Words by Belinda Quick
Photos by Justin White
Special thank you to Destroy All Lines
“Nature is inexorable and immutable; she never transgresses the laws imposed upon her, or cares a whit whether her abstruse reasons and methods of operation are understandable to men” – Galileo Galilei, Letter to Grand Duchess Christina
The mission statement of TO THE GRAVE is as clear and uncompromising as their sonic intensity. To marry the quote of another infamous Australian, “We belong to the earth, we don’t own it; we must share it with our wildlife”, the discerning vegan deathcore collective take it further via September’s scorching title cards: KILL YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL ABUSER, and NAIL AUSTRALIA TO THE WALL.
No Peace is offered to the Adelaide audience from the outset; local heavy newcomers ANATHAME see to that, stepping up to the Lion Arts Factory Senitaph for their lightning opening set. Producing a thunderous sound and amassing a crowd for the 15-minute furore, their sound is dense and provides the best Beserk beginning for the ensuing onslaught.
Joining the Deathmatch is CHAPEL HILL. The second starters afforded a lengthier set, vocalist Jack Hastings screams “for anyone outside, (to) bring it the fuck in!” The Purge devolving through Anguish, two-step and hardcore violence for “a new one, inspired by NAILs” is Nothing compared to what follows. The cover, an Anathema to the slowing decline of second halves, we’re encouraged to Eat Shit and “give it to the person next to ya!” Clenched fists and Sharp Eyes directed to the stage maintain the rage to the final scream.
The deathrattle of ALGOR MORTIS’s Cecilia Keane precipitates the announcement of a Lifeless lovesong. Eyeballs transfixed upon the fivepiece, an act of Ensoulment commences, as feet and fists fly in the pit to new tracks Flower of Flesh and Harvest. Taken from the forthcoming debut LP, The Art of Suffering, the band’s dual guitarists bow synchronically with newest member, Armando Wall, for Pig. Drummer Dave Seedsman’s cymbal annihilation like metallic sprinkles of Angel Dust, pure Mourning pauses to give gratitude to TTG and “new friends, NO CURE”. Spoiled for talent already, the Americans and headliners are remarkably still to come.
Rhetorically questioning “Who here fucks with To The Grave”, Blaythe Steuer answers in the affirmative on behalf of Alabama’s No Cure. Equally explicit in their ethos – Straight Edge Die Slow Fuck You – the frontman asks for “at least 10 more people to come up the front; I want to see your faces” in full animation for the band’s “first shows in Australia ever”. Behind the emboldened barricade, Spasms (never) Cease from the wild pit. The Americans “hearing about Adelaide and listening to your music since I was 15-years-old; it’s so special to be here”, and part of the hardcore Oblivion Crusade history.
Taking liberties from 2026’s titular record another query is posited: Is It Going to Get Darker? Abso-bloody-lutely. In real time, a hellish roundhouse kick hurtles outward and connects with a stationary observer; narrowly avoiding Brain Matter Displacement, his Ironclad chest absorbs the blow. Guitarist Aesop Mongo is stoic, Steuer is Slowly Turning Blue, the heat under his navy parker causes him to drop the hood and zipper. Convulsing in the Dark, the calls to outskirters to “pack it in” rebuffs the sophomore track’s Don’t Need Help title, but, obligingly, the crowd chaos swells for the final Hang From The Bible Belt.
Terrorfire eerily introduced, a pig-tailed Nic Webb leers out from the dark, prowling and eyeing the crowd. Dane Evans emerges to the whines of Jack Simioni’s guitar, middle finger raised, he expels a trademark spit to signal the start of the slaughter. The “coward free zone” shell-shocked temporarily, TTG drops NAIL MARY, a fatalistic offering to enliven the LIBERATION FRONT. Tearing through Deadskin Skimask, drummer Connor Kingdom’s furious Full Sequence percussion pulverises, the band calls for our “blood and sweat”.
“This is To The Grave, motherfuckers!” Evans’ explosive declaration preceding the DxE or Die anthem perfectly alliterates TTG’s dichotomatic nature. ‘Direct action, open rescue, abolition and liberation at any cost’ epitomising their fierce advocation of animals, bassist Matt Clarke’s words define the tenor of October’s upcoming album and newest release, Life Among the Septics. Still yet to unleash the second half act Of Violence, the split persona is cemented by seesawing tributes to breakout record Everyone’s A Murderer and 2026’s Torture Porn.
Every successive attack reinforcing To The Grave’s inexorable reputation, the band’s unapologetic power is oftentimes overwhelming, yet undeniably contagious – especially when witnessed live and in the close quarter kiln of Adelaide’s Lion Arts Factory. Adrenalin rushing to and for the cause, TTG’s Made In Aus closes. The atmosphere lingering, the message universal, with North America’s Nail on the cusp of being hammered, the Liberation army is set to grow.
PHOTO GALLERY
ALGOR MORTIS
CHAPEL HILL
NO CURE
TO THE GRAVE
