METAL FOR THE BRAIN XI
20 October 2001
University of Canberra
By James O'Toole
For the unitiated, Metal for the Brain is an annual event held in Canberra, now in its eleventh year. The first Metal for the Brain was held to raise funds for Alec Hurley, who was involved in trying to stop a brawl outside a Canberra nightclub and suffered brain damage as a result. All of the proceeds from Metal for the Brain go toward charity, specifically research into brain injuries. Metal for the Brain has been held at the University of Canberra in Belconnen for the last two years, while in previous years it was held at the Australian National University.
Metal for the Brain XI attracted metal fans from all over the country to witness over twelve hours of music from thirty-eight of Australia's finest metal bands. The venue had two separate performance areas, the Triple J and Kerrang stages which were set up side by side, allowing for continuous alternating performances throughout the event and the Impact stage downstairs, which also housed the bar and beer garden.
After arriving at the University of Canberra around two o'clock the first band I saw was Within Blood on the Triple J stage. This band played a hardcore influenced brand of metal which whipped up an early circle mosh and went down very well with the steadily growing crowd of punters. They combined some pacy tracks with slower, crushing riffs and had a great sound throughout their set.
Chalice were the next band up on the Kerrang stage. Chalice are a six piece band from South Australia, combining haunting melodies from female vocalist Shiralee with heavy guitar, a driving rhythm section and a classical touch with the inclusion of keyboard and flute. Chalice played the bar stage last year and were impressive, resulting in a slot on the main stage this year. Their musical style could be described as an almost medieval sound blended with traditional metal, which produced an interesting combination and a thoroughly enjoyable set.
Next it was down to the Impact Stage, where Tribal Clown slammed their way through a set of rhythmic material with plenty of aggression. Tribal Clown are a relatively new four piece from Melbourne and this was their first appearance at Metal for the Brain. Their sound was probably the closest thing to nu metal I saw on the day, with hints of Sepultura and Soulfly.
After catching Tribal Clown's set it was back up to the main stage for the next few hours. Alarum, another Melbourne band were up next and they performed a technical brand of death metal fused with jazz, which made for very interesting listening and an original sound. Alarum's material featured lots of time changes, complex musical passages and impressive musicianship which kept punters guessing as to what was coming next but enjoying the result.
Frankenbok were up next on the Kerrang Stage and they wasted no time ripping into their set and provoking the most energetic response from the crowd up to this point. The pit was jumping as Frankenbok plowed their way through material from Greetings and Salutations and The Loopholes and Great Excuses EP. There were obviously quite a few Frankenbok fans in the audience, with the crowd singing along to the chorus of I'm OK With It. Frankenbok's thrash sound was complemented by the variety of their vocalist's delivery, including some clever mic techniques. Frankenbok have been very active on the live scene in the last couple of years and it shows in their performance. Their set was extremely tight and very well received.
Earth began their set with an epic sounding intro, building up gradually to a brutal assault. This six piece band from Melbourne play crushing death metal, with keyboards adding melody and mood to a monstrous, doomy, guitar driven sound. Earth have an indefinable quality about them which sets them apart from most other death or thrash metal bands and they deserved to step up to the main stage this year after ripping apart the bar stage last year. If you're a fan of death or more extreme styles of metal then Earth are definitely a band worth seeing. Their set went down extremely well with a large crowd in attendance. Earth's last release Star Condemn'd was impressive and they have another album on the way soon.
Frankenbok's Dark Carnival label mates Dreadnaught took the Kerrang Stage next with their dark, moody heavy rock. Dreadnaught at their best combine melody, power and gritty vocals in a combination which works well on a larger stage. Dreadnaught stood out from a lot of the bands on the bill this year as their sound is more oriented toward heavy rock, but this should be seen as a strength and their potential audience appeal is broader as a result. Highlights of their set were Triple J track Pushed to the Limit, Scumbag, Dead in the Dirt and Game.
Pod People were up on the Triple J stage after Dreadnaught, playing a mix of stoner rock and death metal which I enjoyed when I saw them on the same stage last year. However this year I didn't see their set as it was time for another excursion to the bar to meet some friends, followed by a short trip away from the university in search of dinner. Unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances I returned later than planned and missed two of the bands I wanted to see most, Jerk and Psi Kore. I heard very positive reports about Jerk's performance on the Impact Stage which made it all the more frustrating missing their set. Psi Kore no doubt put in a great show as well.
Blood Duster had just fired up when I returned to the Kerrang Stage and they proceeded to secure my vote for best band of the day. In addition to their tight grindcore performance there was constant crowd baiting from vocalist Tony and full nudity from bass player Jason PC, who lived up to his promise in the latest issue of Kerrang to 'get his balls out as often as possible'. Throw in some guitar smashing, dackings, extensive use of a super soaker on the audience and other band members plus other generally offensive behaviour and you have a very entertaining performance. With song titles such as Pornstorestiffi and an album called Cunt, Blood Duster are definitely a band who really don't care what anyone thinks and they obviously don't take themselves too seriously, which is a refreshing change.
There aren't many bands who could follow an act like Blood Duster, but Alchemist were up next and held the capacity crowd riveted with their intricately crafted mixture of atmospheric metal and eerie melodies. Alchemist have a unique sound and blend a number of styles effortlessly, including thrash, death metal, psychedelia and eastern influences. Yoni Kunda is one of my favourite pieces of music by an Australian band and when performed live it always sounds amazing. At one point they had a slow motion circular mosh happening on the floor, which was quite a surreal sight combined with the hypnotic music emanating from the stage. Alchemist held the entire venue spellbound throughout their set and like last year they were one of the highlights of Metal for the Brain.
After a long and tiring day there were still a lot of die hard metalheads willing to show their appreciation for Dungeon's melodic power metal on the Kerrang Stage. The band were in fine form, seemingly unaffected by the late timeslot and putting in a great performance. The Legend of Huma was just one highlight of their set and they finished with a sterling rendition of Iron Maiden's Prowler. The audience reaction proved there are still plenty of punters into old school melodic metal and Dungeon certainly delivered it well.
Astriaal took to the Triple J stage to finish off proceedings, with a fair crowd still in attendance despite the late hour. Down on the Impact Stage Maladiction had just finished their set and Hellspawn were due to play next, but for me it was time to head back to the hotel and get some sleep before a long drive back to Melbourne early the next morning. By this time it was obvious a lot of other people were doing the same as the numbers in the bar were steadily decreasing.
Going to Metal for the Brain XI was a great experience and the organisers (Rod Holder and Adam Agius from Alchemist) did a fantastic job in coordinating the event. It is fantastic to see Australian metal bands playing on a large stage with a quality PA rather than going to a small city pub where the PA is often unable to cope. Many of the acts on the bill were more than capable of stepping up to a larger stage and taking full advantage of the opportunity to showcase their material the way it is intended to sound. Earth, Dreadnaught and Alchemist in particular sound much better on a bigger stage, with smaller venues unable to do their sound justice.
My only minor criticisms of the event were that bar facilities struggled to cope with the steady demand which resulted in long waiting periods and the selection of food available on site was still limited, although a definite improvement on last year. It would also be good to see a few more bands included who play modern styles of heavy music, in the vein of Tool, Deftones and Sevendust. These kinds of bands would add an extra dimension to the lineup and broaden the event's appeal, as the inclusion of Henry's Anger did last year.
Despite these minor gripes I will certainly be back again next year. Metal for the Brain is held for a very worthwhile cause and continues to grow every year. It is also great value for money, considering the ticket price of only $30 allowed punters to see their choice of thirty-eight bands. There is no other event quite like Metal for the Brain. It has a great atmosphere and if you have never been then I highly recommend that you make the effort to travel to Canberra next year.
