Wednesday 29 April 2009

Brand New "The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me"


The winter chill caresses my face like the touch of a thousand sirens, begging me not to beget my regret and become another remorseful dreamer. Lies are the downfall of any human relationship, no exceptions. What has been said can’t be taken again, nor twisted into a more mutually acceptable knot. The knot is untied and so am I and nothing can tie it back.

Walking is as honest as it gets and I have paced hundreds of midnight miles around the kitchen floor, wearing an oblong and discolored racetrack into the linoleum. If she does know she doesn’t say but tosses and turns every night, and mutters into her pillow. The embers are dead and the house is freezing, a silent and cold ghost echoing with fond nostalgia.

The demons of youth whisper with a once convincing fervor but can be dismissed now by the hand of experience and age. What was considered previously is now foolish but is still looked upon with tender remembrance and a longing for a return to naivety. The longing feels wrong but can’t be denied, instinct is not worth fighting and will always trump rational thought.

I can only consider how far it would have gone if I weren’t found out, how far I would have gone without feeling the sting of consequence. Too many sleepless nights have passed in consideration and acceptance is the only possible solution. Atonement is easy, forgiveness is harder but they are simply the price of the impossibility of permission.

Nothing is learnt by not making mistakes and pain only makes it easier the second time round. Beauty supreme, yeah you were right about me.

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Punk Goes Crap!


Recording cover songs has always been a popular and easy choice for artists representing any genre of music, but the current spate of ‘Punk Goes…’ compilations have really started to represent a very annoying trend in today’s hardcore scene. For those unfamiliar with these titles, the ‘Punk Goes…’ compilations feature a number of popular hardcore or punk bands covering songs relating to the theme of the compilation eg. ‘Punk Goes Pop’ or ‘Punk Goes 80’s’.

My main problem with these compilations is that they really are nothing but a cheap money grab, sold to 15 year old scene kids by virtue of the band names emblazoned across the cover sticker. The creators of ‘Punk Goes…’ should actually feel a little guilty about the high sales of their fairly crap products, as market research has conclusively proven that any kid who owns at least one pair of Macbeths, has 14mm+ stretchers and has been to a Taste Of Chaos event find it impossible not to spend their McDonald’s wages on any product with the words ‘August Burns Red’ physically attached to it. This phenomenon can apply to anything, and was even proven successful in getting this demographic to buy soap and wash their hair.

Despite the achievement of being associated with a Gold-selling compilation, I find it quite puzzling as to why the artists themselves would willfully choose to be involved with the ‘Punk Goes…’ titles. It seems to me that the general point of appearing on a compilation would be to get your band’s actual music some exposure, albeit only through one or two songs (depending on the compilation). Besides the benefit of having your band’s name on the back of the case, it seems very unwise to have your presumed artistic proficiency and integrity represented to your target audience via a mildy-amusing and hopefully very self-deprecating cover of Rihanna. Whilst ridiculously heavy bands covering extremely light-weight Top 40 material can be entertaining, it definitely does not do anything to recommend the covering band’s original material. If your most popular song is a cover it does not mean you are a good band/musician, it means you’re Jeff Buckley.

And we all know what happened to Jeff.

Friday 17 April 2009

An Interview With Ben Rama Trash People


Today we're interviewing the notorious BenRama TrashPeople (yes, that song was written about him) - renowned Australian indie-DJ, CEO of FANS events and slayer of more groupies than Gene Simmon's tongue. Lets see what he has to say...

DAN: Hey BenRama, thanks for talking to me today. Just letting you know this interview will be appearing up on a QUT sponsored blogsite called 'The Gutter Phenomenon" which basically aims to help promote any non-mainstream artists.

BEN: Cool, sounds good.

DAN: Ok, should probably start by asking you what you think of the current Brisbane music scene. Is it large enough to actually get any local bands to a level of national popularity?


