An Audience With The Devil 5

AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DEVIL 5
New Zealand's Premier Festival of Metal
Galatos, Auckland - May 18-19, 2007

There can be absolutely no doubt that metal in New Zealand has enjoyed a strong resurgence in the last couple of years. While dance music continues to die a slow death following the fall from grace of its marquee stars like Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers, metal has risen from its status as a jerkwater, isolated genre with limited widespread appeal to a fully-fledged legitimate artform in a phase of mainstream re-genesis. In the last couple of years alone, New Zealand has played host to acclaimed concerts by metal superstars such as Opeth, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Hatebreed, Suffocation and Killswitch Engage, to name but a few. 2007 sees the trend develop further, with veterans Slayer and Guns 'n' Roses, and contemporary luminaries Lamb of God and Dragonforce all arriving on New Zealand shores for concerts with skyrocketing ticket sales that would be unheard of in this country even five years ago.

But perhaps the most accurate litmus test of where metal in New Zealand currently stands is the strength of the relationship between the top international acts and the current cream of local metal talent. While local bands have to-date done an excellent job of lending support to the touring megastars, no one gig has yet to test the true synergy between the talent from abroad and that on our own doorstep.

AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DEVIL 5, at Auckland's GALATOS, will be the very festival to do this.

Spread over two pulsating nights, AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DEVIL 5 builds on the massive success of the festival's previous incarnations, beginning in 2003, but now takes on an additional angle by introducing international talent into the mix in the form of Americans NILE and Poland's DECAPITATED. NILE are currently one of international metal's major acts; enjoying both phenomenal album sales over their four releases to date as well as widespread critical acclaim for their groundbreaking and innovative combination of virtuoso-level musicianship, blinding speed, razor-sharp intensity and a lyrical and aesthetical approach grounded in the philosophy and imagery of Ancient Egypt. DECAPITATED have risen from nowhere to become one of the global metal scene's upstart breakout bands. With an average age of 20, and already three widely-heralded albums under their belt, the Polish quartet deliver precise, unrelenting metal with an eye for technical wizardry. NILE will headline AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DEVIL 5's second night on Saturday May 19th, with DECAPITATED as lead support and local tech-metallers ULCERATE, the rising stars of Kiwi extreme metal, opening up proceedings.

The first night of AN AUDIENCE WITH THE DEVIL 5 on Friday May 18th will feature an all-local bill comprised of New Zealand's premier metal acts, including notables 8 FOOT SATIVA, SINATE and ANTAGONIST; all of whom have developed massive followings in New Zealand as well as the makings of strong international followings. With ten bands in total over the two nights, the festival exhibits a wide variety of different metal subgenres - something to cater for every dark and depraved taste - with the nightly line-ups as follows:

FRIDAY MAY 18th

SINATE
8 FOOT SATIVA
ANTAGONIST
BACKYARD BURIAL
THE HOUSE OF CAPRICORN
RELENTLESS ATTRITION
NECROTERNAL


SATURDAY MAY 19th

NILE (USA)
DECAPITATED (POLAND)
ULCERATE

Coinciding with New Zealand Music Month already in full flight, these will be two nights not to be missed for both the devoted metalhead and darkside-curious alike. Tickets to the Saturday night show are on-sale now (and selling fast!) from Ticketek and Real Groovy nationwide. Door sales for the Friday night show will be $20, or $10 with the presentation of a ticket to the Saturday night show.