10 October 2025 – The Tivoli, Brisbane – words by Lucas Bell – pictures by Bec Harbour
After wowing fans less than twelve months ago at Good Things 2024, Sweden’s very own violincore megastars Imminence made their swift return to Australia for more shows. Imminence were a big talking point I heard after the festival. So many of my friends said they became fans after seeing them live. So it’s only fitting they returned to Australia for their first headline shows of Australia ever. And to top off the excitement, they are bringing one of my favorite bands right now, Inertia, out for all dates. We could not have been more thrilled to be invited to cover a show.
Before a single note was played however, we were treated to something truly unique, and something I don’t think I’ve seen at a concert before. YouTubers Nath and Johnny from The Break Down opened the show, with seats on stage and inflatable palm trees. They ran a quick 30 minute live show which involved games such as “This or That” where they had to “bin” one of two bands and keep the other. Some hot takes like Korn over Limp Bizkit were had, and one choice even drew boos from the crowd, which the boys leaned into hilariously. After that segment, we got “guess the song with accents on the lyrics”, before punters were pulled up for games of trivia and finally, “pin the violin on the Eddie”, with a cut out of Eddie from headliners Imminence on a big free standing poster. It was a fun time, and I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing more stuff like this in the future.
20 minutes flew past, before the stage was set for Sydney metalcore gang Inertia to take to the stage. I’ve gushed previously about my love for this band, with this show being the fifth time I’ve seen them since July last year. Opening with ‘Dying to Let You Go’, the energy was electric from the jump, with Leviathan following on, and having the crowd jumping. Lead vocalist Julian Latouche introduced the band, and stated they were back in Brisbane tonight to fuck around. He asked the Brisbane crowd to open up a pit before ‘Dominion’ absolutely rocked The Tivoli, which drew massive applause.
Inertia – The Tivoli – photos by Bec Harbour
Latouche shouted out their debut record Second Shadow, before ‘Static’, then the title track from that record. I’ve been vocal about my love for the track ‘Second Shadow’, even mentioning it to Julian himself in an interview we did earlier in the year. It’s so awesome to see the band embracing the track as part of the setlist now. We got the only older song of the night next, with Parallels, before being given the two song warning for ‘Too Far Gone’, and set closer ‘Lament’, which surprised me as I didn’t think they’d close on it. But this track as a closer is beautiful. Inertia will be on Good Things in December. Make sure you catch them if you’re going. One of the best metalcore bands going right now in this amazing scene I love.
Another 30 minutes past before the main event, and something I have advocated for in the past, is the random shenanigans that happen between sets. Sometimes, crowds get a little restless. I remember at the You Me at Six farewell shows at the start of the year, everyone was singing loud to Breaking Benjamin and Linkin Park. Static-X had mosh pits for songs playing in the break. And last night, we had something else I’ve truly never seen before. One by one, the people that were on the barrier of the balcony were encouraged by the floor crowd, to do “slut drops”. To the point, where between drops, the crowd was chanting for them. And all but one person did it, who turned his back to the crowd and copped major boo’s, which was hilarious. But watching metal dudes in their 30s and 40s ripping slut drops for other metal dudes was genuinely one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen at a concert, and we need it more.
Imminence – The Tivoli – photos by Bec Harbour
Another 30 goes by, as the lights dim for Imminence. The band was here last year for Good Things 2024, so to see internationals back so soon is awesome. I also missed them last year as I spent most of my time doing on-site interviews. Having their debut headline Australian show be my first experience was something I was very much looking forward to. The set was very heavy on tracks from their latest record, The Black, which took up a monumental ten of the fourteen songs performed. But they did open with the song ‘Temptation’, off their 2021 record, Heavy in Hiding, which I don’t think the crowd was anticipating. Absolutely banger of a track.
Imminence – The Tivoli – photos by Bec Harbour
We got four The Black tracks back to back (try saying that five times in a row), with ‘Desolation’ being immediately kicked into once ‘Temptation’ finished, and ‘Heaven Shall Burn’ went absolutely nuts. Vocalist Eddie Berg said a quick hello, before asking for “the biggest circle pit this room has ever seen”, for ‘Beyond the Pale’. I listened to this record a tonne last year, and I honestly forgot they did this song. It’s one of my favourites from the album, and hearing it live was simply brilliant. Berg spoke on the significance of tonight’s show, acknowledging that it is the first time Imminence are playing a headline show in Australia, and the crowd exploded for that. ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ was played next, and I’m not going to lie, the bass drums were so heavy, I thought my heart was going to skip a beat.
Imminence – The Tivoli – photos by Bec Harbour
‘Erase’ was up next, which drew a massive ovation from the jump, and a huge sing along from the crowd on the opening lyrics. The crowd absolutely loved hearing this track, with claps through the chorus, and guitarist Alex Arnoldsson thrashing around on stage like an absolutely madman. Berg fittingly asked if Brisbane was still alive, before ‘Ghost’ played, and we got ‘Infectious’ straight after it. I’m not 100% sure what happened next, but after ‘Infectious’, there seemed to be a long pause on stage, as the venue was draped in darkness. Nothing seemed to be happening, and we were unsure what was going on, but then out of nowhere, the prettiest aqua blue and white lights hit the stage as ‘Come Whatever May’ started up. I’ve never seen a blue like this on a stage set up before, but it ruled.
Imminence – The Tivoli – photos by Bec Harbour
We then got the instrumental track ‘L’appel du vide’, followed by my favourite Imminence track, ‘Hell or High Water’. I’ve mentioned in the past I’m a sucker for a slow, heavy track. And ‘Hell or High Water’ was a stand out for me on The Black, so seeing it live was so sick. We then got two of the newer songs, from the extended re-release of The Black that dropped earlier in the year, with ‘Death Shall Have No Dominion’, and ‘God Fearing Man’. These are tracks I’m less familiar with, but live, freaking ruled. Especially ‘God Fearing Man. What a brilliant song. Berg then spoke one final time, telling Brisbane “you’ve been fucking incredible tonight” and “from Sweden with love”, as the title track to their record last year, ‘The Black’, closed out the night. I’ve never heard a song be so fitting as a set closing song. Whatever Imminence make for the rest of their careers, I hope one thing remains the same. ‘The Black’, is the end.