Related Links:
www.metalforthebrain.com
20 October 2001
University of Canberra
By James O'Toole
For the unitiated, Metal for the Brain is an annual event held in Canberra, now in its eleventh year. The first Metal for the Brain was held to raise funds for Alec Hurley, who was involved in trying to stop a brawl outside a Canberra nightclub and suffered brain damage as a result. All of the proceeds from Metal for the Brain go toward charity, specifically research into brain injuries. Metal for the Brain has been held at the University of Canberra in Belconnen for the last two years, while in previous years it was held at the Australian National University.
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Metal for the Brain XI attracted metal fans from all over the country to witness over twelve hours of music from thirty-eight of Australia's finest metal bands. The venue had two separate performance areas, the Triple J and Kerrang stages which were set up side by side, allowing for continuous alternating performances throughout the event and the Impact stage downstairs, which also housed the bar and beer garden.
After arriving at the University of Canberra around two o'clock the first band I saw was Within Blood on the Triple J stage. This band played a hardcore influenced brand of metal which whipped up an early circle mosh and went down very well with the steadily growing crowd of punters. They combined some pacy tracks with slower, crushing riffs and had a great sound throughout their set.
Chalice were the next band up on the Kerrang stage. Chalice are a six piece band from South Australia, combining haunting melodies from female vocalist Shiralee with heavy guitar, a driving rhythm section and a classical touch with the inclusion of keyboard and flute. Chalice played the bar stage last year and were impressive, resulting in a slot on the main stage this year. Their musical style could be described as an almost medieval sound blended with traditional metal, which produced an interesting combination and a thoroughly enjoyable set.
Next it was down to the Impact Stage, where Tribal Clown slammed their way through a set of rhythmic material with plenty of aggression. Tribal Clown are a relatively new four piece from Melbourne and this was their first appearance at Metal for the Brain. Their sound was probably the closest thing to nu metal I saw on the day, with hints of Sepultura and Soulfly.
After catching Tribal Clown's set it was back up to the main stage for the next few hours. Alarum, another Melbourne band were up next and they performed a technical brand of death metal fused with jazz, which made for very interesting listening and an original sound. Alarum's material featured lots of time changes, complex musical passages and impressive musicianship which kept punters guessing as to what was coming next but enjoying the result.
Frankenbok were up next on the Kerrang Stage and they wasted no time ripping into their set and provoking the most energetic response from the crowd up to this point. The pit was jumping as Frankenbok plowed their way through material from Greetings and Salutations and The Loopholes and Great Excuses EP. There were obviously quite a few Frankenbok fans in the audience, with the crowd singing along to the chorus of I'm OK With It. Frankenbok's thrash sound was complemented by the variety of their vocalist's delivery, including some clever mic techniques. Frankenbok have been very active on the live scene in the last couple of years and it shows in their performance. Their set was extremely tight and very well received.
Earth began their set with an epic sounding intro, building up gradually to a brutal assault. This six piece band from Melbourne play crushing death metal, with keyboards adding melody and mood to a monstrous, doomy, guitar driven sound. Earth have an indefinable quality about them which sets them apart from most other death or thrash metal bands and they deserved to step up to the main stage this year after ripping apart the bar stage last year. If you're a fan of death or more extreme styles of metal then Earth are definitely a band worth seeing. Their set went down extremely well with a large crowd in attendance. Earth's last release Star Condemn'd was impressive and they have another album on the way soon.
/frankenbok_mftb.jpg
Frankenbok's Dark Carnival label mates Dreadnaught took the Kerrang Stage next with their dark, moody heavy rock. Dreadnaught at their best combine melody, power and gritty vocals in a combination which works well on a larger stage. Dreadnaught stood out from a lot of the bands on the bill this year as their sound is more oriented toward heavy rock, but this should be seen as a strength and their potential audience appeal is broader as a result. Highlights of their set were Triple J track Pushed to the Limit, Scumbag, Dead in the Dirt and Game.
