Image Credit: Rob McCoy

Intense and intimate: Northlane brought their brutal energy to Torquay Hotel

Chances are it was heard all over Torquay that lightly drizzling evening.

Northlane’s Australia-wide tour hit Torquay Hotel this past weekend with supports Inertia and Heartline, and despite the venue’s more intimate size, these homegrown heavyweights were not here to play small.

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There’s difficulty wrapping a night like this into a few words, but if anything could be said, it’s this: the evening was one of the most definitive examples of the quality Australia’s musical talent pool produces, especially in the metalcore scene. The professionalism, songwriting, skill and showmanship displayed by all three bands was world-class, and that is not said lightly.

An excited buzz filled the venue as the crowd arrived, a blend of at least three generations. Adelaide’s endlessly energetic Heartline wasted no time working attendees into a frenzy with charismatic stage
presence, sharp crowd interaction and tight musicality. ‘Dead Batteries’ is an absolute blast with a chorus that’s an earworm waiting to happen, while pop-metal fusion ‘Pink Lemonade’ was another standout, showcasing Luke Taylor’s dynamic vocal range. Being in that room with them felt like moshing with your best friends, and judging by the crowd’s response, they’d do it a hundred times over with smiles on their faces.

Next to the stage were Julian, Mark, Oliver and Sebastian from Inertia. The Sydney four-piece are a beautiful auditory mix of carefully crafted melodies and heavy-hitting breakdowns, with a sound that feels familiar but is entirely their own. Opening with ‘Leviathan’ was a strong call; anyone unfamiliar with the band was immediately introduced to exactly who they are and what they’re capable of. ‘Dominion’ then changed the pace entirely: unapologetically heavy and showcasing the band’s full musical range.

A couple of technical cutouts mid-set showed just how professional these guys are. Never missing a beat or losing patience, Julian proclaimed over the mic, “We’re just gonna roll with it!” And roll with it, they did. The energy never dropped, and they closed out to a crowd screaming their appreciation. Inertia were a masterclass in keeping cool and putting on a hell of a show.

Between sets, the positive energy in the room was impossible to miss, with the changeover music turning into a full-blown karaoke pit.

Northlane shouldn’t need an introduction, but for anyone who’s been sleeping under a rock, they’re an Australian metalcore band from Blacktown, formed in 2009. With good reason, they are arguably one of
Australia’s highest-quality metalcore exports, and since their formation have never failed to deliver. Northlane don’t fear evolution, carving out a soundscape entirely their own across metalcore, progressive, industrial and synth. All of these elements combine into a truly unique auditory experience, only further elevated when they take the stage.

It’s rare to see a performance this refined in such an intimate space. The venue may have been small, but the execution was unmistakably arena-level.

Fans were treated to a set spanning their impressive discography, opening with ‘Carbonized’ from their most recent release Obsidian, moving through crowd favourites ‘4D’, ‘Bloodline’ and ‘Talking Heads’
from 2019’s Alien, before a throwback mashup of ‘Worldeater’, ‘Dispossession’ and ‘Solar’. These are seasoned artists at the top of their game, with stage presence and polish to match. Closing out with
‘Clockwork’ gave the crowd one last chance to sing their hearts out before saying goodbye to a night that will be looked back on fondly for years to come.

Throughout the evening, all three bands showed genuine cross-support, constantly promoting and referencing each other with warmth. Torquay Hotel was given an absolute treat. Nothing about these bands belonged in a small venue, except for the crowd lucky enough to be in it.

Reviewed by Katina Fimmel