Metal News.

A new study from the UK has found heavy metal to be the music of choice for many high-performing school students who feel stressed and alienated from their peers as a result of their giftedness. Stuart Cadwallader, a psychologist from the University of Warwick, made this discovery after surveying more than 1000 members of the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth, a group whose members all lie within the top 5% of British students aged between 11 and 19. Claiming that his research debunks popular stereotypes of bright students preferring to unwind to classical music, Cadwallader speculates that such students may be attracted to metal because of its complexity and often thought-provoking lyrics, as well as the fact that listening to it is simply a good way of relieving stress. His findings do not surprise me in the slightest, for, as a gifted student myself during my school days, I got into metal as a teenager for just those reasons he cited. Oh, hold on, no... I actually got into it because I was obsessed with Satan at the time.

In other news from overseas, Arch Enemy's Christopher Amott has returned to the band after taking an extended break from it. Joining the band when he was eighteen, guitarist Amott spent ten years with them before departing in 2005 (just after the group had finished recording their last album 'Doomsday Machine') to spend some much needed time finding out what life had to offer aside from music; replacing him during his absence was fellow Swede Fredrik Akesson. The rest of the band have welcomed him back, with his guitar-playing described as being even better than before by his older brother Michael. Arch Enemy are currently working on a new album.

On to upcoming shows, a reminder that on Thurs 5 Apr there'll be an all-ages show at Fowlers Live featuring The Rivalry, The Jonestown Syndicate, Bloodsport, Remassacre and The Seduction, the last band an outfit from Melbourne whose lineup includes former members of In Name and Blood. Doors open at 7 PM.

During the Easter long weekend, Adelaide will be graced with a visit from Auckland's Malevolence, a group whose material combines grindcore, death metal, black metal and noise, and whose releases include an album entitled 'Windows666'. The band will be appearing at the Squatters Arms on Sat 7 Apr with Space Bong, The Blatant, The Guantanamo Bay City Rollers, The Backseat Romeos and Los Diablos, and will also take part in Five Star Prison Cell's CD launch at the Enigma Bar the following night; also playing at this second show are Omnium and Quasar. To get an idea of what Malevolence sound like, go to www.myspace.com/malevolencenz.

A couple of shows will be happening on Sat 28 Apr. First up, Melbourne power metal band Black Majesty (who'll be playing at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany this August) will be doing an all-ages show with fellow power metallers The Loving Tongue and Skintilla. This show has been moved from The Bridgeway Hotel to the Colonel Light Hotel (141 Currie St). The second show will be held at the Lizard Lounge and feature Beyond Mortal Dreams, Quasar, Treachery, Absentia and Saeturnum. Doors open at 7:30 PM for an 8 PM start.

For this fortnight's obscure band plug, we go back to South America, with a couple more outfits from that continent. First up, from Colombia, the same country that gave the world the memorably-titled Amputated Genitals, comes Chainsaw Killer, an old-school thrash band whose material contains just a touch of cheese. To give them a listen, go to www.myspace.com/chainsawkiller666. For something decidedly different, though no less punishing, check out Vigilante, a Chilean industrial outfit who have some songs (as well as a couple of electrifying videos) posted up at www.myspace.com/vigilanteband.

James Brazel