10 May 2025 – The Triffid, Brisbane – words by Lucas Bell – pictures by Bec Harbour
Just two short years after their last trek back to Australia, California metalcore kings Of Mice and Men made their highly anticipated return to Australia. Armed with a new record, Another Miracle, the four piece rained chaos and fun all over Brisbane on Sunday night. And with a supporting slot from Japanese metalcore legends Crystal Lake, who were on their first tour of Australia in eight years, and the titans of metalcore social media themselves, Patient Sixty Seven, in tow, this was guaranteed to be a crazy fun night.
The Perth based meme lords were out first, and as is to be expected, crushed a massive 30 minute set. Opening the set with ‘Barricade’, the set was a relentless mixture of the best tunes this four piece have in their back pocket. Vocalist Tom Kiely jumped on the barrier towards the end of my favourite song, ‘Nothing Inspires Forgiveness Quite Like Revenge’, as Kiely was chatty with the crowd all night, making sure everyone was having fun. The crowd split for the first wall of death of the night for ‘Hibbertia’, and Kiely shouted out Brisbane as his favourite stop on the tour, and they were only three songs in.
Patient Sixty Seven – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
After hyping the return of Crystal Lake, and the headliners in Of Mice and Men, Kiely made mention that this tour has been such an incredible opportunity from an incredible band. Kiely also made sure to tell the crowd how much they were a part of the success of nights like tonight. And to celebrate, they played their newest song, ‘Catch 22’. This was a newer one that was a total banger. Hopefully this is out sooner rather than later. Kiely mentioned the importance of band merch, and how much it directly helps bands. A sentiment I fully endorse. They closed out on ‘Shed My Skin’ and ‘Scattered’ to close out an incredible start to an incredible night.
Crystal Lake were out next, and these shows were lined up to be shows not to miss. When a band loses a vocalist, months before some overdue touring, it would be within reason that the band focus on getting a new permanent vocalist in. But not Crystal Lake. Instead, they recruited a man who I believe is one of the most underrated vocalists in Japanese metal right now, Kang ‘PK’ Hyun from Prompts. Seeing PK slot into the lead vocalist role for this tour was something special. The band walked out, with Hyun introducing Crystal Lake, as the set opener ‘Everblack’ kicked in. The pit immediately opened and despite it only being an eight song set, for 50 minutes, Brisbane belonged to Crystal Lake.
Crystal Lake – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
After ‘Blüdgod’, Hyun asked who had been to a Crystal Lake show before, and dedicated the next song ‘Prometheus’ to the oldheads, with demands for a massive circle pit, which Brisbane was glad to oblige. ‘SIX FEET UNDER’ got Brisbane nice and sweaty, before Hyun talked about how it had been six long years since Crystal Lake had been to Australia. He asked for the crowds energy for the biggest throwback of the night, with ‘BURNING OUR LIVES’, before we got the triple whammy of emotional tracks to close the show out with ‘The Weight of Sound’, ‘Lost in Forever’, and ‘Apollo’, with Hyun signing off with a massive “we are Crystal fucking Lake”, as the band posed for photos with the crowd and I wiped a small tear away from seeing one of the GOATs rip an incredible set out.
Crystal Lake – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
As the crowd was jamming to songs like ‘Last Resort’ by Papa Roach, ‘Papercut’ by Linkin Park, and ‘Break Stuff’ by Limp Bizkit, the final lyric of ‘Break Stuff’ saw the entire Triffid go black, as Of Mice and Men walked out to a massive ovation. Vocalist Aaron Pauley acknowledged the crowd with a simple “what the fuck is up Brisbane” as they kicked off their set with the title track of their latest record, Another Miracle. Despite being a tour for the new record, there was a tonne of stuff of 2014’s Restoring Force, as we got ‘Feels Like Forever’, which was dedicated to a guy named Matt in the crowd who’s birthday it was, and ‘You Make Me Sick’, which Pauley simply asked if Brisbane liked heavy music before they played it.
Of Mice and Men – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
Pauley asked if Brissy was having a good time, before politely asking for Brisbane to clap along for the intro to ‘Obsolete’. There was then more polite requests for phone lights to light up the room for ‘Another You’, as Pauley talked about the song being inspired by the friends and family that are no longer with us. A touching moment and beautiful tribute to friends and family, loved and lost. Pauley even got deep into the moment, as he hit the microphone on his chest three times at the end of the song, with a quiet, ‘thank you very much” as Brisbane screamed and cheered. Pauley asked for another singalong for ‘Back to Me’, and dedicated ‘Flowers’ to the mothers, as the show tonight was on Mother’s Day.
Of Mice and Men – The Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
After the last new song of the night in ‘Troubled Water’, Pauley shouted out “their boys” in Patient Sixty Seven, and Crystal Lake. He welcomed the people seeing Of Mice and Men for the first time to the family, as he introduced the last song of the night, ‘O.G. Motherfucking Loko’. But alas, that was no the end. After a quick break, drummer Tino Arteaga ripped a sweet drum solo, as Pauley said it was too bad, we weren’t getting one more song. We were getting two, with ‘Bones Exposed’ and ‘Second & Sebring’ closing out the night, with what was my favourite visual of the night, in the stage being draped in green lights during the final singalong, as the band did a big ending and Pauley swinging the mic to close out one hell of a show.
