GAOLED will rip your throat out.
These self-proclaimed ‘bestial hardcore’ titans include members from seminal Perth hardcore // punx // doom acts like Self-Harm, Warthreat, Drowning Horse, Gutter Oil + plenty fucking more +++
With a demo, flexi + split offerings since emerging in ’21, they’re already well-seasoned – with a national tour, local festivals + a never-ending slew of Boorloo // Perth gigs under their belts.
ALT’s own JESS WILLOUGHBY chatted to vocalist Micky ahead of supporting Berlin’s DIS FIG this Friday, June 2 at Badlands Bar…
GAOLED have described themselves as nothing short of ‘bestial hardcore’. Is that actually how it feels playing these tracks live?
GAOLED are evidently a band that could fit under the hardcore umbrella, though we take a lot of influences from a bunch of other heavy music genres too. I guess our sonic approach is somewhat primitive and aggressive sounding and referring to our music as ‘bestial hardcore’ could give people a rough idea as to what we might sound like. I’m really describing GAOLED as a self-coined sub-genre which doesn’t really exist; it’s pretty mid.
Not to mention that the band has really not slept since their first release back in ’21. Tours, heaps of local shows, consistent releases… where’s the inspiration coming from for this project?
GAOLED rehearse once a week and if we’re not working on getting our set tight for a show, we’re just working on new stuff. It’s kind of weird having played outside of Perth a few times after only having two releases (a demo cassette and a four-track flexi). The networks we’ve made through touring with our previous bands over the years and having our guitarist Ben’s label Televised Suicide, as well as having Iron Lung Records (USA) release our stuff has helped make it easier for us, in the sense of getting on people’s radars. We’re all a bit older and pretty well-versed in how to function well as a band and GAOLED has probably been the easiest band for me when it’s come to getting things released and having opportunities to tour and stuff.
The band carries members that have been all over the show in the Perth hardcore/punx/metal scene for years. What was it about GAOLED that brought you all together in a unified and motivated form?
I think we all just get along really well as people, have a similar sense of humour, but also compliment each other when making music together. Rundo (drummer) and I played in a black/death metal band called SELF HARM, prior to the formation of GAOLED and I’ve been mates with Ben and Gus (bassist) for years. Everyone’s other bands have all been fuckin ripper and I think everyone’s experience from other bands that have toured, released records etc. makes it a pretty seamless process for us.
With the split with Demolition (NSW; Hardcore’s Hardest Hogs) coming out back in March this year, are you already working on new material?
We are booked to record the BESTIAL HARDCORE LP with Oracle Sound in early July. It’s something like 12-tracks; a few classics from the demo will be re-recorded, but it’s mainly new material. Sounds like GAOLED should, but maybe with a bit more of a bestial black metal influence in some of the guitar riffs and drumming. When releasing the ‘Bestial Hardcore’ flexi, we tried to write a few shorter songs. But the new record will have a few longer, drudgier songs as well as some quick buggers.
The record will be released by Iron Lung Records (USA) and Televised Suicide (AUS) hopefully by the end of the year!
GAOLED, as a name, carries so many connotations when it comes to being Australian. What does it mean in the context of this band?
I’d actually had ‘GAOL’ in a little list of band names for a few years. Wasn’t sure exactly what style of music I would use it for, but when I started writing the first few songs for GAOLED, the main influence was from a Boston power-violence band called SCAPEGOAT who have a song called ‘Jailed’ (which we covered on the Bestial Hardcore flexi). Bit of a fitting nod to Scapegoat and a pretty unique name, given a lot of people don’t actually know the traditional [Australian] spelling of the word.
I think the name is pretty complimentary to our music and a lot of the lyrical content is somewhat relative to feeling trapped or imprisoned in a more psychological sense.
What’s become your favourite song to play live and why?
I think ‘Lined’ is probably one of my faves. Nice and fast with a stunch-as-hell breakdown. It’s a fucking classic really.
What would be your ideal contemporary Australian gig (in an ideal world) and why?
Ooooft, pretty tough one there, because there’s so many amazing underground acts in Australia, but would probably run something along the lines of:
Extortion
Whitehorse (VIC)
GELD (VIC)
Demolition (NSW)
Oily Boys (NSW)
Aside from the fact that they’re all the homies and it would just be a ripper party with absolute legends, it would be a pretty complimentary bunch of bands, who all kinda sound a bit different to each other.
Catch GAOLED live on Friday, June 2 at Badlands Bar supporting DIS FIG [BERLIN]. Tickets available now here.