By Karen Poh
HEAVY metal band Powers That Be are back in Melbourne’s west after an exhilarating month of tours in Los Angeles.
“It makes us feel like we’ve got another notch in our belt,” said the band’s vocalist Ivan Duzel.
They were moments to savour, as the tight-knit band of four – Ivan, Brett, Chris and Loki – “lived their dream”, playing at Whisky A Go-Go, the hallowed Sunset Strip venue where the rock scene was born.
“We did it on our own back, paid our own way and arranged the gigs without an agent,” said Mr Duzel.
And it was the break they needed, he said, “opening the doorways” to networking opportunities with record companies and other metal greats.
The Hillside band also made it onto the cover of Rock City News, labeled the best Aussie band since AC/DC.
“Melbourne’s Beat magazine would be the local equivalent,” Mr Duzel said, brimming with pride.
“I reckon we have an audience (in Melbourne), but we need a little bit more coverage … and Los Angeles was going straight to the heart of it,” he said.
“We’re a harder edge rock band with a heavy metal influence.”
But for those unaccustomed to heavy metal rock bands like them, their music sang a very different tune from what most people would expect, he said.
“It’s music for the underdog.
“It’s related to blood, sweat and tears – it calls for something a bit more real,” he said.
“A lot of people are afraid of the unknown, and they’re afraid to ask questions, like, ‘Where’re you going to be in 10 years?’
“We deal with the day in and day out of things, and we deal with it a lot better than people who don’t know how to pinpoint their feelings.”
The band has also helped them face many of life’s challenges, said Mr Duzel.
“It’s hard to find the right people to spend your life with.
“I’m 36, Brett is 27, Chris is 23, and Loki is 21. The band has really turned into family,” he said.
“It reflects our music, we’re people who keep our intentions real.”
