Review: Paleface Swiss @ Lions Art Factory 03/09/25
Miss out on catching Switzerland’s Paleface Swiss tear up Adelaide’s Lion Arts Factory? Here’s the lowdown on what was an incredible night of live music.
Words Will Oakeshott // Images Danny Wallace
Paleface swiss w/Nasty & Hammer618 @ Hindley Street Music Hall 29/08/25
“Even the destruction has a sense of beauty.” - Nicola Samorì.
This award-winning Italian artist, whose work of figurative paintings and sculptures is inspired by 17th-century (Italian) baroque, has to a degree, an astonishing alignment with heavy music. Nicola Samorì’s works originate from Old Masters paintings which are rendered in a characteristic chiaroscuro technique. He then amazingly alters these images in a somewhat violent but incredibly inventive manner by scratching, lacerating, pinching and puncturing the surface utilising scalpels, knives, heavy impasto painting techniques, diluent, or sometimes even using metal.
Did you read that last word?
If one were to think about the many genres of heavy music or metal for a more defined depiction, the artistry is essentially a reimagining of rock music. At times, the imagery can portray dark and destructive tones, quite similar to the sounds involved with the “metal” genre. However, is this regarded as “beauty”?
That famed proverb, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, is undeniably applicable in this circumstance. While many people worldwide may not consider heavy music beautiful, or even Nicola Samorì’s creativity, in contrast, countless individuals throughout the planet adore this destructive and darker art form and musical classification, finding it truly beautiful.
On this night, at a sold-out Lion Arts Factory, hundreds of devotees justified this aforementioned statement. The three outfits featured at this event embrace a somewhat destructive attitude, and within it, there was a world of beauty.
Local quartet HAMMER618 literally had an instrument of destruction in their band name – is it all making more sense now? Before they had even struck a chord, pounded the drum kit or bellowed into the microphone, their message of moshcore madness was more than recognised, it was welcomed. The decorative inflatable hammers that adorned the stage more than likely communicated the direction the four-piece’s showcase was sensationally headed in.
“618 Hardcore, let’s go!” frontman Shaun Hueston roared into the audience, marking their commencement, as the ninja-mosh gymnasts were set into destruction mode.
‘Banished’ brutifully began the set with that groove that Sydney’s hardcore headman SPEED would have instantly admired, as Hueston demanded the auidence “Pick this shit up, you fucking pussies.” It was on – the venue was to have an assigned area for mosh demolishment and there was a sense of wonderment about that energised ritual.
There is no doubting HAMMER’s expertise in this sound; it is one to be in awe of. However, their sense of “fun” with their performance was what was truly beautiful. Shaun dresses not the part, but his part, so to speak. Imagine an ecstatic eshay with a monstrous presence, but with a soul that thrives on the joy of having a laugh and playing powerful music – this captures the band’s motif flawlessly. There was a maliciousness to their brand of hardcore, but there was magnificent merriment too. It is why they are quickly becoming nationally noticed, their individuality.
‘Alone’ featured Forge’s vocalist BJ Lines and was a spectacular sludge stomper that enhanced a brutal bromance onstage and insanity on the dancefloor. The sunglasses and bumbag were removed for ‘N.F.N.C’ and deservedly so due to the intensity of the metallic hardcore formula. ‘King Of Tha Pit’ was grotesquely great, especially with the rockin’ two-step recklessness displayed by Shaun and the audience alike. Closer ‘618’ was sent out to the beloved Cranker (Crown & Anchor) and incorporated a metallic severity amplified by the vigour of Shane Brown’s guitar crunch and drummer Scott Williams’ thunderous, hard-hitting.
Whilst HAMMER618 are regarded as a developed band, they are still, without second thought, growing and admirably so. Keep eyes, ears and other tools aware of the quartet – there are many remarkable reasons why they will soon be supporting Australian metalcore royalty I Killed The Prom Queen.
“Now there is nothing to believe in. So, I believe in myself!”
These 12 words were screamed at the sold-out crowd by the vivacious vocalist Matthias “Matthi” Tarnath from Belgium’s metallic hardcore wonders Nasty during their track ‘Reality Check’. Unquestionably, this is a beautiful directive and one of self-empowerment that each member seizes and relishes. Their motivation inexplicably radiates to their audience and it is prodigious.
This tour was to be Nasty’s first Australian experience and they wanted to ensure that our fine nation remembered them. With their chaotic, cathartic, heartfelt hardcore, the four-piece was not only able to engage their spectators; they electrified them. Landing somewhere between Converge and Stray From The Path, but only as a rough guideline, the quartet were dead set on enrichening their witnesses’ lives by encouraging awareness about the wretched world we live in and to stand up against it. These statements all tremendously transmitted through earth-shattering breakdowns. ‘At War With Love’ achieved all of this and more in under four minutes.
‘Hell Of A Show’ pointed a metallic middle finger at the higher powers who try to control humans as puppets, with deathened hardcore delightfully devastating that notion and collapsing that crazed circus. Frontman Matthi’s enactment of being a puppet, then passionately flaring up to a point of psychosis, was thrillingly theatrical.
‘Chaos’ referred to the decimation of the planet because of humankind’s impact, the pulverising breakdowns translated in a sense of irony to the breakdown of the environment, and Tarnath’s poetic expression was beyond sublime.
‘Ultimate’ discussed the importance of how we only have “only one life to live and to make the most of it,” including the wickedness of social media. This was driven home by the blood-boiling scream from vocalist Matthias and guitarist Patrick "Paddy" Gajdzik elevating his instrument as a weapon, uniting the audience with Nasty in a sign of imposing strength.
