I Prevail | John Cain Arena | Melbourne | 18th June
There’s no denying I Prevail’s trajectory right now. Every time they return to Australia, the rooms get bigger, culminating in their massive headline run hitting John Cain Arena. But this tour carried a different weight. Fresh off the back of Violent Nature, I was keen to see not just how these massive new tracks translated to an arena stage, but how the current lineup handles the sheer gravity of their new live dynamic.
Getting in early for Invent Animate wasn't optional. They are a band I’ve listened to religiously for years, and I will always show up early to see them. Having caught them in smaller rooms before, watching them step onto a massive arena stage was a huge moment. Their intricate, ambient brand of metalcore can be tough to mix in a space that big, but they handled the scale effortlessly. Taking to the stage in their signature all-white getup, the visual aesthetic matched the sharp, atmospheric precision of their music.
Having been obsessed with "Fall Like Rain" since it dropped, finally hearing it live was an absolute standout moment that gave me genuine chills in a live setting. The rest of the setlist was a masterclass in pacing, treating the early crowd to classics like "Without a Whisper," "False Meridian," and the ethereal title track "Heavener." By the time they closed out with the absolute violence of "Immolation of Night," they had completely set the standard for the rest of the evening.
The last time I caught Imminence was last year on my birthday at Northcote Theatre, which was an incredible gift for the night. Getting to see them again this year didn't change that feeling at all. Eddie Berg is an absolute treasure in the scene, and his violin work remains a crucial part of their performance by adding a massive layer of depth to their live sound.
Stepping out in all-black attire, they provided a stark visual contrast to Invent Animate's white getups. Imminence used this tour to give the live debut of their latest single, "The Sword That Never Bends," to Australian crowds, and it proved to be a massive highlight of the set. Alongside "Death by a Thousand Cuts," the new material completely solidified their dark, atmospheric presence in the arena.
As the Swedish band concluded with the sweeping heaviness of "The Black," they left the stage entirely cleared for the wake of I Prevail's ruthless headline set.
The second I Prevail stepped out, the floor completely opened up. Starting the night with "NWO" was a massive statement, and throwing down straight into "Violent Nature" and "Bow Down" right after had the entire arena losing its mind under a wall of pyro. All eyes were on the new live dynamic with Eric commanding the heavy vocals and guitarist Dylan Bowman stepping up on cleans, but the transition was seamless. The older tracks didn't lose an ounce of weight, and the band handled a quick medical pause during "Blank Space" like total pros, restarting the track without losing any momentum.
The production was absolutely massive, loaded with multi-level staging and towering LED walls, especially when Gabe Helguera crushed a drum solo from a platform high above the stage. They kept the setlist interesting too, pulling out a heavy, down-tuned cover of Metallica’s "Sad But True" right after "Rain." But it was Eric’s onstage energy that locked it in. Watching him grab a TCG pack handed up by a fan in the crowd and geek out opening it before immediately pivoting to sink a shoey was peak entertainment. It’s a tradition he’s apparently kept alive across all seven of their Australian tours, wrapping up a huge headliner with the exact kind of chaotic energy local crowds show up for.
The band fully embraced the absolute chaos on the floor, calling out the banana party happening in the pit and just constantly engaging with the crowd throughout. The crowd interaction and banter from I Prevail felt completely genuine and wholesome as they ripped through heavy hitters like "Self-Destruction," "Choke," and even a massive throwback with "Come and Get It." By the time they wrapped up the evening, they closed the set with a ferocious playthrough of another one of my absolute favourites, "Gasoline," leaving the entire arena completely spent and cementing a stellar night of modern metalcore.
Having listened to them since their debut album Lifelines, it is always a pleasure to see I Prevail constantly growing. Watching them seamlessly step up to command a room of this magnitude just proves exactly why they earned the headlining slot.