D.R.I. Announce New Zealand Shows with Bulletbelt

Fusing punk, hardcore and metal into untamed new shapes, D.R.I. (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) are heading our way for two massive headline shows in Tāmaki Makaurau and Pōneke with special guests, Aotearoa metal titans Bulletbelt. Arising from Houston, Texas in 1982, the veteran four-piece have been credited as "the major band of the crossover movement", forging a pioneering breakneck hardcore punk / thrash sound on their third album Crossover (1987), rapidly followed by 1988's 4 of a Kind and 1989's Thrash Zone. Including amongst their ranks founding members, lead vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, D.R.I. will be joined for both dates by the capital's Bulletbelt, who are launching their fifth studio album Burn It Up on 22nd September via Impaler Records. Grip the details below...

D.R.I. with special guests Bulletbelt

Tuesday 27th February - Valhalla, Wellington
Wednesday 28th February -  Whammy, Auckland 

Tickets available HERE via UTR

Watch the classic video for D.R.I.'s 'Abduction' from their 1989 album Thrash Zone...

Experience Bulletbelt's epic new single 'Arminius' from their forthcoming album Burn It Up...

Press release:

D.R.I. - 40th Anniversary Tour w/ special guests Bulletbelt

Impaler Records proudly presents, a deadly double, crossover bill… DRI & Bulletbelt + supports TBA

Formed in ’82 in Houston, Texas, DRI recorded their first release that year, packing 22 songs into 18 minutes of their cult classic EP debut “THE DIRTY ROTTEN EP”. With only 1000 copies pressed, demand caused the EP to be released on LP in 1983… and so was born the DIRTY ROTTEN LP. A huge inspiration for new bands at the time and a recording that had the band named the fastest band in the world.

In ’84 they released a follow up EP “VIOLENT PACIFICATION”. Then came the release of their second, full length album “DEALING WITH IT” (1985) saw the band take a distinct METAL direction, whilst still remaining utterly HARDCORE. And so their Crossover Thrash years began, to a now cult status. Supported by such fans as DAVE LOMBARDO (SLAYER), who is often heard shouting out DRI as a huge influence on him.

Their aptly-named third album “CROSSOVER” (1987), further confirmed their redirection to a more thrash metal sound - with the songs becoming slower, longer and more complex. Henceforth, DRI became the leaders of the “crossover” movement, a style that combined PUNK, HARDCORE and METAL. Albums followed including “FOUR OF A KIND” (1988), THRASH ZONE (1989), DEFINITION (1992), LIVE (their first live album, released in 1994) and FULL SPEED AHEAD (1995).

Understandably, a busy decade of touring the world, extensively, followed. In 2015, the band made it back to the studio, recording the long-awaited “BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE” EP (released 2016). And once again, this hard-working band began touring the world again for their, pun intended, hardcore legion of fans - many of whom have been fans for 40 years! Thrashing as hard as ever, NZ get ready for some DRI mayhem in FEBUARY 2024!!!

Joining them are BULLETBELT, who have been tearing it up in NZ supporting Arch Enemy, Sacred Reich, and Vio-Lence as well as preparing for their first onslaught into Europe in October 2023!

The band first struck fear and awe into the hearts of New Zealand’s metal-loving audiences in 2009. With music featuring on the soundtrack to cult-classic movie, Deathgasm, international touring and four records of brutal, beautiful sonic assault, it’s a solid foundation, and a decade of brand-building, blood, sweat and... beers ...tears, Bulletbelt are flying the flag high for NZ Metal.