Sunday night we gathered for a night of deathcore, demonic exorcism and heaviness that could only be akin to the gravity of the sun. I was there with Hardbeat at Alexandra Palace to witness it all unfold.
Humanity’s Last Breath took to the stage as the first offering of the night, bringing with them their culture of low tuned guitars, lethargy and most importantly the weight of Thall on their shoulders. Ally Pally is a tough venue to navigate, the pure size of it can give a lot of bands a hard time trying to fill the open air. I had my reservations on whether Humanity’s Last Breath would be a band to own said space however my reservations were squashed within the first ring of the snare drum. Be it a tactical choice to open with ‘Valdet’ or just a chance to set the tone, the atmosphere allowed the band to grow into the venue and emit a wall of sound onto the audience. Their latest single ‘Godhood’ took prime spot of the set, ushering in a sense of impending doom. As soon as it had begun it was time to say goodbye to Humanity’s Last Breath as the band closed with their most popular track ‘Instill’. A song of hopelessness to finalise what can only be described as an utter victory on stage.
In absolute stark contrast of pace Shadow Of Intent continued the theme of crushing riffs. Opening with the technical marvel of ‘The Murdered Sleep’, the band showed they meant business, and that said business, was blisteringly quick. Not afraid to switch it up, ‘Flying The Black Flag’ quickly followed. A song highlighting the diversity of what Shadow Of Intent has to offer, ushering in melody and a slower level of riffing. The band appeared to be in their element on such a large stage, navigating it with ease and I couldn’t help but notice that drummer Bryce Butler had a constant (and I mean constant) grin on his face the entire set. They not only showed that deathcore is in incredible hands, but that it could bend and twist dipping into elements of thrash, Swedish death and soundscape. The pure technicality of this band, whilst being so comfortable on stage, was an amazing sight to behold and as we closed with ‘The Heretic Prevails’, I can only see the band gaining more and more traction in the months to come.
It’s no secret to anyone that the band Whitechapel are a household name in the deathcore community and are the only band on the bill that can claim the MySpace trophy. I’d happily describe the band as the absolute perfect midpoint of the lineup, meeting the needs of cavemen and technical fans alike. It’s probably safe to say that we finally entered the realm of demonic possession and ritual as the band opened with ‘Prisoner 666’, highlighting vocalist Phil Bozeman’s legendary status amongst deathcore vocalists. Demonic rituals require pacing and story telling, the interlude of ‘Ex Infernis’ provided this and the use of minimal lighting highlighting the band’s banner of cloaked, animal skull wearing figures, really giving context to the underlying themes they push with their lyrical content. In an even deeper cut than what is provided from the bloodletting within their lyrics, Ally Pally got a chance to hear three back to back songs from their first album Somatic Defilement, a clear homage to long standing fans of the band from way back in 2007. Whitechapel showcased today why they are still considered one of the biggest bands in deathcore.
With all of that being said, even the rituals from the previous sets weren’t enough to control the powerhouse that is Lorna Shore as the curtain drops and the main event of the night begins. Opening with ‘Oblivion’, Ally Pally could rest assured that the night would be full of epics, paired with incredible visuals and even more importantly, fire. As we navigate our way through the set we are met with ‘War Machine’, and the knowledge that a music video will be being filmed this very night, cementing this specific night into the history books. Vocalist Will Ramos is soon joined by Nick Chance (ex-Distinguisher) to tackle ‘Sun//Eater’ as we learn of Will suffering from the flu. Although he says his sickness is affecting his voice, it truly isn’t evident with how on point his signature demonic vocal style is sounding on the night.
The set itself felt short, not as an insult but Lorna Shore felt so all consuming, it came and went at a blink of an eye. Will quickly announces their last song at the disappointment of the crowd. Typical of his jokey nature as a person, it’s soon obvious that we are treated to ‘Pain Remains’ in its absolute entirety. The sheer length of all three songs are the equivalent of playing a full length EP back to back, after an entire set before. The band take this truly in their stride, no easy feat but a credit to their work ethic. Looks of confusion fill the room however, where is ‘To The Hellfire’? As quick as the question is asked, the stage is full of flame once again followed by a sea of phones to capture the exorcism of the demon within Will Ramos.
All in all this night at Alexandra Palace is nothing short but historic. To see deathcore as a genre at these heights shows how not only is this genre alive, but at the very forefront of metal right now.