BEN: I think the bands are really really good, probably some of the best around at the moment, but it seems to be the culture up here to just hang out in pubs and watch football. The bands are awesome but no one really goes out and sees them.

DAN: So do you think there is enough support for local bands from the general music going public?

BEN: There is a general music going public?

DAN: Apparently.

BEN: I thought it was just me and a few friends.

DAN: So would you then say that you are the indie scene?

BEN: I like indie music.. but about the same as i like all other music. I'm not running out and buying skinny fit jeans. I am getting a hair cut like The Horrors.

DAN: I'm not sure what that looks like. Does it involve a comb-over?

BEN: Nope...like massive hair with heaps of hair spray.

DAN: But you have short hair.

BEN: Thats correct. No, we aren't the indie scene, but it seems to be mainly bands supporting other bands, which is good. But we need more people to go out, see bands, dance around like a dick, pash randoms and fucking party!

DAN: Ummm...you have met me before yes?

BEN: Yes.


DAN: Then you know I am supporting your views on seeing bands, dancing round like a dick, pashing randoms and partying wholeheartedly. But yes, more people should do it to, so we're not so lonesome.

BEN: That's true, so that there are more girls to randomly pash! And bands can be seen more!

DAN: It's not random if it's the same girl 3 weeks in a row.

BEN: Who told you?

DAN: No-one, but the camera never lies. This probably seems as good a point as any for you to tell anyone reading this about FANS.

BEN: You want me talk about FANS?

DAN: You'll have to assume that anyone reading this knows absolutely nothing about it, so explain the concept.

BEN: Ok. FANS started about 8 months ago as an indie club night with bands. The first one we had was with the guys from Bloc Party DJing (at Step Inn) after they played the Riverstage. We have now moved to Alhambra in The Valley and have had people play and DJ like The Music (UK), Bloodhound Gang (USA), Finch (USA), Bluejuice, Philadelphia Grand Jury and so on... We have a few coming up, including a show with Young and Restless playing and Jesse 'The Devil' Hughes (from Eagles Of Death Metal) DJing and then Art vs Science playing too.

We will continue to do messy as fuck indie parties, but we are moving forward as a company and doing new stuff. Like we will be throwing some parties in Sydney and Melbourne soon.

DAN: I heard somewhere you just bought an office?

BEN: Bought?

DAN: Rented?

BEN: We just got an office in The Valley, moved in yesterday and had a party there last night with all the Brisbane bands. Messy as fuck!

DAN: Trashed people?

BEN: Always!

DAN: Where did they ask you guys to set up in Sydney/Melbourne?

BEN: I cant really say where yet, but it is a massive venue in Sydney and we are still sorting out Melbourne.

DAN: Sweet as. So would you be taking Brisbane bands down there, or just be putting on their local bands?

BEN: Hell no. We will be getting bands from everywhere for that but we are taking buses down full of our friends and bands just to come party in Sydney once a month.

DAN: What kind of attendance would you expect from the Sydney and Melbourne scenes for FANS events?

BEN: Sell outs. Same as we get up here.

DAN: Is there any sort of comparison to be made between the Brisbane scene and the Sydney or Melbourne scenes? Or are they all about the same?

BEN: It's been a while since I've been in Melbourne but Sydney definately has more of an indie following, bands are bigger and there are way more venues. Brisbane definately has a lack of venues that bands can play in.

DAN: So do you think thats maybe why Brisbane has less audience support for local bands? Or just that Sydney residents are way more into their indie?

BEN: It's not just about indie, it's all music. Unless you are an R'N'B DJ or a stripper there are hardly any venues for you to perform.

DAN: So true. Would you ever think about incorporating strippers into your live performance?

BEN: I was going to do it last year at Good Vibrations but it didn't end up happening. I would love to do a club show in a strip joint though.

DAN: Actually, last time i saw your whole set you were surrounded by 4 shirtless men at all times. It was a little gay.

