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CROSSFAITH – Live at The Croxton Melbourne 2024

Words – Richard Grimm
Photos – Mitch

What a show, what an absolute banger of a show! Possibly the best show I’ve ever seen. Last night I had the good fortune of being able to see Japan’s Crossfaith accompanied by Paledusk and Future Static at the Croxton and let me tell you, I was blown away. I came into this show being familiar with two Crossfaith songs total and I was excited to see these acts in the best way to encounter someone new: live.

Future Static were the first to jump on stage, walking out to some RNB. Which, if I’m being honest, I didn’t like. No hate to RNB but it’s just not something that I have much of a connection with, and if I did, I’d write for everydayrnb.com. Immediately rubbed the wrong way, I was primed to hate everything the Melbourne quintet did, but boy would they turn that opinion around in a hurry.

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They walked out and blasted into their first track Chemical Lobotomy. A high energy track that gives off real 2004 era Victory records vibes while still managing to feel new. Like a heavier version of Paramore, frontwoman Amariah Cook engaged the crowd with a very playful, jovial and downright friendly stage demeanor. For a moment I was lulled into thinking I was about to suffer through a set of emo revival tunes only to be blindsided by some proper heavy breaks and Amariah’s false chord screams reminding me of Bethlehem’s Yvonne Wilczynska. The highlight song in the set for me was their cover of Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina. The group clearly has a lot of hiphop/rnb music influence in their writing which I find often feels gimmicky when mixed with metal due to the huge cultural differences between the genres. But their arrangement of this cover really felt like a synthesis of the genres common ground which made for a standout in the set. Their drummer Jackson Trudel’s playing was tighter than my jeans were in high school and both Ryan Qualizza and Jack Smith played some interesting octave style riffs. I couldn’t quite make out if they were doing jumps on the fretboard or using an octave pedal but either way it sounded cool. Future Static is a young group with a lot of talent and worth checking out if you’re a fan of more modern metalcore sounds and open to a touch of genre mixing. I can definitely see them find footing in the future as a gateway band for converting pop fans over to the dark side and for that they have my support.

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@futurestaticband

Okay so the next band is Paledusk and fuck me, if you haven’t seen Paledusk do it. I’d never heard the name Paledusk before entering the building but they are now on my “must see every time they’re in town” list. These guys walked out to the opening of Lose Yourself by Eminem but as they entered the stage, it turned out to be a sample as part of their own arrangement intro which I found to be novel. The Japanese beasts exploded with their first song Area PD and won me over faster than a coal industry lobbyist wins over a politician. It was heavy, frantic and chaotic as fuck with a big dose of zero fucks given attitude. Tempo and groove changes happening so often it felt like I was in a tumble dryer made of riffs. The musical energy was matched by their stage presence with every member of the band barely staying attached to the ground. For the duration of the set, lead guitarist Daisuke Ehara in particular was doing aerial kicks constantly without missing a single note. Which was amazing, because the high tempo djenting was technical enough to leave a lesser guitarist rendered immobile just to keep time. 

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There are so many elements of the Paledusk experience that you could consider to be the “appealing” element but I’ll list what really grabbed me. Firstly, their genre melting was way more in depth than other contemporary acts. Their music wasn’t just metal(core) with a touch of other genres to be weird and quirky. Every song had deep and intricate influences from hyper pop, rap, hip hop, breakbeat, house, drum n bass to ravecore and likely a hundred other things I didn’t detect. But none of these influences overstayed their welcome or felt gimmicky which I find to the biggest problem with many other bands that try the same thing. Second, their crowd engagement is unmatched. They aren’t just physically embodying the chaos of their music; they’re pulling that chaos out of the crowd. Encouraging people to let loose and setting a leading example of loose letting. I checked out their records after the show to see how they compare and it’s not even close. Their records are good but their live show really is something else. Paledusk are a must see live group and I highly doubt it’s going to be long before they start selling out stadiums and I wouldn’t be surprised if festival headlines are in their future too.

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CROSSFAITH The Croxton Bandroom 23-2-24
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@paledusk_jpn

Finally it was time for Crossfaith, the only group of the night I was even slightly familiar with. Crossfaith is definitely a band that tries to deliver more than just a performance, but an experience. 20 minutes prior to their performance, during the changeover, they played some electronic music over the speakers with a computer-generated voice announcing every few minutes how soon until the show. I’m a big fan of this more holistic and immersive approach to performance and I hope more bands take a page out of this book. The lights finally drop and the voice announces the show will begin. Terufumi Tamano struts onto the stage and is an absolute hype beast! He mobilizes the crowd and harvests the energy the previous bands cultivated. As the music ramps up the rest of the band enters and it’s absolutely on. Crossfaith’s signature blend of electronica and metalcore are a real sight to behold with a lightshow pain-stakingly synced to every beat and note of the performance there wasn’t a moment in the set that wasn’t punctuated with a visual display that amplified the experience. The evening is filled with moments of dramatic poses, backlit by red glows and blinding strobes.

