bZARK

"bZARK grew out of chance meeting of two Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne (Australia) students and a drumming reprobate, who somehow managed a sense of camaraderie long enough to stop feuding over their direction, which ultimately was about rock. Actually make that capital ROCK rock. Big pulsing sounds, squalling cello (I mean cello, really?), maniacal guitar, and a thumping beat.

I can’t recall exactly how it happened, but I suspect someone gave me their unreleased ‘Eternity in an Hour’ album, and despite me thinking I shouldn’t really rate it, I couldn’t stop listening. I remember seeing the band for the first time and Fergus Hunt (guitar, vocals) sat down for virtually the entire show, but then moved like the guitar was trying to burst out his chest like Alien. Gareth Skinner (cello, bass, vocals) was an angular mop of hair stalking the stage with purposeful menace. And Tarek Smallman (drummer, vocals) attacked his kit with a teenage fervour to not only drive the sound, but crush it. I suspected a passing acquaintance with heavy 70s progrock, but also a varied pedigree of influences from such a varied bunch of musicians." David Vodicka