Wolves Of Rain

Just some of the acts set to perform at this weekend's Amplified Festival.
MUSICIANS, music fans and industry delegates will converge on Hobart this weekend for Tasmania's biggest annual music showcase, Amplified 2012.
Organised by the state's peak contemporary music body, Music Tasmania, the Amplified festival was first held in 2005 and gives local acts the chance to showcase their sounds while making valuable connections with delegates from record labels, media outlets and music industry organisations across the country.

A weekend of free live gigs and workshops, Amplified 2012 kicks off with two shows on Friday night.

Some of Hobart's live acts will play at the Republic Bar in North Hobart from 8.30pm, with the line-up to feature Enola Fall, New Saxons, The Mornings, ELFA, Lincoln le Fevre and The East, Little Bear, and Triple J Unearthed High winner Asta.

Meanwhile, down the road the Brisbane Hotel will play host to some of the state's best metal bands at the Ampocalypse: Amplified gig, with 10 groups to perform across two stages from 8pm.


Then on Saturday night, the live music program culminates in a huge show at The Grand Poobah in Liverpool St from 8.30pm, featuring The Lawless Quartet, All Fires, The Sin & Tonics, the Christopher Coleman Collective, Ben Wells and the Middle Names, Younger Dryas, The Fringe Dwellers, Guthrie, Lizard Johnny Band, Small City Lights, Wolves of Rain, and Sara Jane and the Enigma Blues.


For all Amplified 2012 details, go to http://musictasmania.org




- The Mercury Newspaper Tasmania

E.P REVIEW OF WOLVES OF RAIN SELF TITLED E.P
28/11/2012
By Elise O'Connor
WARP MAGAZINE

You may have become familiar with Wolf-Arrow Rain's dark/progressive folk Joan Baez/Kate Bush style voice and writings in her earlier incarnations; 'The Black Swan' and 'The Bursting Sun'.
'Wolves of Rain' was formed at the beginning of this year with Arrow on guitar/vocals, Mathew Finlayson on bass, Brendan Kays on Drums and David Elliston playing multiple instruments including, organ, mandolin, glockenspiel and accordion. Kays has since left the band being replaced by the incredible Kathryn Dimond, girl extraordinaire. Their debut self-titled E.P released in November features the track 4 tracks on hard copy or 3 tracks via digital download on such websites as Bandcamp, CD Baby. This is a worth while investment.

'Wolves of Rain' consists of four distinct melodies which represent the maturation of Wolf-Arrow's excellent songwriting skills whilst staying true to her progressive and dark folk roots. Following a spinal operation in 2011, she addresses her emotional and physical fragility and frustration of recovering from surgery and expresses herself with new found depth and strength. Personally, I feel this album is ultimately about transformation, rebirth and finding faith in the healing forces of nature.

Track 1- Sleepy Love Town is a soothing and sweet lullaby encased by the rhythmic backbone of 1950's rock.

Track 2- 'Mamochka' is a progressive folk rock song that observes the common tale of homeless children being raised by Wolves on the outskirts Russian cities. These cities are surrounded by forests in which the 'Mogli' type children live. Mamochka is a Russian word cutsie word for mother- like mummy. Beautiful transformative chord changes lead us to the chorus where Wolf-Arrow's voice really takes flight. (I would like to say her voice reminds me Chris Cornell's newest efforts in his band Audioslave but really, it's so much more unique). The 60's organ brings a psychedelic contrast to the previous piece, taking us from a lullaby to dreams of freedom.

”She howls me lullabies,
they soothe the saddest baby's cries ...
Her name rings on the wind
and I'll never be a girl again..
Forever the Wolves may Rain (reign) .

The second section of the piece is about running away to join the wolf children, giving herself over to nature...

“I'll leave the city lights so far behind,
I'll dance with my naked Kin beneath the sky,
Coz rivers run wild and I'm baptised by the moon..”

Track 3- Frustration and angst is absolutely expressed in this rockier piece, 'Woozel' with almost head-banger-like incitement. ”I called your name, I called in vain.”

Order is restored in the final track 'Desire'. Bittersweet chord changes find release in soaring guitar solos, and matched with Arrows rich emotive vocal crescendos, is definitely the highlight of the album. It describes the transformative animal instincts and restorative energies that take over at springtime:

“When the winter has gone and the spring has returned, the over whelming animal instincts burn. This is Desire. When the ice mountain cracks, a tune can be heard, as an echo that follows the deer and the hummingbird. Let it reign, let it flow through my heart again, burning like fire, relentless Desire.”

Limited edition hard copy CD's with the 4th track- 'Desire' can be purchased at shows or through special request by contacting the band on http://www.facebook.com/Wolves.of.Rain.
or purchased as a single on
http://wolvesofrain.bandcamp.com


Five things that inspire me...with Wolf-Arrow Rain

1) Sunshine inspires me to participate in life (get out of bed and do stuff with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step)...

2) Depression and sadness inspire me to write music (because that's how I transmute thepoison)... A poet needs the pain kind of thing.

3) My dog 'Ushki Van Wooel' inspires me to laugh and be myself, to be humble and take off the metaphorical mask, which all humans wear on a daily basis for different reasons. She teaches me to just BE.

4) My children inspire keep living and to try and make myself a better person.

5) My lover inspires me to love and melt like a running brook that sings it's melodies into the night.

6) The water inspires me a lot...When I was in my teens someone told me that the sea is like the womb of the earth, all living creatures came from the water in the beginning and water is the blood of life. H EAPS of my songs are related to the sea and water or rivers. When I'm in a boat, (like the Spirit of Tasmania) and I'm sleeping in my cabin- I imagine that I'm a baby being rocked to sleep in my mothers womb. He he he...

7) The look and feel of velvet.

8) Castles

9) Rainy days

10) Untouched forests.

11) Really nice people (like you!)

12) A Native American writer called Hyemeyohsts Storm. He wrote a book called Seven Arrows and another called Lightening Bolt. BIG influence on my entire perception of life.

- Warp Magazine Tasmania

SWAMPED BY TALENTED WOMEN.

July 12 2012
Rebecca Fitzgibbon

Local Women In Rock unplugged is a celebration of women in music. Hosted by Wolf-Arrow Rain singer/songwriter of rock band Wolves Of Rain and studio partner of Nigel Learoyd in Wolf Bird Radio. "Our music scene in Hobart is pretty much dominated by men". Wolf-Arrow said. "There are a lot of girls that want to play but it's hard for them because women have so many responsibilities". "This event will be a showcase of what women can do. I wanted to get as many women together in this town to show what women can do. Women are ready to rock out. It's also about solidarity. Coming together, forming their own bands and having confidence in doing that through networking". This an event that shows it all stripped back and bare hearted, held at The Grand Poobah on Liverpool St Hobart. Come along and join the party.

- The Mercury Newspaper Tasmania