By Dan Tsourekas
The past couple of years have highlighted a significant rise in popularity and quality when it comes to hardcore and metalcore. The DIY scene has been thriving in this regard, as exceptional debut albums and live shows continue to blossom across the ÜK, calling to all moshers, headbangers and spinkickers.
Two bands in particular stood out last year with their full-length debuts, creating a buzz around their names. As such, it came as a pleasant surprise when Cauldron announced their headline tour supported by Killing Me Softly, considering they both had what could arguably be considered entries in the top 10 albums of 2023 with ‘Suicide In The City’ and ‘Autumn Lost In Silence’.
Heading down to Star and Garter for the first time since Outbreak Festival 23 was cathartic. It felt right knowing the longstanding Manchester venue still supports and promotes the DIY hardcore scene. It was a perfect choice considering the atmosphere and legacy it holds to this day. As the venue slowly filled up, it was time for one of the best shows of the year so far to begin.
Snakes Among Us proved to be a welcome local opener. Considering each of their songs were quite short, they packed a quick and punchy rhythm throughout. While they wouldn’t be described as completely captivating, they gave a good performance which kept the audience in the room until the end of their set.
Killing Me Softly on the other hand were giving people reasons to leave with injuries as they fully set up the intensity levels for Cauldron and continued to prove why they more than deserve the spot at Outbreak festival this year. The sheer brutality of songs the likes of ‘A Jour’ and ‘Meadows of Seasons End’ had the audience moshing with intent to kill, painting a picture worth capturing the entire way through, as the borderline demonic vocals lead Jono Edwards presents on stage instantly brings an atmosphere of adrenaline and anger no matter who is in the room.
The energy levels that had steadily been accumulating during the two support acts had the whole room ready for the main event.
While at first sight, the bands warmups singing Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’ helped the crowd loosen up a bit, they instantly bit back with the opener of their set, ‘Falling Snow (Seattle 2)’. There aren’t many bands that can achieve a perfect mix of hardcore and 2000’s metalcore, but the performance at hand was undeniably a masterclass in showmanship, vocals, and riffs that make you second guess why this isn’t way bigger than it deserves to be.
Witnessing people spin kick while doing front flips was a sight to behold, as the band powered through a heavy hitting setlist filled with old and new favourites, whether that be ‘Rejection Pact’, ‘I Forgot You Existed (Seattle 1’), ‘Lonely Useless Orbit’, which featured a cameo from Jono, and a highly entertaining yet confusing mid-set monologue about fishmongers and fish markets.
The cherry on top came with the final song,’ The Last Words’, in which the room broke out with flying fists as lead vocalist Frazier Cassling put his astonishing techniques on display before gracefully exiting the stage in what was the end of a brilliant night. One thing is for sure, this isn’t the last Manchester has seen of Cauldron and ‘The Coming Strife’, and it will most certainly be at a larger capacity in the coming years.
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