Metal News.

Melbourne's Dreadnaught will soon be paying Adelaide their first visit in several years. On Sat 16 September, they'll be doing a late show at the Crown And Anchor Hotel with support from The Backseat Romeos, Russell Crowbar and The Guantanamo Bay City Rollers. The event kicks off at 10:45 pm, so obviously, it'll be an adults-only affair. Those under 18 will still get a chance to see the main attraction, however, thanks to an all-ages show at the same venue on Sun 17 September. Supports for this one will be Art In Exile, Raven Black Night and One Step Beyond and doors open at 4 pm. Dreadnaught have a new release, 'Dirty Music', out on Roadrunner/Dark Carnival Records.

On Fri 29 September, a particularly extreme and noisy incarnation of a monthly metal event, The War Room, will be taking place at the Enigma Bar. Headlined by Sydney's insane Ebolie, the event will also feature Omnium, Russell Crowbar, Leather Messiah and Meat Wallet. Doors open at 9 pm.

On Sat 30 September, locals Murder Hill will be launching their debut release, 'Forest Of The Eternal Slaughter', at the Lizard Lounge with support from Blood Mason. Doors open at 8:30 pm. According to the band, "The CD will be available on the night and not before!"

On Sat 21 October, the all-ages Southern Apocalypse II hits the Lizard Lounge. Bands are locals Murder Hill, Double Dragon, Blood Mason, Imminent Psychosis and The Guantanamo Bay City Rollers, as well as semi-locals Captain Cleanoff and interstate visitors Switchblade (NSW), Vaticide (NSW) and Black Like Vengeance (VIC).

On Sun 29 October, Seattle's Nevermore will be paying their first visit to this city since 1999, doing an 18+ show at Fowler's Live with Sydney's Transcending Mortality and locals The Loving Tongue. Nevermore have a new album out entitled 'This Godless Endeavor'; in addition, the label to which they're signed (Century Media) will be reissuing three of their earliest works: the full-length albums, 'Nevermore', 'The Politics Of Ecstasy' and the intervening EP, 'In Memory'. The re-releases will all feature new artwork and extensive liner notes, as well as various bonus tracks (mainly hitherto unreleased demo songs).

Recently, I received surprising news about impending new releases from a couple of bands that I thought had long since folded. The first of these is Ice-T's infamous rock/metal outfit, Bodycount, who've returned with 'Murder 4 Hire', their first release since 1997's 'Violent Demise: The Last Days'. Only two of the original line-up remain (Ice T and lead guitarist Ernie C), as former members Beatmaster V, Mooseman and D-Roc are now all dead - Mooseman as the result of a drive-by shooting, the other two, surprisingly, of cancer.

The other band making an unexpected comeback is Sweden's Europe, best known, of course, for The Final Countdown (and not much else, some unkind souls might say). After splitting up in the early '90s, the band (two of whose five members - John Norum and Joey Tempest - now live in the US and UK, respectively) reformed to perform the above song at a big show in Stockholm on the eve of the so-called new millennium. In 2004, they released 'Start From The Dark', their first album since 1991's 'Prisoners In Paradise'; around the end of next month, they'll be following this up with 'Secret Society'. Are you excited? I know I am.

Are you a half-decent writer? Would you like to speak to your musical idols and ask them the questions you've always wished you could? Do you dream of one day being just like me, as loved and respected in the local metal scene as the Great Turkmenbashi Saparmurat Niyazov is in his homeland of Turkmenistan? Seriously, many of our once-formidable team of metal and hardcore writers have moved on, and we're looking for new contributors. If you think you'd make a valuable addition to the magazine's pool of writers, simply write a sample review (of about 250-300 words) of an album - any album - and e-mail it to Nina Bertok, care of nina@dbmagazine.com.au.

JAMES BRAZEL