men belong in the kitchenThere are very few musical events - concerts or festivals – that truly get my engine revving. Sure, Big Day Out, Homebake and the like always pull one or two bands that I absolutely adore, but there is no Australian event that comes close to Soundwave. As a metalhead, this is a one-stop-shop for music that will not only blow my head off, but also have me walking away muttering non-sequiturs about the burning of Norwegian churches (Note: I do NOT endorse this behaviour, but I do love Burzum none the less).
My previous experience with Soundwave went a little like this:-
-A giant cue snaking its way through Newtown
-Dehydration
-Mud
-Most importantly, a hill and moshpit full of people going wild to “Wish You Were Here” and “Pretty Fly for a White Guy”
Now there is absolutely no doubting the pulling power of both Incubus and The Offspring, who are massively successful, highly respected and highly loved bands, but they do not compare to what the promoters of the 2011 Soundwave Festival have got install for us.
With 69 bands (yes, correct, not just a number pulled for the sake of yet another laugh) set to play the 2011 Soundwave Festival, there are too many to discuss, so instead I have put together a shortlist of bands I am most excited about seeing perform at Soundwave.
1.Iron Maiden
Need I talk to this at all? One of – if not the – most recognisable heavy metal bands of all time, now midway through their fourth decade of playing and producing skull-rattling, mind-melting and ear-warping heavy metal, there is nothing that can top Iron Maiden headlining. Having seen them in 2008 when they toured for the first time in 20 years, one of the items on my bucket list was checked off. To have a chance at seeing them again, well, what can I say? With a two hour headlining set planned, this is by far the most amazing thing that will happen at Soundwave.
Most anticipated track:- Can I Play with Madness
2.Slayer
Along with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, Slayer pioneered the thrash metal subgenre, which is characterised by unrelenting aggression and fast tempo. The chance to see one of the “big four” thrash metal acts in Australia is something I just cannot pass up (and by doing so, yet another “to do before I die” dot point will be crossed out). There is simply no match for Slayer when it comes to Thrash, and I truly look forward to experience an all out assault on my eardrums by these Metal Messiahs.
Most anticipated track:- Reign in Blood (cliché, yet so amazing)
3.Terror
It surprises me that Terror have pulled such an early set-time, considering the pulling power of the LAHC powerhouses in the hardcore scene. While not the greatest of fans of their music, I am excited to once again be a part of an amazing crowd experience – with Terror renowned for their wild moshpits and fun onstage banter.
Most Anticipated track:- Out of My Face
4.Rob Zombie
Many people will have heard the name, yet very few will realise that the man behind the remake of Halloween is actually the front man of the highly successful metal outfit of the same name. The band are known for their wild lyrical content (bordering on insane at points) and funky yet impossible to label style of heavy metal. With a range from groove metal to industrial metal, this is a set that will please a range of metalheads, and will keep me talking for months.
Most anticipated track:- Iron Head
5.Slash
Have 5 characters come together to form such perfection any other time in musical history? I can’t think of a time.
6.Sum 41
I am willing to delve into the nu-age punk scene on occasions, and have been caught on numerous occasions rocking out the pop-punk tracks that Sum 41 are known to produce. There is one reason that above all else that Sum 41 are so successful – they tour like crazy. It is good to see a band so devoted to its fans whilst continuing to produce music that doesn’t sound as though it is coming from my neighbour’s doghouse. Of course, it will also be fun to yell “sk8rboi” at the band throughout the set.
Most anticipated track: In Too Deep
7.Dimmu Borgir
It is rare that Australia is blessed with high-quality black metal acts gracing our shores. With the arrival of Dimmu Borgir comes the end of a black metal drought. With piercing screams that rival those produced by Maria Sharapova, and corpse paint that is almost as attractive as that worn by Gene Simmons, this is a set not for the faint-hearted. Black metal in general scares a lot of people, and only those who truly love the genre are recommended to witness this ear destroying set.
Most anticipated track: The Serpentine Offering
8.The yet to be announced local act
On top of the aforementioned bands, there are a host of other huge acts that could just as easily be headlining the festival – New Found Glory, Stone Sour, Sevendust, MxPx just to name a few – but one of the most impressive things about the Soundwave festival is their commitment to supporting local talent. More importantly, many fans that make it through the gates in time are straight to the stage to support the band and get right behind them. Not only are the promoters bringing in the best of the best, they are also supporting the grassroots. A win for the band and for the fans.
There are of course, other things to look forward to for the 2011 Soundwave festival: a great new venue (Olympic Park), a timetable with very few clashes (for me at least, but who cares about anyone else’s timetable), the bringing together of the old (Saxon, The Sword, Slayer) and the new (Mayday Parade, Foxy Shazam) and a day full of amazing metal and hardcore.
