The crazy carnival of souls affectionately known as Soundwave rolled through Brisbane last weekend, bringing with it all the metal carnage we’ve come to love about this festival.
A few general notes first: caps should definitely be doffed to the festival organisers who once again executed a well-planned and, for the most part, smooth-running event – out of the 30-odd bands I saw only a small handful came onstage late and even then it was only by five minutes. Next, to the geniuses who developed the Soundwave app, thank you; it made planning both days so easy and I got to see a ton of bands I wouldn’t have without that piece of technological wizardry.
Click here for photos from Day 1 SW15 Brisbane.
Now, on with the show…
Soundwave Day 1
Near-perfect weather greeted festival-goers on Saturday – sunny with clouds, not too hot but in true Brisbane style, the humidity was high. After collecting tickets and getting through the gate, which was relatively hassle-free, I spent the early afternoon mostly in the lower arena checking out some of the lesser-known acts and artists I’d heard a lot about but hadn’t had the chance to see live.As a fan of older, classic metal, there were heaps of newer bands I’d honestly never heard of but was keen to see. With so much on offer I wasn’t able to stay for all of everyone’s sets but managed to get across a good variety of bands.
The Wonder Years
Under the marquee covering the punk/ hardcore stage 3, this Pennsylvanian pop-punk band was rocking a sizeable audience of loyal fans; not a bad turnout considering the early slot. After ‘Passing Through A Screen Door’, lead singer Dan Campbell offered a heartfelt apology for cancelling last year’s planned tour; judging by the crowd’s response, it was happily accepted and grievances quickly forgotten.Nonpoint
Across the way, Florida nu-metal band Nonpoint were delivering a brutal set on stage 4. I was initially drawn by vocalist, Elias Soriano’s voice which has a quality and style similar to Jonathan Davis. These guys were fantastic but unfortunately I could only stay for one song, ‘The Truth’ because over on main stage 2, the Finns were taking over.Apocalyptica
Finnish classical-metal maestros, Apocalyptica, were a welcome surprise so soon in the afternoon. I wasn’t familiar with them beforehand but seeing as I’m a sucker for both metal and classical music, they made a quick fan of me. After playing ‘I Don’t Care’ with Adam Gontier on vocals, they launched into an all-cello rendition of Sepultura’s ‘Insurrection Symphony’. For their finale, they played one of my all-time favourite classical pieces, ‘In The Hall Of The Mountain King’ by Edvard Grieg, interspersed with a little ‘Advance Australia Fair’ for good measure.Twin Atlantic
Next on stage 1 in the main arena were Scottish band Twin Atlantic who, with their upbeat pop-rock, were a world apart from the symphonic metal of Apocalyptica. I stayed for a few songs, including ‘Hold On’ and ‘I Am An Animal’, before heading back down to the metal stages for a band I was particularly keen to see and hear for the first time.Animals As Leaders
A lot of hype preceded this instrumental trio from Washington D.C. whose music is often generically labelled as progressive metal, but defies specific categorisation due to the impressive array of styles and genres they seamlessly weave into their songs. How I’ve never heard of this band, I have no idea because they absolutely blew me away; guitarist Tosin Abasi is surely some kind of supernatural being because the way he manipulates his guitar with expert precision and technique is nothing short of godlike. The sweeping arpeggios and harmonic squeals, combined with blasting beatdowns and jazz/ fusion-esque solos made Animals As Leaders one of my top picks for the festival, a big call considering I’d only been there for two-and-a-half hours at this point.Killer Be Killed
Once I found out ex-Sepultura and Soulfly frontman, Max Cavalera, was part of this supergroup I just had to check them out. Cavalera looks basically the same only slightly larger but still rocks just as hard as he always has. With amp stacks draped in a Brazilian and Australian flag, they played ‘Wings Of Feather And Wax’ while whipping the crowd into a rabid circle pit.