Consequently, this elevation translated into literal ground-moving jumping from the capacity crowd – that beautiful destruction was certainly luminous thanks to the passionate Belgians.
‘666AM’ erupted with a vocalisation of the groove beatdown (think A Day To Remember’s ‘The Downfall Of Us All’) with astonishing ferocity. The band actually showcased some of their lighter side with the frontman executing DJ dance moves and even the “robot”, while drummer Christian “Nash” Fritz re-enacted Saturday Night Fever choreography charmingly.
“Evil rots our earth!” Matthi exclaimed before the pummelling ‘Shokka’ sent shockwaves through the venue. Then ‘Total Domination’ was the rockin’ ruination to end the exhibition.
In all honesty, Nasty could have easily been confused as the headliner. They indisputably made their presence more than known to Australia. They were illuminous with their demonstration. This was their first visit to our shores after 20 years of being a band; their ‘Chaos’ is required back as soon as possible.
READ MORE: Review: Atreyu @ Lion Arts Factory 13/07/25
With a pre-show soundtrack that consisted of EDM and hard house music, it was becoming rather obvious that Paleface Swiss’ first headline show in Adelaide was going to be of an exceptional status. Adelaide was the first show of this tour to sell out, so the anticipation for the schizoid Swiss metallers was already immeasurable.
“Fuck you, Adelaide!” vocalist Marc “Zelli” Zellweger yelled as the crazed Zurichers invaded the stage. Without any further delay, the four-piece launched into ‘Hatred’, the delightfully deranged anthem from their critically acclaimed third studio album Cursed. A bewildering belter that mutates the iconic nu metal sounds of Iowa’s Slipknot with a deathcore thwarting, this wasn’t just an introduction, this was a deliverance into destruction, magnificently.
The jumping, sing-alongs, crowd-surfing and moshing were monuMENTAL to the point of overwhelming and Paleface treasured the hysteria. ‘My Blood On Your Hands’ was a wondrously unique experiMETAL track that relies upon just the glorious growl of Zelli, with provocative primitive rhythm as its musical projection. Without instigation, the audience enhances the percussive element in timed claps and the whole exhibition becomes practically ritualistic. It swells to the point of hypnosis and the entrancement is intoxicating.
The schizophrenic ‘Youth Decay’ gave rise to a deafening sing-along during the infectious melodic chorus, then a death-defying bounce that dented the ground below when the heaviness struck again. “Fuck me! Are you guys having a good time?” Zellweger enquired. This didn’t need an answer; the cheers drowned out the question in positivity regardless.
The frontman then explained during the first track he had bitten his cheek and could taste blood, which was in part to blame from the two hours of sleep the quartet had managed before this night’s show. A cheeky kiss from drummer Cassiano “Cassi” Toma assisted in resuming the fantastic frenzy, as PS exploded with unbounded vehemence and the frontman ended up atop the crowd, balancing on a barrier.
“Next time we will headline The Gov, where we played last year – honestly, Brisbane and Adelaide were our favourite shows last year, thank you!” Marc described with a gleaming yet sinister smile. The maniacal ‘I Am A Cursed One’ followed, where Adelaide was instructed to bang our heads and grind our teeth, the chant of: “I am a cursed one!” was terrorific and the song’s speed was practically incomprehensible.
A much-needed drinks break was encouraged as Paleface expressed their thanks to Nasty for helping them launch their careers and taking them on tours throughout Europe and the USA. Now, Australia was in their collective valued victims. To bring the show back up to its lunatic levels, a wall of death was instructed and ‘The Gallow’ was to be its symphony, featuring a scintillating guitar solo by guitarist Yannick Lehmann, allowing for his near-dislocated neck to return to its normal status.
Another kiss was exchanged before the mesmerising hip-hop driven track ‘Enough?’ was divinely delivered – the encouragement of “love is love” was gratefully incentivised, and unequivocally, the globe could use more love in its current disrupted state. The track then morphed into a metallic onslaught of nu metal and deathcore, which was all-in-all bedazzling and brutiful.
A stage exit was briefly undertaken before guitarist Yannick returned, entertaining all with Dethklok-driven guitar solos. ‘Don’t You Ever Stop’ suitably signified the four-piece’s return that simply stomped in absurdity, especially with Zelli’s laugh and animalistic whistle-hell-howl. The heat in the venue was at melting point and the vocalist threw water to the crowd in a beautiful expression of care. Paleface’s genuine thanks for selling out the merch on this night was felt throughout the entire CBD.
‘River Of Sorrows’ was an enchanting moment of reprise and beauty, a heartfelt ballad that hosted a cinematic value of love and care in its gloom. This wasn’t to be the end though, just a gesture of appreciation for the love Adelaide, albeit Australia, had presented Paleface Swiss during their two quickfire visits.
‘Pain’ was monstrous and ‘Love Burns’ was a charismetallic narrative of subliminal elegance with its moments of heaviness and harmony that Atreyu would be above envious of. A surprise encore of ‘Deathtouch’ took the majority of attendees by breathtaking surprise, as the hundreds rushed back in for their last moments of mosh madness.
You know those stories where individuals describe an event in the past that almost seemed beyond the realms of belief, for example, “I saw Alexisonfire perform at a sold-out Enigma Bar years ago”. Paleface Swiss at Lion Arts Factory will be that story; they left Adelaide in a wake of destruction. And it was beautiful.
Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.
