Cancer Bats Return to Australia for 2024 National Tour + INTERVIEW with Liam

Canadian hardcore punk legends Cancer Bats are set to make a return to Australian shores for the first time since 2019. The band will embark on an eight-date national tour, thrilling fans across the country.

We caught up with Liam from the band for a chat about the upcoming AU Tour, Bat Sabbath, and more!

The tour kicks off on June 13th in Brisbane and includes stops in Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, and Adelaide. This tour supports their latest LP, 'Psychic Jailbreak,' released in 2022. The album, their seventh studio effort, marks a new chapter for the band, created as a three-piece following the departure of founding member and guitarist Scott Middleton, all while navigating the challenges of the global pandemic.

During this visit, Cancer Bats will also bring their alter egos, Bat Sabbath, to the stage for exclusive appearances in Sydney and Melbourne, celebrating their 2023 EP 'Masters Of Duality.' Fans can expect electrifying performances featuring some of the greatest metal songs ever, promising unforgettable nights of mayhem. Special guests for these shows will be announced soon, but FANGZ will not be part of the Bat Sabbath performances.

'Psychic Jailbreak' has been a critical success, earning Cancer Bats their sixth JUNO Award nomination and receiving extensive support from notable publications like Metal Hammer, Kerrang!, Exclaim!, NME, Wall of Sound, HEAVY Mag, and Punktastic.

Renowned for their relentless work ethic, Cancer Bats have played globally at major festivals like Download Festival and Reading and Leeds Festivals. They have shared the stage with iconic bands such as Bring Me The Horizon, Alexisonfire, Thursday, Rise Against, The Bronx, Bullet For My Valentine, Gallows, Comeback Kid, Pierce the Veil, Every Time I Die, Haste the Day, and Billy Talent.

Joining Cancer Bats on their headline shows are Sydney-based party punks FANGZ, known for their energetic performances and extensive touring history. FANGZ have supported big names like FIDLAR, Pennywise, RedHook, Comeback Kid, He Is Legend, and Gyroscope, and have been featured by major music platforms like triple j, Spotify, Apple Music, and Loudwire.

Hello Cancer Bats! Who is writing to us today, and where are you currently?

Hey, what's up it's Liam! I'm currently writing to you from Sunny Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

It's awesome to hear that you will be touring Australia this June! What are you looking forward to the most about touring here again?

We love coming down to AUS to rip some gigs!

The shows are always wild, with people having the best time, singing along and getting nuts in the pit. Australia has an amazing scene, too, so we're lucky to play with loads of rad bands every night. Aside from the shows, we'll be drinking coffee like madmen and finding all the local skate spots we can!

Awesome to see you are touring with FANGZ. Are they a band you've been across for a while?

We've known the FANGZ boys for a long while. We played together in 2019 when we were last over, and they have a Canadian in the band, so the bond is DEEP! Can't wait to rock the whole tour with them.

I've been an avid listener of Cancer Bats for many years from 'Birthing The Giant' and 'Hail Destroyer' for many years, and I have seen you perform in Australia in the past, and Canada in the past, what can Australian fans look forward to seeing from you this time?

This tour will be the first run with our guitar shredder Jackson! Since he's been in the band, we've dusted off a bunch of old tracks we haven't played in years! It's a blast having songs like 'Harem Of Scorpions' and 'True Zero' back in the set. Just getting to mix it up more feels great. So we're super pumped to crush with Jackie!

Since your 2022 'Psychic Jailbreak' record, is there new music on the way?

We are slowly, slowly starting to work on some new tunes and get things going, looking for these gigs to be the wild inspiration we need for some new bangers!

Is the band still spread out between Toronto and Winnipeg?

We've actually spread out even more! I moved out to the East Coast and am living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Jack lives out east in a spot called Moncton, New Brunswick. We like to keep it the most Canadian we can, with all of us spread out, haha.

Give us the lowdown on Bat Sabbath – I know you love Black Sabbath, I mean, who doesn't, but what can Australian Fans expect with those selected shows in Sydney and Melbourne coming up?

So, Bat Sabbath is our over-the-top night of worship to all things SABBATH! We add our vibes to all the songs. We play them with a Bats twist for sure, heavier and with way more chaos. All Bat Sabbath shows are equal parts sing-alongs and sweaty pits.

I would say anyone who misses those shows is a poser and can never listen to heavy music again. ALSO, Potion are playing both shows, and I CAN'T WAIT to see them live! It's going to RULE!

Does Cancer Bats have a creative director or someone leading the creative charge for how you present yourselves online, even down to tour artwork, etc.?

We don't have a formal creative director, haha, but I've always been super into the art side of the music. Our original bass player, Andrew McCracken, is a graphic designer, and he and I really dove into the visual aspect of the band. He designed the Bat Skull logo and we worked on lots of the original art together. We are also really fortunate to be surrounded by some really talented artists who have helped us over the years. Alex Snelgrove has done a ton of art, and Kyle Hollingdrake has designed the AUS tour poster. We love working with all these rad folks on all things Bats.

What has Cancer Bats been up to in the past few years post-covid lockdown? I'll be honest, I didn't realize the band was still touring!

We have been touring non-stop since we put out 'Psychic Jail Break' in 2022. The last three years have been great with shows all over the globe. Lots of great trips to the UK and Europe, Canada and the US. I'm feeling really stoked about how the shows have been for this album, and now finally getting to come back to AUS!!!

What has been the most memorable show or tour in the past few years?

We just got to do an amazing run with Gwar across Canada and the US, and it was AWESOME! Gwar are such a legendary band, being creative and ripping for almost 40 years. It is rad to play some crazy shows with them and be inspired to keep having a blast and doing what we love.

We enjoy giving back and supporting emerging artists, bands, or creatives from your local community. Are there any you'd recommend we check out from your local communities?

We've been really stoked to have met some awesome younger bands in the last few years. Our pals in Ethereal Tomb are an awesome Doom HC band from Toronto that everyone should check out. Our homies in Spaced are killing it for fans of super fun, catchy hardcore. Also, our good friend Jackson plays in a rad band called Diner Drugs that everyone should check out.

So many awesome bands are coming up right now, and it's a great time to be in music.

Thanks again! We will catch you in Newcastle on the upcoming tour!

I can't wait to play Newcastle again!!! See you soon!!!

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