Artists: Ghostsmoker, Mammon’s Throne, Aglo, Bentham’s Head
Venue: The Bendi, Melbourne, Australia (Naarm, Woiwurrung country)
Date: 29th March 2025
Review by: Jess JRoc
Photos by: Dave Collopy
We grace The Bendigo Hotel once again and after an enormous weekend last weekend it feels good to be back. This venue is the perfect place for this occasion, and judging by how many folks headed down early and got to see the soundcheck, it was obvious tonight was more than any album launch.
A line up of Melbourne’s finest, bands who’ve supported each other throughout, tonight is special. For the first time Braydon brought his own drum kit as he’s playing it for two bands tonight. The other two bands tonight are folks he trusts, so he knows that kit is in safe hands.
One thing I really appreciate about this pocket of heavy music in Melbourne, is the term support band doesn’t reflect stature, with these bands playing each others single and album launches, just because they fucking want to, and it shows how much everyone cares about each other, last night felt like a big family gathering, coupled with more head slamming that my neck could handle.
Bentham’s Head
To open the proceedings, the genre skewing Bentham’s Head combine doom, prog and sludge as a 5 piece to create their massive sound. With all the senses being excited with this show, I have to mention the insane lighting rig for tonight, with the set up of an elite tier, this is a night we aren’t forgetting any time soon. Punters were in early to see these guys from the beginning of their set, and before you knew it the front of the stage was full of band shirts, leather jackets and long hair.
Conor, their powerful presence of a frontman, seemingly transcends as he opens his mouth. He shifts into brutal screams as their tracks like Blood Salt & Ash, from their album of the same name that dropped last year “give him flesh, give him blood, our tyrant will rise above”. We’re hypnotized as both guitars put a spell on us, they are a lot of fun to watch, and you can absolutely tell that every single one of them put their entire being into a live show, it’s a real treat to see.
AGLO
Now I’m a bit obsessed with AGLO, so this part might get a bit silly on the words. I’ve never seen Star Trek, but what I do love is the sounds of Louisiana sludge lords, Crowbar, and space sounds pretty cool if you ask me, so automatically AGLO ticks a few boxes.
Saturated in a deep purple haze, AGLO is preparing for take off, starting with the truest of “space” samples. We strap in to head into the unknown, they rip into gear with their enormous sonic assault. As Aaron would say, it’s brutal. Their track Pummelled, from their release Fixate & Disgrace that only came out two weeks ago, does exactly what it says on the tin. I felt absolutely pummelled, the nerve pinch I’ve had in my neck for a few days felt better and worse at the same time as I threw my head into the abyss.
Their set was filled with the heftiest of banter, in a bid to savour precious time, is both honest and hilarious. “Turns out you need to do vocal warm ups even if you’re heading to space”, precious intel from the folks on the inside. As the shuttle exploration starts coming to its close, Braydon leaps from the kit screaming and gesturing for all passengers on board this space shuttle to loose their fucking minds, AGLO rocks, it’s as simple as that.
Mammon’s Throne
These guys dominate any stage they take on, having just seen them slay the broad stage of Max Watt’s a few weeks ago. The mesmerizing Mammon’s Throne know how to rule a room, you can watch them from anywhere in this hall, drenched in a burnt orange haze of the stage lights behind.
The Bendi bandroom is a place these fellas are all too familiar with, having graced this stage many times over the course of its life as a venue, and recently in it’s richly loved incarnation. Their comfort summoning the souls of all in the room is welcomed, we all know some of these tracks well, as Mammon’s Throne‘s 2023 self titled album is utter perfection, they are true masters of their craft.
They’ve been working on a new album in the background, teasing us with unreleased hymns we are building a thirst for as we hear them in their recent sets. Their tactic of having us hooked by the time they release these so far unnamed tracks is wise, they become a need more than a want, and will have us racing to our local record dealer once the work is complete.
Ghostmoker
I have been so thrilled for this release since I first heard it was in the works, Ghostsmoker have come a long way, and continue to develop their exceptional sound. When I said at the top this felt like a family out there, it did. Here at Hook Riff and Banger we are big fans of Ghostsmoker, and after chatting to the guys about this release for what feels like atleast 9 months, we were more than excited for the night to be upon us.
Inertia Cult is enormous, and from what we’ve heard and seen so far, these tracks are built to rattle you live on a stage. We’re immediately blinded by lights, this is what they were here for, erasing all memory of anything but this moment. We’re captivated, as they just start playing.
As we enter a slaughtering yet meditative state, it seems we’re in for even more. Nathan welcomes a familiar “old mate” to the stage, as if it can’t get heavy enough, Conor of Bentham’s Head takes the stage once more, as the two terrifying vocalists give us Incarnate, for a 7 and a half minute display of Ghostsmoker’s true force.
The title track, Inertia Cult, with putridly gritty and soul stirring rhythm, closely paired with the heaviest of drums that feel like they are solely made for you to feel. We completely lose ourselves, there’s no way out. Their closing number that follows some beautiful words of gratitude, and acknowledgement that time is sacred, is Solitude, which perfectly sums up the ceremonial experience we all felt at this show.
So fucking proud of the Ghostsmoker lads, get the album, or else.
Gig Gallery:
