Artists: Pallbearer, Conan, Mammon’s Throne, Ghostsmoker
Venue: Max Watts, Melbourne, Australia (Naarm, Boonwurrung country)
Date: 12th March 2025
Review by: Jess JRoc
Photos by: Ben Eldström
Anyone else’s neck still reminding them where they went to Max Watts on Wednesday? Yeah, same.
The heavy hoorah we’ve all been waiting for, two of the biggest international doom ensembles supported by two of Melbourne’s darkest heavy hitters for one enormous mid-week gathering.
Ghostsmoker
Ghostsmoker take the stage, while the doors had only opened 30 minutes before, the room had filled quickly. It was a night for not only fans of the long awaited return of Pallbearer and Conan, but supporters of the locals, friends, fellow bands, and folks from as far as Frankston. It’s epic to see how far the Ghostsmoker guys are going, I couldn’t help but be utterly stoked for them to grace such a huge stage, they absolutely deserve it.
Obliterating us with tracks like Elogium, a whopping 6 minutes of haunting guitar, supported by the fierceness of drums and pounding of bass that threatens to swallow you whole. Nathan holds his mic with a firm grip, surrounded by billowing smoke. Once sound leaves his mouth, it’s as if it’s aiming for you, and it’s brutal. Finishing us and their set off with Incarnate, with Braydon demolishing us from behind the kit, it’s hard to believe that was still the first band of the night. Ghostsmoker’s debut album Inertia Cult is being released by Art As Catharsis this month, the launch is at The Bendigo Hotel on March 29th, I’ll see you there.
Mammon’s Throne
Another local band it’s epic to see hit a stage this size, Mammon’s Throne are as striking visually as they are to listen to; 5 long haired figures with equally as powerful of a presence on stage.
The séance is about to commence, with flickering candles on every surface, the darkness cut through by their guitars. Return Us To The Stars from their 2023 Self Titled release is a track most of the room knew, hands raise in the air holding what can only be described as invisible grapefruit. Matthew’s vocal ability is impressive, holding throat slaughtering notes for longer than seems possible. Leaving us with one last track to let our spirits free, he says, “it’s time to drink the blood” as the riffs lead us down the final path. The crowd chants along, “Nosferatu, Nosferatu!”, I don’t know how many vampires from the 1800’s we awoke, but I’m willing to stick around and find out.
If you’ve never seen them, you’ve seen their merch, some of the most brutal designs by local artist Thulsa Doom, many folks that didn’t come in with one of their shirts certainly left with one from the merch desk once the night was done.
Conan
Conan, it’s been far too long between sets. 2018 feels like a lifetime ago since their tour with the almighty Bell Witch. This was one of those gigs I was not going to miss, no matter what else was going on. I’d flown back from Vietnam that morning, and if anything was going to scare off any slither of jetlag, it was this show. I’ll sleep when I’m dead, or whatever they say.
Immediately we see, Kevin Swartz of the incredible Lord Dying filling in on drums, as their drummer was unable to join us this time around. Max Watt’s is jam packed, unsurprisingly, and they open with Equilibrium of Mankind and the rhythmic head slamming takes over the room.
Monnos is my favourite record of theirs, released back in 2012. Hawk as Weapon absolutely kicks you in the guts, a slow slung bass with chords that shakes your rib cage inside you, their thick chunky riffs and thud of the tubs, everyone knows this one in the room.
Lyrics, “These skies are dead, they will destroy” almost like those were the magic words to ignite the pit. Jon demands, “Let’s fucking go Melbourne”, fuck it’s good to have them back. Things ramp up and turn up to 11, the stack of orange and green amps on stage paired with matching lights, timed as we throw our bodies to the wind and forget anything but what’s happening in this moment.
Desolation Hexx, their latest, is the perfect way to finish this battle. It’s from their upcoming 2025 release Violence Dimension and if this single is anything to go by, it’s going to be up there with the greats. It’ll be out in April, run don’t walk.
Pallbearer
Honestly what a combination of bands for one night. I remember seeing Pallbearer on their last visit 8 years ago at the Northcote Social Club, that felt like a lifetime ago. They’ve been touring the US with their latest, Mind Burns Alive, which they’ll go back and finish when this AU/NZ leg is complete. Sidenote – they’ve been touring with an incredible artist Cinder Well, her merch seen on vocalist Brett that night, I demand you listen to her immediately no exceptions, do it now, then come back and read the rest of this – thank me later.
As soon as they take the stage, we’re graced with the immaculate 12 minutes of Silver Wings. You can feel the shift through the room, an air of catharsis drapes over each and every one of us. The way they command the stage, with vocals echoing the room, the slow heavy drums keep the consistency of the headbang we’ve held since we walked in the door.
It’s been a decade since Foundations of Burden, and to hear World’s Apart again live felt like a personal gift. This record is timeless, the grandeur of the song as it reaches the center, it’s almost like being granted permission to release and purge whatever it is you’ve been holding onto. You could feel it, everyone felt what they needed from this show, whether you knew you needed it or not.
The amps are slowly turned off, are they really done? Is it over? The house lights don’t come on, a humble scream “it’s Wednesday”, not many people moved, everyone needed just one more.
Thankfully it wasn’t quite over, and while it’s suggested it’ll be a short one, we’re grateful it was Thorns, which didn’t, and honestly could never, go for long enough.
Perfection.
Gig Gallery:
