Embodiment 12:14 scored the national support however their metalcore (for want of a better word) stylings left me somewhat cold. They seemed to get the folks up front in the mood though & did perform ably enough even with their keyboardist having to borrow Soilwork’s gear at the last minute.

There were a lot more people here for Killswitch Engage than I had expected & they certainly gave the faithful what they wanted. Being one of the new breed of American metal bands (along with the likes of God Forbid, Shadow’s Fall, etc.) they had a strong blend of punchy riffs, strong guitar work & an imposing frontman who knew how to work the crowd. Despite the quality of the ingredients though I found that the end product was missing a bit of spice as there wasn’t anything that really stuck in my head afterwards & I felt that their set lost a bit of its momentum due to excessive between song banter about being in Australia for the first time which, while sounding genuine enough, wasn’t really necessary.

Having witnessed Soilwork’s storming show at the Gaelic Club barely a year ago, I knew what to expect & the Swedes didn’t disappoint. Being the leaders (along with In Flames) of the melodic death metal sound that Gothenburg has become famous for, they didn’t disappoint. Juxtaposing heavy memorable riffing & growls with catchy, clean-sung choruses & keyboard lines the band creates a dynamic, multi-faceted sound that has the capacity to appeal to many without betraying its own power. Frontman Bjorn “Speed” Strid as usual keeps his between song banter to a minimum, preferring to let the music do the talking & his voice cannot be faulted. Mention also to bassist Ola Flink for his maintenance onstage of a stronger presence than we often find from bassists, his tall, lanky frame & long hair & beard stalking the stage proudly sporting a vintage Motley Crue t-shirt with what I perceive to be less irony than one might suspect.

Eight years after their last visit to these shores Anthrax burst onto the stage with “What Doesn’t Die” from their excellent latest album We’ve Come For You All & proceed to deliver a high octane set from go to whoa, proving without doubt that they deserve their legendry status in the pantheon of metal. Having always been the underdog in the “Big Four” of thrash metal (along with Metallica, Megadeth & Slayer) tonight we see just how many great tunes these guys have delivered over the last 20-odd years, from thrash classics like “Caught in a Mosh”, “Metal Thrashing Mad”, “N.F.L. (Efilnikufesin)” and an awesome version of “Among the Living” to later, equally brilliant stormers such as “Room For One More”, “Fueled” and personal favourite “Only”. The rhythmic interplay between original members Charlie Benante (drums) & Scott Ian (rhythm guitar) is tight, sharp & dynamic and special mention must go to stand-in bassist Joey Vera who after only two weeks notice filled in for the recently departed Frank Bello. The sound is well mixed tonight & the performance is punchy; excess fat has been trimmed away & we are left with pure meat & bones metal. Vocalist John Bush leads this assault commandingly, prowling the stage, climbing speaker stacks (& even pulling off a tasty somersault into the crowd near the end) but never wavering vocally. All up this is one of the best nights of metal I have seen in a long time & all the bands can take a bow, Anthrax especially making a fine return to these shores.

What better night than Good Friday to watch a bunch of satanic Scandinavian Death ‘n’ Rollers like Entombed…? Obviously a lot of people shared this sentiment as the Gaelic Club was packed to the gills well before local openers Daysend took to the stage with their finely crafted melo-death in the Swedish style. This band are a fine, tight unit with a strong presence from frontman Simon as they belt out tracks from their Severance debut as though the gig were their own; “Severance Day” & personal favourite “Born Is The Enemy” are just two highlights & whilst the band should be complimented as a unit, I truly enjoyed watching lead guitarist Aaron Bilbija who has an at times inspired relationship with his instrument.
By the time Entombed hit the stage the Gaelic Club is a veritable sweat-box & just getting across the room for a cooling drink from the bar is all but completely futile. The five-piece receive a thunderous welcome & proceed to beat us senseless with their unique rumble; there’s no flashiness to be found here, just a group driven to wring the necks of their own compositions – at times just hanging on – without sacrificing the liveliness & power contained within. Vocalist L-G Petrov lurches around the stage, his short & stocky frame drenched with sweat and his hair plastered to his face from continual headbanging. His between song banter is often indecipherable from where I stand but I don’t think this really matters. Songs like “Retaliation”, “Wolverine Blues” & “Chief Rebel Angel” do all the talking & the band treat us to a bit of pretty much everything from their 15-odd year recording career. The band seem relaxed yet still inject an edginess into the songs whilst maintaining their trademark groove. Alex & Uffe pull so many great riffs out of their guitars but save just a little extra for the last: the title track from their seminal debut Left Hand Path; it seems as though the crowd have saved that little bit extra too & when it’s done it feels as though both band & crowd are happily spent. Come back soon, yes?

