MACHINE HEAD + FEAR FACTORY - Brisbane
Written by: Tom Wilson
Photos by: Tracy McLaughlan >> SEE PHOTOS
The Double-Bill From Hell Lands in Brisbane
Brisbane warriors WE THE HOLLOW are opening tonight, making the most of a cramped stage setup. It’s not uncommon for the support act to set up their own drum kit, but there are three kits onstage tonight. Evidently the band isn’t fazed. With their matching stage uniforms and masks, comparisons to SLIPKNOT are unavoidable, but fortunately the songs and musicianship are strong enough to forge their own identity.
Their fans have put on a strong showing in the crowd tonight, and they quickly get necks working with an undeniable groove, triggering the first circle pit of the night. They show off new track Born to Hate and flick goodie bags into the audience, giving thanks to Metropolis Touring for booking them on their biggest show to date. An impressive set.
A good machine can’t rely on its old hardware forever. It requires upgrades. And that’s exactly what we have when FEAR FACTORY take the stage tonight, striding out to Brad Fidel’s Terminator 2 theme. With Burton C. Bell busy taking potshots at his former band through his new solo track, in his stead is Italian powerhouse Milo Silvestro. He looks and sound just like a young Burton, but with one crucial difference – he actually wants to be here. They launch into ‘Shock’, and the pit erupts. This is my fourth time seeing bass powerhouse Tony Campos in this venue, having bore witness to his low-end assault in two STATIC-X shows and when Max and Igor Cavalera played the Roots album in 2019, and he’s on fire tonight – the crowd riding his groove during ‘Edgecrusher’.
Tonight’s set is a trek through the cyber metal warriors’ celebrated catalogue, and it sounds phenomenal. ‘Powershifter’ and ‘Fuel Injected Suicide Machine’ whip us into hysterics, before Milo roars “Everybody fucking bounce!” The riff for ‘Linchpin’ kicks in, and we’re off. “We’ve saved the best for last,” Dino smiles, and they launch into ‘Demanufacture’, ‘Zero Signal’ and ‘Replica’. The hair on the back of my neck is standing up just remembering it. It’s already a perfect set, but Dino straps on another guitar, and the familiar synths of ‘Resurrection’ fill the room. The crowd roars, and one of the most epic metal tracks of the 90s explodes – Milo’s voice unfurling as his head rocks back to gaze up at the ornate ceiling. It’s absolutely spellbinding. FEAR FACTORY is the band that made me a metalhead when I was ten years old, and I am so grateful that my first time seeing the band is with a lineup that is 100% invested in the music. As soon as their set ends, they make a beeline for the merch desk and sign everything put in front of them. Absolute legends.
Bay Area thrashers MACHINE HEAD are an interesting beast. Like FEAR FACTORY, the band is carried today by only one original member, singer-guitarist Robb Flynn, and while he has ruffled a few feathers in his time, one thing is certain; at 56, he is still one hell of a frontman, and wastes no time revving up the crowd with ‘Imperium’. Tonight is a completely sold-out show, and the packed crowd is absolutely bristling with energy, which keeps hitting new peaks.
‘Ten Ton Hammer’ is as heavy as lead, before Robb eggs us on. “Do you want a fast one?” He must like the response he gets, because they kick off ‘Choke on the Ashes of Your Hate’, and the pit becomes a whirlpool where only the strong survive. ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ and ‘Old’ are utterly brutal, and Robb can’t help but smile as he notices a girl riding someone’s shoulders with her tits out. Fair enough. They switch things up with the irresistible nu metal bounce of ‘From This Day’, before pit classic ‘Davidan’ lets freedom ring with a shotgun blast. They close their set with ‘Halo’, throwing in an “Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!” chant for good measure. Whatever you do in life, try to have as much fun as Robb Flynn has onstage.
Whoever is coming up with these double-header gigs, thank you. And whoever found my watch and handed it in to the bar, you’re a dead-set legend. An absolutely incredible night.
Photos by: Tracy McLaughlan
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