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Right from the get go we’ve got crowd surfing and circle pit calls and singer Kenta Koie can barely be kept behind the stage barrier while he gives the front row a show to remember. One song later Terufumi is crowd surfing while screaming his heart out! The next we’ve got a wall of death where I spied a guy where a shirt that said “free mosh hugs” who naturally I embraced for a wall of hugs (shout out to that guy). My absolute favourite song from their set was Gimme Danger which was impossible not to get in the pit for. Its hard groove and forward pulse was equal parts club banger and fresh metal riffs. The crowd couldn’t decide if they wanted to mosh or muzz. One of the songs that I unfortunately didn’t catch the name of had a kind of latin influenced groove and the band called for the crowd to get their tarps off. Suddenly only half the room was wearing shirts, gender inclusive, and swinging them over head and if that isn’t a goddman party move I don’t know what is. The only fault I found with the performance was the use of the overdone trope of a planned encore. We know you’re coming back our, there’s 20 mins left of your allotted set time, that time side stage could have been another song. But when they returned, we were treated to a bang up performance of their prodigy cover Omen. Crossfaith ask the question “What if electronica was heavy and what if you could dance to metal” or alternatively “what if all of the MDMA I have ever taken was haunted” and then deliver that answer in an incredibly polished package.

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@crossfaithjapan

I came out of this show sweating like a motherfucker with a fat lip and ear-to-ear grin. I absolutely can not wait to see all three of these bands again and you should 100% go out of your way to see them live because their records are like a fart in the wind compared to what they deliver live.

Thanks to the Croxton Bandroom crew for having us and a special thanks to Dallas Does PR for arranging access.

EVERYDAY METAL – SUPPORT LOCAL HEAVY METAL

ATREYU – ‘We Want Your Skulls’ tour Melbourne

Words / Shots – Ben Gunzburg

It’s a balmy Wednesday Summer night in Melbourne as we all shuffle into Max Watt’s to get cozy with Atreyu and relive some glory days.

First up are locals Chasing Lana, who are ready to rock and warm this crowd right up.  Vocalist/guitarist Dave Cutting periodically checks in with the ever-growing audience to make sure we’re still with them, receiving some hoots and hollers in return, and even an “uhhhh-YEAH!” much to everyone’s amusement.

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The new song ‘Breaking Free‘ does a great job of upping the energy in the room and gives both lead guitarist Robbie Cutting and bassist, Nathan Mesiti, a great opportunity to show off their vocal skills with some impassioned back up roars.”  The new banger is crowd-certified.

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@chasinglana

By the time the set closer, Pain, rolls around, the crowd is 100% on board, clapping and cheering along, as Dave makes his way into the middle of the pit to rock out mid-song. A highly energetic and fun set all round!

Bad/Love hit the stage to round out the all-Melbourne support lineup and mean business from the get-go. The heavy riffs and pounding drums of Follow The Leader take us from the calm intro music into chaos in the blink of an eye, as vocalist Landon Kirk lurks around the stage and hypes the crowd up.

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Never one to stand still for too long, Landon is a constant ball of energy, giving so much out to the crowd and demanding we send it right back. Guitarist Lachlan Monty wields his proverbial axe around like a madman, while also providing backing vocals that oscillate between hauntingly beautiful melodies and harrowing screams. Bassist Martin Wood is the quiet achiever on the other side of the stage, solidly bringing the low end with precision and finesse, while drummer Luke Weber is an unstoppable force behind the kit, like a truck coming our way that won’t slow down.

Bad/Love performs like it’s their show, and gets the appropriate response at every turn, as they power through a well-crafted set covering their already vast discography.  Both Mono No Aware EPs from last year are well represented, with Dead Weight and Saints sating our more melodic sensibilities, while Activist is an absolute onslaught of aggression and intensity.  The faster pace and the hypnotically jagged yet thoroughly catchy beat of Nothing To Lose mix things up nicely and showcase the band’s ability to switch gears with ease, which they do throughout the entire set.  DMU, from 2022’s Life Imitates Art, is another clear crowd favourite and allows Landon to flex his full range of abilities.

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Making sure we all know why we came here tonight, the crowd gives a huge roar as Landon yells “Let’s give it up for Atreyu!”  As their brand spanking new single, Ungod, brings the set to a close, Bad/Love go out the way they came in – swinging hard. Walls of death, a bouquet of flowers emerging from the crowd, and even a bra thrown on stage, this set had it all. a hard act to follow, but we’re confident Atreyu can rise to the occasion.

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@badloveau

As the lights dim to announce tonight’s headliners, the international song for an imminent good time, Darude’s Sandstorm, begins to play and the crowd goes wild, then turns that shit up to 11 as Atreyu emerges on stage from the ether and slams into gear with Drowning, from last year’s The Beautiful Dark Of Life.

Lead vocalist Brandon Saller commands the energetic crowd with ease and proclaims 3 songs in that we’re already the best and loudest crowd of the tour so far. We dare not drop the energy, lest we be shown up by the likes of Perth or Adelaide.  Can you imagine?

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It’s a constant back and forth between band and crowd, with Brandon gesturing and conducting us throughout the set, yelling at one point: “I want some more, Melbourne, give it to me!”  And you bet your sweet bippy that we do.

Brandon announces ‘We’re gonna take it back twenty years’, as the band performs a quick round of musical chairs, with Brandon jumping back behind his old throne, aka the drum kit, while drummer Kyle Rosa grabs bassist/screaming vocalist Marc McKnight’s bass from him, allowing him to solely focus on microphone duties for Bleeding Mascara

As if that wasn’t already wild enough, Brandon later ups the ante by taking a lap around the whole venue during The Time Is Now, with a good dose of hugs, mic grabs, mutual bald head pats, and even a stop at the bar thrown in for good measure. What a fucking riot!

