Earlier this week, Eora/Sydney’s iconic Enmore Theatre hosted a celebration that was a decade in the making. The Amity Affliction hit the stage, marking ten years since ‘Let The Ocean Take Me’ first dropped, influencing a generation of lifelong fans. As the band asked who had been to their sold-out Hordern Pavilion show last week, nearly every hand at the barrier shot up—proof that for many fans, Amity isn’t just a band, it’s a commitment.
Opening the night, Naarm/Melbourne’s own HEAVENSGATE took to the stage with a sound that’s got grit and heart, like a cross between metal/hardcore and alt-rock. While the crowd was warming up, HEAVENSGATE gave them plenty to chew on, balancing melodic layers with punchy breakdowns that filled out Enmore Theatre in the grandest way possible.
We Came As Romans followed, bringing a polished set that leaned heavy into Dave Stephens vocals and screamed verses. They’ve got a loyal following, and it was clear from the crowd’s reaction that this wasn’t their first time hearing the Michigan outfit. With each track, the pit got wilder, and their mix of clean and scream vocals, backed by tight instrumentation, turned out to be a perfect transition into the more theatrical world about to hit the stage.
Then came Ice Nine Kills, known for turning a live set into a horror show with all the intensity of a slasher flick. Their set was as much a performance as it was music, with Spencer Charnas’s screams cutting through the air as he morphed into a character straight out of a horror film. Fans were hit with bloody visuals, props, actors, and the band’s classic horror-themed tracks, combining metalcore with a twisted storyline. From a selection of hits from ‘Welcome to Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2’ to a cover of ‘Walking On Sunshine’, their presence was theatrical, intense, and unforgettable.
It’s important to note their latest single, ‘A Work Of Art’, which featured in the recent cinema release Terrifier 3, was accompanied by one scene from the song’s music video during their set. Given the current climate, and at a masc-dominated metalcore show, the horrifically graphic scene featuring the brutal murder of a pregnant concert attendee and the equally jarring (for complete lack of a more appropriate and encapsulating term) “delivery”, left a sour taste. Context is key, and during an unsettling news week and with no prior warning, excitement shifted from a fun “what generic scary movie trope will happen next?” to something unnecessarily shocking. For anyone curious, the music video can be found here—complete with multiple content warnings. Some real context in the moment, or perhaps choosing a slightly different scene from the music video could have made all the difference.
As the first chords of The Amity Afflictions ‘Pittsburgh’ hit, the theatre erupted, a wave of fans throwing themselves forward with screams that nearly drowned out the music. ‘Let The Ocean Take Me’ was a defining album for Amity—a raw and heavy milestone that cemented them as a staple in the Australian metalcore scene. They powered through ‘Lost & Fading’, ‘Don’t Lean on Me’, ‘The Weigh Down’, and ‘Never Alone’, songs that have defined their sound for a decade. Each track carried weight, and fans threw themselves into the music, screaming lyrics like it was a release they’d been holding back for years.
From the greatest vantage point in the world, Enmore Theatre’s upstairs balcony, you could see every layer of what makes Amity’s shows special. The theatre’s historical charm meeting the absolute chaos below. You could see it all unfold—a guy throwing a punch one moment, then grabbing his new-found mate in a sweaty bear-hug, fans crying, screaming and crowd-surfing in hopes of reaching Joel Birch’s outstretched hand.
The night wrapped with an encore that felt like a set on its own, moving from ‘I See Dead People’ through ‘Drag the Lake’ and ‘All My Friends Are Dead’, and ending with ‘Soak Me in Bleach’. Amity left it all on stage. The show was a tribute to an album that has brought countless fans together, and you could catch that from a mile away.
The tour continues this week with three shows in Melbourne, Adelaide and Red Hill.
