KNOTFEST REVIEW
Knotfest 2025 was finally here and to say we were excited was an understatement. As fans from different generations came through the gates, it proved the metal community was in full force. As you walked through the crowd, the Slipknot costumes were present and we couldn't wait to watch the upcoming legendary bands for the day.
Miss May I
Miss May I were first up and we were ready to go, and they delivered a phenomenal set full of power. They Kicked off their set with "Hey Mister,Into Oblivion and Under Fire" and the fun and lively performance drew us in and got us ready for the on Slaughter of tracks they delivered including " Deathless and Relentless Chaos " and the heavy and growling vocals delivered by Levi Benton were on point and the narly guitar work shined through along with the heavy bass lines and hard hitting drums. As Miss May I finished off their set with " Forgive and Forget and Shadows Inside " we got a true taste of what the day would unveil and we couldn't wait to watch the next act Health.
Health
Next up was Health, an Electro industrial and noise Rock band from California, and they played a fantastic array of songs, they kicked off their set with " IDENTITY and GOD BOTHERER " and the band went full-throttle with an energetic live experience and spectacular guitar lines with pounding bass beats. They continued their set with bangers including " HATEFUL, ZOOTHORNS and PSYCHONAUT " and the thunderous drums, atmospheric bass guitar and energetic Vocals demanded roars from the audience and got everyone fired up for more. The set concluded with " FEEL NOTHING and DSM‐V" and the powering and irresistibly catchy music brought us in from the first note.
In Hearts Wake
Australian's In Hearts Wake from Byron Bay played on the weekend. They acknowledged the horrific weather conditions Queensland are having and they were amazing enough to leave their homes where all their belongings, family and friends are and still play for us and we thank them for it as they are going through such a terrible time.
In Hearts Wake kicked off their set with " The Flood (ǝɔᴉʇsnɾ) and Tyrant (ɹoɹǝdɯǝ ǝɥʇ) " and Taylor's brutal screams and Erich's clean Vocals created a wall of sound that was blasting at you. They continued with their Cutting edge Rhythms and guitar riffs and gave us a heavy metal overload with songs including " Earthwalker and The Unknown (Strength) " and the set was next level. The fiery Lead Guitar sent the audience into a frenzy and the Blistering Drums echoed through the festival sight as they finished off the set with " Worldwide Suicide and Orphan (lᴉʌǝp ǝɥʇ) " and they got us ready for the next set.
Hatebreed
HateBreed walked on stage and the chaos and madness started as they kicked off their set with " Proven, Perseverance and Honor Never Dies " and the supercharged vocals and captivating lyrics showed us what they are made of. The hits kept flying out of the speakers as we got to hear an abundance of songs including " Empty Promises, Destroy Everything and Last Breath " and the bone-crushing melodies and blend of hard-hitting riffs, catchy choruses and booming Bass left us craving more. As HateBreed finished off their set with " Driven by Suffering, This Is Now and Looking Down the Barrel of Today " you could feel the energy in the crowd and their energetic stage presence made the fans scream even louder and the thrilling atmosphere and the audience never stopped jumping and singing along with the band as they belted out their incredible songs.
Enter Shikari
As Enter Shikari came on stage Chris Batten's powerful vocals soared through the air and the blasting Guitar riffs, earsplitting Bass and Blazing drum beats commanded the attention of the fans as they kicked off the set with " Bloodshot, { The Dreamer's Hotel } and Arguing With Thermometers " The crowd cheered for more songs and we got delivered songs including " The Jester, Mothership and A Kiss for the Whole World x " and the adrenaline filled pit continued and it was impossible to look away as the charisma and stage presence of the band caught our attention and the Catchy tunes that we know and love blared through the speakers.
Within Temptation
Within Temptation came with their A game and jumped straight into " We Go to War, Bleed Out and Paradise (What About Us?) " as they kicked off their set and the crowds was entranced as Sharon den Adel's exceptional voice beamed into the crowd and the crowd were moving and tapping their feet and threw their metal horns in the air. As the complex guitar riffs and Rocking Drum beats continued we got to listen to " Don't Pray for Me and Faster " and the phenomenal Keyboards and dramatic melodies made us groove. As Within Temptation finished with " Wireless, The Reckoning and Supernova " it shook Knotfest to its core and the iconic songs will stick in our brains forever.