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We get a lot of interaction throughout the set, which brings everyone together.  A reminiscing story about the band’s first Australian tour 2 decades ago cements their appreciation of still getting to tour here after all these years and provides some amusing context for their song (i), which samples our infamous pedestrian crossing sounds.  “We’ve been trying to work out how to put it in a song for twenty years.  I’m proud to say that we finally made our dreams come true.”

We get some serious sentiment about the ups and downs of being in a band for so long, parallelled by the ups and downs of life in general.  While Brandon’s message to “get back up and keep on moving, motherfucker” seems very simplistic for many of life’s perils at face value, having bands, who we put up on a giant pedestal to perform for us while we worship them, take the time to get real with us and let us know we’re not alone with our struggles is far from lost on tonight’s crowd.  I think we all needed it.

We also get plenty of lightheartedness throughout the set, including some push-ups, a condensed cover of Limp Bizkit’s Break Stuff, which surprised even the band that they knew that much of it, and of course, a shoey.  It’s always an expectation and hope that the bands we see are as excited to be there as we are, but to see such high levels of glee and whimsy throughout the set is a real treat and very heartwarming.

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While a band can never fit everyone’s favourite tracks into one set, the band manage to fit in something for everyone and each member gets to shine in their role while showing just how seamlessly they all work together.  From the beautiful vocal acrobatics between Brandon and Marc in Gone and Battle Drums, to guitarists Dan & Travis trading solos with excited ease, to the booty-shaking banger of a set closer in Blow, all backed up by Kyle’s superb drumming and Marc’s bass acrobatics.

In the case of sheer chutzpah, the band leaves the stage and tries to fool us that that’s it, but we’re not having a bar of it, and our chants for “one more song” are soon answered by guitarist Dan returning to the stage.  I don’t think any of us expected him to bring a saxophone, though.  We’re treated to some short renditions of Careless Whisper, Never Gonna Give You Up, the Bluey theme song, and Tequila, which summons the rest of the band.  After some joking around, they finally decide on a final song for the night a cover of Whitney Houston’s classic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and Brandon gets us to all repeat the chorus to him, one line at a time.  Wait, they’re gonna play it?  What the actual fuck is happening here?  Side note:  none of us are made about it, and it’s the most ridiculously wholesome way to end our time together.

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@atreyuofficial

Every time they come out here, Atreyu shows us they mean business and wholeheartedly love what they do. Years of grinding, adapting, and evolving haven’t slowed them down and it’s still all love, which is what keeps us coming back. A super fun night of singalongs, laughs and a good dose of shenanigans is just what we all needed.  “We’re Atreyu, we love you, and we’ll see you next time.”  You sure will!

Huge thanks to the crew at Max Watts for having us and John Howarth for arranging media access.

Don’t forget to check out our pre-tour interview with Atreyu guitarist Travis Miguel:

EVERYDAY METAL – SUPPORT LOCAL HEAVY METAL

BENTHAM’S HEAD – ‘New Path’

Cover shot by BENTHAM’S HEAD

Blackened sludge metal act Bentham’s Head have stepped up their game with another single from their forthcoming debut album, “Blood, Salt and Ash”. The track, titled “New Path”, overflows with crushing grooves and wailing leads, consuming the listener in a narrative of ominous inevitability. Much like their first single, eponymously titled “Blood, Salt and Ash”, “New Path” is also thematically linked to a novel – the science fiction literary classic “A Scanner Darkly”, written by the late great Philip K. Dick. This latest offering is accompanied by a lyric video, equal parts dark and intriguing. The band’s despairing lyrical interpretation and unsettling imagery combine into an astute accompaniment for the powerful journey that is “New Path”. With an atmosphere resembling The Ocean Collective, a sense of groove akin to Gojira, and a dramatic sense of melody echoing the works of early Opeth, “New Path” affirms its darkly compelling nature, and with the track’s release Bentham’s Head affirm their presence as a fresh, compelling take on brutality. 

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@benthams_head_aus

For those yet unaware, Bentham’s Head are an innovative, novel Melbourne band combining elements of death, sludge, prog, doom, black and post metal into a tenacious, ungodly brew. Marrying the sludgy riffage of Mastodon with the crushing blackness of Conjurer and an ethereal, progressive atmosphere evoking ISIS, they stand on the shoulders of gods. They have sold out all headline shows since they began gigging in May 2023, and have now released two singles from their forthcoming debut album, “Blood, Salt and Ash” to rave reviews. Not content to rest on their laurels, Bentham’s Head have already left their mark on the scene and this single shows that they are set to double down this year.

With a run of four shows across Melbourne and Regional Victoria, Bentham’s Head will be carving a sonic plague across the state. With bone-crushing riffs, all-consuming vocals, and dynamic song structures that ebb and flow with a life of their own, Bentham’s Head have carved a niche for themselves in the Melbourne metal scene, which they will no doubt expand in all directions come March. This tour promises to be an unforgettable experience for metal enthusiasts seeking a journey into the blackened abyss. Bentham’s Head will be delivering a visceral live performance, unleashing tracks from their upcoming debut Album “Blood, Salt and Ash”, including the eponymous lead single, “Blood, Salt and Ash”, and of course, latest offering “New Path”.   

