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Mid-week shows can sometimes feel like a test of endurance, but when a band packs out The Forum for the first two back to back mid week Melbourne nights, you know you’re in for something special.
The Aussie openers Heists kicked off the evening by making full use of every inch of the stage. They owned the room from the second they stepped out, delivering a tight, heavy set that did exactly what a great opener should: get blood moving.
Next up was Sylosis, and within moments of coming on stage any leftover questions about why their addition to this tour created so much noise vanished. They tore through their set with surgical precision and heavy metal grit, leaving zero doubt as to why they’re sharing a ticket with scene heavyweights like Killswitch.
By the time Killswitch Engage stepped out, the floor was already a wall-to-wall sweatbox. Exploding right out of the gate with “Fixation on the Darkness”, they grabbed the room instantly. Following that up with “This Is Absolution” sent the entire floor into complete chaos, pure, unfiltered energy from front to back.
Having last caught them back on an early 2010s Soundwave lineup in Perth, seeing them take over an iconic venue like The Forum was a stark reminder of why they’ve survived and thrived for so long. Jesse’s powerhouse vocals proved they haven’t lost a single step.
They closed out the night ripping through back-to-back classics “My Curse” and “My Last Serenade”, with virtually the entire room shouting back every word. If night one was anything to go by, Melbourne didn’t just want two back-to-back mid-week shows we desperately needed them.
Photography + Words: Louie Mosscrop
