In recent times, the music industry has undergone some big changes. The way audiences consume music is vastly different now than even a decade ago. This has presented many challenges to both up-and -coming artists and established acts. Mainstream radio airplay is scarce unless you are with a major label, and produce a particular kind of easily digestible music that is tried , tested and safe.
The one genre of music that seems to be the least affected by these sweeping changes is Heavy Metal, and the more extreme and hardcore, the better. A genre that has always steered well clear of mainstream…well, anything..has never been dependent on airplay or major labels. Instead, it relies on a devoted, almost zealous audience. Metalheads love to share. The most powerful tool in a musician’s kit has always been word of mouth, and nowhere is this more obvious than with metal.
One of Australia’s high achievers in this arena has to be “Thy Art Is Murder”
With a touring schedule that is hectic to say the least, and a following that stretches across Europe , Asia, the United States as well as here in their home country, these guys should be a household name, and if your household likes to headbang, they probably are.
I had the chance to have a quick chat with the band’s guitarist, Andy Walsh recently about all things murderous.
“The band started in Sydney in a garage when Shaun and Iee were teenagers. Shortly after that, they moved up to Brisbane and came to live in my house, and off we went”
“We have done something like 50 tours overseas since we started. We released the ‘Godlike’ album in september 2023, and immediately went on a European tour, followed by a U.S. tour, then a summer tour of Europe , then a headlining tour of Australia in November, then Latin America for the first time, then we toured Asia, and we are heading to China after this Aussie tour.”
“In the past, I guess if you can think of it , we have done it. We did ‘Download’about 5 times, Greenfield, Wakken, Summer Breeze, Summer Blast……The list is huge. It’s great for a band as extreme as us to have done these.”
I asked how this tour schedule worked in relation to family life.
“A lot of people have a job that takes them away . People in the military, F.I.F.O. workers, etcetera. This is our job. We work it out. We make the most of when we are home.When we have down time, we have more than the average person. “
“Shaun Delander and I do the majority of the songwriting. It’s quite collaborative though. Our drummer is always coming up with new ideas , beats that we can jam along with. The lyrics can be quite political sometimes, and sometimes the message is just ‘bang your head and have a good time. We have a platform, and we use that platform to communicate messages, and sometimes they are personal or political.”
“Having an outlet to communicate ideas, feelings…its great. Some people use words, some people use art, some people use music. Our preferred method is music.”
Heavy Metal is probably one of the most diverse genres of music, with British metal, classic metal, Nu Metal, Thrash , Speed, Death, Grindcore…..the list goes on. I enquired where the band fits on this broad spectrum.
“Um….Metal”
“I guess we are a deathcore band, but we don’t spend a single second thinking about where we fit. We just make the music we want to make. You decide what to call it.
“The classic metal bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden were where I discovered Metal music. I guess it’s that classic thing where your cousin or your neighbour says ‘Hey, listen to this ‘ and it just goes from there. Nu Metal was a big thing at the end of the 90’s, and there were bands like Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel. . It’s a progression. I think Metal fans never stop looking for something new.
I had to ask this vital question…”Megadeth or Metallica?
“I’m a Metallica guy, but I have to say, I do like some Megadeth stuff.” ‘Peace sells’ and ‘Rust in peace’ were great albums, but man, who’s gonna turn down Metallica? At the end of the day, it’s all metal.”
“‘The last time we came up to Cairns was in January or February, and it was stinking hot. It will be interesting to see what it’s like in the middle of winter. This show is in mid June, so hopefully less stinking hot.”
Regardless of the weather, the heat will be turned way up, and all heads will be banging.
‘Thy Art Is Murder” will be playing at ‘The Edge Hill Tavern’ as part of their ‘God Like’ tour on Friday, June 27th . Show starts at 18;00 hours, (which translates to 6pm). Tickets available Here.
Noel Keid
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