“New Path” is out now on all major streaming platforms.


You can view the lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBLJg6t9m44

Tour Dates:

March 2nd: The Catfish, Fitzroy w/ Fall & Resist and Requite
March 10th: The Setts, Mildura w/ Suspended Animation, High Ground and Tonemarrow
March 16th: Zuke’s Place, Belgrave w/ Manic Temple
For tickets and event information visit: https://linktr.ee/benthamshead

EVERYDAY METAL – SUPPORT LOCAL HEAVY METAL

THE OCEAN – Australian Tour June 2024

Cover shot – THE OCEAN

Acclaimed post-metal band THE OCEAN return to Australia this June for their first headline tour in almost a decade. The Germany-based group stunned audiences across the nation on their 2023 tour with Ne Obliviscaris and Rivers of Nihil, but couldn’t wait to follow up and cement their glory with their biggest Australian production yet and a tour package of their own featuring the legendary US metal/hardcore pioneers CAVE IN for their first-ever Australian shows, and insanely heavy Danish label mates LLNN.

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2023 also saw the release of the band’s ninth album Holocene – the heavily conceptual collective’s most exploratory and varied release yet – and the conclusion of the paleontological era they began with 2018’s Phanerozoic I: Paleozoic and continued with 2020’s Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic / Cenozoic. Having flirted more with extreme metal influences on these records than ever before, the arrival of Holocene saw the band – lead by guitarist and mastermind Robin Staps – forge a new path into a world of looped electronics and more subtle melodic experimentation while philosophically reflecting on humanity as always, this time on the nascent realities of a post-pandemic world.

Formed in 1995 in Massachusetts by singer/guitarist Stephen Brodsky, CAVE IN was ahead of its time from the very beginning, helping to define the then-primitive metalcore genre with a more creatively elevated slant on their 1998 debut album Until Your Heart Stops. Not content to remain pigeonholed, the band veered into more accessible psychedelic ‘space rock’ sounds on subsequent releases before a brief hiatus in the mid 2000s. After the tragic death of bassist/vocalist Caleb Schofield in 2018, Converge bassist Nate Newton picked up his friend’s instrument and the band was able to continue on its legacy, resulting in their seventh album – 2022’s Heavy Pendulum (Relapse Records) – a culmination of all the sounds the band had explored throughout their tenure and then some, with universal critical praise labeling it everything from sludge metal to post-grunge and even thrash.

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@cave_in_boston

Rounding out this trio into a certified powerhouse of thinking man’s metal with some unsubtle bludgeoning, Denmark’s LLNN sound like the apocalypse on steroids. Signed to THE OCEAN’s own Pelagic Records, this absolutely crushing four piece unleash vicious sonic textures atop of a percussive barrage of unhinged rhythmic destruction. Three albums deep, 2021’s Unmaker is a pillar of sonic force so insanely heavy that words fall short.

LLNN
@llnn.band

Early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Wednesday 21 February @ 10am local time
 
To Gain Early Ticket Access Register Here -> 
https://daltours.cc/TheOcean

General tickets on sale: Friday 23 February @ 10am local time
Tickets from 
destroyalllines.com

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Check out our coverage of The Ocean supporting Ne Obliviscaris at The Forum Melbourne

Destroy All Lines & Pelagic Records Presents

THE OCEAN
AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2024

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
CAVE IN (USA)
LLNN (DK)

WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE 2024 – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE
THURSDAY 6 JUNE 2024 – HAMILTON STATION HOTEL, NEWCASTLE
FRIDAY 7 JUNE 2024 – THE BASEMENT, CANBERRA
SATURDAY 8 JUNE 2024 – THE FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY
SUNDAY 9 JUNE 2024 – THE ROSEMOUNT, PERTH*
FRIDAY 14 JUNE 2024 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE
SATURDAY 15 JUNE 2024 – LION ARTS, ADELAIDE

*No Cave In or LLNN 

General tickets on sale: Friday 23 February @ 10am local time
Tickets from destroyalllines.com

EVERYDAY METAL – SUPPORT LOCAL HEAVY METAL

MUDVAYNE – Live in Melbourne 2024

Words – Clare
Photos – Mitch

The party started way before doors open for the Mudvayne & Coal Chamber tour in Melbourne on Saturday night. The streets were littered with nu-metal fans gearing up for the gig and the local pub was full to the brim with painted faces honoring Mudvayne frontman Chad Gray. Everyone seems super pumped to shake off the shackles of their mundane lives and have one night to let loose and go back to a time when nu-metal bands roamed the earth.

It had been a while since Coal Chamber played together. We have definitely seen Dez perform in Melbourne with DevilDriver not too long ago, but to see Coal Chamber reunited on stage opening for Mudvayne, was definitely a treat that no one took for granted.

As the theme to the classic horror flick ‘Halloween’ played, Coal Chambers drummer Mike Cox slithered onto the stage and perched himself up in the raised kit, water was poured over his body as he rocked back and forth like a crazed animal. Cox required hands-free hydration throughout the set, a roadie would come out and pour water down his gullet as he played, all the while never missing a single beat. What a beast! As the rest of the band gathered on stage a roar spread through the hall. Pillars of thick smoke burst upwards from the stage as Coal Chambers launched into the track Loco from their 1997 self-titled debut album. What a way to start the show!

