Bleeding Through, I Choose Violence, Storm The Crown, Scratch Lines @ Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide 8/9/2024
The storm clouds gather and the rains come while inside Lion Arts Factory is gets sweltering for Bleeding Through. The Californian metalcore – if you can be so narrow minded to try and box them in – legends dazzle on stage tonight in a hail of soapy bubbles. Yes, soapy bubbles.
For all the toughness that metalcore, deathcore, grindcore – whatever core you wish – brings, tonight is a wholesome straight ahead metal show. There are millions of bpm blasts, crushing riffs, epic solos and all the guttural vocals you could wish for intertwined with melody, sonic softness and harmonies.
Local acts such as Scratch Lines, Storm The Crown and I Choose Violence stand side by side with the Americans on a barrage of impressive sonic artillery.
It is Scratch Lines who open first and while they label themselves hardcore there is much more to them. When the groove slows its chunders like a lorry waiting at the lights to take off. Once they start to go through the gears it’s clear and destructive as mic stands are flung about, raising the crowds adrenaline.
Storm The Crown meanwhile are straight ahead metal. They are heavy, vibrant and fast paced. Sonically, the sound is clear and crisp. The riffs cutting, the vocals crushing with the ability to growl and scream placed perfectly over the swings of the drums. Most recent song ‘Ritual’ a stand out alongside ‘Neon.’
I Choose Violence bring the fury at a million miles an hour in a blur of twirling hair. Then, when it drops, it hits you like a sharp descent of a rollercoaster. The double kick drums have your drink shaking and they are killing it that much that the headliners are spotted side of stage checking them out. That is the sign of a successful set.
Talking of headliners, it’s time for Bleeding Through. Opening with Revenge I Seek and For Love And Failing they match the supports acts intensity to begin with before expanding the soundscape.
With keyboards accentuating the riffage, and an affable frontman in Brandan Schieppati, it allows the band to show diversity such as the fist pumping Love Lost On A Hail Of Gunfire And Rise.
The are not straight ahead metal, there are deathcore elements one minute, thrash the next and even beautiful moments that sound like Enya has strapped on a guitar and gone metal when playing On Wings With Lead.
The crowd for their part has created a space for the pit to unleash and they do with the consistent energy of the Duracell bunny. One lucky punter brings along a plastic toy filled with soapy bubbles which are often released to the band’s merriment.
Kill To Believe closes the evening, a wet and cold Sunday evening outside, yet inside it’s a sweltering Friday night and the weekend has only just begun.
Live Review By Iain McCallum