BEN: Ha ha.

DAN: Maybe FANS can move to Love & Rockets or the $2 jerk booth strippers.

BEN: Dude, FANS at Love & Rockets would be sweet. We would have to get the right bands for it.

DAN: Eagles Of Death Metal would be badass there. So sleazy. Jesse 'The Devil' Hughes is a strip club.

BEN: Thats what i was thinking! DZ from Brisbane would be good for that, maybe The Mess Hall.

DAN: I can't actually remember what they sounded like, but i'll take your word for it.

BEN: Just really dirty!

DAN: You couldn't really have dance bands.

BEN: Nope.

DAN: Or real folky bands.

BEN: Dirty dirty dirty rock bands! That could be ok.

DAN: Do you think Alahmbra may eventually become too small to contain all the FANS and that you might have to shift to a bigger venue?

BEN: Were you not at FANS on sunday? It's too small now.

DAN: Yeah, it was freaking packed.

BEN: We had a queue for like 2 hours.

DAN: I know. I didn't want to go outside in case I had to go back through the line.

BEN: It's the same every time we do a show, but we love the feel of that venue and the sound is right for us.

DAN: The sound was really, really good on Sunday.

BEN: It's starting to feel like our home, but we are doing shows at other venues.

DAN: I know you did one kinda thing at Rosies, but where else?

BEN: We did one at Step Inn.

DAN: Shit. Yeah forgot about that one, that was the first one with Bloc Party. Step Inn was way too small for that.

BEN: And we did a co-present at Thriller, but all of the normal FANS shows will now be at Alhambra but we will do special one off events at different venues.

DAN: I think Tivoli is kind of the same vibe as Alahmbra.

BEN: I agree.

DAN: Might be nice to do one there.

BEN: We will look at doing something at the Tivoli in about 9 months.

DAN: For local bands or an international touring artist?

BEN: Hmmm..something. Maybe both, maybe neither.

DAN: Ha ha.

BEN: It's actually both.

DAN: Because normally it seems you'll get the famous band to DJ and let all the smaller local bands do their normal thing, which is cool because everyone comes to hang out with the famous people and the local kids get some serious exposure.

BEN: Everyone come out to see me crack my head open. And yeah, thats why we do it that way, some of the locals we have had are now getting some massive support.

DAN: Means your doing something right then. Would you like to descibe the head cracking incident to anyone reading this and which lead singer of which local band was wholly responsible for your subsequent concussion?

BEN: Ha ha. Dommy Rocket! From The Rocketsmiths! BASTARD!

DAN: I heard it was a suplex?

BEN: He tried to put me on his shoulders.

DAN: And failed?

BEN: And then let me go. And then landed on top of me.

DAN: And then you had to be carted off in the ambulance?

BEN: Yeah. A night in hospital, some pain killers and some head scans later - I'm ready to do that shit again!

DAN: That's how hard the parties at FANS go off.

BEN: FUCK YEAH! If you haven't been to FANS it is a seriously dirty, sweaty, messy party! Like the best house party you have ever been to, except unlike a house party Bloc Party, Eagles of Death Metal, The Music and The Fratellis come and hang out!

DAN: I'm sure anyone who's cool enough to read this blog will be cool enough to come out and get destroyed at FANS. I'll probably leave it there.

BEN: Cool.

DAN: Is there a good link or a webpage or something people can go to to get info on FANS?

BEN: http://www.fansclubnight.com/

DAN: Thankyou very much for talking to us today BenRama.

BEN: Fuck off cunt. No problem dude!

DAN: Ha ha, thanks man.

Visit www.fansclubnight.com for more information on upcoming parties. Swear to God it's better than Cloudland and the FANS guys need your money to afford hookers and crack.

Thursday 16 April 2009

Why Zao Are (Probably) The Best Heavy Band Ever


I must admit, when I first heard Zao I absolutely hated them. The song was called trashcanhands, it appeared on an early Solid State compilation and I thought it was absolutely rubbish. Then again, at the time I thought almost all the bands appearing on that particular compilation (including Blindside, Extol and Training For Utopia) were laughable crap.

Over the following years, as my preferences progressed away from Creed and 3 Doors Down and headed towards the heavier end of the musical spectrum, my appreciation and enjoyment for the aforementioned Solid State bands and their equally heavy heathen counterparts gradually increased. Sadly though, even when my tastes had progressed to the point where I was listening to Dillinger Escape Plan to chill-out, I still didn’t manage to make an effort to try out Zao again. This seems a little strange as generally I make an effort to check out the stated influences of many of my favorite bands and Zao’s name was thrown around quite a bit in regards to this. This effort is generally propelled by my incessant urge to be the biggest music snob in the world, able to name-drop derisively and claim that almost all current metalcore is a rip-off of something At The Gates wrote 15 years ago.

Anyways, it was finally a trip to my local indie music stockist, a sudden onset of overwhelming curiosity and an excess of weekly dispensable income that led me to purchase my first Zao-brand item, the ‘Lesser Lights Of Heaven’ DVD. I will gladly admit that my initial reasons for purchasing the DVD were its intriguing cover art and the alluring, handwritten promo sticker affixed to its shrink-wrap, stating something about how Zao had ‘invented metallic hardcore’ (indicating potentially effective name-dropping opportunities).

I hurried home, eagerly unwrapped ‘Lesser Lights’, popped the concert disc into my DVD player and immediately regretted my decision. The sound quality was extremely poor, the singer was fat, had a hideous Misfits-style haircut and kneeled for almost all the set. The drummer used almost no cool ‘double-kicks’, the clean vocals were off-key and the guitar parts were knock-offs of old school Slayer. I ejected the DVD and dejectedly placed it in my pile of ‘What Was I Thinking!’ impulse purchases, which included Fall Out Boy’s “Infinity On High”, a bright green Mohawk beanie and the Ab Swing.

Fast forward to a couple months later and whilst searching for something new to watch, I came across the DVD again, and being in an extremely forgiving mood I decided to give it another go. This time I chose to watch the very lengthy documentary covering the history of Zao as a band, from their inception in 1993 to their state of hiatus in 2007.

Suffice to say I was absolutely transfixed by the engaging and heartbreaking story recounted to me by the personalities appearing in the documentary, from the quietly damaged Dan Weyandt to the outspoken and obnoxious Jesse Smith. The perseverance and complete passion for music which has kept Zao alive was extremely inspiring and the sheer amount of blood, sweat and tears which has fueled their continued existence left me feeling very lazy about my own musical endeavors. Hearing Dan tell the stories from his life which informed Zao’s lyrics had me captivated and slowly filled me with some sort of self-insistence, demanding that I must become a Zao fan, whatever the cost.

With this forced perspective now obscuring my musical preference, I once again attempted to watch some more of the concert footage contained on ‘Lesser Lights’. Strangely this time it started to make sense. I found some sense of catharticism in the oddly simple guitar riffs, a saddening sense of rage and loss in Dan’s vocals and a genuine feeling of honesty imbuing the music presented to me. Perhaps it is my inbuilt Australian mentality to always root for the underdog but I began to feel a strong sense of connection with the odd music and ever-changing line-up of the entity which is Zao. To this day I still have an enormous soft-spot for Zao, which has led me to slowly collect almost all of their musical output, from the album with their ‘original’ line-up, 'All Else Failed', to their split EP with Training For Utopia. In fact, if it were to be announced that Zao’s new and soon-to-be forthcoming album ‘Awake?’ was recorded on dictation tape, featured only one original song and ten remixes with guest vocals from Lady GaGa I would still buy it. Hell, I’d order the special edition with the free coffee mug and Zao mouse pad off Zambooie.com.

