23/04/2009
Mind Assault in Recession...
Does not mean no Mind Assault! It just means less of Mind Assault where we like to be – on the stages of South Africa.
Our band has never been comprised of particularly wealthy individuals, and the times are pinching us real hard. We learned in the latter half of 2008 that touring on the level at which we enjoyed it was no longer a self-financing affair as the economic crunch set in. Our ways of the past have had to be shelved in favor of survival.
But enough with the gloom. We are not unique. Patrick ran into one of his previous employers last night – a man who was running a number of his own businesses this time last year – and he is now looking for a job. In that light, Mind Assault is actually doing fairly well. We still have many plans for the future and no doubts that we will ride out this storm. We see the slowed down gigging activity as a long sought after opportunity to get back into the energetic writing of new material – and it's happening!!!
So let's recap the year so far: METAL4AFRICA SummerFest'09 was one hell of a way to kick start the year! It seems that since Whiplash in December, the mosh pit has geared up yet another notch. This has it's perks, but for some of our supporters of the fairer sex, apparently it is a little frightening... We say: “it's Heavy Metal!” Then our girlfriends say: “it's easy for you all safe up on stage.” Then we say: “Dodging Donovan's malicious bass guitar headstock is not as easy as it looks, and we all have scars to prove it – except Andries – he is actually very safe behind his kit... Bastard!” And then all agree.
Ramfest was really awesome, too. We got to camp out for three days with most of our best friends and made a ton of others, drinking, partying and headbanging till our necks were on fire. The all-metal stage was a nice touch for this large cross-genre festival and we hope it becomes tradition for future years at Ramfest. It was great to see V.O.D back in action, and to party with friends from all over the country (you know who you are)... ah, bugger it! Let's tell em: Contrast The Water, Gadabout, Erebus, Architecture Of Aggression, Facing The Gallows – our experiences of SA metal would not be the same without these swines!
About a week after Ram, we played one of our favorite hives which, regretfully, we rarely get the opportunity to visit in these more recent years. None-the-less, “Team Corner Bar” is always ready to show us a good time and vice-versa. This particular show was an Architecture Of Aggression, Rhutz and Mind Assault extravaganza of monstrous (drinking) proportions, and we had a special treat lined up for our friends in Architecture – you would not believe it unless you were there...
Finally, one of the most Epic nights of recent memory – or at least the last 10 years – was supporting the legendary Voice Of Destruction at their final show (ever) of the long awaited reunion tour at The Assembly in Cape Town. This is a night that will go down in our and many other peoples “book of heavy metal”, forever, and ever, aeternitas. We are proud to have been such an integral part of this historic event in SA metal culture. Admittedly, we feel like dirty old men at most shows we play, but at this one we were 18 again - The average age group in that mosh pit must have been 35-40 years old. Most damn impressive thing ever seen! Well done to all the veterans of metal – and thats not talking about only the band. Once again, you would not believe it unless you were there... Where the hell are these guys and gals all the rest of the time?
Needless to say, we have learned much this year already. Especially about enjoying the good times! Sadly, it is occasionally sent to us all in a nasty reminder package as to how abruptly “the good times” can end. On Saturday the 28 th of March, a friend of the band, and who was especially close to Andries lost his life in an accident. Pablo, we miss you bro, and so do many others. Not least of all, your fellow band mates and your very own Jeanne. Don't stray from your path to Valhalla, unless it is to stop off at the Great Gig in The Sky. Let's hope it's Ramfest, so we know where to find your tent when we finally arrive!!!
12/03/2009
HAIILS!
We call on our brethren to support us and please go HERE and just vote for Mind Assault! You can vote 10 times a day! Please use all of it every day! Just use a valid email address!
The reason for this is that we could go play in Milwaukee, WI in the USofA. And we REALLY want to!
Please and Thank you!
19/12/2008
Seasons Greetings…
…and all that Jazz! But mostly, we just want to let sound a roar of gratitude to all those guys & gals who showed us such a good time at WHIPLASH. You people nearly brought the place down – it has been a while since we last saw a moshpit fueled by such passion!!! We do hope everybody enjoyed the politically motivated theme of the night – lol
Once again, it was also good to drink with so many old friends, and to have been given an opportunity to make plenty of new ones.
