SLIPKNOT + MACHINE HEAD
The masked men of metal have us in their sights. In late October, Slipknot touch down in Australia for a string of dates alongside extra-special guests Machine Head. Both bands are renowned for brutal live shows, and with this being an stadium-sized tour you can expect gargantuan production standards.

Slipknot’s fourth album, All Hope Is Gone, arrives in August on Roadrunner Records, and it’s expected to be as uncompromising as ever. Machine Head, in turn, are also still making head-caving music, typified by last year’s The Blackening. On their own they’re dangerous – as a double-header it’ll be all-out carnage. Don’t expect tickets to hang around long.

Slipknot ignite the following arenas in October, with Machine Head in support.

Friday 24th Oct – Riverstage, Brisbane
Tickets from www.ticketmaster.com.au 136 100

Sunday 26th Oct – Acer Arena, Sydney
Tickets from www.ticketek.com.au and Utopia Records

Monday 27th Oct – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Tickets from www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

Tuesday 28th Oct – Jubilee Pavilion, Adelaide Showground
Tickets from www.ticketek.com.au 132 849

Thursday 30th Oct – Robinson Pavilion, Perth
Tickets from www.bocsticketing.com.au 08 9484 1133 & 78’s www.78records.com.au 08 9322 6384

A message from Metal Obsession:
We here at Metal Obsession do not always have the time to search endlessly on the internet to find every gig happening. Therefore we rely on the metal bands/public to help us out and SEND IN YOUR GIGS!

VIC
Fri 25th July - Meatlocker, Mindsnare, Hard Luck, Battletruck + Slowburn @ The Arthouse, Melbourne - 8pm, $15
Fri 25th July - Damnations Day, Beserkerfox + Transiberian @ Barwon Club, Geelong - 9pm, $9
Sat 26th July - Graf Orlock, Robotosaurus, Agents of Abhorrence +1 @ The Arthouse, Melbourne - 8pm

NSW
Fri 25th July - Darker Half, Sobrusion, Friar Rush, Sobrusion +1 @ The Lewisham Hotel, Lewisham - 8pm, $10
Fri 25th July - Grim Demise, Deprivation + Flames Go Higher @ Station Hotel, Hamilton - 8pm
Sat 26th July - Roma Saanta (EP launch), Arkiah, Ire The Puppet +1 @ Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills - 8pm, $10

QLD
Fri 25th July - Bonesaw (EP launch), Prophecy of Kaos, Insanity Reality +2 @ Stepp In, Brisbane - 8pm, $12
Sat 26th July - Jobsons Dreamkillers (Album Launch), Hollow, Dick Nasty +5 @ Jubilee Hotel, Brisbane - 6pm, $15

TAS, ACT
No known gigs for this weekend. Future submissions can be made here.

WA
***GIG OF THE WEEK***
Fri 25th July - Chaos Divine, Tangled Thoughts of Leaving, Dogs of War +1@ Railway Hotel, Fremantle - 8pm, $10

SA
Fri 25th July - Double Dragon, A Red Dawn, Universum, Arcadia + Moredhel @ Enigma Bar, Adelaide - 8pm, $12

NZ
Fri 25th July - Habit, Incarnate, Osmium + Tainted @ The Gluepot, Invercargill - 9pm, $10
Sat 26th July - ‘Hellson’ Deathfest w/ Entangled Decay, Sacrament, Nizarm +1 @ Phat Club, Nelson - 9pm, $5

NOTE: The weekend gig guide is to be used as a guide only. Metal Obsession takes no responsibility for any errors contained within. To ensure your gig is featured here, please use the submissions page.

Virgin Black, Adelaide’s dark prodigal son, is set to make a very long anticipated return to the stage. The band will play its one and only Australian show for 2008 on September 6th at Live On Light Square in Adelaide, with support from two highly regarded Melbourne acts, The Eternal and Ne Obliviscaris.

6th Sept 2008
Virgin Black @ Live on Light Square, Adelaide
w/ The Eternal (Vic) and Ne Obliviscaris (Vic)
Tickets available at the door 8pm, $15.

Click here to view gig poster.