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Lots of energy from the stage during Big Truck and I.O.U. Nothing as Dez told the audience ‘we come to do fucking business’ and ‘we come to put you in a body bag’. Dark Days would follow with Dez leaving the crowd to shout the chorus. The band showed huge appreciation to their fans with Dez continuously thanking the audience for their energy throughout the night. All hands were up, ticking back and forth for Clock and closing the set in the same fashion as it opened, Dez got the entire venue up on their feet as he gestured to the ceiling ‘I hope they got the goddam fire alarm right now’, which could only mean one thing, the roof, the roof, the roof was on fire for Sway. 

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It was so satisfying to see Mudvayne in their full makeup as they hit the stage, and as Not Falling began the room erupted, fans going nuts as everyone sand along to the lyrics and I was immediately transported back to my youth during the days of the metal club nights in Melbourne during the early 00’s. From their debut album L.D. 50, they performed for us Under My Skin, Internal Primates Forever and -1, all of which were supremely epic, Chad coped some serious air leaping off the raised platform while bassist Ryan Martinie played like an absolute fiend. 

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We all experienced a huge connection to the band and each other as Chad began a huge rant about letting go of all of life’s circumstantial bullshit, leaving it all outside to enjoy the night and getting out minds right ‘through the gospel of heavy fucking metal’ as Gray put it so aptly. We all hang on to trauma and we come to nights like this to work our shit out through metal psychotherapy, it’s just true. All the phones in the room were lit up and raised to light up the World So Cold from the 2002 album release The End of All Things to Come.

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Gray stood back up on the platform and acting like a deranged choir conductor, he successfully conducted the cheers and howls of the audience. Then to the statement ‘All work and no play’ the hoard replied back ‘makes Jack a dull boy’ which meant Dull Boy from 2008’s The New Game was next. Another short pause in the set followed so the band could give their thanks, firstly to Coal Chamber for coming on the tour, secondly to the bands hard working crew, and most importantly to us, ‘The true heavy metal kids of Melbourne, Australia’ who make the world go round.

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Just as the euphoria reached its peak, the night closed with some fan favourites which included Happy? from 2005’s Lost and Found which yes, did make us all very happy and Dig which was the last opportunity for everyone to lose their fucking shit. Gray stood at the edge of the stage and slowly peeled off sections of his mask, throwing them into the pit which meant it was all over. We left our bullshit outside to enjoy this one night, but now we had to leave, picking up our bullshit on the way out, tomorrow’s a new day, with new bullshit.

Thanks to the Festival Hall crew for having us and a special thanks to Maric Media for arranging media access.

EVERYDAY METAL – SUPPORT LOCAL HEAVY METAL

KREATOR & IN FLAMES – ‘Klash of the Titans’ tour Melbourne

Words – Richard Grimm
Photos – Mitch

It’s Valentine’s Day in Melbourne and love is in the air. The love of fat meaty fucking riffs that is! Melbourne turns up in their blackest band tees and patch-covered vests for their long-awaited date with not one, but two titans of metal. Lined up around the block outside Melbourne’s iconic Forum theatre, you had to turn two corners to reach the final punters waiting to have their ears tenderly caressed by the sonic war thunder awaiting them. Inside we’re greeted by a massive backdrop of the in flames logo looming over the audience. I can overhear chatter from camps for both bands mentioning their excitement to see the other act for the first time. With the house lights fading down it was time for these two titans to grace the stage.

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Loudspeakers begin to play a beautiful acoustic intro and stage lights flutter to elevate the mood. One by one In Flames take to the stage, bathed in applause. Then like an abrupt kick in the ribs, they blast into Foregone pt. 1. At the helm is Anders Friden in his peak form. The bloke is out here making recordings of his own voice sound amateurish and dispassionate in comparison to the stellar delivery he is giving tonight. The track moves out of In Flames signature style riffing into a meaty breakdown followed by an exchange of solos by Chris Broderick and Björn Gelotte. The former of which clearly carried all of the backline in on his own because swoly moly that man was yoked.

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In Flames showed the kind of easy swagger in their performance that really only comes from years of experience. At the start of the second track Anders calls out to get the pit started and Melbourne honoured the request of our metaphorical lover with delight. Third track of the night (everything’s gone) was my favourite of the set and clearly some of the crowd agreed because around now we started to see our first few crowd surfers. Anders showed off some of his vocal range both in timbre and register and kept the crowd thoroughly engaged, hyping up every stop and drop and the ending riff was so filthy I had to take two showers when I got home.

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After 6 songs, the band stops to let us catch our breath a little and Anders has a little banter with the crowd. “Maybe at 1am later on the streets,” he responds to the crowd demanding their participation in the sacred Australian party ritual known as the shoey and then lends some advice to someone in the front row. “This isn’t a rule, but you’re in the front row looking at a little screen. My suggestion to you, put the phone in your pocket and go into the circle pit. I promise it’ll be the most fun you can have”. Some advice that I felt compelled to follow later in the evening. Now obviously you can’t encourage people to go into the pit if there isn’t one so the Swedes provided by playing Food for the gods. Which had another highlight moment for me when the bridge riff hit with some gnarly pinch harmonics that forced me to make an audible “ugh”. I think this is a good moment to acknowledge whoever was doing the lighting for this show. I had a lot of mentions in my notes about stylistic choices they made that I felt really elevated the show. One particular choice being using the colours from the whoracle album art for the lights during food for the gods

In flames are at the top of their game. My least favourite part of the set was when they finished with Take this life. Not because they played it poorly or because it’s not a good song because it certainly is. But it’s just a shame that song has had the most exposure because from what I saw these guys have so much more to offer and that song doesn’t even begin to scratch the depth of their talent as both songwriters and more importantly, performers.

