Band: Parkway Drive
Support: Emmure, The Word Alive, Struc/tures
Venue: Roundhouse, London
Date: 17/11/12
For those unaware of the Roundhouse it is an absolutely immense venue – arguably (and by this we definitely mean open to argument) one of the top venues in the capital. Disregard the occasional obscured view due to the unavoidable pillars which support the circumference of the impressive arena and what is left is a room of monumental grandeur. There is little surprise that bands often view the location as the pinnacle of any UK tour; an excitement that if shared by the expanding queue obstructing walkways across Camden Town.
This excitement, and indeed the magnitude of their current position, is not lost on Canadian tech-metallers Struc/tures. Although playing to a comparative small crowd due to their stage-time (ten minutes after the doors open), there is little here to suggest that the band are put off by their supporting status. Clearly jubilant to be on the stage, frontman Nick Xourafas traverses the breadth of the area, screaming over a mixture of straightforward melodic metal and off-beat time signatures more associated with the likes of Dillinger Escape Plan.Their direction may be askew, however their placement on the bill is logical – at the forefront Struc/tures are a melodic metal band. That said it is undoubtedly refreshing to witness a band stretch the constraints of a genre, particularly when that genre runs the risk of becoming stagnant and repetitive.
Stagnation is not something tonight’s audience have to worry about. The Word Alive may reply on the tried-and-tested melodic switch method yet their ability is unfaltering. The shifts in style throughout each track are handled with ease, with all vocals delivered by the same vocal chords. Dual vocalists have become all the rage in recent times, hence the surprise when Tyler Smith is able to pull off both without so much as a concentrative glance. The fans swallow up every word, maintaining the destructive atmosphere that Stuc/tures delicately nurtured. Hints of band satisfaction are cemented when Smith reluctantly leaves the stage, not before screaming one last fan favourite once fellow band members have disappeared. Despite acting as a representation of their enjoyment it proves an odd end to an otherwise exuberant set.
Main support arrives in the form of Emmure – playing their ever-present breakdown feast for the increasingly lively crowd. The band appear to have ironed out both their image and sound, although Frankie Palmeri still arrives on stage looking like an overgrown white-rapper (complete with the signature oversized jumper/jacket). The sound he and his fellow band-mates create is more direct and streamlined than ever. Any gimmicks that previously overshadowed the immediacy of their music – for example, the nu-metal take on metalcore – are vanquished to be replaced by a truly brutal crescendo of melodramatic breakdowns. Although still difficult to take too seriously, Emmure remain distinctive from contemporaries on tonight’s line-up. They provide what the onlookers have been craving – a serious opportunity to simply go fucking nuts.
By the time the headliners take to the stage the diversity in the supports has been unexpected. On paper tonight should end up repetitive and unimaginative, however thanks to clever booking and the unquestionable craftsmanship of the bands each performance provides a different take on an evidently wide genre. All that is left is for Parkway Drive to close up shop.
Unsurprisingly opening with the new atmospheric intro to ‘Atlas’ – ‘Sparks’ – Parkway Drive immediately set the scene for the remaining performance. At the core tonight’s explosive set is typical Parkway Drive; a continuous onslaught of heavy riffs and growling vocals, cleverly combined with catchy hooks disjointed from the occasional melody. The introduction of newer material provides an edge of expansive soundscapes that dominate from wall-to-wall; by developing their recorded sound the band have managed to open up new domains in a live environment, promoting the band from kings of their contemporaries to outright superstars.
When given the option of selecting the main-set closer the crowd opt for ‘Blue and the Grey’ from the new album over the alternative established track. The choice is telling of the positive reception to the new material, both on CD and in tonight’s environment. As the band complete the encore of ‘Home is for the Heartless’ from ‘Deep Blue’,and the spine-tingling climax of ‘Carrion’, the Roundhouse may as well be left in ruins. A further step forward in the Parkway Drive campaign, tonight it feels as if they have truly made it.
9/10
Reviewer: Ben Tipple
Photographer: Graham Berry
