Melbourne’s progressive heavy music scene is in fine form in 2012 and how better to celebrate than to combine the force of three of its finest on an impressive triple bill. This March, longstanding genre leaders Twelve Foot Ninja and Jericco will be joined by newcomers, Circles on the national ‘Swarm Tour’.

 
Twelve Foot Ninja suspected their live performance was sufficiently honed when they were invited to support international acts Periphery (US) and Tesseract (UK) last year, and prompted Periphery founder /guitarist Misha Mansoor to tweet jubilantly “Twelve Foot Ninja are basically one of the best live bands I have ever seen in my life. Holy f*** they are tight”.
 
 As they put the finishing touches on their debut album, due mid-2012, you can just sense that something big is on its way. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of Australia feels the full force of what Twelve Foot Ninja are bringing to the game.

Meanwhile, after three years together, 137 blistering live shows, 8 festival appearances and a stack of sold-out headlining gigs, alternative rock maestros Jericco are gearing up to offer their adoring fan base a taste of things to come.
 
With two successful EPs and one live album up their sleeve, the five-piece will release the second single – The Art Of Illusion – from their forthcoming debut album on March 1st 2012, just in time to coincide with ‘Swarm Tour’’s commencement.

Finally, relative newcomers Circles, will lend their unique take on progressive metal to the ‘Swarm Tour’ bill. Momentum came quickly for the 5-piece, when they caught the attention of UK’s Basick Records (home to Monuments & Aliases) who promptly signed the band and released their debut EP The Compass in 2011 to critical acclaim.

 SWARM TOUR – MARCH 2012Twelve Foot Ninja, Jericco & Circles
(+ local supports)

Mar 1   – The Basement, Canberra
www.oztix.com.au

Mar 2   – The Patch, Wollongong
www.oztix.com.au

Mar 3   – The Annandale, Sydney
www.annandalehotel.com

Mar 10 – Enigma Bar, Adelaide
www.moshtix.com.au

Mar 24 – Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne
www.evelynhotel.com & www.moshtix.com.au

Mar 29 – Mac’s Hotel, Melton
www.ticketmaster.com.au & the venue

Mar 30 – Ferntree Gully Hotel, Ferntree Gully
www.ticketmaster.com.au & the venue

Mar 31 – Pelly Bar, Frankston
www.ticketmaster.com.au & the venue

www.twelvefootninja.com
www.facebook.com/jericcoband
www.circlesband.com

Press release:

He’s back. The comic wizard with worldly insights into the bleedingly obvious returns to our shores armed with more issues than an occupy movement. Steve Hughes tells it like it is – confronting, alarming and always hilarious.

Expect intelligent, straight-talking social commentary from one of the Festival’s most original and thought-provoking performers.

Over 11 years ago one of Australia’s greatest heavy metal drummers, Steve Hughes, put down the sticks and picked up the microphone. Since then he has received international acclaim and is considered one of Australia’s greatest comedy exports. He returns to Sydney with his biggest and best show yet!

Steve Hughes – Big Issues (Melbourne)
April 19th – 21st, 2012
Melbourne Town Hall – Main Hall
Cnr Swanston & Collins Sts, Melbourne
Tix: Full $28 – Concession $25 – Group of 6 (or more) $24

Steve Hughes – Big Issues (Sydney)
Fri 4 May, 2012
The Enmore Theatre
118-132 Enmore Road, Sydney
Tix: Premium $44.90 – Reserved A/B $34.90/$29.90 – Concession $29.90

Tickets on sale now!

Melbourne – www.comedyfestival.com.au/2012/season/shows/big-issues-steve-hughes

Sydney – www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/index.php?view=details&id=433%3Asteve-hughes&option=com_eventlist&Itemid=55

For more information on the Melbourne International Comedy Festival or Sydney Comedy Festival, simply check out the links below:

Melbourne – www.comedyfestival.com.au/2012/season

Sydney – www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au

Filmed on location at Melbourne’s Palace Theatre. The music video was directed by Gareth McGilvray at McGVideoCore.

Keep up to date with Elm Street via their official website, Facebook and Twitter.

Website: www.metalelmstreet.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/metalelmstreet
Twitter: @metalelmstreet

After a killer month of guest hosts (including the likes of Opeth and Cavalera Conspiracy) triple j’s program for all things heavy, The Racket, now has a new host.

Holding off some stiff competition, 24-year old Brisbane local Lochlan Watt will take over the reins on Tuesday February 28.

A metal aficionado, Lochlan has a strong media background and plenty of experience as a musician himself as vocalist/drummer/synth player for Western Decay, The Surrogate, Ironhide and current post-hardcore outfit Nuclear Summer.

His past work with publications like Death Before Dishonour magazine, Drum Media, Blunt and No Heroes Magazine has already seen him interview some of the biggest names in heavy music like Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Parkway Drive, Lamb of God, Damaged, Gojira, Napalm Death and Despised Icon.

Next Tuesday (Feb 21) you can catch the last of a series of guest shows as Scott Kelly from Neurosis and John Baizley from Baroness co-host The Racket. Then tune in as Lochlan begins his reign over The Racket at 10pm on Tuesday 28 February.

Blast kudos to Lochlan Watt for scoring the honourable position on Triple J’s ‘The Racket’. All of us at Metal Obsession wish him the best of luck!

Make sure to catch Lochlan’s first show on Tuesday 28th, February on Tripe J.

www.abc.net.au/triplej/racket

The new track can now be streamed in its entirety via ReverbNation for your ear socket pleasure.

‘The Inception Darkness’ has been mixed and mastered by Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios in Denmark. The album will feature eight tracks, two special guests and will be available this February.

Stay tuned to Eyefear’s Official Facebook page for further updates – www.facebook.com/pages/EYEFEAR/132949741398

HELLYEAH – Tom Maxwell

You might think of the phrase “HELLYEAH!” for what you say when you get excited and agree to something, such as when your mate wants you to go out for drinks with him. You have to have that attitude and say “HELLYEAH!” instead of “Yeah, sure.” Not only is that phrase good for agreement or excitement, but it also represents the American supergroup HELLYEAH, which features members of Pantera/Damageplan, Nothingface and Mudvayne. The Southern-styled groove metallers are doing their second Australian tour as a part of the huge Soundwave Festival line up, as well as a couple of shows off that festival with Black Label Society, Black Tide and Holy Grail. As the amazing festival gets even closer, Patrick Emmett talked to the Nothingface member of the band, Tom Maxwell, about the next HELLYEAH album, Soundwave Festival, his side-project Knives Out, the late-great Dimebag Darrell and plagiarism.

Tom Maxwell: Hey man, how you doing?

Metal Obsession: Hey Tom, not bad thanks, just feeling a bit sick at the moment. How about you?

Tom: Yeah, me too man.

Metal Obsession: Really? How come?

Tom: Ah y’know, the flu. It’s winter here so it’s going around.

Metal Obsession: That’s no good.
So I heard Hellyeah have finished recording a new album. Can we expect to hear some new songs played at Soundwave?

Tom: Ah, we’ve actually discussed this, and it’s definitely possible. I mean, the album is still about 4 months away from release. But if we do, we’re probably just gonna do one song, if we even manage to pull it off. There are so many songs that we like to play live, but it’s definitely something that I wanna do. I’ve talked about it to the guys, and everybody is open to it, so we’re just gonna start rehearsals next week and then jump right into it, see if we can pull one of the new ones out. It’d be a great place to debut it down under at Soundwave.

Metal Obsession: It’d be kind of hard fitting more than one song into a half an hour set I guess.

Tom: Yeah, that’s the one downside. I mean, half an hour set, you only get about what, five or six songs? Including the ranting inbetween songs, so time gets eaten up pretty quickly. We obviously have certain songs that we have to play, but I really would like to play atleast one new song. We have a couple of shows that we’re doing inbetween Soundwave shows with Black Label Society, and we’ll have a little bit longer of a set, so we’ll be able to squeeze a few more songs in then.

Metal Obsession: Where’d you get the inspiration to write metal songs with cowboy/country influence in them?

Tom: Ah, I’m not too sure. We’re only talking about a couple of songs that actually pull in a sort of southern, Texas kinda musical vibe to them. The rest of the songs are pretty straight forward, whether it’s heavy or it’s straight up drivin’ rock. But I dunno, I mean, I don’t think we really thought about it, it just kinda came about y’know? When you’re sitting around playing acoustic guitar, sometimes you’ll play a riff, you’re not paying any attention to what you’re doing, and somebody else will time in on it and say “Hey, what’s that riff?” and it just kinda builds from there. I don’t think it’s something that we set out to do on purpose; I think it’s just coming from the territory.

