Metallica Perth 2025 Photos From the M72 Australian Tour

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Published November 3, 2025 by Joel King

Metallica returned to Australia in explosive fashion, launching their M72 World Tour at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

It was the band’s first performance on Australian soil in more than a decade, and judging by the roar of 60,000 fans packed into the venue, the wait was worth it.

Fans who splashed out for the Metallica meet and greet earlier in the day were treated to an unforgettable experience, with handshakes, photos, and stories that proved the band’s connection with their fans is as real as ever.

Backstage, Metallica marked the start of the Australian tour by buying Evanescence a cake to celebrate the first night on the road together.

From the moment the opening notes of ‘Creeping Death’ rang out, it was clear this wasn’t just another night on the road. The production was immense, with a circular stage design, rotating camera rigs, and flames bursting skyward in sync with Hetfield’s trademark snarl. The sound was razor-sharp, the band tight and ferocious, and the setlist a masterclass in balancing old-school fury with modern precision.

Midway through the set, Kirk Hammett and Rob Trujillo worked a snippet of John Butler Trio’s ‘Zebra’ into their jam, earning huge cheers from the hometown crowd.

Across two relentless hours, Metallica tore through a set spanning their career: ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, ‘Fuel’, ‘The Unforgiven’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, and a blistering ‘Master of Puppets’ that had the crowd chanting like a congregation. Pyrotechnics and lights turned the stadium into a living, breathing metal cathedral.

Support came from Evanescence and Suicidal Tendencies, both delivering standout performances that primed the crowd for the main event. Together, the lineup felt like a celebration of heavy music across generations.

The night wasn’t without drama, with two fans arrested after climbing the sound tower mid-show, but it barely dented the energy of a concert that will go down as one of Perth’s biggest in years.

These shots by Brett Murray, supplied by metallica.com, capture the raw scale, sweat, and spectacle of Metallica’s triumphant return — a reminder that even after four decades, the biggest metal band on earth still plays like their lives depend on it.