BATTLE CALL
Metal From The Bottom Of The Earth CD launch
The Grosvenor Back Room
Friday, August 10, 2001.

Perth is rapidly making a name for its metal acts, and it is no surprise why. From the nu-metal stylings of the brilliant Karnivool to the blistering screams of Maximum Perversion, the collective range of metal has earned a healthy local following. But one particular breed of the scorching genre has found a warm dwelling in the Perth suburbs where there is no such thing as dumb metal.

Power and progressive metal are usually reserved for European archetypes caught up in a world of wizards and knights -- definitely music for the leftover remnants of warriors from the middle ages. Italy’s Rhapsody and Finland’s Nightwish, plus American lords Dream Theatre, are at the forefront of this largely European style, but Perth is fastly proving a decent rival in our own right -- predominately held back by Australia’s resistance to this particular style that began with the metal and progressive explosion of the ‘70s and was taken to the charts by artists like Iron Maiden.

Modus Vivendi and Voyager, along with the likes of brothers in arms Black Steel, Syzygy and Ravenshead, are making music fit for kings in this power/progressive crossover of the ever expanding metal barriers, where time signature changes are more readily identifiable than a chorus. Their players are true musicians that posses the precision of classical musicians, with many of them trained in that field. And both Voyager and Modus Vivendi rocked the launch of Metal From The Bottom Of The Earth, a brand new 15 track CD featuring 15 of Perth`s heaviest and dirtiest metal bands including the likes of Pagan, Enforce, Karnivool, Centaur and Maximum Perversion.

Voyager are certainly a band that makes the most of band rehearsals. The precision with which the music is executed live is virtually impeccable. This is uplifting music, more inspiring than any ecstasy fueled trance tune, and blows the lid off modern interpretations of what metal is. The melody is paramount, displayed in the keyboard and guitar sparing of Monument and all erupts in contagious progressive fits of testosterone fueled madness -- with piano fingers like lightening.
But the best was saved for last, a track that only had to chant ‘And the warriors fight’ to drag out the medieval in the crowd, a true battle call with fists a full mast.

People might not know it yet but Perth has a certified success story in Modus Vivendi, one of the most musically accomplished bands in the state. This is metal for the brain as well as the soul, tearing at you with baffling chord progressions and time signature changes. They are not your average prog rockers, with no wanky attitude and no mean heads of hair -- and it is the drummer that provides the vocals.
This band does things that are usually reserved for orchestras, with brilliant keyboards filling the room with intoxicating sounds and aural vision. They sing of ‘darker truths’ and ‘pilgrims’, but it is the music that leaves the listener reaching reaching for their heart, with Misinformation a song that will forever stand alone in brilliance. Guitarist Linus Chen is a true guitarist whose finger speed nears igniting the fret board in flames, signifying the belief that he is surely not human. Van Halen’s Eruption would have been the laughing stock of the ‘70s if Chen was around -- his surgical precision is a true sight.

As a five piece, Modus Vivendi have only just begun to prove their higher wisdom with anthems like Line Integrity, and the future screams nothing but victory.

JULIAN TOMPKIN
XPRESS MAGAZINE.