Architects, Stray From The Path, Hand of Mercy @ The Corner Hotel, Melbourne (01/09/2014)
Whenever The Amity Affliction drop a new album that goes straight to #1, you can bet that a national tour is coming real soon with a host of great supporting bands. With Amity currently playing sold out shows across the country, Architects are one of the many support bands they've brought along, and decided to play a headline show in Melbourne on the side, selling out in under 48 hours!
I think it's fair to say that the English quartet are definitely on fire this year. First things first though, the Sydney boys in Hand Of Mercy were up first. This was my sixth time seeing them and I don't think I've gotten tired of their tight, viscous metalcore sound yet. Songs like Sick For It and Rumble In The Grundle were definitely known by the crowd, but there was virtually no |
movement, save for just two moshers. Surprisingly, even the ludicrously heavy Dexter didn't get a very pit heavy reaction.
On the bright side, the bands new vocalist Nick Bellringer seemed much more confident on stage than the last time I saw them, but a quiet and rather polite reaction from the crowd just left their set wanting. Jem from fellow Sydney act, Endless Heights, also filled in for the band on guitar, and it's always a cool thing to see this kind of friendship between bands. The band also played a brand new song as well, and from the sounds of things, their new album should be definitely worth the wait!
I have wanted to see Stray From The Path live for over four years now, ever since I first heard Damien on the Sumerian YouTube channel. By the looks of things, I wasn't the only one as plenty of fans made their way down to the front of the stage.
Now, for those unaware, the quartet combine the bouncy and funky rhythms and grooves of Rage Against The Machine with the raw hardcore aesthetics of Comeback Kid. This was really showcased in their opening song, Landmines. From then on, these four Long Islanders put on a very energetic set. They even whipped up the first couple circle pits of the night and got plenty of punters crowd surfing, with bodies flying over the barriers and many a fan trying to get on to the stage - much to the irritation of security.
Older songs like Damien and Negative + Violent were known by all of the fans in attendance, and the band looked happy to still be playing some of these older tunes. Death Beds, Bring It Back To The Streets and Mad Girl all made an appearance from Rising Sun. They also threw in the title track for some great sing-along moments as well. Newer singles like the bouncy Black Friday and the anti-police brutality anthem, Badge & A Bullet, helped to wind the bands solid half hour set down.
Despite Stray putting on a good show, Architects were the main reason everyone was here. I've seen Architects live multiple times before, but after the release of their latest album Lost Forever/Lost Together - arguably their best to date - I was beyond excited to see these guys once again!
The band didn't waste any time getting their shit together. Gravedigger, the opening song from the new album, was also the first song of their powerful hour long set. Once the song really kicked in, the crowd erupted into a frenzy! The band followed with a pretty solid set, mostly made up of their most recent material, but songs from older albums were given out to the crowd and returned with way enthusiasm and intense vigour.
Naysayer, Early Grave, Devil's Island, and Follow The Water all sent the crowd overboard as well. Bodies go flying, mosh pits seem to never end, everyone screaming along with vocalist Sam Carter, and one punter even shimmying up that terribly placed pillar in the middle of the room really help to set the off-the-wall atmosphere of the room. A circle pit also helped to spin the room for the vehement Even If You Win, You're Still A Rat.
While they aren't quite as energetic on-stage as other bands are, these young lads are one tight unit together - The Searle brothers (Dan on drums and Tom on lead guitar) are always in sync and Carter's strong, signature voice was also pretty spot on too.
Like Stray From The Path, Architects are an outspoken band, and they channeled this right into their live show by dedicating The Devil Is Near to the non profit environmental organisation, Sea Shepard.
Encores are a bit predictable sure, but I have no problem when the encore is for one of the bands best songs, These Colours Don't Run. Judging by the reactions of everyone else in the venue, that wasn't just my personal opinion either! It's easily one of the bands heaviest songs, and it produced not only the biggest mosh pit of the night, but easily the biggest pit I've ever seen at the Corner Hotel. Seriously, shit was utterly nuts! As the band was joined by Jon Green - Deez Nuts bassist - for the last part of the song, Architects capped off one great set.
I left the Corner with the deafening sound These Colours Don't Run still in my ears. Com back soon lads.
Alex Sievers
On the bright side, the bands new vocalist Nick Bellringer seemed much more confident on stage than the last time I saw them, but a quiet and rather polite reaction from the crowd just left their set wanting. Jem from fellow Sydney act, Endless Heights, also filled in for the band on guitar, and it's always a cool thing to see this kind of friendship between bands. The band also played a brand new song as well, and from the sounds of things, their new album should be definitely worth the wait!
I have wanted to see Stray From The Path live for over four years now, ever since I first heard Damien on the Sumerian YouTube channel. By the looks of things, I wasn't the only one as plenty of fans made their way down to the front of the stage.
Now, for those unaware, the quartet combine the bouncy and funky rhythms and grooves of Rage Against The Machine with the raw hardcore aesthetics of Comeback Kid. This was really showcased in their opening song, Landmines. From then on, these four Long Islanders put on a very energetic set. They even whipped up the first couple circle pits of the night and got plenty of punters crowd surfing, with bodies flying over the barriers and many a fan trying to get on to the stage - much to the irritation of security.
Older songs like Damien and Negative + Violent were known by all of the fans in attendance, and the band looked happy to still be playing some of these older tunes. Death Beds, Bring It Back To The Streets and Mad Girl all made an appearance from Rising Sun. They also threw in the title track for some great sing-along moments as well. Newer singles like the bouncy Black Friday and the anti-police brutality anthem, Badge & A Bullet, helped to wind the bands solid half hour set down.
Despite Stray putting on a good show, Architects were the main reason everyone was here. I've seen Architects live multiple times before, but after the release of their latest album Lost Forever/Lost Together - arguably their best to date - I was beyond excited to see these guys once again!
The band didn't waste any time getting their shit together. Gravedigger, the opening song from the new album, was also the first song of their powerful hour long set. Once the song really kicked in, the crowd erupted into a frenzy! The band followed with a pretty solid set, mostly made up of their most recent material, but songs from older albums were given out to the crowd and returned with way enthusiasm and intense vigour.
Naysayer, Early Grave, Devil's Island, and Follow The Water all sent the crowd overboard as well. Bodies go flying, mosh pits seem to never end, everyone screaming along with vocalist Sam Carter, and one punter even shimmying up that terribly placed pillar in the middle of the room really help to set the off-the-wall atmosphere of the room. A circle pit also helped to spin the room for the vehement Even If You Win, You're Still A Rat.
While they aren't quite as energetic on-stage as other bands are, these young lads are one tight unit together - The Searle brothers (Dan on drums and Tom on lead guitar) are always in sync and Carter's strong, signature voice was also pretty spot on too.
Like Stray From The Path, Architects are an outspoken band, and they channeled this right into their live show by dedicating The Devil Is Near to the non profit environmental organisation, Sea Shepard.
Encores are a bit predictable sure, but I have no problem when the encore is for one of the bands best songs, These Colours Don't Run. Judging by the reactions of everyone else in the venue, that wasn't just my personal opinion either! It's easily one of the bands heaviest songs, and it produced not only the biggest mosh pit of the night, but easily the biggest pit I've ever seen at the Corner Hotel. Seriously, shit was utterly nuts! As the band was joined by Jon Green - Deez Nuts bassist - for the last part of the song, Architects capped off one great set.
I left the Corner with the deafening sound These Colours Don't Run still in my ears. Com back soon lads.
Alex Sievers