The guttural screams of Counterparts echoed Bristol’s streets
Words/Photos: Matt Sheppard
★★★★☆
Metal-core band Counterparts brought their 'Heaven Let Them Die' tour through Bristol on February 15th as part of a near month long tour through Europe, with Bristol being one of the later shows of the tour.
On a cold, rainy night in Bristol just past Valentines Day, the queue to get into the venue wrapped out onto All Saints Street waiting for doors to open. Some people might say this was just to get in from the cold but I think it was Bristol's metal heads turning up to get some final moshing in before going back to work on Monday.
Kicking off the night, God Complex, the only band representing the UK metal-core scene tonight. The 6-piece band did not feel the need to ease the crowd into the nights, instead hitting everyone square in the face with their most listened to song, ‘Death Trip’. Two steps, mosh pits and limbs galore within a minute of them starting, they left the crowd suitable warmed up ready for the rest of the night.
Photo: Matt Sheppard
Next up to bat, One Step Closer, hailing from Pennsylvania, USA. This quintet kept the energy up, opening with their song ‘Leap Years’ off their 2024 album ‘All You Embrace’. This was the first band of the night getting some crowd surfers over the barrier, which opened the flood gates for the rest of the night to keep everyone in the photo pit (and the security) on their toes. This bands sound is more along the lines of heavy pop punk, very akin to The Story So Far, more than the rest of the metalcore lineup, but thats no bad thing. They definitely kept the crowd wanting more through their short set.
Sunami followed suit, the Sol-Cal band were one of the ones I was advised to make sure to see at this show. Their setlist was packed with absolute bangers, which had the crowd going mental, flying over the barrier constantly with many repeat offenders enjoying the ride. Ripping some of their songs like ‘Sunami Style’ to open, ‘Fence Walker’ and ‘Weak Die First’ to keep the crowd in a frenzy.
Photo: Matt Sheppard
Time for the main event, Counterparts. Canadian hardcore rockers did nothing to play to the stereotype of 'Canadians are friendly' (although off stage I'm sure they're lovely) by opening their set in front of church windows and candles with the song 'A Martyr Left Alive', which within the first 20-seconds provides face melting riffs, guttural screams from frontman Brendan Murphy and gives the crowd a good enough reason to just go nuts. Despite the whole tour having been on the road for nearly a month now, the band show no sign of tiring and not giving it their all. The headliner weaved the way through their set with other hits such as ‘Bound to the Burn’, ‘No Lamb Was Lost’ and ‘Heaven Let Them Die’. They returned for a 2 song encore, finishing with ‘Love Me’ and ‘Whispers of Your Death’.
Photo: Matt Sheppard
What a crazy Sunday in Bristol, what a way to end the weekend. Definitely worth catching any of these bands next time they happen to be passing through your city next time.