Too Heavy To Hug [#591]

Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.
In less than a month one of the most exciting Australian heavy metal releases in years will hit the shelves – and I’m not talking about a new AC/DC album. The documentary Metal Down Under: A History of Australian Heavy Metal will be released on DVD – and it looks like it’ll be amazing. Metal fan and filmmaker Nick Calpakdjian took two years to travel this wide land to interview more than 40 people in the know including metal musicians, fans and metal media. Metal documentaries have become more prolific in recent years and it’s fantastic to know we’ll have a voice of our own on the global stage when it comes to Australian heavy metal history and culture.
From past to present, the New York Post has reported metal teenage band Unlocking the Truth has signed a $1.7 million deal with Sony after a YouTube video of them playing in Times Square went viral with 1.5 million views. The band consists of thirteen-year-olds Malcolm Brickhouse (guitars) and Alec Atkins (bass) and twelve-year-old Jarad Dawkins (drums). Since the YouTube videos the kids have gone on to open for other bands and join the bill on some music festivals. The deal isn’t as black and white as the headline suggests. Basically, the band needs to sell 250,000 copies of their first album to see any cash which, in ARIA terms, means they’ll have to sell more than that Triple Platinum (210,000 sales) album Guy Sebastian released here. Unlocking the Truth has a massive job on their hands, so all the best to them.
In other news…

• Corrosion of Conformity will play The Reverence on Saturday, July 26. Their new album IX is out now.
• The Midyear Mayhem Tour featuring Buried in Verona, Antagonist A.D. and Stories will be held at the Phoenix Youth Centre, Melbourne for an all-ages show on Friday, July 25 and for a licensed show at the Evelyn Hotel on Saturday, July 26.
• King Parrot will fly into Ding Dong on Friday, July 25, the Barwon Club on Saturday, July 26 and Karova Lounge on Sunday, July 27.
• Neurosis will play The Corner Hotel on Thursday, August 7.
• Metal Down Under: A History of Australian Heavy Metal will be released on Friday, August 22.
• Anathema will be at The Corner Hotel on Saturday, August 23.
• Opeth will release their new album Pale Communion on Tuesday, August 26.
• DevilDriver and Whitechapel will be at 170 Russell on Sunday, September 7.
• John Garcia will not only play The Espy’s Gershwin Room but will also be available for signings and a meet and greet before the show on Friday, September 12.
• Cannibal Corpse will play 170 Russell on Friday, September 12.
• Veruca Salt will play The Corner on Friday, September 26 and Tuesday, September 30 to sold-out audiences. Another show has been added at The Corner Hotel on Wednesday, October 1.
• Sepultura will be at 170 Russell on Friday, October 3.
• Gorguts will play the Northcote Social Club on Friday, November 14.
• Toxic Holocaust and Iron Reagan will be at The Reverence in Footscray on Sunday, November 16.
• Primordial are slated to release their new album Where Greater Men Have Fallen on Friday, November 21.
• Body Count will release their new album Manslaughter later this year.
• The 2015 Melbourne Soundwave festival will be held on Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22.

If you have any news about local metal bands, shows or albums, let THTH know by emailing to tooheavytohug@hotmail.com or get in touch via Twitter at @TooHeavyToHug
Written by Paul S Taylor