Dying Wish, Overpower and Monochrome at Strange Brew, Bristol
“Drenched in sin, they shall never be forgiven.“
Photography by Rees Thorp-Mason, contact Rees prior to any image use.
After such a long time waiting for Dying Wish to perform in the United Kingdom, in recent years they have now made a second home out of these isles. While they’ve played on the larger stages with the likes of Malevolence, August Burns Red and the forthcoming Bring The Horizon shows – the Portland unit has always been true to their DIY roots and performed at local venues with fellow DIY bands. In each case, these have been some of the best shows we’ve been to over the years. Whether it was the Birmignham date alongside Cauldron or down in Bournemouth with Forlorn and State Ward, Dying Wish‘s live shows are best at their most intimate. The next entry in this was over in Bristol at Strange Brew, where both Monochrome and Overpower provided the supports.
Monochrome
Performing across the country on varying line-ups from hardcore day-fests and tech-metalcore line-ups in Manchester this year, the dexterity of Monochrome‘s sound has allowed them to bring their crushing metalcore sound to many. Yet, a Dying Wish headliner is the sort of show where Monochrome would thrive and find a crowd full of receptive ears. Sharp as ever, Monochrome shifted through “Dropping Teeth“, “Levitate” and “Still Suffering” from their sophomore record, From The Outside Looking In. Eliza Everritt‘s ability to move between the harsher and clean vocals with such range genuinely impressive. It makes track such as “Levitate” move between such intensity and then such grace on the chorus that it would be entrancing for anyone turning up to the Strange Brew to see them.
A mid-set rendition of the gorgeous “Open Heart“, intertwined with material from Haunted Faith and Hidden Truth, saw Monochrome close out on “Leave It All Behind“. A gem in Monochrome’s discography, they closed out with a double breakdown of the track, demanding more from the crowd each team, which the Bristol crowd responded in moments to show the first signs of movement for the day. No doubt that Monochrome gained many new fans today, and they’re one as always, that we can’t wait to catch next at the likes of Burn It Down.
Overpower
Overpower are very much a band who seem like they’re everywhere at the moment, that in the South West or the Midlands, there’s a 50/50 chance Overpower would be on the line-up. For those who like their crossover thrash, they’re always a welcome addition to each line-up. The bonus is that they’re one of the funnest bands to see live at the moment. Whether it’s the huge thrash riffs, the two-step moment or on-stage ramblings between sets that will break a metalcore/hardcore crowd into a rare moment of laughter. Recording a music video ahead of their new single, Overpower ensured that the Bristol crowd had their ears full of riffs and found their own way to ensure they remained engaged on a line-up where many would be here for the headliner.
Dying Wish
As the legendary Jon Mackey had to remind Emma Boster, Dying Wish make their return to Bristol for the second time. As Dying Wish burst into “I Don’t Belong Anywhere“, it became evident that the Bristol crowd was going to take a few tracks to warm into the Dying Wish set, as mic grabs lacked during the “I don’t belong anywhere chant” and mosh movement or stage dives were quiet. As crowd calls from Dying Wish demanded more, the Bristol crowd had entered full force by the time Dying Wish performed “I Brought You My Soul (Your World Brought Me Despair)” – the bunching up at the front to sing along with Boster and stage dives began. The spin kickers entered the pit, and it set the tone for the rest of the night.
Playing an extended setlist, it allowed deeper cuts from their discography to be performed. “Enemies in Red” is marking itself as a Dying Wish classic and one that seems to send a crowd feral. Being able to see the incredible “Heaven Departs” was truly something, both being deeply moving and a sublime piece of musicianship. The call of “Enough of that emo shit” from Mackey during “Torn From Your Silhouette” to demand movement from the crowd ensured that the Strange Brew was flung into chaos. During the chorus from the aforementioned track and “Lost in the Fall“, there was a sheer sense of joy of the face of Boster. Given the long in tour Europe on larger stages behind a barrier, there was perhaps a sense of returning to Dying Wish‘s true environment in these intimate settings. As this set showed, there is clearly a lot of love for Dying Wish on this side of the Atlantic that will be continued when they perform in Manchester in the coming days. It’s more than deserved as Dying Wish cement themselves as one of the best metalcore bands of this era going.