Killer Be Killed - Image Lachlan DouglasTonight Alive
I came across Sydney band Tonight Alive completely by accident strolling past the entrance to the show ring. Vocalist, Jenna McDougall was belting out ‘Wasting Away’ and until now I hadn’t seen a band with a female singer, so it was down into the main arena for what turned out to be a pretty entertaining and even dramatic show. McDougall called on fans to approach the stage for high-fives during a song, apparently a common occurrence at their shows, but security got heavy-handed, much to McDougall’s chagrin who was visibly and very vocally unimpressed by the fracas. Just when I was thinking Tonight Alive is not really my cup of tea, they did a cover of ‘Killing In The Name’ and I have to say, the enchanting Ms McDougall channels the raw anger and social outrage of Zach de la Rocha beautifully.
Tonight Alive - Image Lachlan DouglasThe Vandals
It was time for some fun and I found it back at stage 3 with The Vandals who, even though they must be in their 40s now, still rock out like a bunch of kids who forgot to take their Ritalin. Short, fast and funny punk with an Australian flavour was the order of the day with their version of Mark ‘Jacko’ Jackson’s ‘I’m An Individual’ and something called ‘Dinky Diarrhoea’ (I swear that’s what they said). Basically, it was some good, old-fashioned, childish, punk fun before getting back to some more serious metal matters.
The Vandals - Image © Lachlan DouglasGodsmack
They’ve been around for years and yet I know not a single song of Godsmack off the top of my head (pause for booing). The really impressive part of the show was when vocalist Sully Erna took to the skins for a thunderous duet with drummer, Shannon Larkin, as well as a riff medley which included AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’ and ‘Walk This Way’ by Aerosmith. Also on the setlist were ‘Awake’ and ‘Locked And Loaded’, all played with characteristic speed and energy.All Time Low
I’m not a fan of bubblegum, college-punk but when All Time Low told the crowd to put away their phones and just enjoy the show, I had to listen for just a bit to see what these Baltimore boys could do. There was lots of energy from both the band and the audience as they played songs from their forthcoming release, ‘Future Hearts’ including, ‘Something’s Gotta Give’.Crossfaith
Oh my sweet Jesus, what a performance to behold. I had no intention of seeing Japanese speed-metal samurais Crossfaith, but was so glad I did. The ground actually shook as the Osaka band pounded the absolute crap out of its audience with their ferocious style of electronic tinged, heavy metal. Standing well clear of their ‘wall of death’, I watched in awe and sheer enjoyment then quietly backed away trying not to trip over my jaw.Millencolin
The audience was spilling out the sides of the punk/ hardcore marquee in eager anticipation of the Swedish heavyweight punk-rockers who pumped out classics as well as a new track, ‘Sense & Sensibility’, from their new album due out in April.Papa Roach
I didn’t realise Papa Roach was still a thing, let alone a headline act but then again, what do I know? A huge crowd turned out at main stage 2 to hear ‘Hollywood Whore’ and ‘Last Resort’, while lead singer Jacoby Shaddix kept security on their toes with his in-your-face performance. He first threw the ‘no moshing, stagediving etc’ sign into the pit, declaring it irrelevant then leapt into the crowd for a bit of personal time with his fans. I get the feeling Papa Roach’s crowd was so big because next door on stage 1, the dark gothic master himself was about to emerge.Marilyn Manson
Smoke filled the stage as a creepy string and choir ensemble built to a frightening crescendo at which point the band took the stage, followed by a lumbering Marilyn Manson from behind the backdrop. Standing with his back to the audience my heart dropped: this was my first Manson show and he is notorious for being, um, less than adequate performance-wise but he did not disappoint. Being a fan of earlier albums such as ‘Smells Like Children’, ‘Antichrist Superstar’ (my introduction to Manson circa 1996) and ‘Mechanical Animals’, I wasn’t so much interested in his new stuff but rather how he performed his classic works which he did quite well. I heard some punters complaining of how wasted and useless he was but for me, I thought he put on a great show, belting out ‘Beautiful People’, ‘Rock Show’, ‘Rock Is Dead’, ‘Sweet Dreams’ and ‘Personal Jesus’. As for his critics? He’s Marilyn Manson, people: if he wasn’t fucked up you’d be demanding your money back.
