To The Grave / The Flapper / Birmingham
A trip across the midlands and to the canals in central Birmingham, and a first visit to the Flapper to catch Aussie deathcore band To The Grave on their short UK run of shows. Heading downstairs into the main room, the Flapper is a fantastic grass roots venue, made for metal. Arched roof, painted all black it has a close, claustrophobic feel, perfect for some noise !
First up in support are local band Meet Your Maker. A band who deliver a stunning crushing set of some brutal deathcore metal. Buta band with a focus on good health and living. Focusing on mental health, and reaching out to support each other, physical health, and for them, spiritual health. A band that is based on a love of God and isn’t afraid to wear it with pride, with no preachiness mor moralising. Good good, whole hearted love for their fellow humans, and heavy heavy music.
Energetic, fast and thoroughly enjoyable, a great start to the night
Next up are Osiah from the North East of England. A band I’d heard of and had wanted to catch live for some time. And they didn’t disappoint. They transcend the deathcore label, mixing with hardcore to deliver some of the most powerful stuff around at the moment.
The set is crammed with intense, powerful breakdowns, and jarring, detuned riffs. The vocals are exceptional, ranging from harsh screams to bowel shaking bass tones to match the unexpected tempo changes.
Their sound is savage and they thoroughly deserved their title of one of the hottest and heaviest bands on the UK deathcore scene today.
With a small lower floor room, and no windows, the temperature is rising now and the place is hot and sweaty as we prepare for To The Grave to take to the stage. The Australian deathcore band were formed in 2010 in Sydney, and are Dane Evans (vocals), Jack Simoni (guitar), Nic Webb (guitar), Matt Clarke (bass) and Raymond Martin (drums).
Currently signed to Unique Leader Records, they released their debut LP “Expect Resistence” in 2014 followed by “Global Warning” (2019), “Epilogue” (2021), “Director's Cuts” (2023), and their latest release, 2024’s “Everyone's a Murderer”.
As the band take to the stage, the atmosphere builds even more, and Dane strides out wearing a brown leather butchers apron and pig mask. It’s a powerful image, and as they burst into life, the effect is immediate. The crowd are going crazy and despite the cramped space some are winding up the hardcore moves, pacing menacingly across the room catching anything in their path. The guitars are relentless, with harsh, brutal distorted guitar riffs filling every nook and crook of the room. The drums are pounding, reverberating off my chest close to the speaker stack.
Dane removes the mask and controls the stage, demanding more and more from the eager crowd, who lap up every twisted note.
I’ve seen some incredible hardcore/deathcore bands recently such as Jesus Piece Desolated and Whitechapel, and I have to say To The Grave are right up there, delivering one of the most powerful and intense performances out there.
