Too Heavy to Hug [#590]

Welcome to THTH, Forte’s premier source of all things heavy, hard, fast and metal.
It’s only just gone winter but talk of music festivals early next year has really heated up. Much to the dismay of countless emos, teeny-boppers and try-hard hipsters, Big Day Out 2015 has been cancelled. But on the flipside, Soundwave 2015 will be run over two days. That’s right; that could mean either double the number of bands or double the allotted time for each slot. Since there are no real details yet we can just speculate.
AJ Maddah took to Twitter to explain that Adelaide’s and Melbourne’s Soundwave will be held over the same weekend but bands will play different days in either city, giving them time to play one city one day then the other city the other day. That’s smarts. There are already rumours that Soundwave has four headliners next year and that Fear Factory, Disturbed, Opeth, Lamb of God, Papa Roach, Anvil and Ne Obliviscaris could appear on the bill.
There’s space for a quick review:
Mastodon – Once More Round the Sun
As you listen to it for the first time it’ll feel like you’ve heard it all before. Once one of the most exciting bands in metal, Mastodon have, in the space of their last two albums, extinguished all promise of remaining the world’s pioneers of prog-sludge and instead opted for almost radio friendly songs of radio friendly lengths and radio friendly non-proggieness. It should really be called Once More Round the Hunter.
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.
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 play The Espy’s Gershwin Room 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 [email protected] or get in touch via Twitter at @TooHeavyToHug
Written by Paul S Taylor