Tag: metal
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Adriatic: Brisbane’s Balkan Djent/Hardcore/Metal Band
Loud and brutal at Vinnies Dive Originally published in The Riff We turned the corner into Nerang Street in Southport on the Gold Coast when Adriatic lead guitarist Bojan Sambolec messaged me: I hope you brought earplugs. It’s insanely loud. We hadn’t. But no matter, Vinnies Dive had free ones at the door. The band […]
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The SCHEMA Collective
SCHEMA Festival 2019 was in November and I went there to write a review for Scenestr. Some of the SCHEMA Collective took time out to chat, so here’s more about them. Rashid Alkamraikhi is a co-founder of the Collective, and bass player in bands Massic and Doctor Parallax. His amazing name is Welsh translated into […]
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The Story of Kidz
A group of waist-high kids being adopted by a music mentor, to be tutored at his home? Seems unthinkable doesn’t it? Moses De Silva, a double bass player in Kota Kinabalu, was my translator in this interview. Warning: a bit of politically incorrect joshing between school friends here. In early 2010, Moses De Silva said […]
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Valtozash Brisbane Review @ Crowbar
My take on this fabulous metal-jazz big band, originally published in Scenestr. http://scenestr.com.au/music/valtozash-brisbane-review-crowbar-20171221 Valtozash, Brisbane’s 17-piece jazz-metal big band, headlined X-Mess II at Crowbar in Fortitude Valley (20 December). They crammed onto the stage and brutalised us with an onslaught of their very, very loud, maniacal humour. Bandleader Andre Bonetti said: “We are the largest […]
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Iron Maiden Voyage, Valtozash EP review
In the late eighties, my mind was shot to pieces by the maniacal brilliance of a group of London jazz musicians called Loose Tubes, under the mirthful goading of their band leader, enfant terrible Django Bates. Today, I am listening to Iron Maiden Voyage, the new EP by metal jazz big band Valtozash, and am […]
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Jazz metal heads Valtozash at BJC
Originally published in Scenestr. Valtozash Bigband appeared at the Brisbane Jazz Club (8 April) as Gregorian monks, on a smoky stage set against the magnificent city skyline. They opened the first set with a metal take on Herbie Hancock’s jazz standard ‘Maiden Voyage’. Valtozash played ‘Iron Maiden Voyage’ with a canon fire of the signature […]
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Glorious chaos: Valtozash at BJC
Their horns assault you with a stabbing dissonance. An electric guitar invades your mind with frenzied brilliance, then wails like a banshee. Bass guitar and drums build that sound of despair, the relentless thudding eventually impales your heart. If you survive all that you’ll be going, “Oh my god! It’s metal! Valtozash Big Band is […]