Melbourne metalcore quintet Windwaker are one of the most exciting bands in the heavy space right now, as they proved at the final show of their national smile, you’re on camera tour at The Tivoli in Brisbane on Saturday night.
What separates these boys from their peers is how they take the core elements of nu metal to the extreme ends of each spectrum. The hip-hop moments remind of dark trap with contemporary programming and glitchy samples, whereas the heavier side is as brutal as it gets.
This blending of styles was evident in the fashion of the crowd, who wore either the traditional black band shirts and Vans sneakers or chains over sportswear and snapbacks with the sticker still on.
Opening the night, Melbourne quartet DREGG got the room moving early on. Their fusion of rap and hardcore, characterised by frenetic riffs and pinch harmonics over chopped beats and chuggy grooves made for an energetic set.
The crowd was won over with simple hooks and deep growls that led to a wall of death, circle pits and the frontman crowdsurfing for the final song. If this was a taste of things to come, everybody was there for it.
Perth alt-metal artist RinRin made the stage her own with bouncy rhythms and catchy choruses, flanked by masked band members to deliver a high-level performance. Hyperpop electronics simmered beneath blast beats and breakdowns as she captured new fans with her soaring cleans, playful raps and piercing screams.
Highlights of the set were the circle pit in “Killher”, bringing Liam Guinane from Windwaker out for “Built Diff”, and teaching the crowd how to say “your mum’s a ho” in Filipino for “FOB”.
Next up were Las Vegas alt-metal duo The Pretty Wild, who made their Australian live debut on this tour and were very appreciative of the opportunity. The band emerged to ominous chugs and atmospheric synths before launching into lush melodies, rap verses and singalong choruses.
Their signature call-and-response screams over symphonic breakdowns got a mosh going by the end of the second song. “living ded” had a rather fitting wall of death while old favourites “vessüL” and “sLeepwAlkeR” kept the crowd moving from start to finish.
It was clear from the outset that Windwaker were about to deliver a huge set with high production values. A red and blue lightshow dazzled the crowd as Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again” crackled through the speakers.
The room roared as the band took to the stage with the ever-fly Liam donning a leather jacket, beret and sunglasses before going straight into album opener “low”. This was followed by standouts from their back catalogue “Superstitious Fantasy” and “Tabula Rasa”, which thrust the crowd into well-rehearsed circle pits and a wall of death.
They brought out RinRin for “click.” and its anthemic chorus, which is easily one of the best songs on the new record, then demonstrated their versatility on “do or die” with its bubbling beats and guttural ad-libs.
“SIRENS” proved to be a crowd favourite, having been one of the first songs to feature Liam as the band’s frontman. His impressive range makes him a triple-threat vocalist with tight flows, angelic cleans and brutal growls that have come to define Windwaker’s sound.
A heartfelt thank you served as a segue to “lie to me”, although chants for the dreaded shoey ruined the quiet moment before a beautiful piano rendition of “Lucy”. RinRin joined in again for frenetic singalong “loser” and phone lights filled the room for album highlight “dna”.
After a brief intermission, the band returned for an encore of the much-anticipated “victory lap” and “closer”. They parted with the inspiring message to “never stop fighting for your fucking dreams” – because, evidently, they can come true.
A special shout-out to whoever was engineering the sound at The Tivoli that night, because it was incredible.
Windwaker are about to head out again supporting Beartooth on their pure ecstasy USA tour, kicking off in Boston on 11 November.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
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header photo credit: Dylan Oxley
