Rawk, raunch, groove, grit and dirt, these terms tend to sum up the debut album from Melbourne four piece The Charge. Oh, and great songs as well.

2015 Biography

“It’s as if Black Sabbath and Nirvana made an album together.”

So people are saying about Red Flags, the debut album from Melbourne four piece rock act The Charge. From beginnings in mid 2008, this band has drawn influence from such diverse but ultimately raucous sources as Black Sabbath, Mastodon, Alice in Chains, Queens of the Stone Age and Led Zeppelin, and channeled it into a sound and presentation that is uniquely their own. “I guess I’ve always loved the darker styles of music,” so states lead vocalist and guitarist Ashley Jones, “Black Sabbath especially. It comes from heavy metal going straight to grunge!”

While supporting The Nerve on the “DOWN THERE” national tour in the winter of 2013, they met Reggie Bowman, producer of The Nerve’s Album and mixing front of house on the tour. After the tour finished The Charge drove straight to Reggies recording studio (Screamlouder) and laid down two tracks. Fast forward one year and 4 months and The Charge are set to release their follow-up 2nd Album titled - Order of the Owl in the spring of 2015.

With support slots for Dead Letter Circus, The Nerve, Floating Me, Electric Mary, Engine 37, Over-Reactor, Black Devil Yard Boss and three consecutive years in a row performing at Rock The Bay and Rock N Load as well as Heavy Mag’s Brewtality Festival, this band will be leading the charge for Australian heavy rock music in the years to come.

There’s a grungy vibe to their style, but you wouldn’t rate them a grunge band. Same goes for stoner rock. They are undoubtedly influenced by 70s classic rock, but there is a modern vibe to them as well. Simply put, if you like anything from Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath to Kyuss to Nirvana to Mastodon, then The Charge is for you.

The Charge are:

Ashley Jones: Guitar, vocals Hamish Mills: Guitar, vocals Julian Crupi: Bass Ben Cuthbert: Drums