[Editors note: "Alcohaulin' Ass" off HELLYEAH's debut self-titled album in 2007]

We’re a pretty close group of guys and we just like to hang out and party, and a lot of those party songs are a direct resort of that mentality. Coming from our previous bands such as Pantera and the other guys from Mudvayne, it’s a much different style of music. The first two records were kind of experimental for us, we didn’t want to focus on trying to be like where we came from, so all those songs just kind of happened.

The new album is a little bit different; we kind of went back to our roots on this record y’know? You’re not really gonna get any kind of southern twang, or anything like Alcohaulin’ Ass or Hell of a Time. There’s nothing like that on our new record, it’s pretty balls out wild and really heavy.

Metal Obsession: Last time Hellyeah were in Australia saw the band play three 18+ shows on the east-coast of Australia. Do you feel better about playing more states and to bigger crowds that will have a lot of younger metal fans on this tour?

Tom: I like playing both, y’know the 18+ crowds are great, but fans are fans, whether they’re 18 and over or under 18. But personally, I like all ages shows where anybody can come in and see the band, I think everybody deserves to go see their favourite band or a band that they’re very fond of. Usually the older crowds are more about getting drunk and stuff that younger crowds can’t really partake in. But y’know, the festivals are always fun; much bigger crowds, a lot more bands, you have more friends to hang out with, but it doesn’t really matter to me. A show is a show, whether you’re playing to an older crowd or an all age crowd, so I really don’t have a preference.

Metal Obsession: Tell me a bit about your other band Knives Out. I noticed your debut album with them came out on Valentine’s Day, but I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet.

Tom: Well that record was written about three years ago. When we came off the first touring cycle for the first Hellyeah record, we had about a year and a half off. I didn’t want to sit home, lie around and not play music, so to kill time, I called up some of my buddies from Baltimore where I live and we just got together to do something for fun. Then after that, we just kept going, we just kept writing, and then we went into the studio and recorded this record.

We didn’t really do anything with the record. People knew about it from just talking to us, passing the songs back and forth to friends and stuff. But we felt like it was a good record, it’s really heavy; it’s kind of like the soundtrack to the end of the world. It’s really vicious, and the lyrical content is kind of extreme. It was really made just for fun, we got together and we just threw down really hard, and we wanted to write something that was just crushing, violent and very, very aggressive.

So y’know, we did the Knives Out thing, then the other guys in the band were like “Let’s put it out ourselves.” So the singer of that band and the other guitar player formed a little independent label, pressed some copies, and pretty much put it up digitally. The rest of the band are more than welcome to take it, go on tour and do what they want with it, but it’s just a one off kind of thing, and we just wanted to get it out there so people could hear it.

Metal Obsession: Over the years, who do you think has caused the most trouble on and off the road in Hellyeah?

Tom: That’d probably be me [laughs]. Um, yeah I could probably say that it was me. Me and Chad, we’re both pretty much the same person, in a different body obviously. Everybody in this band has a strong personality, but we don’t really cause trouble, we just get ourselves into trouble [laughs]. And that comes with obviously a lot of beer and liquor, late nights and having too much time inbetween shows, or even too much time out on stage, making ways to entertain ourselves. Luckily nobody has been hospitalized or put in jail… Yet [laughs].

[Editors note: "Cowboy Way" off HELLYEAH's 2010 release Stampede]

Metal Obsession: I know that Vinnie Paul was in Pantera and is Dimebag’s brother, but how close were the rest of Hellyeah to Dime?

Tom: Um, nobody knew Dime except for me. Obviously, Vinnie of course was his brother and Bob, our bass player was very close to Dime too. He played in the band Damageplan with Vinnie and Dime, so he was probably the closest to him. I knew Dime from when Pantera took my old band Nothingface out on tour, and that’s how I got to meet and get close to Vinnie and Dime. But Chad and Greg I don’t think ever had the opportunity to meet or hang out with him ever.

But he was a great human being, and he is definitely missed very much by all his fans and his friends. He was such a unique soul and I’m very fortunate that I got to spend the little time that I did with him. But other than myself, I think that Bobby was probably the closest to Dime than the other guys in Hellyeah (besides Vinnie).

