In 2025, Melbourne will bear witness to the return of Australian black metal veterans Thrall, who are coming back with a whole new lineup for their first shows in nearly two years. Joining them for this onslaught are Western Australia’s dissonant black metal nightmare Deadspace, as well as locals Irreparable and Requite.
On Friday, January 31st, all four bands will converge on the newly reopened Bendigo Hotel for a night of howling, miserable black metal.
Thrall
Since 2006, Thrall has skillfully blended black metal with elements of doom, death metal, and post-rock, delving into themes of existential horror and the collapse of the modern world.
Over the years, the band has developed a loyal fanbase through tours across Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, performing alongside acts like Aura Noir, Deafheaven, Absu, Rotting Christ, and Stalker, among others. Thrall has firmly positioned itself in the black metal scene as an act to watch.
In 2022, Impure Sounds and Brilliant Emperor released Thrall’s fourth album, Schisms. Featuring a variety of high-profile guests (including members of Gatecreeper), the album received positive reviews, made it onto several “album-of-the-year” lists, and propelled them to the forefront of Australian black metal.
Deadspace (WA)
As one of Australia’s most intriguing and dynamic extreme metal bands, Deadspace has built a formidable presence over nearly a decade. They walk the line between black metal and the avant-garde, drawing inspiration from both musical and philosophical abstract thinkers. This unique blend allows them to create a sound that defies conventional coherence, embracing a dissonant chaos that is both raw and rich in texture.
With a diverse and continuously evolving musical repertoire, Deadspace has taken the global stage with remarkable momentum. They’ve notably toured Australia with Satyricon (NOR) and Japan with Marduk (SWE), Merrimack (FR), Abigail Williams (USA), Fleshgod Apocalypse (IT), and Shining (SWE). In 2019, they embarked on a three-week European tour, performing across ten countries alongside bands like Psychonaut 4 (GE), Vanhelga (SWE), Eyelesssight (IT), Lebenssucht (GER/BEL), and Afraid of Destiny (IT).
Deadspace first gained international attention with their debut album, The Promise of Oblivion (2015), initially presenting themselves as a depressive black metal act. They have since transformed into a distinctive force, crafting their own brand of apocalyptic and gritty chaos.
Irreparable
Formed in 2019, Irreparable has been honing a unique mix of experimental and emotionally charged sounds, blending black metal with elements of goth, darkwave, and industrial/ambient music. The band’s lyrics often delve into themes of loss and disillusionment. They self-released their debut EP, Transfixion, digitally in late 2019, shortly before the onset of the global pandemic; it was later issued on CD by Narcoleptica Productions.
The band played their first live show in 2021, supporting US dark folk icon King Dude during a brief reprieve from lockdowns. During this downtime, they worked on their second EP, Complete Emptiness, which was released in May 2023 on CD by the band and on vinyl by the Italian label These Hands Melt. This EP further explores themes of loss, cyclical suffering, and emptiness, officially launching when they supported US goth rockers Unto Others during their Australian tour in Melbourne.
Since then, Irreparable has performed throughout Australia, including a tour with Iceland’s Mondernte. They are currently putting the finishing touches on their next album, set to be released in mid-2025.
𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞
Melbourne’s rising black metal band, Requite, focuses on the soundscapes of post-black metal, crafting a unique style that fuses hauntingly intense melodies with raw, emotional depth.
Their powerful live performances convey themes of despair and misery through bleak lyrical content, creating a cathartic experience that encourages audiences to confront and process the darker aspects of existence.
Since the release of their self-titled debut EP in June 2023, which received local acclaim, Requite has been supporting well-known acts from Melbourne and Canberra, including Aquilus, Earth Rot, Hybrid Nightmares, Claret Ash, Myridian, Writhing, Munt, In Eden Slain, Scaphis, and Iceland’s Mondernte. An act to truly watch out for in 2025.
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