Category Archives: Billy Geary

Live Review : Incubus @ Festival Hall, Melbourne – 7th February 2012

Review by Billy Geary
Photo Credit: Amy Lee FreshwaterIt’s fair to say that over the years Californian natives Incubus have traversed more than a few genres in their music, giving rise to one of the more diverse musical fan bases around at present. This was perfectly evident on Tuesday night as everyone from middle agers to remnant 90s grunge kids made the short trek to Festival Hall from Southern Cross Station for a dose of Incubus.

Sydneysiders Papa vs. Pretty had the envious job of opening up proceedings, putting on a tight set for the slowly filling room. The trio have a had a massive last year, which has seen them come on in leaps and bounds, especially in terms of their live show. Their high energy set of melodic rock was perfect fodder for the early arriving punters, garnering a big cheer from the entire room as their set concluded. If this set is anything to go by, expect big things from these three gentlemen in 2012.
Continue reading Live Review : Incubus @ Festival Hall, Melbourne – 7th February 2012

Interview with Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember

Interview: Billy Geary
With A Day To Remember set to hit the stages of Soundwave 2012 (along with a couple of sideshows), A Day To Remember singer Jeremy McKinnon took time out for a quick chat ahead of their Australian visit.

LMM: A Day To Remember has come to Australia quite a lot in the past few years. Is there anything in particular that makes you want to keep coming back?

Jeremy McKinnon: Australia was the first place that got it right away. It always feels like the people are more appreciative when we play in Australia as opposed to other countries.
 
 
LMM: When you last toured Australia in early 2011, you guys brought over a pretty big stage production, complete with beach balls and confetti.
Do you plan on bringing something on a similarly larger scale for Soundwave?
Continue reading Interview with Jeremy McKinnon of A Day To Remember

Like Moths To Flame – When We Don’t Exist | Album Review

Review by Billy Geary

The problem with Ohio metalcore group Like Moths to Flame’s latest effort When We Don’t Exist is that it brings literally nothing new to a genre already more stale than that piece of cake that’s been sitting on the bench for the last couple of weeks. The passion and energy is bleedingly obvious in the music, but so is fact that the bands song writing is in desperate need of an overhaul.

When We Don’t Exist seemingly takes every single metalcore stereotype possible and rolls it into one big wall of sound. Excessive amount of breakdowns? Check. Angry, tough guy vocals/lyrics? Check. Awkward clean vocals in the chorus? Check. We’ve literally heard it all before. You could pick any one of the album’s 11 tracks and find the same things. Take ‘GNF’ for example, featuring the inspired lyrics of ‘I don’t give a fuck about the way you’re feeling’ before the guitars take the listener into another open string chug fest.
Continue reading Like Moths To Flame – When We Don’t Exist | Album Review

Laura – Twelve Hundred Times | Album Review

Review by Billy Geary
In a day and age where music is being created at such an alarming rate world wide, it is rare to find music of a quality that literally stops you in your tracks. It is even rarer to find said music being created by five humble individuals in your hometown, however, Laura are most certainly doing that at present. While there has been a large amount of outstanding post rock released this year, Twelve Hundred Times will ensure Laura remains in the forefront of people’s minds.

Described by most as an incomprehensible wall of sound, Laura’s moody brand of post-rock is exactly that. Their third album, Twelve Hundred Times, builds on their back catalogue and is essentially a natural progression of the band’s sound. Opener ‘Visitor’ kicks things off in a decidedly mellow fashion, with the band building a beautiful soundscape through the use of strings and keys before a wall of guitars consumes the final minutes of the track. Single ‘This Grey Earth’ follows in a similar way, with whispered vocals adding an extra dimension to the song.
Continue reading Laura – Twelve Hundred Times | Album Review

Interview with Garry “Gaz” Jennings of Cathedral

Interview: Billy Geary
We caught up with Cathedral guitarist Garry “Gaz” Jennings for a quick chat about Soundwave 2012 – the last shows they’ll be performing together…

LMM: It’s been confirmed that the Soundwave tour would be your last ever tour together. What was the reasoning behind making Soundwave Soundwave your last set of shows together?

Garry “Gaz” Jennings: The last ever show was supposed to be the London show but about 2 days after we announced the gig this offer came in which was to good to turn down so we accepted and then announced the London show as the last uk show.
 
 
LMM: Does anyone in the band plan on moving onto other musical projects after Cathedral finishes up, or is this completely it for you guys in terms of playing professionally?

GJ: I think we will all continue in some shape or form whether it’s doing it professional or for fun. Brian has a side project already and they do quite alot of gigs and Scott will still play with Repulsion. Lee has his label and I’m sure he may get involved in some projects along the way. As for myself I’ll probably continue to play the guitar for fun but will not join or form a band. I may do a solo project at some point. I have loads of ideas which have never been used but I’m to lazy to do anything with them.
 
 
LMM: What are you most looking forward to about doing Soundwave 2012?

GJ: Just getting over there and playing and enjoying the fact that it’s the last time we will play together.
 
  Continue reading Interview with Garry “Gaz” Jennings of Cathedral

Interview: Ben Weinman – The Dillinger Escape Plan

Interview: Billy Geary
With The Dillinger Escape Plan set to inflict their brand of intense, chaotic and stage totalling performance on an eager Soundwave 2012 crowd, we asked DEP guitarist and founding member Ben Weinman to share his thoughts on touring, Australia and Soundwave.

