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TEG Dainty and Soundworks Direct presents

DETHKLOK:
Awaken Australia
@ The Astor Theatre
Mt. Lawley
April 2nd, 2025
(Live Review)

Review by Chris Reid

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Dethklok. A fictional 5-piece metal band from Adult Swim’s animated TV series Metalocalypse. It’s a TV show and ‘band’ that has been part of the heavy music zeitgeist for close to the last 20 years . If you’re familiar with the show then no further context is needed. If you’re not, then understanding what going to a show to see a band from a Cartoon entails may need some explanation….

But before we get onto the main act, its worth covering off what openers Freedom of Fear brought to the table. I’d never seen this South Australian band before however it took absolutely no time at all for me to become a fan. Their brand of melodic, virtuosic extreme metal mixes melodic death, traditional death metal, symphonic metal, and hints of prog and black metal in a way that is both fresh and cohesive. The pairing of Matt Walters and Corey Davis on guitar is world class, both in terms of the intricate, killer riffing and for the head turning solos. Both axe slingers offered a different palate in their lead approach which is generally what you want from a twin guitar assault. On stage right we had a sweep-picking demon (Jeff Loomis much?), and on Stage left, a more measured and melodic style. The vocals from front woman Jade Monserrat were also exceptional. Jade had a commanding stage presence: she spent a lot of the set with her long hair cast over her face, dressed in a black dress, belting out death growls, and high shrieks like some sort of demonic entity that had just emerged from a well – I was getting low-key vibes of horror movies like The Ring or The Grudge. What I loved about this bands set and overall compositional style is that their songs are truly epic. Give their track Zenith a spin to see what I’m on about. Everything down to the killer heavy outro riff is on point. I’m sure Feedom of Fear made a lot of new fans on the night, and I hope to see them again sooner rather than later.

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Freedom Of Fear

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So what is seeing a fictional metal band play live actually like? Well for starters, whilst the live musicians are all killer players and they include some pretty big names, they take a back seat to some extent to what is going in the visual production. Venue wise the Astor was a great choice, and having the space to project all of the visuals that supported the live production was nothing less than essential. I’ve seen the move Jurassic Park accompanied by a Live orchestra in the past, and watching Dethklok wasn’t all that dissimilar. Your eyes are drawn to what is going on in the visual production (in this case you’re essentially watching Cartoon clips of the band playing, with the usual Metalocalypse mix of comedy and chaos), yet the quality and precision of the band keeps fighting for your attention.

I was really impressed with the band and they way they delivered the set on the first night of the tour. Everything they do is in sync with the supporting visuals, so there is absolutely no room for error, missed ques, or any other deviations from the ‘business’. Founder Brendon Small was super impressive, playing the parts of 2 of the cartoon band characters: killing it on vocals and turning heads with this lead work and riffing. Gene ‘The Atomic Clock’ Hoglan was true to his reputation as one of the best and most precise extreme metal drummers on the planet. Nili Brosh was a dynamo on lead guitar and Pete Griffin was solid and unrelenting on bass and backing vocals.

The set was broken up with some light hearted ‘Concert Tips with Facebones’, touching on relatable issues such as personal hygiene and Body Odour in mosh pits, and the risks of substance over-abuse at concerts. These brief cartoon interludes were entertaining, and no doubt essential for the band to take a short break in between the non-stop bludgeoning demands of the click-track-driven production. When Brendon finally spoke to the crowd, he did so in character(s), flicking seamlessly between the voices of the various members of the animated band in an impressive and entertaining manner. The set was great from start to finish, although I’d perhaps critique the audio production at the Astor if it was going to nit-pick. Song wise, found the back half of the show to be where a lot of my personal favourite tracks were played I Ejaculate Fire, Murmaider, Thunderhorse, and Go Into the Water all had absolutely priceless videos and were played flawlessly. Brendon broke character only momentarily at the very end of the show to quickly introduce and thank his band mates before they bowed to the warm applause of the crowd, closing out a night that I’m sure will be remembered for a long time to come by those who attended.

When this tour was originally announced Perth was not on the itinerary. However a groundswell of the usual ‘Why No Perth’ complaints ended up being decisive and subsequently Soundworks added an additional show to the tour (thanks Soundworks). The Astor Theatre in Mt Lawley has a capacity of close to 1000, and it was absolutely packed, so I’m sure the decision was vindicated. Getting to see Dethklok live is a really unique and entertaining show. Don’t miss this when it comes to your city.

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Follow DETHKLOK
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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Press Release 7th March 2025 (below) HERE

TEG Dainty and Soundworks Direct presents

DETHKLOK:
Awaken Australia
April 2nd – 9th, 2025

Australian support act
announced

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DETHKLOK
with
FREEDOM OF FEAR
performing at:

April 2nd – Perth, Astor Theatre – New show
April 4th – Melbourne, The Forum – Sold out
April 5th – Sydney, The Roundhouse
April 6th – Brisbane, Fortitude Music Hall – Venue upgrade
April 8th – Adelaide, Hindley Street Music Hall
April 9th – Melbourne, The Forum – New show

VIP and General tickets on sale from:
PERTH, MELBOURNE –  www.ticketek.com.au
SYDNEY, ADELAIDE – www.moshtix.com.au
BRISBANE – www.ticketmaster.com.au

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AMNPLIFY – DB