Veteran metalists Darkest Hour hardly need an introduction, but for those who haven`t already heard, they are on their way down under to play a series of shows in most cities Australia wide. Labelled ‘metal Gods’ by some, it seems apparent that when they touch down in Australia come June, it will be happy hour, every hour.
Questioning rhythm guitarist Mike Schleibaun from the comfort of my computer chair, I had to enquire about their hard partying reputation, and if they were going to take in the sights and scenes our beautiful country has to offer? He replies with a triple exclamation of enthusiasm and excitement, as with most of his replies. “We didn’t get to see enough of OZ last time but dude we are hell bent this time. So if you come out to the show and read this and know of cool stuff to do in the area…introduce yourself and show us where to go. Cause as soon as the show is over it`s just one big party with all of our friends and we are looking to party. Its my dream to play a show to like five hundred kids and then have ALL of them go out to a bar afterwards and just party…one day maybe in OZ this will happen.” Many fans out there will only be to take them up on this offer.
Darkest Hour are an acclaimed musical beast, so it is suitable to say that fans should be prepared for an intensely blistering set full of all their on stage ferocity and musical mayhem. Loyal fans will no doubt be aching to know what sort of set list they will be playing at each of their shows, I put this one to Mike as he responded in a roundabout way. “Well they can expect some of the classic stuff. Plenty of the hits of Undoing Ruin. Also they can expect several new songs. We don’t like to play too many but we are going to be unleashing a lot of new songs for the first time down there so it`s really going to be a special show. This is definitely our best record hands down and we feel stoked to share these songs really for the first time with the OZ kids!
Mike insists that he calls all of his fans – œkids’, which is quite an endearing thing to hear. Although their faces are yet to bare the scars of age, Mike adds that “we know some of us are old but like seven seconds says we gonna stay young until we die.” Things have changed a little over the years, diversity has reared its head in the crowd, Mike sheds some light on the – œdefying of category’ we sometimes hear about. “I mean, honestly I don’t think that had much to do with our US fan base (well really nothing had as much to do with it as Ozzfest). Yeah we have punk kids, hardcore kids, metal kids, and new metal kids, and shit sometimes even the crazy ass homeless dude who walked in off the street. We don’t care, both punk and metal is music for the rejected by the rejected. We never really fit in anywhere in life and so now we are making our own place that kids can come to and feel wanted, accepted, and most of all have a sick ass time.”
Darkest Hour as a band have been doing the live thing for many years now and Mike has been there all the while playing gigs from size small to their pinnacle rise at Ozzfest. But with hardly a day`s rest between their Australian tour dates I asked for his thoughts on the matter. “We are so used to it all that we could play a show this morning if we all had to get out of bed right now and do it. I think I have played shows sick, drunk, tired, asleep, wired, jet lagged, on my birthday, I mean pretty much any scenario we have played a show so to us…just tell us where to show up and when to play we can handle the rest.” That`s one of several reasons they can be called hardcore.
Their last album, Undoing Ruin, was proclaimed to be ‘an instant metal classic’, one that Mike believes will be succeeded by the forthcoming Deliver Us, “I think if you loved Undoing Ruin you will love Deliver Us and if you were sold on Undoing Ruin then check out the new record because five passionate dudes who love music got together and slaved over those songs and we think it rocks and is worth checking out.” They worked with legendary metal producer Devin Townsend for this one (*Soilwork,* Lamb of God etc) so be prepared for a quality thrashing of your eardrums this month as Darkest Hour begin with Mike`s favoured city Perth, before going out with a loud bang at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne. “And of course we got to visit the grave of Bon Scott and that was awe inspiring. You know, felt like it added a period in one part of the story of my life and that’s a very special thing. I will talk about that day for the rest of my life. And Honestly, I will be turning 30 years old on the day we play there so it is only fitting.”
As the interview closes, Mike makes sure that he isn`t biased about Perth “just cause it felt so Mad Max, so like away from everything else”. He points out the fact that “at the same time we love all of Australia and can`t wait to do some hanging!”
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