Marilyn Manson - Image © Lachlan DouglasJudas Priest
Another band I’ve always wanted to see live after years of listening enjoyment. During his show, Manson mentioned how he once bought a Judas Priest album, ‘Painkiller’, from his bassist which reminded me that the British metal gods were playing down on stage 4. Long-time fans were certainly in for a treat as lead singer, Rob Halford, adorned in his trademark collection of spiked-leather overcoats treaded the floorboards like he owned the place. They played songs from across their back catalogue including ‘Breaking The Law’, heavy-metal ballad ‘Beyond The Realms Of Death’, ‘Valhalla’ and the title track from their new album, ‘Redeemer Of Souls’. You still got it fellas, and you certainly showed the younger bands how things get done.Escape The Fate
Here’s a band that should be focussed more on their performance and less on gimmicks like the tired ‘wall of death’. I couldn’t understand a single word these guys screamed and their fans had one hell of a time performing the simple task of splitting down the middle into two groups. Seriously guys, just play some damn music. Unimpressed.Slash & Myles Kennedy
Slash has been in the country so much recently I’m pretty sure he qualifies for honorary Australian citizenship. In his latest pairing with Alter Bridge vocalist, Myles Kennedy, the two of them played to a crowd that was largely just killing time until Slipknot. Apart from, ‘Bent To Fly’, the only song of theirs I know, they also played some Guns n Roses classics namely ‘Sweet Child Of Mine’ (awesome!) and ‘Paradise City’ (awesomer!).
Myles Kennedy & Slash - Image © Lachlan DouglasSlipknot
The big drawcard of the night, hell, the whole day; the main arena was packed into the stands for the demonic madness of a Slipknot live show, a spectacle to which I hadn’t yet been privy. Wow, just wow; that’s the only words I had for quite some time as vocalist Corey Taylor prowled the stage screaming while elevated drum risers spun and fireballs leapt into the lighting rig. I’m not well-versed on Slipknot songs but I’m big on shock-rock and the aesthetic of the grotesque, so I thoroughly enjoyed their wild performance. For what it’s worth, they played ‘The Devil In I’ and ‘My Plague’ but if you weren’t there, sorry bro, you totally missed out!
Slipknot - Image © Lachlan DouglasThe Smashing Pumpkins
Finally, one of the bands I had been dying to see not just all day but since I was about 12. Anticipation morphed into sheer joy as I entered the stage 4 arena and got as close as possible to the incredible Billy Corgan, which as it turns out, wasn’t all that close. Like a lot of people there, I’d come to hear tracks from ‘Siamese Dream’ and ‘Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness’, albums that were central to so many of our adolescent lives. After songs from their latest album, ‘Monuments To An Elegy’ (‘Monuments’) and ‘Pale Horse’ from the ‘Oceania’ record, childhood dreams were fulfilled as they played a succession of classics, including ‘Disarm’ and ‘Zero’. Once I heard ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’, my inner-child receded and the tired adult returned to tell me it was time to go home. Man, it sucks getting old.Soundwave Day 2
The day dawned hotter than the first and promised to be a blazer; a bottle of cold water, a second layer of sunscreen and I was ready to jump back into the fray for more metal madness.Click here for photos from Day 2 SW15 Brisbane.
Ne Obliviscaris
Like day one, my sights for the early afternoon were set on smaller/ obscure bands I wasn’t too familiar with. Melbourne death metal act Ne Obliviscaris were a good start with their brand of blended genres and accompanied by a violinist who doubled as a psyche-up guy a la The Prodigy. They ended up being a good warm-up for what was in store for the rest of my day.Hollywood Undead
Part rock, part rap and part horror, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Undead bring a little something for everyone. They played ‘Day Of The Dead’, the title track from their new album, and party favourite ‘Everywhere I Go’, which turned into a lively sing-along.Emily’s Army
Back down under the marquee of stage 3, Emily’s Army were putting on a short, sharp and fast pop-punk show to an audience oblivious to the stifling heat. Watching this band’s energy and that of the crowd, I realised that the punk/ hardcore stage was where the real party was happening.Le Butcherettes
Another band I hadn’t intended to see but ended up being pleasantly surprised by. Straddling the genres of metal, rock and playful indie-pop, Le Butcherettes put on a show quite different to the usual fare of Soundwave. Definitely worth checking out for fans of PJ Harvey or Sonic Youth.
