There’s a heavy, atmospheric dread that permeates every corner of The Blood of Dawnwalker. It’s a familiar and almost cosy feeling that fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will find instantly familiar, yet there’s a new, sharper edge here. The new game is being developed by Rebel Wolves, a new studio founded by the…

Melbourne dreamers The Hunter Express are back with “Over Everything”, the first taste of their forthcoming EP, Gold Fades, due for release later this year. Led by singer-songwriter Bradley Ellis, The Hunter Express have always had a gift for turning longing and reflection into something quietly cinematic. On “Over Everything”, that gift is given plenty…

For more than four decades, the Evil Dead franchise has survived by refusing to stand still. Every new filmmaker handed the Book of the Dead has found a different way to unleash hell, from Sam Raimi’s manic inventiveness to Fede Álvarez’s unrelenting brutality and Lee Cronin’s apartment-block nightmare. With Evil Dead Burn, French filmmaker Sébastien…

Disney’s live-action Moana arrives with the kind of built-in affection most remakes would envy. The 2016 animated original was vibrant, heartfelt and visually intoxicating, a film that made every drop of water and grain of sand feel alive. It was familiar in structure, yes, but it owned its optimism with such sincerity that its message…

The music industry is seeing one of its biggest years since perhaps the pre-pandemic period. Laneway Festival helped kick the year off with headliner Chappell Roan, and since then, it’s been almost non-stop hit after hit on the charts and major events in pop culture. PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson are shaking up the scene “Stateside”…

Recently, a growing number of musicians have talked openly about astrology. In interviews and public discussions, some artists have framed it as a way to think about identity, creativity, and personal experiences.  What used to be the kind of thing you’d mention quietly to a close friend, “I’m such a Scorpio,”  became something artists were…

Tarndanya/Adelaide singer-songwriter Lizzie Hosking is back in dark-pop mode with her new single “unforgettable”, and we’re excited to give you an early listen ahead of its release on Friday, July 10. Following her most recent release, “Satellite (Home’s Making Me Homesick)”, “unforgettable” sees Hosking return to her electro-pop, dance-fronted roots with seductive, evocative power. Pairing…

The road to the Toronto International Film Festival has officially begun, with the first three films unveiled for TIFF’s 51st edition and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Siân Heder set to open this year’s celebration of cinema. Heder’s Being Heumann, based on the life of pioneering disability rights activist Judy Heumann and starring Ruth Madeley, has been…

There was a time when an album’s success meant something simple: people bought it. One version. One release. One shot. Artists lived or died by whether the music itself convinced listeners to open their wallets. That’s why comparisons between today’s record-breaking sales and those of pre-digital eras are increasingly meaningless – especially in the case…

Thanks to Shudder and NIXCo, we have 5 Blu-ray copies of The Mortuary Assistant, the new horror film from the producers of Terrifier, based on the best-selling video game, to giveaway for our devoted (and physical media-friendly) readers. Newly certified mortician Rebecca Owens is hired to embalm the dead at River Fields Mortuary, working under…

With an ever-expanding range of portable devices we take on the go, both for everyday use and even holidays, the concept of a power bank has never felt more important. With phones, tablets, laptops, handheld gaming consoles and portable speakers in tow, finding the right power bank can be tough for several reasons. Be it…

After the release of their 2025 album Breaking Into Heaven, Gold Coast six-piece Selve are back with Breaking Outta Heaven, a companion EP made up of five tracks. Recorded during the same Abbey Road sessions that gave us Breaking Into Heaven, this definitely feels like an extension of the album, to the point where these…

Although scheduled as part of the winter school holiday show programme for the Sydney Opera House, Pay No Attention is thoroughly entertaining for all age groups. Advertised as suitable for 4-year-olds and up, this 60-minute show demonstrates the incredible skill and talent of a group of 13 young acrobats, with ages ranging from 11 to…

Following her appearance representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Delta Goodrem has announced a one-night-only Sydney performance, Pure: Prelude, set to take place at Liberty Hall on Tuesday, 14 July. Designed as an intimate live show, Pure: Prelude will see Goodrem return home after recently completing a sold-out UK and European tour, giving…

