Review: Dan Maynard
Photography: Nate Rose

For once, I’m at a show on a Saturday night. It’s a refreshing change from the usual Tuesday/Wednesday shows that have become the norm. And it’s at my local venue, so I’m not driving an hour to Brisbane. This is bliss.

Tonight, at one of the smallest dive bars in Australia, we are about to watch one of the biggest death metal bands in the world tear this venue apart. Vinnies aren’t strangers to heavy and hardcore bands, but this is on another level. Thy Art is Murder have taken over the world as one of the biggest death metal bands on the planet and this month they’re taking over some of the best small venues across the country.

I sit to the side, there’s no line in sight, just two young fellas up against the wall near the door. But once those doors open, I grab a spot up front, turn around and a line is down the road. Honestly within moments, 200 metal heads appeared out of nowhere.

Hate Complex are the first off the rank on a four-band line up. There’s still a line outside and people are lined up at the merch table, and yet this room is already packed. I walked in at the start of the first song and had to squeeze through to the back. Here I stay I guess. Probably for the best, as it has become complete chaos further in.

They play through a mix of old and new, announcing to the crowd a couple of songs are from their upcoming album. All of which go off absolute treats. As the band takes a moment before their final break down, our guttural front man requests a circle pit and a circle pit he gets. Hate Complex have warmed up the crowd that’s for sure.

Meloncolia are up next, second on the rank and as much energy as the last. The deathcore four piece come out strong, outfitted in bright whites and black grease covering their arms and necks, it only adds to the demonic vibe the band instantly give off. It’s all pig squeels and gritty riffs, match that with their insane presence and front man Alex’s horror-esque persona, the band set themselves apart from anyone else on the bill. Hate Complex warmed up the crowd, Meloncolia have only amped it up more.

Aversions Crown are officially back and they are off the charts. Announced as a special guest band from the official tour announcement, metal heads across Australia were pumped to find out Aversions Crown were set to be the main support for Thy Arts run across the country. With a new vocalist at the helm, they play through a set of mixed tracks, treating the crowd to new tunes that tear the place apart.

They’ve lost no steam at all, they sound bigger than ever, they’ve fine tuned their set with backing tracks that bleed between songs and tie the set together amazingly. We can only hope that the band are here to stay, they have a place in the heart of the Australian metal scene, and it is a place where they belong.

The room has become a sauna. This is one of the most packed-out nights I have seen Vinnies before. Patrons crowd in together tightly, inching as close to the stage as possible. Then, over the speakers, the inevitable opening anthem for Thy Art for the past 3 years….Vengabus. I will never not find it hilarious watching one of the heaviest bands I know pump up their metal head crowd with one of the most 90s pop rave songs ever.

As the Vengaboys come to an end, the lights go from disco to a dark ominous blue as a deep bassy ambience bellows across the room from the PA. Fog covers the stage as drummer Jesse starts pounding at the drums and the rest of the band joins him on stage shortly after. Tyler demands to the crowd “Open it up right now, let’s pick this shit up” and the band slam into the massive intro from Destroyer of Dreams. A circle pit opens up instantly and the headline act is underway.

As if listening straight off the album, we’re thrown straight into Blood Throne and it sounds massive. The band barely takes a moment between songs to chat; it’s banger after banger keeping that small venue vibe kicking across the night. With sirens blaring over the PA, Tyler asks the crowd to give him the (and I quote) “Ittiest bittiest cutest wall of death ever” and let me tell you, that was by far the smallest wall of death possibly ever. But in that small room and the kick in of Death Squad Anthem, it still felt as powerful as any other.

Make America Hate Again, Join Me in Armageddon and Holy War follow one after the other. Talk about a set that perfectly blends bangers from every album. It is definitely Godlike heavy, but no complaints here as that album deserves all the play time it gets. Every track that is played from Godlike with Tylers disgusting guttural growls just shakes the whole damn room.

We finish up the night with Reign of Darkness and Puppet Master, both songs pull every last bit of energy left in that room out. Circle pits, throw downs and chaos ensues within the pit for those last 8 minutes. The night is done. It’s a late one, it’s midnight. The majority of us are near or in our 40s. Despite being four hours over our bedtime, everyone is in high spirits and absolutely blown away by the night we’ve just had. And even happier to be released into the cool breeze of winter.

Vinnies is one of the best local venues in Queensland and sometimes you get some unexpected big bands pull through here. Tonight was one of those nights. Never would I have thought I’d witness Thy Art play in a room this small at this point in their career. This was a night not to be forgotten, if you haven’t got tickets to this tour, get on it. Now.

THY ART IS MURDERBRUTALITY ACROSS AUSTRALIA 2025

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS MÉLANCOLIA, HATE COMPLEX + AVERSIONS CROWN.

TICKETS ON SALE AT THYARTISMURDER.NET

Wednesday 9 July King St Bandroom, Newcastle NSW With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Annihilist

Thursday 10 July Drifters Wharf, Gosford NSW With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Annihilist

Friday 11 July Tattersalls Hotel – Penrith NSW With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Annihilist

Saturday 12 July The Baso, Canberra ACT With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Annihilist

Sunday 13 July Beer Deluxe, Albury NSW With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Annihilist

Wednesday 16 July Volta Ballarat VIC With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Melting

Thursday 17 July The Whalers Hotel, Warrnambool VIC With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Melting

Friday 18 July Chelsea Heights Hotel, Chelsea Heights VIC With Mélancolia, Hate Complex + Melting

Saturday 19 July Altar, Hobart TAS With Mélancolia + Hate Complex