Beastwars

This article is about the heavy metal music group. For their eponymous album, see Beastwars (album). For the entertainment franchise, see Transformers: Beast Wars.
Beastwars
Matt Hyde, Nathan Hickey, James Woods, Clayton Anderson
Background information
OriginWellington/The Hutt, New Zealand
GenresSludge metal, stoner metal
Years active2006 (2006)–present
MembersNathan Hickey
Matt Hyde
James Woods
Christian Pearce
Past membersClayton Anderson
Websitehttp://beastwars.bandcamp.com/

Beastwars is a sludge metal band from New Zealand.

The early history of the band can be said to have begun in 1986 when Matt Hyde began his first band, Microwave Babies, while attending Saint Bernard's College in Lower Hutt. They disbanded in 1988. Hyde then moved to Australia, and then London. Aaron Carson in Auckland invited Hyde to try out for his new band, The Larry Normans. At around the same time Nathan "Nato" Hickey was an up and coming bass and guitar musician. Hickey was introduced to Clayton Anderson, a guitarist in metal bands. This is about the time Hickey began playing drums. Hickey had also discussed forming a band with James Woods, and brought him along. At some point Hyde met Hickey, and the beginning of Beastwars was underway. The band was formed in 2006, and played their first show as a four-piece unit in 2009.[1]

Their 2011 self-titled debut album received positive reviews in the band's native country[2][3][4] and invited musical comparisons to Soundgarden, Mastodon, and Unsane, amongst others.[5][6] The album also gained recognition for Nick Keller's cover design, winning the 2011 New Zealand Music Award for Best Album Artwork or Packaging. The band received a nomination for best New Zealand Rock Album at the same ceremony, but ultimately lost out to Ignite.[7] The album was also shortlisted for the 2012 Taite Music Prize.[8]

The group has opened for Mastodon, High on Fire, Fu Manchu and Kyuss and in 2012 performed at the Auckland Big Day Out music festival alongside notable international acts such as Soundgarden, Röyksopp, and Kasabian.[9][10] In 2011, a limited release custom-brewed beer was commissioned bearing the band's name.[11]

In July 2023, the band announced that guitarist Christian Pearce would join the band to replace Clayton Anderson.[12]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

  • Beastwars (Destroy Records/Universal Music, 2011)
  • Blood Becomes Fire (2013)[13]
  • The Death of All Things (2016)[14]
  • IV (2019)[15]
  • Beastwars (10th Anniversary Remaster) (2021)
  • Tyranny of Distance (2023)[16]

Live Albums

  • Live at San Fran (2020)

Singles

  • Cold Wind/When I'm King (2021)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Beastwars - AudioCulture". www.audioculture.co.nz. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. ^ Scott Kara, "Album Review: Beastwars", The New Zealand Herald, 5 May 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  3. ^ Nicola Russel, "Meet Wellington metal act Beastwars", Stuff.co.nz, 13 May 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  4. ^ Ricardo Kerr, "Album Review: Beastwars", Undertheradar.co.nz, 29 April 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  5. ^ Patrick Hajduch, Scott Morrow, "Morrow vs. Hajduch: Beastwars" Archived 27 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Alarmpress.com, 24 August 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  6. ^ "New Band To Burn One To (Evening Buzz): Beastwars ", Heavyplanet.net, 28 June 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  7. ^ "VNZMA 2011 Winners" Archived 10 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine, nzmusicawards.co.nz, 3 November 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  8. ^ "Taite Music Prize 2012". IMNZ. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  9. ^ Dave Borgioli-Jones, "Beastwars Interview Nato (drums)", nzrock.com, 7 December 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  10. ^ "2012 Auckland Big Day Out Lineup" Archived 7 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Big Day Out. Retrieved 30 January 2011
  11. ^ "Beastwars Announces Tour And Custom-Brewed Beer" Archived 3 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Amplifier Magazine Official Website. Retrieved 30 January 2011, 2011
  12. ^ "BEASTWARS - Announce 5th Studio Album 'Tyranny of Distance'". NZ Music. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  13. ^ Beastwars Streaming Audio Samples Of "Blood Becomes Fire"
  14. ^ Beastwars The Death Of All Things
  15. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  16. ^ "BEASTWARS - Announce 5th Studio Album 'Tyranny of Distance'". NZ Music. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
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