Metal Obsession: Speaking of Pantera, I have to ask a serious question. There are a lot of bands who rip off other peoples designs for their merchandise these days. One of those bands is Heroes for Hire from the Soundwave line-up. They put the Pantera “Vulgar Display of Power” album cover on their shirts and changed it to Heroes for Hire “Vulgar Display of Pop Punk”, with a photo of their lead singer getting punched in the face by a bouncer faded into it. What do you think about bands who do this stuff?

Tom: Ah, I think its plagiarism y’know. I think people should just come up with their own fuckin’ ideas. It’s no different than somebody going upto a painting and re-creating it themselves, changing it enough to call it their own. It’s not really their painting, it’s just a rip-off. It’s also kind of like music and everything else that’s out there, it’s just regurgitated. Hip-hop music for example, it’s just samples of other peoples hits; it’s just a way that they can make money off of it.

It’s kind of sad y’know; I think people should come up with their own music and come up with their own art, try to be original and not take the easy way out and copy somebody else’s ideas. I mean, there’s nothing you can do to really stop people from doing it, but obviously you’re gonna have to from time to time. It’s like when people take your music illegally off the web; it’s just what we do for a living.

You don’t go to work, put in time and do everything that you do to make your money to not get paid. It’s no different, y’know what I mean? You work and you get paid for it. You’re putting your hard work into it, and there are other people that are ripping off your ideas, trying to capitalize off of it, its pussy if you ask me.

Metal Obsession: So do you think Vinnie would like the shirt I was talking about?

Tom: I don’t know man; I really can’t speak to him about it, or speak for him about it. However, I don’t think he would be happy. I mean, what if you did something, you came up with an original idea that you were very proud of and had success for, and then somebody came and took your idea, and manipulated it just a little tiny bit, and they started making money off of it. Or if they were just taking the idea, would you be happy about it?

Metal Obsession: In most situations, not really.

Tom: Well there you go! There’s your answer.

Metal Obsesion: Last question. If you could date one girl from any metal band, who would it be and where would you take her?

Tom: If I could take any girl from any metal band out on a date, is that what you’re saying?

Metal Obsession: Yeah.

Tom: Ah, I think that Lzzy Hale from Halestorm, I think she’s pretty cute. I’d probably take her out to eat, get some sushi, drink some liquor and wine.

Metal Obsession: Any famous last words?

Tom: Famous last words… Um, I’m just really thrilled that we’re coming back to Australia. It’s one of my favourite places to play. Everytime me and the rest of the band come down here we are welcomed with open arms. The fans, the people, the country itself are just amazing and I love it. We’re really excited to come back down there and play, we really don’t get a chance to hang out very often, and this is an exciting run for us coming down to play Soundwave with a lot of bands that we’re friends with. We’re playing to a much bigger audience and y’know, we’re just gonna bring the heat man.

I’m looking very forward to Soundwave, I’m very happy, and very honoured to be a part of the festival so we can come down and kick ass for you guys.

Metal Obsession: It’s been a pleasure talking to you mate, thanks for that. I’ll see you at Soundwave Melbourne!

Tom: My pleasure, thank you very much!

Check out HELLYEAH at Soundwave Festival and sideshows!

BRISBANE: 25TH FEBRUARY – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ RNA SHOWGROUNDS / SOLD OUT

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=246313265416952

SYDNEY: 26TH FEBRUARY – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ OLYMPIC PARK / SOLD OUT
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=233867790003182

TUESDAY: 28TH FEBRUARY @ THE FORUM, MELBOURNE – 18+

http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/1300483187DC2A85?artistid=857623&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=60

THURSDAY: 1ST MARCH @ THE METRO, SYDNEY – LICENSED/ALL AGES

http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=BLACKLAB12&v=MET#.TxUYh5jaYfE

MELBOURNE: 2ND MARCH – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ MELB SHOWGROUNDS / SOLD OUT
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=243654682348739

ADELAIDE: 3RD MARCH – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ BONYTHON PARK
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=279093168779036

PERTH: 5TH MARCH – SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ CLAREMONT SHOWGROUNDS
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=282403391778781

The video was put together by Max Cavalera and video director Thomas Mignone, with cinematography by Peter Leininger, special effects makeup by Maggie Hunter, production design by Hanna Dryland and post-production by Christopher Neil. and is created with various scenes showing humanity’s different perspectives of historial events, coinciding with the lyrics.

