Live Review: Deez Nuts, Confession, Hands Of Mercy - Fowlers Live

It was with delicate piano samples that locals Our Conquest welcomed the eve, and it wasn't long before the samples transformed into a progressive set of heavy melodic hardcore. In addition to the matching shirts, the five-piece were a well-balanced, tight machine and warmed an eager crowd.

This gave Melbourne's Thorns a chance to tear the venue apart with a seriously tough demonstration of old-school doom, mosh and heavy hardcore. “Tune low, play slow,” they said. All eyes were fixated on vocalist Tim Carter who delivered an aggressive performance with ample presence, rousing his crowd to dangerous and brilliant levels.

Hand Of Mercy's new vocalist Nick Bellringer seemed right at home fronting the hardcore quintet from Sydney. Bellringer used the support of a passionate Adelaide crowd to scream lyrics he may or may not have forgotten, which was perfect for audience involvement.

Among household names in the Australian heavy music scene, Michael Crafter is arguably positioned as one of the fathers of heavy music in this country. Crafter, with his band, Confession gave the audience an intimate insight into his personal adversities: watching his parents fight cancer and also the beauty of having a child (themes that are at the forefront of many tracks from their recently released third full-length album, Life And Death).

Having seen this band numerous times and with different members, undoubtedly, this is the most musically solid the band has been in quite some time. Confession was tight, opinionated, emotional and professional: a great performance. A significant mood shift was apparent when Deez Nuts took the stage.

This four-piece are a celebration of everything fun, remotely dangerous and exciting in both heavy music and life - a refreshing change in a scene dominated by serious and mostly aggressive lyrics. Deez Nuts were straight-up entertaining with standout tracks in I Hustle Everyday and closer Band Of Brothers. Stories of alcoholic challenges from the previous morning were told, the beers were flowing; the party anthems were in full swing and Deez Nuts were nothing short of awesome and are a must-see for anyone in the mood to party hard.