Live Reviews : Trivium, In Flames & Sydonia @ 170 Russell, Melbourne 23/11/2014

Words: Jonathon Besanko

Images: John Raptis

(Click here to view the full gallery)

Despite being a Sunday night, 170 Russell was booming. The many punters who’d assembled at the venue for the sold out show tonight were far and diverse, what was clear from the outset is everyone was ready for the night of metal that lay ahead of them. Last night saw two of metal music’s most influential bands take up the stage as one: Sweden’s melodic death metal pioneers In Flames and American metallers, Trivium.

Sydonia

Taking to the stage only a mere 15 minutes after doors opened were Melbourne-based alternative rock band Sydonia. To summarise this band in one word, it would probably be ‘idiosyncratic’. These guys didn’t follow any particular trend and at every turn seemed to strive to break down the walls of these pre-established genre tropes. Whilst at times I was unsure exactly what angle they were going for, what was undeniable is the fact they held the crowd in their sway. With a frontman who alternated frequently between cleans and black metal inspired harsh vocals, Sydonia’s guitarist Sam Haycroft was perhaps the largest oddity in this eclectic group of individuals. Sporting a pink wig (at least it looked like a wig), a tight black shirt and flared dress, a yobbo accent, and dark white-black makeup, at times it was almost like I was witnessing some bizarre cyberpunk-hardcore Japanese crossover band. A high point was when all band members aside from lead vocalist Dana Roskvist all performed percussion about the stage. It was quite the spectacle! A strong, if not slightly unusual, choice for an opener tonight.

In Flames

It wasn’t long before In Flames took to the stage to a strong audience. It was clear many of the fans here tonight were here mainly for Trivium (with the number of Trivium shirts far outweighing the In Flames variety), but that being said, never once did In Flames feel as if they weren’t welcomed with open arms. And given the marginal shift in sound of the band in recent years (and the less-than-stellar reaction that’s had amongst fans), to still see so much support for this band was actually quite a beautiful thing to watch. In Flames may have had their ‘hiccups’ to some along the way, but it was clear from the get-go that the Swedes are still just as relevant now as when they released what many consider to be their magnum opus, ‘The Jester Race’, back in 1996 (an album Matt Heafy himself described as having “changed his life” and was indeed the catalyst for Trivium’s existence today).

While billed as a Trivium headliner – and indeed, it was – this felt just as equally to be In Flames’ night as it was Trivium’s. Across the night, both bands consistently gave reverence to one another and neither ever sought to steal the spotlight away from their counterpart.

Whilst In Flames’ setlist mainly comprised their latest two efforts, ‘Sounds of a Playground Fading’ and this year’s ‘Siren Charms’, the crowd was surprisingly open to it and embraced it nevertheless. I was worried knowing what I did that In Flames weren’t to play live any of their 1990’s entries that the crowd wouldn’t approve. But this wasn’t the case. The crowd felt in sync with vocalist Anders Fridén and co for most of the night. And between the moments of light joking, and even bringing a dude from the crowd up on stage to film the whole of “ss”, In Flames are still very much a tight unit today. These Swedish lads well understand the craft involved in live shows and for that I have to give them their due.

Trivium

The clock ticked over to 10.05pm, and as the venue darkened once more 170 Russell echoed with the roars and screams of Trivium’s voracious fans. From the first few moments Trivium rolled out onto the stage, they were crushing. And this trend carried throughout the rest of the night. Looking back on my notes, one of the first things I wrote down was that Trivium formed such a singular unit and made it seem effortless. And this, I feel, carries true with this band. After 14 years of refining their craft, Trivium can tour and perform with the best of them.

Matt Heafy knows how to work a crowd. He probably has to be in the top tier for ‘most charismatic frontmen’. Forever smiling, he and the other members of Trivium genuinely looked as if they were having the time of their lives. And after giving an anecdote explaining how they get treated more at home in Australia than in the States, he went on to declare, “I’m not just saying this ‘cause we’re here, but I fucking love Melbourne! Some of the best food [and] most devoted metalheads!” Needless to say, this led to rapturous applause.

Trivium was solid all night. This band is tight. Every member worked the stage in equal measure and ensured every fan got their moment with them. Playing a brilliant setlist that covered the scope of their discography, between the well-received new entries off 2013’s ‘Vengeance Falls’ to the ecstatic cheering that accompanied the announcement of songs such as “Like Light to the Flies” off 2005’s ‘Ascendancy’ album, Trivium understand their niche. The whole evening retained an air of light-heartedness to it, largely thanks to Heafy’s ever-warm and welcoming presence. But never once did this light-heartedness detract from the sheer professionalism this band exudes.

Trivium

After giving short tribute to Mat Madiro (who joined the band in May this year after Trivium fired their previous drummer Nick Augusto), Heafy recounted the story of how Madiro had to learn their entire setlist in 24 hours during Trivium’s North American tour with Volbeat. Here was a man who’d worked as a drum tech for them for two years and had never had experience on the live stage (at least not to this degree). I was in awe to discover this, mainly because if I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn Madiro had been performing live at this level all his life. This is Madiro’s first time in Australia as a part of Trivium’s official lineup (he was also here during Soundwave this year when he was still a drum tech of theirs), and let me tell you, this man tore it up! He felt just as established in the tour circuit as every other member of Trivium.

Technically flawless, after last night, Trivium remains to me one of the best and tightest bands I’ve caught live.

Thanks to Soundwave Touring, Trivium is currently on tour with In Flames. Tonight they hit up 170 Russell, Melbourne for the second time before rounding out the tour tomorrow evening at the HQ in Adelaide. Tickets on sale now via the usual outlets.

MONDAY 24 NOVEMBER – MELBOURNE, 170 RUSSELL – 18+

www.oztix.com.au | www.170russell.com

TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER – ADELAIDE, HQ – 18+

www.oztix.com.au

Trivium-In Flames Tour 2014

Related Posts

• 

  Markus Saastamoinen – Puzzle Pieces
• 

  HJELVIK – Welcome to Hel
• 

  AC/DC – Power Up
• 

  Depravity – Grand Malevolence