20 March 2026 – The Brightside Outdoors – Brisbane – words and pictures by Zachen Wiki
Growing up in the 2010 metalcore scene was relatively straightforward. 0-5-7 Myspace-core was on its way out, Australian artists were making movements around the world and bands like Veil of Maya, Volumes and Periphery were spear heading the new wave of djent. Introducing a whole new legion of fans to heavily syncopated breakdowns, drum beats and tasteful synth sections that intentionally filled out the overall soundscape of a composition instead of being a fun sound to blast over distorted guitars. Oh yeah, and Born of Osiris released The Discovery, highlighting their evolution from a strong deathcore band to a djent/metalcore powerhouse that has held its position as a stalwart in the scene for 15 years and the patrons that piled into the Brightside (Outdoors) were more than obliged to celebrate a decade and a half of that monumental album.
Flanked by their Melbourne based support act, Ironstone, and Pittsburgh heavy hitters, Signs of the Swarm, the Brightside really had to brace itself for what was to come because, I, for one, was absolutely not prepared for the sonic assault that would unfold for the next few hours.
The Australian prog-deathcore contingent of this tour package were armed with all the bells and whistles you’d expect. Dark clothes, exceptionally talented musicians, fashion model worthy haircare routines and even a bass without a headstock. The venue was a bit busier than I’d have expected for an opening act, maybe I’m old and jaded and people actually show up for the first band nowadays, but I’m sure Ironstone appreciated the sentiment all the same. Through their synchronous intricate instrumentality and commanding frontman, the Melbourne act had a mosh pitter or two, horns in the air and had no doubt earned the respect of the crowd who came out early for them.
Ironstone – Brightside – photos by Zachen Wiki
Reminiscent of a scene from 300, ‘This is war music motherfuckers,’ emanated from vocalist David Simonich’s mouth and if it weren’t for my camera in hand, I would have happily engaged in the war-adjacent activities going on in the pit. If Ironstone set the mood, Signs of the Swarm completely changed it with their relentless onslaught of riffs, growls and pit calls. Just like with the opening act of the evening, this was my introduction to Signs of the Swarm and I haven’t been impressed by a deathcore band like this in a long time. Following the Leonidas inspired war cry, ‘IWONTLETYOUDIE’ was a standout track in a setlist that was honestly full of highlights and epic moments. Patrons ‘WOO’d between breaths of chugged guitars and booming snares in ‘Natural Selection’, and the pit was in an absolute frenzy during set closer, ‘Amongst the Low and Empty’, bringing a close to undoubtedly the most chaotic action in the pit for the evening.
Signs of the Swarm – Brightside – photos by Zachen Wiki
It was obvious a few fans had cleared out after seeing Signs of the Swarm and getting their near neanderthal mosh fix in, and whilst myself and others appreciated the little bit of extra space toward the back of the venue for the headliner, I can’t consider the decision to skip Born of Osiris as anything other than an absolute atrocity. As previously mentioned, Born of Osiris really started to become a household name in the early 2010s, consecutive album releases of Discovery and Tomorrow We Die Alive cemented them as a band to pay attention to. Let alone demanding our attention with The Simulation and last year’s Through Shadows, their staying power is undeniable and their skills and abilities translate well beyond the studio recordings we have been feed for the last 15 years.
Born of Osiris – Brightside – photos by Zachen Wiki
Ronnie Canizaro’s distinct vocal tone absolutely shines in a live setting, and the Brightside’s outdoor acoustics did a lot to compliment the unity between Nick Rossi, Travis Montgomery, Dan Marinaro and drummer, Cameron Losch. Each member plays their part with perfect precision and clarity, which is honestly what you’d come to expect out of a group that has been doing it for as long as they have, and despite the lengthy list of former members the band has, the current lineup expertly soar through their entire catalogue so well you would be forgiven for assuming they are founding members. It wouldn’t matter if they were opening the set with the perfectly slotted ‘Bow Down’, paying homage to Discovery with ‘Recreate’ and ‘Devastate’ or capping off the whole evening with ‘Machine’ (objectively one of the greatest songs ever written), this current form of Born of Osiris might just be their best.
Grateful wouldn’t even come close to describing how lucky we were to witness this 15 year anniversary tour from BoO, let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another 6 years until they come back.