SEVENDUST (+ Sunk Loto & Full Scale) – Hordern Pavilion - Sydney - 27/03/04
Review by Nick

It has, I think, taken Sevendust three attempts to get here & with the groundswell generated through those prior near misses – including numerous (nu-)metallers prepared to buy Creed tickets for the promise of the ‘dust as special guests – it is surprising to see the Hordern scaled down in size to floor & rear seating only with the side seating curtained off. There are still a respectable number of punters here tonight but there seems to be something missing in the energy department.
Full Scale do their best to alleviate this & frontman Ezekiel Ox, undeniable in his energy & exuberance, manages to generate a strong response from the faithful down front; unfortunately though their energetic hybrid groove doesn’t really carry throughout the venue tonight & they aren’t what they could be. This has a lot to do with their set being both plagued with technical problems & too full of new, unheard material. They are still worth watching in the future though.
Sunk Loto have obviously won the locals over before even playing a note if the reaction to their arrival is anything to go by; unfortunately I cannot see what all the fuss is about. Sure, they are competent & deliver a fired up take on nu-metal but nothing sticks & in my mind there is a distinct lack of originality – all the pieces are being shoved into all the right places but not much else. Next.
Sevendust delay their arrival so that their on-line hook-up to loved ones back home can be set & when Rolf Harris’ “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” rings out over the PA one – whilst allowing oneself a slight chuckle – gets the feeling that this opening is premeditated as more than just a cute nod to their audience; with a flash & a crash the band are onstage pummelling us with “Black” & so begins a tightly choreographed show that would have serious life-deficiency issues were it not for the impassioned soulfulness of Lajon Witherspoon’s amazing voice. Let it be said that the band are tight & get the primarily teen crowd shouting & bouncing & so on & so forth but without that voice the identity they have created for themselves would diminish severely. Conversely, let it also be said that guitarist & primary songwriter Clint Lowery more than holds his own in the vocal department & in this capacity was one of few surprises this evening.
“Denial”, “Enemy” & “Live Again” are all trotted out in what is a very professional show that just unfortunately lacks a little in the charisma department. The most heartfelt moment comes with Lajon’s dedication of “Angel’s Son” to his baby brother – the recent victim of a fatal drive-by shooting. The pace slows, the lighters are held aloft & a tender chorus rings through the crowd.
There was nothing wrong with this show but also nothing that will be remembered or held onto for any great length of time. Also, someone has to tell these bands that we really don’t need ham-fisted attempts at Metallica covers, etc. in the name of an “encore”.

Whilst not being so much into the nu-metal style as the more traditional forms of metal, I was looking forward to this gig; thankfully the bill consisted of some of the more interesting bands in this genre – including the oft-credited (blamed?) originators, Korn. For me it was essentially a Static-X gig with a couple of high-profile supports as this was their first visit to Oz & I had seen both other bands previously (Korn once, FF four times).
The young nu-metal crowd were out in force with baggy trousers & bad haircuts in abundance. I was in new territory as this was my first visit to the still relatively new “Enormo-dome” at Homebush & once I had negotiated the strict security, bought a shirt & found something to quench my thirst I had missed opener Sunk Loto’s set. Not being a fan I wasn’t too fussed & took my time finding my seat.
Having seen Fear Factory just a couple of weeks prior as the unannounced (pleasant) surprise guest at the Big Day Out I knew what to expect. The band’s set was much the same as for the BDO but seeing them indoors (even in an enormous cavern like this one) was better than seeing them pre-lunchtime outdoors & as such the songs seemed to have a greater impact with tracks like “Shock” & “Replica” being standouts. That said, the new-look FF didn’t seem to be at 100% tonight but this could just be that they still need to settle in a bit. New track “Cyberwaste” is a more streamlined & aggressive sound than we’ve heard from the band in a while so this bodes well.
Next up: Static-X who, as mentioned, I had primarily been looking forward to. Having picked up on these guys by chance a few years back with their debut Wisconsin Death Trip I have kept an eye on them ever since & notice that they seem to be getting a bit more attention since their involvement on the ‘Queen of the Damned’ soundtrack & the release of their 3rd – more melodic, read: accessible – album Shadow Zone. The accessibility of this album is not a bad thing as the band retain their identity whilst adding some new colours to their palette & don’t sound like they’ve sold out. Tonight they drive hard with up-tempo numbers like “Push It”, “Get to the Gone” & “I’m With Stupid” seeing bandleader Wayne Static & guitarist Tripp Eisen criss-crossing the stage with abandon (& almost colliding a few times in the process!) whilst newer tracks like “Destroy All” & “Shadow Zone” have the crowd singing along, shouting & bouncing as if this were their own show. I had no idea that they were so well known here & was glad as this increases the chances of their coming back for their own shows.
Finally we come to Korn, or should I say finally they arrive onstage. After an extended wait the band launch into a streamlined set devoid of between-song banter & somewhat predictable (safe?) song selections. Tracks like “Blind”, “Got the Life”, “Right Now”, “Here to Stay” & “A.D.I.D.A.S.” are all delivered flawlessly but something seems to be missing. The energy level has dropped from the level set by Static-X & there is, for my money, a lack of emotion in the delivery. The lights are great & all the moves are executed as designed but it feels like the band aren’t really excited to be here. Jon Davis disappears behind the backline between every song (oxygen tank or something more sinister?) & has what appears to be a personal bodyguard standing in full view for the entire set by the drum riser. These negatives didn’t have me leaving my seat & heading to the bar, however I doubt I will be jumping for a ticket the next time they tour (unless they bring Static-X again!) as this looked to me like a band that is riding their reputation & suffering as a result (much like their recent recorded output).
All in all a good night though & I must say that I hope we see more of these multiple international bills as this format would allow more bands to get to Australia who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance & there is certainly the audience here to receive them.

