Aussie metal

Interviews

Australian Heavypedia: Vahrzaw (Black Metal)

September 13, 2019 Melinda (Carcassbomb)

Vahrzaw are one of Australia’s longest running black metal acts having played under various names in the early 90s. While many bands have come and gone, Vahrzaw have marched on unable to be stopped by neither politics nor circumstance, leaving a long trail of releases featuring interesting artwork. Metalheads in need of an audio pummelling look no further. Their sound hasn’t been compromised in the face of an ever changing scene over the decades and after Husk, their ripper of a 2018 album, they are returning with a brand new album slated for 2020. I spoke to Vahrzaw guitarist Scott about it and the bands origin. […]

2019 Albums

Tape Review: Maggot Cave – Pub Full Of Maggots 9.69 (Grindcore)

August 28, 2019 Melinda (Carcassbomb)

I knew I was in for some grindcore but I wasn’t expecting it to be this good. The deal with this project is that if I can, I will listen to an album for the very first time on tape. It’s a great approach that leads to a lot of surprises and discovery. There’s things you just don’t notice or care about digitally because our attentions spans are just fucked when we’re given a screen. There’s quite a few vocal techniques used throughout the tape – even at one point offering a howling heavy metal scream which completely caught me off guard. Combined with the great use of comedic samples there’s a lot of appreciate here, most of which seem to be taken from films, sitcoms and Australian radio shows. They all sounded super familiar to me but I can’t quite place them, I suspect the opening one is from Reno 911.  […]

Interviews

Australian Heavypedia: Crypt Crawler (Death Metal)

August 8, 2019 Melinda (Carcassbomb)

Crypt Crawler are newcomers to the scene having starting producing singles in 2018 but they’ve sure as shit started with some quality songs. They have a DIY approach to their music that gives it an authentic rawness but there’s also a level of proficiency that brings with it a clarity to the sound. Their 2019 debut LP To The Grave can easily contend with many international releases in 2019 despite not having the aid of a label. […]

2018 albums

Album Review: Whoretopsy – Take My Breath Away 8.5 (Brutal Death)

July 30, 2019 Melinda (Carcassbomb)

Whoretopsy recently got a new vocalist and I have to say right off the bat that he sounds awesome. The style is far more hardcore influenced than a lot of the brutal and grind death still around, it’s a really nice blending of genres that doesn’t shift hard enough to ever betray what makes them so metal. From Australian accented hardcore shouts to full blown pig sequels, it’s all here and it all feels valid. Musically they are technically proficient and playful, just down-tuned to hell. They often qualify under death metal and grindcore in equal measure, some more purist metalheads might not enjoy this offering but I consider it refreshing and a heap of fun. They embody “Australia” in a lot of ways – often sarcastically which in it’s self is very Australian. Nothing here is done without anger coated humor or humor coated anger. […]