Dying Fetus - Australian Tour 2025
Enter the chapel of riffs – Altar Bar, located in Hobart’s CBD, welcomed a sea of battle jackets through its door on a warm Thursday night. The excitement was high, for extreme metal legends were about to grace this quiet town; “I can’t believe they’re in Hobart!”, “They’re gonna be right there!”.
We all know what it can be like when the first act starts up - beers are still being poured, merch is still being brought, and no one has quite settled into the night of carnage ahead… Not when Ashen is opening. One of Australia’s own, Ashen are a newer, absolute stand-out death metal group. Hailing from Perth, WA, this four-piece has quickly made a name for themselves. They set the tone for the night, delivering a dense, crushing set of devastating riffs and blast beats that got the crowd headbanging and moshing in quick time.
When Tassie metalhead are given something good, we show up.
“You guys turned it up,” vocalist Richard Clements said to me after their set.
And things only got more intense as the night progressed.
200 Stab Wounds kept that pace up effortlessly. Exploding out of Cleveland USA in 2019, these lads filter old-school death metal through the eye of hardcore. Their music is raw, mean, and straight to the point - no frills, just pure carnage. Live, they are the kind of band that turns a room into a demolition site within minutes. I was in awe of bass player Ezra Cook; his hands danced all over that thing and I’ve never seen so much sweat dripping off a headstock. And these guys were tight; for all the surrounding chaos, they were on their game. Circle pits were swirling, spin kicks were flying, and by the end of the set, the venue floor could be used as a beer slip and slide.
Inbetween sets, the crowd sand along to YMCA and a bit of Bon Jovi to cleanse the palette which never fails to make me laugh. The room was buzzing, and vibes were high as everyone held their spot, not wanting to miss their chance of being so close to the greats themselves.
Dying Fetus have been tearing the extreme metal world up since forming in Maryland, USA in 1991. Earning a reputation as one of death metal's most technically ruthless bands, they are known for their precision, slam-heavy brutality and politically charged lyricism - and this was absolutley on display. A friend of mine used the word ‘reverent’ to describe the atmosphere, and after some of my own mild confusion at how a death metal gig would ever be described in such a way, I soon realised he was absolutely right. There was an aura of intense respect - a level of worship had filled Altar Bar. No one could quite believe that THE Dying Fetus were about to wreak havoc on little old Tassie… but there was no time to pinch yourself because there they were.
Ripping through a mix of both old and new songs, Dying Fetus had something there for every fan. People were soon diving off the stage, causing carnage in the push pit, and very kindly protecting photographers (me) in the front row. One thing I’ve always loved about metal gigs is the diverse range of fans. Young and old blended in the pit while those that sat on the outskirts were able to listen a little more intently to the incredible technical talent of this band. Kudos to the sound team who absolutely nailed the mix, “Might be the best sound at an Altar show that I can remember”, one fan said. It is also at gigs like these, I like to remind people how important hearing protection is - if you still want to be listening to blast beats in your 80s, invest.
This gig goes to show that bands should not skip over Tasmania. We have the crowds, we have the energy and we have the venues - all given it turns into an absolute sauna. Dying Fetus still have three stops on their tour in Australia. So horns up, thrash that hair (if you still have it) and get in the pit!
Thanks to Dying Fetus, 200 Stab Wounds, Ashen, Soundworks Touring and the Altar Bar for having us along.
Gallery https://musicfestivalsaustralia.com/event-photos/my-dying-fetus-australian-tour-2025
Review & Photos by Eva Dudes for Music Kingdom Australia