METALLICA (+ The Datsuns) – Sydney Entertainment Centre, 21 Jan 2004
Review by Nick, Photos by Troy

There is (it seems) an unwritten rule for gigs that you don’t go wearing the shirt of the band you are going to see; I personally have generally followed this rule with only a couple of exceptions over the years…
Metallica are one of only a couple of bands where this rule does not apply! (The other perhaps being KISS.) So it is that the walk from Central to the great concrete barn that is the Sydney Entertainment Centre is teeming with them, their respective wearers all with a singleness of purpose not often seen these days: to bow before the spectacle of their heroes & go absolutely batshit!!!... and this is essentially what happened.
Arriving too late to catch The Datsuns did not really disappoint as I too had this singleness of purpose (though it is interesting to note the variation that the “going batshit” theme undergoes with the passing of time! Still it was that an eager scurry to seats was made in preparation for this long-awaited return of one of the true greats of not only Heavy Metal but contemporary music in general.
After some AC/DC ringing out over the Ent Cent sound system as pre-show music served to get the crowd sufficiently hyped, the familiar “Ecstasy of Gold” intro music signalled that the 6 year wait was over – Metallica were back!!! Opening with the unrelenting thrash blast of “Blackened” was a statement of intent – here was a band reenergised: leaner & meaner than ever. The opening salvo also included amped-up renditions “Fuel” and “Seek & Destroy” before slowing down a little for my favourite part of the show – “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” back to back with “The Thing That Should Not Be”. Only then were we treated to new tune “Frantic” which seemed (regardless of all the critical backlash over the St Anger album) to go over well with the sellout crowd.
New boy Robert Trujillo certainly wasn’t shy & was a sight to see bounding all over the stage & scuttling about in his trademark “crab walk” whilst tearing the notes out of his bass & was welcomed by even the staunchest Cliff fans (or so it seemed). The rest of the band were firing on all cylinders: James alternating between his commanding growl & what sounded like a genuine (& gentler) appreciation for the welcome they received; Kirk roaming back & forth across the stage adding his trademark licks & solos to the thick mix & grinning all the while; and Lars hanging over his kit as much as playing it & making his bet attempt at marrying the two positions of frontman & drummer.
The set list took in a little of everything (except the Load album) & thankfully wasn’t too weighted toward the new stuff; in fact it was moreso the opposite as there was only three numbers from St Anger given an airing tonight.
An amazing version of “One” brought the house down (almost literally with all the flashpots & explosions going off) and after the 2nd (or was it 3rd) encore the band still didn’t seem to want to leave – they were wandering about & chatting to the front rows well after the house lights came up.
As expected, this was not a gig to simply see & hear – this gig was felt!... long after leaving the venue.

Sepultura’s importance to heavy music cannot be understated. As bands like Metallica, Slayer, Testament et al were thrashing it up on the US west coast & others like Death, Morbid Angel & Obituary were taking heavy music into further unchartered realms from a Floridian base with the advent of Death Metal, these four Brazilians were mixing up the two whilst stirring in some of their unique South American influences to freshen things up even more. Their first couple of albums were fairly rough affairs but even in the beginning one could see the potential of this band and by the time of their 1991 album ‘Arise’ (the band’s 4th full-length) they had well & truly broken through. To this day the band’s show at the Hordern in 1992 on the ‘Arise’ tour remains one of the most awesome, crushing shows I’ve had the pleasure to attend.
The band has always refused to rest on its laurels & even after the departure of frontman Max Cavalera (which many fans saw as the end of the band) the remaining members (along w/ replacement vocalist Derrick Green) have forged on, strengthening their sound in the process.
It is a fired up Sepultura that greets the Roundhouse tonight with every member of the band on top form. Derrick is a commanding presence on stage & whether he is bellowing a war cry like “Sepulnation” or growling out an old death-thrash classic like “Arise” he is a sight (& sound) to behold. Strapping on a guitar for certain tracks to thicken up the sound he & the rest of the band are a stronger, tighter band than Max’s current outfit Soulfly were in this same venue not so long ago.
With an even mix of old classics (incl. “Territory”, “Dead Embryonic Cells”, “Biotech is Godzilla” & “Roots Bloody Roots”) & newer material like “Against”, “Mind War”, “Choke” & their cover of U2’s “Bullet the Blue Sky” no fan coul have left disappointed. I know it has certainly opened my eyes to Sepultura Mark II and I am glad I caught this show.