Live Review: Stepson w/ Satellites, Vitals, The Comfort, & Grim Indiana @ Foundry Records
Few may know the strength of Brisbane’s local heavy scene, but those that did were present for a crazy showcase of some talented acts. Around 80 punters came along to Foundry Records on a lovely Sunday arvo to headbang to a mixed bag of Brisbane’s best heavy bands, ranging from pop punk to melodic hardcore.
Kicking off the show was a post-hardcore outfit Grim Indiana, the only one band on the bill not from Brisvegas. The NSW Central Coast lads well and truly warmed the room up and brought some intense energy with brutal tracks Slow Burn, Red Cross, and Youth On Repeat. Their style was reminiscent of Being As An Ocean, but the vocal style of Elijah Smith is unique and his passionate performance was something I personally hadn’t witnessed ever before.
Following on was AAA-favs The Comfort, who recently have garnered a solid following and were finishing off their east coast tour. They have quite a vicious style, especially when it comes to the unclean vocals in their earlier tracks. Recent releases Everstone and Roses showed off some blistering riffs and powerful clean vocal work. They had no hesitation between songs and didn’t rest for a second, relentlessly going from track to track, truly rocking our socks off.
Keeping the energy flowing, Vitals delivered some killer raw hardcore to Foundry Records. I’ve seen these guys a few times before and each time I’ve loved them. These fellas bring some great energy to their show with gnarly drumming and plenty of layer changes to keep things interesting. Vomit and Inculcate went down a treat and got bodies moving, including a few of the local fans having a mic grab, which is always great to see. Vitals are a really tight hardcore act and I hope to see them achieve some big things in the near future!
Satellites delivered some tasty pop-punk that was full of intensity and bravado. They got off to a great start with the drummer forgetting his sticks just as they were about to kick off, giving the crowd a good chuckle. With plenty and chugging guitars and rapid bass-snare hits in usual pop-punk fashion, both the crowd and band threw themselves into the set. Glass Jaw and Bones had some big energy and the frontman was dancing and running around like crazy. They asked the crowd “Are we too soft for you guys?”, before jumping into a track that was hardcore inspired, showing they’re a group with a diverse sound.
Finishing off the show was headliners Stepson, who served up some brutal tunes that saw a circle pit take over the cosy Record store. It was clear the crowd had been waiting for these guys all arvo as the energy escalated an extra 200 per cent, with a small group of people rushing to the front of the room to be practically jumping with the band. Most of the crowd knew every word to every song as they moshed hard and grabbed for the mic at every opportunity.
It’s pretty hard to review their set as it was hard to hear and see over the energetic and engaged crowd and menacing pit. It was really just for the fans, as it should be at a small gig, and it was great to see the passion on their faces. The tatted-up frontman has a guttural scream on him and the music moved comfortably between melodic and hardcore. Never Mind Me, Leak, and This Is How It Feels were the top picks of the set…I think (as I said, it was hard to tell).
Overall, each band delivered incredible sets and I can say they each gained a new fan in both me and our photographer. Brisbane’s underground heavy scene is alive and kicking, so make the effort to get along and support these talented bands and give them the recognition they deserve!
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