Florida metalcore band Wage War return to Australia in 2026 for a national headline run, bringing Orthodox and Heavensgate along for a five-date tour.
by Paul Cashmere
Florida metalcore outfit Wage War will return to Australia this winter, confirming a five-date national tour for July and August 2026. The run, branded around their recent release It Calls Me By Name, will begin in Perth on 30 July before moving through Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, wrapping in Sydney on 7 August. Nashville band Orthodox and Melbourne’s Heavensgate join as special guests across all dates.
The announcement arrives off the back of a sustained global cycle for Wage War, anchored by their 2024 album Stigma and the newly released It Calls Me By Name EP in April 2026. For Australian audiences, the tour marks the band’s first headline return since their appearance at Knotfest Australia in 2024, where they reinforced their position within the current wave of commercially viable heavy music.
Wage War formed in Ocala, Florida in 2010, initially operating under the name Empires before settling on their current identity. Their 2015 debut album Blueprints established a foundation within the modern metalcore scene, combining breakdown-driven structures with melodic hooks. Follow-up releases Deadweight in 2017 and Pressure in 2019 broadened their sonic range, while Manic in 2021 introduced a more refined production approach during the pandemic era.
The latest chapter, Stigma, released in 2024, represents a continuation of that evolution, incorporating elements of alternative metal and electronic textures alongside their core sound. The band’s single Magnetic reached number one on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, signalling their crossover reach beyond the traditional metalcore audience. The 2026 EP It Calls Me By Name extends that trajectory, drawing thematic influence from their Florida roots, with lyrical references to environment, resilience and internal conflict.
Across their career, Wage War have maintained a consistent lineup centred around vocalist Briton Bond, guitarist and clean vocalist Cody Quistad, lead guitarist Seth Blake, bassist Chris Gaylord and drummer Stephen Kluesener. Their touring history includes global runs alongside Slipknot, A Day To Remember, Papa Roach and Parkway Drive, positioning them within a tier of heavy acts capable of bridging underground credibility and mainstream exposure.
Support act Orthodox bring a contrasting but complementary approach. Formed in Nashville in 2011, the band have built their catalogue across five albums, culminating in 2025’s A Door Left Open. Their sound references metallic hardcore traditions while incorporating rhythmic patterns associated with nu metal and modern breakdown-driven structures. Previous Australian appearances, including dates supporting Stray From The Path in 2025, introduced them to local audiences familiar with the heavier end of the genre spectrum.
Heavensgate, representing the domestic contingent, arrive on the tour following a period of international expansion. Emerging during the pandemic years, the Melbourne band quickly established themselves through their 2023 EP And All I Loved, I Loved Alone and its 2025 follow-up A Heart Is A Heavy Burden. Their recent touring activity in North America has placed them alongside acts such as The Amity Affliction and August Burns Red, reflecting the growing export potential of Australian heavy music.
The broader significance of the Wage War tour sits within the ongoing resilience of the metalcore genre. While the style has cycled through phases of saturation over the past two decades, recent years have seen a recalibration towards hybridisation, blending traditional heavy frameworks with melodic and electronic elements. Bands like Wage War occupy a central position in that shift, delivering material that translates across streaming platforms and live environments.
At the same time, the touring circuit for heavy music remains highly competitive. Festival appearances and co-headline runs have become key pathways for audience growth, making headline tours such as this a measure of sustained demand. Wage War’s ability to mount a national Australian run indicates continued traction in a market that has historically supported both domestic and international heavy acts.
Looking ahead, the 2026 Australian dates form part of a wider global itinerary for Wage War tied to It Calls Me By Name. With new material now in circulation and a catalogue spanning more than a decade, the band enter this tour cycle positioned between consolidation and expansion, maintaining their established audience while testing the reach of their evolving sound.
Tour Dates
Thursday 30 July, Perth, Freo Social 18+
Saturday 1 August, Adelaide, The Gov Lic AA
Sunday 2 August, Melbourne, 170 Russell 18+
Thursday 6 August, Brisbane, The Tivoli 18+
Friday 7 August, Sydney, Metro Theatre Lic AA
Ticketing
Artist early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Wednesday 29 April at 10am local time
Promoter early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Thursday 30 April at 11am AEST
General tickets on sale: Friday 1 May at 10am local time
Tickets available via destroyalllines.com
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