Architects were set to kick off their latest UK headline tour at home in Brighton's Concorde 2, with support from New York rockers Stray From The Path and Sheffield 'Mathcore' band Rolo Tomassi.
Both supporting bands warmed the mixed crowd up nicely with strong, tight performances before the Brighton boys slipped onto the stage creating a haunting atmosphere by opening their setlist with 'Devil's Island': A song filled with passion, angst, and political animation condemning the recent London riots was the perfect choice to ignite the crowd of young, and old, life-long, and new fans.
Chests started pounding, heads were banging, and bodies began flying (literally) as they took things up a notch in the heavy stakes by performing old favourites 'Follow The Water', 'Numbers Count For Nothing', and 'Dethroned'.
Their friendship, and unity is a key factor in ensuring that the guitars were tight, the histrionics were impressive, the drumming was emphatic and frontman Sam Carter's passion and energy was second to none. His love for performing was clear to see as he interacted with the excitable crowd telling them how 'good it feels to be back home', and sharing stories about his own memories of watching his favourite bands in this very venue growing up.
The new and improved lighting was an effective addition to their live performances which added a touch of quality, and proved that it is the small details that make the biggest impact - particularly in smaller, more compact venues such as Concorde 2.
They had created an infectious, and excited atmosphere by making their way through albums 'Hollow Crown' and 'Here and Now', before finishing things off with their brand new single 'These Colours Don't Run', that despite only being released a week previous to the show saw a room full of adoring fans screaming every word back at them.
The Brighton quintet couldn't stay off the stage for long, as they returned to chanting fans demanding an encore to perform favourites 'Hollow Crown' and 'Early Grave'.
Their decision to leave 'Heartburn' out of the setlist suggests a choice to continue moving forward with their original ear-splitting heavy sound.
An impressive, explosive, and professional performance that demonstrates Architects' power and prowess over other metal core bands of this generation. Sam Carter told the crowd it was the bands 'fourth time playing in this venue', and without a shadow of a doubt it was their best performance yet. Wonder if they've managed to secure the roof back on yet...
Architects' new album 'Daybreaker' will be released May 28th.
