TommyyTerror had been releasing music longer than I realised when he suddenly emerged on the Adelaide scene in 2022 with a string of energetic supporting slots under the name of Syfez. He had been putting out music since at least 2017 in the style of trap with an assortment of mixtapes and Soundcloud-only tracks that sound – overwhelmingly – satanic. As more of the TommyyTerror origin story unravelled later during his career, he revealed that around this period he was a Satanist; he would go on to embark on a miraculous turnaround to embrace Christianity. He adapted his current stage name in 2023 and then saw his trajectory rise after adapting a more approachable style of hip hop. TommyyTerror is an amalgamation of energy, punk, brashness, introspection and belief who persists as an exciting artist.

TommyyTerror released his debut album, A Life of Terror!, in 2023 and it was as comprehensibly Adelaidean as any hip hop release has been in recent memory: an opening with a recreation of the now-departed program The Lesson on community radio station Fresh 92.7, mentions of local street names throughout and a news broadcast soundbite about a car chase in the southern suburbs. 2024 saw TommyyTerror form a tight duo with fellow Adelaide artist ALLCAPITAL and the release of their collaborative extended play, CAPITALTERROR!. At the start of 2025, TommyyTerror checked himself into rehabilitation and emerged three months later with the announcement of an upcoming release: Return of the Terror. Here are some of his songs that I enjoy.

1. “1AM ON RUNDLE” (with ALLCAPITAL)
2. “ADL2BNE!” (with ALLCAPITAL)
3. “Almost Famous”
4. “Brother’s Keeper” (with indigomerkaba)
5. “(FR)ESH”
6. “Let My Angels Sing” (with Skagzy)
7. “Manifest & Alchemy”

“1AM ON RUNDLE” (with ALLCAPITAL)

TommyyTerror comes through with something to prove with a verse on his ALLCAPITAL collaboration “1AM ON RUNDLE” that is brimming with braggadocio. “Sick of being humble”, he proclaims to be the greatest and reflects on the progression that he has made as proof. TommyyTerror is no longer trying to live by “scoring cash under [his] doormat”; he has instead realised what he is meant to be doing. All this is stated over a beat so laidback it feels like a weeknight at 1am on Rundle Street. Terror!

“ADL2BNE!” (with ALLCAPITAL)

“ADL2BNE!” has a title that implies it could be a celebratory statement about two artists from a small scene of Adelaide who found the momentum to propel themselves into Brisbane; instead, TommyyTerror arrives after ALLCAPITAL with completely unadulterated aggravation. He admits to drug use, committing crime and being a demon. One adlib he makes on the song is a pure “fuck you!” He still finds the introspection to weave in a quote by his mum that he needs to save himself and makes a promise to represent Adelaide while doing so.

“Almost Famous”

The penultimate track of A Life of Terror! is a celebration of being on the cusp of success. TommyyTerror is growing a fanbase, performing at packed venues and improving his life. He feels removed from what he deems as “junkie Syfez” and considers the day that he checked into church to rearrange his life as his “best day”. His voice breaks as each word that forms the picture of what his life was and what his life was to become spills across the track. He pulls it back together for the hook about how it feels to be almost famous.

“Brother’s Keeper” (with indigomerkaba)

“Brother’s Keeper” opens with a voicemail from indigomerkaba about his appreciation for TommyyTerror and closes with a verse by indigomerkaba which includes topics as wide-ranging as choosing the correct romantic partner to claims of being the greatest. The two appearances are pieced together with a beautiful verse by TommyyTerror who reflects on the changes that he has made in his life and holding onto his heavenly connection with a close friend who he lost along the way.

“(FR)ESH”

TommyyTerror on “(FR)ESH” feels like being on the cusp of something great. He starts the track with shoutouts to The Lesson hosts Baelz and Roc Biz, engineer Deeza and DJ Sanchez who was to bring “big shit coming soon”. TommyyTerror then goes into braggadocio: feeling rich after making it beyond days wearing shoes from Big W and doing harmful drugs. The brief hook that appears at the end of the song’s sole verse sums up how fleeting it can all be: “say she love me now / she gonna hate me by the next month”.

“Let My Angels Sing” (with Skagzy)

“Let My Angels Sing” opens to a story from 9 News about a car chase through the southern suburbs of Adelaide. It gives way to a sped-up soulful vocal sample that TommyyTerror then starts riding as smooth as a Commodore down Panalatinga Road. He gives love to his crew, boasts about what he is about to do, makes a Ralph Wiggum simile and then performs a rare auto-tuned bridge (which sounds really good! He should do more!). Skagzy also turns in a good appearance and maintains the rhythm from his host.

“Manifest & Alchemy”

TommyyTerror expresses his soul throughout “Manifest & Alchemy” with the expectations placed upon him by both himself and others. He again confesses to his lifestyle of petty crime but seeks forgiveness after having progressed past that. TommyyTerror even sings on the hook: “gonna make it out the streets / manifest and alchemy / and they doubting me / but I’m proud to be what I’m bound to be.” An electric guitar emerges in the second half of the track behind his vocals to lift it to epic levels.