Emotion Killer - Gig Review & Photo Gallery, 22nd August @ The Brightside, Brisbane

Emotion Killer
The Brightside, Brisbane, QLD
22nd August 2020
Supports: Hourglasses, All Hours, Hollow Doubt and Krave

On Friday night, I was finally able to cast the COVID-19 imposed shackles and attended my first gig since the end of February. Socially distanced gigs seem strange with having to sit down, and it doesn't seem a viable long-term solution with only a small amount of tickets able to be sold due to restrictions. But after absolutely nothing for so long, I will take anything I can get. Plus as an old gal who doesn't particularly love strangers up in my grill all the time, getting to sit down and chill at a gig didn't seem too bad to me.

Another positive we can take out of a not so great situation is that due to most of the state borders being closed and quarantine restrictions, the only bands that can really play in Queensland are Queensland bands, so it is an excellent opportunity for some local bands to get out there and show their music to their state. This was the case on Friday with five Brisbane/Gold Coast bands hitting the stage.

The first band I saw was All Hours, a band I have been lucky to catch before and who I think will be doing huge things very soon. They were such a pleasure to watch; the set was essentially watching a group of friends having a great time finally doing the thing they love again. Next was another Brisbane band Hollow Doubt who filled in last minute. The energy and intensity this hardcore crew brought was incredible. Last up was Krave, and holy goodness are these guys talented. As a three-piece, they made just as much noise as the other bands who all had more members and their singer Siana Davis' voice is *chef's kiss*.

The main event of the night was Gold Coast’s Emotion Killer who were launching their debut EP Tragic Life in a Modern World which was released on the same day (our review here). If pressed to provide one word to describe these guys, chaotic springs to mind, their set was energetic and passionate, but on top of that, these guys are talented and play technical music.

As soon as they started, Emotion Killer had the crowd pumped and throwing down as wildly as sitting allows, and there were a lot of hair windmills going on. The set started ferociously with EP opening track ‘Inside My Rage’ and the intensity never waned. The seven songs in this set each had a different sound which provided a fair bit of variety but the chaotic and angry energy was consistent. A poignant moment was the furious song ‘Bully Me’ which vocalist Shannon Loch explained was about his experience with bullying in school and he dedicated it to anyone who had experienced the same. It's such an awesome, angry song and a big "fuck you" to the shitty people we have to endure in life. Next up was ‘Dark Inside’ which Shannon explained was written a while ago during a tough time in his life, but after the past few months, it is as relevant as ever. As someone who has struggled mentally lately, I felt the frustration and dark feelings of this song but in a way that was cathartic and cleansing.

Shannon mentioned several times that he was so thankful to be there after all their hard work and to play live music again and that it felt like there is a light at the end of the sometimes quite dark tunnel. This was the theme of the night actually with all of the bands acknowledging that it had been a crappy time for everyone and it was so lovely to see just how thankful and happy they all were to be back on stage. Everyone at Brightside on Friday was together in the relief of finally seeing music and a collective “see you later” to the past few months. I genuinely had a lump in my throat a few times throughout the night- I knew I had missed live music but didn't know how much.

Emotion Killer is a band you have to get out and see. They are young and wild and embody all things that you think of when you think “young metal band”. There was a lot of swearing and impassioned rants about Anastasia "Palashit” as she was referred to. There was onstage banter between band members and maybe a few too many pre-set drinks to calm nerves from a member or two?? All in all, it was an incredible way to get back into live music, and I'll be keeping my eye on what these guys get up to next.

Set List

Inside My Rage
Postmodern Millennial
Vultures
Digital Heaven
Bully Me
Dark Inside
Subside

Review by Caitlin MacDonald (@cait_2tone)

Photo Gallery courtesy of Gethin Hill (Gethin Hill Photography)
Please credit Wall of Sound and Gethin Hill if you repost.

Hourglasses

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All Hours

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Hollow Doubt

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Emotion Killer

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Krave

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