A great evening of heavy hardcore from Germany - plus British special guests!
Tonight’s bill features four great metallic hardcore bands, so it’s a shame that the turnout could be better (seriously, what were YOU doing? Drowning your sorrows in the pub? Don’t you know the restorative power of hardcore?). That said, such is the passion on show, you get the feeling that even if only one man and a dog had shown up, the bands would have played their hearts out anyway.
Openers Soulprison treat us to an impressive display of synchronised headbanging from their guitarists and bassist, and are rewarded with some impressive movement in the pit at this relatively early hour. The Stuttgart quintet’s lead guitars remind us of early Machine Head in places, albeit with more of a hardcore slant. Like all of tonight’s bands, they’re happy to be here, and the likes of ‘Morbid Greed’ and ‘Thorn In My Side’ easily blast away any remaining post-work cobwebs in our heads. A great start.
Defiance take a slightly faster, more streamlined hardcore tack on songs like ‘Choice’ and ‘You Chose To Deny’. Their vocalist takes the time to advocate for women and queer people; a reminder of how, at its best, hardcore can be inclusive music for (and increasingly by) marginalised folks. The bouncy groove of ‘Kisses’ is especially effective in getting us moving tonight, and by the time the band (also from Stuttgart) close with ‘My Way’, it’s clear that they can chalk up tonight as a victory.
“If you’ve ever been abducted by aliens, this one’s for you!” That’s chain-mailed Overpower vocalist Matt with the quote of the evening. The Bristol crossover thrashers initially struggle with the sound mix, with lead guitarist Lewis almost drowned out, but things are soon rectified, and from then on they sound absolutely unstoppable. There’s a sense that – more than most bands of their ilk – they’ve truly found the sweet spot between hardcore punk and thrash metal; the razor-sharp riffing of ‘Terra Firma’ and ‘Forced To Live’ certainly suggest so. Essential, and we can’t wait for their forthcoming debut album.
Peace Of Mind get the most frenzied reaction of the evening, with ‘Seek The Light’ and their eponymous title track inciting plenty of flailing limbs and two-stepping. There are little in the way of surprises here for fans of the likes of Hatebreed and Terror, but there’s no denying the effectiveness of those granite-strength breakdowns as they hit with all the force of a ten ton hammer. The band have made quite a name for themselves in German hardcore circles, and with sets like these, they’re sure to become better known internationally.
Overall a great evening – thanks to Cashpistache Promotion for making it happen! Keep up with their future gigs (and the bands) via the links.
All Photos: ALEX GOOSE
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