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Over the last eight years, UNIFY Gathering has established itself as an institution for heavy metal lovers.
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It boasted consistently diverse lineups; a vibrant sense of community and range of the best heavy/alternative acts from all around the world on offer each year, it makes sense that the three day event has become a staple on the annual festival goers calendar.
So when the announcement was made that UNIFY’s 2023 event wouldn’t be going ahead, punters were dealt a devastating blow.
But it was a devastation that was short lived. When organisers uploaded a cryptic image of a cartoon dog surrounded by UNO (UNFD) cards, it caused a frenzy in the wounded metal community. Whilst many speculated it was a clue pointing toward UNIFY 2024, others tried to find links between the illustration and their favourite bands artworks. Just what were UNIFY up to?
Well today’s the day that you can finally find out what UNIFY have in store for their Aussie punters in 2023. Let me tell you, based on all of the conspiracy theories that have been circulating, Hysteria is happy to confirm that you’re ALL WRONG.
(No, The Baha Men are not playing UNIFY 24.)
Instead, UNIFY unveiled their incredibly stacked UNIFY OFF THE RECORD 2023 national line-ups.
Hitting Mackay, Adelaide, Wollongong, Hobart and Frankston, Unify Off The Record 2023 features a diverse line up of Australia’s premiere heavy acts including ARIA chart topping Northlane, Thy Art Is Murder, Thornhill, Make Them Suffer, Teenage Joans, In Hearts Wake, Alpha Wolf, Ocean Grove, Yours Truly, Void Of Vision, Redhook and more.
It’s just crazy to think that when we all met we were just young bands winging it and not knowing what was happening, to fast forward to now where everyone is fully cemented in this industry and is part of this incredible festival together. It’s a really cool feeling.
[ Alex Reade ]
Stepping away from the usual site of Tarwin Lower, Off The Record sees UNIFY pivot to a series of small club shows across five states, with each date featuring a different lineup made up of acts from around the country, as well as one international in American deathcore band Fit For An Autopsy. And with the NSW, VIC and SA legs being run like miniature festivals with eight to ten band line-ups, as well as including pop up stores, artist signings and workshops before and after doors, UNIFY OFF THE RECORD will be bringing as much of the festival on the road as possible.
For Make Them Suffer’s Nick McLernon and Alex Reade, who at the time of our interview were only just finding out who’d they’d be sharing the bill with, the excitement couldn’t be higher.
“That’s actually awesome,” says a clearly excited McLernon after hearing the line-up.
“This is our first time hearing the line-up and we’ve got a bunch of old friends on there, which I’m excited about. Bands like Northlane and In Hearts Wake were the bands that we were doing our first ever tours with years and years ago, so it feels fitting that while we are on the Neverbloom 10th Anniversary tour cycle we are getting to do a festival with them.
“And considering it’s run by UNIFY, it should be a really fun time. We’ve had amazing experiences in the past doing the UNFD festivals and I suspect that this one’s going to be pretty similar.”
“I was already excited but now that I’ve heard what the line-up looks like, I’m really, really keen.”
A sentiment which is shared by the group’s newest addition Alex Reade (ex-Drown This City), who was ecstatic to find out that she’d be sharing the bill with some of her favourite acts.
“I’ve never played a show with Ocean Grove! They are one of my favourite bands ever so I’ll be getting in the pit for their set for sure,” she laughs.
“I’ve played with In Hearts Wake three times now and those guys are absolutely amazing. I’ve also been very close friends with Redhook and Yours Truly for years now, so it’ll be a lot of fun catching up with everyone.
“They are all legacy bands, ones who have worked really hard and really stuck around as a result. It’s always been great seeing everyone’s names on the line-up amongst all of the international bands on the UNFD line-ups but for all of us to be together on that line-up, that’s sick.
“It’s just crazy to think that when we all met we were just young bands winging it and not knowing what was happening, to fast forward to now where everyone is fully cemented in this industry and is part of this incredible festival together. It’s a really cool feeling.”
With each leg being presented in an intimate club setting, the shows are not only guaranteed to get pretty crazy, they’re also pretty much guaranteed to sell out. So we suggest you don’t muck around where tickets are concerned. They’re on sale now, and these aren’t shows that you want to miss out on.
Full line-ups and community engagement initiative information below.
UNIFY GATHERING PRESENTS
UNIFY OFF THE RECORD 2023
May 20 – Seabreeze, Mackay QLD
w/ Thornhill, Void Of Vision, Young Lions, Wildheart, Arcade Stories
May 26 – Hindley St Music Hall, Adelaide SA
w/ Teenage Joans, Thornhill, Ocean Grove, Yours Truly
The Beautiful Monument, Alt, The Last Martyr, Wildheart
May 27 – Uni Bar, Wollongong NSW
w/ Thy Art Is Murder, Make Them Suffer, Ocean Grove
Yours Truly, Fit For An Autopsy, Bloom
Banks Arcade, Reliqa, Alienist, Raised As Wolves
June 1 – Odeon Theatre, Hobart TAS
w/ Alpha Wolf, In Hearts Wake, Void Of Vision
Redhook, Offset Vision
June 2 – The Pier, Frankston VIC
w/ Northlane, In Hearts Wake, Make The Suffer
Redhook, Fit For An Autopsy, Ocean Sleeper
Mirrors, Chasing Ghosts, Banks Arcade, Future Static
Tickets are on sale from Wednesday March 22 at 9am local time.
For complete tour and ticket information, visit: www.unifygathering.com
