Since putting their hands up to represent Australia at Eurovision 2015, Melbourne viking metal band Barbariön have had their hopes dashed by the appointment of Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian as our country’s first Eurovision contestant.
Barbariön have now penned an open letter to Australia’s Eurovision broadcaster, SBS, saying the organisation has missed the point of Eurovision and “have sold out, big time”. What’s more, they’ve released a song they’ve written especially for Eurovision 2015, and it’s pretty amazing.
In their letter to SBS, posted to Facebook, Barbariön say:
Dear SBS,
Us Australians love an underdog. We love watching the little guy punch above his weight. We love the story of the battler. With so many excellent local acts working tirelessly around Australia to entertain the average punter week in, week out, it seemed only appropriate you support them and give them an opportunity to show the world what Australian music really is!
You have always been the voice of the least represented in our society. You have always been the epicenter of our cultural and artistic diversity, and now when granted the golden opportunity to promote our capable local music scene you have sold out, big time!
It didn’t have to be Barbariön. It could have been any one of a hundred local acts, from the hundreds of genres. Someone the nation could rally around and be inspired by. Someone a little off ya know, a dag, take a bit of risk mate.
You’re sending a beige-coloured Volvo full of Subway rolls into a world full of high camp theatrics and bonkers mayhem. The bloke’s gonna get destroyed.
You’ve completely missed the point… AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
Barbariön also confirmed that they did submit an official entry to be considered for Eurovision, in the form of a song they apparently wrote last weekend. “We tried to capture the cheese of Eurovision, the great things about Australia, and the might of Barbariön all within 3 minutes,” the band say.
The track, titled Rock, Down Under (below), is a catchy combination of Australiana, viking metal and the national anthem. “We have golden soil, wealth for toil, for one and all to share. Our land abounds in nature’s gifts, of beauty rich and rare,” goes the song’s bridge, followed by a very, very metal guitar solo.
View Barbariön’s full SBS letter and hear Rock, Down Under, below.
