The Dry, Brutal, Red Centre of Australia has forged Southeast Desert Metal. They have been hailed as “The most isolated metal band in the world” – living in Santa Teresa, a small Aboriginal community in central Australia. Their home is the home of the Arrernte people. Hunters, warriors, and healers. They’ve survived here through droughts, floods and an ice age. This is a land where people have danced in the dust and sung songs, passing down stories, for 40,000 years. The Eastern Arrernte band are hardened from many years of playing across the rigid Australian landscape. They’ve developed a sound that reflects their surroundings: dangerous and distinct.
Today Southeast Desert Metal are announcing their new single “Rainmaker” from their band’s upcoming second album “Break The Silence“. It sets the stage for a band who have found their unmistakable voice. A voice that Australia needs to hear. This album is the second record they will release through The Black Wreath. Lochlan Watt from triple j’s The Racket hosted the worldwide radio premiere for the track Tuesday 25th September and the single has been added to rotation on The Faction.
The filmclip takes the viewer to the red heart of Australia, with the band playing the frenetic, heavy new single in the desert – calling for the skies to rain. Chris Wallace, vocalist and lyricist for the band, said that “Rainmaker is about how I see the land. It’s dry. We haven’t had any rain for a while. In the early days, the old people had the knowledge to sing rain, to make it whenever they needed it. I used to have the traditional rainmaker song. One old man used to sing it but he passed away. It’s more about the story of the rainmaking; Asking for more rain for our land before it really dies. To keep our land going.”
Influenced by heavy metal greats such as Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Iron Maiden, the band have created their own signature sound. The huge riffs and thumping grooves are delivered with passion and precision. The band initiated the Rain Maker Music Festival in October 2015 to launch the album. The event in Santa Teresa was attended by over 500 people, including Australian comic and TV presenter Adam Hills. He was filming with the UK’s True North Productions for the upcoming series The Last Leg Downunder, and has been broadcast worldwide in early 2016. Their first EP “Let’s Rock!”, released in 2013 through The Black Wreath sold out multiple pressings.
Southeast Desert Metal’s new album “Break The Silence” will be out on Friday November 23 – pre-order information will be available soon at https://www.facebook.com/theblackwreath.