REVIEW: Dismember Australian Tour, Hobart- 17th July, 2008

Courtesy of Grego from Tas Metal Hub

Shred, slice, stab, rip, DIE!!!

Thursday night I had the privilege of seeing Dismember live at the Brissy (The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart), and I can not explain how utterly awesome and amazing it was for them to even be there. They’re a huge name in Stockholm Death Metal, with a big catalogue of releases and world wide tours under their belt.

Enough of the ’starstrickeness’ though, the show was fucking awesome too, lived up to and surpassed any expectations. Why is it that every metal band I’ve seen consistently delivers amazing live performances, whereas most of the punk and hip hop gigs I’ve seen have ranged from ok to fucking atrocious? The line-up was pretty huge this time round. New local band Separatist opened. Now I can not stress how promising and talented these guys are. I bought their debut album not long ago and it’s fucking awesome. They’re packing a similar brutal, fast paced, tech-death sound along the lines of Psycroptic, and with a little time I can see them being just as great a band. Next up was M.S.I. a Tassie grind core band. Funny fuckers, brutal sound. Then there was Terrorust and Earth from Vic. First time hearing either of these bands, but they were pretty awesome. Terrorust having a fast, heavy, death metal kind of sound that was killer to mosh to, and Earth having a slightly more melodic sound, with mythology/folk driven lyrics. The addition of synth keys adding more dimension to that aspect.

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Progressive Death Metal band ALCHEMIST have issued a short message on their return to Australia after the Canberra bands recent European Tour in support of the bands latest album titled ‘Tripsis‘.

“Hey people, Thanks to all the Euro fans who came to the shows and to the big crowds that watched us at the festivals, we had a blast! We would like to thank Bidi promotions for the awesome Job they did booking the shows and festivals. We would also like to thank The Viking for his help and support and Mick for tagging along to a few German shows.“

“See you in no less than two years!!!! You all are Awesome!!!!“

Queensland Thrash metallers WESTERN DECAY have broken up after 4 years in the local scene.

“Western Decay played our final show in December 2007 at Rosies with The Dead, Defamer, Nefaria, and Violent Green. It was after this show that our then-guitarist Josh left the band. Since then we have tried out a number of new guitarist and attempted to keep it progressing. However, after a large period of stagnation, we have decided to call it a day. It has become clear over recent months that as a band we shared different ideas when it came to the direction we wanted to take the band and how seriously we wanted to take it. The vibe has faded and the collective passion is no longer there. We had nearly completed the writing of our album, and we had a bunch of songs that no one outside of the band has ever heard, but unfortunately we feel that it was no longer worth pushing something uphill that was going to obviously going to die sooner or later.”

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REVIEW: Dismember Australian Tour, Melbourne - 18th July, 2008