Le Butcherettes - Image © Lachlan DouglasTerror Universal
I’ll be honest: the only reason I wanted to see Terror Universal was because of their creepy masks and horror-movie visual appeal, so sue me. Glad I did though, they were excellent. A supergroup formed by ex-members of Machine Head, Ill Nino and Soulfly, these scary bastards terrified the crowd into metallic ecstasy. The lead singer summed up the day perfectly when he said: “It’s a beautiful day for metal!” It really was.Gerard Way
The ex-lead singer of My Chemical Romance has been through some hard times of late and he’s not too afraid to talk, or sing, about it. I had come to the main arena in hopes of staking out a shady spot for Steel Panther, not an easy feat in the blazing sun beating down on the uncovered Machinery Hill. I ended up watching most of Gerard’s set which was basically a play through of his self-titled solo debut, ‘Hesitant Alien’.Steel Panther
I knew what I was in for when I decided to see these glam-rock throwback cock-rockers and judging by the marked increase from the day before of grown men sporting unflattering patterned spandex, they did too. It was all dick jokes, sexual innuendo and titty flashing, sprinkled with the big-hair metal sounds and guitar-wanker antics fans have come to love and expect. In short, it was rude, crude and I loved every minute. Lead singer, Ralph Saenz has a real David Lee Roth swagger and stage presence that is completely intoxicating. Despite their outright misogynistic overtones and themes, there were just as many women laughing as men and a gang of them had no problem flashing it onstage for all to see… nice.
Steel Panther - Image © Lachlan DouglasSleepwave
A relatively new band comprised of core duo Spencer Chamberlain and Stephen Bowman playing alongside various collaborators. The Florida group put on a tight and sweaty metal show on stage 5 to a small audience that seemed mostly to consist of loyal fans pushed against the barrier. A great band for those who like their metal straight down the line without the frills and excesses of more visual based, shock-rock acts.Fear Factory
Once again, the angry adolescent inside me was elated to finally witness Fear Factory in all their glory; I still have their 1998 ‘Obsolete’ album on cassette tape (anyone under 25, Google ‘cassette’ and educate yourself). I mentioned this fact to vocalist, Burton C. Bell in an interview last year and he was quite chuffed that they have such an enduring legacy with their fans, even though they clearly made no money from an album taped off a mate’s CD (sorry guys, I was 13 and broke). So understandably I nearly died of joy when they opened with ‘Shock’ and went on to play both, as Burton so eloquently phrased it, “old shit and new shit”. They went right back to track one of 1992’s ‘Soul Of A New Machine’ album, ‘Martyr’, as well as ‘Powershifter’ and ‘Demanufacture’. Their performance was top-rate and the lads clearly haven’t lost a step. As the sun went down, it was time for some main-stage action with the final day’s headliners.
Fear Factory - Image © Lachlan DouglasIncubus
I’ve never been a huge fan of Incubus, owing to the fact that I’ve heard too many guitarist friends completely butcher the opening riff to ‘Drive’ (you know who you are, hang your head in shame). A two-minute countdown timer appeared on the screens accompanied by string and choir ensemble that built palpable tension in the die-hard fans. Opening with ‘Wish You Were Here’, the band played basically a best-of set which included ‘Anna Molly’, ‘Adolescents’ and ‘Nice To Know You’ to which just about everyone, even me, knew the words and sang along. As their set went on, the sun finally clipped the horizon and darkness fell, conjuring up a cool breeze which was welcome relief and a fact which didn’t escape the artists lucky enough to secure night-time slots. After a version of ‘Pardon Me’ which was rejiggered for live performance and ‘Megalomaniac’, they finished on their standard closing medley, ‘A Crow Left Of Murder’ and ‘She’s So Heavy’ leaving the crowd wallowing in a sea of sheer enjoyment.
