Lamb of God + Trivium + Bleed from Within | Live Review | Melbourne | John Cain Arena | 6th October

Pure Scottish metal legends, Bleed From Within delivered the strongest opener I have ever seen, somehow wrenching every single drop of energy out of a Tuesday night Melbourne crowd. Starting their set strong with the title track from their most recent album 'Zenith', they made it clear from the first breakdown that we were in for a night of filthy groovy riffs, crushing drums, and massive choruses. Having missed out on seeing them on their last tour down under supporting The Ghost Inside, my anticipation to finally see these lads smash it live was at an absolute peak, and they did not disappoint in the slightest. Harrison Mills was filling in for Goonzi on guitar, who unfortunately had to fly back home early due to a family emergency. I swear Harrison must be able to learn an entire setlist just by looking at it, because he locked in so seamlessly you would never have guessed he was a stand in.

When I said they were the strongest opener, I was not exaggerating either. With their own massive inflatable spikes towering over the stage in line with the art from their recent album, an enormous drum riser, and fully synced production lights, it genuinely felt like a mini headline show of its own. Scott Kennedy had John Cain Arena eating out of the palm of his hand within minutes. Not to gas them up too much, but these guys somehow managed to pull off the biggest, most chaotic wall of death I have ever witnessed from an opening act on Australian soil. I am praying they get back over here within the next year for a proper headline run of their own, because they have more than earned it.

Trivium picked up right where Bleed From Within left off and did not waste a second. My relationship with Trivium only goes back to 2023 when I caught them at Knotfest, and I remember being blown away by how ridiculously tight and locked in they were. Safe to say that has not changed one bit. Matt Heafy's vocals are genuinely some of the most pristine and powerful I have ever heard live, hitting every harsh roar and melodic hook with pinpoint accuracy. The guitar work between him and Corey Beaulieu was objectively incredible, trading blistering solos and twin harmonies without breaking a sweat, all backed by Alex Rudinger being an absolute machine behind the kit.

The floor was a sea of pumping fists and people belting out every chorus at the top of their lungs across the entire set. Matt had the luxury of three mic stands spread right across the front, letting him work every corner and command different sections of the room. Even if you were tucked right away on the side wing, the second he planted himself in front of your section it was impossible not to scream along. With a career spanning setlist pulling together classic anthems and newer heaters, Trivium had the punters singing, screaming, and running circle pits until their legs were ready to buckle.

Lamb of God have been one of my favourite bands for years. My first time seeing them was at Knotfest 2024 and I have been dying to catch them again ever since. With Trivium bringing lethal precision and melody, it was time for Lamb of God to just come out and completely flatten the venue. Before they took the stage, a massive banner with their updated logo from the recent album 'Into Oblivion' hung in front of the rig as the house lights cut out. Pure controlled violence from the second that curtain dropped. It was the kind of relentless set that does not give you a single second to catch your breath. Randy Blythe still stalks and leaps across a stage like few frontmen in heavy music ever could, and the whole band sounded as punishing and razor sharp as ever.

The production setup took things to another level too. With eight vertical LED screens, a monstrous backdrop behind the kit, and blinding strobe lights built straight into the kick drum skins, it created a chaotic visual assault that perfectly matched the sonic destruction rattling our ribcages. Whoever was behind the sound desk deserves a massive pay rise by the way. The drums had that deep, snappy crack, the guitars were piercing right through the mix, the low end bass was rumbling through the concrete floor, and Randy's vocals were utterly monstrous. I love that man's voice, and it is genuinely terrifying how good he still sounds after decades of screaming.

Randy had to pull out a bit of classic crowd banter in the back half of the set to keep everyone firing on all cylinders, suddenly busting into an impromptu, cheeky blues routine. He jokingly belted out that he would keep singing this stupid song all night unless the room woke up, and Melbourne took that as a personal challenge. The floor went completely feral after that. To be fair, it would be almost impossible to stand still anyway when they are wrapping things up with 'Redneck'.

I accidentally on purpose found myself caught in the surge of the circle pit and somehow managed to pop out right against the front barrier. Pure luck, or maybe just pit gravity, but it put me in prime position to watch these titans close out one of the heaviest Tuesday nights John Cain Arena has ever seen.

Now it is Wednesday, my neck is completely wrecked, and my knees have turned to absolute dust. Worth every single second.