Misery Signals Hold Weight Of World

The Mod Club

Toronto, ON

on May 20 2009

Bianca Marcus (CHARTattack)

05/22/2009 12:00pm

If metalcore/hardcore is fast playing itself out, you'd have never guessed it from Wednesday's packed Misery Signals show. The concert was part of the Weight Of The World Tour, a cross-Canada jaunt headlined by the Milwaukee band and featuring fellow hardcore acts Haste The Day, Dead And Divine, Architects and Sights & Sounds.

Brighton, England's Architects seemed completely at home performing for Canadian fans. The prog-metalcore quintet's innovative, expressive guitar sounds — at times crunching, at others melodic — complemented Dan Searle's aggressive, gunshot-like drumming. Adam Christianson of Vancouver's A Textbook Tragedy replaced Tom Searle on guitar. Frontman and lyricist Sam Carter explained that Searle had recently "fucked up" his finger and couldn't play the show.

By the band's second song — "Numbers Count For Nothing,” from their third release, Hollow Crown — a mosh pit had formed and some of the more brave (or inebriated) audience members began to hardcore dance, propelled by Carter engaging them with vocal dynamics and beckoning gestures. The group also drew material from 2007's Ruin and appeased longtime fans by playing "Buried At Sea” midway through their quick 30-minute set.

Dead And Divine followed. The Burlington, Ont. metalcore outfit featured new members Kyle Anderson (formerly of Burlington pop-punk band Sydney) on drums and Sebastian Lueth (formerly of Brighter Brightest and Liferuiner) on guitar.

The band played material from their upcoming The Machines We Are as well as older tracks such as "Like Wolves" from 2008's The Fanciful. Frontman Matt Tobin gave an earnest performance and focused his intense gaze on the crowd for most of the set.

D&D seemed to take themselves a tad too seriously, though, and turned their backs to the audience to tune up after every few songs. And they never so much as cracked a smile. Their grinding guitars and drumming made for a dynamically consistent half-hour, but the performance could have benefited from a little more audience interaction.

Haste The Day took the stage next and dove aggressively into their set. The Indianapolis band's vocal harmonies and strong melodies brought Megadeth to mind and gave each song a strong narrative quality.

Haste The Day had a full catalogue of tracks to choose from, with four albums and an EP under their belts. Highlights included "Mad Man" from 2008's Dreamer and "American Love" from 2004's Burning Bridges. Giuseppe Capolupo (formerly of Once Nothing) filled in for drummer Devin Chaulk, who left the band late last year. Capolupo's sense of humour was evident as he twirled his sticks (and dramatically licked one of them) during short pauses.

Lead vocalist Stephen Keech took a moment part-way through the set to tell the audience the real reason he and the rest of Haste The Day were there.

"We believe that everyone is loved. We believe in a God who's perfect. And that's why we're on this stage."

Although his message was met by booing, the frontman continued on as before, headbanging his way through the remainder of the adrenaline-fueled performance.

Misery Signals took their time tuning up, but, based on the audience's riotous response, their set was well worth the wait. By the time they played their first chord, the room had become a writhing tangle of fists and feet.

Vocalist Karl Schubach kept a smile on his face as he screamed over constantly changing time signatures and sparkling guitar riffs. The band zipped through song after song, trying to get everything in before the early venue curfew kicked in. Standouts were "Parallels," "Nothing" and "Weight Of The World" from 2008's Controller, which was produced by B.C. native and Strapping Young Lad founder Devin Townsend.

All told, the Weight Of The World Tour proved to be a smorgasbord of the incredible diversity within the metalcore genre. Each set was just long enough to showcase each of the bands' unique styles, while leaving the audience satisfied.