BARBARIÖN

Ask Barbariön bassist Yuri Pavlinov how their gigs trekking across Europe went and you won’t quite believe it.

Aside from his humane assertions that copious amounts of German beer and food made them “a bit fatter than what our promo pictures indicate,” the people they ran into seemed to be out of this world.

“We ended up meeting these people who are now good friends of ours and they are just complete lunatics. They build armor in their basements and then go and ride around Berlin on their bikes jousting people!”

With their Euro trip at a messy close, the seven metal Melbournites have returned to home soil to mark their latest single, the six-minute, axe-yielding masterpiece aptly titled Metalman.

“I think Metalman is more indicative of what we are doing these days. It’s a decently written song and it shows that we are heading in a slightly demented epic kick.”

Such a kick is set to fit in perfectly with Barbariön’s legendary live presence. With flamethrowers and fireworks to give just a miniscule picture, this band thrives off risk and danger.

“There is only so much room you can have on a stage until you actually just get burnt all the time,” Yuri explains.

“It’s all legal, but it’s definitely borderline in terms of personal safety.

“We tried to make these carbon dioxide canons which almost ended up killing certain family members and about 20 or so people from the audience,” he reminisces with a chuckle. “So we had to scrap those before we all ended up dead. It’s like a lab, a demented lab of things we think might be cool.”

Death-defying effects aren’t all that this band has to offer. Their onstage get-up is a plethora of exposed flesh, fur, fabric and leather.

“Our megalomaniac singer Miles, the guy in the bondage, was responsible for our stage characters,” Yuri reveals.

“We literally didn’t have much say, he just made the costumes and told us we were in the band so then we couldn’t say no! It’s effectively his brainchild, even though now it’s more democratic.”

With the tour already underway, these guys mean business.

“Barbariön is always trying to outdo itself. We are happy with what we are rolling with now but we’re constantly writing new stuff so it’s fun times!”

Horns at the ready Sydney. (CD)

Sep 13, The Standard, Lvl 3, 383 Bourke St, Surry Hills, $13.30 (incl. b/f), moshtix.com.au