Live Review: Arch Enemy, We May Fall, Potion

Several months on from when this reviewer previously caught Sydney stoner/doom trio Potion, the already promising act - relative newcomers on both the live and recorded fronts - had grown in confidence and stature. Derivative? Sure. A solid showing bolstered by mammoth riffage, though? Indeed. Keep an eye on Potion.

The openers may have seemed a curious selection, but hometown mob We May Fall really proved the proverbial square peg in the bill's round hole. The lively band were a photographer's dream, exuding considerable energy. They worked hard to elicit a response without much reward for their efforts, but their rather generic brand of melodic metalcore/post-hardcore lacked much in the actual song department.

Since their previous trek Down Under, Arch Enemy have undergone personnel shifts - namely, the recruitment of vocalist Alissa White-Gluz and virtuoso shredder Jeff Loomis. But although there may have been a few new faces, high-octane metal remained the international quintet's stock-in-trade and, in that respect, their live show was as visceral and potent as ever. So did their drawing power, as this sold-out affair full of passionate punters attested.

Loomis added another touch of class and his chemistry with mainstay axeman Mike Amott has developed nicely. Meanwhile, White-Gluz may not have possessed predecessor Angela Gossow's commanding stage presence, but boasted noticeably greater charisma. She appeared more comfortable on some Gossow-era tracks than others (Ravenous being a standout), and understandably revelled in more recent cuts like The World Is Yours and As The Pages Burn. Airing the band's first "ballad", Reason To Believe, featuring White-Gluz's grunts and pristine singing, pointed to a path forward for this veteran act, who have been criticised for rigidly adhering to formula. Not that words like "formula" were high on the list of concerns for pit enthusiasts and those elsewhere singing along with gusto to anthems like We Will Rise and closer Nemesis.

Despite the lengthy gap between drinks, Arch Enemy's self-described "pure fucking metal" evidently remained vital to those who enjoy bruising-yet-melodic fare.