Froth & Fury - Review & Photo Gallery 9th November @ Harts Mill, Adelaide SA

Froth & Fury
Harts Mill, Adelaide SA
November 9th, 2024
Lineup: Left On Seen, Witch Spit, Devoidance, Signals, Sienna Skies, Dharma, Brand Of Sacrifice, Day Of Contempt, Future Static, Testeagles, Volatile Ways, Hands Like Houses, Thornhill, Fear Factory, Thy Art Is Murder, Northlane

In its fourth year, Froth & Fury has become an Adelaide institution and one of the most anticipated dates on the South Australian metalheads' calendar. A celebration of heavy music and of course, beer, it sounds almost too good to be true. I am here to tell you though it isn’t as good as they promise you… it’s a hundred times better. Let’s talk about this year’s festival first and you will see why Froth & Fury 2025 is a must-attend.

Slipping in nice and early, almost effortlessly as entry was smooth- I decided to head to one of the smaller stages to check out some good old Adelaide talent. Up first was the local pop-punk act Left On Seen. Dressed in a Barbie-core shirt, vocalist Ashlea Jaye wasted no time throwing herself across the stage. The band's fun and groovy tunes were the best introduction to the day's festivities. A little mish-mash of class pop-punk acts combined with an energetic stage show, it’s obvious this band is on a great path to success.

After their quick set, I had a quick wander around the site. It was clear that the move from the original site of Pirate Life Brewery to this year’s site Harts Mill was necessary. There was more space to move and see the stages from so many vantage points. From a scrumptious range of food trucks to many bars littered across the site, it was not hard to find something to eat or drink, or somewhere to sit.

A bit too early to partake in the boozy vibe, I settled with a coffee and headed over to the gigantic double Froth and Fury Stages. This is where I had the absolute privilege to check out the feral punk duo Witch Spit. With her shaved pink head, playboy bunny printed jumpsuit and black and pink guitar- frontwoman Paige Geard oozed with an unapologetic coolness that I could only aspire to have. On drums is the sunshiney Alex Hollow and between the two of them, they spit out some absolute bangers. Giving us a plethora of new tracks, including what could be considered a diss track to Geard’s ex-best friend/bandmate, it was such a fun set to check out. I know teenage me would have worshipped these two- and honestly, thirty-something-year-old me also wants to as well.

From Witch Spit to another Adelaide act Devoidance, from punk to hardcore- this band is another one that has been on my must-check-out list. As they began their set with an acknowledgement of country, they also revealed that their singer had been hospitalised, but the show must go on. The Adelaide hardcore scene stepped up in this moment with Louie Workman from Adelaide metalcore act KIN and Liam Welsh from death metal band Bifurcation lending some help on vocals, with their guitarist also switching duties. They make music you want to punch people to, so there is no wonder the pit got off to a great start. It was just the start of the immensely impressive showing from the Adelaide hardcore community- and despite any issues, they ripped. Their drummer is an absolute weapon, their bass player is throwing down unmatched lines and their guitarist, not only shreds and chugs like an axe master, but they stepped up to vocals like a pro.

If Devoidance put forth a great case that the local hardcore and metalcore community in Adelaide is thriving, then Signals handed up the proof on a silver platter. It is always a joy to cover this band because not only are they beloved by the community, but they also play every show like it is their last. Their second time playing Froth & Fury, as they played the first one back in 2021- the energy was ridiculously high from the get-go. Calling their drummer a machine might capture his ability, but he is so much more than that. His soul from behind the kit is felt with every hit. This doesn’t take away from the rest of the band, as they are as equally as heavy and chaotic. Playing a mix of new, like brand new release ‘Permanence’ and older fan favourites like ‘Burden’- the growth this band has gone through since their first Froth is massive. From start to finish, their set was a class act.

After taking a breather, it was time to experience the absolute beauty that is Future Static. The Melbourne metalcore maestros led by queen Amirah Cook on vocals lived up to every expectation and then some. Leaving the crowd in awe at the sheer professionalism and tightness of their set, they were hypnotic and exciting. One of the best things about them though is just their genuine love for performing not just their music but the love they seem to have for each other. It shines through with every note and action. The joy continued when they brought out Luke Taylor from Adelaide legends Heartline, giving us another insane guest vocal spot for the day. Rounding off the set with the booty-shaking ‘Gasolina’ and hard-hitting ‘Roach Queen’- this one was a highlight of the day.

From the queens Cook and Kira Neil, it was over to the next door stage to suss out Volatile Ways, fronted by the ‘goddess of rot’ Emily Beekmans. Taking the stage in all her glam aura, she shocked the less informed punters with her ferocious vocals. Accompanied by some of the gnarliest guitar riffs and squeals, brutal drumming and chunkiest bass lines- their disgustingly heavy set reverberated through the bodies of all those in the vicinity. Adelaide again showed why we’ve been dubbed “mosh city” by touring acts, the hardcore kids were relentless in their show of support. With Beekmans barking out orders to “bang your fucking head, bitch!” and “side to side, c***” between sips of her Stanley Cup, it was certainly a delight to witness Volatile Ways in the flesh.