Continue reading Interview: Ben Weinman – The Dillinger Escape Plan

Uneven Structure – Februus | Album Review

Review by Billy Geary

If our friends on the other side of the globe the French are known for one thing, it most certainly isn’t for their music scene, let alone experimental metal. With their debut album Februus, French metallers Uneven Structure are about to change all of that. Combining the atmosphere of bands like Pink Floyd with the intensity of Meshuggah, the French sextet have created an album that is both brutal and beautiful, often at the same time. Continue reading Uneven Structure – Februus | Album Review

Stray From The Path – Rising Sun | Album Review

Review by Billy Geary


Rising Sun - Stray from the PathRising Sun – Stray from the Path
  New York hardcore quartet Stray From The Path have been around for quite a while now, with their past albums only ever hinting at the bands potential. Rising Sun however, changes all of that, delivering 30 minutes of excellent hardcore done right. Despite being their sixth album, Rising Sun shows that while the band’s sound hasn’t changed much over the past few years, Stray From The Path remain relevant due to the sheer passion and energy they bring to the music. Rising Sun’s strength lies in that while it sticks to a relatively stringent formula, it is more often than not a winning one, demanding attention for the entirety of the record.

Continue reading Stray From The Path – Rising Sun | Album Review

Album Review | Fair To Midland – ‘Arrows and Anchors’

Review by Billy Geary
Smart, unique alternative rock is becoming somewhat of a rarity in today’s music industry. Only a handful of bands such as Manchester Orchestra, Karnivool and Thrice are prepared to branch out and try something different and still retain an inherent accessibility about them. Given the ever increasing saturation of music worldwide, it often takes something quite special to break out of the rut and create something truly interesting and captivating. What Texan quintet Fair To Midland have achieved with their fourth album Arrows and Anchors, however, is just that Continuing on from where their breakthrough album Fables From a Mayfly left off, Fair To Midland have put together an outstanding album of eclectic rock music, albeit in a heavier fashion this time around. Arrows and Anchors is the natural progression from Fables… in that it improves the band’s overall sound while still retaining what made its predecessor such an excellent release. Tracks such as the utterly magical ‘Golden Parachutes’ and ‘Short Haired Tornado’ are perfect examples of this. In fact, the chorus of ‘Golden Parachutes’ is arguably one of the best rock choruses this year, let alone on the album. Praise must be given to vocalist Darroh Sudderth who possesses one of the best voices in rock music today, as displayed in the aforementioned songs.
Continue reading Album Review | Fair To Midland – ‘Arrows and Anchors’

Album Review | Define My Addiction – Systemic

Review by Billy Geary
Forming in 2009 after the demise of two well known Perth bands Saturation Point and Fractured, Perth’s Define My Addiction released their debut album Systemic in early 2011. The four piece play a brand of modern metal that comes across as an equal mix of Dillinger Escape Plan, albeit less frantic and a more polished Mudvayne.

On first impressions, Systemic is a little inconsistent, featuring some outstanding songs like the heavy as hell ‘Alignment’ and the more progressive ‘Nameless,’ but is also home to a couple of filler tracks. The main sticking point for Systemic is its somewhat lack of originality.
Continue reading Album Review | Define My Addiction – Systemic

Album Review | Calling All Cars – ‘Dancing With a Dead Man’

Review by Billy Geary
Melbourne hard rockers Calling All Cars are undoubtedly one of the harder working bands doing the rounds today. In the past two years since the release of their debut the three-piece have toured relentlessly with the likes of AC/DC, Queens of the Stone Age and The Butterfly Effect as well as a heap of headline shows of their own. Somehow in that time, they’ve managed to record an absolute cracker of a sophomore album, improving their sound in every way possible.
Continue reading Album Review | Calling All Cars – ‘Dancing With a Dead Man’

Live Review | Dead Letter Circus + Closure in Moscow + Wolves @ The Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne – 24 August 2011

Review – Billy Geary
The meteoric rise of Dead Letter Circus in the past 18 months is no secret. Having quickly moved from the small, intimate feel of the Espy to regularly selling out the substantially bigger HiFi Bar and touring the UK and America, its fair to say that DLC are doing all right. Back in Melbourne for yet another jaunt around Australia, this time for their “No Fracking Way” Tour, Brisbane alternative rock darlings Dead Letter Circus were at the top of their game on Wednesday night.
Continue reading Live Review | Dead Letter Circus + Closure in Moscow + Wolves @ The Hi-Fi Bar, Melbourne – 24 August 2011

Live Review | Indigo Children + Stone Parade @ The Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne with Mama’s Rejects – 29 July 2011

by Billy Geary
The Evelyn Hotel is one of the best smaller scaled venues in Melbourne, with many a band’s careers having kick started at the pub. Even band’s like Muse have played there before they found stardom. Therefore it was the perfect place for some of the country’s better young rock bands to show their wares to a decent sized crowd.
Continue reading Live Review | Indigo Children + Stone Parade @ The Evelyn Hotel, Melbourne with Mama’s Rejects – 29 July 2011

Live Review | Periphery + Tesseract @ The Hi-Fi, Melbourne with Twelve Foot Ninja – 31 July 2011

Review by Billy Geary
On Sunday night in Melbourne; Periphery, Tesseract and Twelve Foot Ninja claimed gig of the year. It’s that simple. Upon arriving 20 minutes before the doors opened, in order to get barrier spots, the line to get in was already stretching 75 metres down Swanston St, causing that idea to be promptly dismissed. To put it in perspective, the other shows on this tour were at venues with capacities of 400-500 people and only Sydney managed to sell out.

The Hifi, a 1200 capacity venue, was forced to turn people away after about 8pm. Not a bad effort for a band on their first headline tour of Australia.
Continue reading Live Review | Periphery + Tesseract @ The Hi-Fi, Melbourne with Twelve Foot Ninja – 31 July 2011