NORTHLANE – Brisbane, Australia 13th October 2019

For the Australian leg of their Alien World Tour, Melbourne five-piece Northlane have looked within (and beyond) their metalcore roots. This is reflected not only in the music but in the artists they have curated to accompany them on this series of dates.

First cab off the rank is Melbourne’s Void Of Vision, one of the most no-nonsense bands of the evening delivering their highly approachable hybrid of metalcore with some nu-metal elements reminiscent of Korn and Rage Against The Machine. Frontman Jack Bergin is an energetic presence who expresses appreciation at the healthy audience already gathered at the start of the night. Also noteworthy is guitarist James McKendrick who counters Bergin’s bellowing with some soaring cleans.

One of the more difficult bands to pin down this evening is Californian group Silent Planet. Again, there are metalcore elements present, but there are hints of doom, post-metal, ambient and prog rock as well. Then there’s lead vocalist Garrett Russell whose vocal style veers between spoken word and suitably extreme harshness. Along with the song’s weighty (and personal) themes, it’s a definite change of pace but adds to the evening’s diverse flavour.

Of the support bands, though, the highlight for this reviewer is Canadian hardcore combo Counterparts. These guys really get the pit going with their highly mosh-friendly flurries of punk energy. It’s not all abrasiveness, however, with passages of clean vocals and genuinely melodic guitar phrases. There’s clearly a crossover of appeal to be found, as many a Northlane fan can be heard shouting along with Counterparts’ anthems.

Which leaves headliners Northlane to bring a truly titanic sound to the table. They open with Talking Heads, a highlight from their new album Alien and immediately we are hit with a truly monolithic sound, and bass tones that resonate through the whole body. It’s pretty bloody awesome.

Lead vocalist Marcus Bridge sounds as impressive as ever, his strikingly versatile voice veering between deathly growls and soaring, soulful melodicism. There are plenty more highlights from the new album to be enjoyed, including Details Matter, 4D and the atmospheric ballad Sleepless.

Old school fans have plenty of reason to be happy too, with blistering takes on classic tracks Rot, Obelisk and, in a truly air-punching finale, Quantum Flux. With a big, bass-heavy sound and eye-catching lighting, it’s a performance epic in scope.

For my money, Northlane have always been one of the more musically interesting metalcore bands out there, with their atmospheric progressive vibe. This set proves that, along with all their ambition, the band never forgets how to put on an immensely satisfying and crowd-pleasing show.

Reviewer: Matt Thrower

Photographer: Davey Rintala @fastlanephoto