Category: Australian Releases

James Van Cooper – Coming Home

James Van Cooper – Coming Home

The first time I saw James Van Cooper play was a couple of years ago in his rock outfit called Van Cooper and in the set he played a couple of Butch Walker tracks, now what I love about what James has done is that much like Butch he’s moved away from the big rock arena rock sound and made […]

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Tonight Alive – Underworld

Tonight Alive – Underworld

I’ve been excited for this album for a while now, as watching the process of this band grow and evolve over the years through countless live shows that never disappoint, and music that delivers a message and a feeling is a treat. This album is in a way a new beginning for Tonight Alive as they move to a new […]

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Rival Fire – Riot (EP)

Rival Fire – Riot (EP)

When a song starts instantly with vocals, I always get intrigued, and the opener ‘Riot’ from Rival Fire’s debut EP is surely one that intrigues me, I’ve had this track for a while now and I’ll be fucked if I can get the damn chorus out of my head! This track is a perfect introduction for a band, its groove […]

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Dellacoma – South of Everything

Dellacoma – South of Everything

I love a debut album, I just do, it’s the chance to make that introduction and make that statement of ‘here I am’ and Dellacoma is here to do just that. You may know Dellacoma from his days fronting the killer band Sunset Riot, but now after going solo and traipsing around the USA playing shows and kicking ass it’s […]

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silverchair – ‘Frogstomp’ 20th Anniversary edition

silverchair – ‘Frogstomp’ 20th Anniversary edition

Do you have a silverchair story? I do… don’t worry it’ll all be relevant to this review… so in 1994 I was going to school in St Kilda, one of the guys tells us to come to The Espy on Friday as ‘there are these kids that are unbelievable, they’re going to be huge…’ we look at him like ‘ok…’ […]

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Antiskeptic – Stare Down The Ocean

Antiskeptic – Stare Down The Ocean

It’s always funny to me when I know of a band but have never actually heard anything they’ve done, and after I do listen to them I kick myself and think why did I take so long to listen?! Why? So here I am today with Antiskeptic and their new album ‘Stare Down The Ocean’… you’ll see after reading this […]

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New Empire – In a Breath

New Empire – In a Breath

New Empire are a band that are very easy to listen to, their songs are full of great musical grooves, killer harmonies and at times just big over the top production. These are things that I like. ‘In a Breath’ is the newest release from this Aussie band and it’s a great return from their last album ‘Symmetry’ which produced […]

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Dead In A Second – The Double Treblio

Dead In A Second – The Double Treblio

I must start by saying that I always dig it when I’m introduced to a band that has had an originals release before yet I’ve not heard it, although I had been introduced to Dead In A Second via their cover of The Divinyls track ‘Boys In Town’ although renamed ‘Girls In Town’ for DIAS to release. But with no […]

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Like Thieves – The Wolves at Winter’s Edge

Like Thieves – The Wolves at Winter’s Edge

It’s always hard when you have a front man that you are well aware of his previous works… so what I need to not do is use this review as a comparison between what vocalist Clint has done before and purely base it on this new band, this new project, truly as anyone should anyway, so nothing to worry about […]

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Bellusira – Connection

Bellusira – Connection

Welcome to my favourite album released in 2013 so far! This one jumped at me and surprised the b’jesus out of me. I had never heard of Bellusira before so when this landed in my hands and I finally got around to checking it out, I kicked myself that I hadn’t done so weeks earlier. So now after listening for […]

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Dead Letter Circus – The Catalyst Fire

Dead Letter Circus – The Catalyst Fire

Some albums are hard to review, if they don’t grab you or you just can’t find the right words to put down, but then there are albums that are easy to review and they just flow out as you can just feel from the start that you’ll enjoy it, you’ll get it and you’ll want to share your thoughts with […]

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Gay Paris – The Last Good Party

Gay Paris – The Last Good Party

Gritty, rockin’, dirty, bluesy, sweaty, loud and louder. That was my instant reaction to when I put this album on, and that’s a good thing. From straight out of the gates it was on, and if you didn’t tell me this was an Australian band, I never would’ve guessed, as this sounds like it’s straight out of the Southern swamps […]

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Baby Animals – This Is Not The End

Baby Animals – This Is Not The End

Twenty years is a long time between releases and especially for a band that was so big in their hey day like the Baby Animals were, but here we are now in 2013 and Suze DeMarchi and Dave Leslie thought it was time to return, and what a time it is. ‘This Is Not The End’ sees Suze and Dave […]

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Devine Electric – self titled EP

Devine Electric – self titled EP

Doing the rounds of Sydney for quite some time now, Devine Electric have been a band that we’ve featured before on the site, and their no nonsense rock and roll has been a favourite by many in the scene with a live show that is loud and proud and a sound reminiscent of that late 70’s early 80’s rock which […]

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After The Fall – Bittersweet

After The Fall – Bittersweet

In summary: “If After The Fall can continue to write songs of this calibre, then hopefully we’ll continue to hear music from them for quite some time.” It’s been what seems like much longer then the three years since we heard from Sydney siders ‘After The Fall’ who you may remember from songs such as ‘Mirror Mirror’, ‘The Fighter’ and […]

