Review by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)

Vulvodynia w/Mélancolia, Pincer+ and Chapel Hill
The Cranka, Adelaide, South Australia
September 27th 2024

Sunday night was alright for metal fans in Adelaide. In what can be a hit and miss crowd, the punters decided that South African extreme metal band Vulvodynia was definitely worth staying up late on a school night for. Now, since NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS normally only sticks to the Asia Pacific region- you are probably wondering why we were there BUT we figured it was a gig in Adelaide, plus the support acts are some of the hottest up and coming bands in the country- so why WOULDN’T we want to check out the show.

Kicking off the nights proceedings was Adelaide’s own Chapel Hill. Stepping in last minute for Devoidance who unfortunately could not make it, they sure as hell made it their mission to prove their worth. Straight away they had the pit moving, spin kicks and windmill arms aplenty. Bringing their unique blend of Adelaide heavy- they did not disappoint. Beefy bass, nu-metal inspired riffs and just straight up nasty breakdowns, what more could you ask for! Their vocalist brought to the stage the right mix of ferocity, control and endearingly awkward moments between songs, this band is one to keep your eye on.

Up next was Perth’s Pincer+ on their second appearance in Adelaide. This band never disappoints. Their music is drenched in brutality, violence and rage- but it is weaved together with incredible melody. As incredible as their music sounds recorded, it effortlessly translates live and somehow hits even harder. For those new listeners, they were quickly swept up in the energy beaming from the stage, especially as they ripped through their most recent single ‘Pulling Strings’. Inspiring non-stop movement and finishing strong with the songs ‘Closer To God’ and ‘Angeldust’. While nobody took frontman Jacson Robb’s invitation to take the mic from him, it is almost guaranteed that many went home after to the show to learn the lyrics for next time.

One of the draws of this lineup was very clearly Mélancolia. The award for best mosh calls goes to frontman Alex Hill. ‘Dig a hole in this pit and fill it with bodies’ and ‘open this pit up and sew it back together. Make someone bleed!’ were dynamite instructions that inspired absolute carnage through the set of the gothic deathcore maestros. There is something just so wild about hearing a haunted two-step beat and it had my jaw dropped the whole time. Everything from the bands make-up, the chain mic lead and their stage presence was such a refreshing take on the genre. It was easy to see why so many people were there for them. Sickeningly groovy while be unashamedly heavy, it made a seamless transition into the extreme set from our headliners.

In the bands first outing to Adelaide, Vulvodynia made damn sure they would be welcome back with open arms. Walking out to The Lion King’s ‘Circle of Life’, the members hit the stage with an unassuming charm. Like any metal fan knows, the less threatening a band looks, it often means you are about to die in the pit- and well, this hypothesis was proven to be correct. The deathcore unit wasted no time ripping into their set. Vocalist Lwandile Prusent unleashed a special kind of hell on the packed out Cranka, delivering along with the rest of the brutal outfit, a soundtrack to mayhem. Guitarist Kris Xenopoulos gave a masterclass in shredding, aided by other axe wielder Luke Haarhoff. All while drummer Thomas Hughes gave a concentrated performance of a lifetime behind the kit.

It was non-stop ferocity from start to finish. Prusent had the crowd well and truly commanded, getting the room to spin and move. With several instances of enthusiastic collisions, giving some attendees souvenirs in the form of bruises- the energy in the room was phenomenal. Guest features by Mélancolia guitarist Billy Jarvis and band’s tour manager/promoter Somprasong ‘Jino’ Makkhasakul added even more hype. Once the show was all done and dusted, the crowd demanded an encore. Even though the band was unable to deliver in that department, the love between the audience and the band was well and truly there.

In a tour that was interwoven between Parkway Drive‘s epic showcase, it did not seem to suffer in attendance. In fact, it showed that Aussie crowds are willing to really show up and support the more extreme styles of deathcore/metalcore. Packing out a venue on a Sunday night in Adelaide is not an easy feat, especially days after a massive show.

While Adelaide was the last stop on the Aussie leg of this tour, for those across the strait, Vulvodynia are making their way through Aotearoa as we speak. With shows left in Christchurch and Auckland left to go- this is one not to be missed!