Interview by Kris Peters
Knotfest Australia 2024 is fast approaching, with less than one month before the traveling music extravaganza hits Melbourne for the first show on March 21.
Headlined by Pantera, Disturbed and Lamb Of God, it would be easy to overlook some of the other bands on the bill out of pure excitement for the headliners, but do so at your own peril.
One of the best things about festivals is the opportunity to hear fresh bands for the first time. Bands that might not have crossed your radar yet. Personally, I have discovered some of my all-time favourite bands this way, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that.
One such band to keep an ear out for at Knotfest this year is Canadian deathcore wrecking crew Brand Of Sacrifice, a band rapidly on the rise overseas but making their first visit to this side of the world.
With their recent signing to Nuclear Blast Records and release of heavy as fuck single Purge, Brand Of Sacrifice are up for the challenge of winning over a new legion of fans, with vocalist Kyle Anderson joining HEAVY to talk more.
"I'm very excited and definitely looking forward to seeing Disturbed," he smiled. "I haven't seen them yet."
Despite the fact it was just over one month away at the time of this chat, we ask Kyle if he has allowed himself to get excited so far out.
"Oh, I've been excited ever since we got the offer," he replied. "It's been a dream. I've never been (to Australia before) and the band has never been either."
We run through the line-up and ask who he is most looking forward to playing with other than Disturbed.
"I'm looking forward to them," he affirmed. "Pantera and Lamb Of God are legends too. As far as some of the newer bands, Thy Art Is Murder are great, and they're from Australia, so we've gotta plug them. I haven't seen Wage War yet, from America, so I'm looking forward to seeing them, too."
In the full interview we ask Kyle if, as a young band on the scene, it gets daunting being backstage with so many legendary bands, what we can expect from Brand Of Sacrifice live, their sideshows with Lamb Of God, how different those shows will be to the festival appearances, if the band chooses festival set lists to appeal to a broader musical taste, how any songs from their latest EP Between Life And Death will be in the set list, signing to Nuclear Blast Records and what that means to the band, latest single Purge and if that is part of a bigger picture and more.