For whatever reason, tonight’s headliners never attained the level of success their distinctive brand of metalcore deserved, and 10 years on from their peak the Alaskans are still plying their trade in Britain’s more modest venues. However, rather than reflect on what might have been, both the band and packed crowd treat tonight as a celebration.
Birmingham’s SHVPES [7] get into the spirit of things, with the singer taking it upon himself to whip up a pit by getting in and mixing it with the crowd, while the sludge-hammer blow of ALL HAIL THE YETI [7] gets heads banging before slightly outstaying its welcome.
The atmosphere in the room is palpable as 36 CRAZYFISTS [9] take the stage, with new number Vanish riding the crest of goodtime vibes before a colossal At The End Of August crashes down and unleashes rapturous chaos.
I’ll Go Until My Heart Stops and Midnight Swim are unveiled to increasing approval, and if loading the set with numbers from yet-to-be-released new album Time And Trauma is a risk, the heaviness and immediacy of the new cuts are lapped up by the pit and give everyone else a chance to save their voices for an unfathomably loud singalong to the encore of Destroy The Map and Slit Wrist Theory.
The enthusiasm and expressions of Brock Lindow and co prove that it’s nights like this that they live for./o:p
