Australian metalcore rising giants, Windwaker brought a near all-Australian ensemble to shake the walls of Brisbane's The Princess Theatre last night (30 January).
Sandwiched between American tours supporting Northlane with Invent Animate, and Make Them Suffer with Like Moths to Flame (with a few select Victorian headline dates thrown in in the mix for good measure), Melbourne's Windwaker are following in the footsteps of giants, with a work ethic of the same exceptional calibre.To suggest 'Australian-core' (of all metal varieties) isn't one of our hottest exports in recent years would be absolutely absurd (take a look at a couple of those names right above for example).
Windwaker, following in stride, are capitalising on every opportunity that presents to spread their infectious modern metal grooves across their impressive fanbase locally, and on an international scale.
Brisbanites were once again treated to the pleasure of being first cab off the ranks on yet another Australian touring cycle, with Windwaker bringing their national Hyperviolence tour to Woolloongabba's iconic, heritage-listed Princess Theatre.
Rounding out this impressive tour package, Windwaker are supported by American post-hardcore, emo-rockers Thousand Below, Aussie metalcore underground heroes Diamond Construct, and Brisbane-based new-nu-metal up-and-comers, Headwreck – an exemplary example of a carefully curated selection of Australia's best to excite and energise the youth of modern metal fans.
Headwreck - image © Clea-marie Thorne
The fine young gents of Headwreck have become a staple across the Brisbane scene over their relatively short lifespan, regularly supporting a slew of both national and international tours, and of course, headlining multiple shows of their own.
Headwreck successfully walk the line of not taking themselves too seriously (their recent promo photos and social media content has been absolutely A+), and delivering a professional, clean, and well-produced live show with experience beyond their years.
With heavy guitars, spat and choppy vocal deliveries, their sound is pushing the buck infusing elements of hip hop to their nu-metal sound, creating an undeniably catchy and unique sound. From commencing their set with a choppy guitar slide, emulating that of a turntable scratch, to a backing track laden with more scratches, samples, and electronica, the quartet have grown and evolved significantly, creating an ever-exciting experience capitalised with a phenomenal live sound.
If Headwreck have the homefield advantage, then Diamond Construct have a few years of playing on every field around the country up their sleeve, the band exploding in a very similar fashion to this evening's headliner, however with an undeniably unique sound that has absolutely captivated the enthusiasm of guitar-centric music fans.
Guitarist, Brandon Groundwater has taken fans of tweaky, riff-driven insanity by storm over recent years with his tap-dancing extravaganza – combining whammy, squeaks, squeals, gain, noise, and a flurry of fingers to what can easily be described as insanity.
Diamond Construct - image © Clea-marie Thorne
This is not to disparage any of his as equally talented bandmates however, who with tight syncopation and respective talent of their own instrumental contributions not only add additional flavour, but also structure to the madness coming from the sole-guitarist. Fan-favourites such as 'Hit It Back' and 'Switchblade OST' deliver some of the wildest musicality of the last few years.
Their live performances lean more into technical precision than chaotic energy, which is a testament to their commitment to delivering flawless renditions of their intricate compositions.
While unsure if a challenge with production or a stylistic decision affected their performance, there seemed to be something a little bit off with their sound last night where the guitars within the mix didn't quite cut through as expected after the opening band's performance. While not a deal breaker, for a band that has so much to offer within that space, missing the fidelity and clarity of this crucial musical element was a little bit of a letdown.
As the only international artist on the evening's line-up, Thousand Below have some mighty shoes to fill when considering the talent surrounding them within this package.
However, as hoped and expected, the San Diego quartet rose to the occasion with their blend of emotionally-raw lyrics and soaring, post-hardcore soundscapes, demonstrating why they have such a die-hard fanbase in the land down under. There has been a brief respite from our red soils, with Thousand Below last visiting in 2022 in support of another of the country's 'core' staples, Thornhill.
For such an emotionally charged act, Thousand Below still brought an energy and presence to their performance as the quartet burst onto the stage with vigour and swagger. Once again showing my age, hearing a variety of tracks from their earlier releases alongside their more recent tracks was a highlight to the evening.
Thousand Below - image © Clea-marie Thorne
As an early adopter to artists who may or may not remain uncovered gems who receive the acclaim and respect they deserve, moments like this are always treasured although a couple of my personal favourites were not lucky enough to make the set list. Undoubtably, there will be a new record in the near-future, and I for one, am exceptionally excited to see what is in store for this exciting, emotional act.
As the night proceeds, I begin to think about girls on white horses (inspired by their song 'Sirens'), Windwaker – in what became a theme to the evening – open with a bang, displaying a professional prowess from the first notes of their set, demonstrating why this is their tour, and everyone else is privileged to be sharing it with them.
The Melbourne quartet have seized this tour opportunity to showcase several of their newest tracks alongside a carefully curated selection of their formidable back-catalogue – to the delight of dedicated and enthralled fans.
Windwaker - image © Clea-marie Thorne
Tracks such as 'Arcane', 'Tabula Rasa' and 'Break The Rules' all reach this reviewer's highlight reel of the evening, fantastically showcasing this new release ('Hyperviolence') which will only contribute further to the stranglehold Windwaker is slowly but surely tightening around the throat of the Australian metal scene.
Although with that said, a set list containing a wide variety of this powerhouse's songs encompassing their slower, poppier, heavier, and hip hop inspired tracks was dynamic, engaging, and absolutely fantastic.
There is no mistaking why Windwaker are a staple of Australia-fronted national and international touring packages alike – plainly and simply, it's because they slap.
They're heavy, they're melodic, they're catchy, they're dynamic, and they still retain a raw and chaotic energy emphasised through the creative use of digital elements including samples, synths and keys. They have incredibly catchy hooks, do not miss a beat, and put on an entertaining performance rivalling the best in the business.
Windwaker - image © Clea-marie Thorne
While on the topic of all things electronic within the Windies camp, I'd be remiss to not shoutout keyboardist/ multi-instrumentalist Connor Robins. The ex-Brisbane boy who headed south to chase dreams of Melbourne's ever-thriving music scene and objectively better coffees, can be seen sporting a knee cast/ brace/ moonboot throughout their set in what was revealed on social media to be a pre-tour present to himself.
If that ain't determination to the cause, I don't know what is. In the iconic words of one Mr. Jack Black; you're not hardcore unless you live hardcore, and I think this is iconic behaviour considering the energy still exuded during trying circumstances.
More photos from the concert.