Courtesy of Evelyn Tan

~~~~~~~~~~~

As I approached the HiFi Bar & Ballroom in all of my non-metal glory, I could feel the eyes of countless metalheads sporting Dismember, Iron Maiden, and shirts of various other metal bands. It was a relief to finally step into the dark HiFi Bar so that I could blend in more with the environment. I arrived just as Earth was setting up the stage. I had high expectations of the band, after what I’d heard of their music. And, sure enough, they didn’t let me down. The music was engaging, and more stepped onto the floor to join the headbanging. It was difficult to hear the keyboards through all the noise except for the occasional synth, but the guitars, bass and drums made up for all of it.

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Melbourne’s “CONTRIVE” have just released limited edition T-shirts whcih are now available to purchase via their Myspace Page

- be quick, minimal
quantities available.

The Metal trio has also completed 5 songs thus far from their forthcoming album yet to be titled.

Paul Haug (Guitar / Vocals) - “Yes, in the Contrive camp we do take our time, but a small update on the current sounds won’t hurt hey. The new tracks to our ears are sounding great and somewhat epic and moodier than usual, but there are also other tracks that have a balls-out Thrash attack (hail).

We’ll keep ya posted as things progress - Horns!”

Check out their acclaimed debut The Meaning Unseen which was mixed at Studio Fredman , Sweden by Fredrik Nordstrom (Opeth, Arch Enemy) also available online.

Read the review of “The Meaning Unseen” - Click Here!

CONTRIVE Now on FACEBOOK: Join up by clicking the link below.
:Contrive Facebook:

Here is the first in what will be a string of updates from the band while recording their brand new full length album.

“I am happy to announce that the tracking of all drums has been completed towards the upcoming Leicohtica record.

Damian was able to work through with engineer and producer Sean Daniels to secure the completion of the drums in only a matter of days. The first day taken to tune the skins correctly and ensure the best possible sound from each drum, and picking and choosing microphones to achieve a sound that suited Leicohtica and Seans concept of where to take this album. Sean and Damian decided on using “ Nevermore’s - This Godless Endevour” as a reference point for the kit sound and tuning with a more “Believe in Nothing” styled snare sound.

The following days Damian layed down the 9 drum tracks required for the release. Damian actually requested that no other instruments were present whilst he recorded and played purely from memory to a click track. A true testament to his ability as a drummer and backbone of the group. There is only a single way to describe his playing, the man is a machine.

We now have a final minute count on the release and we can announce the disc will be 78:57, nine full band tracks, and two short instrumentals.

given the length the band is now toying with the idea of including a second disc of bonus material for Australian friends and fans.

In three weeks we hit the studio to record Bass, and in six weeks we will be recording the guitars with Lead vocal, choirs, orchestration and keys to follow soon after.

We will keep you posted.

-Leicohtica”

US lords of grinding death metal Pig Destroyer will be making their maiden voyage to this here land we call Australia in late October. Pig Destroyer will blasting out over 10 years worth of noise in one tour. Most recently they unleashed ‘Phantom Limbs’ for Relapse Records. Read More for the details.

Heathen Skulls, Soundworks and RW Entertainment Present…

PIG DESTROYER
Australian / New Zealand Tour:

OCTOBER 2008:
Friday 24th: Hi Fi Bar – Melbourne
W/ Blood Duster, Terrorust & Fuck I’m Dead
Tickets available through Missing Link & Hi Fi Bar: www.hifibar.com.au

Saturday 25th: Gaelic Club – Sydney
W/ Terrorust, Beyond Terror Beyond Grace + Special guest
Tickets available through Moshtix: Ph: 1300 438 849 www.moshtix.com.au

Sunday 26th: Rosies – Brisbane
W/ Special guests

Monday 27th: Fowlers – Adelaide
W/ Robotosauras, Grey Daturas & Captain Clean Off
Tickets available through Moshtix: Ph: 1300 438 849 www.moshtix.com.au

Tuesday 28th: Amplifier Bar – Perth
W/ Special guests
Tickets available through 78’s & Moshtix: Ph: 1300 438 849 www.moshtix.com.au

Wednesday 29th: Brisbane Hotel – Hobart
W/ Ruins + special guests

Thursday 30th: Arthouse Hotel - Melbourne
W/ Grey Daturas, Roskopp, The Kill
No pre-sales, tickets on the door: $20

Friday 31st: Transmission Room – Auckland (All Ages)
W/ Terrorust + special guests
Tickets available from Ticketek, Real Groovy and www.undertheradar.co.nz: Mon July 15th

A message from Metal Obsession:
We here at Metal Obsession do not always have the time to search endlessly on the internet to find every gig happening. Therefore we rely on the metal bands/public to help us out and SEND IN YOUR GIGS!

VIC
Fri 18th July - Dismember In-store Signing @ Metal Emporium (307a Keilor Rd, North Essendon - 2pm-3:30pm
Fri 18th July - Dismember, Fuck…I’m Dead, Earth, Terrorust + Embodied @ Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne - thehifi.com
Sat 19th July - Vampora, Catwitch @ DV8, Melbourne

NSW
Fri 18th July - Sefira Drakonis, Daemon Foetal Harvest + Norse @ The Harp Hotel, Sydney - 8pm
Sat 19th July - Dismember, Earth, Lycanthia + Terrorust @ Gaelic Theatre, Sydney - www.moshtix.com.au

QLD
Sun 20th July - Dismember, Vomitor, State of Integrity, Lycanthia +1 @ Rosies, Brisbane - www. moshtix. com. au

TAS, ACT, WA
No known gigs for this weekend. Future submissions can be made here.

SA
Fri 18th July - Frankenbok, A Red Dawn, Journal of a Deadman +1 @ Shadows Nightclub, Mt Gambier - 8pm, $10
Fri 18th July - Order of the Buzzard, Flashpoint, Lapdancer + Mammoth @ Channel Nightclub, Adelaide - 9pm, $8
Sat 19th July - Frankenbok, Truth Corroded + A Red Dawn @ The Crown and Anchor, Adelaide - 8pm, $Free
Sun 20th July - Synnove + Locure Album Launch @ The Underground, Adelaide - ALL AGES

NZ
Fri 18th July - Sacrament, Athenic + more @ The Valve, Wellington - 8pm, $5
Fri 18th July - Grey Daturas (Aus), Jakob @ Kings Arms, Auckland
Sat 19th July - Grey Daturas (Aus), Jakob @ Bodega, Wellington
Sat 19th July - Sacrament, Athenic + more @ Oblivion, Auckland - 8pm, $5

NOTE: The weekend gig guide is to be used as a guide only. Metal Obsession takes no responsibility for any errors contained within. To ensure your gig is featured here, please use the submissions page.

DOUBLE DRAGON is the MetalObesession.net Feature Band for the end of July.

Out of Adelaide, the band plays a thrashing brand of Melodic Death Metal band out of Adelaide. through their career they have supported bands such as Slayer, Arch Enemy, Mastodon, aswell as spots at Big Day Out, Metalstock and Against The Grain Festivals around Australia.

And with their debut full length album ‘Devastator‘ out now wherever good music is sold, Double Dragon is sure to make a big impression on the local metal scene!

Click here to visit the band’s Feature Page!

Tasmanian tech-death masters PSYCROPTIC have set “Ob(Servant)” as the title of their fourth album, due in the (Australian) Spring via the group’s new label, Nuclear Blast Records. The follow-up to 2006’s “Symbols of Failure” was mixed and mastered by former MACHINE HEAD and SOULFLY guitarist Logan Mader (DIVINE HERESY, GOJIRA) and was recorded once again by guitarist Joe Haley.

Commented drummer Dave Haley: “‘Ob(Servant)’ is definitely our finest hour (well, finest 49 minutes and 49 seconds anyway). It’s, of course, a cliché of every band to say that their newest album is their best and so on, but we are very proud of what we have done on this album.”

“The writing process was a little different for this album, with Joe writing pretty much all the material. This gives the album a very coheisive and flowing feel, and this album is definitely our most diverse material thus far. The artwork is also amazing, having been completed by Raymand Swanland (DEEDS OF FLESH). Those not familiar with his work should check it out — you will be amazed!”
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After just recently completing their national tour with US post-metal band Rosetta, Brisbane’s The Surrogate have their new split album with Worms of the Earth now available to purchase online through the bands, or from Missing Link Records in Melbourne. The CD features three tracks from each band. The Surrogate’s tracks are “The Collapse”, “The Void”, and “The Endless”

1. Worms Of The Earth
2. Worms Of The Earth
3. Worms Of The Earth
4. The Surrogate - The Collapse
5. The Surrogate - The Void
6. The Surrogate - The Endless

Victorian thrash/rock band Frankenbok will head to South Australia in the coming days as a part of their National tour. With their Perth dates already over, they will continue on playing shows throughout the rest of the country for a large part of the rest of the year.

“Having landed support slots with Slayer, MachineHead, Soilwork, Skinlab, 8 Foot Sativa, Fear Factory & System of a Down;  ‘The Last Ditch Redemption’ is some of their finest work to date. A concept EP about a bad motherfucker who does many unspeakable things. After delving into the hell of his twisted mind he emerges believing that in order to redeem himself he must make amends by helping those who cannot help themselves. With trademark thrashing riffery & powerful catchy choruses, this is a complete balls out rockin’ affair.

Coming soon to a town near you soon! You won’t be disappointed!”