“Having come this far, I’m sure I’ll be fine.“
We trotted down to a night of bleeding edge bands coming through the UK’s post hardcore underground. The horseshoe-shaped crowd at the Fiddler’s Elbow in Camden provided the perfect arena for the stacked six-band bill, which kicked off with a nasty opening set from Living Spite. Despite being pre-demo, their sick screams and raw aggression immediately got London’s usual suspects throwing shapes. The energy shifted but stayed high with Not Like This, who delivered a refreshing blend of traditional punk and alternative rock punctuated by impressively tough solos. Rosary shifted gears with tender emo soundscapes, paired dreamy guitar work with a surprisingly sharp bite. The mid-point of the night saw Datura bringing some deathcore fury, and though the road had clearly taken its toll on the vocals, they pushed through the strain with a sheer, gritty furore that only added to the intensity.
The final two bands were starting off their spring tour together: Mountain Peaks then brought a moment of vulnerable “moomin skramz”, leaning into the more emotive and delicate corners of the genre, before Death of Youth closed the night with a blistering set of politically charged post-hardcore. Their set was a straight-up play through of their debut Nothing is the Same Anymore. Refusing to mince words, they used their platform for a fierce call for the freedom of Palestine and Congo, while making their stance on Farage, Reform and other flag shaggers crystal clear in a powerful finale of pure, unfiltered conviction.
Photography by Dobbin T – contact Dobbin prior to any image use.
Living Spite
Not Like This
Rosary
Datura
Mountain Peaks
Death of Youth
