Live Review: Asking Alexandria, Blessthefall, Buried In Verona

Sydney metalcore band Buried In Verona have a shaky start to the night — a guitar amp broke. Despite this, they still play a fast-paced, aggressive show. During Extraction, the first pit circle of the night opens up. The crowd is forgiving of earlier setbacks and is happy to mosh away. 

US metalcore representatives Blessthefall hit the stage with a high energy — one that doesn’t stop for their 45-minute set. The rhythm section is brutal, creating a pounding unrelenting foundation for atmospheric guitar riffs and Beau Bokan’s signature soaring vocal. Bokan doesn’t stop moving during the whole set. He bounces along the stage making sure his whole audience has access to him. This high energy is something he demands from the crowd like a boot camp Zumba instructor. Blessthefall’s set ends with Beau standing on the crowd barrier. Instantly he gets pulled in and security has to fish him out of the hungry pit. Standout tracks include Walk On Water, Exodus and Dead Air. 

Then it's the moment we’ve been waiting for, Asking Alexandria’s first show with new vocalist Dennis Stoff. This is the start of a new era and the excitement in the room is palpable. Stoff’s stage presence is commanding and unapologetic like punk icons Sid Vicious and Iggy Pop. His vocals are strong and there’s a stark contrast between his deep scream and growled vocals and his smooth clean vocal. The audience loves Stoff. They follow his every order from opening pit circles and wall of deaths to singing along.

The set thunders at an unforgiving pace playing through fan favourites The Death Of Me, Closure, Breathless and To The Stage. Lead guitarist Ben Bruce takes the time to introduce their newest member. “This is our first time over here with our new vocalist, Dennis. From the bottom of our hearts thank you for welcoming him into our family,” he pauses and, having enough of getting sentimental, tells us Stoff is a dick. They launch into their newest single, The Black. For the bridge, an emotional Bruce takes over the vocals with nothing but a piano melody and the crowd's voices to support him. The set wraps up with tracks Undivided, Not The American Average and Final Episode (Let’s Change The Channel).  

“Have. A. Good. Fucking. Night!” With each word Stoff points to various people in the venue. With the workout we received tonight, the night ends soundly in our beds, our weary limbs unable to do much more.