High Tension are arguably one of Melbourne’s most captivating and energetic bands. Meeting somewhere between the genres of hardcore and sludge, the female fronted four-piece have just toured Australia off the back of their sophomore release “Bully”.
Arriving at the venue just after Pissed On‘s set, I stumbled into what I initially thought was the scene from Yes Man where Jim Carrey goes to see Zooey Deschanel’s uncomfortably avant-garde electro-pop band. 100 Percent; its dual keyboard players, each with their own 4×12 cabinet, and a vocalist slightly reminiscent of Morrissey was an interesting opening act, perfectly juxtaposed by the slow drones of Lizzard Wizzard who took the stage shortly after. A psuedo-stoner band who have become quite successful in the local scene from essentially making fun of the genre, the group have ironically come into their own with their latest EP, Dankrupt, successfully merging the best aspects of the sludge umbrella. Hauling onstage their boutique vintage amps with fairy lights to boot, the doomy quartet are never without some degree of gloomy ambience, making them a consistent delight to photograph. While it would be easy to judge by appearances alone, High Tension are easily one of the most interactive and ballsy live bands that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing for some time. I would be lying if I didn’t attribute the majority of this ‘gusto’ to their vocalist, who needed no excuse to repeatedly dive straight into the tightly packed crowd during their set and pit with the rest of the crowd, all the while shrieking her parts with ease. The other members of the band, while limited to the confines of the stage due to their instruments, all exhibit a wonderful chemistry, fueling the whole experience of what is essentially getting punched in the face by music (in the good way). Many thanks to High Tension for having me there and be sure to check out their latest release, Bully, as well as the photos from the night, below.
High Tension
Lizzard Wizzard
100%
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-WF