FULL BATTLE ORDER TOUR OF DUTY ASIA – Tour Diary
By Greg Damon Shaw

This is the tour diary for Truth Corroded's FULL BATTLE ORDER TOUR OF DUTY ASIA as told by Truth Corroded bassist Greg Damon Shaw. The band would like to acknowledge Bret from Mourning Sound Records and Kimi from Mind Your Head Promotions for organising the tour and their incredible effort along the way. Our respect and thanks- you rule.  Truth Corroded want to extend our thanks to our touring partners Bhelliom for being the best band you could ever hope to tour with and for having such an awesome time- lets do it again. We would also like to thank the Chinese and Thai heavy metal scene, bands and audience's alike, for being so very fucken cool and crazy. Our special thanks to ARTSA for making this happen- your support is greatly appreciated.

Oct.23- Well here we go- off to Hong Kong, China and Thailand for a two week tour and we just have no idea what to expect. We are hell excited but also ponderous about how it will all go. Questions of " Are we going to be playing to 3 people, 30 people or 300 people? Hell, what if its 3000 people!!! " and "Are we going to get arrested and deported?" So we really did not know what to expect. We left Adelaide, via Singapore and arrived late in the evening in Hong Kong. At the airport we were greeted by the promoters from Mind Your Head, head honcho Kimi and trouble shooter Allen. At first we encountered the immediate difficulty of understanding our bogan accents- evident by Kimi and Allen's looks of bewilderment and bemusement. Once we arrived at the hotel we proceeded to demonstrate our other talent outside of playing thrash metal- the fine art of beer drinking. 7/11 serve beer 24/7 and super cheap!! Joy!! Tsing Tao and San Miguel became our new best friends in Asia.

Oct.24- The first day was a day off to explore Hong Kong. Kimi met us in the morning to take us out for a traditional Yum Cha breakfast. Cultural/language fuck up lesson number one!! Kimi translated our order, but with Liam insisting that he eats lots and with us not realising how much was provided in each serve, we were left slack jawed when it took an army of waitresses to bring out our meal- which they stacked higher and higher until the table resembled the Great Wall Of China!! Kimi did not bat an eyelid, possibly thinking we were fat enough to eat it all. We tried, really hard, to the point were we actually felt ill. Kimi was also amused ( as were much of the restaurant ) by how inept we were with chop sticks- useless. Allen arrived at the restaurant and was shocked at how much food we had ordered- he proceeded to bury his head in his hands, with a look of agony and exclaim 'Oh Nooooooo' This was repeated every few minutes for the rest of the time we were around Allen- haha!

Allen was our escort for the day to show us around Hong Kong until our touring buddies Bhelliom arrived from Singapore later thet evening. After a tour meeting Mark, Jason, Kimi and myself went out to take in the Hong Kong night life and meet up with a good ex-pat mate of ours Ryan ( who some of you may know as the former drummer with Adelaide band Enemy Of ) It was a big night in the Red Light District of Hong Kong- lots of people partying from all around the world- awesome times. We showed Kimi how to drink in fine Australian fashion- she made the night by making sure we understood that she loved Beijing- its an in joke, but if she is reading this she will be laughing.

Oct.25- Gig day! The first show of the tour at the Hong Kong Youth Outreach. The venue was a basketball stadium with an excellent set up - staging, back line, digital back drop for each band, and a great turn out- way to go Kimi and Mind Your Head! Performing alongside us were two outstanding Hong Kong bands that we encourage all to check out- Evocation and Hyponic- awesome! The show was outstanding, the crowd absolutely manic! For 'We Are Failed' the crowd did a full room circle pit, for 'The Disfiguring' the crowd participated in a full room wall of death- it was all limbs and chaos- and for the encore of 'The Cull' our touring lead guitarist Darren crowd surfed for the entire song! Killer show! We did not know whether the response to the rest of the tour could match Hong Kong ( but we were yet to be suprised )- it was a memorable show and one of the best we have ever experienced- Hong Kong you rule! Lots of photo's and autographs followed and we sold lots of merchandise- could not be happier and it was the best possible way to kick off the tour.

