Jul
30
5.32pm

HARD NOISE: THY ART IS MURDER // Local Desolation


Thy Art Is Murder with Alpha Wolf, Cursed Earth & Deadlights
Max Watt’s Melbourne
Saturday July 29, 2017

It’s a hell of a mixed bill at Max Watt’s tonight. We’re starting off (relatively) light with Brisbane’s Deadlights who are hitting one of their bigger support runs as of late.

The dual harmonies between guitarist Tynan Reibelt and bassist Sean Prior are highly impressive, and adding vocalist Dylan Davidson to the mix is a surprisingly nice touch. Three vocals together hardly ever works, much less for a band fresh off their debut record but Deadlights make it work. Drummer Josh O’Callaghan is the most entertaining member on stage with his enthusiasm making up much of the energy the band throw out. Invisible Hands is easily their shining jewel at the moment and they manage a crowd clap even with an audience that’s more interested in putting those arms into someone else’s face.

Deadlights // Photo: Jordan Tan

I’m not even going to pretend I can tell the difference between each Cursed Earth song at the wild rate they’re blasting them out. It’s a technically impressive assault and a wonder drummer Sam Forward manages to stay perfectly in time as he’s forced to smash the kit for the entirety of the set. Singer Jazmine Luders is a huntress sniffing out her prey on stage. She’ll find a lone pit warrior, aim her outstretched arms and mime a gunshot for each relentless breakdown and off their elbows go. A poor security guard has clearly never seen a show before because he’s running and telling each person to stop moshing or they’ll be booted. The sheer volume of kicks and fists has him so frustrated he eventually gives up. Luders still looks like she might grab the microphone wrapped around her neck and hang herself from the ceiling just for the fuck of it. The crowd wanted to warm up, and the Cursed Earth inferno burns bright.

Cursed Earth // Photo: Jordan Tan

 

Cursed Earth // Photo: Jordan Tan

Alpha Wolf’s guitarist Sabian Lynch is on stage without a mask and it’s a concerning sight. Thankfully he throws it on before his return, otherwise we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. The band have grinded their way to this stage over the years and the enormous chant “I’m a ward of the state motherfucker” from the crowd is a pure result of that effort. Who would’ve thought a year or two ago that Alpha Wolf would be one of the most satisfying local bands to watch? Written off early in their career, they show the sheer difference between their older, breakdown-laden material and their newer, breakdown-laden material by letting each track breathe. No longer just chaining pit call after pit call, tracks like 104 have enough tension to release that the crowd are positively exhausted. Golden Fate: Gut Ache disappointingly has pre-recorded clean vocals; it’s their latest record Mono’s best track and would’ve been a set highlight with them fully live. The crowd are more than willing to pick up the slack though and it’s not like they’re here for a sing a long. That reception is awe-inspiring as the band close with Nailbiter. Singer Aidan Ellaz is on top of the crowd and the final filthy growls echo as he stands triumphant.

Alpha Wolf // Photo: Jordan Tan

 

Alpha Wolf // Photo: Jordan Tan

Max Watt’s is absolutely filled to the brim by the time the lights dim and the infamous blood red Thy Art logo emerges on screen. Entering to battle cry Holy War, CJ McMahon receives the loudest cheer as the band perform their first headliner in the city after his return.



Although his pronunciation has notably slipped back into a pre-departure blur at times, there’s no doubt that McMahon is the absolute king of the stage. He’ll occasionally stalk around and jump but it’s clear he’s still warming back up to his spot. The man even sits down during Coffin Dragger for (quite possibly) their heaviest breakdown looking like a bear who’s had his fill of honey. To be fair he’s just thrown down some of the most guttural sounds we’ve heard all night usually reserved for a guest vocalist, and we lap it up because Thy Art have made a career off this type of charm. He is throwing out sentences to the tune of “let’s get lit AF hype motherfucker” after all; how can we not love him? During a breather, the singer thanks us for supporting the band since they “were the shittest” all those years ago as tonight’s their largest sold out show of the tour.

Thy Art Is Murder // Photo: Jordan Tan

There’s no rest for drummer Lee Stanton though, who machine guns his way through Purest Strain of Hate and No Absolution without breaking a sweat. We’re treated to the longest set of the tour too, with the band adding Hate deep cuts Dead Sun and Doomed From Birth to the madness. Light Bearer is their last track due to McMahon’s own admission he’s a “6 foot 105 kilogram baby who needs a bottle and a sleep”, and there’s some chatter he might actually just bloody do it. The encore chants are deafening, so of course they’re returning for the band’s most massive achievement. You’d be forgiven for thinking the entire venue screaming its first pit call as the highlight, but Reign of Darkness’ perfect mesh of guitarist Andy Marsh and Stanton is ours. Dear Desolation, the band’s upcoming record, is closer than ever as the Australian kings of deathcore edge towards the world domination that McMahon has been warning us of. Bring on the mayhem.

Maybe he’s born with it… // Photo: Jordan Tan 

Catch the remaining dates of the Death Sentence Tour

Wed August 2, The Basement, Canberra ACT
Thu August 3, Uni Bar, Woolongong NSW
Fri August 4, Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW
Sat August 5, Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle NSW
Thu August 10, Crowbar, Brisbane QLD
Fri August 11, Villa Noosa, Sunshine Coast QLD
Sat August 12, Miami Tavern, Gold Coast QLD



WATCH >

Disclaimer: Thy Art Is Murder vocalist CJ McMahon is co-host of the Hard Noise podcast, produced by Hysteria Media.



Latest News

MORE MUST READS >