The Haunted (Made Me Do It)

If there's one thing Scandinavian countries are good at, it's metal. If it's one thing Sweden is good at, it's making music with English lyrics that is just so damned good. Mix it together and you get thrash metal legends, the Haunted.

Back in my young and clueless days, my friend was trying to describe to me good metal bands (at the time, my knowledge was solely based on Metallica, Soulfly and Slipknot) and he introduced me to thrash using the Haunted. Ever since then I keep forgetting abou this band until I see someone wear their T-shirt or they pop up on repeat and I go on a crazy listening spree. So guess what, that's about to happen again.

Which is good, because it should get me ready for their Australian tour this year. May 26, the HiFi, 18+.

MySpace

Motorhead

I mentioned a while back that Motorhead and Black Label Society were going to do a co-headlining tour. Well since that news was announced, the dates were taken off the Black Label Society website and replaced with a China tour. So no Zakk Wylde for us (lucky I saw him in Ozzy years ago). However, we still get the masters of thrash, Motorhead:

1st April, Gold Coast Convention Centre.

It's an odd location, what with Brisbane up the road... Apparently tickets are about $100 as well. I'd pay that for the two originial bands, but Motorhead by themselves, on the Gold Coast? It may be a bit too much for me.

Suicidal Tendencies

There were many things Tony Hawk Pro Skating (the video game) brought to popular culture, one of which was skate punk. And one of the greatest songs on the soundtrack (after Primus) was this:

Oh joy. Because of this we went on to form a very short lived band named Suicidal Garden Gnomes (I think we were a band for 4 hours until we gave up). Of course, it was really only the one Suicidal Tendencies album that was skate punk. But it got me into them.

Their main sound is crossover hardcore/thrash/funk metal. Which ticks a lot of boxes for me. A few of the members live in Queensland now, so it wasn't a surprise last year when we got shows on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts. But now we're getting a full fledged Australian tour.

May 12, Coolangatta Hotel
May 13, HiFi

I saw Suicidal play the original Soundwave. Although the lead singer was a bit preachy about Jesus at times, I can tell you they've still got it after 30 odd years of punk life.

MySpace

Soulfly tour

In my geeky, chubby pre-pubescent days, Soulfly was probably that first band that I got into that was completely different from anything else I listened to. I had no idea what it was back then, but their mix of thrash, nu-metal and tribal beats spoke to me. It probably helped they had a bunch of guest stars on their first 2 albums that I liked too.

Although I've drifted away from that geeky and chubby kid, and consequently the music that went with it, I still listen to Soulfly occassionally, including their new album from this year, Omen. It's not bad at all. They'll be touring Omen through Australia this September.

September 7, at the HiFi (18+)

They are also bring out two bands with them, City of Fire, which includes members of Fear Factory and Strapping Young Lad and Incite, which has Richie Cavalera (Max's, the lead singer of Soulfy, brother).