Y is for Yaksa

The world's most populous nation was bound to provide at least one of the featured headbanging bands in this A to Z. Hailing from the Chinese capital, Beijing, Yaksa are described  as nu-metal by Wikipedia, but they are metalcore, and I like them.

They are Hu Song (vocals). Huang Yao and Dao Xu (guitars), Gao Yufeng (bass), and Ma Lin (drums). In 2016, they released their fifth studio album, Undercurrent. This track is the title track from their previous record, You are not the Loser.

H is for Hiranya

There are a handful of songs in this awesome A to Z line up which I loved instantly, and am still loving. This is one of them. Lost is from newbie metalcore band Hiranya. They launched in 2015 in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

Sara is the vocalist, and what a voice: a wicked growl and clean vocals. Backed by Johnny W and Dani on guitars, Jio on bass and Carlos on drums, this brand of metal is right up my alley.

Very little info available on these guys, but I reckon they are very good, so don;t be surprised if we hear a lot more from them. I leave you with this: hiranya is a sanskrit word which means 'golden.'

A is for A Breach of Silence

My headbanging journey around the world begins at home, almost. In Australia's second most northern capital city (Darwin, where I live is the most northern). Brisbane is home to a metalcore band called A Breach of Silence. 

Formed in 2010, they consist of Matt Cosgrove (guitar), Kerrod Dabelstein (guitar), Blair Layt (bass, vocals), Rhys Flannery (lead vocals), and Daniel Trickett (drums). Their latest album, titled Secrets, was released in February 2017.

Click here to see and hear them in action  Falling Away

My journey to the heavy side of music began in the late 70s when I was a tween who used to hang out in my room and listen to the top 40 countdown each week. It might have been on Sunday nights - I forget- but I was more attracted to crunchy guitars and drums than I was to lighter stuff. I guess you could say I was born to rock.

Ironically, the first album I bought, which was in fact a tape, was Dynasty by KISS. They toured Australia that year, but at the age of 11, I was too young to go see them. I've seen them since so, and I'd still count myself a KISS fan. (I say 'ironically' because KISS's biggest hit in Australia was criticized by some as being a disco track.)