Enchanting Australian Gothic Metal

 

Emerging from the sepulchral mists and haunted landscapes of ancient myth, Victoria K cast a lengthening shadow over Australia and beyond. This five-piece lead the Australian Gothic Metal charge with soaring vocals, expansive melodies, and bombastic songwriting that draws on the resonance of the oldest tales and fresh emotion.

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Victoria K first came to the notice of listeners with their single ‘Lacuna,’ which was distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Warner Music Group (Australia) and was an early taste of things to come with their debut album, Essentia.

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Soon after the release of the 2019 single ‘Lacuna’ ahead of the band’s first album, Victoria K were invited to support Swiss Folk Metal legends Eluveitie at Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom. Though this was Victoria K’s first live outing, they took the crowd by storm and left them chanting for more. This entry into the live scene set the stage for the release of Essentia perfectly.

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The diversity of music across the Essentia album is showcased across the four single/video releases – ‘Lacuna,’ ‘Forsaken,’ ‘The Haunting’ and ‘Matrix.’ While ‘Forsaken’ reaches into the darker corners of Victoria K’s musical palette, ‘Matrix’ by contrast is a fast and uplifting song guaranteed to get the blood pumping.

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Just as Victoria K were about to play their first headline show however, the world was plunged into the throes of lockdowns and the now-infamous pandemic. Even in the face of such a challenging time for the music industry, the band remained undeterred, and performed a live show streamed direct from the studio, which was later released as the DVD Essentia – Live Isolation Concert.

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By the time the world opened up again, Victoria K were ravenous for touring, and embarked upon an extensive trek across the Great Southern Land that took in capital cities and regional towns alike, from their hometown of Melbourne to Whyalla.

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Even as they toured, Victoria K showed no sign of slowing down in their songwriting, and 2023 saw the release of their sophomore album Kore. For this release Knight drew on her own Greek heritage to weave an enchanting interpretation of the story of Persephone, including lyrics and chants sung in Ancient Greek to truly capture the epic tale.

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The lineage from such luminaries of Gothic Metal as Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil and Evanescence, as well as Prog/Power acts like Evergrey and Melbourne’s own Teramaze to Victoria K is clear; however, with their latest release, Victoria K pay tribute to a more surprising inspiration, Madonna. In February 2024, Victoria K released their heavy rendition of the iconic 1998 ballad ‘Frozen,’ running the gamut from heavy riffs to more dulcet moments giving homage to the soulful and introspective nature of the song.

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In addition to Knight’s majestic lead vocals, Victoria K’s current touring line-up includes Charlie Curnow tearing up the stage on harsh vocals, Adyn Young leading the melodic charge on guitar, Ethan Colussi holding down the bottom end on bass, and the indomitable percussive machine of James Davies on drums.

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With Victoria K leaning into epic and fantastical tales, it’s only fitting they supported Blind Guardian at the Northcote Theatre on Friday 9 February 2024. The next steps of the band are limited only by the power of imagination as they tread ever deeper into the tenebrous realms of Gothic fantasy, armed with the power of Metal.