Soulfly’s new album is down out in March, you can pre-order it on iTunes now, and find out more information about it in our recent interview with Max Cavalera.

Official Facebook page for the “Fuck the World” Australian tour

The main focus of the package is a 40-minute feature documentary that tells the story of the solo-project that became worldwide phenomenon. From recording to live footage, interviews, touring and just straight up debauchery, the film covers every facet of the DEEZ NUTS experience. As a bonus to the main feature, the DVD also includes a full live set from the Destroy Music Tour, and two music videos.  The CD component of the package includes the now out of print “Rep Your Hood” EP and “Stay True” LP.

Along with the release, they’ve announced details of an Australian tour.

F#*K THE WORLD AUSTRALIAN TOUR
with Special Guests PHANTOMS and THE BRIDE

Thursday 5 April – Tempo Hotel, Brisbane (18+) *
Tickets through Oztix             1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets

Saturday 7 April – The Annandale Hotel, Sydney (U18 Day / 18+ Night)
Tickets through the venue             02 9557 2166      , www.annandalehotel.com.au, Oztix            1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets

Monday 9 April – Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong (AA)
Tickets through Oztix             1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets

Thursday 12 April – EV’s Youth Centre, Croydon (AA)
Tickets through Oztix             1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets or Fist2Face             03 9095 7911

Friday 13 April – The Espy Gershwin Room, St Kilda (18+)
Tickets through www.espy.com.au, Greville Records, Polyester Records, Espy Bottleshop on             1300 762 545       and Fist2Face             03 9095 7911

Saturday 14 April – Karova Lounge, Ballarat (18+) **
Tickets through Moshtix on             1300 438 849       or www.moshtix.com.au and Moshtix outlets

Tuesday 17 April – Musicman Megastore, Bendigo (AA)
Tickets through the venue on             03 5443 3299      , Oztix            1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets

Thursday 19 April – Old Gaol, Mt Gambier (AA)
Tickets through Oztix             1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets

Friday 20 April – Fowlers Live, Adelaide (Lic / AA)
Tickets through the venue on             08 8212 0255      , www.venuetix.com.au, Moshtix on             1300 438 849       or www.moshtix.com.au and Moshtix outlets

Saturday 21 April – Amplifier Bar, Perth (18+) **
Tickets through Moshtix on             1300 438 849       or www.moshtix.com.au,www.heatseeker.com.au and Heatseeker outlets

Sunday 22 April – YMCA HQ, Perth (AA) **
Tickets through Oztix             1300 762 545      , www.oztix.com.au and Oztix outlets

Tickets on Sale Monday 20 February at 9AM
* Phantoms not appearing  |  ** The Bride not appearing

Pre-Order deals and bundles for the release are available now at outlets listed below.

F.T.W PRE-ORDER PACKAGES

Option 1: “F#*K THE WORLD” DVD/CD + T-Shirt + Dog Tag + Sticker – $35 via UNFD
Option 2: Signed Copy of “F#*K THE WORLD” DVD/CD – $21.99 via JB HiFi Online

There are a few different things to expect in Lamb of God’s new album. Each member has challenged their musical abilities to create one of their toughest albums yet, with a few twists and turns. One of the main differences would be noticeable to most guitarists/bassists; some of the songs are tuned down to Drop C# instead of the usual Drop D, which to me was a fairly big risk, but it worked well.
Opening up the album is one of Randy Blythe’s ferocious, unique sounding yells to a somewhat doomy, slammy intro song called “Straight for the Sun”, which is tuned even lower than the rest of the album and is down to Drop C. If you’ve heard their song Redneck, you’d notice the second track “Desolation” has a Redneck-vibe to it. It’s mainly the flow of the song that gives the song the Redneck vibe, but it is most noticeable in the chorus. Either way, Straight for the Sun and Desolation were a monstrous way to start the album and kept me interested in listening to the rest.

I have two favourite tracks from the album, and one of them is the first single “Ghost Walking”. The acoustic riff to start the song followed by the rest of the band is a real kick in the face, and the southern, groovy influence shown on the song instrumentally is incredible. A big reminder of Pantera to me, only tuned lower. My other favourite song on the album called “The Number Six”, and no, the title isn’t a reference to where the song is placed on the album. Being one of the few songs tuned back up to the usual Drop D, the song sounds a lot more like stuff off their Sacrament album, with a chorus to never forget, and whilst being heavy, also shows a softer, darker side.

