Album Review: Various - Soundwave 2013

The biggest heavy music festival in the country demands nothing less than a weighted compilation full of metal, punk, hardcore and everything in between. Suitably, Soundwave 2013 is a legitimate behemoth covering the complete gamut of what the full-scale event is all about.

Disc one is loaded with big names: Blink-182, The Offspring, Linking Park and more digestible cuts from pop leaning acts such as Paramore and All Time Low – a reflection of the main stages. The second CD, however, is more indicative of the face melting that takes place in other nooks and crannies on the grounds, with arse-kicking moments including the grimy metalcore of While She Sleeps (Seven Hills), and the spasmodic fury of The Chariot (Forget). A few of the big name artists obviously didn't want to sign off, with notable absentees including Metallica, A Perfect Circle, Slayer and Kyuss Lives!. But this merely provides eager punters with the opportunity to dig into the depths and discover some hidden gems that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks. Red Fang's Hank Is Dead is bombastic with a big bottom-heavy chug that hits you right in the guts, while Shai Hulud sound like Thursday being fronted by Terror's Scott Vogel, an intriguing bridging of styles that is crunching and immediate. The limited Aussie product of the release – and the bill as a whole – remains a moot point, but those that made the cut (The Amity Affliction, Northlane) both sound like they belong.

The perfect pre-game soundtrack to enjoy during your morning BBQ, or a suitable way to reflect post-match, once all the teeth have been loosened and the blood left on the ground.