It’s possible to talk about the international metalcore scene and approach innumerous bands from various countries at the same time, but a more focused investigation over a local scene brings better results, because it’s possible to reserve more time to listen to what that country has to offer. Therefore, I plan on writing a series of texts approaching different local scenes (I’m already thinking of writing about the Swedish scene, that has bands such as Aviana, Awake The Dreamer, Humanity’s Last Breath and so on!).

Now tell me: what’s the first thing that crosses your mind when you think about Australia? Kangaroos? Koalas? Well, in fact, Australia possesses its very own fauna. I say this with a little basis: it’s easy to look at statistics about Australian fauna to discover that most species that live in the island aren’t found in any other place in the world. That’s what happens when a piece of land separates from the rest for thousands (millions?) of years. Okay, but it’s not only Australian fauna that is rich and diverse: its metalcore scene also is. I won’t explore here the development of the scene (this can be done another time, why not?), but I will present some bands from the country that deserve attention.

If you find yourself inserted on the metalcore scenario for some time now, no doubt you heard at least one Australian band.

I will be very impartial and present in first place Northlane, one of my four favorite bands. I even have a beautiful t-shirt of them, hand painted by my girlfriend. Northlane is a band that was formed in 2009 and release their first EP, Hollow Existence, in 2010. Heavy, raw and straight, the EP got some attention, but served only as a appetizer for what was to come in the album Discoveries. Discoveries and Singularity, their first two albums, drink from an amazing heaviness, that goes a little beyond the regular heaviness presented by most metalcore bands, maybe because of the addition of an element called djent (what the heck is djent? a text about this is coming soon!). With the departure of vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes in 2014, the band went on looking for a vocalist that fits their motivations and found Marcus Bridge. Whilst Adrian was a god for screams, Marcus’ approach is more towards clean vocals, which he performs in a beautiful way. Since Marcus’ entry in the band, two albums saw the daylight: Node and Mesmer. The below linked song is from Mesmer, release this year. Why does the band attracts so much attention? Their lyrics are excellent, as well as their instrumental execution, with progressive touches and some atmospheric ones in the last two albums.

It’s impossible not to talk about In Hearts Wake, another band already very traditional from the Australian scenario. Wikipedia informs that the band exists since 2006, while their official page says “Byron Bay’s In Hearts Wake have been changing minds and lives since 2012”. Apparently the band considers their start to be on their signing with UNFD, a label that covers several Australian bands, such as above mentioned Northlane. The band brings classic contemporary metalcore: fast and aggressive instrumental, and heavy vocals intercalated with clean vocals. The band differentiates by having a purpose that goes beyond music, showed in their most recente album Ark, which deals environmental subjects. The band has already showed up to be supportive of Sea Shepherd, an organization that has the objective of preserving sea life. In Hearts Wake, as much as other young bands, supports a forward thinking, vinculated to the real problems of the world. The music video for Nomad, yet simple, brings a crowd formed only of girls while the band plays, and that carries a huge meaning: including girls in the scene. It’s like saying “you girls are very welcome here!”, and such attitude is important, seen the majoritary number of men inside metalcore, such as fans as well as musicians.

There is a band very little known, but which grabbed hardly my attention some years ago, when they released their second album. I’m talking about Feed Her To The Sharks and their second album Savage Seas. It’s a band that drinks from elements that are common to metalcore, but in a lovely way. There is a different aggressiveness, with raw and energy-filled vocals. Their melodies and their breakdowns are beautiful, and it’s impossible not to listen to their songs and soon start to sing along. They are from Melbourne, and as other bands, they seem not to like much their hometown, having a song called Fuck Melbourne. Unfortunately the band has been quiet during this year, but some days ago they announced that they preparing their best album yet to be released as soon as possible. The hype is insane.

It would be an enormous heresy not to mention the Australian band that emerged in the past few years, released their debut album this year and are already touring Europe: Polaris. These youngsters are a force for the future of metalcore in a way few manage to be. Ryan Siew, one of the band’s guitarists, is only 19 and plays in an extremely professional level. Before checking out Polaris, I first saw his cover of Periphery’s Marigold. I was shocked at his ability and went on to listen to his band, which didn’t disappoint me. There’s freshness in the band’s songs, and an energy that doesn’t seem to run dry so early, since the band has only a few years of formation.

The purpose of this virtual place is not to talk only about metalcore, but also about related genres, so it’s totally admissible that I bring here a deathcore band. A Night In texas is a band with already some years on the road and that just released an stunning album, Global Slaughter. Vocalist Ethan Lucas owns super high-pitched screams that make me wish him to take care of his voice so he doesn’t lose his power too early. Some lyrics from the band make very clear their atheist position, such as Fuck Your God.

Obviously there are many other bands in the Australian scene, but I wanted to briefly talk about some of them, in a way that it’s possible to have an outlook over the scene, withouth leaving this text a long and tiring one. There are some links below from some other bands that are worth checking out.