More than 30 bands. Six cities. One night. One very important reason to get loud.
On Saturday, September 12, Australia’s heavy music community will come together for Blacken Forever, a nationwide series of shows raising money to help save The Black Wreath, the independent music hub at the heart of Central Australia’s heavy music scene.
Shows will erupt simultaneously across the Northern Territory, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, bringing together more than 30 bands on the final day of The Black Wreath’s massive crowdfunding campaign.
It’s part festival, part fundraiser and one massive show of solidarity from Australia’s heavy music community. And the reason behind it is bigger than keeping the doors of another venue open.
The Black Wreath
Established in Alice Springs / Mparntwe in 2011, The Black Wreath has spent the past 15 years building something that simply didn’t exist in Central Australia.
Under one roof sits a live venue, recording studio, rehearsal space, record label, film and art space, production facility and artist development hub. The Black Wreath says it remains the only resource of its kind within a 1,500km radius.
For artists living thousands of kilometres from Australia’s major music centres, that matters.
In 2025 alone, The Black Wreath worked with more than 400 artists from 10 countries, across everything from metal and punk to hip-hop and electronic music. It says its work contributed more than $1.5 million to the Northern Territory economy while putting hundreds of thousands of dollars directly into the hands of artists, industry workers and Australian businesses.
But the building The Black Wreath calls home is now up for sale. So rather than watch years of DIY work disappear, the people behind it have decided to try something considerably more ambitious:
Buy the place.
The Save The Black Wreath campaign is aiming to raise $1.2 million to purchase the property, place it into a trust and safeguard the space for future generations of Central Australian artists.
There’s something pretty fitting about a music space built through community being fought for in exactly the same way.
From the middle of Australia to stages around the country, bands, venues and punters are being asked to rally behind a place that has spent 15 years doing the same for others.
The Black Wreath describes Blacken Forever as a rallying cry.
We reckon that sums it up pretty well.
On September 12, Australia gets loud for The Black Wreath.
Long live The Black Wreath.
Blacken Forever Lineup
VIC
Psycroptic, Nembutolik, Womb To Tomb, Uncle Geezer, Fracture, ESPMayhem.
NSW
Witchskull, Astrodeath, Crown St Militia, BIFTER, Dead By Dawn.
NT
Southeast Desert Metal, SNAKES, The Holy Dimes, Nglah, Tombfeeder, Balaclava Peace Collective, with more still to be announced.
SA
Freedom of Fear, Bone Reaper, Sundowner, Biome, Apocalyptic Annihilation.
QLD
Snake Mountain, Blind Girls, Holy Stone, Awful Noise, Couch Wizard, Bunny Racket, plus a Lagerstein DJ set.
WA
Crypt Crawler, Forged by Fear, Dreamspeed, Metamourne.
TOUR INFO
Saturday 12 September
VIC — Singing Bird Studios, Frankston
NSW — Metro Social, Sydney
NT — The Black Wreath, Alice Springs / Mparntwe
SA — Ed Castle Hotel, Adelaide
QLD — Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Gold Coast
WA — Lynott’s Lounge, Perth
Tickets available here