With a count to four to open the song, track 9 “Cheated” is one of the couple of tracks showing the twists and turns I was talking about near the start of this review, mixing their own sound with a high amount of punk rock influence. One of the other things on the able that you probably wouldn’t expect to hear if you’re a Lamb of God fan, is the epic, orchestral, blackened ending to the album; the near 7 minute track named “King Me”. The band took their own sound, and combined it with symphony and an opera singer to back their music up. In their words, they were “trying to sound as black metal as possible without actually being black metal”, and I thought it was very interesting.

To me, Lamb of God seems to improve all the time in my opinion and that is definitely shown on Resolution. The main thing they have proven musically is that they’re not a band to do the same thing they previously done, as they stuck to their signature sound and experimented with it, throwing in other influences into their sound. Personally, I think its Lamb of God’s best album, and I don’t see why any new listeners or people who have liked their previous albums would dislike it.

9/10

Band: Lamb of God
Album: Resolution
Year: 2012
Genre: New Wave of American Heavy Metal
Origin: Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Label: Roadrunner Records

Track listing:
1. Straight for the Sun
2. Desolation
3. Ghost Walking (reviewers choice)
4. Guilty
5. The Undertow
6. The Number Six (reviewers choice)
7. Barbaraosa
8. Invictus
9. Cheated
10. Insurrection
11. Terminally Unique
12. To The End
13. Visitation
14. King Me

Turisas – Olli Vänskä

 Hailing from Finland, Turisas are the quintessential viking metal band of the 21st century. Infusing sophisticated elements or power and symphonic metal. Forging epic tales of Scandinavian folklore and history.

Metal Obsession’s Anwar Rizk had the pleasure to speak with Turisas violinist, Olli Vänskä about the band’s return to Australian shores for the Soundwave Festival.

Olli Vänskä: Hey Anwar! How are you doing?

Metal Obsession: I’m great thanks, Olli. How are you?

OV: I’m very good, thank you! Greetings from a wintery Finland.

MO: I assume you’re freezeing your ass off at the moment?

OV: At the moment its only minus 7 degrees.

MO: Only?!

OV: Yeah. [laughs] It was minus 27 last week. Is it summer back home in Australia?

MO: At the moment its summer. However, Queensland and Sydney have had terrible weather. Melbourne is great at the moment.

OV: Ah cool!

MO: Before we get into the interview I want to try my hand at some Finnish I learned this afternoon. [awkward pause] Hyvää iltaa, Olli [Translation: Good evening, Olli]

OV: Hyvää iltaa, Anwar! Excellent.

MO: Good. I said it right. [laughs]

OV: Thank you is, kiitos.

MO: Kiitos, Olli.

OV: Where did you learn it from?

MO: Google of all places. [laughs]

OV: [laughs] Excellent.

MO: What are your personally expectations of Turisas returning to Australian shores?

OV: Well, I’m expecting great things, I guess. We did a small run of headlining shows back in 2010. I think we did Melbourne and Sydney…or was it Sydney and Brisbane?

MO: It was Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

TURISAS – Battle Metal (Live). Taken from the DVD “A Finnish Summer with Turisas”.

OV: Yeah! That was a great experience and a great opportunity to come to a different continent and play a country we never have before. There was a lot of people there and the reception was kind of  overwhelming and I was happy with that. Actually, back then the organisers [Soundwave Touring] were very impressed with us. They promised to book us on an upcoming Soundwave festival and it happened this year. We’re almost there so I’m very much looking forward to it.

MO: How did you gauge the reaction of Australian audiences?

OV: I guess you could say there was a bit of British influence. Similar to the audiences in the UK. I don’t know the right adjective to use. Not to civilized and not overly drunk. It was great and the over all reaction was really nice.

MO: I know when Turisas usually do festivals. You have a scenario where you all vote for certain songs to be played at each show? Is this something you’ll be doing for the  Soundwave festival?

OV: Well, we only have a 30 minute set so it limits you a bit. There is a couple of songs that we would guess people would like to hear. We’re not necessary going to play all the audience’s favorite songs. We have this certain framework that we work with and we think the audience will like. This will also include a couple of classics and a couple of new songs as well. Its nothing super exciting.

Don’t get me wrong. We would love to play a 60 minute set where we can have more variety. Its kind of useless to go to Australia and only play b-sides or song 5 and 6 from the first and second album. Its good if the audience have a connection with all our songs. But of course, we don’t want it to be a jukebox either. I guess we will just build a solid list that will hopefully entertain everyone.

MO: I take it ‘Rasputin’ will be requested by a lot of people?

TURISAS – Rasputin. Taken from the single “Rasputin” (2007)

OV: Yeah. Maybe, maybe not. Rasputin’  is like one of those ‘Smoke on the Water’ moments, you know? Its not even our own material, its actually a cover song. But we’ll see. If the audience is going well and they request it, I guess we will have to play it. But we’ll see about that. There is a lot of solid stuff in our catalogue of songs and we’ll most likely play the title track of ‘Battle Metal’ and include some stuff from the new album [Stand Up and Fight] and perhaps ‘Rasputin’. Who knows? [laughs]

MO: I actually got my first taste of Turisas live at Summer Breeze in Munich, Germany last year. In terms of stage presents is there anything new you’ll bring for Australian audiences?

OV: Thank you! I’m glad you had a good time at Summer Breeze. Well, we actually shaved Netta Skog’s head and she also grew a pair of balls and plays keyboard now. [laughs] We actually have these two new guys. Robert Engstrand is playing keyboards and Jukka-Pekka Miettinen [ex- Ensiferum] is playing bass. We went for a make over in the fall.

Netta is no longer in the band anymore which means no more accordion, but there is roots in our keyboard sound. We aren’t doing the typical power metal cliches, but we are bringing that rooted hammond organ sound into it. We did a long tour in the fall and the band is sounding really solid. It went down really well on the UK and European tours. I’m confident that Australia will like it a lot too.

There is a lot more singing now which is great, plus both guys are really great dudes. In terms of that there is a small change, but nothing overly dramatic.

MO: Hopefully the ridiculous jetlag won’t affect you in any way.

OV: [laughs] Oh yeah! I guess we have one day off there, so maybe that will help. I hate…I mean…I hate flying, I don’t hate touring. Its the worst thing you can do in your life. Well, not flying. Its more of the waiting at the airport, I guess. These are one of the first problems I have when touring. I hate flying. Here I am whinging. I’m coming to Australia and I’m whinging. [laughs]

MO: [laughs] Don’t worry. I know how you feel. After traveling nearly 26 hours from Australia to get to Wacken Open Air in Germany the last two years in a row. I realise how painful flying can be at times. Yet its so rewarding once you arrive.

OV: Yeah, exactly. Last time we flew it was with Singapore airlines, I think. The service on that flight was ridiculously good. I’m not sure who we’re traveling with this time. I’m not quite sure. Its really weird when you look at it from the European point of view, from a globe or map.

You don’t think its that bad. First you go to Asia, then you head to Australia and don’t think its that bad. But its like “What the hell!”, you know? From say, India or China its only 10 or 11 hours flight to Australia from there. I mean the perception is really weird. [laughs] You think to yourself “Well the continents are so close to each other on the map” but then you realise its a terrible amount of time to spend on a plane to get there.

MO: Any chance of sampling our beer or women while in Australia?

OV: If I wanted to try Australian women? Yeah, sure! Why not! I sound like a man-whore. [laughs] I’d actually like to see a platypus and a koala. Perhaps even marry a Koala. Is it legal or illegal to have a Koala as your bride in Australia?

MO: [laughs] It is illegal. However, I don’t think that has stopped anyone from trying.

OV: [laughs] They’re so cute and cuddly and so great to look at. I don’t think it would be normal to hug a platypus, would it? Have you ever hugged one?

MO: They are semi-aquatic mammals, so they spend a lot of time near water. I did pat one when I was a kid and it was quite wet and slippery.

OV: That sounds very weird. Very weird! Patting a wet platypus. Its also strangely erotic at the same time. [laughs] I’m a zoophilian…or a naturephile, maybe. I just want to see all these animals before they’re all extinct, you know? I do hope they don’t get wiped out before I get there. That would be terrible. But to see these animals would be great. To see a kangaroo would be amazing as well.

We’re staying in Sydney or Perth for a couple of nights. Somewhere like that and I’m wanting to arrange a holiday of my own when I’m there. I’ll probably spend some extra time there and have my own personal holiday. Maybe even see a bit of the country side as well.

