Ouroboros caught up in media uproar

Sydney death metal four-piece Ouroboros have received attention from Melbourne shock jock Neil Mitchell on 3AW, after they were awarded a grant of $20,000 to produce their next album. Mitchell slammed the Federal Government's decision to give the band money to record, repeatedly referring to the music as "awful" and comparing vocalist Evgeny Linnik's voice to Cookie Monster.

The Chair of the Australia Council music board Matthew Hindson, who was responsible for awarding the grant, has however defended the decision, citing Ouroboros' "technical virtuosity and musicianship" and stating that grants aim to encapsulate musical diversity in Australia regardless of personal taste. The band's drummer David Horgan also commented that the money would allow the band to utilise a symphony orchestra in the recording of their next studio album, which they otherwise would have not been able to afford.

In response to Mitchell's comments yesterday, the band posted the following on their Facebook page thanking him for “promoting Ouroboros and stimulating an important and passionate debate about the great value of public funding for the arts in Australia and heavy metal music in general”.

Horgan was then interviewed today on 3AW, which can be heard here.