Live Reviews : Unearth/Black Dahlia Murder (Melbourne) – 04/06/2010

Unearth
w/ The Black Dahlia Murder, Death Audio, The Abandonment and The Storm Picturesque
The HiFi, Melbourne – 4th June 2010

I’ve been a fan of The Black Dahlia Murder for years, though this is the first time I’ve seen them live despite the American band venturing to Australian soil on more than one occasion prior to this tour. After a few pre-beers, I headed down to the Hi-Fi bar to find the tail end of the line entering the venue.

As I walked down the stairs to the band area, the first support act The Storm Picturesque were already playing. The quintet showcased a relatively short set of textbook Deathcore, though they suffered from not-so-stellar sound. The band members themselves seemed to be enjoying what they were doing; however there was very little reciprocation from the audience save the usual applause following the end of each song.  On a bill of 5 bands however, it’s a bit much to see a thriving mosh for the first band

Following The Storm Picturesque was another homegrown band, The Abandonment. These guys definitely took it up a notch, with very clear sound, and much more catchy and interesting material. They opened up their set with a furious number, and the few songs that followed maintained the intensity.  Whilst I enjoyed the opening tracks of their set, towards the end I found myself not so disappointed it was over. I have seen The Abandonent once before, and both times now they have put on a decent show. I can see this young band going far, especially with the release of Ephemeral, their well received sophomore album.

Next to take to the stage was one of the bigger Melbourne metal bands, Death Audio. Their music has never been my cup of tea, so I wasn’t inclined to pay a lot of attention to them. However, they played a tight set and kept the audience’s collective attention fairly well. They are definitely a band on the rise, especially with the release of their latest single and the string of shows that followed.

After a short break, The Black Dahlia Murder, the main reason I came down to the Hi Fi Bar that night, began to play. They played an immaculate set, definitely one of the tightest live bands I’ve ever been fortunate enough to witness. They played a lot of new material, but also graced fans with tracks from their earlier albums; Unhallowed and Miasma, the title track of the latter definitely being the highlight of the evening for me, even if it was cut short. Their set finally got the crowd moving, with their lead singer Trevor encouraging circle pits and action. Despite being on the outskirts, I still found myself throwing up an arm to push people back.  The band finished with ‘I Will Return’, the closing track from their latest record Deflorate, and fans such as myself are hoping that those sentiments ring true.

Unearth were headlining, an arrangement that threw me slightly as I would have thought The Black Dahlia Murder to be  a stronger act, with more albums & tours under their belt. I was a fan of Unearth several years ago, especially their second album, The Oncoming Storm. I enjoyed their set, however after watching The Black Dahlia Murder, it didn’t seem quite as thrilling as it could have been. The highlight for me was ‘Zombie Autopilot’, a track I still enjoy years after I stopped listening to the band on a regular basis. As they finished their last track, the fans poured out onto Swanston Street, some lucky enough to bump into The Black Dahlia Murder as they milled around the staircase.

All in all, it was a night well spent, and every patron definitely got bang for their buck.  To cap it all off, The Black Dahlia Murder announced at the end of their set they would be heading down to Trash, an alternative club located at Casey’s in Glenferrie. I headed down there with friends and had a drink or two with the band, though the rest of the night got more than a little hazy.

Reviewed by Elliott Sansom