Firmly established as the most popular specialist music show on radio in New Zealand, the Axe Attack is proud to announce a nationwide tour to back up the popular Axe Attack Vol.1 NZ Metal cd out on Hellman/Intergalactic Records which has been selling well around the country since December last year.

Three of the 16 bands that appear on the album will hit 14 main centres with the ferocity and excitement that only metal bands have.

With the surge of popularity and good press that metal music has had lately in New Zealand, the time is perfect to take three of our most outstanding metal acts on the road.

SUBTRACT from Auckland have proven themselves time and again to be one of the hottest live acts in the country at the moment. Huge and menacing, the SUBTRACT sound is world class metal pure and simple. The success of their brilliant album 'Formula One' has earned them a lot of loyal fans up and down the countryside. Guitarist Harvey Jackson says "We are so amped for this tour right now, the band has never sounded better and we can't wait to see our fans around the country. It'll be madness!"

World Battle Of The Bands winners CHUGANAUT have received accolades from all quarters with their snowballing success lately. One of NZs hardest working live acts CHUGANAUT pull off a tight and powerful live set punctuated with crazy rhythms, contagious melodies and some fat guitar driven footstompers.

With no shortage of energy and enthusiasm this band is one hell of an entertainment package. Currently recording some new material for an album CHUGANAUT's tenacious touring schedule has garnered them a hoard of hard core fans who are rabid and ready to mosh hard at their gigs.

Waikato's WORLD WAR FOUR are an unstoppable tour-de-force fronted by 'The Axeman' Paul Martin. The ex Knightshade and Blackjack guitarist describes WORLD WAR FOUR as a dynamic, riff driven, sonic monster with a violent streak. Not wanting to sound like anyone else this band forge their own path of destruction through the plethora of pop music and radio wannabes that we get bombarded with. Dripping with brutal sincerity, pride and power the likes of which hasn't been seen in this land before combined with the vicious live show, WORLD WAR FOUR will hammer home the message that all three bands are out to deliver... metal is alive and well here in New Zealand, and damn well dangerous.

From Auckland to Invercargill this rolling metal beast will showcase the extraordinary talent we have here in NZ that the Kiwi music industry types are most frightened of. Music that's not interested in turning on limp wristed radio programmers or selling out to the pop market, real music for real people and a bloody slab of meat for your NZ music month sandwich!

The Axe Attack Vol.1 NZ Tour 2005

During February of 1987, the voice of Paul Martin became the comfort for many Contact 89FM listeners. This was the beginning of the Axe Attack. This segment of the station proved to be popular, and Paul Martin decided it was time to expand the impact. In July of 1992 the Axe Attack had joined forces with the ROCK FM. From then on things extended further and further. With the ROCK FM expanding it’s listening range, spreading throughout the North Island and moving down to the South, the Axe Attack was now a national trademark of one of the most popular radio stations in New Zealand. Now in 2005, the show is developing one step further.

The Axe Attack Volume one CD contains 16 local Metal artists. The show has an important emphasis on promoting the New Zealand Metal scene and the talent within it. They also encourage new bands to come out and give them some confidence that their music will be heard not only locally, but even internationally. And to take the Axe Attack movement one step further, the Axe Attack Vol. 1 New Zealand Tour 2005 is about to embark its journey.

From Thursday the 6^th of May, the tour will hit fifteen destinations around the country. This tour features three of New Zealand Metals top bands, Chuganaut, Subtract and World War Four.

Chuganaut are an innovative independent band, who has proved this by winning not only the National Battle of the Bands title, but taking out the World Battle of the Bands competition.

World War Four are like the super heroes of the New Zealand Metal scene. They are out to spread the message of ‘real’ rock music to the absorbing society falling under the spell of imposter bands. They breed in originality and are honest in the music that they make.

And for the biggest blast of live sound, Subtract are bringing what they do best to the stage. Their fan base is spread across New Zealand, meaning that their will be devoted fans at EVERY show. In other words, Subtract are a band that has made a sound that satisfies the ears of many metal loving New Zealanders.

The Axe Attack Tour is going to be one of the highlights of this New Zealand Music Month, and is a must see event for every hard rock fan.

~Janise

The dates and Venues are as follows: