Slatz Perspective on Red Right Hand

Hey! I'm Slatz, an Alternative Metal musician from Sydney, Australia.

Music is my outlet – from my thoughts & feelings into rhythms & guitar chuggs, blending Alternative Metal with Metalcore, Trap Metal, and Metallic Hardcore, all infused with Hip-Hop vibes.

I've had the opportunity to collaborate with artists like the OG's of 90's/2000 Nu-Metal (Hed) P.E., Tanner Wayne from In Flames, Adam Ramey from The Dropout Kings, and the Aussie Trap Metal kings The Weight of Silence to name a few. And being mentored by Billy Graziadei from Biohazard/Powerflo/Billy bio has been a game-changer for me.

I don't like sticking to one sound—I thrive on diversity. From the raw energy of old-school NYHC to the intense vibes of metalcore and the dark, haunting tones of trap metal, my music covers a wide range of emotions and styles. Collaborating with others is where the magic happens for me. It's like breaking free and exploring new territories every time.

I love pushing boundaries and creating something unique that wouldn't have been possible on my own. I've got a ton of music ready to share, including some exciting collaborations and features. If you want to stay in the loop with my latest releases, hit that follow button above! 

I grew up listening to bands like The Pixies, The Angels, and left of field rock bands which quickly turned into my love of grunge, punk and some Metal & Hip-Hop/Rap.

Nicj Cave had always inspired me by his talent in story writing. His songs always took you on a journey and were more likely than not very dark.

Inspired by my admiration for Nick Cave and the Peaky Blinders series, which popularised the track, I decided to cover “Red Right Hand” staying true to the haunting essence of the original while delivering my trademark metal twist. I tried to reinterpret this classic songs bringing a modern edge to Nick's timeless music.

"I've always wanted to cover a Nick Cave song, and as a big Peaky Blinders fan, 'Red Right Hand' just felt like the perfect fit," 
"I wanted to pay homage to Nick Cave while still putting my own spin on it. I'm excited for fans to hear this new version and experience the darker, more intense vibe I've created."

I even went one step further and got into the Peaky Blinders character, donning my Grand-Fathers original 3 piece tweed suit from the 1940’s, a Bakerboy flat cap and pocket watch and roamed around the Rocks in Sydney for the music video which features some of Australia’s oldest buildings.

My Dad used to rent caravans back in the 80's when the economy was not so good, many people used to live in the vans, but many also would bail owing months of rent and just shoot through. Sometimes there were a few records left in the vans when he would pick them up, which he would then bring home. 
My parents were never really into music, and didn't own a stereo, so I talked them into buying a midi system with record player so I could play the records.
I used to play whatever he would bring home, from Michael Jackson, Queen, Black Sabbath and Jazz records. 

My first purchase of an album was around 13 years old and I bought Doolittle from the Pixies. I was lucky to have a heap of cool record stores around where I lived where I could absorb music.

I was around 16 years old when I started jamming with mates and trying to play covers, but then I was offered a role as guitar player for a metal band when I was 17. I didn't realise it was a 3 piece and that also meant I was the singer as well, so I started to write my own songs which was metal but with a punk/grunge edge with a bit of Hip-Hop influece in the vocals. Think early Biohazard and that was pretty close.

I am really no good when it comes to genre's, and that is not just me trying to cop-out. I guess Rock, alternative Metal, and maybe even operatic rock (which is what a few have told me)
I am happy to be informed as to what others think the correct genre/genre's would be

3 years ago I was writing more punk / Hardcore style, but then finally bought a decent 7 string guitar and went straight to drop A tuning and started my more metalcore journey. I then morphed into sort of Nu-Metal / Trap Metal and back into Hardcore but more of a metallic Hardcore sound. 
I am not really stuck in a single sound or genre, I like to experiemnt and write in the mood that I am feeling at the time. 

It also depends on what guitar I pick up. I have many guitars all tuned differently so if it's a drop C guitar that lends itself to Metallic Hardcore, Dropped D is punk/Hardcore, Standard could be punk or grunge, and then we have the 7 string and Barritone guitar which is metalcore all the way.