Pod People were up on the Triple J stage after Dreadnaught, playing a mix of stoner rock and death metal which I enjoyed when I saw them on the same stage last year. However this year I didn't see their set as it was time for another excursion to the bar to meet some friends, followed by a short trip away from the university in search of dinner. Unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances I returned later than planned and missed two of the bands I wanted to see most, Jerk and Psi Kore. I heard very positive reports about Jerk's performance on the Impact Stage which made it all the more frustrating missing their set. Psi Kore no doubt put in a great show as well.
/bloodduster_mftb.jpg
Blood Duster had just fired up when I returned to the Kerrang Stage and they proceeded to secure my vote for best band of the day. In addition to their tight grindcore performance there was constant crowd baiting from vocalist Tony and full nudity from bass player Jason PC, who lived up to his promise in the latest issue of Kerrang to 'get his balls out as often as possible'. Throw in some guitar smashing, dackings, extensive use of a super soaker on the audience and other band members plus other generally offensive behaviour and you have a very entertaining performance. With song titles such as Pornstorestiffi and an album called Cunt, Blood Duster are definitely a band who really don't care what anyone thinks and they obviously don't take themselves too seriously, which is a refreshing change.
There aren't many bands who could follow an act like Blood Duster, but Alchemist were up next and held the capacity crowd riveted with their intricately crafted mixture of atmospheric metal and eerie melodies. Alchemist have a unique sound and blend a number of styles effortlessly, including thrash, death metal, psychedelia and eastern influences. Yoni Kunda is one of my favourite pieces of music by an Australian band and when performed live it always sounds amazing. At one point they had a slow motion circular mosh happening on the floor, which was quite a surreal sight combined with the hypnotic music emanating from the stage. Alchemist held the entire venue spellbound throughout their set and like last year they were one of the highlights of Metal for the Brain.
After a long and tiring day there were still a lot of die hard metalheads willing to show their appreciation for Dungeon's melodic power metal on the Kerrang Stage. The band were in fine form, seemingly unaffected by the late timeslot and putting in a great performance. The Legend of Huma was just one highlight of their set and they finished with a sterling rendition of Iron Maiden's Prowler. The audience reaction proved there are still plenty of punters into old school melodic metal and Dungeon certainly delivered it well.
Astriaal took to the Triple J stage to finish off proceedings, with a fair crowd still in attendance despite the late hour. Down on the Impact Stage Maladiction had just finished their set and Hellspawn were due to play next, but for me it was time to head back to the hotel and get some sleep before a long drive back to Melbourne early the next morning. By this time it was obvious a lot of other people were doing the same as the numbers in the bar were steadily decreasing.
Going to Metal for the Brain XI was a great experience and the organisers (Rod Holder and Adam Agius from Alchemist) did a fantastic job in coordinating the event. It is fantastic to see Australian metal bands playing on a large stage with a quality PA rather than going to a small city pub where the PA is often unable to cope. Many of the acts on the bill were more than capable of stepping up to a larger stage and taking full advantage of the opportunity to showcase their material the way it is intended to sound. Earth, Dreadnaught and Alchemist in particular sound much better on a bigger stage, with smaller venues unable to do their sound justice.
/earth_mftb.jpg
My only minor criticisms of the event were that bar facilities struggled to cope with the steady demand which resulted in long waiting periods and the selection of food available on site was still limited, although a definite improvement on last year. It would also be good to see a few more bands included who play modern styles of heavy music, in the vein of Tool, Deftones and Sevendust. These kinds of bands would add an extra dimension to the lineup and broaden the event's appeal, as the inclusion of Henry's Anger did last year.
Despite these minor gripes I will certainly be back again next year. Metal for the Brain is held for a very worthwhile cause and continues to grow every year. It is also great value for money, considering the ticket price of only $30 allowed punters to see their choice of thirty-eight bands. There is no other event quite like Metal for the Brain. It has a great atmosphere and if you have never been then I highly recommend that you make the effort to travel to Canberra next year.
Related Links:
www.metalforthebrain.com
