Tonight sees The Leadmill completely packed out, and for good reason too. Seeing Brighton’s staple band rocking the North isn’t something to miss, and aside from this writer’s unavoidable mourning of Dead Swans it’s sweet vibes all around. It’s no secret at least to the Soundsphere crew that this music fan doesn’t hold out much hope for ever obsessing over metalcore (Crossfaith, the anger you created with that piece of sh*t album ‘Apocalyze’ is still burning fiercely), but nights like these are exactly what is needed to open up that mind.
We arrive in time for Australian five piece Northlane who are on top form as always, blasting out a bunch of new tracks to the enthralled audience, before the room explodes for ‘World Eater’ and earlier material that goes down a storm. Then we make the greatest discovery since Yorkshire Tea as New York hardcore aggressors Stray From The Path blow out our eardrums with bouncing riffs and those furious rap esc vocals that connect so well with the musical battering. Damn, those drums too! They’re just…argh! We’re tearing through every track this band has put out right this second. That’s how excited we are about them. A terrific performance that will certainly draw us back in the future. Damn, those ‘Anonymous’ tracks are f*cking sick.
Now an agonizing wait ensues, the room gets busier (seriously, there’s no moving now!), and a cool blue mist fills the stage, before The Architects take us to total mental oblivion. Nothing matters now. The distortion fills the air and Sam Carter’s intense vocals drive us into the mosh menagerie. Above all, it’s an inspiration. Seeing the band light up as the crowd scream their own lyrics at them would make anyone smile – all the stress they went through with the new album, and now we’re experiencing their own internal payment. Pressure mounts as we are warned not to let Sam’s Nan down (we’ve never met the woman, but we’re pretty sure it wouldn’t be wise to stand still right now), ‘Daybreak’ drives us insane, and ‘Broken Cross’, is so full of aggressive energy it makes us want to kill a whale. Just kidding, Sea Shepherds, we’re behind ya! A great night that ends with achy knees, smiles on our faces, and music in our ears. Actually the latter could just the all too familiar ringing tormenting us with a life of hard hearing. Hmm. Ah, great memories beat long lasting illustrious eardrums anyway.
