Live Review: Thy Art Is Murder, Cattle Decapitation, Aversions Crown, King Parrot, Hunt The Haunted

During their brief 20-minute display, Western Sydney bruisers Hunt the Haunted incited the day's first circle pit. Despite the derivative flavours, their deathcore was an appropriate warm-up for a small crop of youngsters. How King Parrot's '90s-inspired, frenzied thrash/grind would translate to an all ages afternoon crowd was an unknown proposition. However, the madcap Melburnians' amusing banter and fearless vocalist Matt Young quickly ingratiated them. Young got physical in the pit, screaming in punters' faces and physically encouraging those at the back to seek a closer view. Road-hardened and relentless, even their sound being cut off for allegedly running over-time couldn't deny them.

This was the ideal bill for Brisbane outfit Aversions Crown and the growing throng reacted accordingly, bodies writhing and flailing up front. Although their technically proficient deathcore was heavier than a bag of spanners on Jupiter, they didn't engage enough to compensate for a largely nondescript delivery, which lacked actual songs amid the telegraphed beatdowns. Synchronised stage moves seemed unnecessary, as did the enlisting of three guitarists.

Unlike some international bands that act like they're doing us a favour by travelling halfway around the world to play for our audiences, Cattle Decapitation were evidently mighty enthused to have finally arrived Down Under. The half-vegetarian, but 100 per cent brutal American death/grind veterans were simply punishing. Vocal contortionist Travis Ryan shrieked, screamed and grunted with vein-popping intensity, aided by meaty riffage and frantic drumming. Plenty of mosh bruises were collected, the socio-politically conscious quartet as uncompromising in their live execution of Forced Gender Reassignment, Do Not Resuscitate and early material as they are about their convictions and vivid artwork.

The attendance had, surprisingly, thinned fractionally as the headliners arrived. Although there were likely no cynics or critics watching, Thy Art Is Murder growler CJ McMahon's “I love haters” shirt was indicative of the intent and vitriol the Western Sydneysiders emanated. Despite being clearly exhausted after a lengthy overnight drive from the Gold Coast, the breakdown-favouring death metallers didn't shirk their responsibilities. Perhaps upstaged somewhat by their predecessors' sheer intensity, monumental The Purest Strain of Hate, Vile Creations and Shadow Of Eternal Sin were gleefully greeted by pit ninjas and head-bangers alike. While the audience dichotomy was apparent at times, more shows like this, combining the different pockets of the extreme music spectrum, are a necessity if the local scene is to gain the traction it desperately deserves.