Review by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)

Heavensgate w/Diesect, Dark Matter and Chapel Hill
Rhino Room, Adelaide, South Australia
June 6 2024

Melbourne/Naarm’s HEAVENSGATE has been killing it across the board. To celebrate their latest single ‘Rat King’ the metalcore are on the road with a national headline tour. The first stop was at Adelaide/Tardanya’s Rhino Room on Thursday June 6^th, bringing with them Brisbane/Meanjin band Diesect and Perth/Boorloo’s Dark Matter.

Thursday night seems to be hit and miss in terms of numbers in the South Australian capital, but everybody who comes through is always looking for a good time. Local band Chapel Hill where in charge of getting the night started and they also brought with a contingent of supporters. The small stage looked a little cramp for the five-piece, but it did not stop them from ripping it. An ambient intro still turned into a stunning blend of progressive metalcore, beefed up with a hardcore attitude. The vocalist was both vicious and versatile in his delivery, treating us with a range of different stylings. Nu-metalcore style riffs danced over punchy drums and this was enough to get a few people throwing down in the pit. Featuring a Boundaries cover and just an overall killer set, this young band certainly made an impression.

With such a strong start to the show, I was silently hoping it would be getting even better from here and I was not disappointed. Dark Matter brought to the stage a level of sound and performance that belonged in bigger rooms. It was a sample-heavy set- but in the best possible way. Treating us to a display of utter sonic bedlam that was both beefy and groovy- I found myself asking where this band had been all my life. Apparently, I was not the only one- as almost immediately the room started to fill. Dark Matter are a solid example of the modern sound of metalcore coming out of Australia, an example that is worth writing home about. From challenging the crowd to bring with their beefy riffs to their DNB samples ensuring that made dancing irresistible- this band is one to keep an eye on.

Up next was Diesect and I will be honest, I was not sure how anybody was going to follow the previous band. All my concerns soon dissipated as this beefy band brought to the stage a level of rowdiness that I did not realise I had been craving to witness. The Adelaide crowd was stubborn though- they did not follow along with the bands demands straight away. That stoicism did not last long as the 2-step sections kicked in, bringing the pit to life. Trusting us to evaluate their two new songs, which were absolute bangers, Diesect built a rapport with the audience very quickly. One thing I always enjoy seeing is when you can gauge part of the band’s personality through their live shows. It takes the music from beyond the ears and into the hearts and minds. The lads did just that. Their set was tough, it was heavy, and it was tight- ensuring that the punters were well and truly warmed up for the headliners.

On from the get-go, the quartet ripped straight into their latest single ‘RATKING’. Crushingly heavy, it left me almost breathless. Even though I had resigned myself to stay back and out of the pit, I found myself moving forward out absolute necessity. While I do not recommend this, I even pulled out my ear protection to allow the sound to wash over me. The small but passionate crowd, inspired by the stunning display of musical mayhem that they were being treated, took the rowdiness up a notch. Their catalogue of metalcore mastery performed to its fullest, any sort of decorum was slowly exiting the venue. One of the most impressive things about this band though is just how versatile they are. From delivering some of the most disgustingly nasty breakdowns, to intricate nu-metalcore riffs and some of the most gut-wrenching ballad moments- honestly if HEAVENSGATE is the future of Australian metalcore, then we are in safe hands.

From broken glasses in the pit, to sheer enjoyment across the faces of those in attendance- it won’t be a show easily forgotten. If you didn’t get along to their tour this time, make sure you catch them supporting The Gloom In The Corner later this month and/or The Amity Affliction at the end of the year. They are a band not to be missed.