Its been a few months since Thy Art Is Murder rained Hate down on the Forum Theatre and us here at Forte Mag are still thinking about it on the regular. 

As the monumental 10-year anniversary show for the groups breakthrough release Hate, it was a celebration of fans old and new, with a sold-out crowd of adorning punters flooding the Forums mosh to create one of the wildest receptions wed ever seen. 

Thy Art Is Murder

Wednesday June 28
Volta, Ballarat, VIC

Thursday June 29
Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

Live Review: Thy Art Is Murder celebrate seminal 2012 album on Decade of Hate Australian tour

Crowd surfers were flying over the barrier at a rapid rate, pyrotechnics were surging into chaotic walls of fire, and Thy Art Is Murder had the crowd in the palm of their hand as they tore through Hate from start to finish. It was truly an unforgettable night for the lucky few who managed to score tickets. 

But luckily for the fans that didnt, its now available for everyone to witness, with the deathcore heavyweights gifting  the full multi-cam experience on Youtube for free as a thank you to fans for all the support over the last decade. 

And with live audio mixed by Will Putney, and video direction by Neal Walters, the Decade Of Hate live video isnt just the standard Youtube...

Mystic Park, the groundbreaking musical project led by the acclaimed Shann Lions, renowned as the frontman of Bendigo roots rockers Four Lions, has finally unveiled their highly anticipated debut album, Silver Lining. 

Thriving with creative freedom, Lions latest musical creation defies conventions with its unique synth-heavy and sporadic sound, setting it apart from anything else in the current music scene.

Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.

With Four Lions, Lions has been earning his stripes in the local music scene with the bands trademark classic rock combined with textbook pop structures, featuring cascades of chiming keyboards that play off against tasteful guitar riffs, offset by powerhouse vocals.

Now, Lions goes beyond the boundaries of traditional songwriting, putting his considerable songwriting and instrumental chops on full display. Not only did he pen all the tracks, but he also played most of the instruments on the album, showcasing his exceptional versatility, virtuosity, and natural experimental flare within this solo project. 

In Four Lions although I write the majority of the songs, the instrumentation is shared; though with this record I played guitars, bass, piano, synth, melodian, harmonica and vocals. It was just Finn Keane (co-producer) and I set up running from one instrument to the next, Lions explains. 

Four Lions is more measured; this was on the fly even with my writing as we were recording for some songs like the end section of Wall Of Ice was inspired and written on the spot after binging on John Coltrane. 

With his signature vocals leading the way, Lions, aka Mystic Parks, debut album Silver Lining serves as a remarkable musical chronicle, delving into Lions personal journey over a transformative six-month period. 

Against a cosmic musical backdrop that seamlessly merges art rock, chillout, and alt-country, Mystic Park takes listeners on an unexpected and wholly unique sonic odyssey across 10 impressive tracks filled with self-aware lyrics and meticulous guitars that meld seamlessly into the surrounding synth lines. 

As a whole, the album draws from an eclec...

In a massive coup for the 2023 Ballarat International Foto Biennale, Instant Warhol will be exclusive on show, bringing a collection of 59 original Polaroid portraits of famous artists, performers, the influential and Andy Warhol himself to regional Victoria.

Arriving in Ballarat from 26 August to 22 October, Instant Warhol is a fascinating insight into the pop culture icons obsession with people, their charisma, and the fleeting nature of fame. The exhibition is a Ballarat International Foto Biennale exclusive and is only available to be seen during the Festival in Australia.

Keep up with the latest in regional art and local events here.

Andy Warhol was a devotee of the Polaroid, taking thousands of photographs between 1958 1987. His snaps were both social documents and art; many of the images of people you see here were later turned into Warhols famous silk screen prints.

Instant Warhol will arrive in Ballarat in an intimate collaboration with the Brant Foundation in New York, and will show us Warhols understanding of the superficial nature of celebrity in American society, his obsession with the people behind the personas, and the fleeting nature of fame. Many of the more than 50 images show the line and expression of famous faces including Mick Jagger, Liza Minelli, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton, many of which would later be translated into Warhols iconic screen prints. 

Vanessa Gerrans, CEO of Ballarat International Foto Biennale described the intimate collaboration similar to reading Warhols diaries.

These original Polaroids captured a moment in time and went on to identify our culture, our art form, our view of celebrity. Warhol was the inventor of the superstar and its fascinating to take a moment to absorb these tiny snaps within our fast and furious scrolling world, she says.

People of all ages will enjoy this exhibition and mini-series of popular culture.

Instant Warhol will be on display at Art Gallery of Ballarat, 40 Lydiard Street North. Ticketed.

Ballarat International Foto Biennale is on from 25 August...