Live Review: Slipknot w/ Lamb of God & In Hearts Wake @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre

It’s been a long year for Slipknot. Dedicating themselves to touring for almost two years now, the mammoth 9-piece were surely ready to head home by the time the Australian shows crept up. But despite it being the last leg of their worldwide tour you’d be mistaken for thinking it was their first show of the tour, with Brisbane Entertainment Centre full of the unmistakable energy that only a Slipknot show can create.

The night began suddenly and powerfully with Aussie metalheads In Hearts Wake. The hardcore quartet proved themselves to be one hell of an opener with screams and guitar licks that shook the arena. Emotionally charged and well structured songs stopped this group from camouflaging into the background while patrons went to the bar for a drink. Thousands gathered in front of the stage to mosh to the ferocious set, which included well-known tracks Earthwalker and Refuge. All in all, these guys were a damn suitable opener for Slipknot!

Metal heavyweights Lamb of God are a seasoned opening act, and with a good chunk of the crowd choosing to wear Lamb of God shirts they clearly haven’t lost touch with their fans. Introducing their set with the classic Walk With Me In Hell, the quintet wasted no time in delivering exactly what fans wanted. The set had a healthy mix of old masterpieces like Ruin and Redneck, and newer tracks like 512. There were circle pits galore as Lamb of God proved they still craft one of the most brutal mosh pits around.

With the crowd adequately warmed up, there was huge anticipation for Slipknot. As the two “S” emblazoned curtains disguising the stage were drawn and the lights dimmed the roar was deafening, and fans rushed forward into the front barrier. A sea of tens of thousands of devil horns cut through the air as the crowd preached their loyalty toward the stage.

An unexpected recording of David Bowie’s Fashion played through the speakers while haunting red and blue lighting gently illuminated the stage (a memorial, perhaps?), before the boys launched into their set with a violent performance of The Negative One.

It only took a few seconds for fans to realise that Clown’s drum kit, spinning and raising with the other stations, remained unmanned. Instead of Clown’s presence, his mask sat on a bat facing his drum kit. The absence was quickly addressed two songs in as frontman Corey Taylor pointed out Clown couldn’t make it due to a family emergency. “He wanted me to make sure that every single one of you know he’s thinking of you tonight,” Taylor assured the crowd, while the group successfully made up for his absence by playing harder than ever.

With 2016 being the 15th anniversary of Slipknot’s killer album ‘Iowa’ it was only expected the group brought a setlist full of tracks from the album. They delivered hard, with their set including notable songs Disasterpiece, The Heretic Anthem, and Skin Ticket. Those who follow Slipknot would know the guys had some new masks to show off, which also didn’t disappoint. The creepy new looks, combined with the background footage of insects eating each other and creepy surgery footage, came together exactly how you’d expect…f*cking brutally.

Of course, Slipknot have too wide a repertoire to just stick to one album. Classics like Before I Forget and Psychosocial were played with enough vigour to get circle pits moving and crowdsurfers thrown over the front barrier into the waiting hands of the frazzled security. Some unexpected songs included Custer and Killpop proving the group were still eager to show how they’ve evolved as a band since the release of ‘Iowa’.

As fans could be heard saying after the show Slipknot’s performance was “all killer and no filler”. Other than the short bursts of creepy ambience between songs, the set was uninterrupted by long-winded spiels and indulgent instrumental solos, save for Taylor’s solidarity speech “How are our FAMILY doing out there?!”.

Giving the crowd not one but three encores, fans were treated to Surfacing, Duality, and Spit It Out, which included the infamous “Jump the f*ck up” live ritual that only seasoned fans anticipate. Throughout the set a lot of people were chilled out in the seating area which would normally be expected, but at a Slipknot concert it just seemed downright strange. Sure, they’re seating areas…but how can you not mosh to a blistering live rendition of Eyeless?

There were no pyrotechnics like fans have come to expect from Slipknot’s previous Soundwave festival appearances, but the fireballs weren’t even needed. The furious energy radiating from the guys rippled through the crowd and reminded fans this band knows how to put on a damn good time. How would I describe this gig for the uninitiated to the world of Slipknot concerts? Think of it as a circus show for twisted freaks. Come join us, you won’t be disappointed.

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