TURISAS – Stand Up And Fight. Taken from the album “Stand Up And Fight”. (2011)

MO: Time to ask a serious question. Australia is highly regarded as a conservative country when it comes to music. At times people tend to judge a band purely on image. I guess a lot of people would see Turisas and generalise the fact that you dress up in viking attire, wear corpse paint and sing about raping and plundering across the land. If you were put in the position to explain Turisas to a rather conservative audience. What would you say to them?

OV: I think our message is a very positive one. We don’t have one ideology that we preach or anything like that. Musically, we write about history. Its kind of like, know your history, so you can learn from it. That kind of point of view. There is a lot of that insight in our music, but there is also that kind of personal touch which involves drunken Fins. [laugh]. There is this kind of…well, epic seems to be a word a lot of people use for all the wrong reasons. I guess you get that sense of “epicness” in Turisas‘ story telling. But there is also a party atmosphere that is there in our music to lighten the mood. Our stage shows are a mixture of both worlds in that sense. We’re not only about pillaging and raping. I mean it might come in handy now and then to put it in our lyrics, but we are not trying to portrait a cliche viking thing, you know?

The whole folk metal scene has bloomed in a a rather ridiculous way. Everyone seems to be singing about sword fighting and that doesn’t interest me, anymore. Its kind of like so many well known European folk metal bands are actually genuine viking metal band, yet everyone else is trying to copy them. I mean they have fucking Brazilian bands who are playing viking metal and its as fake as it can be, you know? I mean no offense to these bands, but they should do something on their own from their own culture. I mean every country has a great history and culture. They all have a heritage of their own,  so why sing about vikings?

I don’t want to tell any cliched viking stories, anymore. I mean from a historical perspective we have done an album. The second album [The Varangian Way] was about a historical journey from Scandinavia down to the Mediterranean. That was more of a historical concept and a form of story telling in the album. I think there is a lot more than meets the eye. If you only see the red and black corpse paint or war paint, you will get the wrong image of the band. But its a good way to distinct ourselves from everyone else. I mean its not like a folk metal version of black metal, its just a costume. I mean it would be ridiculous to go on stage in a clown costume and sing about history. I guess in that sense our stage costumes help to bring down the threshold and help everyone understand the story a little more. The costume is part of the whole experience. This is a very long answer to such a simple question. [laughs]

MO: Its better to have to much information than not enough. On that note, I better let you go. Any famous last words, Olli?

OV: Well, its going to be great coming back to Australia. Just make sure you come see us nice and early. Is this for radio?

MO: Online. Webzine. 

OV: Ok Cool! Tell your readers that we’re in Sydney and Brisbane opening at ridiculously early times. We’re opening on stage 4B in both Sydney and Brisbane at 11:00am, so I hope the readers of Metal Obsession and our fans can make it there nice and early with their Star Bucks coffee. Ready at the front of the stage, curing their hang over with Scandinavia’s best and finest battle metal band….TURISAS!!

Its an early show time at Soundwave, so don’t be late!

MO: Hyvää iltaa, Olli. [Good evening, Olli]

OV: Hyvää iltaa sinulle. [Good evening to you to]

Make sure to catch Turisas nice and early at the Soundwave Festival.  You can get the full list of band set times at the Soundwave website – www.soundwavefestival.com

Make sure to catch TURISAS along with CATHEDRAL and  PARADISE LOSTin Sydney and Melbourne.

Cathedral, Paradise Lost, Turisas Australian Tour 2012 – Soundwave Sidewaves

Wednesday 29th February Sydney, the Factory – Lic/Aa
Tickets: http://www.oztix.com.au / http://www.factorytheatre.com.au

Thursday 1st March Melbourne, the Espy – 18+
Tickets: http://www.oztix.com.au

www.turisas.com

SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL VENUES AND DATES – FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012

SATURDAY 25th Feb – BRISBANE, RNA SHOWGROUNDS – SOLD OUT!
SUNDAY 26th Feb – SYDNEY, OLYMPIC PARK – SOLD OUT!
FRIDAY 2nd March – MELBOURNE, SHOWGROUNDS – SOLD OUT!
SATURDAY 3rd March – ADELAIDE, BONYTHON PARK
MONDAY 5th March – PERTH, CLAREMONT SHOWGROUND