Artist description Headshot are a four piece heavy groove metal/rock machine from perth, Western Australia.

Music Style alternative metal

Musical Influences Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Rollins Band, Stravinsky, Bartok, Brad Mehldau, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bjork, Meshuggah, Public Enemy, Helmet, Virgil Donati

Similar Artists Rage Against the Machine, Rollins Band, Meshuggah, System of a Down, Pantera, The Mark of Cain, Helmet

Artist History Headshot's name represents their drive to create songs that are aimed at the head; music and lyrics to make you think as well as feel. Their debut EP 'Rooms Within Rooms' is a convincing introduction to this philosophy, 5 tracks of big groove avant metal that know how to rock but also challenge the listener with mind bending time changes and intelligent lyrics that are equal parts naked emotion, abstract expression and social dissent. The band formed in 2000, enduring several difficult lineup shuffles before finding solid feet with Joe Kapiteyn (throat), Ben Lockhart (guitar), Chris Mitchell (drums) and Glenn Harley (low end) in 2001. They entered the studio in December of that year with producer Forrester Savell who the band flew over from Melbourne because, after hearing his work on killer releases from Full Scale and Karnivool, they knew he has the only man for the job. The results prove they were on the money, with 'Rooms Within Rooms' lauded nationwide as one of the best locally produced rock/metal releases of 2002. Since its release, the band have gone from strength to strength, with regular airplay on JJJ's 3 Hours of Power, live supports for The Mark of Cain, Mindsnare and Full Scale, and a nomination at the recent 2002 Kiss My WAMI Awards for Most Popular WA Metal Act. Next, the band will to take it to a national level with an East Coast tour in February 2003 and a full length album later that year that will cement their place at the very forefront of Australia's heavy music scene.

Group Members Glenn Harley - low end Joe Kapiteyn - throat, words Ben Lockhart - guitar Chris Mitchell - drums

Albums Rooms Within Rooms (2002)

Press Reviews Headshot - Rooms Within Rooms Sic Squared through MGM Headshot's debut EP is certainly a breath of fresh air in a worldwide metal scene dogged by so-called nu metal acts. Taking their influences from the hardcore end of things both musically and lyrically, this is heavy shit indeed. In fact, you get the distinct impression that if Rollins hadn't wussed out and discovered that comedy is sometimes the best remedy, this is what could have followed on from his band's classic "The End of Silence". A little more modern and politically aware, this is, however, Headshot's own baby. The EP kicks off with title track and current single "Rooms Within Rooms" - easily the catchiest thing on offer. The only track coming in close to the four minute mark (with the rest taking on more epic proportions), it features trademark Headshot churning riffs and a compellingly brutal chorus, interspersed with lulling and hauntingly melodic verses detailing the repressed paranoia inside a world of self confinement. Karnivool's Ian Kenny makes a welcome melody inspired appearance on backing vocals for the bridge, until the chorus extends the stark lyrical themes with kaleidoscopic-like imagery ("rooms within rooms - floors within floors - locks within locks - doors within…). It's punchy, catchy and it has a great video directed by local guru Andrew Ewing, which if you haven't seen recently on prime time rage, is available here as a bonus multimedia component. Ex-iNFeCTeD lead vocalist Joe Kapiteyn's throaty ravings are undoubtably intense and well suited to the music, but it's his lyrics that truly shine. With a heavy emphasis on breaking out of fear based moulds, it's the simplicity of tracks like "Hunger" ("walking the well trodden line, you won't get lost but you won't find") and the cleverly titled "Undergod" ("moralise = more lies") that really give this EP its place among the finest heavy releases of the year. On "Burning Flag", Kapiteyn's telling political statement against the US bombings of Afghanistan, we get to hear the side of the September 11 story that is rarely well presented - "what went down was insane no question, families torn apart… welcome to the world of a middle east dissident" and "ground zero - tribute to the heroes, turn it all into one big tv show". At 25 minutes over five tracks this EP is the length of some short albums, and perhaps the only criticisms you could level at Headshot is that there isn't enough in the way of variation and ideas being given truly original conclusions. These are, however, minor issues in the greater scheme of what this EP achieves in getting its point across. Leave it to the lyrics to have the final say: "i hunger for intelligence, i hunger for experience" ("Hunger"). If these are qualities you admire and identify with, "Rooms Within Rooms" is for you. Harvey Rae.

Additional Info Email headshot@iinet.net.au

Location Perth, Western Australia - Australia

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