Review: JD Garrahy
Photography: Dan Maynard 

Kicking off with a door time of 4PM on a Sunday feels strange, but as a dad of 2 with a full-time job, sign me up for more of these. My old body can handle the earlier times better. We’re greeted by the lads from Descent to amp us up for the inevitable head thrashing that will ensue from Killswitch, and let me tell you, these guys are exactly the right band for this slot.

As the sun sets outside, the Marketta Laneway is heaving with the collective giving every bit of energy they have to this Brisbane powerhouse 5 piece. Intricate fret work and breakneck beats are plentiful as they command the stage with every bit of brutality that is required to whip the crowd into a frenzy.

Frontman Ant Oliver’s guttural roars just drill straight into your core and leave you salivating for more. Couple this with some of the best riffs I have heard in a long time and i think it’s easy to say that they have netted themselves a few extra fans just from this show. The energy that bassist Jim Dandy emits is infectious. Couple this with the hefty grindage of the twin guitars of Brendan and Nick and you’ve got a recipe for greatness.

As Kingsley slaps the skins with ferocity, it’s plain to see how this band has made a name for themselves on the local metal scene. Get along to see them when you see their name on a bill. This presence is worth any admission price alone.

As the smell of wood fired pizza and paella fills the air, the beers are flowing freely and this is about to become one Sunday Session that wont be forgotten anytime soon. The Laneway is packed with only room at the back of the venue for us old reviewers to stand away from the chaos. As the familiar opening of My Curse rings out, the crowd erupts. From here on in, there is no rest, only epic tunes. Within seconds, frontman Jesses Leach is straight into the crowd. Giving all the fans exactly what they want, a big time metal show with a local show feel.

Now, this was a hefty set to lay down, but the Killswitch boys have this covered. With the 6:30 set time, the smash through every song you want to hear, and then some. 18 songs! 18 fucking songs!! My metal heart is damn full now. Given that I became a KSE fan when Howard was fronting, I was damn keen to hear if Jesse’s got the skills of to match such an incredible vocalist. Well, he has. Plain and simple, he’s not Howard, never claims to be, and makes every song his own. Proving that his vocal range is just as massive as anyone else in the metal industry.

As Adam D lays down some incredible fret work, the only thing that stands out more is his amazing wardrobe of a modified Hawaiian shirt and head band. This guy just makes every show a spectacle and it shows his playfulness with his profession is something that needs to be more prevalent in metal music. Absolutely smashing tracks that span the full 25 years of their career, the whole band is in damn fine form this evening, hitting every  note and wail you’d come to expect from them. As they launch into Signal Fire, it’s clear to see why they love playing shows of this size over the massive stadium shows while supporting the likes of Iron Maiden or hitting any of the European or US festivals. THIS is their jam!

Rounding out the main setlist with a four-way onslaught of Rose of Sharyn, Strength Of The Mind, This Is Absolution and The End Of Heartache, there isn’t one person in this crowd that didn’t give it their all in singing back or mimicking some air guitar to show the KSE lads just how loved they truly are on the Gold Coast. Now, encores are usually just that, an encore. We see the band depart, then inevitably see them re-emerge fresh faced, ready to bash out a couple more tracks. Not KSE though, they power through and take a 2 minute break to converse with the crowd before slaying into My Last Serenade, this is where that last skerrick of energy decides to materialise so you can sing at the top of your lungs. But the set isn’t over yet my avid reader, it’s time for the one, the only,

Holy Diver. I have wanted to see this live for years so badly, and it did not disappoint. With Jesse asking for everyone to throw their horns into the sky in tribute for Ronnie James Dio, the opening riff just conjures up imagery in your head of the most epic story, and helps you to sing in a failed attempt to emulate the late great frontman.

As we depart Miami Marketta, (BEFORE 8PM!!), we may have witnessed history in the making with the birth of a new Gold Coast based metal venue. Lets hope that Killswitch has garnered a new era of international visitors to our great

city. BRING THE NOISE!!