Oct.26- Today we left for China. Both Bhelliom and ourselves were pumped for the next show in Shen Zhen. The city is just over the border from Hong Kong with a 40+ million population- a big and very modern city. We arrived at the venue, Base Bar, and to our suprise Napalm Death had played there- awesome! The show was a smaller turn out than Hong Kong, but the crowd more than made up for its size through sheer metal mania with a crazy pit and great support- also language is no barrier when it comes to metal! Show your horns and we all speak a universal language. Big thanks to local promoter Max for his effort and good times.

After the show we returned to the hotel to freshen up but were keen to party. However, there is a 2am curfew in Shen Zhen, so by the time we left the venue and got ready to party it was to late to get a taste of the night life as everywhere was closed- so thank the Chinese gods for having a 7/11 across the road from the hotel!! We decided to just hang out the front of the 7/11 and drink up like true South Aussie bogans on a street corner- what happened next was one of the most awesome experiences on the tour.

We were drinking up with the Bhelliom lads when we noticed that this middle aged man had walked past us several times and was looking at us with curiousity ( or maybe disapproval- we weren't sure ) Finally he stopped and spoke in Chinese to one of the Bhelliom lads and informed him that he would like to set up some tables and chairs for us and buy us some beer and food! His name was Sah Bing, and he arranged tables and chairs to be set up on the street corner and had a dude on a bike ride back and forth providing us with crates of beer and food - needless to say it got pretty loose! Kimi broke out a bottle of vodka and things were getting crazy- at this point, Gene, the drummer from Bhelliom, dropped his pants for a photo oppurtunity and with all the hoo-hah going on the Police arrived. But not to worry, Sah Bing had a word to them and it was all good- green light to keep partying! Sah Bing was a legend and someone we will never forget.

Oct.27- Whoa- hang over! Today- thankfully- was a day off. Truth Corroded decided that we would explore the city and do some shopping. Shen Zhen is a huge city and demonstrates the growth of China- the city is full of skyscrapers and chain stores such as Mc Donalds, Starbucks and KFC- it was in many respects just like Sydney or Melbourne , but, we were the only Westerners we saw that day! Where ever we went the Chinese would look at us with curiousity and we gathered that not many tourists must travel through the city. It was cool though. While the city was a representation of the influence of western capitalism, it also showed a side to life we were not accustomed to- misfortune. Street beggars with terrible deformities, either through disease, or as we were sadly informed,mutilation by the individuals family in order to beg. You could not empathise with the down and out addict or alccoholic we are more accustomed to seeing in Australia- they need to see the plight of these people.

Oct.28- Today we travelled to Guang Zhou- one of China's largest cities with a population of over 60 million. We arrived at the venue. Jason conducted an on air interview with Andrew Haug for Full Metal Racket and we returned to the venue to find that it was near capacity- but filled with a mixed selection of people listening to lounge jazz?!!? We thought "Have they, or we, got the right venue?"

The first band of the night performed a kind of alternative Brit pop sound and did a Jeff Buckley cover, so by this stage we were thinking we were going to empty the venue from the first chord. But at the end of the bands set they thanked us in Chinese for coming to perform and the audience turned toward us and gave us a huge applause. Next up was a punk/core band and the crowd started to stir, a pit broke out and we were hopeful but still bewildered. And then the mighty local death/black metal band Dissected took the stage and the crowd erupted!! Phew! This band are incredible- an awesome and very brutal, dark sound. Great dudes as well. Bhelliom took to the stage and the crowd were manic. All was going real well and then the power went out. Guang Zhou is a hot place, the venue was sold out, and without air conditioning the temperature sky rocketed in minutes. While we waited for the power to be sorted out we sweated so much it felt like we had already played!

When we took the stage we knew that this was going to be a crazy show- and without a doubt it was sheer metal fucken frantic mania- the crowd were awesome and gave us an experience we will be smiling about in many years to come- this was the most intense ( and hottest ) show I think we have ever experienced! By the end of the set we were all ready to pass out. Thank you Guang Zhou- you fucken rule!! A big thanks to Lou-Lou and Dissected for putting on the show- we will be back!