When it comes down to it, my continued love affair with Zao is based completely upon their individualistic determinations and the fact that their music can legitimately scare the crap out of me. Originally touted as a ‘Christian band’, Zao have always drawn fire from the conservative Christian sect due to their black metal-ish sound and their adherence to a more liberal take on Christianity. Conservative Christians still seem to think rock’n’roll is of the Devil, so a self-proclaimed Christian band with a singer who actually sounds like Satan was always going to be a controversial topic amongst this demographic. The insane darkness of Dan’s lyrics and his unintelligible snake-like delivery is genuinely frightening, but I personally believe that if Christian metal bands are going to attempt to bring a fire-and-brimstone approach to their message it should be frightening. Too many Christian bands already exist who attempt to enforce a fire-and-brimstone message with the effectiveness of brightly colored illustrations in a children’s picture Bible.

Basically, no other band in existence can replicate Zao’s iconic sound and style, nor present a more inspiring case of perseverance against all odds. The fact that Zao are still around and recording today is a miracle and hopefully more than their small but dedicated fan base will begin to appreciate this fact. In this day and age there are far too many As I Lay Dying and Underoath clones floating around and not enough band’s attempting to walk the individual and unpopular path Zao have trod their entire career. So listen to some freakin’ Zao because they need the money and they are indeed (probably) the best heavy band ever.

Wednesday 8 April 2009

mewithoutyou "Brother, Sister"


I am awoken by a light sprinkle of rain, kissing my forehead like gentle fireflies. The boat rocks back and forth as I sit up, settling as quickly as it had started and resuming a gentle drift northward.

The sky is purple and black, an ominous mural of caged elemental fury, crackling with angry sparks of white. The fog has settled to a low cluster around my boat, laying across the waves like the ghost of lost sailors searching for land. The ghost is thinning, pulled apart slowly by the gentle wind and forced to spread its searching tendrils amongst the expanse of infinite sea.

The eye of the storm is the safest place to float, but the ominous thunder of chariots and wrath promise no security on the other side. My body is covered in ink blue tattoos, a reminder and an identification of self for a sailor lost at sea. A floating body can still be identified by its wrinkled tattoos, but all the time in the world couldn’t provide enough ink to give me a name.

Nothing lays below me but the boat and the empty depths and nothing lays above me but the sky and the empty depths.

The fog is clearing.

Wednesday 1 April 2009

As Cities Burn "Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest"


Clouds of red dust billow across the barren plain, engulfing the blackened and skeletal remains of a few scattered trees. The tower bell tolls behind me, resonating mournfully through the decrepit remains of the old wooden church, a sad reminder of old hopes. The congregation lays dead and decomposing inside, a tribute to plague and my own broken sense of empathy and honor.

Holistic living does not guarantee a bridge to heaven if your thoughts are still deemed to be impure but it certainly does help with your own sense of self-importance. Whilst outwards debauchery is punishable by a lifetime in exile, hypocrisy ensures a lifetime of false comforts and an eternity of ruin. The inner circles of Hell are ignorant to the fact that every Sunday was spent in the front pew and are simply hungry for the other six days spent in a maelstrom of sin.

A church full of hypocrites only answer to themselves and every attempt to dissuade them was met with the venomous force of a thousand loose tongues and the threat of ex-communication. A black robe and a scattering of rosary beads do not signify a leader, but rather a puppet for the most vocal majority. Strings were knotted and actions were forced upon me that I still cannot defend, nor forgive.

I try to remember what the wooden cross around my neck once stood for but fall short of anything but abandonment. As always, this emptiness leads me into a parallel with the last days of Christ himself, but I dismiss this again as a heretical delusion of grandeur. Christ was only forsaken for his last hours but I have been forsaken my whole life by anything except a few scraps of scripture and a sliver of ill-advised fantasy.

As fervor turns to a genuine sense of doubt, it is only time that stands between me and the apocalypse.