (featuring Fozzy guitarist Billy Grey) with a brilliantly entertaining music video, as fans have come to expect from this fun quintet.
Killer V comments on the single: “‘Fools Tomorrow’ is about recognizing one’s shortcomings. We’ve all been our own worst enemies at some point in our lives. There’s power in acknowledging that sometimes we are the problem. Taking responsibility for your actions and owning up to your faults is better than placing the blame on others. It’s all about personal accountability. While it may be tough for many to admit when they’re wrong, it ultimately shows strength of character and allows for personal growth.”
On the video she continues: “‘The Fools Tomorrow’ music video follows various outcasts navigating their way through school life, while facing differences, misunderstandings and bullying. Inevitably, everyone comes together amidst the chaos, showcasing that we’re honestly all more alike than we are different.”
Outliers never stick to the script. Instead, they constantly and consistently surprise. As such, Sicksense bob and weave past any and all boundaries, flipping convention upside down and fusing heavy metal, hip-hop, and alternative like never before. Extreme screams puncture nimbly rapped verses, tempering a male-and-female call-and-response and giving the metal game a truly “new” sound. Unpredictability drives the quintet—Vicky “Killer V” [vocals, keys], Rob The Ripper [vocals], Breakdown Bran [guitar], Spot-On Sam/SOS [bass], and The Trve Cody Taylor [drums]. After piling up hundreds of thousands of streams and views independently with their debut EP Kings Today, the group present their scorching signature style on second EP Fools Tomorrow.
On the new EP, Killer V continues: “The songs across Fools Tomorrow deal with a lot of introspection and how we as individuals fit into this crazy world of ours. We take a raw, open and honest approach with this EP and the music and stories take you on an emotional rollercoaster. We hope you enjoy being on this ride with us.”
Sicksense have also announced two EP release headline shows at Turbo Haus in Montreal, Canada, on the 9th and 10th of June. Get tickets here: https://soundescapeagency.com/sicksense/events
Acclaimed Canadian rock band Silverstein are thrilled to release Misery Made Me Deluxe, an extended release of their critically acclaimed 2022 album. Misery Made Me Deluxe features new versions of songs from the original record as well as new music, including recent single Poison Pill.
The band shares: “It’s very exciting we get to celebrate our favorite album again nearly a year later with this deluxe release. Poison Pill and Stitches are very special songs, and we wanted to highlight them separately from the rest of the album. They have a different texture to them that brings us back to our even deeper roots, our influence of the 90’s bands that paved the way for so many bands in our scene. In addition, the alternate versions of Don’t Wait Up, Poison Pill and Mary evoke a different tone of the record as well. While recording this album we were in the middle of the pandemic, with so many uncertainties and so many conflicting emotions. This deluxe version truly embodies what this album meant to us, including the excitement of being able to perform on stage again, which is why we also included some live material as well.“
In addition to standard vinyl/merch options, Silverstein teamed up with lifestyle brand The Pretty Cult on an exclusive collaboration that includes a custom – and authentic – Silverstein tarot card deck, special tarot card-themed merch, a custom candle, and altar cloth.
The Pretty Cult owner/founder Arielle Salsa shares: “I’m so excited for this opportunity to team up with Silverstein on this collection. I met Silverstein at their Misery Made Me album pop-up last May and saw they had tarot-inspired art for some of their merch. After connecting with them, it was clear that The Pretty Cult was the perfect fit to expand the concept as my brand revolves around tarot, the occult, and the practice of witchcraft. I thought we could expand on the idea by creating a collection complete with a tarot deck, guidebook, altar cloth and two unique Silverstein x The Pretty Cult tarot items. When creating this tarot deck and guidebook, I wanted to make sure it was as authentic as possible, as I am a practicing witch myself. I wanted to create a deck that was as inclusive to the avid tarot user as it was to a beginner.
“As Silverstein is a band that are self-managed and unafraid to constantly push boundaries and grow over their 20+ career, it was a nice fit with the practice of tarot as it’s less about a higher power and more about being your own master and creating your own path.”
Silverstein are currently on the road for their headlining Misery Made Me North American tour, featuring special guests Dayseeker, Seeyouspacecowboy and One Step Closer, with the band also set to return to Australia this October alongside The Amity Affliction.