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Now it’s time for the intermission and Anders’ words rang in my head. I decided he was right, if I wanted to truly review the experience of this show I had to participate in it. So while the bands changed over I headed from the back of the room over to the pit. As I moved down, a drop curtain decorated with the band’s logo was raised to conceal the machinations of their oncoming performance.

The lights go down, and the curtain drops to reveal an extravagant stage design. Four figures in red cloth hang by their necks from the ceilings and the stage is winged on either side by more figures impaled on spikes. Behind the band, a large blow-up statue of the band’s mascot, Violent Mind, dominates the stage visuals. Kreator wastes zero time launching into the title track off their newest record, Hate Uber Alles and I’m treated to one of my absolute favourite tropes in large stage metal performances: double kicks with synced strobe lights. A trick that the band will continue to abuse throughout the show. As I say that you might be asking yourself, “won’t that get old after a while” and the answer to that is “fuck you, no it doesn’t, it’s rad as hell”. Singer Mille Petrozza commands the crowd with authority all night. He says jump, the crowd says how high. He gestures for a wall of death, the crowd splits. He says “crowd surf”, there’s people flying all over the place (I even saw a dud with a walking stick getting thrown in the air).

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A few songs deep and we hear some ominous funeral bells and fans familiar with the album gods of violence know what’s coming. Satan is real was played to perfection with guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, shredding a beautiful red Ibanez destroyer, nailed his solos both here and throughout the evening. Giving off the impression that he couldn’t play a wrong note if he tried. When the final chord is played the crowd breaks into an impromptu chant “Kreator! Kreator! Kreator!”. If there was any doubt that the German thrashers had a following in Australia it should be erased from your mind at this moment. Kreator’s live rendition of Hordes of Chaos was also a highlight, effectively a summary of what it means to be metal with every type of mosh pit erupting at one point or another in the one song. After a stunning twelve song setlist, Kreator rounded out the night with Pleasure to kill and a call out for the last opportunity to participate in the wall of death.

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My final thoughts on the show come around to how much I appreciated the differences between In Flames and Kreator as I think they complimented each other well. In Flames had a more personable feel to their set whereas Kreator were much more theatrical. Having each band side by side like that really helped me to appreciate how a band works best when they play to their specific strengths and both bands on this bill did exactly that. If you ever get a chance to see either of these acts you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not snatching up tickets the second you can.


Huge thanks to the Forum Melbourne crew for having us and a special thanks to John Howarth for arranging media access.

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RUSSIAN CIRCLES – Live at Max Watts Melbourne

Words – Clare
Photos – Mitch

Friday night on the 9th of February we headed to Max Watts for the Russian Circles ‘GNOSIS’ tour. With rave reviews of their recent performances and a four-band line-up, expectations were high and I for one was amped up for a cathartic four-hour dose of progressive metal.

The first supports of the evening were Melbourne’s cinematic post-metal quartet Myriad Drone who immediately grabbed our focus from the moment we walked into the venue. Playing mostly from their debut album ‘Arka Morgana’, each track was an audible excursion that slowly crescendoed and crashed in waves that washed over the audience. You could see the sheer joy the band members experienced while playing, sharing smiles and looks with each other throughout the set. We will all wait in anticipation for their new album to be released this year.

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Another local band Treebeard followed in the line-up taking us on a post-rock, post-metal journey. The set was very moody and groovy which featured some rock and even hardcore elements during their new track. All the instruments had an opportunity in the spotlight as each member joined in layering the already impressive sounds. The drumming was phenomenal and the guitar work during the last track emitted an eery sound reminiscent of an accordion which was equally unsettling and beautiful. The impression they left on the audience was significant forcing one of the moved patrons to enthusiastically yell out, ‘This is sick, you fucking cunts!’

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@treebeard.band

The room started to fill as the doom-jazz quartet from Perth took to the stage. Tangled Thoughts of Leaving joined Russian Circles on the Australian tour to promote their most recent album release ‘Oscillating Forest’. The set was a sound experience from the very beginning, almost jarring and upsetting at times, but it was all part of the fantastical adventure. Each note was brought right to the edge, testing its limits before being expertly reigned in. It was controlled chaos as its best that ended with a slow pulsating track that kept building in anticipation with such an abrupt climax the crowd gasped before bursting into a plenteous applause.

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@tangledtol

This was the first time in 5 years that Russian Circles graced our shores, so as the Ghost on High intro sounded and the instrumental trio from Chicago Illinois walked onto the low-lit stage hands up acknowledging the room, the crowd responded with enthusiasm. Although this tour celebrated the 2022 album release Gnosis with the self-titled track, Conduit and Betrayal on the set list, we also were treated with a tasting board of tracks from multiple albums including Blood Year, Memorial, Guidance, Empros, and Station. The concertgoers were consistently vocal throughout the set, hollering and cheering after every riff, tempo change or break, the energy was pure and intense. The performance was tight as the minimalist trio expertly moved between heavy brooding riffs, ethereal rhythms and engrossing feedback loops. Before we knew it the figures had completed the set leaving us feeling euphoric and satisfied.