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Jamie Hay – King Of The Sun

Jamie Hay – King Of The Sun

Self described as “that old guy with a beard”, Jamie Hay is a name that would be well familiar amongst those into the local Aussie punk rock scene, with past bands including Conation, A Death In The Family, Fear Like Us.  For some, myself included, your very first introduction to “that old guy with a beard” could very well be […]

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Shinobi – Against The Brave

Shinobi – Against The Brave

Whilst music has always been a lifelong passion of NRL legend Eric Grothe Jnr, retiring from the NRL at the end of 2010 allowed full devotion to his band Shinobi which he fronts as vocalist and guitarist.  The songs that he had been progressively writing over the course of the last 12 or so years now finally get their moment […]

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Moments Apart – Collision

Moments Apart – Collision

In 25 words or less: “a powerful assault of anthemic modern rock meets metal, high on blistering guitar solos, massive choruses, intricate arrangements and topped off with a quality sound/production that belies their independent status.” Whilst the name Moments Apart may be a new entity in the Melbourne music scene, the members thereof will certainly not be new to those […]

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Twelve Foot Ninja – Silent Machine

Twelve Foot Ninja – Silent Machine

In 25 words or less: “Expect Twelve Foot Ninja’s Silent Machine to be one of the most talked about albums over the coming months in Australian music.” Melbourne’s Twelve Foot Ninja are not a band to do things by halves.  In the lead up to the release of this, their debut album Silent Machine, the band have embarked on a campaign they […]

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Black Majesty – Stargazer

Black Majesty – Stargazer

In 25 words or less: Melodic power metal at it’s finest from one of Australia’s premiere metal bands. Australia has some truly world class metal bands that more than hold their own on the world wide stages  Just on four fingers, you have Voyager from Perth, Lord from Sydney and Melbourne’s duo of Eyefear and Black Majesty.  Whilst Voyager have […]

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Strangers – Persona Non Grata

Strangers – Persona Non Grata

Certainly no “strangers” to us here at May The Rock Be With You, we’ve been patiently awaiting the full length album release Persona Non Grata from these Sydney rockers for a little while now.  Having seen them earlier this year supporting the like of The Darkness and Calling All Cars, Strangers deliver a brand of rock that is devoid of […]

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Bento – Diamond Days

Bento – Diamond Days

In Summary: “I’ve already played ‘Diamond Days’ through a number of times and it’s an album that I will happily continue to listen to…” It’s always a daunting task for any member of a band to step out and go solo, especially when taking the vocal lead, but even more so when you’re the co-founder and drummer in one of […]

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Morgan Evans – While We’re Young

Morgan Evans – While We’re Young

In 25 words or less: With summer on the horizon and a sun drenched film clip to match, While We’re Young just screams summer anthem. By no means a stranger to the Australian Country Music scene, Newcastle born and bred Morgan Evans looks set to finally capitalise on his musical journey over the past five years, with new EP While […]

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Redcoats – Redcoats

Redcoats – Redcoats

In 25 words or less: To me this is a fresh but classic rock sounding album and I dig it. It is so awesome to hear this kind of sound coming from Australia, to me this is a fresh but classic rock sounding album and I dig it.  Redcoats out of Melbourne have released this, their debut self-titled album today […]

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Grinspoon – Black Rabbits

Grinspoon – Black Rabbits

In summary – “If you think you know Grinspoon, you probably don’t. This new album is fresh, it’s rockin’ and it’s relevant.” When you’ve been a band for seventeen years, it must be tough to keep yourself motivated, to come up with something fresh, yes many bands go through the ‘what do I want to be today?’ phase, but Australian […]

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The Hiding – Lonely Diaries (EP)

The Hiding – Lonely Diaries (EP)

Following hot on the heels of their EP release earlier this year, Melbourne four piece The Hiding return with a two track single/EP titled Lonely Diaries.  The bands first EP delivered an anthemic, textured style of pop rock and for fans of The Hiding, as I certainly am, you will be pleased to know that style hasn’t changed.  Lantern Lights […]

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Buffalo Tales – Blood & Bone (EP)

Buffalo Tales – Blood & Bone (EP)

As I learnt recently when interviewing Sydney singer/songwriter Wes Carr about his new musical endeavour, when Native American Indians used to dream of a Buffalo, it meant that they would return to their heritage and back to their roots again  Well after winning Australia Idol back in 2009, the years that have followed since have been about Wes Carr discovering […]

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Ragdoll – Here Today

Ragdoll – Here Today

Whilst Perth, Australia may not be spoken of by us East Coast Aussies as having a thriving rock scene, with the tyranny of distance involved, I guess we have to put that down to perhaps our own ignorance and failure to explore what Perth has to offer as far as a rock scene.  I guess we can’t argue with the […]

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Shihad – The Meanest Hits

Shihad – The Meanest Hits

In a career now spanning nearly 25 years and having made a huge impact on the rock scenes both in their native New Zealand and current home here in Australia, Shihad recognise this in pretty much the best way possible, with the release of a 38 song double disc titled The Meanest Hits and armed with a new single Right […]

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Fait Accompli – Spies EP

Fait Accompli – Spies EP

I personally love getting new music, and I don’t mean ‘oh awesome the new Bon Jovi record is out!’ I’m talking about new bands I’ve never heard of, I get to make my own mind up, I have no preconceived ideas or notion of what they will sound like and I dig that.  Today, I get presented to me Fait […]

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