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MAKE THEM SUFFER
+ Fit For An Autopsy
+ Ocean Sleeper
@ 170 Russell, Melbourne,
1st June 2023
(Live Review)

Review by Michael Gow

Photos by Alchemi Glow Photography

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MAKE THEM SUFFER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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With 2020 came covid and therefore lockdowns and border closures happened around the country of Australia. Make Them Suffer, being from Perth, Western Australia were hungry to tour but could not be due to the Western Australian Border being shut to the rest of the country. During this the past few years there was a line-up changed and in came Alex Reade from Drown This City from Melbourne with whom I was familiar. I saw both Make Them Suffer and Drown This City at Full Tilt Festival Melbourne back in 2022. That day Make Them Suffer were performing without a keyboardist and its obvious they were on the hunt to replace their previous keyboardist. When I first heard the single Doomswitch which would highlight the vocals of both Sean and now Alex together where she both did cleans and screams, I intuitively knew Alex was a perfect fit to the band.

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OCEAN SLEEPER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Tonight, Make Them Suffer are celebrating their first album Neverbloom on its 10th Anniversary and Melbourne is fifth stop on this tour. The crowd have been waiting for this tour to see Make Them Suffer once again complete, but this time Alex is playing with Make Them Suffer in her home state.

The night starts of where Victorian Metal band Ocean Sleeper took the stage at the iconic 170 Russell or as its affectionately named Billboard as it was once called. There is an air of anticipation in the room as the crowd fills the room when opening they took to the stage. Ocean Sleeper performed various songs such as ‘Hate Me Like You Mean It,’ King Of Nothing’ and their newest song ‘Never The One’. They were also joined by a guest vocalist during one song.

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FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Next up American Deathcore band Fit For An Autopsy starts with songs ‘Black Mammoth’, ‘Savages’ and ‘The Sea Of Tragic Beasts’ also playing a track off The Aggression Sessions EP which they did with bands Malevolence from the UK and Thy Art Is Murder from Australia. The night was now full of energy with the crowd opening a pit that was opened in the middle of the floor the energy in the room feels electric as the night starts to take off. Ending their set with ‘Warfare’, ‘Hellions’, ‘Pandora’, and final song of their set ‘Far from Heaven’. Now the time has come for one of Australia Powerhouse metalcore bands Make Them Suffer to take the stage.

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MAKE THEM SUFFER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Just before the band takes to the stage out comes their newest member Alex Reade to play the opening instrumental song ‘Prologue’. As that starts to finish out comes the rest of the band to kick off the night where they go into title track ‘Neverbloom’ off their 2012 album of which the night was all about. One noticeable difference from opening acts to Make Them Suffer was that their drummer was up high on a platform which made for a great spectacle throughout the night.

Tonight, they played to their biggest ever headliner and it was sold out. The crowd was loving every minute of their set and crowd surfers were in abundance. The lighting for their set is fantastic and all credit to whom their lighting tech is. They continued their set playing the rest of album Neverbloom in full and took a mid-set break while another instrumental track ‘Oceans Of Emptiness’ off their album played. Then the band came back and began playing the well and the crowd were now fully committed with more crowd surfers going on through of the set.

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MAKE THEM SUFFER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Next up was their track ‘Weeping Wastelands’ which was also off their first EP Lord of Woe. Know that this night was all about playing Neverbloom in full you know the set is ending as the last remaining tracks ‘Widower’ and ‘Chronicles’ are played. The crowd were proudly showing off their horns with their hands throughout Make Them Suffer’s brutal performance. All band members tonight played a great band in an amazing night, and I cannot wait to catch them again in the not-too-distant future.

Now came the encore though the band never officially left the stage. It was now time to come into the present with their two newest tracks both with Alex Reade on. First up was ‘Ghost Of Me’ and Sean and Alex’s screams together show off a new dynamic for the band and I cannot wait to hear more of this as It is not often I’ve heard a female and male screamer in an Australian band. The only one prior was Drown This City, Alex’s previous band, which I loved but seeing her tonight in Make Them Suffer, she is a perfect fit for the band.

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MAKE THEM SUFFER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Last song of the night with the new line up debuts song Doomswitch which from videos I’d seen of them performing it live from YouTube I knew I were in for something amazing and to their credit it is one of my favourite songs on repeat ever since it was released.

During the last moments of their set Sean thanked the fans who’d been there through thick and thin and maintained their support throughout the years.

Finally, as Doomswitch ended the band left the stage with the crowd chanting one more song. Tonight, would be the final night we would hear songs from the album Neverbloom played live and boy did they send them off with an amazing performance.

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MAKE THEM SUFFER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Check out Alchemi Glow Photography’s full gallery of this event HERE

Follow MAKE THEM SUFFER

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MAKE THEM SUFFER / Alchemi Glow Photography

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Press Release 11th May 2023 (below) HERE

MAKE THEM SUFFER
share new single + video
GHOST OF ME

+ Touring Nationally
this May and June for
NEVERBLOOM
ANNIVERSARY TOUR

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AMNPLIFY – DB