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@russiancircles

Thanks to the Max Watts crew for having us and a special thanks to Birds Robe for arranging media access.

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KATATONIA – Live at the Croxton Bandroom

Photos – Ben Gunzburg
Words – Richard Grimm

After eight long years, Melbourne fans of all things gloom, prog and heavy are finally afforded the opportunity to be embraced by the musical mystique of Swedish metal masters Katatonia. Walking into the Croxton the punters were greeted by a hugely aesthetic stage design. Drum riser in the center, backed by a large black banner adorned with Katatonia’s signature bird motifs and winged by walls of Marshall cabinets, the kind of site that forces you to throw horns.

The first band to take the stage for the evening was Victoria K. Barely illuminated, the dark stage is clothed with strips of white light as drummer Frankie Demuru began his thunderous entrance, accompanied by the guttural vocalizations of Charlie Curnow reminiscent of acts like the Hu and Heilung. A tangible mood was shaped by the band before taking a hard right into something much more power and prog-metal-inspired. Once Victoria took the stage it became clear why it was HER band. She draped a blanket of mystique over the audience with her powerful and controlled mastery of the voice. Gliding across kyrie inspired phrygian dominant runs with ease. Unfortunately, that mystique struggled to hold footing by the band’s unwillingness (or incapability) to lock in together. Which was a real shame because there were plenty of moments where each instrumentalist had an opportunity to showcase their talents. A particular highlight was during the track Tower where Adyn Young allowed some of his potential as a guitarist to shine through with a killer solo.

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By the third song, the band had found their footing for a Madonna cover and started to play much more in time but still suffered from a case of concrete feet. But the best part of their set for me was the song Pomegranate. That song showcased the most dynamic elements from everyone in the band. Nuanced guitar work, restrained and deliberate drumming and, incredible vocals by Victoria. Criticisms aside this is definitely a band worth keeping your eyes on.

Next to grace the Croxton stage was one of the most uncommon ensemble formats in metal. Three guitars, drums, bass and violin. Suldusk’s performance was a masterclass in evocation magick with each song wielding the emotional gravity of a semi-trailer made entirely out of frozen orphan tears. Their songwriting process clearly places more weight on emotional connection than conventional song structure because you’d be as hard pressed to find an obvious chorus as a person in the audience not holding their heart. From the moment the band took stage they commanded an easy confidence that only comes from truly believing in your material.

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At the helm was the immensely talented Emily Highfield’s who showed enormous vocal versatility throughout the set. Deftly swaying from Balkan white voice-esque timbres through to the shrieks and wretches of the band’s collective pain and regret trying to escape her throat.
The highlights of Suldusk’s set were numerous with each song mixed to perfection and performed with precision. The song Aphasia sounded like it would fit right at home on the soundtrack to The Witcher as it conjured images of riding on horseback to find my father’s murderer. The Elm followed which made me feel as though I was watching the sunrise into overcast skies over a misty ocean. Sovran Shrines was a little more light hearted, but only in comparison to the rest of the set, it was still melancholic to the very core. It was during this song that I looked around the audience and noticed a few people breaking into tears. Further evidence to this act’s truly masterful ability to conjure emotions from the crowd. The song finally ends on a huge crescendo that sounds like meeting all your lost loved one’s eternal souls for one last goodbye.

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Some minor technical issues afforded Emily a chance to introduce the band before they ended the set with their new single Anthesis. I’m a slut for blast beats so I instantly loved this one with it’s use of classic black metal tropes. What can I say, blast beats and tremolo picking go together like being a real estate agent and not having any class at social gatherings. Overall, an outstanding performance and personally the highlight of the evening for me. I highly recommend checking them out.

The crowd holds their breath for one last moment as we see hear the intermission music fade out of the speakers and bear witness to the arrival of the Swedish legends Katatonia to an eruption of applause. Unfortunately, the group are left without the aid of their long-time guitarist Anders Nyström but the horde seems to be too elated to see their heralds of gloom to make any noticeable grievance to it. Kataonia starts the set by launching into Austerity, the opening track of their latest studio release. Jonas Renske’s vocals are a little shaky to start but find footing in no time and guitarist Roger Öjersson delivers the first of many of what I am going to affectionately call “tonegasms”. Seriously, every second song Roger executes a flawless solo that’s equal parts technically impressive, motifically driven, emotionally evocative, and, don’t even get me started on his tone. Gear nerds should be lining up to ask this man how he gets his wall of Marshall’s to sound so good.

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It’s hard to say what the highlights of Katatonia’s performance were because my notes on every song are something along the lines of “killer riff”, “solid crowd engagement”, “killer face melting solo” or something to that effect. I think my favourite song for the evening was Dead Letters. The opening riff and drum groove were super tight and hit like a truck, everyone in the crowd had no choice but to headbang in unison at the riffs might. There wasn’t a second in that song that didn’t fuck. Their rendition of Opaline also made room for a beautiful moment between Roger and Jonas as their vocal duet resolved with a gentle embrace of long-time friends. It was a beautiful and subtle moment that felt earnest and was a good example of why I think the band’s gloomy music feels so honest in melancholia.