There isn’t much more that this metalhead could ask for (except maybe for Judas Priest as well).
My previous experience with Soundwave went a little like this:-
-A giant cue snaking its way through Newtown
-Dehydration
-Mud
-Most importantly, a hill and moshpit full of people going wild to “Wish You Were Here” and “Pretty Fly for a White Guy”
Now there is absolutely no doubting the pulling power of both Incubus and The Offspring, who are massively successful, highly respected and highly loved bands, but they do not compare to what the promoters of the 2011 Soundwave Festival have got install for us.
With 69 bands (yes, correct, not just a number pulled for the sake of yet another laugh) set to play the 2011 Soundwave Festival, there are too many to discuss, so instead I have put together a shortlist of bands I am most excited about seeing perform at Soundwave.
1.Iron Maiden
Need I talk to this at all? One of – if not the – most recognisable heavy metal bands of all time, now midway through their fourth decade of playing and producing skull-rattling, mind-melting and ear-warping heavy metal, there is nothing that can top Iron Maiden headlining. Having seen them in 2008 when they toured for the first time in 20 years, one of the items on my bucket list was checked off. To have a chance at seeing them again, well, what can I say? With a two hour headlining set planned, this is by far the most amazing thing that will happen at Soundwave.
Most anticipated track:- Can I Play with Madness
2.Slayer
Along with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax, Slayer pioneered the thrash metal subgenre, which is characterised by unrelenting aggression and fast tempo. The chance to see one of the “big four” thrash metal acts in Australia is something I just cannot pass up (and by doing so, yet another “to do before I die” dot point will be crossed out). There is simply no match for Slayer when it comes to Thrash, and I truly look forward to experience an all out assault on my eardrums by these Metal Messiahs.
Most anticipated track:- Reign in Blood (cliché, yet so amazing)
3.Terror
It surprises me that Terror have pulled such an early set-time, considering the pulling power of the LAHC powerhouses in the hardcore scene. While not the greatest of fans of their music, I am excited to once again be a part of an amazing crowd experience – with Terror renowned for their wild moshpits and fun onstage banter.
Most Anticipated track:- Out of My Face
4.Rob Zombie
Many people will have heard the name, yet very few will realise that the man behind the remake of Halloween is actually the front man of the highly successful metal outfit of the same name. The band are known for their wild lyrical content (bordering on insane at points) and funky yet impossible to label style of heavy metal. With a range from groove metal to industrial metal, this is a set that will please a range of metalheads, and will keep me talking for months.
Most anticipated track:- Iron Head
5.Slash
Have 5 characters come together to form such perfection any other time in musical history? I can’t think of a time.
6.Sum 41
I am willing to delve into the nu-age punk scene on occasions, and have been caught on numerous occasions rocking out the pop-punk tracks that Sum 41 are known to produce. There is one reason that above all else that Sum 41 are so successful – they tour like crazy. It is good to see a band so devoted to its fans whilst continuing to produce music that doesn’t sound as though it is coming from my neighbour’s doghouse. Of course, it will also be fun to yell “sk8rboi” at the band throughout the set.
Most anticipated track: In Too Deep
7.Dimmu Borgir
It is rare that Australia is blessed with high-quality black metal acts gracing our shores. With the arrival of Dimmu Borgir comes the end of a black metal drought. With piercing screams that rival those produced by Maria Sharapova, and corpse paint that is almost as attractive as that worn by Gene Simmons, this is a set not for the faint-hearted. Black metal in general scares a lot of people, and only those who truly love the genre are recommended to witness this ear destroying set.
Most anticipated track: The Serpentine Offering
8.The yet to be announced local act
On top of the aforementioned bands, there are a host of other huge acts that could just as easily be headlining the festival – New Found Glory, Stone Sour, Sevendust, MxPx just to name a few – but one of the most impressive things about the Soundwave festival is their commitment to supporting local talent. More importantly, many fans that make it through the gates in time are straight to the stage to support the band and get right behind them. Not only are the promoters bringing in the best of the best, they are also supporting the grassroots. A win for the band and for the fans.
There are of course, other things to look forward to for the 2011 Soundwave festival: a great new venue (Olympic Park), a timetable with very few clashes (for me at least, but who cares about anyone else’s timetable), the bringing together of the old (Saxon, The Sword, Slayer) and the new (Mayday Parade, Foxy Shazam) and a day full of amazing metal and hardcore.
There isn’t much more that this metalhead could ask for (except maybe for Judas Priest as well).
