Sunstate Sound Collective 2026

Our mission

Sunstate Sound Collective 2026 is dedicated to showcasing the incredible talent of Queensland's music scene. We believe in fostering a community where artists can collaborate, grow, inspire and lift one another up. Our mission is to create unforgettable experiences that highlight the power of music in Queensland and bring bands, musicians and fans together.

MonkeyFist Events

Monkeyfist Events is a Brisbane-based live music promoter focused on metal, hard rock, and punk. Built on the idea of unity within the scene, we work to create opportunities for local bands, connect artists with passionate crowds, and deliver unforgettable live shows that keep Queensland’s heavy music community thriving.

Featured artists

Sunstate Sound Collective Bands

Krave

High energy band KRAVE are a fast rising three-piece from Brisbane Australia known to captivate all audiences with their remarkable music, live show, and striking stage performance. KRAVE are a welcoming alliance of melodic, alternative and emotionally heavy covered within the rock and metal music continuum. The band delivers their sound with such intention that all fans of rock and heavy music exclaim they are addicted to what KRAVE has to offer. Their music unites a crowd and fosters a deep sense of belonging. That is why this band derives such success amongst fluid audiences who want to feel, crave connection and discover something irresistibly new.

Having played main support for American trash-rock Suicidal Tendencies and for Swedish heavy-hitters Avatar and Amaranthe, KRAVE have proven themselves as a worthy newcomer.

Sagnar

Hervey Bay, Queensland's loudest teens. Sagnar is Roman (vocals/guitar), Kye (bass/backing vocals), and Max (drums) — a three-piece punk blitz. Inspired by NOFX, Pennywise, Frenzal Rhomb, Lagwagon, and Fake News. Fast, fun, chaotic. Their debut single “Encore” out now

Copecaine

Copecaine is a Brisbane-based hard rock four-piece band known for their powerful sound and energetic live performances. Their music style has been likened to that of southern American rock, with hints of barbecue and whiskey-inspired vibes. The band's lead singer, Shawn, boasts a powerful voice that complements their clear and wel-defined sound.

The Brown Sizza

Hailing from the land of Bundy, Australia, The Brown Sizza are becoming known for arousing & corrupting audiences with their own special, sticky, and inexplicably well lubricated SPUNK (sex punk)

Their debut album ‘NOT YOUR CUP OF TEA’ dropped on July 20th, 2025, featuring eight alluring, irresistible tracks.

Tomohung

Tomohung is an Australian skate punk metal mayhem band from Ipswich, Queensland. They originally formed in the 1990s but recently returned to the scene in 2024 after an extensive 27-year hiatus.

Since their return, they have been highly active in the East Coast live music scene, releasing their debut album No Comply. Their sound is characterized as a blend of classic 90s skate punk with a heavy metal edge, often involving energetic live performances and "weekend warrior" tours.

Chemical Prisoner

Chemical Prisoner is an emerging Australian alternative metal and grunge band based in Brisbane, Queensland. Chemical Prisoner has established its own identity within the local heavy music scene through high-energy live performances and community-focused advocacy.

The band’s sound is a blend of grunge, punk, and alternative metal. Beyond the music, they are known for their strong social stance, explicitly distancing themselves from "right-wing" ideologies and AI-generated content in favour of authentic, human-led creative work.

Stroidz

Stroidz is a heavy music outfit hailing from Bundaberg, Queensland, known for a high-intensity, "brutally mixed" sound that blends various aggressive subgenres.

Fast, high-energy drumming paired with melodic keyboard harmonies and "rip-roaring" guitar work, along with dual-vocalist setup that adds depth to their aggressive style.

Product of Neglect

Hailing from Brisbane, Australia; Product of Neglect is a quintet that have set out to make some of the filthiest music to ever grace your ears.

Starting off in 2022 the band released their first single Perpetual Night, a taste of what was to come, their second track Cerberus, released to amazing feedback and not long after played the first of many shows. After getting acquanted with the stage the band returned to the studio to record their first full length album; "Synthetic Freedom".

PoN then played shows for another few months afterwards before once again returning to the studio for their latest single "Rituals".

Burn the Kingdom

Burn the Kingdom is a Death Groove band from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, forged in 2024.

Fueled by raw aggression and an unapologetic disdain for organised religion, government authority, and modern complacency, Burn the Kingdom delivers crushing grooves, serrated riffs, and venom-laced vocals with zero interest in mass approval. No subtlety. No soft edges.

The band made their explosive live debut in 2025, quickly earning a reputation for chaotic, high-impact performances across Queensland. A Battle of the Bands win later that year cemented their rise within the local heavy scene.

With their debut single “Vermin” dropping in February 2026 ahead of a forthcoming EP, Burn the Kingdom isn’t here to fit in. They’re here to dominate stages and make sure you feel it.

Heavy Sunday

From the western suburbs of Brisbane, Heavy Sunday blends lived experiences with melodic tunes to create our own flavour of punk rock. Established in 2023, Heavy Sunday quickly gained an audience and regularly gigs around Brisbane. We were finalists in the Good Things Festival Band Competition and are releasing our EP: Wrong Side of the Right Time on 15th February 2025.

Custard Pony

Custard Pony is a Brisbane-based rock band, self-described as a "No.1 opening band" that delivers a mix of psych-fuzz, punchy riffs, and pop melodies. They are active in the local Brisbane scene.

Seven Enemies

Seven Enemies is a Brisbane-based hard rock outfit known for blending hard rock, heavy metal, and punk into a distinct sound, characterized by intense live performances.

Blunt

Blunt is a rock band based in Bundaberg, Queensland, known for their gritty, high-energy sound described as "Gritty Rock, Dirty Pop".

The group draws heavily from 1990s alternative influences, citing bands like Nirvana, Tool, Interpol, and Electric Six as key inspirations. Their music combines edgy grunge vibes with elements of funk and rock, delivered through a powerful, melody-driven "Hard Rock Power Trio" style.

Nemisidal

Nemisidal is an Australian heavy metal band based in Ipswich and Toowoomba, Queensland, known for a brutal, raw blend of traditional thrash and groove metal. Emerging from the late 1990s Queensland metal scene, they are characterized by heavy riffs and a "monster music" sound reminiscent of influences like Slayer, Sepultura, and early Metallica.

Be a Part of The Sunstate Sound Collective

Sunstate Sound Collective is a Queensland-based music festival and grassroots movement dedicated to uniting the state’s rock, metal, and alternative communities on one powerful, shared platform. Built from the ground up by passionate supporters of the local scene, the Collective exists to break down genre barriers, strengthen connections between artists and audiences, and create opportunities for bands at every stage of their journey.
Drawing together a diverse lineup that spans heavy metal, hard rock, punk, and alternative sounds, Sunstate Sound Collective showcases the depth, talent, and identity of Queensland’s live music culture. From emerging underground acts carving out their first following to established bands commanding the stage, the festival provides a space where all voices are valued and all sounds belong.
At its core, Sunstate Sound Collective is about more than live performance — it’s about community. It’s about giving bands a platform to collaborate rather than compete, encouraging fans to discover new music across genres, and reinforcing the idea that a strong, unified scene benefits everyone involved. By fostering this sense of unity, the Collective helps build a more sustainable and connected future for Queensland’s heavy and alternative music landscape.
Driven by authenticity and a DIY ethos, Sunstate Sound Collective stands as a reflection of the people who make the scene what it is — loud, diverse, and unapologetically passionate. With a focus on inclusivity, collaboration, and high-energy live experiences, the festival continues to grow as a defining platform for Queensland music.