News

Ill At Ease Tour Update

From The Archives: John Scott – Survival techniques for bands

The details are a little hazy, but I’m pretty sure I wrote this “Survival techniques for bands” in response to a request to do a talk to a group of bands in Mt Gambier.  This was in response to a request by a host of a local independent music radio show there and who also played in a band.

Part of that weekend was to judge a Battle of the Bands – I’m thinking this was around 1996, but could be wrong? So I gave a talk at a hall, and then part of that was, the sharing of the “Manifesto”. I’m not sure how relevant it still is today for bands in the industry – but it’s history now lol.

John Scott

New Website Launched

It has been a few years since we have given the website a design change. So we also took the opportunity to move our website to a new hosting provider which should help with the speed of the website and load times.

The design has been based on our Songs Of The Third And Fifth release, delivering a nice clean layout with additional content and images provided on some of the pages throughout the website.

TMOC To Play FIRE AID

In response to the devastating bushfires across South Australia, the Adelaide music & arts community has come together to produce FIRE AID, a bushfire fundraiser!

On February 1st The Mark Of Cain will join a line up of local and interstate artists, who have donated their time and talent to help raise funds.

Thank You in advance for your support. All proceeds go directly to CFS Foundation BLAZEAID and SAVEM to help volunteers, families and fire ravaged areas.

TMOC Christmas 2019 and the year ahead

First thing, Merry Christmas from The Mark Of Cain and a Happy New Year to you all.

Secondly, many thanks to the volunteers fighting the many fires across Australia. And the Third… many thanks to all of you who came to see us perform the 30th Anniversary of Battlesick.

We really had a great time, met lots of fantastic people (our fans), and also a big shout out to our friends The Messthetics, great guys, and a fucking great band.

Next year is the 25th anniversary of Ill at Ease. We will start rehearsing next year and tour in 2020! Look out for that!

All the best,
TMOC

Battlesick 30th Anniversary Vinyl Release

To celebrate the 30 Year Anniversary Tour of Battlesick, we are re-issuing Battlesick on Vinyl through Golden Robot Records.

We will also have the Battlesick Vinyl available at the upcoming shows from the merch stand with a limited number of autographed copies available. The vinyl re-release contains the original track listing and order from the 1989 release and has been re-mastered. Unsigned versions are available for pre-order via the Golden Robot Records link provided below.

Pre-order now with the release date set for 18 October 2019.

https://store.goldenrobotrecords.com/browse/the-mark-of-cain/products/battlesick-vinyl

Battlesick 30th Anniversary Tour

The Mark Of Cain return to the stage this October performing their debut album Battlesick in its entirety.

Originally released in 1989 via indie Adelaide label Dominator Battlesick sounded like no Australian album before it or since. Tracks like Wake Up, Dead Man’s Mail, The Setback, Call in Anger and the title track addressed the fear of dreams, the threat of death, anger over disappointment and personal setbacks; not exactly the subject matter of an era when Kylie Minogue was queen and Ratcat were primed to become the pinnacle of the underground. It did not chart and in Australia it was barely heard outside of Adelaide however, it’s resonance did find an audience even if that audience had to come from places farer rather than near.

“Like I heard the song Wake Up and I was like ‘whooah’, I woke up! And then I heard the song Battlesick and it was all over for me, that’s just an amazing song. For me, just as a songwriter, that’s the song for which you wish you wrote the lyrics. Like ‘damn man, he wrote Battlesick, that fucker. Let me write that. I mean the imagery in the song is amazing and Deadman’s Mail, that’s just incredible” – Henry Rollins

“It was the height of my fixation on Vietnam and the idea of the countless unknown heroes who walk among us” – John Scott (TMOC)

The precision three piece which features brothers John & Kim Scott (on guitar and bass respectively) plus drummer Eli Green (a touring member of The Mark Of Cain since 2014) will also a perform a second set or extended ‘encore’ of classics from right across their five studio albums strong career. The 2019 tour marks the first national tour by The Mark Of Cain band since 2015.

“With no frills and an attitude of absolutely zero bullshit, The Mark Of Cain mercilessly pummelled the audience into submission with a wall of sound so dense it was truly hard to believe it was emanating from a three-piece band.” – Scenestar 2015

Completing the touring line-up and making their Australian debut will be Washington DC three piece The Messthetics featuring Brendan Canty and Joe Lally (both ex-Fugazi) alongside guitarist Anthony Pirog. This will be the first visit to our shores for the Fugazi rhythm section since that band’s final Australian tour of 2003 while for jazz-trained guitarist Pirog, it will be his first. The tour follows the release of the trios eponymous debut album (Dischord) in March 2018

“The freewheeling musical interplay of the band often sounded like improvisation, but ultra-quick changes and rhythmic variations attested to the fact that this incredibly complex sonic tapestry was both scripted and obsessively rehearsed.” – Riff Magazine 2019

Together The Mark Of Cain and The Messthetics makes for the hard rock thinking mans most essential live event of the coming months – or ever! Tickets on-sale 9.00am Wednesday 17th July via feelpresents.com

On sale 9.00am Wednesday July 17th via the Feel website.

2019 Battlesick turns 30

This year we will be heading out to celebrate 30 years since Battlesick was released in 1989. We have been rehearsing and intend to play Battlesick in its entirety later this year in a series of shows around Australia. Dates to be confirmed but expect later in 2019.

Have a great new year – more news soon…

10 Years since TMOC entered Broadcast Studios

Today marks 10 years since TMOC entered Broadcast Studios with Evan James in Adelaide to record what was to become ‘Songs Of The Third And Fifth’.

CLICK HERE for some rare behind the scenes out-take footage shot over 10 years ago from the recording of ‘The Argument’ in it’s early beginnings.

Photos & Video Footage: Brett O’Malley

Digital Albums Now Available

Just a quick update to advise that we have finally started to add some of our back catalogue of albums to iTunes, Spotify and Google Play.

Battlesick, The Unclaimed Prize, Ill At Ease and Songs Of The Third And Fifth have all been added for either download or streaming access.