Slaughter To Prevail
Slaughter To Prevail was up next, and they brought big bombastic breakdowns to Knotfest as they opened their set with " Bonebreaker, Baba Yaga and CONFLICT"
They continued their set with hits including " Koschei, Viking and Bratva" and Alex's impressive beastly and dynamic vocals hyped up the crowd and the incredibly catchy choruses, melodic riffage and double-bass grooves showed us what Slaughter To Prevail are made of and they revved us up for the rest of the set. Slaughter To Prevail finished off their set with "Behelit, Kid of Darkness and Demolisher" and the breakdowns and memorable melodic riffs were blended with breathtaking moments that we could only put into a memory as the set was over.
Polaris
As another five star band walked across the stage, we were excited for this set, Polaris kicked off their set with " Nightmare, Landmine and All of This Is Fleeting " and the catchy bass tunes and riffs turned the mosh pit into a epic frenzy and the crowd showed us what they are made of. They continued with hits including " With Regards, Consume and Masochist " and they captured the pure essence of metalcore with every lyric and the impressive low growls that brought the rumble to their set. Polaris closed out their set with " Hypermania, Lucid and Inhumane " and they delivered intense Drum beats and powerful guitar riffs and it was no surprise that they rose through the ranks of the metalcore elite and deserved to be on stage delivering such a monumental set.
BABYMETAL
One of the most fun and kick-ass bands of the day was up next, and man we were excited to see BABYMETAL. As they kicked off their set with "BABYMETAL DEATH" the well polished choreography and fierce vocals filled our ears with joy and we couldn't wait for the bangers that this set would bring. As the whirlwind of energy infused the atmosphere with an infectious vibe we got to listen to hits including " METALI!!, KARATE and Megitsune" and every lyric of every song astounded every individual in the audience with their unparalleled stage charisma and impressive talent and rich sound, it was a testament to the versatility of its members.
As the metal grooves continued, the last few songs played, and we got to listen to the last two songs " Gimme Chocolate!! And Road of Resistance" and they brought a blazing buzz to the audience. The set was truly electrifying, and BABYMETAL'S infectious energy was undeniably captivating, and the audience was fully engaged with BABYMETAL'S playful lyrics.
A Day To Remember
As we waited for A Day To Remember to walk on stage, the atmosphere was strong, and the crowd crackled with anticipation and a roar of excitement came over the crowd as they walked on stage. A Day To Remember came on stage and they knocked their set out of the park as they opened up with " The Downfall of Us All " and we got a taste of the hits to come. As they continued with hits including " I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?, Right Back at It Again and LeBron " the energetic roughness of bass and hooky guitar riffs and melodies hyped us up and made us want more. A Day To Remember finished off their set with " Paranoia, If It Means a Lot to You and All Signs Point to Lauderdale " and they turned the energy up to eleven as they hyped us up for the main act.
Slipknot
Slipknot is a force to be reckoned with, and they brought their A-game to Sydney this weekend. Slipknot opened their set with " (sic), People = Shit and Gematria (The Killing Name) " and the incredibly catchy tunes we know and love filled our veins with lightning, and the surging guitar riffs and galloping drum beats brought us to life and made us bring our electrifying energy for the rest of the set. As Slipknot continued with their downright brutal and vicious set, they turned the heat up and performed " No Life, Yen and The Devil in I " and the energy, growling vocalist, and chugging groove riffs turned the crowd into a mosh pit. Slipknot unleashed their fury as they played " Psychosocial, Unsainted and Duality " and the Circle Pits were in full force.
As Slipknot played their Encore the rapid fire continued and the crowd got out of control, we got to listen to " Spit It Out, Surfacing and Scissors " and the fans were crowd surfing over the barriers and it was the end to a great set.
As Knotfest came to a close, we had one last drink to raise a glass to this epic festival as every band played a ripper show, and fans across the spectrum got a taste of every corner of the heavy music universe.
