LIVE REVIEW: DETHKLOK @ THE FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL 6/4/25
Dethklok Photo Charlyn Cameron
Dethklok with Freedom of Fear.
Written by someone whose only life skills are dodging elbows in a mosh pit and crying over lighting setups. Photos Charlyn Cameron.Freedom of Fear
I still remember the first time I saw Freedom of Fear — Halloween Hysteria 2019 at The Brightside. It was a full Halloween-themed fest, and bands were dressing up. Freedom of Fear came out looking like a bunch of hippies or some kind of cult. I remember thinking, “What is going on here?” They looked like they were about to hand out pamphlets or summon a forest god. Then they played — and holy sh*t. The sound was so dark, so tight, so melodic and evil, I couldn’t reconcile the visuals with what I was hearing. It took me a minute to remember it was Halloween and they were just in costume. But that moment stuck.
Imagine a hippie cult summoning a black hole through music — that was my intro to Freedom of Fear.
Ever since then, whenever they play in Brisbane, I do my best to catch them. They’re one of those bands that never misses live — always sharp, always crushing, always worth it. Seeing them share a stage with Dethklok just made it even better.
Jade Monserrat - Freedom of Fear Photo Charlyn Cameron
Freedom of Fear kicked things off and honestly, what the hell. These Adelaide demons shredded like their lives depended on it. Jade Monserrat didn’t sing — she summoned an ancient metal force that screamed through every wall of the venue.
Their set was a beautiful chaos of technical riffs, blast beats, and that dark, symphonic edge that makes you question whether you’re at a gig or being judged by the gods of death. The guitar solos? Pure surgical violence. You could feel the crowd slowly realizing they weren’t just here for a warm-up — this was a full-blown assault.
Massive props for getting the crowd moving before Dethklok even hit the stage. Not an easy task when half the room’s still in standby mode and trying not to headbang too early.
They didn’t just open the night.
They kicked the f**king door in.
Dethklok Photo Charlyn Cameron
Dethklok
Now look. When it was announced that Dethklok was touring Australia, I genuinely couldn’t believe it. A band I was sure I’d never see live — like, EVER — was suddenly real, on Aussie soil. “No way. This is fake. It has to be fake.” But nope. Real. Metalocalypse dreams do come true.
For the Uninitiated
Dethklok comes from Metalocalypse, the absurdly brilliant Adult Swim animated series that ran from 2006 to 2013 (with a comeback movie in 2023). It followed the world’s most popular and dysfunctional death metal band as they accidentally triggered apocalypses, murdered fans with their sheer presence, and generally wrecked everything in the most metal way possible.
The show was hilarious, bloody, ridiculous — and the music? Way too good to just be a cartoon gimmick. Brendon Small, the mastermind behind it all, wrote and performed the songs with real-life metal legends like Gene Hoglan behind the kit. Basically, it was a joke band that went way too hard, and fans have been obsessed ever since.
Dethklok crowd Photo Charlyn Cameron
Dethklok intro
I wish I could remember the exact moment or song that got me into them. Something from The Dethalbum, probably. Maybe Awaken, maybe Thunderhorse. It’s all a blur now — just riffs, chaos, and animated carnage.
And holy hell, they did not disappoint. They came out to Deththeme, and the room just detonated. Brendon Small is a damn beast — dude shreds with zero mercy. Gene Hoglan? That man isn’t just a drummer, he’s a seismic event. The kind of drummer who makes other drummers rethink their life choices. Easily the tightest live performance I’ve heard in a long time.
Dethklok Photo Charlyn Cameron
From the start, it was clear this wasn’t just a gig — it was a full-on visual and sonic overload. The band kept to the shadows and just let the screen behind them do its thing. And honestly? It worked. It felt like being dropped right into the middle of a Metalocalypse episode — violent, chaotic, stupidly fun, and completely overwhelming in the best way.
The visuals were non-stop — animated mayhem synced perfectly to every riff and breakdown. And of course, Facebones showed up mid-set with a few helpful public service announcements. From reminding us that deodorant is a gift to humanity, to warning against mixing too much booze and weed — solid advice, honestly.
Facebones
Dethklok crowd Photo Charlyn Cameron
Dethklok crowd Photo Charlyn Cameron
Towards the end of the set, Brendon spoke to the crowd in the voices of the different characters. At one point, Nathan Explosion made an appearance to share his love for Mad Max — and, unexpectedly, Tim Tams. It was a small moment, but one that definitely got a laugh and reminded us why this band has such a cult following.
Dethklok Photo Charlyn Cameron
The setlist was stacked: Awaken, The Gears, Murmaider, Bloodrocuted — each one hitting harder than the last. No filler. Just straight bangers and full-body release.
They closed it out with Go Into the Water and Fansong, and by the end it felt like we’d all just survived a final boss battle. The crowd was sweaty, dazed, and glowing. Like we’d been spiritually cleansed by cartoon brutality.
No idea how I’m supposed to go back to normal life after that. Dethklok tore it up so hard I forgot what day it was. I left dehydrated, deaf, and very, very happy. They better come back to Australia. We’ll pack the place out ten times over.
Dethklok Photo Charlyn Cameron
