Mind Assault

Mind Assault
Origin Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa
Genres Melodic death metal, Heavy metal
Years active 2004 - Present
Labels Independent
Members Jacques Fourie
Francois Pretorius
Patrick Davidson
Donovan Tose
Andries Smit
Past members Stephan Lenhoff

Mind Assault is a heavy metal band formed in 2003, but first emerged in public October 2004 under the name Mind Assault. Their members are based in Somerset West near Cape Town, South Africa. They were the first extreme metal band to use their native language Afrikaans in their music, maintaining a balanced use of Afrikaans and English in their music.[1][2] This language usage results from a re-emerging consciousness (see Voëlvry) among young Afrikaans people through alternative sub-cultures, reflected by bands such as Fokofpolisiekar and Kobus!, which results from a closer observation of their own cultural heritage.

Mind Assault has become known in South Africa as a form of activism for political freedom on stage and in writing.[3][4] Lyrical content narrates issues of state and political interest[5] and matters of personal frustration and social problems.[6]

The band consists of a stable line-up of all four founding members. Whilst Mind Assault originally had trouble finding a suitable drummer in their home town, Stephen Lenhoff (a high school friend and multi-instrumentalist) joined the band on drums for a period of almost three years before Andries Smit started as drummer in January 2007. Andries quickly become a vital contributor to the band not only by drumming, but also as composer, establishing his rite as the fifth member.[7]

History

In October 2004, Mind Assault performed their debut appearance. The founding members of the band were: Jacques Fourie; Franscois Pretorius; Patrick Davidson; and Donovan Tose. Because they could not find a drummer, a friend of the band, Stephan Lenhoff played drums, until Andries Smit replaced him as a permanent member in 2007.

Mind Assault released their first demo EP, entitled Social Engineering in 2005. During this time they playing a number of underground concerts and festivals, and initiated a fresh concept of organizing "party-buses" to select performances, which in itself became an event that attracted a lot of additional fans.

In the beginning of 2006, Mind Assault played their first cross-genre music festival to a very receptive audience. They embarked on their first national tour, entitled DESTRUCTOUR'06 in partnership with one of South Africa's legendary metal acts SacriFist. The success of the tour ensured the bands progress on a national level. Throughout 2006, the band continued to perform shows in their home province, gathering material for a home DVD release.

In 2007, Mind Assault released a home DVD, titled F*k Voort En Suip Baie (a first in South Africa). They concluded the year with headlining slots at festivals such as METAL4AFRICA, EMPYREAN FEST, and WHIPLASH.

In February 2008, Mind Assault released their debut LP Stigma at METAL4AFRICA Summerfest, breaking attendance records in the region for an all-African, all-metal event. In 2008 they also headlined at RAMFEST, a large annual cross-genre music festival. They toured South Africa's neighboring country Namibia. In 2008, Mind Assault were booked to play alongside international visitors: Devil Driver (USA), Carcass (UK), and Nile (USA) for later that year, as well as to headline another METAL4AFRICA and WHIPLASH. Mind Assault are the only band ever to have been invited to play WHIPLASH five years in a row. The band initiated another national tour with old friends, SacriFist for DESTRUCTOUR '08, but settled down towards the end of that year in light of economic down-turn, and owing to a vehicle and equipment theft from which they would take some time to recover. Consequently, neither Nile nor Devil Driver reached African shores, as had been scheduled.

In 2009, and after the loss of the drum kit, Mind Assault maintained a slowed pace, but continued work on new material and worked on delivering some of the most entertaining performances seen in African metal until that point, repeating appearances at festivals such as RAMFEST and METAL4AFRICA.

In addition to the usual gig circuit, 2010 saw Mind Assault's first appearance at one South Africa's oldest and most well-known festivals, Oppikoppi, and took the remainder of the year to track their next self-released EP called Metal Rites.

Metal Rites was released at the end of January in 2011, with the band embarking on another national tour, including a first-time appearance in the city of Bloemfontein that year.

By the end of 2012, the band shifted focus from the live scene towards a more studio-orientated approach. This shift was primarily prompted by the return of lead guitarist and founding member Francois Pretorius, to his country of birth Namibia. Despite the move, members of Mind Assault elected not to change the members of the band but continue writing and recording with the original line-up.

Mind Assault reached another milestone in 2013 when they traveled to their first Gauteng RAMfest to join South Africa's Pestroy in opening for UK's Bring Me The Horizon and Rise Against from the US.

In 2014, Mind Assault released four self-produced tracks and a music video in anticipation of their support of the Lamb of God South African tour.

Musical style and direction

Mind Assault combines brutality with melody to create a powerful mixture. Guttural vocals are written with a mix of English and Afrikaans (a native language in South Africa). They were the first band to use Afrikaans on a regular basis in extreme metal.[8]

Tours and Live Performance Highlights

Band members

Current members

Previous members

Timeline

Live sessions done with Mind Assault

Discography

Albums

Ep's

Single track releases

Compilations

DVD's

References

  1. ↑ Ramon. "Interview - Mind Assault". Lords of Metal. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  2. ↑ Lord Doom (28 June 2012). "Come out and vent a little steam Mind Assault". Metal4Africa. Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  3. ↑ DarkFiend (29 December 2011). "Mind Assault taking on political flack". Metal4Africa. Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  4. ↑ Ramon. "Interview with Mind Assault". Lordofmetal.nl. Lords of Metal. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  5. ↑ DarkFiend (9 January 2014). "Call mag verkrag". Metal4Africa. Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  6. ↑ Historian (28 February 2007). "Encyclopaedia Metallum". Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Willow (7 July 2010). "Mind Assault staying on course". Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  8. ↑ Ramon. "Interview - Mind Assault". Lords of Metal. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  9. ↑ http://www.rockstadtextremefest.ro/index.php/en/
  10. ↑ http://definite.ro/vin-oaspeti-din-africa-de-sud-mind-assault/
  11. ↑ DarkFiend (15 February 2013). "Mind Assault finally admit their affinity for boobs". Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  12. ↑ DarkFiend (9 January 2014). "Call mag verkrag". Metal4Africa. Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  13. ↑ DarkFiend (16 January 2015). "Mind Assault encourage annihilation of man". Metal4Africa. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
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