“Can you feel that soil covering your coffin?“
Words and photography by Anton Smeeton – contact Anton prior to any image usage.
Before the all star emo/hardcore roadshow of the Common Thread tour finished its run in the UK over the weekend, a handful of its most pedigree bands, Crime in Stereo, Modern Life is War, and Defeater, are treating us to a club show upstairs at the Dome. All influential bands in their own right, each has helped define the raw and emotional style of hardcore that reigned over the 00s scene. Tonight’s line up is a testament to the staying power and relevance of the sound that first burst onto the web and into the world all those years ago.
Still In Love
Icing an already rich line up are local act and bona-fide UK hardcore supergroup Still In Love. Fresh off the back of their critically acclaimed debut album, their sound is urgent and impassioned, fusing the disparate styles and strengths of their projects into a new and distinct creature that stands on its own merit. Their metallic take on modern hardcore has massive potential.
Crime In Stereo
Crime in Stereo hit the stage running with a seemingly boundless chemistry and energy that makes their nostalgic brand of melodic hardcore hit all the harder for it. They affirmed their veteran status effortlessly and brought in the first serious sing-along moments of the night. Following them, and closing in on 25 years as a band and within weeks of releasing their fifth full length effort, Modern Life is War set a commanding presence from the moment they walk out. They delivered material from across their catalogue with impressive urgency that lasts till a scathing “D.E.A.D.R.A.M.O.N.E.S.” closes out their set.
Modern Life is War
Defeater are something of an anomaly in hardcore. Despite the recent boom in popularity and relevance for the scene as a whole, their choice to create music based on a long form concept and narrative strung out along multiple releases is still entirely unique and unparalleled. Perhaps it’s the combination of that narrative and the sincerity of its delivery that has created the lasting impression of their music. The many perspectives on grief, addiction, and loss they share have proven timeless, perpetually relevant, and clearly dear to the entire audience. Cuts from across their career are screamed with a righteous fervour that threatens to drown out the band, breakout single “Dear Father” is delivered with fresh intensity and a stripped back rendition of “Headstone”, reminding us of the range within Defeater‘s storytelling. Tonight’s set is a triumphant showing for a band at the apex of their ability.
Defeater
