Q & A with Black Rheno

Metal sensation Black Rheno are hitting the stages with the Thrash, Blast & Grind Festival Tour. They took time out to answer a few quick questions about the illusion of overnight success and touring with the likes of King Parrot.

You guys seem to have exploded onto the scene almost instantly. Has it been as overnight as it seems or is there more to it than that?

Yeah it definitely seems like yesterday we released Let’s Start A Cult … then BAM there’s a lot of exposure and equally as many opportunities landing in our creamy laps! It’s very fast paced the way things are going, which we no doubt thrive on. But all of this hasn’t just come out of nowhere, we have been working day and night and pushing ourselves to the absolute core with planning and organising all shit that goes on in the background.

These things don’t all just appear and the effort that we collaboratively put in together is something that I’m super proud of!

What are your backgrounds musically? Is this your first band? Did you all start out in metal bands or has it been a progression towards the heavier side of music?

We have all done our part in different bands over the years, whether it be Stoner, death metal, funk or even hip hop! But we all gravitate towards the heavy stuff, the scene and the fans are beyond par anything else.

You’re on a bill with guys like King Parrot, Psycroptic, Revocation and Whoretopsy. Do you find yourselves all trying to out metal each other and see who can put in the most brutal performance?

[Laughs] Well, we are playing alongside some of the elite of the metal world, which we all know metal shows go pretty insane. So we just go as mental as possible on stage and leave our mark on the night.

Being that your reputation has been built on the back of your live performances do you have particular venues that you’ve enjoyed playing or particular gigs that stick out in your mind?

On this tour we are playing some pretty sweet venues, my personal favourite at this time was The Triffid. Massive room, great sound and those Brisbane nutters go crazy!

Black Sabbath just played their final farewell gig a few days ago. Does seeing Ozzy and Tony on stage at 70 or so make you think about whether you’ll still be burning up a stage decades from now?

As long as we are alive (touch wood) we will be destroying every stage until every city on earth has had a taste. Then do it again.

6) What is it about metal that attracts you to it as musicians? Why heavy music rather than blues or any other style? Why metal?

Nothing’s more fun than being with your homies, smashing the shit out of drums, turning the amps waaaayyy up and screaming at people.

Don’t get me wrong, playing different genres is still fun, but being brutal and giving it everything you have physically is better!

The Thrash, Blast and Grind Tour is coming to a stage near you, soon …

Friday February 10
The Triffid (Lic/AA), Brisbane

Saturday February 11
Manning Bar, Sydney

Sunday February 12
Valhalla, Wellington*

Monday February 13
Whammy Bar, Auckland*

Tuesday February 14
The Cambridge, Newcastle

Wednesday February 15
The Basement, Canberra

Friday February 17
Max Watts, Melbourne