For more than four decades, the Evil Dead franchise has revelled in pushing the boundaries of horror, blending relentless gore, pitch-black humour and unforgettable Deadite mayhem. But with Evil Dead Burn, director Sébastien Vaniček adds another layer to the carnage, grounding its blood-soaked terror in the raw emotions of a family already splintered by grief…

There are countless documentaries that ask audiences to feel outrage. Acropolis Cats & Other Wondrous Animals, the latest film from award-winning Australian documentarian Mary Zournazi, instead asks something far more radical: that we choose tenderness. Beginning among the stray cats of Athens before expanding across Greece, Australia and beyond, the film explores the fragile bond…

I’m lucky enough to have collected a copy of the original Xenoblade Chronicles on the Nintendo Wii, which has become a bit of a collector’s item over the years. Even so, I remember playing it all those years ago, and while I was much younger, never truly appreciated just how good the storytelling and gameplay…

I’ve never been on a road trip in America. Despite having visited and written stories about the country for the better part of my 18-year career, hitting the great open road was a new experience for me. Long story short, I have a lot of childhood trauma around moving vehicles, so I’ve never been physically…

Keyboards might feel like a dime a dozen these days, and it can even be quite overwhelming if you’re trying to choose the right one for your needs. While we primarily review gaming keyboards here at The AU Review, we jumped at the chance to review a more everyday, productivity-focused alternative geared towards those who…

If you’re planning a European festival run toward the end of summer, few events are as rewarding for music discovery as the Reeperbahn Festival. Held each September in the heart of St. Pauli in Hamburg, the festival transforms the neighbourhood’s dense network of clubs, theatres and music venues into one of the world’s great showcases…

There was once a time in my life when I only operated on my laptop. That’s right, one tiny screen to help me see everything I was doing. Nowadays, I feel like most people, including myself, need a minimum of two screens. So when I’m at home, I have my laptop and a monitor, which…

As we hurtle past the halfway point of the year we’re bringing you a bumper edition of our Discovery Playlist this week, with fourteen tracks added on Spotify and Apple Music – including five we premiered across the last fortnight. This week our Track of the Week is “Home In This World”, the brand new…

Horror has long explored the monsters lurking in the shadows, but Lockbox is far more interested in the fears that live inside us. Beginning as a quiet meditation on grief before gradually unfolding into something far more unsettling, the film follows Ellen (Carla Gugino) as she retreats to a rural town after the death of…

After a four-year absence from these beautiful shores, hometown heroes Gang of Youths have announced their return. And what a return! The now London-based Sydneysiders are taking over the world-famous Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall for two nights this August. Far from resting on their laurels during this time, the band have been busy selling…

Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney is designed to challenge and subvert the way we think. Across 10 days and multiple venues, FODI is packed with talks, films and behind-the-scenes excursions that are driven by ideas and a sense of open dialogue. The Festival is meticulously curated, uninterested in outrage for its own sake, and…

Before Seattle gave us Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, there was Mudhoney. Their sound was new – embracing punk rock and heavy metal and infusing it with emotive, relatable lyrics. Their impact was undeniable, as they kicked started a genre and cultural movement that artistically influenced and emotionally supported a generation, including some of the…

PlayStation has announced via a PlayStation.Blog post that they’re ceasing disc production for all games releasing in 2028 and beyond. This is not only a huge blow for collectors of physical media, but a huge stepping stone into the next chapter of media in general, and possibly a sneak peek at Sony’s next console outing. Sony…

If you’re a UFC fan, or happened to read our review of EA Sports UFC 5, then you might already know that the last instalment is the gold standard when it comes to UFC games. While I’m more of a boxing fan, UFC 5 was actually one of the few games I was still playing…

Canberra-based Country/Pop artist Leila returns with her new single “Heart and Soul”, which we are thrilled to be premiering today ahead of its official release tomorrow. Earlier last year, we had the pleasure of premiering Leila’s single “Do Without”, a beautifully earnest track that captured uncertainty, growth and the emotional noise of late teens and…

You can’t help but see how fitting the notion of a proud homemade production is when it comes to Hamilton House. A film about struggling artists desperately trying to create something extraordinary from almost nothing mirrors the circumstances of its own creation, writer-director Jordan Rowe never shies away from that parallel. Rather than disguising its…