Stray From The Path & Capsize at Underworld, London - live review

NY’s politically charged punks decimate Camden

Art for Stray From The Path & Capsize live at Underworld, London

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It’s a sold-out crowd in the sweat-ridden Underworld tonight, and for good reason as tonight’s headliners have put out one of the year’s most biting, visceral attacks on society and politics. Main support bandCAPSIZE [5] are a much softer machine by comparison, bringing an A Day To Remember-esque bounce to the room that is really just waiting for STRAY FROM THE PATH [9] to appear. And what a knock-out punch they deliver. Bursting onto the stage like a fireball, the New York punks launch straight into The Opening Move as the ceiling starts to crawl with stagedivers. It’s absolute bedlam tonight, without a second’s respite in a 60-minute headline set that relies heavily on the latest two records. New drummer Craig Reynolds makes a real difference, battering his kit like it just spilled his pint, ramping up the carnage as his parents watch from the side. As frontman Drew York addresses the braying crowd, chants of “Fuck Donald Trump!” pop up in different corners of the venue… and then comes Goodnight SOFTWAREmark” gingersoftwareuiphraseguid=“2d9b5a00-e996-4b42-b059-dc5304238e82” id=“801d9f5e-ea06-4046-9db5-a969d434a372”>Alt-Right. The blistering anti-fascist anthem almost destroys the building, sending bodies flying everywhere, screaming ‘Nazi punks fuck off!’ in unison. If you’re looking for a modern-day Dead Kennedys, then look no further; this is direct social commentary, played from the heart to a bloodthirsty crowd without a barrier. There are no walls here.

Luke Morton joined Metal Hammer as Online Editor in 2014, having previously worked as News Editor at popular (but now sadly defunct) alternative lifestyle magazine, Front. As well as helming the Metal Hammer website for the four years that followed, Luke also helped relaunch the Metal Hammer podcast in early 2018, producing, scripting and presenting the relaunched show during its early days. He also wrote regular features for the magazine, including a 2018 cover feature for his very favourite band in the world, Slipknot, discussing their turbulent 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone.