Source: Sabrina Beever
Ice nine kills ventured down to Southampton for their Hostel Takeover tour. Joining them on this tour was Tonight We fall, Shields a more local band reigning from London and Affiance – like Ice Nine Kills – from America.
So first up were Tonight We Fall who are originally from Andover which is not the typical place you think of for a metalcore band. Energy was implanted in all of the band members, the majority of them bounding around the stage. The drummer obviously being an exception spent his energy thrashing on the drum kit with some relentless rhythms. Tonight We Fall chose their set list wisely including playing ‘Our Age’ which they announced to be the title track of their new EP and they were definitely a good choice to open show and got the crowd warmed up for what was yet to come.
Next up from North London were Shields, who brought the tone crashing down. The tone became darker in the best possible way, as the vocalist had deeper and more enforcing vocals. This persona was intensified when water was thrust onto the crowd from the vocalist’s hair via some almighty headbanging. The guitarists might as well have spent their playing on the ground as they sunk to that level enough times hunching down and hanging low matching the deep pitches of their instruments. The deep spell was broken however during ‘But This Feels Worse’ where the band became much more melodic and the crowd became more entranced.
You can’t deny the fact that both bands that had already played had charisma, but this was blown out of the water to the first American band of the night, Affiance. His shouts of “Hi” were not met with the desired level of response. Musically the screaming aspect was lacking a little when compared to the level of the other bands tonight but they were just as heavy. With a solid base of material this acted as a perfect podium for the vocalists’ voice which was unbelievably powerful and clean but with a similar undertone.
Still not happy with the crowd Dennis progressed in the show to say “Imagine we’re Bring Me The Horizon and I’m Oli Sykes with 10 times the singing voice. He can’t sing for s**t.” carrying on with this comparison he continued to brag as the heat became too much and he pulled his shirt open. “I may have a Dad bod but I know how to f**k just ask my 18-year-old girlfriend.” Well unable to be judged on his sex life his voice definitely made up for it. The crowd however, were lapping it up as they were the first band to create a mosh pit.
Source: Sabrina Beever
Now was the time everyone had been waiting for. Ice Nine Kills came onto the stage which was shrouded in darkness. What better to start their set than to play ‘Nature Of The Beast’ which is the first track on their new album Every Trick In The Book. The band’s set comprised of many tracks from their new album but also old favorites which old school Ice Nine Kills fans were excited to hear. One of the most effective moments howeve,r was during the song ‘Me, Myself and Hyde,’ where vocalist Spencer Charnas stood solitary on the stage accompanied only by a backing track where his voice painted a delicate and tragic story perfectly before the whole band came crashing in and the screaming began.
Another surprising factor was the clarity of the harmonious vocals from the guitarist only adding to the story of the latest tracks. In a dramatic moment, the sea of the crowd was parted with the action of Spencer’s hands separating before a wall of death was started. During the final moments of the last song, Spencer became supported by the crowd as they gripped at his ankles so he stood tall singing as part of the crowd.
