There’s no denying that music is healing. There’s no doubt that music can help you in your darkest moments. Metal Health is the new live music festival of long time music man, Scott Moss. The very first Metal Health is this weekend! So what’s it all about? Well it’s metal music for mental health! Let’s delve into it a lot deeper with an interview with the head honcho himself… We sent Scott off some questions, read on to see what he came back with…
When did you first come up with the idea for Metal Health and what inspired you to create a festival in support of mental health in the metal world?
Mid 2021 I wanted to put on an event that was just full of awesome bands, but I wanted it to mean something, not “just another gig” & with so many conversations I’ve had with people, most that were suffering, were suffering in silence & didn’t know where to get support from.. so that’s when the journey of Metal Health began.
So tell us all about the festival? We need all the details!
Saturday April 30 @ The Backroom Brisbane you will witness 9 of the most intense bands from varied metal genres. Doors open 1:30pm, $30+bf presale, $45 on the door. First band hits the stage at 2:30pm.
Being involved in the music industry is absolutely wonderful on so many levels, but can also be quite trying at times; there is a lot of stress and pressure, especially recently with Covid kicking our asses. How important is mental health awareness and support within the music world?
Mental health awareness is super important at this time, even when things are reopening the scars of the past 2 years still remain. With people already suffering, this has not helped with all the changes, lockdowns, the unknown factors & financial strain this has put on many people.
You’ve been involved for many moons with music, in many different ways. Tell us a bit about your past and present involvement in music?
I started as a listener, a gig goer in my early years and I fell in love with the live Australian metal scene & the unwritten brotherhood code it had. After failing in many bands I formed Minus Life with a few friends and over the first 7 years we were together we had a lot of success.
We broke up in 2007, reforming in 2018 & playing a sold out return show at Crowbar, we weren’t sure if we would continue as a band, but there was a vibe and we went to work writing a new album that was released in October 2021.. ‘Contorted Reality’ and we are about to tour on the back of that release.
Your band, Minus Life will be playing the festival this year along with a slew of stellar bands. How did you pick your line up for this year? Tell us a bit about each band?
This is a line up of epic proportions, all the bands were hand picked by me, either I knew about them & was a fan or I was pointed toward the band and discovered a band I thought had that X factor about them.
Tetrament are opening the night & although only a new band they have strong metal core roots, mixing bands like Parkway Drive, Kills Witch & At The Gates.
Upon The Pyre I had my eye on for a while, the riffs were always flowing from their page and it had that early Sepultura, Testament kind of vibe, with the recruiting of 2 of Brisbane’s known names in the metal scene to their band, they became IMO a local supergroup & I wanted their 1st show with this line up on my event.
Where The Devil are a no bullshit in ya face stripped back, raw as fuck groove metal band from Newcastle, I first heard them in 2021 and instantly loved their vibe & knew they would deliver a tough old school headbangers ball of a live set.
Editors Note: *LINE UP CHANGE*
Due to Covid, Where the Devil have sadly had to pull out…
Taking their place are Zagtar
Snake Mountain are one of Gold Coast’s most under rated metal bands, every time I’ve seen them they blow the roof off and are super intense/relentless in their pursuit of being known as a top tier death metal act.
Lycanthrope were a band I had never heard of & I was pointed in their direction & from the opening riff of Like A Ghost I was certain I needed this group on the bill. Newcastle seems to be producing some quality bands & Lycanthrope are one Metalcore act that promises to deliver on the night!! Most impressive thing is Dan’s vocal ability, Know My Name is a testament to that.
Eye Of The Enemy caught my attention many years ago when they released ‘The Vengeance Paradox’ a brilliant blend of euro & American metal.. think Inflames meets Lamb Of God! With amazing guitar work & drumming.
Freedom Of Fear were also a new find for me, hailing from Adelaide & highly recommended by New Dead Festival’s promoter Jason North. I gave them a look and this group blew my mind with their tech death and adding to it a ferocious female vocalist Jade has an intensity in her voice rare in female metal singers, more like banshee black metal screams!!Adelaide is known for technically proficient bands & this group is definitely keeping true to that traditional, their musicianship is mind blowing!!
Minus Life well I’m in it & we had to earn our place too, we’ve been gathering momentum since our return & people seem to really be enjoying our new music and live show, more in the symphonic death metal realm , just check us out on and come experience our live show! I’ll let that speak for us.
Headlining the event is none other than Orpheus Omega, Melbourne’s own melodic metal act, fronted by the man himself Chris Themelco from Monolith Studios.. I’ve been waiting & wanting to see them live for years, so I just booked them on the event!!! Orpheus are no stranger to anyone in the know of Australian metal & for good reason, they are a great blend of euro melodic metal and their album ‘Wear Your Sins’ is an absolute beast of an album.. it’s been 3 years since they’ve played Brisbane & the metal crowd are in for a live treat!
All in all I spent weeks thinking of bands I wanted on this bill; bands that all had a unique edge. No two bands alike in their sound & where there sound had been crafted with a level of professionalism. Metal Health will be a show with no filler bands, we want a certain level & hope to raise the bar in live shows so people get a quality event from the first to the last band!
What does metal music mean to you? Would you be lost without it?
Metal changed my life, it has a way of connecting with me regardless of what mood I’m in. Metal has a purity unlike other genres that feels organic & not so manufactured..
I would be lost without it for sure, although I listen to other genres of music… I always come back to METAL!!!
I believe all music should be appreciated, all music should be celebrated, all music should be recognised for how truly special it really is. Metal is a genre that not all people fully understand (though I think it has become much better over the years), what is it about metal that sings to your heart?
There are 4, 5, 6 or however many other people are in a band & when they all come together and it clicks, something special is created… there is an unexplainable energy, a vibe, a collage of emotions.. Metal is art with complex layers regardless of its complexity. That’s why it sings to me….
Metal Health will be a regular event. Where do you hope to see Metal Health go in the future?
The goal is to grow it into an all ages event, I still want it to keep its feel of an event for the people, by the people & definitely want to grow it into something people travel for and talk about going to from all over the country. But it’s the message behind it that I hope people get behind, supporting the event, the bands, the cause & working with Stride Mental Health Services for the long term, to help save lives & create a pathway, linking our community with a place they can go too when they need help!
Need more details? EVENT PAGE HERE
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Words + Interview: The Colourful Writer