Anyhow, the Mind Assault crew members are taking a bit of a breather over season time while some go scuttling off across the desert plains to Namibia and others remain close to the sea in hope of surviving the heat. We also have concluded our plans for 2009 which are as follows:
We will kick off the year in a BIG way at “JOOL Festival” in Stellenbosch (31 January). Once again, METAL4AFRICA have coincided SUMMERFEST with the massive party weekend when all students return to Stellies. It's going to be as awesome as ever, so keep your eyes open for the official M4A press release.
Then it's RAMFEST again (27 Feb – 1 March) at Nekkies Resort near Worcester. Weekend camping, beer, sunscreen, river swimming, hangovers, more beer, METAL!!!
The rest of 2009 will see much less of Mind Assault on the stage. After 4 years of hard and constant gigging, we are all eager to spend more time honing our skills on the instruments and seeing what else we are capable of doing. We have had an awesome response from the new stuff at live shows, so maybe it's time for another album in the pipeline, yes? No? We will just have to see how the year progresses once those two festivals lay in our wake.
Of course, there will be some trips to other cities, but those will also be minimized throughout the year – mostly so that we can deal with the changing economic climate!
So in the meantime, we sincerely hope that you all survive the season madness, and that we will be able to drink together next year…
Out
MA
14/11/2008
Greetings, fellow headbangers
As silly season rapidly approaches, us boys in Mind Assault have decided to beat the rush. This weekend we are pulling out all the stops and letting rip in Cape Towns Northern Suburbs – an area which we have neglected for a whole year! In fact, our last show in Northern Suburbs was the annual “Animals Rock” charity event in 2007, and our first gig for this weekend is… wait, you guessed it: Animals Rock 2008 – lol
Anyhow, Mind Assault and Animals Rock and the fantastic people at The Corner Bar have walked a long road together, and it is with great joy and enthusiasm that we make our return (this is guaranteed to end in a tequila apocalypse, as is the tradition at this venue). We will play at around 22:00 on Friday 14 th at The Corner Bar which is located on the corner of Queen & New Street, Durbanville. You can also catch the likes of Moment of Clarity and Original Sin, who if you have not yet seen, should not be missed. The festival organizers have conveniently set up a very nifty looking web page as an information resource. Go to www.animalsrock.co.za for details.
On Saturday the 15 th , and assuming that we are still alive, Mind Assault will drive the short distance down from Durbanville into to Belleville and take refuge in the now legendary Eye Of Horus pub. For those who have heard of, but not yet been, ‘The Eye' is situated just behind the M-Kem pharmacy on Durban Road, immediately off the N1 national highway. After a hasty liver transplant in Andy's chop-shop somewhere in the depths of the pub, Mind Assault will again feel strong and ready for another night of debauchery! click HERE for Facebook event page.
It will be our great pleasure to introduce special guests, Stellitius, who have only very recently made their debut into the Cape Town metal scene, followed by yours truly… This is our very first adventure at the Eye Of Horus, so please make us feel VERY welcome and don't be shy lining up those shooters at the bar.
Our last show of the year is taking place on Saturday, 13 th of December at Klein Libertas Theatre in Stellenbosch – it's WHIPLASH baby – yeah! This will be Mind Assault's 4 th year at Whiplash, hosted by Subterania Music. Check out their website at www.subterania.co.za for info and merchandise (including Mind Assault merch).
We will post a ‘year's wrap' on the website in a few weeks time, and include with it our plans for Mind Assault in 2009. Be sure to check it out, but until then, see you in the pit!
04/11/2008
Hello there!
The album STIGMA is now released online for DOWNLOAD at a host of sites! Click HERE for a list of online stores where it is available!
Please spread the word peeps! We want to break out of the stranglehold that the South African Metal scene seem to have on bands. By getting into the online stores we open up our music to the whole globe. And we need everyones help to succeed. So if you like our music please tell your friends, family and enemies!
You can listen to our music at Last.fm.
22/10/2008
Welcome to our brand spankin' new site! Have a look around and we hope you enjoy!
On to some news!
DEVILDRIVER has been CANCELLED!
It is really sad.... :(
Thank you guys for all the support over the 4 years!
We cellebrated our 4 year birthday at Metal4Africa DVD launch in Stellenbosch! What a party! We will be performing at Aandklas on the 1st of November 2008 in Stellenbosch again! Come have a party with us and metal brothers Azrail!
And congrats to our other brothers Day Turns Night for winning the sms battle and winning the opening slot for DevilDriver in Cape Town! You guys deserve it!
Peace out!
Big J
