Reviewed onSunday November 13
The hype was real as the sweaty masses gathered for a night of hypnotic rock, ready to get well and truly down with the sickness as American heavy metalheads Disturbed hit town on their highly anticipated return.
Twelve Foot Ninja are one of those bands who you may have heard about but never really caught on to – you could call them Disturbed’s Aussie equivalent, and though they’ve not been around as long as their US counterparts, seeing them is a sight to behold.
Frontman Kin Etik oozes subtle swagger; he’s a charismatic guy whose cheeky ways gave a boyish personality to the performance. A cavalier blend of reggae and rock lace the unique metal these guys bring – ‘Shuriken’ and ‘Collateral’ stirred up an impatient crowd well enough, so that come closer ‘Sick’, many of the audience were discussing seeing Twelve Foot Ninja again on their upcoming headline tour.
It was never going to be anything less than a fiery spectacle with Disturbed. Literally. Pyrotechnics and laser lights overwhelmed the stage in an explosion of guttural energy with ‘The Eye Of The Storm’, and you couldn’t call it a party – it was more like one massive leap, with people jumping in unison, fists raised as high as temperatures as the floors shook and voices screamed.
It was a sign of the times when the crowd was directed to get out lighters and smartphones to hold in the air through ‘The Light’ (sigh), but still, a beautiful sight it was to see hundreds of hands raised through such a powerful song, like fireflies frozen in a moment of unity.
But when did Disturbed get so… reserved? Though he can certainly pull off the more ambient and pensive numbers, singer David Draiman has taken on a more sombre persona of late. ‘The Sound Of Silence’ gave the band a platform for a powerful ballad that brought everyone together – though were it any other group, such a bold number among so heavy a set would have garnered some questioning looks. However, this was Disturbed, and the band impressed with the stripped-back sound.
For the encore of ‘Voices’, ‘Ten Thousand Fists’ and the immortal ‘Down With The Sickness’, the audience drew on its remaining energy reserves for a sickening and twisted display of fervent enthusiasm. What’s that, sonny? You’ll have to speak up, I’ve been deafened by Disturbed.
