Review by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)
Photos by Daniel Hill (@no.quiet.photography)

THROWN (SWE) w/ Half Me, Diesect, Outsider
Lion Arts Factory, South Australia
February 7th 2025

The rapid rise of Thrown has been nothing short of iconic. First hitting Australia last year as part of the ALPHA WOLF Half Living Things Tour, the reception they got meant it was only a matter of time before they were headlining down under themselves. Well, that come into fruition very fast- as they currently are embarking around the country with their sold out EXCESSIVE GUILT headline tour. We were lucky enough to be able to tag along to the Adelaide leg. 

A sold-out Lion Arts Factory is always a stuffy affair, but that did not dampen the spirits of anybody. Local legends Outsider took to the stage first, as openers for the whole tour, it’s always great when a band can rip it up on a international bill in front of their hometown crowd. Wasting no time, they ripped into their track ‘Let It Consume You’– showing straight away they mean business. Laying down the gauntlet, slowly but surely the crowd started to give them the energy they deserved. Tight, heavy and tough- Outsider know how to set the tone for some necessary aggression. Frontman Tom Drizners always using his platform to speak on true values, his shout out to the women in the industry did not fall on deaf ears. By the time they got to their final track ‘Shadows Still Linger’, they had thoroughly had shown they can hang with easily with the big names on this bill.

Following on, newest Greyscale Records signees Diesect had their chance to show why they are one of the next upcoming bands in the Aussie scene. Vocal savagery and ferocious intensity, the Queensland nu-metalcore act took to the stage as if they were at war. Breakdowns that you could feel in the bottom of your gut, they had the room spinning with both new and older songs. Hitting the Adelaide audience with songs like ‘Carbon’, ‘Second Death’ and of course, the brand new single ‘Too Many Scars’– if winning the room over was a battle, they well and truly emerged victorious. 

First up for the internationals was Germany’s Half Me and this reviewer will be very honest- I was not ready for the onslaught this band was going to bring. The sheer energy they hit the stage with was phenomenal. Riffs that went so ridiculously hard they could barely be contained. Vocals that both shredded but also hit the soul just in the right way. A rhythm section that got you moving. I felt like I was discovering a best kept secret. Bassist Tobias Max Sajon did steal the show a little, his presence onstage was both entertaining and impressive. Giving us a set with tunes like ‘Fatalist’ and ‘Quitter Talk’, Half Me not only embody the current sound of modern metalcore- but they absolutely nail it. If like me, anybody in the audience was a little unfamiliar with them before, they certainly left Adelaide with some new fans.

Of course though, we were all here for one name and that was Sweden’s very own Thrown. As the room filled with trap beats and the musicians took to the stage with ominous lighting- it was almost certain we were about to be hit with some sonic violence. If there was a perfect way to describe this set it would be this: fast, furious and no time wasted. With only a few words between songs, it was forty minutes of non-stop heavy. Even between songs, the silence was filled with atmospheric interludes that had you hanging on for the very next track. 

As tight and polished as the whole band, there is a reason that drummer Buster Odeholm is so respected. Not only is he an incredible producer, his drum work in this band is nothing short of majestic. Constantly I found myself drawn to watching him execute the most well-timed fills and moments. Vocalist Marcus Lundqvist was also nothing short of impressive. His control over the room, his aggression in his vocals and just overall finesse as frontman was captivating. Combined with just how polished, tight and executed with absolute precision. 

The bands discography is not huge, as they are still a relatively new name, so they were able to smash out fourteen tracks with ease. ‘On The Verge‘ had the room bouncing then tearing it apart. Tracks like ‘guilt’, ‘dwell’ and ‘new low’ meant that there was barely anytime to breathe- but it didn’t matter. The Adelaide crowd showed up and showed out. By the time they finished their set with ‘grayout‘, the sweat from the bodies had permeated the air. Not that anybody cared. An encore chant started but there was nothing left to be said.

As the lights came on, there was a sense of satisfaction that was palpable. If there was one thing to walk away with from it it would be this:

Thrown are undeniable. 

Photo Gallery by Daniel Hill @no.quiet.photography
Please credit NOISE ‘N’ VISUALS and Daniel Hill if you repost photos.

THROWN

HALF ME

DIESECT

OUTSIDER