Wall of Sound presents: “2019 YEAR IN REVIEW” – by Wall of Sound Reader Duane James

We love meeting new people and hearing their opinions about music we talk about, but what makes WoS even more special is all the people that have been there since the early conception days. I (Browny) first met Duane James when I was getting my Marvel tattoo sleeve by him at Skin Fantasy in Bathurst way back in the early years of this decade and we remained mates ever since.

His appreciation of music borders on the heavier side of the scene, but his stories are incredible and need to be heard/read by everyone. If he wasn’t busy zapping people, I’d take him on board to write with us, but he had a spare 5 minutes over the holidays to tell us what he frothed over this year…

Top 5 Albums of 2019?

1. Clowns – Nature/Nurture
2. Tool – Fear Inoculum
(I’ll tattoo to this album all day. Jam the headphones in and go.)
3. Black Rheno – Noise Smasher
4. Neptune Power Federation – Memoirs of a Rat Queen
(Have put this bad boy on in the shop a few times)
5. Steel Panther – Heavy Metal Rules

Top 5 Songs of 2019?

1. ‘I’ll Make a Man Out Of You’ by Neptune Power Federation
2. ‘I Shaved My Legs For You‘ by Clowns
3. ‘Fear Inoculum‘ by TOOL
(when I heard this song for the first time I just knew this album was going to be an absolute monster)
4. ‘Vulturous‘ by Cattle Decapitation
5. ‘Pub Feed‘ by The Chats
(fuck off, you know you love this shit)

Best Music Video of 2019?

Lo! – ‘As Fools Ripen‘

This album is two years old but this video only came out July 2019. The frontman Sam Dillon is fucking captivating. Great looking bloke, amazing tattoos on his torso and a fucking menace on stage. Deep guttural shit but I guarantee you’ll watch this video more than once. He’s also the vocalist for Hadal Maw who I saw with Psycroptic and Archspire last year. My hearing went to shit very quickly after that gig. Never been to a louder fucking show in my life.

Best Gig You’ve Seen In 2019?

SLAYER at Download Festival – Didn’t want to say goodbye.

Phil Anselmo & the Illegals w’ King Parrot & Black Rheno @ Frankies Pizza, Sydney – Met all the bands, was an inch from Anselmo, had a tear on the way home. I knew this was going to be the closest I got to the great man

Couldn’t choose between these two shows as to what was best. Won’t choose. They were both hallowed experiences for me and I walked away feeling like my soul had been washed.

Next Big Band To Watch in 2020?

Alien Weaponry are going to blow up. They’re already a festival must see across Europe and the USA. Everyone who got to see them at Download Sydney will be talking about that day ‘til they die. If they throw out another excellent album next year then you won’t be seeing these guys in an intimate setting ever again.

Fav Band Discovered in 2019?

Alien Weaponry. Found their music early in 2019 and their set at DL was high energy and great fun. Seeing blokes do the haka in the audience set the whole place up for battle.

What Are You Most Looking Forward To In 2020?

Download Festival Melbourne – Despite living in Bathurst NSW, I still make the trip south to Melbourne. A huge police presence in Sydney sided with all the mid-strength you can drink means I’m more than happy to venture 8 hours south. This is my Christmas, Birthday and Festivus, rolled up into one.

Parkway Drive tour. w’ Hatebreed & Every Time I Die – The supports alone for this tour are massive. I’ll be waking up feeling very fucking ordinary the next day.

Words by Duane James @duanejamestattoo