It's hard to let go of music you found in high school. Bands that were a part of your formative years will always be a part of you, regardless of where you find yourself as you move into adulthood.
As I was moving through my high school years, Australia's hardcore and metal scene was establishing itself on the global stage, thanks to independent labels like UNFD. In Year 9, I'd had my attention turned to artists like Northlane and The Amity Affliction, and was desperate to dig deeper.
I found Sydney's Hellions in 2016, off the back of their 2016 album 'Opera Oblivia'. I was enamoured with their blend of crushing hardcore riffs and thoughtful lyricism, a sound that was brand new to me at the time.
As I approached graduation in 2018, their then-new single 'Smile' got me through some incredibly tough times. Unfortunately, I was only able to catch one Hellions show, over in Bournemouth, England, before they unceremoniously went into hiatus.
Hellions - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
It was uncertain the band would ever return to music, with guitarist Matt Gravolin having moved on to solo work and vocalist Dre Faivre stepping out of the spotlight.
Imagine my surprise when, seven years later, Hellions posted they were back with two shows in Brisbane and Sydney. Admittedly, I hadn't had their music on heavy rotation post-graduation, with my music taste drifting into other territories.
As I drove to their Brisbane reunion show at Crowbar (27 December), I found myself blowing cobwebs off long-shelved memories of bus rides home from school and late-night gaming sessions with old friends I hadn't thought of in years.
Hellions had packed their support slots with local Brisbane talent, with Grizzlyshark opening the show. I walked into the venue as they were wrapping up, getting there in time to catch shoegaze-adjacent band Sunbleached.
Sunbleached - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
A hot favourite of mine, with my music taste firmly based around shoegaze and nu-grunge these days, I always appreciate an opportunity to see Sunbleached. Their newest single 'Stain' as well as older cuts like 'Rain On Hot Cement' sound gigantic, with passionate vocals from singer Josh Baker and heavy reverb-laden riffs.
Closure provided direct support, a band I was unfamiliar with. I enjoyed the songs they played off their new EP, 'The Sweet Suffering', and will definitely be spending more time with their music going forward.
After what felt like an agonising wait, Hellions walked onstage and immediately blew the roof of the place, opening with their iconic, self-titled song from 2015's 'Indian Summer'.
Hellions - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
I was wary of how the crowd would react, what with the band having been away for so long, but you could tell that people had been waiting a long time for this reunion. It was like flexing an old muscle, with the chorus for songs like 'Quality Of Life' and the sing-along outro of '24' being shouted with my full chest.
These songs were the soundtrack of a tumultuous time, the anthems of a 17-year-old kid who was struggling to find a place in this world, staring down the barrel of adulthood. Now 24, it felt cathartic to know I was at home amongst the sold-out crowd, comfortable with how far I've come since 2018.
Hellions - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
Hellions treated old fans to seldom-played songs like '22' and 'Odyssey', and closed out the set with four of their furthest-reaching singles. Hearing 'Lotus Eater', 'Smile', 'X (Mwah)' and finally 'Thresher' back-to-back live solidified my opinion that Hellions have an unearthly knack for writing stellar choruses.
It was truly awesome hearing 500 voices in unison, shouting 'Thresher''s self-affirming chorus back at vocalist Dre Faivre as he offered the crowd the microphone. People were crowd surfing, sitting on shoulders and holding their palms to the sky as the band closed out the evening on an unbelievably euphoric note.
Before waving goodbye, the band made note that this wasn't a one-off reunion, and that they'd be back in May of 2026 for the tenth anniversary of 'Opera Oblivia'. They thanked the crowd profusely, humbly mentioning they weren't expecting a sold-out show in Brisbane.
I don't think Hellions deserve anything less than a completely packed room, and I'm glad Brisbane showed up to welcome them back to the scene with open arms.
Hellions - image © Dylan Hewitson-Bevis
It's hard to let go of the music that you found in high school, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one in the room who was reliving their younger years at the show. I'm glad I found Hellions when I did, and I'm glad they came back at a time when I feel confident and comfortable shaking hands with my 17-year-old self. He is me and I am him, yet we couldn't be further apart in terms of where we are in life now.
I look forward to seeing where Hellions go from here, because if their performance in Brisbane is anything to go by, they have a very promising future ahead of them.