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Contrasting this was the colossal performance of Nephilim which had the room feel like the earth was going to open up and eat us all. Towards the end of the set, Jonas really starts to let his heart out with some passionate vocalizations during Old Heart Falls and I really felt like he found a space for himself as a performer to connect with us as an audience.
After a massive 16-song set list the Swedish guests made their way off stage only for the audience to chant and demand an encore. With a catalogue of 11 albums to pull songs from, the group happily obliged. Returning to the stage, the backlit fog cast their silhouettes across the venue for a larger-than-life atmosphere. They churned out another 3 bangers for the crowd ending it all with a heartfelt thank you and large applause from the audience.

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Overall I felt like the band were great as soon as they hit the stage. As the set developed, the Swedish powerhouse became more comfortable with the audience and seemed more willing to be vulnerable with their performance. It was in those small moments of vulnerability in the performance that it became obvious why they had such a long-lasting career and so many passionate fans. I look forward to seeing them again in the future, but next time with Anders.

Huge thanks to the Croxton Band room for having us and a special thanks to John Howarth for arranging media access.

You can check out our pre-tour interview with guitarist Roger Öjersson here.


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IN FOCUS N0.3 – Odin Imaging

In this edition of IN FOCUS, we chat with Nathan Goldsworthy aka Odin Imaging, one of the scene’s most prolific photographers and an all-around nice guy.

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@odin.imaging

How many years have you been shooting?

Been shooting live music 6 years as of the 27th of Jan ‘24

2. How did you get started in photography?

I’ve always had an interest in photography since high school, just never had the means. Started getting more serious about photography a year or so before shooting my first concert when I invested in new gear and started doing landscape photography in my spare time.

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3. Favourite band to shoot?

Favourite local band: Munt, Earth Rot and Denouncement Pyre, International: Heilung, Watain and Behemoth

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Heilung – Max Watts

4. Favourite venue to shoot and why?

The Forum in Melbourne, it’s such a stunning venue and there is no bad viewing spot.
>Max Watts, I always feel comfortable shooting there, it kinda feels like I am shooting in my living room.
I also like the warmer leaning lighting there, and the staff are legendary

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GHOST – John Cane Arena

I always run 2 bodies, currently, it’s the Canon R5 and R6, the Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 & 450 AW II and i have a custom dual camera leather harness I purchased on Etsy. For glass it all depends on what I’m expecting. But, generally for smaller/darker shows i have the sigma 35mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.2 art series and for larger shows I’ll run the Canon EF 24-70 and EF 70-200 f2.8

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6. What software do you use to edit your photos?

I do my initial pass and sorting in Lightroom Classic and then I’ll finalise in Photoshop with DXO software extensions

7. How would you describe your editing style?

Over-edited and clean

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MAYHEM – The Croxton Bandroom

8. What photographers do you draw inspiration from?

I draw inspiration from a diverse array of photographers, each leaving a distinct mark on my artistic journey – from Peter McKinnon, whose captivating videos sparked my camera purchase, to the visionary landscapes of Dale Sharpe and Marc Adamus, the timeless mastery of Ansel Adams, the creative lens of Viktoria Haack, the captivating scenes captured by Christian Høiberg, the iconic portraits by Peter Lindbergh, and the collective innovation of my peers in the music photography community. Together, they form a dynamic tapestry that constantly encourages me to push boundaries and explore new horizons in my own work.

9. If you could shoot any band in the future, who would it be?

White Ward, Worm, Afsky, Iron Maiden and Ahklys

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SIGH – The Bendigo Hotel

10. Concerts can get pretty rowdy, whats your best gig story?

Thats a tough one, probably a toss-up between being covered in pig blood at a Watain show or seeing a guy getting kicked out of a venue because he was urinating on the barrier at the front of the venue

11. What is your favourite camera to use when you are not shooting gigs and why?

I love my Fuji X100V, the portability and fixed 35mm f2 lens and slower shooting style puts me out of my comfort zone and makes me adjust my mindset with photography

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Huge thanks to Nathan for taking the time to chat with us, you can see more of his work on his official website and social media:

@odin.imaging

Odinimaging.com

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SVALBARD – Announce May 2024 Australian Tour

cover shot – SVALBARD

Hitting Australia for the very first time this May is Bristol, UK four-piece SVALBARD. Four albums deep, the band will tour in support of their 2023’s The Weight of The Mask. Uncompromising and highly charged, the record spans themes intrinsic to humanity, such as emotional strength and depression, to unrequited love and vulnerability, all while spanning a euphoric and unique musical blend of black metal, post-rock, and d-beat hardcore.

It’s this diversity that sees the band able to tour with such iconic genre greats as Enslaved and Cult of Luna. Positioned in a similar sonic realm is Melbourne’s “blackened post-metalcore” group RUN who will join the band for this debut Australian adventure. Having just completed a massive regional tour with The Amity Affliction and a new release in the process of rolling out, this is sure to be a fiery pairing not to be missed.

SVALBARD FLYER

Destroy All Lines Presents: SVALBARD (UK) w/ special guests RUN

Thursday 23.05 – Lynotts Lounge, PERTH

Friday 24.05 – Crowbar, SYDNEY

Saturday 25.05 – Soapbox, BRISBANE

Sunday 26.05 – Howler, MELBOURNE

TICKETS ON SALE 12:00pm Local Time Friday, February 9.

FROM:https://daltours.cc/svalbard

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