The Academy is buzzing tonight as a sold-out crowd of screaming metalcore fans hyped on Tuborg tries to push further toward the stage like a stampede of buffalo heading toward a brick wall.
But before tonight’s star attraction, LA breakdown lovers VOLUMES [5] do their best to raise the already sweaty temperature. Dressed entirely in white like scene Andrew WKs, the five-piece leap around like fleas on and off the stage – frontmen Michael and Gus surf round the room on shoulders, but the musical impact is lost in a damp mix of hookless genericore that fails to substantially drag the audience in on any emotional level. Stepping things up by a gear or two are the revitalised NORTHLANE [7], who hurtle onstage amida flurry of moshpits and screams.
CO2 cannons shroud the stage with new, hyperactive frontman Marcus Bridge finding himself as ringleader to the baying hordes of London. Stomping, bruising breakdowns are met with frenzied choral vocals trying to crumble the PA system to the floor.
The violent crowd barely pause to take a breath between Quantum Flux, Impulse and Masquerade as the passion for this band is exerted through orchestrated aggression. The band don’t quite hit every nail on the head tonight, but their fanbase more than makes up for it. This is the start of something big.
