Review: Helmet at Magnet House
Helmet at Magnet House
w/ Guild and Whiskey Au Go GO
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
There has always been a unique gravity between Helmet and Australia, a bond built on a shared language of heavy, no-frills rock and solidified by the Perth roots of founding member Pete Mengede. So there was no surprise when the Magnet House filled with both new and old fans on a school night to receive the grinding force of alt-metal’s original subversives on their latest visit to the west coast.
Opening the night were Broome-based Whiskey Au Go GO. Having regrouped in 2025, the four-piece were keen to showcase their hardened take on all things rock. Anchored by a powerhouse female lead, the band proved remarkably tight, providing a driving foundation that got the sizable early crowd in the mood.
Perth locals Guild followed, shifting the mood into something more atmospheric and expansive while retaining a muscular, Sabbath-esque framework. The five-piece, formerly known as The Wedges, have gained significant traction since their rebrand, and they showcased why with a performance that felt less like a collection of songs and more like a series of epic sagas.
Drawing from the stoner-rock and psychedelic corners of the heavy rock spectrum, there was a technical dexterity that flowed liberally but never loosely. Featuring another formidable frontwoman in Molly Corderoy, whose vocal range cut through the mix like a serrated blade, the band was a whirlwind on stage, with the members’ long hair flying in unison, perfectly mirroring the heavy, rhythmic undulations of their output.
By the time Helmet hit the stage, Magnet House was packed elbow to elbow, and right from the outset, the band proved they were every bit as heavy and clinical as the day they started. The setlist was a calculated assault: a blistering Ironhead saw bandleader Page Hamilton setting the pace as he spat out the vocals, while Give It literally did what it said on the tin, its pummelling outro getting right to the core of what Helmet has always been about.
Elsewhere, Milquetoast, with its unrelenting riffage and foundation-shaking rhythmic rumble, was another early highlight, while Holiday from 2023’s LEFT showcased the band’s continued musical growth. The track melds the group’s heavier and melodic sides into one hefty chunk of rock, all topped with a rare epic lead solo that Hamilton delighted in showing off.
Mid-set, the band offered up a warm moment by showcasing a reunion with 2000s-era member and Perth local Jimmy Thompson. Thompson took over on guitar duties for the hardened stomper …Pure, recreating an old faux pas at the songs outro by making his way stage left and into Hamilton’s space. Laughing and mockingly kicking out to get the guitarist back to his side of the stage, the moment highlighted the fun, jokey side of the group.
From here, the band jumped back into a more serious mood as they steamrolled their way to the end of the set. The rhythmically stuttering Vaccination, with its refrain that starts with the lyric “humble goals” (and not “hamburgers” as I only just discovered aged today years old) was a stand out, while an epic rendition of Unsung and set closer Bury Me from the Monochrome LP ensured sweat flowed out of every pore at the front of the mosh.
Returning at the behest of a rabid audience for an encore, Hamilton and crew had the room firmly in their crosshairs. Starting with the jangling, discordant Speechless, the band quickly segued into the high-octane Wilma’s Rainbow before finishing with the brutally rhythmic fan favourite In The Meantime.
Having finished their masterclass in tension and release, the band bid the rapturous audience farewell with the room still ringing and the floorboards vibrating from the sheer volume. It was loud, it was visceral, and it was exactly the kind of precision-engineered chaos we’ve come to expect each time Helmet comes to town.
MICHAEL HOLLICK
Photos by Adrian Thomson