Incubus - Image © Lachlan DouglasSoundgarden
Mellow enjoyment soon turned to rock-hard excitement as Soundgarden took the stage to tremendous applause. From the opening riff of ‘Spoonman’ the crowd seemed hooked, singing every word and pumping their fists to the beat. Guitarist, Kim Thayil was in prime form, still a master of his craft shredding to perfection alongside Chris Cornell’s rhythm and vocals. However, after all the visual spectacle of the past two days, Soundgarden’s stripped-back performance paled in comparison. They were still amazing and played to perfection but even hardcore fans of the band were left grumbling about the show being boring. Nevertheless, it was a real treat to see Soundgarden and hear songs like ‘Kyle Petty, Son Of Richard’ and ‘My Wave’ live.
Soundgarden - Image © Lachlan DouglasDragonforce
I was looking forward to seeing the British power of Dragonforce and even left Soundgarden part way through just to get a look at their epic monstrosity. It was truly impressive to witness the technical genius and ferocity of such talented musicians, their two-guitar plus keytar tapping battle on ‘Fury Of The Storm’ was awe-inspiring, yet once they launched into ‘Three Hammers’, I felt I’d seen enough; super-fast picking and flawless Malsteem-derived technique is entertaining, even laudable, but it does become repetitive quickly. Fans of the band didn’t seem to care though and thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle.
Dragonforce - Image © Lachlan DouglasThe Aquabats
I made time for this comical mix of superheroes and heavy metal at the suggestion of someone who shall remain nameless. It was fun, it was silly and everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives as the fearless quintet bounded around the stage, fighting boredom and good taste with songs like ‘Two-Headed Cat’ and ‘Fashion Zombies!’. I stuck around for one more song before heading to the main stage for the one band I had no intention of missing. Ever!Faith No More
And so we come to the centre of the shrubbery maze known as Soundwave 2015. I’d seen good bands, bad bands, new bands, old bands and bands that just should have stayed at home but now the time had come for the band I’d been waiting some 20 years and two days to experience live: Faith No More. They were the first album I ever bought and I was champing at the bit to see and hear them perform for the first time, slightly nervous they wouldn’t live up to my self-induced hype. All fears dissipated as stage lights revealed an all-white set lined with flowers and the familiar strains of ‘Theme From Midnight Cowboy’ whistled into the cool, dark night. I could talk for years about this performance but in short, it was the best ‘best of’ set I’ve ever seen and it blew me away entirely. Mike Patton delivered each lyric with the assuredness and ferocity associated with being the seasoned frontman of one of the world’s greatest bands. The whole band were in perfect sync and held a captive audience in the palm of their hand as they belted out ‘Ricochet’, ‘Evidence’, ‘Epic’ (world’s best sing-along), ‘Last Cup Of Sorrow’, ‘Surprise! You’re Dead!’, ‘Ashes To Ashes’, ‘The Gentle Art Of Making Enemies’ and that quintessential classic, ‘Easy’. It was way too easy to enjoy Faith No More’s performance which concluded with a new song, ‘Superhero’. I needed a cold shower afterwards, that’s how damn good they were!
Faith No More - Image © Lachlan DouglasSo there you have it: the good, the bad and the absolutely fucking incredible. Soundwave is all wrapped up for another year (collective sigh of despair) and only AJ Maddah knows what’s in store for us next time, although he has stated a return to the one-city/ one-day format in the future.
Click here for socials from Soundwave Brisbane.
Overall, both days were amazing in terms of performances, planning and event logistics; the cut-down venue from last year’s mammoth size made it easier to get around and see more bands and the eclectic choice of bands gave a little something for everyone which made for a colourfully diverse crowd. Until next year, keep those horns to the sky and rock on.