Between the Aussie heavy music brilliance, I was able to experience some of the other entertainment Froth & Fury had to offer. Filling the set-up breaks between bands on the smaller stage by having Ironclad Academy put on a Knight battles (full armour and all) and later on in the day, pro-wrestling matches from Wrestle Rampage. I was also able to catch a bit of the Taiwanese Buddhist Death metal band Dharma’s set and received a blessing- something I needed to survive the next set: the return of Adelaide metalcore OG’s Day Of Contempt.

A generational turnout, with not only the band's children sitting side of the stage, but also teenagers belonging to those who were going to be sore the next day. From the first note of ‘See Through The Lies’, blood was spilt in the pit, and I suddenly was thrown back to those old Adelaide hardcore shows in the community centre days. It was a warzone. As they showered us with their classic discography, the urge to enter the pit for old times’ sake overcame many of us at different moments. From two-stepping to even some good ol' fashioned crowd killing, it was wild. Frontman Ben Coyte as good natured as ever, stabbing people in the hearts with comments like “this song was recorded in 1999- so last century” and reminiscing about the old Adelaide hardcore contingents- it was nostalgia in the best way. As they made their way through their set, Coyte announced they were doing a cover and recounted a time about getting his nose broken in this band's pit. Of course, it was a Hatebreed cover. By this time, the band was also well into the groove, with Coyte heading down to the barricade and leaning into the ravenous crowd. Pile-ons for the mic ensued- the first of many for the remainder of the set. If Hatebreed wasn’t enough to get everybody moving, then the next track was- ‘Drain’.

I witnessed men I hadn’t seen in years pace the pit looking to throw down. The kids who were probably introduced to Day Of Contempt by their parents might have been faster, but the seasoned moshers took control here. Finishing off their set with ‘One By One’, it wave of nostalgia hit me, as the reality hit that the band that set the foundations of my love for Australian metalcore and hardcore still could make me feel like I’m hearing a breakdown for the first time.

Backing up Day Of Contempt’s set was going to be a hard sell for this reviewer but the current crop of Australian heavy had this covered. Despite making the trek from Perth earlier that morning, Hands Like Houses came to deliver some post-hardcore goodness. New singer Josh Raven had a bit of convincing to do to this crowd, but he won them over with incredible pipes and a charismatic personality.

In masterful timetabling, following them were the lads in Thornhill. Leaning more into their roots, with a discography dipping more into The Dark Pool. They flexed their metalcore roots. Not only did they blow up a cab, but their drummer went through two snares- so needless to say they were ready to throw down. It was also a treat for the Adelaide crowd they previewed a new song. Frontman Jacob Charlton joked, “You might like it, it sounds nothing like Heroine, ” – taking aim at critics of their most recent sound. Punchy, heavy and leaning into a nu-metalcore kind of vibe, this set from the lads left Adelaide fans with curiosity about the band's next steps.

After all of those breakdowns, it was time for a cheeky dinner break, but I returned just in time for one the biggest bands on the bill- the Aussie deathcore legends Thy Art Is Murder. Starting their set with the iconic Vengaboys introduction as the sunset over Harts Mill, circle pits of enthusiastic metalheads erupted. The juxtaposition from the pop classic to the sheer viciousness of Thy Art Is Murder’s music never fails to overwhelm but in the best way. Two walls of death within the first two songs- it was a good day for those wanting to go hard. From the start, they showed why they have been not just Australia, but one of the world’s premier deathcore acts for so long. They were made for this kind of crowd. ‘Purest Strain of Hate’ always goes down well and while 10 hours of moshing started to creep up on people’s bodies, they did not back down from showing the band just how chaotic Adelaide crowds can get. A sea of headbangers. Bodies crowd surfing consistently. One full hour of non-stop ferocity. It was everything you wanted in a deathcore set and more.

I am not going to lie; I was not sure how anybody was going to top Thy Art Is Murder but I underestimated our headliners Northlane. Crashing over the audience with a tidal wave of sound, it was not long ago the band had toured here but the enthusiasm did not waiver. With Marcus Bridge’s hypnotic vocals and the band's intricately melodic heavy style, the punters went from swaying to moshing and back instantaneously. In a diverse hour plus set list, including tracks like ‘4D’, ‘Clockwork’, ‘Bloodline’ and ‘Nova’- the remaining energy of the remaining Froth & Fury contingent was left in the Northlane pit. Finishing the set with ‘Citizen’- it was a satisfying end to an incredible day.

While there were some international acts present, the renowned Fear Factory and deathcore upcomers Brand Of Sacrifice included, Froth & Fury proved that Australian acts are more than strong enough to headline festivals in their own country. From this festival I could wax lyrically about the calibre of Australian heavy music in a thesis-length report- it truly was a day of Aussie excellence. From the upcoming acts to the current heavy hitters and of course, the OG’s- all were on display. If there was one thing, I could take away from this festival it is this:

Australian heavy music is world calibre and we need to support what we have here because boy, are we so damn lucky.

Review by Kayla Hamilton @kaylazomboid

Photo Gallery by Dave Rubinich @dave.rubinich
Please Credit & Tag Wall of Sound and Dave Rubinich if you repost photos.