Adelaide-based alt-rockers Mad Cactus have unveiled their latest single, Big Game – a tantalising taste of their upcoming LP Thirteen Dogs.
Made up of Tim Mellonie (guitar, vocals), Jake Long (bass, vocals) and Bryan Schiller (drums), the boys take cues from the likes of Rage Against the Machine, Queens of the Stone Age and The Black Keys to craft their own mix of rock and grunge.
Big Game by Mad Cactus is a fierce and commanding track, rife with enough brooding guitar and hammering vocals to get your head banging.
Since their formation in late 2014, the group have been hard at work perfecting their craft in the studio and on the stage. Having already earned a nomination for Best Heavy Act at the South Australian Music Awards in 2016, it’s no surprise their latest offering is as compelling as it is grand.
The song opens with a melodic piano structure that builds into a crescendo of brooding guitars and drums. Striking hot and hard is the anthemic chorus, anchored by Mellonie’s powerful vocals.
Adding to the intrigue on the track is the meaning behind those heavy rock vibes; a longstanding passion for wildlife conservation.
Mellonie sheds light on the song’s background, stating, “Wildlife conservation is something I’m very passionate about and consumes a huge chunk of my life outside of Mad Cactus. As a Keeper working at one of Australia’s largest zoological parks, a strong conservation message was bound to come through somewhere in the music.”
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the unique opportunity to work closely with a range of rare and endangered species including the Southern White Rhino. I wanted to do something a little different with our song Big Game. I wanted to help raise awareness regarding the plight of wild rhinoceros and expose some of the brutality that comes with the trade of rhino horn.”
Mad Cactus will be celebrating the release of Big Game and forthcoming album with a launch at The Ed Castle Hotel on Friday June 15. Grab all the details here.
