Interview by Kris Peters
After playing what the band describes themselves as the worst gig they have ever done in late 1998, popular Melbourne outfit Beanflipper decided to call it a day, leaving a massive hole in the Australian music scene.
Since 1993, the five-piece had been terrorizing the local music scene, with their underbelly of punk, grindcore, noise, and death metal dragging the band kicking and screaming into the hearts and ears of those who stood in their path. They released three albums in that time, touring relentlessly and fearlessly, anchoring themselves in the blood-soaked altar of Australian grind and hardcore. They weren’t just part of the scene — they were the cursed heartbeat beneath it.
After a brief flirtation with a second lease on life, Beanflipper faded into obscurity, but now, two decades since that last echo faded, the beast stirs once more. In 2025, to mark 30 years since Total Dysfunctional Collapse first howled into the void, Beanflipper returns — resurrected by the mad generosity of Kent Bartley and his invitation to play Necrosonic Festival 2025. It's not just a reunion. It's a reckoning.
HEAVY spent some time with drummer Matti Harrod to fill in the blanks.
"It's actually been a lot easier than I thought, getting to know the songs, considering it's been 20 years," he smiled. "Now it's down to what I call the footy training side of it, where every week you've got to go into the rehearsal room and smash out two sets to get the fitness up. I mean, it's a bit like an endurance game, really."
We ask if the approaching resurrection show is more nerve inducing or exciting, given it has been so long between drinks.
"Is it nervous? Is it relief? I know we're all really excited," he replied. "I've been quite humbled by the response that we've received. People are just so chuffed that we're back together again. When I first sort of sneakily announced it on my own Facebook, there were heaps of people going, what, are you bullshitting us?"
In the full interview, Matti talks more about the upcoming show and how the band are going to approach it. We ask him what to expect from their live show and what surprises they have in store, as well as naming a couple of songs festival goers can listen to in order to know what to expect.
The discussion also covered the band's history, including its origins in 1993 and the various line-up changes that shaped their sound. Matti reflected on the band's tumultuous past, particularly a disappointing final show in 1998, and noted the excitement surrounding their reunion, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of their first CD plus more.
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