Pod People (band)

Lore & Background

Pod People began in Belconnen, Canberra, in 1991, named after creatures from The Dark Crystal. The early lineup was fluid, with founding members Ivan, Brad Nicholson, Duncan, Paul, and Adrian Basso. They recorded their first demo 'Just One' at 2XX Radio studios and played festivals like Indyfest. The band's sound was influenced by early 1990s stoner bands like Tumbleweed, and they performed covers of Mudhoney and Black Sabbath.

After founding members left between 1993 and 1996, the lineup solidified with Brad, Dave, Josh, Maggs, and Mel Walker. The band developed a heavier style blending doom and death metal, releasing the Swingin' Beef and Soil EPs. In 2001, they signed to High Beam Records and released Doom Saloon, featuring artwork based on Inferno from The Divine Comedy. The album was picked up by Rise Above Records and received positive reviews worldwide.

The band continued with Mons Animae Mortuorum in 2007, themed on Purgatory. They toured until 2011, then took a long break. In 2019, they announced a return at the Sunburn Festival in Melbourne. Guitarist Mel Walker declined to rejoin, replaced by Roy Torkington. In 2020, they performed at the Canberra Theatre Centre, a notable event though other metal acts have played there since Iron Maiden in 1985.

Reader's Guide

Pod People hold significance as a pioneering Australian doom metal band that integrated stoner and sludge elements with a conceptual arc based on Dante's Divine Comedy. Their album Doom Saloon, with its upside-down cross fold-out artwork, gained international attention through Rise Above Records, making them the label's only Australian act until 2018. The band's promotion of Electric Wizard's only Australian tour highlights their role in fostering the doom scene in Australia. Their return in 2019 after an eight-year hiatus and their 2020 performance at the Canberra Theatre Centre—the first heavy metal show there since Iron Maiden—underscore their enduring impact. The band's legacy includes a trilogy of albums loosely based on Inferno, Purgatorio, and likely Paradiso, though only two were released. Their sound evolved from stoner rock to a heavier doom/death blend, influencing later Australian acts like Witchskull.

Did You Know?

• Pod People's name was based on creatures from the film The Dark Crystal.
• They were one of the Australian acts on Rise Above Records, alongside fellow Canberrans Witchskull (who joined in 2018).
• The band organized and promoted an Electric Wizard tour of Australia.
• In 2020, they played at the Canberra Theatre Centre, though they were not the first heavy metal band there since Iron Maiden in 1985.