I am a very positive person and always try to see the positive in every situation and not let the negatives take over. I also hate being around negative people as their energy just crushes me. So my music has a very positive aspect where I discuss working hard towards your goals, and always pushing through the pain.
However, I also have some extremely dark times that I also explore, where depression and anxiety take over and I am fighting to survive.
I also explore themes relating to Government and media censorship, coverups, conspiracy theories, censorship and where the world and society seems to be at this point in time. That stuff really messes with my head and I have to be mindful to not let those thoughts take too deep a hold of me as it does make me want to become a doomsday prepper and go live off grid.

If I could go on tour with any band in the entire world it would be Biohazard. 
Biohazard is my all time favourite band. The cross over of Punk, Hardcore, Metal & Hip-Hop/Rap is just my perfect mix. 

Billy Graziadei (the guitarist & singer of Biohazard) is my all time favourite song writer. His riffs, chugs and open chorus with his trademark aggrissive vocals and rap cadence is second to none in my opinion. He is one of the major influences in my own songwriting. It's so crazy that he then mentored me and we arote a song together. 
Life sure is crazy. 

Metallic Hardcore with punk and Hip-Hop/Rap 

To be honest my music is an art project - I don't stick to one sound or genre, but if you mix any of the following you may get close.
Metallic Hardcore, Hardcore Punk, Metalcore, Nu-Metal, Alternative Metal, Trap metal 

Biohazard & Pantera in the 90's

To be honest my favourite song is whatever I have just released as each song means something personal to me at the time. 
But the start of my re-musical journey was the song "What You Have Become" which I wrote in about 10 minutes. I wrote it around a drum beat and the guitar and lyrics just poured out of me, almost like I channeled it. 
It is also about a really good friemd who kept treating me really bad until I realised they were not in fact a friend at all, and that I couldn't understand the person that they had become

Wow, that's a really tough one, I could probably write 20 or more artists I could not do without.
I reckon it would need to be 3 seperate moods
Lets go with something like

1 - Biohazard

2 - Sublime

3 - The Doors

A huge festival with a crowd that knows my music and is jumping, dancing, moshing and of course the odd wall of death

Again this would have to be Biohazard as I have been a huge fan since I was a teenager.
There are many other artists that I would also like to collaborate with, both from back in the 90's and also new bands that have really sparked my interest

That's a great question and I'm sure I probably have many strange stories, but the first one that comes to mind was in the early to mid  2000's I was at the Soundwave Festival in Sydney, Australia. I had just watched most of Offspring and was bolting to see another band which could have been Metallica on a different stage when I heard the most amazing music coming from a distant stage. I remember stopping and going "I have to check this out"
It turned out to be Madball and I was blown away and I stayed and watched them, loving the Metallic hardcore riffs and killer drums. I was an instant fan

I want people to just feel something. Every song is different. Every song has a different emotion to me. But at the same time, it could also mean something different to each individual. So if it makes you happy, sad, pumped, chilled or even just to think, then I have done my job. 

Honest, Fun, Good-Bloke

To be honest I don't really have a favourite way.
We could be at home and I share a track with my kids, or show a mate a new song, or crank a song in the car, or at the beach, or at a party. It doesn't really matter.
I have gone from Records, to tape, to CD, to MP3, to now digital streaming so whatever medium makes it the easiest to allow someone to hear.

No, I don't practice at all.
I write, I play, I rehearse songs with our band, but sitting nd playing scales and licks etc..... No way.

People telling me a song got them through a hard time, or that they felt the same or had a similar experience. Music is about connection, and finding your "tribe"
And when people tell me they releated to a song it really makes me feel good

That is a really open question.
It changes 
Success to me comes in setting a goal - a realistic goal and working towards it. 
That could be monthly listeners, streams on a caertain song, royalties, how many turned up to a gig, how many followers I have on certain social media platforms.
I like to break it down and work toward each micro goal.
Am I happy with where I am compared to a year ago - of course, it is insane. Will I be happy if I am still here in a year - NO WAY.
As long as I am progressing I am happy

I actually don't set out to be a game changer, I just write whatever comes out and eans something to me.
There are some that set out to shake it up, to do something different, but do they really enjoy that? Is that where their heart is or are they just doong something different for the sake of it. I believe game changing music is not something you setout to do, it's just a by-product of what you created.

Success to me is striving & working towards a goal, but you have to try and be prepared to fail.
The song Chance by a band called Shelter has always resonated with me, so much so I did a cover version of it.