Saturday 21 February 2026

Supports: Ocean Grove, Paledusk (JPN), Heavensgate

Melbourne melodic metalcore act Thornhill kicked off their BODIES tour in Brisbane the other night and it felt like everyone up this side of country was there to witness the show. With the Tivoli packed to the walls, the show was slated to be one hot ticket.

I came in just before Paledusk took to the stage. Thanks to the huge line outside of Tivoli when I arrived, I didn’t quite catch local boys Heavensgate. Paledusk, meanwhile, lit up the Tivoli instantly with their chaotic blend of Japanese metalcore. Recalling seeing them on their first visit to Australia (last year?), I recognised their form onstage was tighter and more defined as a unit.

While Paledusk were still very all about that bouncy, floor-to-the-wall metalcore chaos, the cleans by vocalist Kaito Nagai cut through with more clarity. The melodies hit harder and the guitars roared with extra weight. It was relentless but undeniably fun, the kind of hyperactive bounce that feels like it needs a Pokémon battle soundtrack running alongside it. Naturally, it all spiralled into a chaotic circle pit finale, spurred on by the crowd.

I’ve always enjoyed seeing the boys from Ocean Grove and tonight was no different. They bounced in with ‘OG FOREVER’, delivering a very grunge-like ambience and from that moment on, every body on that floor was bouncing. It quickly felt like the venue could barely contain them. Still, this was Thornhill’s night, not theirs, and Ocean Grove treated the main support slot like a headline audition, throwing absolutely everything they had at it.

There’s never been a bad time for ‘Ask For The Anthem’ and tonight, it became recognised as the band’s infamous iconic track. Bringing the moshpit together as one, vocalist Dale Tanner leaned into the amped up crowd, feeding off the frenzy like it was blood in the water. Alongside tracks from their latest record, ODDWORLD, Ocean Grove carved out a moment of nostalgia with deep cuts ‘Intimate Alien‘ and ‘Stratosphere Love‘ off The Rhapsody Tapes.

Green lights flashed simultaneously, and electronic beats were pulsing as Thornhill took their places on stage. The BODIES tour was kicking off and with bodies so close together, the pit was raring to go. From the get go, the Tivoli splintered into shards of light, transforming into something that looked like the inside of a spinning disco ball.

It marked the biggest stage production the Melbourne metalcore outfit had ever brought to Brisbane, and with it came a tightly controlled, almost seamless flow. Thornhill weren’t erratic or explosive in bursts, instead the set moved with a steady pulse, each track bleeding into the next until the whole performance felt like one continuous, immersive body of sound.

I’ve witnessed Thornhill live a few times, but tonight felt different. Their sound gave them more of a hybrid rock edge and honestly, it was punchy as hell. The hype around these guys is something I still don’t quite understand and I’m still waiting on their moment to truly shine in this scene. There’s undeniable talent in the room and a meticulousness to how they construct their take on metalcore, every layer placed with care, every transition deliberate. But I’m still waiting for the defining statement. The moment where the concept, the production and the songwriting converge into something era-shaping rather than simply well-executed.

Review by Tamara May

Photos by Amy Driscoll

HEAVENSGATE

PALEDUSK

OCEAN GROVE

THORNHILL