The Amity Affliction, Alphawolf, Terminal Sleep @ Bridgeway Hotel, Pooraka 27/1/2024

The prodigal son of Australian metalcore, The Amity Affliction, roll back into town on their regional jaunt supporting current album Not Without My Ghosts.

The term ‘Regional’ is a stretch in this part of the world when it’s in Pooraka, a suburb twenty minutes or so drive north east from their last show here in November at Hindley Street Music Hall. However, two shows so close to each other other doesn’t stop the sold out signs go up in quick time such is the loyalty and excitement the band commands from its own foot soldiers.

Having an extraordinary line up of up coming Aussie talent helps with the next band to explode – if they haven’t already – in Alphawolf and Terminal Sleep riding shotgun.

It’s Terminal Sleep we check out first. The 1200 capacity room is already short on space and hot in temperature as vocalist Bec Thorwesten sneers, growls and break necks fronting the metalcore band with an old school punk kick in the balls attitude.

Terminal Sleep are able to command ferocious circle pits early in the night and the brutal riffs you can feel rising up through the earth. Guest vocalist Nicole from Scratch Lines – doing double duty as had appeared earlier that day at Heavy SA, a metal fest of all things SA – brings more paraffin to the flames before they finish with the viral sensation that is Death Therapy.

Alphawolf do not really need any introduction. Since the last time they were in this very room on the Polaris run, they’ve tore through Europe and the States – also becoming viral after calling out venues and merch cuts – and everything they are touching is turning golden. Hell, even everyone’s favourite gangsta-rapping-cop-killing-tv-detective Ice T is on their new track.

Opening with Rot in Pieces it’s clear this constant touring, and with the best of the best mind, has just made this band tighter than a hamstrung sprinters legs. They are flammable, their own fire starters, as pits, surfers and all kinds of crowd shenanigans are rife.

Vocalist Lochie Keogh prowls the front of the stage like a prized fighter waiting to land some knockout blows and it comes in the forms of their songs. Sub-Zero, 60cm of Steel and Bring Back The Noise all send shock waves throughout the venue like an earthquake.

Whether it’s middle fingers raised to the sky, people on shoulders, the drummer mock fishing for crowd surfers, this crowd proves that Alphawolf know how to work an audience to almost detonation levels. I would bet this may be the last time we see them supporting anyone in venues like this again – it’s their time to go to the next level.

It is though The Amity Affliction’s show and crowd. With the room sweating like an oven, the temporary air conditioning stands become the place for a refuel before the masses descend back onto the chaos that is the pit. A pit that is literally pushed to each wall by Joel Birch during Shine On.

Amity’s biggest weapon is the devotion and loyalty of their crowd. They perform every line like they themselves are on stage, as proven with an hair on the back of the neck during All Fucked Up which is almost gospel.

Fans of the bands earlier work will be disappointed, as the set list is heavily weighted to their newer stuff however none of 1200 strong crowd – sweating, red faced and more than little inebriated – care. They are invested 100%.

The band for their part don’t let up either dropping Deaths Hand, Drag The Lake, Open Letter and Ivy (Doomsday) as the rotation of surfers carousels over the barrier and back to the pit.

Not once does the energy drop from anyone, despite the heat, and while the set list is eerily similar to their show two months before, no one here cares. They love the band, their music, what it stands for and the band in turn pour themselves into giving their best back. Some, well me, would say, tonight was better than the Adelaide show.

Finishing with Soak Me In Bleach, Amity leave nearing midnight having being given an almighty task by Terminal Sleep and Alphawolf to follow. However the masters still prevailed.

Live Review By Iain McCallum