Words by Matt New
Pix by Angie New Photography
The current state of metal across the globe seems to be very healthy, with a strong resurgence of a lot of key sub-genres that have come back into popularity. Amongst some of these arena-filling heavyweights driving this charge are UK’s Architects, who have single-handedly kept setting the bar to new standards of excellence. Four long years since their last appearance on Australian shores, the anticipation for this sold-out gig was very evident. Everyone excitedly waited, knowing the show would be a monumentally big production that would exceed the hype.
Opening was Melbourne’s Thornhill, who have overcome the adversity of having much of their equipment stolen prior to the lead up to this tour. The way in which the greater music community rallied around these talented young musicians was very endearing, and great to see that they were not denied this fantastic opportunity to support one of the world’s best metal acts at present. From the opening riffs and melodies of Hollywood, frontman Jacob Charlton persistently demanded movement in the crowd. They are a band that seem to improve every time I see them, and their charisma and massive sound is very alluring. A strong showing of new tracks from 2022’s Heroine, they did an amazing job to set a great tone for the evening.
Canada’s Counterparts are a band I had not much knowledge of until the moment they stepped on stage, and boy was I immediately impressed by their incredibly dynamic and massive sound. In true Canadian fashion, humble and polite, they unassumingly presented a performance that matches some of the best live acts in the world. A perfectly fused blend of melodic-hardcore, metalcore and punk, they showed an incredible level of musicianship and detailed connection to their audience.
Opening up their set with a song dedicated to the loss of frontman Brendan Murphy’s cat Whispers of Your Death right through to the set closer A Mass Grave of Saints, the intensity of Counterpart’s music charged a never-ending fuel cell within the audience, resulting in endless circle pits spinning throughout the duration of their set. Downplaying how lucky they are to be playing with Architects and to such a large audience, it is very clear that the Australian metalcore and underground hardcore scene still remains a strong conduit of community and discovery. So, it was a very pleasant sight to see how welcomed and at home the audience made Counterparts feel this particular evening.
Before Architects hit the stage, their good friend and motivational speaker Ritchie Hardcore addressed the crowd about some pressing issues surrounding domestic violence and collectively treating women better. Given so many young women are avid concertgoers within the heavy community, his words resonated strong as we are reminded that we still have a long way to come as a society. Following his powerful speech, thousands of fans anxiously awaited Architects to the backing of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now resulting in a mass karaoke singalong, before witnessing their idols arrive on stage to the anthemic tones of Do You Dream of Armageddon?
On top of a very intricately crafted stage riser, Architects erupted into Black Lungs with an incredible wave of unrelenting power that got the crowd moving in all directions, which looked amazing looking down from the seated GA sections of the Hordern Pavillion. Frontman Sam Carter got straight to work showcasing the raw aggression and beautifully balanced timbre and range he is regarded for. Although after a shaky start due to some monitoring issues, it wasn’t long until he was on point and leading the ensemble through a very well-thought-out setlist, with a heavy focus on their most recent releases. Even cheekily telling the crowd who were forcing the point of a shoey mid-set, he cheekily retorted “fuck you, I am here to play you music!”.
A notable omission from the line-up on this tour was founding drummer and the only original member of the band Dan Searle. Filling in on the skins was Sydney local Troy Wright who is known best for his stints with Plini and The Amity Affliction. According to Sam, Troy learnt the entire set for this tour in a matter of a few weeks, highlighting the standard of talent this band demands to function at its optimal best. The tones of the guitars and drums emanated throughout the venue with such brute force it was a joy to behold, equally as remarkable as the vocal performance of Sam Carter.
After finally seeing this band in the flesh in their element, it is easy to understand why they are regarded amongst the best of the best in the current climate. Even stripping back their set to its roots with some acoustic snippets and a full acoustic version of A Wasted Hym, before ascending to the conclusion of an amazing set at full throttle with fan favourites such as Doomsday, When We Were Young and Animals.
A thoroughly enjoyable experience highlighted by a night of incredibly refined heavy music from all corners of the globe.
