.

.

PALEDUSK
+ DREGG + VATIC
+ ALERA + STARVE
@ Stay Gold, Melbourne
10th December 2022
(Live Review)

Review by Kayla Hamilton

.

.

Putting together a last-minute tour is no easy feat but Japanese metalcore act PALEDUSK hit the East Coast of Australia like a whirlwind. Starting with appearances supporting Electric Callboy, they played at the Good Things Festival and then had their own headlining dates. The band’s lengthy stay in Australia culminated in a final show at Melbourne institution Stay Gold that is one for the books. 

The only thing just as energetic and eclectic as PALEDUSK’s music was the bands supporting them. Kicking us off with a throwback to the mid-00s post-hardcore sound, Alera was given the task to warm the crowd up. Melodic, heavy, chaotic and soulful- Alera stepped up to the plate beautifully. Dressed exceptionally and still ready to throw down, the band delivered a short but sweet setlist that was beyond the expectations of what you would expect at a smaller venue. Their live show is a lethal combination of raw energy, professionalism and melodic and heavy music- a band certainly to keep an eye on.

.

.

Keeping up with the melodic vibe that was brought by Alera, the next band VATIC took the stage. Another local gem in the scene, Vatic’s set was a hypnotic blend of heavy breakdowns and incredible melodies, showing what can be done within the metalcore genre. One of the elements that set Vatic apart from other metalcore acts is just how diverse their guitar sound is. Unfortunately, the mixing at the venue was a little unbalanced so it was hard to really hear their full sound, but it did allow some parts of the guitar to really shine. Unpredictable, atmospheric and intense- Vatic showcases just how rich and vibrant Australia’s metalcore scene is.

There was a reason Melbourne metalcore band Starve was chosen to join PALEDUSK for all their headlining shows and if you didn’t know before, this show proved why. Reminding everybody why there is core in metalcore, this band blew Stay Gold apart. Stagediving, two-stepping, karate in the pit- Starve’s reputation of chaos preceded them. Blistering guitars, thunderous drums and a bass that went through you, the music they bring to the stage is beyond explanation. Waking up anybody who wasn’t yet feeling the vibes, if you didn’t enjoy Starve’s set- then maybe metalcore isn’t for you. There is no doubt this band will be popping up on overseas tours very soon. 

We saw DREGG playing before for PALEDUSK at the Electric Callboy show the week before and they were given the task again. After the stellar set they performed on this show, it really is easy to see why this band has such a loyal following. Taking the energy that had already been set and multiplying it by at least ten, the hyped crowd went from enthusiastic to rowdy in seconds. Everything about DREGG’s sets is fun. Heavy music, with hints of funk- you simply cannot keep still. They can create such an unmatched chemistry between them and the audience, one that just invites people to unleash. While you can see some of the bands and sounds, they are inspired by, there really is no band out there quite like DREGG which is why they were the perfect band to be on before the headliners of an out-of-this-world show.

.

.

By the time PALEDUSK hit the stage the venue was full. There was electricity in the air that was so strong it was almost visible. Coming out to their now well-known intro of Lose Yourself by Eminem, they were met by a rabid audience. Powering straight into their latest single Area PD, Stay Gold really became ‘Area Paledusk’. Frontman Kaito had everybody in the palm of his hand from the moment he stepped onstage and was inciting absolute chaos. Nobody stays still at a PALEDUSK show, and with an intensity that had the security at high alert, the band ripped through their set of absolute bangers. Everywhere you looked there was just action. From guitarist Daisuke being able to pull off flawless playing as he spins kicks through the air to stage diving and crowd surfing- there was barely a moment to breathe. The week before, Kaito had declared Melbourne as PALEDUSK’s second home, and the Melbourne fans were making sure that they lived up to it.

Throughout their various shows, words to their songs were taught to the crowd but since this was the band’s 5th time playing in Melbourne this year, there was no need for instructions. From the chorus to SLAY!!, the adlibs and samples in Black Ice, and the gang vocals in No! and the English lyrics to BBB– the chaos unfolded without the band having to push it at all. By the time they got to their final song Lights, sweat was dripping, bodies were flying, and the stage was full of punters joining a band in a celebration of their music. Security well and truly had their hands full. Despite the chaos, there was a sense of absolute pure joy in the venue that night and that is something that everybody there wanted to hold onto for as long as humanely possible. Unfortunately, due to curfew laws in the area, the crowd’s plea for an encore was not able to be met- but promises of a return were given to at least console the disappointment. Judging from just how the Australian metalcore scene has fallen in love with PALEDUSK– it will likely not be too long of a time before they are welcomed back with open arms. 

.

.

Follow PALEDUSK
Website – Facebook – Spotify – Instagram

.

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB