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IMMINENCE
+ Inertia + The Breakdown
@ Forum, Melbourne
12th October 2025
(Live Review)

Review and photos  by Michael Gow (@alchemi_glow_music_phot)

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Imminence / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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It was still an hour until doors opened, but you could already feel the excitement buzzing outside Melbourne’s famed Forum Theatre. Fans were lined up down the street, dressed in black and repping their favourite band T-shirts. The anticipation was electric as everyone waited for what would become a night to remember. Most had come to see the headliners, Imminence, on their Return of the Black Tour, though a few Inertia shirts spotted in the line proved there was more than one reason to be excited tonight.

For me, this show was a first my first time seeing both bands live. I’d only discovered Imminence in the last couple of years, but after being completely captivated by their studio work, I knew their live show would be something special.

When the doors opened at 7 p.m., non-VIP fans rushed inside some racing for the barrier, others heading to their seats ready for whatever the night would bring. The evening began with something unexpected: not a musical act, but two guys on stools, Nath & Johnny from The Breakdown with Nath & Johnny on YouTube.

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The Breakdown / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s not every day a concert kicks off with a talk show. But if you’ve seen their channel, you’ll know things rarely go according to plan and that’s exactly the charm. Their onstage Q&A was part comedy, part chaos, with audience-submitted questions leading to hilarious tangents. One highlight was a story about an interview with The Offspring, which had the crowd laughing, followed by a cheeky debate about their dream Good Things Festival headliner surprisingly, Nickelback.

Midway through, they brought out their first guest, James McKendrick (formerly of Void of Vision). “I’m in metalcore retirement now,” he joked, before explaining he’s been playing golf and producing music including the new Reliqa track Your Touch. He hinted at an upcoming secret project, too. After a quick quiz segment, James exited the stage, and the next part of their bit began: Pin the Violin on Eddie featuring a life-sized poster of Imminence frontman Eddie Berg.

The first audience member successfully “pinned” the violin in place, but when it came time for the second contestant, Nath quietly swapped the poster for the real Eddie Berg, who snuck up behind the blindfolded fan. The crowd erupted with laughter as people shouted intentionally misleading directions. When the blindfold came off, the contestant realised he’d been face to face with the real Eddie all along  a hilarious and heartwarming moment. Both players walked away with prizes, and Nath & Johnny closed their segment by thanking DAL (Destroy All Lines) for having them on tour. Eddie added with a grin, “I only brought them on tour so we could spend more time together.”

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Inertia / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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INERTIA

Next up were Inertia, a band I’d only listened to briefly before tonight. But within seconds of their opener Dying to Let You Go, I knew I’d underestimated them. They came out swinging loud, heavy, and full of energy.

Sebastian Schaber (drums) hit with thunderous precision, every beat reverberating through the crowd. Julian Latouche delivered incredible dynamic range between his soaring cleans and guttural screams, while Mark Williamson (guitar/production) and Oliver Smith (bass) completed the wall of sound with brutal precision.

When they played Leviathan which features Jacob Charlton of Thornhill  his absence was felt as he is currently finishing his biggest internation support with Thornhill supporting none other than the mighty Sleep Token and the United States of America, but the live version still hit hard. From there, they tore through Dominion, Static, Second Shadow, Parallels, Too Far Gone, and finished with what’s now one of my new favourites, Lament.

Julian owned the stage, constantly engaging the crowd, who responded with headbanging, singalongs, and even two inflatable pineapple trees surfing across the pit a leftover joke from Nath & Johnny’s earlier set. “Everyone psyched to see Imminence or what?!” Julian shouted before launching into their final song. They closed with power and style, thanking the crowd and declaring, “We are Inertia enjoy the rest of your night!”

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Imminence / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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IMMINENCE

As the stage changed over, the anticipation became almost unbearable. You could feel the energy pulsing through the room. Then, as the lights dimmed, Sweden’s Imminence emerged to a roar of applause.

The stage setup was impressive: three podiums at the back and elevated stands at the front, creating layers of movement and light. With five members and a backing vocalist, their presence filled the room completely.

Imminence are the kind of band I’ve come to appreciate more and more those who break from formula and bring something unique. For them, that uniqueness comes from Eddie Berg’s violin, which elevates their melodic metalcore sound into something cinematic and emotional.

This tour also introduced their new drummer, Mikael Norén, replacing founding member Peter Hanström. Mikael’s drumming was phenomenal powerful, precise, and commanding. Another standout moment was when Harald Barrett used a violin bow on his guitar, creating haunting, ethereal textures that no effect pedal could replicate.

The energy between the band members was electric a perfect blend of aggression and elegance. Between breakdowns, Eddie would often stand alone in the spotlight, violin in hand, before the band crashed back in with overwhelming force.

One of the night’s most memorable moments came during Come What May when Tim Charles of Melbourne’s own Ne Obliviscaris joined Eddie on stage. The two violinists stood in twin spotlights, weaving their instruments together before the band exploded into the full arrangement. It was a breathtaking moment two worlds colliding in perfect harmony.

Throughout the set, the backing vocalist beautifully complemented Eddie’s voice, adding layers of melody to songs like Temptation, Heaven Shall Burn, Erase, Ghost, Come Hell or High Water, and my personal favourite, God Fearing Man.

Finally, Eddie stepped forward once more, his silhouette framed by a single beam of light.

“Melbourne, make some noise! You’ve been absolutely incredible tonight we are Imminence!”

With that, they launched into The Black, the title track from their latest album The Return to the Black, closing the night with thunderous precision and emotion.

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Imminence / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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FINAL THOUGHTS

For my first experience seeing both Inertia and Imminence, I walked away completely blown away. Both bands commanded the stage with passion and precision, turning what was meant to be just another rainy Sunday night into something magical a night filled with power, melody, and emotion.

If you haven’t heard either band before, now’s the time. Tell your friends, share the experience, and don’t miss the chance to see them live.

As for me, this show easily ranks among my favourite concerts of 2025. I’ll be counting down the days until Imminence return to Australia again.

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Imminence / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Check out Michael Gow’s (@alchemi_glow_music_phot) full gallery of this event HERE

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Imminence / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Follow IMMINENCE
Twitter – Facebook – Instagram
Website – YouTube – TikTok

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Imminence / Photo – @alchemi_glow_music_phot

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Press Release 26th May 2025 (below) HERE

Destroy All Lines Presents

IMMINENCE
announce Australian
2025 Headline Tour

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AMNPLIFY – DB