Psycroptic are arguably Australia’s greatest extreme metal act. The Tasmanian’s are renowned worldwide for their unique brand of technical death metal. Psycroptic’s 7th album As The Kingdom Drowns is due for release on November 9, 2018 via Prosthetic Records. The album is a ripper and sees the band find an unparalleled balance between scull crushing grooves and out-and-out technicality. I remember the first time I heard a Psycroptic track. The speed of Dave Haley’s drumming seemed beyond the realms of what should be humanly possible, and Joe Haley’s riffs were catchy, yet complex and ultra-precise.  You could argue that Psycroptic in 2018 are far more focused on writing coherent songs in comparison to directions taken in years gone past (2006’s Symbols of Failure being the other extreme) but 15 years later the  hallmarks of their sound still shine through. We Were the Keepers kicks off the album in truly epic style. The band have released a number of tracks ahead of the formal...

You can often guess by the title of a song what you’re going to be in for. Princeloo’s new track, Nights Like This, is no exception. Is it party track, a club jam; a celebration of a good time? All of the above. However, with its Caribbean influences, it’s tropical dance overtones and electro flourishes, Princeloo has managed to avoid predictability and come up with something fresh, amalgamating these elements with his brand of rapping and singing and pop sensibility. He’s helped along by another voice, whose evocative cadences blend nicely with Princeloo’s positive energy, as well allowing for the dynamics to play out throughout the song. Her part in the chorus sections, give the song lightness, as well as a few wistful edges. One’s first impression is to put the track into the dancehall category, it ticks all those boxes, but the production is only part of the appeal. The song has a melodic strength whose lyric is passionately convoked with a straightforward lyric, which despite not ...

The long-awaited return of Tigers Jaw to Adelaide brought many smiles to faces. It had been three years since they had played in the City of Churches, and like last time they enlisted the help of Horror My Friend as a support. Five-piece Superdose Gangway was asked to open up the night. The crowd at Enigma Bar was surprisingly large for Superdose Gangway considering they were the opening act – maybe this is a sign of change in Adelaide that means punters are starting to support the supports more, maybe they wanted a good vantage point for the headliners, or maybe they were just stoked to see a great band kicking off the night. Lead singer Max Tulysewski more than made up for the energy the other members seemed to be holding back a bit as he threw himself around on stage. Their new song Greener Grass went down a treat live, and was just as fun as the video they just released for it. The band declared their love for Tigers Jaw and they played strongly enough to hopefully have left an imp...

Sydneysider vocalist, producer and performer Kid Fiction has already released a single after releasing his debut self titled EP earlier this year. What Defines You  is his latest single that once again brings his DIY genre that has an electronic sound as its base.  From the very first moments in the track you are sent into a dark pleasant crackling soundscape. Kid Fiction’s sweet vocals enter with the lyrics “What defines who you are” – which really gets your thinking caps on. This is then followed by other thought provoking lyrics such as “What changes would you take”. These lyrics throughout the track really add a deeper meaning to the song and a connection with the artist. As humans we try to figure out who we are and what defines us. This track expresses that questioning and confusion. As the track builds up and becomes more heavier, the instrumental backing and vocals coincide with each other. Kid Fiction really brings forth his thinking piece concept into the light. The ...

After reviewing their new album LO LA RU I was excited to see what The Rubens had in store for the night, and which of their new songs would become the next crowd pleasers. But before I could find out Sydney two piece Little May graced the stage. For only two members this girl band sure knew how to move a crowd. They also proved that they too had many loyal fans in the audience as the crowd sang along to some of their favourites ‘Boardwalks,’ ‘Home’ and my personal favourite ‘Dust.’ Once they had finished their set I ran to the bathroom to find a line long enough to test my bladder. After chatting to a few girls in the line it seemed we were all as excited as each other as we hypothesised the setlist. After a satisfying pee and another trip to the bar I made my way back to the crowd to wait for the main act of the night. They came out and the screams were overwhelming. They immediately opened with my personal favourite from their new album  ‘Go On’, which was a perfect choice, gett...