Temple Guard, Ordeal, Invasion, Blood Money & Blind at The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent

“A corrupted earth purified with the blood of our martyrs.”

Words by Jack Walker. Photography by Maisie Cooper. Please ask before any usage.

By now, if you haven’t realised that we love Stoke-on-Trent, then you’ve probably been living under a rock. It’s a city that has historically been overlooked in every possible way, but has thankfully seen a resurgence over the last year, thanks to a small group of locals stepping up and bringing the scene back. Having once been an attractive Midlands outpost on the touring circuit, things had dropped off massively. However, we’re now seeing that trend reverse, with more bands visiting The Potteries to catch a glimpse of the now blossoming hardcore scene. A Temple Guard headline set was not something we expected to see, but Josh of 1782 Promotions/The Underground somehow managed to bring them over, and with them came a line-up packed with small, independent talent from across the country.

Blind

Kicking the night off were local act Blind, whose pummelling riffs and to-the-point lyrics made an immediate impact. Despite being a new band, every member has a long history with the city, having all played in previous bands before the scene died off. Reflecting on how nostalgic the set felt, vocalist Reece Moulton mentioned that everyone on stage had previously played the venue some fifteen years earlier, and that they had started a new band after seeing there was once again an appetite in the city for their brand of hardcore. Crowd banter aside, the band sounded huge, and their performance was impressively tight to match. Aggressive riffs, blistering drums and the occasional mathy passage meant there was a little bit of everything going on, resulting in a performance that was far greater than the sum of its parts. As if that wasn’t enough, Moulton jumped into the crowd for a song or two in an effort to get people moving. It didn’t quite pay off, but it looked undeniably cool, so fair play for that. With the prospect of an EP on the near horizon, we only expect Blind to continue growing, improving and putting on fantastic sets.

Blood Money

Blood Money quickly followed, shifting the atmosphere in The Underground with their much faster-paced, spoken-word style of hardcore. Opening with a Billy Club Sandwich cover, they got the crowd involved immediately and kept the carnage going throughout their set. Barked vocals, simple yet effective riffs and plenty of crowd incitement turned the front of the venue into a warzone that only the bravest dared enter. Side-to-sides, more side-to-sides and plenty of crowdkilling; this is what a real hardcore crowd looks like. To those of you who stood at the back refusing to take even two steps forward, we hope you took note and get involved next time. It’s a lot of fun.

Invasion

Up next were local heroes Invasion, who, despite technical issues that literally resulted in them blowing their cab, still put on an absolutely ridiculous performance. Vocalist and promoter Josh Morgan‘s vocals have come on so much in such a short space of time that it’s hard to believe it’s the same band. Playing a mix of material from their promo tape, which we covered here, alongside a few new tracks, their set was easily one of the most anticipated of the night and quite possibly saw the venue at its fullest. Jokingly taking shots at the crowd, Morgan urged fans to step in. “We’re not gonna hurt you,” he exclaimed, before jokingly encouraging those who stayed back to become targets. There’s a genuine understanding and appreciation of hardcore culture that the local lads have really tapped into. They know exactly how it works, how to get the most out of a crowd, and how to put on a genuinely fun set. With new material on the way, we can’t wait to see their reach continue to expand across the UK.

Ordeal

Ordeal were up next and, confusingly, half of the attendees seemed to have left. Not letting that deter them, the band exploded into action, unleashing low-tuned, chugging riffs while a bin lid-esque snare cracked through the mix. Despite playing a surprisingly short set for their place on the line-up, they sounded undeniably menacing throughout. There isn’t much more to say about their performance, and while we’re glad we got the chance to see them play locally, we’re not quite as eager to catch them again as we are the rest of the line-up.

Temple Guard

Temple Guard closed out the night, with the show marking the first date of a short three-date run celebrating the release of Citadel In Flames. Unsurprisingly, they were the night’s biggest draw, with fans packing back into The Underground in anticipation of their set. Opening with samples of news broadcasts and tape recordings, they launched straight into a performance that was every bit as chaotic, aggressive and uncompromising as expected. Few bands manage to weave their convictions into their lyricism as effectively as Temple Guard, and that intensity carried through every moment of the set. Despite very little crowd interaction, the audience remained locked in from start to finish, with those at the front spinning relentlessly around the pit like human Beyblades. With the pit in constant motion, the atmosphere never let up, even if some newcomers still refused to step forward. Mixing older material with tracks from Citadel In Flames, it was the newer songs that drew the biggest reactions, bringing an explosive headline set to a close.

Overall, the night was a resounding success. Despite a handful of technical issues, every band delivered an immensely enjoyable performance and further proved that Stoke-on-Trent’s hardcore scene is thriving once again. With plenty of new faces through the doors at The Underground, there’s only one thing we’d ask of anyone coming to their first hardcore show: get involved. Step forward, make room for others behind you, and don’t be afraid to join in. Everyone is there to have a good time, and the atmosphere only gets better when everyone contributes to it. Support your local shows, check out new bands, and throw yourself into the experience. You’ll almost certainly enjoy it more once you do.