Oct.29- Today we flew to the other side of China to Tian Jin- a city 100km's from Beijing. The city was very different from the other cities we had toured and was a clash of new and old China. The smallest show of the tour.

Oct.30- We travelled by train to Beijing. Today was a day off and we travelled to the Bandaling section of the Great Wall Of China, 80km's outside of Beijing. It was an incredible experience and an awe inspiring construction. After the Great Wall we returned to Beijing and found a bar near our hotel were we proceeded to have a massive drink up with the lads from Bhelliom, Bret from Mourning Sound, Kimi from Mind Your Head, the Japanese band that were playing with us the next night GSD ( awesome dudes ) and two German backpackers Chris and Julian ( top lads! ) It was a huge night that culminated in Gene and Vivek from Bhelliom stripping down to their jocks and racing back to the hotel! Fucken big laughs!

Oct.31- Gig day! Also big hang over day with a 10am sound check- oooo, ouch! The gig was at Mao Live House, one of Beijings premiere venues. Tonight we were supporting the mighty Polish death/black metal band BEHEMOTH!!! An awesome honour! After sound check we explored the Forbidden City- it was a highly impressive structure and an example of ancient Imperial China.Following the Forbidden City we became real bad ass men of metal when we ate Scorpion!!

The gig was sold out and featured a true 'Global Metal' line up- Bhelliom from Singapore, Truth Corroded from Australia, GSD from Japan and headliners Behemoth from Poland performing in Beijing China!! Awesome! The crowd were incredible and gave each band an awesome reception-for us it was the biggest show of the tour and a great way to end the China dates. Other highlights were GSD from Japan who are an incredible band- they performed a Slayer cover 'Raining Blood / Angel of Death' at twice the speed and I went nuts along with the rest of the crowd. Behemoth were totally fucken mind blowing and ripped the place apart!! After the show we hung out with people from all corners of the globe- Mexicans, South Americans, Germans, Americans, Japanese, Ukrainians, Singaporeans and of course the Chinese ( and it also demonstrated what a global city that Beijing had become ) A great night and no better way to end the China tour.

Nov.1- Today we were leaving China for Bangkok,Thailand. It was sad to be going as we really liked our experience in China and could have kept touring- but we will definately be back! Also it was sad because we were leaving our girl and tour manager/promoter Kimi who had been by our side at every move since Hong Kong. Thank you for everything Kimi- you did an amazing job, and will be a friend for life! Cant wait to see you again- keep practicing the Bogan we taught you-haha! The trip to Thailand involved a flight from Beijing to Guang Zhou, and then from there to Bangkok. It was a full day of travel. We arrived in Bangkok late in the afternoon and proceeded to our most high class accomodation on the tour The Radisson!

Nov.2- My Birthday! Oh, and Last gig of the tour- Beast Attack at The Rock Pub Bangkok. Our label mates Truth Be Known had flown in from Singapore to join us-great fucken band that also features members of Bhelliom. We were joined by Thai metal acts Melodius ( who played an awesome cover of 'Painkiller' by Judas Priest ), Sinskids and Dark Wing- top class bands! Thai metal rules! Some Aussie lads from Brissy came along and definately got the crowd moving- thanks for your support lads! It was an awesome show and the Thai metal scene gave us an awesome finale to the tour. After the show we had our farewell with our touring partners Bhelliom- thank you for the brotherhood and sharing in an awesome touring experience, could not hope to tour with a better band or great friends- and also farewell to our other labelmates Truth Be Known ( we need to tour together! Lets do it! ) Last, but far from least, our mainman Bret, head honcho of the mighty Mourning Sound Records- brother, thank you for your support and organising the tour- you are an incredible label manager and even better friend- you fucken rule Bret-ey ( haha! ) Oh, and Mary says hi.

And so it sadly ends. The tour was an amazing experience and some of the best shows we have ever had. We cannot wait to return and go on to explore more of the Asian metal scene. The bands and audiences were incredible and demonstrate how global metal truly is. Thanks to all in China and Thailand for the support and good times. You Rule! HORNS!!! TC.